Product Description
Look who's back to chill readers to the bone...

The first novel featuring Detective Lincoln Rhyme, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Stone Monkey.Amazon.com Review
The hero of Jeffery Deaver's thriller The BoneCollector is Lincoln Rhyme, a forensic scientist known to hispeers as "the world's foremost criminalist." Rhyme will needall his reason--and his considerable stock of high-tech tools--about himto solve this latest brain-twister: a serial killer with method to hismadness. In tried and true thriller fashion, the killer's crimes aredescribed in lurid detail, as is the astounding technologicalequipment with which Rhyme examines the evidence--everything from anenergy-dispersive x-ray unit to a mass spectrometer.

Every fictional detective has his or her gimmick, from SherlockHolmes's violin to Nero Wolf's orchids, and Rhyme is no exception.Heis a quadriplegic who can move nothing but a single finger.Gadget-philes will be in seventh heaven reading about Lincoln Rhyme'stools; other readers might feel the book could do with a few moreplausible characters and a little less technology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (299)

Nuff bones to make stew.
Jeffery Deaver is not an easily explained novelist. He is so unpredictable and so "let you hanging" that you can't put the darn book down.Although "The Bone Collector" has enough bones, ill gotten and without much purpose, it still makes you shiver when you know that on the next page it's going to happen.And Deaver also has that knack of ending each chapter with a word, phrase, line or thought, you have to ask yourself, "how do he do it".He is just scary enough to wonder if he isn't on the run from the athorities and is hiding under the guise as a novelist.That comment is meant as a compliment, which shows how much I enjoy Jerrery Deaver.And if Amazon would add more of his books, I could complete my library.

Outstanding!
This book is absolutly the best book I have ever read in a long time. I was up every night to 3:00 in the morning reading this real page turner. I learned alot about crime scenes and the old new york was very interesting!

One of my FAVORITE AUTHORS!
Jeffery Deaver is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS! He has so many twists & turns in his books, you never know what to expect next! Although each novel in the "Lincoln Rhyme Series" stands alone, you will probably want to start with this first book in the series because it enables you to get to know and appreciate the characters so much more as they grow & develop throughout the books. If you've read some of Deaver's earlier books/series, namely, the "The Rune Series" or the "The John Pellam Series", and did not enjoy them, please do not judge ALL of his books by those. His writing style changes completely with the "Lincoln Rhyme" books and if you like mystery & suspense, you will LOVE these! This is book #1 in the series and you're going to LOVE it!

One of my favorite authors!
Jeffery Deaver is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS! He has so many twists & turns in his books, you never know what to expect next! Although each novel in the "Lincoln Rhyme Series" stands alone, you will probably want to start with this first book in the series because it enables you to get to know and appreciate the characters so much more as they grow & develop throughout the books. If you've read some of Deaver's earlier books/series, namely, the "The Rune Series" or the "The John Pellam Series", and did not enjoy them, please do not judge ALL of his books by those. His writing style changes completely with the "Lincoln Rhyme" books and if you like mystery & suspense, you will LOVE these! This is book #1 in the series and you're going to LOVE it!

The Bone Collector
Another mystery thriller from Jeffery Deaver.I don't want to put it down.It is fast pace and exciting.I am surprised his books are not made into movies.
... Read more

Product Description

More diabolical tales of suspense. More nerve-jangling shocks.

"The grand master of the plot twist" (Booklist) is back.... New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, who crafted first-rate thrills in the collected stories of Twisted, presents sixteen more tales -- including an all-new Lincoln Rhyme entry -- spawned from his darkly brilliant imagination. From a stressed-out commuter to a death-row inmate, Deaver's characters are never what they seem -- and every jaw-dropping curveball he delivers is nothing less than "ingeniously devious" (People). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Not as good as the original.
After reading Deaver's first book in the twisted series, I was very excited to recieve this book.I was quite let down by this one.In the first book I could not figure out what the twist was going to be.The stories in More Twisted were predictable and I think deaver lost a little of his touch.They were not boring stories, they just lacked the element of surprise.The best story in this book was Born Bad, it had the element os suspense, and kept you guessing right up until the end and BAM!!!You are blown away by the surprise. But that is just my opinion.The first book was so much better.

GREAT short reads for anywhere you have 10 or 20 minutes....
I loved the surprise endings, always have, but these were sometimes hard to find and hit in your the face at the end.I love this author and will read just about anything he writes, but I truly enjoyed the dramatic endings, the briefness of beginning to end is nice at times, yet he creates the characters for you in just a few pages.Highly recommended.

Entertaining
Sixteen short stories with surprising twists in the plots.These stories are about crime or suspense.Interesting, good examples of short stories.Examples of how to use fear in writing are illustrated.
He uses 5 essential fears in writing.
1. Fear of the unknown.
2. The fear we experience when others are in control of our lives.
3. The fear of others lacking control of themselves.They do not play by the normal rules.
4. Our own lack of self control.The sensation of feeling we can fly off a cliff for example.
5. Fear because we see or sense the icons of fear.People who look a certain way,a burning cross, a noose, blood, darkness, various phobias such as the fear of darkness, fear of the occult.

Two rules:
1. The characters and therefore the readers stand to loose something important if the calamity comes to pass.This requires that the characters be developed so the reader knows them.
2. Objective is to make the reader afraid but never disgusted or repulsed.No graphic gore or violence against children or animals for example.

Deaver at his best
Prior to buying this book, I had yet to find a Jeffery Deaver book that I didn't like, and this one did not disappoint. "Twisted" is the only word to describe these stories. Just when you think you have it figured out ... you don't. If you are a Deaver fan, or a suspense fan, you will like this book.

Manufactured twists in most cases. Average leisure read.
I picked this up as a leisure read, and because I wanted something I could chew up piecemeal. I gave it the three stars I did mostly because I was able to do just that: read a story or two a day, and not worry about remembering anything beyond that.

But make no mistake, it wasn't great. Yes, there were twists at the end of each short story (the basic premise of the book). However, in almost every case, the twist wasn't something that was carefully planted, something the reader could have picked up on, or at least said, "Of course. It was there all along." In each case, the twist wasn't ludicrous; it just wasn't carefully cultivated and nurtured through the story.

And ultimately, I believe that's what we all want... twists that not only surprise us, but that make us think, "It couldn't have been any other way." So lots of promise, but very lacking in the delivery. ... Read more

Product Description

Forensic expert Lincoln Rhyme and his protégée Amelia Sachs are called in to work the high-profile investigation of a killer who seemingly disappeared into thin air just as the police closed in. As the homicidal illusionist baits them with grisly murders that grow more diabolical with each victim, Rhyme and Sachs must go behind the smoke and mirrors to prevent a horrific act of vengeance that could become the greatest vanishing act of all....Amazon.com Review
Presto! With a conjuror's flourish, the reliable Jeffery Deaver has pulled another winner out of his hat. The Vanished Man brings back Lincoln Rhyme, forensic investigator, and his sidekick Amelia Sachs, ex-model and beat cop, a team featured in four previous books. Their case begins with a murder in which the culprit, cornered in a locked room, seemingly vanishes into thin air. Rhyme soon realizes he's up against a master illusionist--and then acquires a conjuror of his own, a spunky apprentice magician, to advise him. The book is chock-a-block with magic lore and with details of the craft of illusion, which provide a fine complement to the engrossing forensic-science puzzles.

The characters, as usual with Deaver, are little more than cardboard cutouts. Even Rhyme himself, a brilliant quadriplegic and former head of NYPD forensics, seems more a collection of characteristics than a man. But Deaver's cutouts are sturdy and well-constructed, and the book's plotting and pacing--featuring twist upon twist and reversal upon reversal--are nothing short of dazzling, reminiscent of Agatha Christie at her best. Deaver proves himself an accomplished illusionist, misdirecting your attention with one hand while slipping a firecracker down your pants with the other. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (160)

Plot Driven Powerhouse
The complexities of Jeffery Deaver's THE VANISHING MAN are so diverse that it leaves little room for the development of his characters including Lincoln Rhyme.
That said this is still one of the most enthralling series to populate bookstores.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS.

