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Lincoln Rhyme #7
The Cold Moon
Crime - On a freezing December night, with a full moon hovering in the black sky over New York City, two people are brutally murdered - the death scenes marked by eerie, matching calling cards: moon-faced clocks investigators fear ticked away the victims' last moments on earth. Renowned criminologist Lincoln Rhyme immediately identifies the clock distributor and has the chilling realization that the killer - who has dubbed himself the Watchmaker - has more murders planned in the hours to come. Rhyme, a quadriplegic long confined to his wheelchair, immediately taps his trusted partner and longtime love, Amelia Sachs, to walk the grid and be his eyes and ears on the street. But Sachs has other commitments now - namely, her first assignment as lead detective on a homicide of her own. As she struggles to balance her pursuit of the infuriatingly elusive Watchmaker with her own case, Sachs unearths shocking revelations about the police force that threaten to undermine her career, her sense of self and her relationship with Rhyme. As the Rhyme-Sachs team shows evidence of fissures, the Watchmaker is methodically stalking his victims and planning a diabolical criminal masterwork... Indeed, the Watchmaker may be the most cunning and mesmerizing villain Rhyme and Sachs have ever encountered.
510 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2006
1284 people are currently reading
8517 people want to read
About the author
Jeffery Deaver
509 books11.7k followers#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,070 reviews
February 20, 2012
What a mess.
Jeffery Deaver is, for me, a hit or miss author. When he is good, he is great. When is is bad, his books are quite tedious. This one falls in the "bad" category.
"The Cold Moon" starts out just fine. There is a killer on the loose with a "time" theme -- The Watchmaker. Lincoln Rhyme is on that case. At the same time, Amelia Sachs has her own case, investigating police corruption. So far, so good.
Readers of the series know that Deaver is fond of plot twists, and this book is no exception. Unfortunately, there are so many in this book that it just becomes ridiculous. After a lengthy buildup that takes quite a few pages, The Watchmaker is finally in high gear and Lincoln and friends must act quickly to catch him. Again, so far, so good.
However...surprise! Plot twist! Things are not what they seem. Then, a couple of chapters later...Surprise! Another plot twist! Those things are not what they seem! Finally, at the end of the book...Surprise! Plot twist! Things are not what they seem, and a character from a previous Lincoln Rhyme book shows up.
What?
Making things worse, Rhyme and Co. seem completely hapless and fooled throughout the book until the very end, when, Deus es Machina-style, they suddenly solve the plot and save everything. uh-huh.
This book is a real mess, and it is clear that Deaver should have stuck to his tried and true formula of a great villain, time pressure and clever crime solving by Lincoln and Amelia. Here, he does not have enough ideas, so like a bad magician, he unveils twist after twist in a way that is not thrilling, just annoying.
By the end I really liked this book. No, wait! Plot twist! Things are not what they seem. I really *didn't* like this book. Surprise!
Jeffery Deaver is, for me, a hit or miss author. When he is good, he is great. When is is bad, his books are quite tedious. This one falls in the "bad" category.
"The Cold Moon" starts out just fine. There is a killer on the loose with a "time" theme -- The Watchmaker. Lincoln Rhyme is on that case. At the same time, Amelia Sachs has her own case, investigating police corruption. So far, so good.
Readers of the series know that Deaver is fond of plot twists, and this book is no exception. Unfortunately, there are so many in this book that it just becomes ridiculous. After a lengthy buildup that takes quite a few pages, The Watchmaker is finally in high gear and Lincoln and friends must act quickly to catch him. Again, so far, so good.
However...surprise! Plot twist! Things are not what they seem. Then, a couple of chapters later...Surprise! Another plot twist! Those things are not what they seem! Finally, at the end of the book...Surprise! Plot twist! Things are not what they seem, and a character from a previous Lincoln Rhyme book shows up.
What?
Making things worse, Rhyme and Co. seem completely hapless and fooled throughout the book until the very end, when, Deus es Machina-style, they suddenly solve the plot and save everything. uh-huh.
