Review: The Cutting Edge by Jeffery Deaver

Back in the saddle with Jeffery Deaver and his crime fighting duo Amelia Sachs and Lincoln Rhyme. Although I've read most of the books in this series I can't help but picture Rhyme as Denzel Washington and Sachs as Angelina Jolie because of The Bone Collector movie I saw year before picking up the book of the same title. I know, I know Rhyme is nowhere near being a black dude but this is what happens when I see movies before reading the book. The actors used in the movie are somehow imprinted on my brain and I can't quite get them out. But that's neither here nor there. 

Reviews: Trouble in Mind by Jeffery Deaver

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

Review: The October List by Jeffery Deaver

I didn’t think Jeffery Deaver would be able to pull it off writing a novel in reverse but I must say, although a little gimmicky, he does it quite well. The ending, which is in fact the beginning, was nothing at all like I thought it’d be. 

The October List is a document that is causing all types of hell for Gabriela McKenzie. A man approaches her with news that Sarah, her daughter, has been kidnapped and to get her back she must supply him with the October List. But what exactly is the October List and why has it put killers, mobsters, police officers, and FBI on her trail? That is the question of the hour as the first chapter shows our heroine facing down to a gun.

The October List can be finished in a few hours and is written more as a short story. The 300+ pages that it is do not seem to ever slow down. Initially this is annoying to me as a person who really likes to root for great characters. But as the mysteries unfold, so does the character depth of at least Gabriela McKenzie. I would like to think that more could have been done with the other characters in regards to their being anything other than paper-thin caricatures, but then it wouldn’t really be a race against the clock as the blurbs have suggested.

Never have I wanted to get to the beginning, really ending, of a book more than with this one. Not because it was boring but because I was intrigued by this October List. What could be so important that it leaves a trail of dead bodies along the way? Please read The October List to find out. Although it doesn’t feature my favorite brilliant forensic specialist Lincoln Rhyme, it is definitely one of my favorite by Jeffery Deaver. A must-read for thriller lovers.  ****

Review: The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver

I try to be completely unbiased with my reviews but when it comes to my favorite authors I can't help but boast of their brilliance a little more than normal. I place my favorites on a pedestal that is sometimes wavering. Sure the book may not be that great or genre bending but it's still necessary for the collection. Now that I'm done with my rant I will get to The Kill Room by one of my favorite authors Jeffery Deaver.

Rhyme and Sachs are asked by the ADA Jance to investigate a case under the most secret circumstances. A high ranking official in the government may have ordered a hit on Robert Moreno. Intel suggested Moreno was planning a terrorist attack on a U.S. oil company but it was not true. Rhyme's travels to the Bahamas in search of a crime scene that does not exist while Sachs tracks down leads in New York. There is tons of danger and suspense lurking aroud the corner for each of them.

What I loved most about this novel is that it is classic Deaver. There is no stopping the action and pages just seem to fly by. Each time I think the unsub is found out I am drastically wrong. The classic whiteboard is featured as well to help keep track of all the evidence and info. The only glaring fact remains much of the novel that the unsub is doing his best to make sure there is no crime scene to investigate. Fans of this series will need to add The Kill Room to their collection because it's only necessary.

I'm a huge fan of Deaver's but I am not blind to the fact that this series is to be savored over time. It becomes a little formulaic after a while. This being the 10th novel in the series is no exception. But I continue to read these novels because they are well written, interesting, and just a fun quick read for any occasion.

Although my above rant may imply that The Kill Room wasn't genre bending I only wanted to warn any readers that this is not totally without bias the review they are reading. Overall, Deaver supplies readers with all that we love about the Lincoln Rhyme's series. We have Rhyme's serious attitude problem coupled with a brilliance most leading characters in thrillers do not have. We're also graced with Amelia's fearlessness in the face of every obstacle such as arthritis and jealousy. There's even the lovely Thom who is Rhyme's punching bag... I mean well-paid nurse. All these characters we expect to see as we journey through the pages with our favorite forensic consultant.

Does Your Home Come With A Killing Room?

Today I begin work on The Killing Room by Jeffery Deaver. I have been a fan of Deaver's since I first opened the book The Bone Collector. Many can relate that his crime novels featuring Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are up there on their must-reads list. The crime fighting duo are back at it again in their latest The Killing Room which is the 10th in this long running series. I always read these novels hoping that Rhyme will recover from his injuries and will be able bodied but... that wouldn't be very true to life with the seriousness of his handicap. Although, if you're like me and have read all this whole series (except The Burning Wire and The Broken Window), you'll come to realize that it does become formulaic in delivery. That I can forgive so long as Deaver keeps supplying me with the brilliance that is criminology and great storytelling. I hope that The Killing Room is just as fast-paced and thrilling as all the other 9 in the Lincoln Rhyme series. Let's Read!

Synopsis:  Robert Moreno, an American citizen living in South America, is shot in the Bahamas by a sniper. The killing was commissioned by the U.S. government, who received a tip-off that Moreno was planning a terrorist attack on a U.S. oil company headquarters. But this intelligence was fatally incorrect: anti-American Moreno ordered a protest at the oil company, not an attack.


Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are drafted in to investigate. While Sachs traces Moreno's steps in New York, Rhyme travels to the scene of the crime in Nassau, where he finds himself on a dangerous path trailed by the sniper himself. As details of the case start to emerge, the pair discover that not all is what it seemed. Can they achieve justice and escape with their lives intact