Very exciting book.
I learned many new things about the world of magic acts.Some of the plot twists were a bit too contrived but all in all, the book was so exciting and interesting that I couldn't put it down until I finished it!! One of Deaver's better Lincoln Rhyme novels.

Mystery, magic, and mettle! A captivating read.
Wow! This book is definitely one of my Deaver favorites. The villain of this piece is a master illusionist, who puts on a horrifying but brilliant magic show involving murder, escapism, quick change, misdirection, sleight of hand and multiple other magician effects, staying one step ahead of Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs who pursue the villain through a series of fascinating venues such as a circus arena, a school of music, and the bottom of the river.

Shorter than a some of the other Deaver novels, the Vanished Man is still packed with action, mysteries, twists, and engaging characters. Definitely worth a read, this book will keep you awake and entertained for a few thrilling hours (includes about 6 CDs worth of reading time).

Awesome concept
I loved this book. Great concept, great new characters, great twists.But I was a little disappointed with the end... maybe one too many twists.It made the ending a bit confusing and unrealistic.

Other than that, it was a great read and I'd highly recommend it!

Oh, come on now!
I'm willing to "suspend disbelief" in the interest of a good novel, but this is too much.The plot line is so contrived and convoluted as to be preposterous.The characters are largely unexplored and there only to act out the plot, which again, is preposterous.There is some information about magic which is interesting if true, but it's not enough to redeem this ridiculous book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

Not to be missed
I saw this book in the library and recognizing a few of the writers, thought I'd give it a try. I couldn't put it down.The novellas were written 2 years apart yet the story easily flowed. I loved the way each writer moved the story in another direction, leaving the following author to pick up the plot and add his/her own twist. Jeffery Deaver wrapped up both stories. Now I'll be looking for books by the authors I didn't recognize and I hope they'll do this again.

Good Stuff by Some Game Authors!
When you see a group of authors featured on a book, a lot of times it means that each of them wrote a short story. Well, thanks to an idea by Jeffery Deaver, as well as all the authors who contributed to this, we get two thrillers in one package that promises to deliver. The question is, with all these authors, is this going to be the best we've ever read? I didn't think it was, but I did think it was pretty good. Was it close to the worst thing out there I've picked up? Not by a long shot!

THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT and THE COPPER BRACELET, both thrillers featuring a man named Harold Middleton. Both with a little something to hide that could threaten the lives of many and cause some chaos.

THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT has the musical quality, and introduces us to Harold Middleton. It hints at a piece of music by the great composer, Frederic Chopin that could possibly have a message within handwritten notes. Middleton is being chased after in this, all the while trying to solve the mystery, and accomplish his mission at the same time. And while trying to keep certain family safe at the same time.

THE COPPER BRACELET takes you into shark-infested waters as well. It never claims to stay safe, and plays with the head. What is this copper bracelet, or who? We once again find Middleton in the mix, this time with possible nuclear proportions. Middleton proves to be tough, while his enemy proves to be equally wily. And it gets wilder by the minute.

I've read some of the authors who were dedicated to writing these chapters. I've read Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Joseph Finder, David Liss and Gayle Lynds. I found myself very impressed by Joseph Finder's chapters in both, while thinking that Liss could've done better. Deaver is always a master at his craft, and that doesn't change when it comes to simply a few chapters. As far as who I might read further? Peter Spiegelman is a name that really impressed me, with the possibility of P.J. Parrish, Lisa Scottoline, David Hewson and possibly David Corbett and Jon Land.

There was really nothing to complain about on my part. I'm glad I got to see what this was all about!

Satisfaction and appreciation.
This cd arrived in time for our car trip to Arkansas and was totally satisfactory.Thank you.

Non-Stop Action
The two "serial thrillers" offered in "Watchlist" are the product of the collaborative effort of 22 of the finest thriller writers in the world.Among the authors participating in the project are: Linda Barnes, Lee Child, Lisa Scottoline, Erica Spindler, David Hewson and Jeffrey Deaver (who created the basic characters and wrote the first and last chapters of the two novels)."The Chopin Manuscript" was first offered as an audio book and was named 2008 Audio Book of the year by the Audio Publisher's Association.Its follow-up, "The Copper Bracelet," throws several of the same characters into a new adventure some two years after the conclusion of the first book.

And as bad as "The Chopin Manuscript" is, "The Copper Bracelet" is equally as good.

The two books have much in common but one gets the sense that the authors did not really hit their stride with the concept until the second book."The Chopin Manuscript" reads less like a cohesive novel than it does a competition among its 15 writers to ensure that their individual chapters contain more outlandish action than the chapter immediately preceding theirs.So little time is spent on character development that the rapid-fire adventure seems to be happening to cartoon characters rather than to real people - and the constant losing-and-regaining of the upper hand plus last second rescues of main characters will test the patience of readers.

"The Copper Bracelet," authored by 9 of the first book's 15 writers, plus 7 new ones, spends more time developing characters and explaining their motivations.As a result, although much of the action in this second book is every bit as wild as that in the first, readers will find it easier to suspend their disbelief because of the emotional attachment they will feel toward this story's characters, hero and villain, alike.

Harold Middleton, a former military intelligence officer who has more recently functioned as a war-crimes investigator, is the main character in both books.Other recurring characters include Middleton's daughter Charlotte, a talented young Polish violinist called Felicia Kaminski, and several members of what Middleton calls The Volunteers, a small group of trusted colleagues who help him in his investigations and who are willing to share the violence directed their way by those wanting to stop their snooping.The collection's finer villains, in particular, Devras Sikari, his son Archer, and their female accomplice, Jana, are reserved for the second book.

"Watchlist" transports its readers from Virginia to Washington D.C., Poland, Italy, Pakistan, Kashmir, London and Paris, among other stops, with much violence and nonstop action sure to be had at each location.Despite the unevenness of the two stories, this one will appeal to thriller fans and readers intrigued about the process by which the two books were written.The second book is such a huge improvement over the first, in fact, that I find myself hoping that the authors will collaborate on a third.

Authors of The Chopin Manuscript: Jeffrey Deaver, David Hewson, James Grady, S.J. Rozan, Erica Spindler, John Ramsey Miller, David Corbett, John Gilstrap, Joseph Finder, Jim Fusilli, Peter Spiegelman, Ralph Pezzullo, Lisa Scottoline, P.J. Parrish, Lee Child

Authors of The Copper Bracelet: Jeffrey Deaver, Gayle Lynds, David Hewson, Jim Fusilli, John Gilstrap, Joseph Finder, Lisa Scottoline, David Corbett, Linda Barnes, Jenny Siler, David Liss, P.J. Parish, Brett Battles, Lee Child, Jon Land, James Phelan

Okay if you like stew
I love the novels of many of the contributors to WATCHLIST, but failed to realize in buying this book that what I love is their skill at plunging the reader into a credible world for several hours. The individual chapters in WATCHLIST are quite good (and it's fascinating to see how different writers tackle a situation), but overall the two novellas suffer from coitus interruptus. Just as you begin to get into one writer's tale, you're interrupted by somebody else's take on the story. It's entertaining, and Jeffery Deaver does a great job with the setup and wrapup, but you just can't be thrilled (the point of a thriller, no?) when the timer is going off every 20 minutes for another writer to step in.

I understand this was initially an audio book. It actually would work quite well as a serial story (audio or in print), where the passage of time would tend to erase the reader's/listener's immersion anyway. ... Read more

Product Description
Praying for revenge...Psycho killer Michael Hrubek has escaped to find the woman who put him away. He'll show her what killing is all about...Praying for salvation...Lis knows he's out there. He's haunted every sleepless night, watching and waiting to take her to hell with him...And now Lis is Praying for Sleep. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

Different take on "it was a dark and stormy night"
A terrible storm parks itself over Lis' life both literally and figuratively.A psycho killer who attacked her is on the loose.She's trying to keep her house from washing away, delving into abusive childhood, and attempting to strengthen bonds with what little family she has left.