This book is a real mess, and it is clear that Deaver should have stuck to his tried and true formula of a great villain, time pressure and clever crime solving by Lincoln and Amelia. Here, he does not have enough ideas, so like a bad magician, he unveils twist after twist in a way that is not thrilling, just annoying.
By the end I really liked this book. No, wait! Plot twist! Things are not what they seem. I really *didn't* like this book. Surprise!
March 24, 2025
Ce mai bun volum din serie și primul în care Rhyme are un adversar pe măsură lui. De această dată inteligența, capacitatea de deducție și analiză au luat locul anchetei obișnuite, așa că apare pentru prima dată Kathryn Dance, protagonista celeilalte serii a autorului. Primul thriller pe care îl citesc în care infractorul nu este prins, ba chiar regizează o capcană care te i-a mereu pe nepregătite.
P.S. Partenera lui Rhyme, Sachs este strănepoata detectivului german Kohl din romanul Grădina fiarelor.
P.S. Partenera lui Rhyme, Sachs este strănepoata detectivului german Kohl din romanul Grădina fiarelor.
March 8, 2019
My first Jeffery Deaver and I am not disappointed. The book has a wonderful plot with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. When you feel that the climax is near, you realise that only you have read only a third of the book and one-fourth is yet to be read. You find more twists in the plot. To reveal anything more is to give away the plot.
I loved the character of Kathryn Dance the kinesics expert and her interrogation method which delves deep into the psyche of the criminal. Apart from her, only Amelia Sachs' character is well formed. Even Lincoln Rhyme does not seem to contribute much compared to these two ladies.
The feeling you get after reading this is you either love this book or hate it.
I loved the character of Kathryn Dance the kinesics expert and her interrogation method which delves deep into the psyche of the criminal. Apart from her, only Amelia Sachs' character is well formed. Even Lincoln Rhyme does not seem to contribute much compared to these two ladies.
The feeling you get after reading this is you either love this book or hate it.
February 6, 2018
Mixed feelings
This started off as another fantastic story from Mr Deaver, and finished as one. But in between seemed to be very convulted. Probably didn't help that the copy I was reading had no line gaps when the scene changed. You would be reading about one set of characters in one sentence, then next paragraph was totally different set of characters but with no indication. Had to keep going back to get it to make sense. I have given 4*, based on what I believe it would have been if I had a decent copy. Otherwise I would give 3*.
This started off as another fantastic story from Mr Deaver, and finished as one. But in between seemed to be very convulted. Probably didn't help that the copy I was reading had no line gaps when the scene changed. You would be reading about one set of characters in one sentence, then next paragraph was totally different set of characters but with no indication. Had to keep going back to get it to make sense. I have given 4*, based on what I believe it would have been if I had a decent copy. Otherwise I would give 3*.
April 10, 2024
Introducing Kathryn Dance, kinesics expert and human lie detector!
Jeffery Deaver's seventh Lincoln Rhyme novel THE COLD MOON (following THE TWELFTH CARD) treads the path of his now well-established pattern of fiendishly intricate multiple plots, red herrings, superbly realistic dialogue, continuing focus on developing characterization and wonderful attention to the detail and minutiae of forensic investigation. This time, Lincoln Rhyme, his erstwhile lover and partner, Amelia Sachs, square off against a villain they're calling The Watchmaker.
THE COLD MOON also introduces a new character to Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme universe and it looks like she's a winner. Kathryn Dance, a consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation is an expert in kinesics, reading body language; modulations in a person's speaking voice; physical, mental and emotional non-verbal communication; gestures; facial expressions and so on. In short, she's a human lie detector and she's very, very good at her work.
Suffice it to say that Sachs, Dance and Rhyme are up to their proverbial behinds with the twists and turns of tracking down this latest brutal, psychopathic killer. And Sachs' emotions are doubly twisted when she is assigned for the first time as lead investigator on a homicide and suicide investigation that seems to point at corruption within her own police force. As always, the political machinations of an internal police investigation always place the career of involved officers perilously close to the edge of disaster.
