Generally I'm not a fan of short stories. I try to steer-clear of books that are a collection of short stories and this is because of the usual problems that arise from them. One dimensional characters, unfinished stories, cleverly wrapped up endings, or just a hollow place in my soul that feels empty due to a story unfinished. I have tried, like many other past titles of my favorite authors, to provide inquiring minds with a completely unbiased review. So... FYI I do love Jeffery Deaver's writing... and I'll attempt to provide the most authentic, unbiased review possible.
So... a little background. Deaver, for those living under a rock, is the creative mind behind fans beloved paraplegic criminologist Lincoln Ryhme. He is the brilliant, man behind novels such as The Bone Collector and others, which solidify his ranking in the most informative fiction that defines the very foundation that is criminology. He takes his self this seriously so I will do the same. That ends the background info. In short form, without all the mumbo jumbo, Deaver is the author of many great crime fiction and thankfully doesn't show signs of slowing down.
Trouble in Mind: The Collected Stories, Vol. 3 is the latest compilation of Deaver's mind. Unbeknownst to me, he's written short stories for a very long time. This latest installment is my introduction to this author in that genre. For someone who's usually not interested in investing the time necessary to commit to this genre, I find that I was pleasantly surprised.
Jeffery Deaver introduces readers to a whole host of characters, some familiar, most not, that occupy our attention for however many pages is their story. Most of these stories end in an unforeseen twist, which is Deaver's MO, while others are just plain ol' fun.
Sure, he has short stories that feature his A-Squad. Kathryn Dance, who's his #1 profiler. A woman capable of reading the most minute physical giveaways and using that advantage to bag the bad guy who's only interested in making a point by killing 200+. As if Dance isn't good enough, he features Rhyme and his crew. Fiery red-head Amelia and all. They hunt a maniac that uses Rhyme's own manual against him. Then he introduces us to grannies who will stop at nothing to get rid of their questionable tenants.
Ultimately, Trouble In Mind was a great way to pass the time. I don't have as much time as I used to. I can't devote a true 8-hours to reading any one novel, but can offer 30 mins to a story here or there that restores my trust in an author I rely on to totally captivate me from day one. An author who allows readers to assume they have it all figured it out until the final blow is delivered. Rating= Worth it.
Copy provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley
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