While all that is going on, an ex cop in on the trail of the madman is trying to keep his life on track as well.The madman's psychiatrist is out and about, and so is Lis' husband.

In this book, there's lots of searching, both in looking for Michael the madman and soul-searching.These get to taking up a lot of time and space, making the book a bit of a slog.

The switches in verb tense were jarring, especially for a book that dragged in a lot of places.The author was trying to pick up the pace, but this particular trick didn't work very well.

What saved this book was the ending.It was a very satisfying conclusion, giving a lift to what would have been a completely underwhelming read.

one of my FAVORITE AUTHORS!
Jeffery Deaver is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS & this book doesn't disappoint. His books have many twists & turns, and you never know what to expect next! If you've read some of Deaver's earlier books/series, namely, the "The Rune Series" or the "The John Pellam Series", and did not enjoy them, please do not judge him by those books... his writing style changes completely with the "Lincoln Rhyme" books. I recommend that you start at the beginning of the series though because it enables you to get to know and appreciate the characters so much more as they grow & develop throughout the books! "The Devil's Teardrop" is probably my favorite Deaver stand alone book. I wish he'd do a series with the characters from that book! If you like mystery & suspense, you are going to LOVE Jeffery Deaver & "Praying for Sleep"!

One of my favorite authors!
Jeffery Deaver is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS & this book doesn't disappoint. His bookshave many twists & turns, and you never know what to expect next! If you've read some of Deaver's earlier books/series, namely, the "The Rune Series" or the "The John Pellam Series", and did not enjoy them, please do not judge him by those books... his writing style changes completely with the "Lincoln Rhyme" books. I recommend that you start at the beginning of the series though because it enables you to get to know and appreciate the characters so much more as they grow & develop throughout the books! "The Devil's Teardrop" is probably my favorite Deaver stand alone book. I wish he'd do a series with the characters from that book! If you like mystery & suspense, you are going to LOVE Jeffery Deaver & "Praying for Sleep"!

Never Met A Deaver I Didn't Like
I recently found this "older" Deaver novel I had somehow overlooked.It is every bit what I have come to expect and love from a Deaver novel.Simply put, the man is a master storyteller.Even by now, after reading most (13?) of his books, and knowing there are plot twists and turns . . . and knowing my head is going to get messed with . . . and knowing I would love to FOR ONCE actually get the twists right . . . I still can't.I still wind up surprised by the fifty different ways the story takes you before the end.Some people call that whiplash; I call it the cure for predictable by-the-numbers thrillers.

The plot does not need repeating here, but this does: read this book.I recommend this, and the other Deaver novels, without hesitation.

devious Deaver
This is an old Deaver, copyright in 1994. Lincoln Rhyme was probably walking on both legs then, so he doesn't show up in this exciting novel.

Nonetheless, you can tell this is Deaver's work, because the plot races forward and you can never guess what is going to happen next. With Deaver, you never know what's what until you finish. You're sure to enjoy this one.
... Read more

Product Description
Five feet two inches of slick repartee, near-purple hair, and poetic imagination, twenty-year-old Rune hasn't been in Manhattan for very long. But she's crafty enough to have found a squatter's paradise in an empty TriBeCa loft, and a video store job that feeds her passion for old movies. It's a passion she shares with her favorite customer, Mr. Kelly, a lonely old man who rents the same video over and over. The flick is a noir classic based on a real-life unsolved bank heist and a million missing dollars. It's called Manhattan Is My Beat.

That's the tape Rune is picking up from Mr. Kelly's shabby apartment when she finds him shot to death. The police suspect a robbery gone wrong, but Rune is certain the key to solving the murder is hidden somewhere in the hazy, black-and-white frames of Mr. Kelly's beloved movie. But as Rune hits the mean streets of New York to find answers, she gets caught up in a dangerous adventure more chilling than anything Hollywood could dream up. As her story draws to its terrifying conclusion, Rune's final close-up may include the killer of a co-star.
Amazon.com Review
Jeffrey Deaver knows how to hook readers and keep them guessing withsuspenseful, twisty plots. This early Deaver effort, originally publishedin 1988, will not disappoint fans dazzled by his subsequent, high-profileLincoln Rhyme series (The Bone Collector, The Coffin Dancer,The Empty Chair.)

Manhattan Is My Beat takes its name from the (invented) 1947 filmnoir watched obsessively by murder victim Robert Kelly. Our heroine,Rune, (a punk with a heart of gold) works for Washington Square Video. On aroutine pickup to retrieve Manhattan Is My Beat, she discoversKelly just shot dead, the target of a professional hit.Rune and a womanjogger glimpse the presumed killer as he speeds off in a green car. Whilecops drag their heels in solving the mystery, Rune takes matters into herown hands, convinced that the motive for the murder is a missing suitcasestuffed with one million dollars--the subject, not coincidentally, of thefilm that Kelly and Rune both admired. An avid fan of fantasy novels andprone to see life through the prism of magic and quests, Runetakes up the challenge of finding the lost money and catching Kelly'skillers. But the formidable hit team is intent upon destroying bothpossible witnesses to the murder, and their nimble crosses anddouble-crosses--some of which the reader sees, some of which are revealedat the end--make for fun reading.

Plotting moves briskly in this novel, except for a slowdown in the story--Rune's ambiguous romance with downtown poseur Richard haslittle to do with catching killers.The conclusion, while neatly wrapped,is marred by the sudden appearance of a crucial detail that Deaver produceslike a fancy dish under the waiter's silver dome.But the gimmick tooffset the conclusion's predictability feels like a cheat rather than arevelation. All in all, however, the novel is excellent mind candy, athrilling romp lead by an agile, street-smart heroine. --Kathi InmanBerens ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Not your same old sleuth...
I'd love to rate this book higher than three stars, but it has some glaring flaws. But where it shines, as many have said before me, is with its main character. Rune is fun, quirky, and yet not to far-fetched (as you might think in the beginning) to not have vulnerability and a real sweetness. The downside is that she is not fully developed enough to really hold her own, which is painfully obvious by the end of the story. She's unreliable as a narrator, and because of this, you learn you can't trust anyone, not even Rune. Even more disappointing is that the author pulls the ending out of nowhere. Part of the deal between mystery writer and reader is that they'll give you just enough that you might figure out the ending, if you pay close attention. You don't see it coming, and the climax is so absurd, it's painful.

All that being said, it's worth reading just to remember what it's like to read a character other than the blank page heroines and copycat sleuths with hangovers, miseries, and sad stories. Rune is a breath of fresh air, and proves formulaic doesn't have to be all wrapped in formula. Deaver has a winning character.

Early Efforts
Was not the caliber of Deaver that Ive come to expect, but was still a good read.

I can't remember why I bought this.
Someone or something I read recommended this book to me over 10 years ago. I just now got around to reading it. I can't imagine why I thought it would be good. I reread the review here to see if it would jog my memory, but no luck. I can't recommend this book. The plot is very twisty, that's true. Other than that, the characters seem as multi-dimensional as comic book heroes and villains and the dialog is ridiculous. Yes, the book is set in downtown NYC in the late 80's, but I was a frequent visitor at that time and had friends there. No one acted or talked like the people in this book. It's more like the view of someone who was a middle-aged suburbanite at the time and read an article in the Times about the East Village scene - and did no further research. Nearly every line of dialog clanged against my ears completely out of tune.