Not the best entry in the growing Lincoln Rhyme canon but, as a confirmed long time fan, I'd suggest that even a medium day with a Jeffrey Deaver thriller beats the pants off of whatever's in a distant second place. And I'm certainly looking forward to seeing much more of Kathryn Dance. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Jeffery Deaver's seventh Lincoln Rhyme novel THE COLD MOON (following THE TWELFTH CARD) treads the path of his now well-established pattern of fiendishly intricate multiple plots, red herrings, superbly realistic dialogue, continuing focus on developing characterization and wonderful attention to the detail and minutiae of forensic investigation. This time, Lincoln Rhyme, his erstwhile lover and partner, Amelia Sachs, square off against a villain they're calling The Watchmaker.
THE COLD MOON also introduces a new character to Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme universe and it looks like she's a winner. Kathryn Dance, a consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation is an expert in kinesics, reading body language; modulations in a person's speaking voice; physical, mental and emotional non-verbal communication; gestures; facial expressions and so on. In short, she's a human lie detector and she's very, very good at her work.
Suffice it to say that Sachs, Dance and Rhyme are up to their proverbial behinds with the twists and turns of tracking down this latest brutal, psychopathic killer. And Sachs' emotions are doubly twisted when she is assigned for the first time as lead investigator on a homicide and suicide investigation that seems to point at corruption within her own police force. As always, the political machinations of an internal police investigation always place the career of involved officers perilously close to the edge of disaster.
Not the best entry in the growing Lincoln Rhyme canon but, as a confirmed long time fan, I'd suggest that even a medium day with a Jeffrey Deaver thriller beats the pants off of whatever's in a distant second place. And I'm certainly looking forward to seeing much more of Kathryn Dance. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
June 1, 2020
With the introduction of one of the best characters that I have encountered in another Jeffery Deaver books; Kathryn Dance, a kinesics expert this book became more interested.
As usual there were multitude of plot twists without any hint of how the story will end.
As usual there were multitude of plot twists without any hint of how the story will end.
March 22, 2014
A satisfying and challenging confrontation between a brilliant murderer and a brilliant detective, with several significant surprises. The interaction between Lincoln Rhymes and his assistant Amelia Sachs, and Sachs' role generally, added a human dimension that was always there but never overplayed. The fact that Rhymes is a quadriplegic is a reminder that even devastating life events do not necessarily mean the end of living. It's been a while since I read Deaver, but my memory suggests that he avoids the series "rut" and that each story presents a unique and enjoyable read.
December 17, 2021
3 stars
This is my first Deaver, and therefore my first exposure to the Lincoln Rhyme universe.
General opinion: rampant plot overkill. A villain far more likeable (and cheerable) than the heroes. Damn clunky writing in parts. But an engaging, complex plot that keeps you reading up to around page 400. After that...downhill slide.
Plot
Too many surprise turns and misdirections. Towards the end, it just got way too tedious and I was skimming through the last 30-40 pages, not really caring. That's not to say that first, oh, 3 or 4 surprises weren't great, they were, but enough's enough.
Characters
Oh please.
Lincoln Rhyme: a quadriplegic cop who, despite his disability, hasn't lost an ounce of his SUPERHUMAN PROWESS. That's right, Big Brain Lincoln combines all the worst traits of macho cops and every male fantasy of masculine skill. He never apologises. He snaps at his underlings who are his glossy-eyed devotees. He's got every tech gadget known to man. The rich and powerful listen to him unquestioningly. And he NEVER gets it wrong. Never. Never ever. He's perp-catching perfection made flesh. Whoopee, a modern Sherlock. 🙄
And don't get me started on mega-bitch "bigger balls than thine" Amelia Sachs. (Who down deep is just daddy's little girl and really really wants to be a Mommy... like all real women!! Blech. 😝)
But the villain! The Watchmaker! Him I really liked. Unusual character with unique motivations. I was actually quite disappointed that arrogantly unworthy Rhyme was able to outwit him in the end.
That should tell you something right there: when you're cheering for the villain to and not for the detective, who you reeeeally want to see mess up juuuuuust once.
I agree with other reviewers about Kathryn Dance. She's a great character.
