This was my first read of a novel by this author and I really enjoyed it. Although I learned after finishing the title that this novel is #5 in the Lincoln Rhyme series, it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. One is instantly immersed in the world of illusion and magic with a wealth of history, famous names, and secrets revealed. As Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs become informed, the reader also begins to believe that he/she might be able to use all of the information learned to solve the case in advance of law enforcement. Enjoy the illusion but I doubt you’ll be successful.I think there are two (2) special treasures within this novel. To illustrate my own comparison, I will share that although I enjoy reading thrillers by Brad Thor, there are times that I become very frustrated as he seems so busy teaching me about the current espionage technology and military weapons capabilities or whatever background for the latest thriller, I become lost in the paragraphs of ‘lecture preaching’ – oh, I’m sorry, I meant ‘lecture teaching’. Jeffrey Deaver could have done the same thing as by the end of this novel, I realized that I really learned a wealth of information about illusion and magic. But Deaver is an artist that is a reader’s joy – the presentation is seamless in a cleverly crafted story that will capture your senses, expand your knowledge, and lead you through a skillfully written and tight page-turner. The other treasure of this novel is the presentation of the Evidence Board composed of discoveries of evidence at the Crime Scene(s) and Profile list of the criminal as each develops through the sequence of the novel chapters and as each becomes a method of comparison for similarities and differences. What a wonderful novel to introduce Jeffrey Deaver to my reading list of fabulous authors!
I am reviewing the procedural thriller The Vanished Man which is a very good thriller written by Jeffery Deaver and which I bought at a car boot sale. This novel came out in 2003 and is part of the Lincoln Rhyme series. The plot a kind of warped magician who does magical tricks like escapology but leaves dead victims and mysteriously makes a getaway. His first victim is a young lady who is hog tied with knots dating from Houdini's day which are virtually impossible to undue. With the fashion he has tied her in as she struggles the rope around her neck gets tighter and tighter. She dies and the police hear a gunshot but when they storm the place he has mysteriously disappeared. He is also a master of disguise complete with throw away clothes and the capability to go from one disguise to the next. This has to be the most disturbing villain in any of the Lincoln Rhyme series. Lincoln does play him at his own game when at one stage someone plants a sensor on the villain's watch to help them track him. The murders are ingenious and at one point it dupes someone with the use of an animatronic cat before hitting him over the head with a blunt object and slipping him a date rape drug. This book is probably not suitable for more squeamish and at over 500 pages is a decent length. I really enjoyed and it's the kind of book you can really get your teeth into. The action is fast paced with the murderer literally going from one murder to another & Lincoln really needs to keep his wits about him in tracking him. As with the other books in the series my favourite of the novel is the evidence sheet and how it keeps getting updated. I think Jeffery Deaver would make one hell of a criminalist. The book is well researched.
I really enjoyed this novel, although I think there were a few twists too many for my liking - though I'm beginning to believe this is typical of Deaver's works. I found the beginning to be very chilling - the idea of an illusionist using magic tricks and illusions in murders was terrifying! The book went from a four star to a three star due to the multiple twists at the end (which I didn't really find necessary) and the subplot about Grady (which I didn't find half as engaging as Malerick's story). Overall, an enjoyable mystery, though now that I know Deaver's "twist" formula, I found I could guess much of what was going to happen! Looking forward to reading the next in the series to see how Amelia's new position comes into play!
—Amanda
I loved this book, it had the best qualities of a mystery (the main question being 'wtf is the villain doing that for?'), with a fast paced plot. Many innocent victims died in awful ways. Deaver creates wonderfully sympathetic characters, especially Kara. I was almost moved to tears at one point due to her situation with her mother. The plot was brilliant. There were moments when I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Deaver can make the reader believe anything, then take it all away and turn it into a completely different picture altogether. Perhaps the motives of the killer were slightly implausible, but that doesn't matter. This is a fun read.
—Dariya Wilcox
Several years ago, I bumped into a movie, The Bone Collector. I have forgotten all about its plots ever since, and the only thing gluing to my head was Washington's sad and stupid face. No offence, I just don't like the actor. Until a few days ago, someone recommended this book to me. The language is rather smooth, so it didn't take long for me to read it. The idea is quite brilliant, the superb illusionist, his tricks, his misdirections, and his misdirections hidden in other misdirections. Lincoln's function in the pursuit of this bad-ass criminal mastermind is merely decorational, what catches readers' attention is this magician's fabulous traps. When you think you have figured out all the cheats and tricks, voila, there's another dead-end. When you think you have considered both the impossible and the possible, the answer is already there crying out loud right into your face... Loved the idea of an illusionist trying to perform his last live performance in front of the city. Though I really have no positive feelings for the design of this "Lincoln", the story itself is amazing. SO, brave, and, encore!
—Ailsa Jo.