Young Freespirited Detective
Rune is 20 years old, works as a clerk in a East Greenwich Village video store and spends much of her time fantasizing. She befriends an elderly gentleman who keeps renting the same movie repeatedly. She goes by his apartment to deliver a video and discovers that he has just been murdered. She feels that the police will not devote enough resources to solve the case. So, she begins her own search for the killer. There are many exciting and unexpected twists and turns along the way. This was a quick enjoyable read.

A lot of fun
We see the roots of Deaver's work in this early effort from him featuring Rune (later to be seen in "Death of a Blue Movie Star" and "Hard News").While not perfect - I personally didn't see the point to the whole Richard sub-plot - it's overall a satisfying mystery with enough twists to keep you guessing until the end - all three of them.

Rune is a young woman who has come to New York from Ohio and is squatting in a gazebo while the building is being renovated around her.She works for a video store and one day while out to pick up a video from a customer, she discovers the customer has just been murdered.She had been friends with the customer - Robert Kelly - and they had shared a love of movies; she decides that the murder has something to do with Mr. Kelly's favorite movie - "Manhattan is My Beat," which was based upon a true story about a bank robbery.She decides that Mr. Kelly had found the money from the robbery (which had never been recovered) and therefore had been killed for it.So she sets out to solve his murder herself, and to find the money.

There isn't much else of the plot that can be outlined without spoiling the plot for those who haven't yet read it.Suffice it to say that those who are fans of Deaver, those who enjoy mysteries and thrillers - they should enjoy this book.Just keep in mind it is an early effort and Deaver hadn't quite shaken all the knots out of his style yet.That said, I enjoyed it a great deal.Recommend from me! ... Read more

Product Description

Jeffery Deaver is the New York Times bestselling author of The Empty Chair and The Devil's Teardrop. Here his trademark "ticking-bomb suspense" (People) explodes off the page in another heart-stopping thriller.

Hollywood location scout John Pellam thought the scenic backwater town of Maddox, Missouri, would be the perfect site for an upcoming Bonnie and Clyde-style film. But after real bullets leave two people dead and one cop paralyzed, he's more sought after than the Barrow Gang. Pellam had unwittingly wandered onto the crime scene just minutes before the brutal hits. Now the feds and local police want him to talk. Mob enforcers want him silenced. And a mysterious blonde just wants him. Trapped in a town full of sinister secrets and deadly deceptions, Pellam fears that death will imitate art, as the film shoot -- and his life -- race toward a breathtakingly bloody climax.Amazon.com Review
John Pellam, scouting locations for a new film in a small town inMissouri, inadvertently witnesses a double homicide and some seriousgunplay that left a cop paralyzed. He didn't see the guy who orderedthe killings, but the police don't believe him. The U.S. attorneywho thinks he knows who was behind the murders has bet his career onPellam's identification of a criminal the feds have been trying to nailfor years. They'll do anything to get Pellam's cooperation, includingthreatening his new girlfriend, shutting down the movie, and keepingPellam from inking a deal to get his own film made. That project isPellam's ticket back to the top of the heap in Hollywood, a perch hefell off of when he supplied the drugs that killed his best friend. Thecops want Pellam's testimony, the mob boss wants him permanently silenced,and the film's director wants him to finish the job he's been paid todo. But first Pellam has to find his way out of the traps they've allset for him, and he does it with style, wit, and a self-deprecatingcharm that makes him a hero to everyone--well, almost everyone.

William Jefferies, who usually writes under the better-known nom de plume ofJeffery Deaver, has a couple of other Location Scout mysteries to hisname (ShallowGraves, Hell'sKitchen). Pocket Books hasreissued them as Deaver titles ("writing as William Jefferies"), butregardless of their provenance, they feature topnotch writing, snappydialogue, solid pacing, and excellent characterization. Bloody RiverBlues was overlooked by Deaver's fans when it first came out eightyears ago. Now that the publisher has cleared up the mystery of whoactually wrote it, it ought to get the attention it deserves. --JaneAdams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Shoddy editing, should be a freebie
This Kindle edition is a disgrace. No whitespace between paragraphs often makes it hard to understand who is saying or doing what, or even what's happening. I can imagine someone editing a free book for Kindle in a hurry doing a job like this, but this is a book that's pretty expensive. Since writers get 30 percent of the sales -soon even 70 I think- they should take responsibility for how their work is sold.
Mr. Deaver, show us what you are made of! Oversee the editing yourself and let everyone who bought this Kindle edition based on your good name as an author have a refund or a properly edited book.
The book itself would get 5 stars from me (I read the paperback years ago and liked it), but the shoddy editing job takes away three of those stars for the Kindle edition.

Jeffery Deaver Kindle Books Over priced!
Buy a paperback, or check out a used book store.Paying almost $10 for books that have been in print for 10-15 years is a HUGE RIP-OFF by Deaver, his publisher and Amazon!

Super book
Like I said in my feedback this book was in great shape and arrived in a timely manner with no damages. I will be a return buyer. Thanks so much.

A little different than the usual Deaver
Bloody River Blues by Jeffery Deaver gives the reader what they expect from a Deaver novel.There are lots of suspects and motives to sort out and though some seem a little "ho, hum" in the end it all matters.The book has a good pace, but you can put it down and pick it up again when you have time to read, unlike some of Deaver's work that cost you sleep because you can't put them down.

Hated It!
I'm a huge Jeffery Deaver fan and until this book had never read one of his tomes that I didn't absolutely love. Bloody River Blues was anything but spectacular in my opinion and it was a struggle to even get to the end.

Character development was fair but not the usual style I've come to enjoy from Deaver. I never really knew John Pellam like an intimate friend and was only given tidbits of information about him. Along the way a few more scraps were thrown out but most seemed unimportant. Subcharacters were also underdeveloped - even the villain was so underdeveloped that when the identity was known it was anticlimactic. One of my favorite characters was the paralyzed cop but his story was often short changed - his doctor could have been developed to give so much more to the story but she never was and it left me lacking enthusiasm for the storyline. And his chanting, nutsy wife could have been fun but again she was almost mentioned in passing and nothing more said.

The main plot was fair but not something that would grab the reader and not let go. In fact, I kept putting this book down and it was difficult to muddle my way through it. The subplots were tossed in with no clear reason behind them. For example, the subplot that has John Pellam trying to sell his own movie script so he can make it into a film himself had me scratching my head and saying, "So what!" I really didn't care and didn't see what relevance it had in the big picture. The other subplots were similar and left me wondering why they took up page space.

Overall this book was just a tad below average but for a Jeffery Deaver book to even be average is a very unusual thing. His books usually grab me from the beginning and I lose sleep trying to finish them. If anything, BLOODY RIVER BLUES put me to sleep! I'd definitely skip this one and read anything else by Deaver.
... Read more

Product Description
Aaron Matthews is a man with a gift: he can talk anyone into doing almost anything. As a psychologist he used that talent to help people. Now he's using it against one man for revenge. With former trial lawyer Tate Collier as his target, the brilliant, ruthless Matthews knows the easiest way to destroy his adversary is to strike at the point of least resistance, which for Collier is his teenage daughter.Amazon.com Review
Tate Collier, the flawed hero of best-selling author Jeffery Deaver's exciting new thriller, is a divorced prosecutor whose tangled feelings about hisex-wife and their teenage daughter come to the forefront when the girlis kidnapped by a murderous psychiatrist bent on settling a personalscore with Collier. It soon becomes clear that Tate really doesn't havea clue about Megan's life or her emotional reality, but the reader getsa fuller explanation from the girl's own perspective, and it's Megan,rather than her father, who turns out to be the real hero of thisstory.