In summary: Impressed with the creativity and layering of plot (to a point), but terribly underwhelmed and annoyed by the series characters and length of the novel. I appreciate a mystery-thriller that can stay on track and NOT veer off into the detective's personal lives, and the amount of information about different criminology techniques included in the story. Full points there.
I won't be reading anything featuring Lincoln Rhyme again, though, even if I might, at some point, try another Deaver. Maybe if Dance has her own series.
This is my first Deaver, and therefore my first exposure to the Lincoln Rhyme universe.
General opinion: rampant plot overkill. A villain far more likeable (and cheerable) than the heroes. Damn clunky writing in parts. But an engaging, complex plot that keeps you reading up to around page 400. After that...downhill slide.
Plot
Too many surprise turns and misdirections. Towards the end, it just got way too tedious and I was skimming through the last 30-40 pages, not really caring. That's not to say that first, oh, 3 or 4 surprises weren't great, they were, but enough's enough.
Characters
Oh please.
Lincoln Rhyme: a quadriplegic cop who, despite his disability, hasn't lost an ounce of his SUPERHUMAN PROWESS. That's right, Big Brain Lincoln combines all the worst traits of macho cops and every male fantasy of masculine skill. He never apologises. He snaps at his underlings who are his glossy-eyed devotees. He's got every tech gadget known to man. The rich and powerful listen to him unquestioningly. And he NEVER gets it wrong. Never. Never ever. He's perp-catching perfection made flesh. Whoopee, a modern Sherlock. 🙄
And don't get me started on mega-bitch "bigger balls than thine" Amelia Sachs. (Who down deep is just daddy's little girl and really really wants to be a Mommy... like all real women!! Blech. 😝)
But the villain! The Watchmaker! Him I really liked. Unusual character with unique motivations. I was actually quite disappointed that arrogantly unworthy Rhyme was able to outwit him in the end.
That should tell you something right there: when you're cheering for the villain to and not for the detective, who you reeeeally want to see mess up juuuuuust once.
I agree with other reviewers about Kathryn Dance. She's a great character.
In summary: Impressed with the creativity and layering of plot (to a point), but terribly underwhelmed and annoyed by the series characters and length of the novel. I appreciate a mystery-thriller that can stay on track and NOT veer off into the detective's personal lives, and the amount of information about different criminology techniques included in the story. Full points there.
I won't be reading anything featuring Lincoln Rhyme again, though, even if I might, at some point, try another Deaver. Maybe if Dance has her own series.
January 25, 2023
Overall Rating : B
"Lies turn people ugly. The truth does the opposite..."
Crooked cops, random murders, a psychopathic killer with a rapist assistant, and victims running out of time. Two cases, one that hits a little too close to home for one of our detectives. All in a few days work for Amelia Sachs and her partner/lover, Lincoln Rhyme.
I made a promise to myself to read every book in this series. Hell, I OWN every book in this series. And one thing I've noticed is that when it's a 10+ long journey with more on the way, they start to look similar. You know there's more to the story, the killers have ulterior motives, people all act a certain way.... And I know this is bad, but the action and murder usually only happens in the beginning and the end. Mostly it is just detective work. FINE detective work, don't get me wrong, but it starts to run together after so many pages.
Not to say it isn't a good series. The killers are frightening in their own way. And the twists and red herrings! I'm dumbfounded every time they're revealed. That is why I'm staying with these goofy, lovable, honorable cast of characters to the very end.
"Lies turn people ugly. The truth does the opposite..."
Crooked cops, random murders, a psychopathic killer with a rapist assistant, and victims running out of time. Two cases, one that hits a little too close to home for one of our detectives. All in a few days work for Amelia Sachs and her partner/lover, Lincoln Rhyme.
I made a promise to myself to read every book in this series. Hell, I OWN every book in this series. And one thing I've noticed is that when it's a 10+ long journey with more on the way, they start to look similar. You know there's more to the story, the killers have ulterior motives, people all act a certain way.... And I know this is bad, but the action and murder usually only happens in the beginning and the end. Mostly it is just detective work. FINE detective work, don't get me wrong, but it starts to run together after so many pages.