Deaver draws the reader into the angry, rebellious Megan's desperate fightto save her own life in the creepy surroundings of a decrepit insane asylum in the Virginia mountains. (Deaver practically writes blueprints for theinevitable Hollywood set designer who will have a field day bringingthe shuttered, rat-infested scene of Megan's captivity to the screen.) Themotivation for Dr. Aaron Matthews's vendetta against the Colliers isn'trevealed until most of the way through this crisply pacednovel, but he's convincingly insane enough for it not tomatter. Deaver throws a few implausible scenarios the reader's way,but they won't matter either; the chase is the thing. The narrativesteams along without letting up, and the result is a nail biter thatwill keep the pages turning. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (84)

I liked it ALOT!
This is my first book by this author and I felt it was really good. It had a really good plot and the twist at the end was really interesting. I fully enjoyed this book. I would recomend it.

Don't Waste Your Money
I never heard of Deaver before.Thank goodness.
I managed to get through the third CD before I closed it down.
Couldn't stand it.

Take one workaholic father, add a flaky mother and create an angry daughter, throw in a psychotic with a bone to pick ....
I'm a fan of Jeffery Deaver, and as such I'm loathe to speak ill of any of his works - however, this one is not among his best.The characters are sort of cookie-cutter.We have Meagan, the daughter who is in therapy - who acts just fine around her parents, but apparently has a lot of secrets to hide and a lot of hidden anger.Her parents are divorced - her father Tate was a workaholic and is now just distracted and doesn't pay much attention to her.Her mother Bett was into a lot of New Age stuff - to the extent of flakiness - but after the divorce became almost desperate to land another husband and left Meagan alone a lot of the time.Then we have the villain of the piece, who is able to talk anyone into anything with his almost magical powers of persuasion, and who - by the way - kidnaps Meagan.

When Tate and Bett realize what has happened, that their daughter is missing, they suddenly realize what they have done, and how they have treated their daughter, etc.It's all very touching and we hope that they manage to find her before she is murdered.Do they?You'll have to read the book to find out.

On the plus side, this is a fairly short book and it's a fast read - I got through it in a few hours.It does hold your attention - the characters may not be terribly well developed, but the action is good and Deaver gives us plenty of his trademark twists to keep us busy guessing what is going to happen.If you want to complete your Deaver library, be sure not to miss this one.If you are a bit unsure ... well, check it out of the library first, just to be sure.

Words DO matter
An early twist sets the tone for this tribute to the power of words, which in this case are used mostly to deceive.Deaver takes us on a twisting journey that may or may not spell doom for the protagonist.The story kept me engrossed the whole way.The brutality is raw in a couple of spots, but the reader is rewarded with a satistfying ending.After reading this story, you might think twice about excessive flattery.

Exellent suspense novel that will keep you up for nights reading till you finish
I finished this book quick it was so good, I couldn't sleep, just kept reading it.This is my 1st novel by this auther.Since I am a Christian my wife saw this while we were in Catalina Island, and she said look "Spoeaking in Tongues" thinking it was a Christian novel, pero it was a suspense novel and it got me curious.Good book and not too much profanity, though any is too much. ... Read more

Product Description
In the most ingenious and provocative thriller yet from the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, a conscience-plagued mobster turned government hitman struggles to find his moral compass amid rampant treachery and betrayal in 1936 Berlin.

Paul Schumann, a German American living in New York City in 1936, is a mobster hitman known as much for his brilliant tactics as for taking only "righteous" assignments. But then Paul gets caught. And the arresting officer offers him a stark choice: prison or covert government service. Paul is asked to pose as a journalist covering the summer Olympics taking place in Berlin. He's to hunt down and kill Reinhard Ernst -- the ruthless architect of Hitler's clandestine rearmament. If successful, Paul will be pardoned and given the financial means to go legit; if he refuses the job, his fate will be Sing Sing and the electric chair.

Paul travels to Germany, takes a room in a boardinghouse near the Tiergarten -- the huge park in central Berlin but also, literally, the "Garden of Beasts" -- and begins his hunt. In classic Deaver fashion, the next forty-eight hours are a feverish cat-and-mouse chase, as Paul stalks Ernst through Berlin while a dogged Berlin police officer and the entire Third Reich apparatus search frantically for the American.

Garden of Beasts is packed with fascinating period detail and features a cast of perfectly realized locals, Olympic athletes and senior Nazi officials -- some real, some fictional. With hairpin plot twists, the reigning "master of ticking-bomb suspense" (People) plumbs the nerve-jangling paranoia of prewar Berlin and steers the story to a breathtaking and wholly unpredictable ending.Amazon.com Review
Jeffery Deaver's Garden of Beasts introducesanti-hero Paul Schumann, a notorious rubout man for the New York Mafiaknown for his cold and professional approach to his job. But the jig isup when he is duped by high-ranking feds who give him a choice--prisonor one more impossible job: assassinate the man who's running Hitler'splan for rearming Germany. The hard-nosed German-American lands on thestreets of Berlin where immediately the best-laid plans of the UnitedStates Government go awry. Schumman finds himself in a city living infear, tracked by Berlin's best homicide detective. As the intricatechase wears on, both men will discover that the greatest evil is theascendant Nazi party.

Deaver's novel, equal parts noir thriller and historical extrapolation,is a page-turner that offers a twisting visceral experience of thetension in Berlin during that fateful summer. He draws sympatheticportraits of everyday Germans caught between duty to country and theirconsciences. Into this mix, Deaver drops his coldly dangerous hitmanwho brawls with brownshirts, chums with Olympic athletes, collaborateswith criminals, fraternizes with poets, and discovers the hero insidehis hardened soul. --Jeremy Pugh

Amazon.com Interview
When starting a new book by author Jeffery Deaver, expect to have thewool pulled over your eyes. His plots twist and turn and juke and jivelike no others, never ending as expected and always including ajaw-dropping plot development. His latest effort, Garden of Beasts, is no exception. Amazon.com caught upwith Deaver to discuss plotting, characters, and the perils of soapopera acting. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (85)

Nice story
I've never read anything from this author before and I was given this book by a friend.Overall I thought it was a nice distraction.Story was well written, and so were the characters.The end was a little bit of a letdown. But in the end I was looking for a good summer read and I got one.

Impressive Blossoms From Deaver
Always knowing I've wanted to read Jeffery Deaver, I didn't want to start with "The Bone Collector," only to be disappointed. For me, I had to go with one of his solo works, and "Garden of Beasts" was the first one I ran into. And I didn't exactly think it looked too good either. But at the insistence of others who have read Deaver, they said he's one of the best, and keeps the pages turning. And I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed this offering, with maybe a gripe or two after it was all said and done.

Joining Paul Schumann is dangerous business. And when he's caught he's given an opportunity. That opportunity is to go to Germany and take out Reinhard Ernst, who's in good standing with Hitler. And while it might seem like an easy task, posing as a reporter to cover the Olympics, things aren't as simple as they appear. Things get ugly, and things get more complicated then Paul might have wanted. And he has to trust people with reluctance, as members of the Third Reich go hunting for this crazy American! Oh, and a woman, along with other surprises, good and bad, combined briefly with a couple of brothers, this really gets good.

And I walked away from my first Deaver read quite impressed. But on the other hand, when it did come to a halt, I found myself shaking my head just a bit. Just a little more to this story would've made it more complete for me. But if that's all I have to complain about, then Jeffery Deaver has earned himself a new reader. And I'm looking forward to plunging into new adventures by this trickster of a bestseller! I can't wait for my introduction to Lincoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance. I've got some catching up to do. Especially after taking in the scent of these impressive blossoms from "Garden of Beasts."

Garden of Beasts
This is one of Jeffery Deaver's better earlier books.My only wish is that he had developed the subject more and written a series of books on the central character.As opposed to his later books this was more of a period piece and you learned a little something about the era and the people of that time.Even the worst villains in this book had some redemable qualities and made their tales more interesting.

A good read for this author.

A high speed thriller set in pre-war 1936 Berlin
Paul Schumann, a notorious hit man for the New York Mafia, has finally been nabbed. But the feds have offered him a choice - accept a dangerous undercover government assignment in pre-war Germany or never see the outside of a prison again! The job is to assassinate Reinhard Ernst, the Nazi genius responsible for Hitler's re-armament program who is systematically defying the terms of Germany's WW I surrender, engineering a key component of Hitler's incendiary rise to power and providing him with the matches to light the fuse to WW II.

But when the operation fails, Schumann finds himself in the sights of Willi Kohl, Berlin's best homicide detective; a police operative who Schumann is dismayed to discover is far smarter and far more efficient than any of his North American opposite numbers.

"Garden of Beasts" is a fascinating historical thriller that is part psychological and part suspense with significant servings of provocative discussion about the meaning of good and evil. The historical context of the story is impeccably detailed and absolutely fascinating - the sights, sounds and geography of pre-war Berlin; brownshirts; the social milieu and attitudes of everyday German folks living with the combination of hope, fear, patriotism, terror and awe that Hitler must have inspired as he consolidated his dictatorial grip on the Germans; Jesse Owens humbling performance in the 1936 Olympics; and much more.

Is Paul Schumann a hero, an anti-hero or just plain villain? Deaver kindly leaves it to his readers to make their own decision. I'm sure you'll enjoy the trip as well as the ultimate destination.

While I may be reading much more into it than Deaver intended, I thought I'd give him kudos for what I think is an exceptionally clever title. "Garden of Beasts" could be said to be a loose translation of "Tiergarten" which is generally much more simply translated as "zoo". Much of the action in "Garden of Beasts" took place around Berlin's Tiergarten. For my money, I believe that Deaver was using the English translation to characterize the behaviour of his cast under the stress of war. See if you don't agree after you've read it.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

Thriller with a Twist
I loved this book by Deaver and would recommend it for anyone who enjoys a thriller that grabs you from the first sentence.Very descriptive and detailed venture into the world of pre-World War II Berlin and the 1936 Olympics.Great characters with unpredictable twists and turns.It was very hard for me to put this book down and I am looking forward to the next Jeffrey Deaver adventure. ... Read more

Product Description
"Astonishing" (New York Times Book Review) suspense master Jeffery Deaver brings back investigative agent Kathryn Dance (The Sleeping Doll) in a timely and chilling bestseller.

Roadside crosses are appearing along the highways of the Monterey Peninsula, not as memorials to past accidents but as markers for fatalities yet to come . . . and someone, armed with information gleaned from careless and all-too-personal blog postings, intends to carry out those killings. Kathryn Dance and her C.B.I. team know when the attacks will take place, but who will be the victims? Her body language expertise leads her to a recent fatal car crash, and to the driver, Travis Brigham, a gaming-obsessed teen who’s become the target of vicious cyberbullies. And when Travis disappears, Kathryn must lead a furious manhunt in the elusive world of bloggers and social networking, where nothing is as it seems. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (96)

Good Condition - Great Price
This used book I bought was in very good condition. The story itself was very interesting! I wish I would have read it sooner. It's a good book. =)

Boring & Uninteresting
This could have been a very good murder mystery. It has all the makings of it until the author just kills it with a great deal of Techie computer talk, blogging info, & endless repetitive dialogue.
Who cares about all the blogging info? I'm here to read what I thought was a mystery. Mr. Deaver seems to want to lengthen his book with endless dialogue which essentially says the same things.
Not one of his better books by any stretch of the imagination. I found myself scanning through the book & not caring what happened in the end.
A boring chore to get through. Just pass on this one. It doesn't come close to a Lincoln Rhyme novel in quality.

Like New
Book received within 7-8 days and it was in excellent condition - like new.Very happy with service and product

Roadside Crosses
A killer leaves roadside crosses to warn of a murder he will commit that day. As the CBI tries to track down a teenage boy whom they believe is the killer, their trail leads to the world of blogging and gaming.

Although, there are twists and turns, as the lead detective searches for the killer I found the whole gaming and blogging tale fairly unappealing. Not one of Deaver's best.

Roadside Crosses: Techno Savvy
I've been traveling quite a bit lately so I've been reading a lot.

Actually, I've been reading more than ever since I bought a Kindle because I keep it in my purse so I can always whip it out and read from any of the books I've downloaded. I'm going broke populating my Kindle with books. However, Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver was a hard copy book, not a Kindle edition. Just let me say that I've been a fan of Mr. Deaver's books since The Blue Nowhere, still one of my favorite books.

Mr. Deaver is a former journalist and lawyer. His bio says he's also a former folk singer. (Was there anyone who was a teen in the 60s who didn't fancy a career as the next Peter, Paul, or Mary?). His books have hit the best seller lists around the world, and he's a perennially nominated author and winner of the awards that honor his type of books.

Again, Mr. Deaver explores our emerging technological environment that's changing the way we work and spend our leisure time. This book is all about the synthetic world that some perceive as more real than true reality. Most of you know about Second Life, now the Internet's largest user-created, 3D virtual world community. That's synthetic life.

You've all seen those Roadside Crosses that dot the landscape. Sometimes you probably wondered what happened at a shrine dotted with dead flowers and a weather-bedraggled teddy bear. In Mr. Deaver's latest book, an entry in the Kathryn Dance series, roadside crosses start appearing, and then a murder is committed at that site within the next few days. How creepy is that?

Heroine Kathryn Dance of the California Bureau of Investigation, an organization most of America is now familiar with thanks to TVs The Mentalist, finds herself wading into the world of social networking and blogs to find the truth. I don't want to spoil the read if you haven't picked up this gripping tale yet. Suffice it to say that you'll find yourself nodding in agreement as Dance discovers how addictive and invasive technology has become.

One thing I like is that Mr. Deaver writes good women characters who are strong and smart. None of the running women who twist an ankle and fall so the villain can capture, torment, and kill. Intelligent, in other words, like the women I know. Be warned. This is one of those that will make you stay awake turning pages. By the way, the websites mentioned in the book are real if you want to take the book to your PC and click away.

You won't be disappointed by this techno-savvy thriller, and you may well be surprised by the final twist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good, but not as good as "best mystery stories of the century"
Great collection of stories, but as I noted, you definitely want to check out The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century (The Best American Series)

One of the best stories included inboth of these books is "Quitters, Inc." by Stephen King.

A Collection Designed To Please!
Certainly Jeffery Deaver should know good mysteries when he sees them, and in his
personal compilation of a century of these great stories, the reader should assumeit's just that, a
collection of great stories!And they are!Deaver exercisesan ecumenical spirit here, practically
running the gamut of the genre!

It goes without staying that shortstories generally don't carry the impact that novels do on
the same subject (not to patronize short stories, of course, as they are great in their own "write").
With the exception of some personal favorites of mine, such as P.D. James and Ellis Peters,which
he omits, Deaver's wide assortment of writers is a real treasure!For students of the history of the
suspense story, Deaver shows off Anna Katherine Green's story (Ms Green is often considered to
have written the first American suspense novel) to provide a historical perspective, and then
continues on down the time line.Such luminaries as Ellery Queen, John D. MacDonald, Ruth
Rendell, Mickey Spillane, Ed McBain, Sara Paretsky, and Robert Barnard light up these pages.
Indeed, a nice collection to keep around.Fun reading, too! (...)

A suspenseful anthology
When I first saw the title of this book all I could think of was oh no, another saves the century for the ages with one more literary anthology.The Ancient Library at Alexandria could never have contained more papyrus than we have currently available some short story theme involving the century.Though I have fully enjoyed each of the previous collections leisurely reading them over a couple of weeks (which seems like a century when compared to my normal pace), I vowed no more.Than I opened this book just to glimpse at who contributed and soon was hooked again all because Lawrence Block submitted a Batman tale.

Once again the quality is top rate as the thirty-six well-written stories run much of the suspense gamut submitted by a notable cast of writers.The tales include police and legal procedurals as well as the classic private sleuth investigative story among the assortment of other twist and turn tales.None of the stories shortchanges the ensemble, as this is a triumphant aggregation that is worth unhurriedly reading over a couple of weeks.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver delivers an electrifying collection of sixteen award-winning stories that will widen your eyes and stretch your imagination. Diverse and provocative, Twisted showcases Deaver's amazing range and signature plot twists: a beautiful woman goes to extremes to rid herself of her stalker; a contemporary of William Shakespeare vows to avenge his family's ruin; and Deaver's most beloved character, brilliant criminalist Lincoln Rhyme, is back to solve a chilling Christmastime disappearance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

Good service; great book
The book was awesome. It has several stories and all were well written and true to the author's style. I truly enjoyed the book and got my daughter-in-law interested in mysteries by sharing short stories first.

loved it!
I really enjoyed this collection and devoured it.If you are a fan of short stories that move quickly and surprise you, you will like this book.

Excellent Collection
Most of these stories come from EQ and AH mystery magazines.I used to subscribe to both and recognized the stories as being of that quality even before I looked at the copyright info.That isn't a knock, I think both magazines deserve praise for having put out a quality product. All the stories rated a B and some were A's. The author ends most of them with a twist that I didn't always see coming. The stories are set in many time periods and are not cookie cutter PI or police procedural tales.They are all over the genre. I just bought the second volume for a business trip to the Arabian Peninsula where diversions are going to be few and far between.If volume two is anything like the original it will really help pass the time.

Captivating Short Stories
I don't usually like short stories, but decided to read this book based on a patron's enthusiastic recommendation. I really loved it. Within a few pages, Deaver is able to develop each story with captivating characters in stimulating situations. And, each has a twisted or surprise ending. For those who like to, or are only able to read in short spurts, this is a great find!! I'm also planning to read the follow-up, titled More Twisted: Collected Stories, Vol. II.

I LOVE IT!!!
This was such a good book!!!I was reluctant to read this book after ATTEMPTING to read The Bodies Left Behind.I was so wrong about this book.I thought it was going to be just another boring, overly detailed book by jeffery deaver.But wow, this book was so wonderfully written.All the stories make you think, wow, he got me.I dont think there was one story in thsi book that i figured out the twist to.You may think you have the story figured out, but you will be fooled.I love the element of surprise in each of these stories.When finished with each, you sit back in awe thinking, "wow... i never saw that one coming."I recommend this book to any reader who loves surprises, irony, and twisted stories. ... Read more

Product Description
12 short Southern-style mystery stories. ... Read more

Product Description
When some of the top thriller writers in the world came together in Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, they became a part of one of the most successful short-story anthologies ever published. The highly anticipated Thriller 2: Stories You Just Can't Put Down is even bigger. From Jeffery Deaver's tale of international terrorism to Lisa Jackson's dysfunctional family in the California wine country to Ridley Pearson's horrifying serial killer, this collection has something for everyone. Twenty-three bestselling and hot new authors in the genre have submitted original stories to make up this unforgettable blockbuster. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Extremely depressing!! Do not read if you are suicide-prone!
I love short stories like the kind one finds in the Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines. Also, I had previously read another book of short stories edited by Tony Hillerman. It was terrific. I LOVE Clive Cussler and have read all his books but I was shocked at this "Thriller 2." I expected it to be exciting and maybe humorous like Cussler's books, but what a let-down! I could only make it through about a third of this book. Every story was horribly dark and depressing. This book should come with a suicide warning!

thriller 2
found this collection good if not better than the first. as with all short story collections some are better than others. over all a fun way to pass a couple of hours on a rainy day.

Another short story collection
Reviewers should read the entire collection before writing reviews.The reviewer who quit reading after the first story missed some very good writing.As another reviewer noted, the best stories are in the second half of the collection.The collection includes 23 short stories by different authors.As in most collections, you will like some stories more than others.Some of the stories are by newer authors, and it is a good way to sample their writing.Some stories are by authors you will recognize from their earlier writing.

I was pleased to find a short story, "A Calculated Risk," by Sean Chercover.He has previously written about a PI in Chicago.In this story he introduces a new character, Tom Bailey, a man with a past he does not talk about who has reinvented himself as a charter boat operator in the Caribbean.Bailey may take you fishing, or for a price he may deliver you quietly to another location.I hope that we may see more of Bailey, who seems to be a mix of Travis McGee and Jack Reacher.

The stories can be read in any order."A Calculated Risk" may be a good starting point.

Thriller 2 Purchased at Amazon
This is a good book.I liked Thriller 1 better but this is a good book also.

REAL HORROR ITS POLITICALLY CORRECT
I didn't get past the 1st story.The Weapon was pretty much about Gitmo and torture and how wrong it is.I'm sorry but war is not pretty and innocent people are dying everyday.If torture is needed to save lives so be it.This book should not be named Thriller because based on the 1st story alone there is nothing thrilling or scary about it except the fact that good writers have jumped on the liberal band wagon.
... Read more

Product Description
2008 Audie Award Winner of Audiobook of the Year.

Former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton possesses a previously unknown score by Frederic Chopin. But he is unaware that, locked within its handwritten notes, lies a secret that now threatens the lives of thousands of Americans. As he races from Poland to America to uncover the mystery of the manuscript, Middleton will be accused of murder, pursued by federal agents, and targeted by assassins. But the greatest threat will come from a shadowy figure out of his past: the man known only as Faust.

The Chopin Manuscript is a unique collaboration by 15 of the world's greatest thriller writers. Jeffery Deaver conceived the characters and set the plot in motion; the other authors each wrote a chapter in turn. Deaver then completed what he started, bringing The Chopin Manuscript to its explosive conclusion.

"Innovative and unique, The Chopin Manuscript, written by masters in the field of thrillers, is far more than the sum of its parts. Here each author shines, blending individual skill and energy, into a riveting, crackling-paced tapestry of murder, mystery, and mayhem. Not to be missed!" -- James Rollins, author of The Judas Strain

"A GREAT story, written by one GREAT author after another, in one GREAT chapter after another. A stellar achievement of collectivity that blows from the starting gate at 100 mph and never slows down. A thrill-a-page from 15 GREAT thriller masters. Don't miss this one." -- Steve Berry, author of The Venetian Betrayal ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Finally got around to listening to this...
Recently, my wife and I found ourselves in some extended car rides, and we finally planned to listen to the Chopin Manuscript, a 'serial thriller' by Jefferey Deaver, et al. This is an incredibly interesting concept in thriller/mystery writing. Deaver began the project by writing the initial chapter and introducing many of the main characters. Then, he handed off the project to one of many skilled writers (e.g. PJ Parrish, Lisa Scottiline, and John Ramsey Miller) to complete chapters and pass it down the line. Deaver finishes off the task in the final chapter.

Alfred Molina provides the voice of thebook. His work is excellent as he handles are large number of accents, emotions, and unusual circumstances.

You really need to suspend belief when you listen to such a work. The plot moves quickly and sometimes confusedly along, as no one author (other than the opening and closing chapters by Deaver) has a handle on the work for more than one chapter.

A good 6 hour listen.

Interesting concept
I thought this would be an erratic and broken up story from the way it was written, but the writers really pulled it off.I enjoyed this and think you will too!

Way to Hard to Follow
If this were a movie, it would be the kind that you had to watch at least 3 times to really get it. I listened to it on my ipod on the car stereo over a period of weeks and didn't have the luxury of being able to go back to clarify characters or events as I would have been able to with a paperback, and even then it would have probably required extensive note taking (something I have never had to do before, excluding college text books!). Eventually, I gave up trying to keep it all straight and just went with the flow to see if I would grab the gist of it overall, which I did somewhat. I had to read the Amazon reviews to see if other readers felt as I did and was relieved to see that its not just me struggling to keep it all straight. All that aside, it was somewhat entertaining but not one I will ever want to read or listen to again.

If you really enjoy thrillers, in audiobook format, give this a try
This CD audiobook would rate five stars if the only rating criterion were Alfred Molina's superb performance.

If you enjoy suspense/thriller novels, and can easily follow twisty plots while listening to an audiobook, The Chopin Manuscript might be worth a try.

I would have liked this better as a printed book, which would allow me to flip back the pages to confirm character names and then flip some pages forward to get past the inevitable shoot-out or chase scenes and find out what happens. But I found it tiresome and confusing as an audiobook, with its complex plot and numerous characters with (to me) foreign names.I fast-forwarded through several bits of this audiobook; the story got so convoluted as each new author weighed in, that I gave up trying to understand everything that was happening.

The only reasons I persevered to the end: Molina's astoundingly polished performance as narrator, and a desire to find out how Deaver wraps up the plot.

An intriguing experiment -- completely successful?Maybe.
Let me start by saying a few things about myself to provide you some perspective on my review:
1) I have long been a fan of the mystery/suspense/thriller genre;
2) Jeffery Deaver is my favorite author in said genre (esp. the Lincoln Rhyme series);
3) I had heard of perhaps half of the participating authors but had not, until now, read their work, except for Jeffery Deaver and Lee Child.The other half of the authors were completely unfamiliar to me before this novel.
4) I listened to this audiobook in the car over a period of weeks, in bits and pieces, while doing errands, driving to my volunteer jobs, etc.Only the last disk did I hear in toto while on a road trip.This may have had a HUGE effect on how I perceived the success of this project, its consistency, etc.In other words, your mileage may vary. :)

I found this concept--a collaboration of 15 authors to write a "serial thriller" that was only released in audio form--to be quite intriguing, especially given the man at the helm.Jeffery Deaver conceived the characters and opened and closed the novel, with the other fourteen each writing a chapter in between.It seemed more like a concept for a writing workshop or a board game than a novel, but I found the idea too intriguing to pass up, especially given the veritable "Who's Who" of authors involved.

Read by Alfred Molina, doing a dazzling array of voices of varying ethnic origins, and scored with dramatic music, there was no doubt in my mind that this was a quality production.Molina's performance is superb--equal to (and some times better than) the material he is reading.The only confusion for me was that there were several Polish characters who spoke English in a heavy Polish accent, and I often had trouble differentiating one from the other in the narration.While the music was a nice addition, I found the music WAY over-dramatic, like a score to a silent movie.

I think that this type of unique project raises a few questions in prospective buyers:

Is it obvious that 15 different people wrote this novel?

Yes and no.The quality of the writing is variable for sure, but I'd say 60-70% of the chapters are on a relatively equal par.Most chapters were good to excellent, with a few that were too cheesy or unimaginative and thereby fell into poor territory for me.The chapters of two authors (if memory serves) included profanity (most notably the F word), where the rest did not, so things like that were obvious (i.e., if a character that has never used profanity starts cussing, it doesn't ring true).

There were definitely times that I forgot I was listening to a story written by 15 people.That means that, for at least some parts of the book, it is NOT that obvious that there were multiple authors.

Was this collaborative concept successful?

Yes and no.Is it an interesting story?Sure.For me, though, it got bogged down it TOO MANY characters, twists and locations.Since I listen to audio books while driving, it isn't as convenient to go back and "re-read" a passage or a chapter that wasn't entirely clear as it would be if I had an actual book in my hands and could scan back to where I "got lost" and read forward again to clarify things.

In the end, though, I don't believe it was as successful as it could (or should) have been.Perhaps trimming the collaboration from 15 to six or eight authors would deliver a more cohesive and consistent product.I finished the book while out of town, so I had some time to think about it before I got a chance to write my review.Almost two weeks after finishing the book, I'm finding that it wasn't really very memorable.Some scenes, some locales, some characters, yes...but not on the whole.

Do I recommend this audiobook?

I would say yes, as long as you manage your expectations going in.Not all the writing is going to be of the caliber of Lee Child or Jeffery Deaver.Not all of it is even going to be good.But, as a whole, I think that many mystery/suspense/thriller readers would quite enjoy it...likely more than I did!As noted in note #4 at the start of my review, it is very possible that listening to this audiobook over so long a period of time, and in so many short sessions, may have reduced the excitement of the story for me.It certainly is not sticking with me 2 weeks later as most good books would.As a result, it is very difficult to choose a rating.
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Product Description
Michael Hrubek, a schizophrenic psychopath, escapes from a mental institution. The directors of the hospital, concerned for their reputation, tell the police he's harmless. But Hrubek doesn't need to sleep and is terrifyingly unpredictable, with the quick thinking of the insane. And he's leaving a trail of bodies in his wake, as he makes his way towards the isolated home of the woman who was responsible for his incarceration in the institution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

Different take on "it was a dark and stormy night"
A terrible storm parks itself over Lis' life both literally and figuratively.A psycho killer who attacked her is on the loose.She's trying to keep her house from washing away, delving into abusive childhood, and attempting to strengthen bonds with what little family she has left.

While all that is going on, an ex cop in on the trail of the madman is trying to keep his life on track as well.The madman's psychiatrist is out and about, and so is Lis' husband.

In this book, there's lots of searching, both in looking for Michael the madman and soul-searching.These get to taking up a lot of time and space, making the book a bit of a slog.

The switches in verb tense were jarring, especially for a book that dragged in a lot of places.The author was trying to pick up the pace, but this particular trick didn't work very well.

What saved this book was the ending.It was a very satisfying conclusion, giving a lift to what would have been a completely underwhelming read.

one of my FAVORITE AUTHORS!
Jeffery Deaver is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS & this book doesn't disappoint. His books have many twists & turns, and you never know what to expect next! If you've read some of Deaver's earlier books/series, namely, the "The Rune Series" or the "The John Pellam Series", and did not enjoy them, please do not judge him by those books... his writing style changes completely with the "Lincoln Rhyme" books. I recommend that you start at the beginning of the series though because it enables you to get to know and appreciate the characters so much more as they grow & develop throughout the books! "The Devil's Teardrop" is probably my favorite Deaver stand alone book. I wish he'd do a series with the characters from that book! If you like mystery & suspense, you are going to LOVE Jeffery Deaver & "Praying for Sleep"!

One of my favorite authors!
Jeffery Deaver is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS & this book doesn't disappoint. His bookshave many twists & turns, and you never know what to expect next! If you've read some of Deaver's earlier books/series, namely, the "The Rune Series" or the "The John Pellam Series", and did not enjoy them, please do not judge him by those books... his writing style changes completely with the "Lincoln Rhyme" books. I recommend that you start at the beginning of the series though because it enables you to get to know and appreciate the characters so much more as they grow & develop throughout the books! "The Devil's Teardrop" is probably my favorite Deaver stand alone book. I wish he'd do a series with the characters from that book! If you like mystery & suspense, you are going to LOVE Jeffery Deaver & "Praying for Sleep"!

Never Met A Deaver I Didn't Like
I recently found this "older" Deaver novel I had somehow overlooked.It is every bit what I have come to expect and love from a Deaver novel.Simply put, the man is a master storyteller.Even by now, after reading most (13?) of his books, and knowing there are plot twists and turns . . . and knowing my head is going to get messed with . . . and knowing I would love to FOR ONCE actually get the twists right . . . I still can't.I still wind up surprised by the fifty different ways the story takes you before the end.Some people call that whiplash; I call it the cure for predictable by-the-numbers thrillers.

The plot does not need repeating here, but this does: read this book.I recommend this, and the other Deaver novels, without hesitation.

devious Deaver
This is an old Deaver, copyright in 1994. Lincoln Rhyme was probably walking on both legs then, so he doesn't show up in this exciting novel.

Nonetheless, you can tell this is Deaver's work, because the plot races forward and you can never guess what is going to happen next. With Deaver, you never know what's what until you finish. You're sure to enjoy this one.
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Customer Reviews (1)

good book
I am reading the book now and can't put it down, I fall asleep reading every night. I is soooooooooo good ... Read more