Not to say it isn't a good series. The killers are frightening in their own way. And the twists and red herrings! I'm dumbfounded every time they're revealed. That is why I'm staying with these goofy, lovable, honorable cast of characters to the very end.
July 4, 2012
By far, Jeffery Deaver is the one author with that uncanny ability to develop plot twists and very complex characters that leave you stunned to the end. If you've seen the movie, trust me, the books are far more ingenious and developed as compared to what we were presented with on the silver screen. The Bone Collector is a series novel starring Lincoln Rhyme, our famous forensics expert bound to his bed and mobile wheelchair.
Reading this novel I am reminded to never commit a crime. The art of forensics as described by Deaver leaves one little doubt as to trace evidence left behind at a crime scene. Of course, this leaves Deaver no choice but to create such stunning criminal minds that they are indeed a match for our hero Lincoln Rhyme...that the possibility does exist to get away with it in spite of Mr. Rhyme's calculating mind.
But it's not just about the crime...primarily Deaver takes his time as he develops his cast of characters across a whole series of ingenious books...enveloping all of the primary human emotions within such characters: from romance, to jealousy, to hatred, to loyalty, betrayal, and so forth.
P.S. Same review for the whole series. If you've read this review of Lincoln Rhyme, you've read them all.
Reading this novel I am reminded to never commit a crime. The art of forensics as described by Deaver leaves one little doubt as to trace evidence left behind at a crime scene. Of course, this leaves Deaver no choice but to create such stunning criminal minds that they are indeed a match for our hero Lincoln Rhyme...that the possibility does exist to get away with it in spite of Mr. Rhyme's calculating mind.
But it's not just about the crime...primarily Deaver takes his time as he develops his cast of characters across a whole series of ingenious books...enveloping all of the primary human emotions within such characters: from romance, to jealousy, to hatred, to loyalty, betrayal, and so forth.
P.S. Same review for the whole series. If you've read this review of Lincoln Rhyme, you've read them all.
April 6, 2021
Ακριβώς ενα μηνα μετά το τελείωσα. Μου βγάλε την ψυχή. Εν μέσω lockdown το μυαλό δε λειτουργεί και πολύ καλά. Μέχρι τη σελιδα 350 προσπαθούσα να αποθηκεύσω ονόματα και πληροφορίες και να κάνω συνδέσεις. Ο Ωρολογοποιός έχει κάνει ηδη 2 φόνους και μετά μαζί με έναν συνεργο βρίσκουν κάποια θύματα και χωρίς προφανή λόγο καταστρώνουν τη δολοφονία τους. Σε κάθε απόπειρα υπάρχει και ενα τελετουργικό με ρολόγια συλλεκτικά που αφήνουν στον τόπο του εγκλήματος. Ολο αυτο είναι αρκετό για να εξάψει την περιέργεια του αναγνώστη και να συνεχίσει να διαβάζει. Αλλά ταυτόχρονα και να κάνει το μυαλο μου κουρκούτι. Τουλάχιστον 50 με 60 ονόματα μέχρι τη μέση του βιβλίου. Από ένα σημείο και μετά εγκατέλειψα καθε προσπάθεια να τα απομνημονεύσω και απλά παρακολουθούσα τους 2 (δολοφόνους), την Αμέλια Ζαξ που ηταν επικεφαλής της υπόθεσης και τον εγκληματολόγο Λίνκολν Ραιμ που είναι συνεργάτης και σύντροφος της. Κάπου κοντα στην 350 σελίδα έγινε η πρώτη ανατροπή και έτσι συγκράτησα κανα 2 ονόματα ακόμα. Απέκτησε περισσότερο ενδιαφέρον και κάπως τα ξεμπέρδεψα. Μέχρι που μερικές σελίδες παρακάτω ήρθε και η επόμενη ανατροπή και είχα μείνει να αναρωτιέμαι ποιο παρανοϊκό μυαλό θα μπορούσε να σκεφτεί όλο αυτό. Λίγο πριν το τέλος ήρθε και η τελευταία και με αποτελείωσε. Έκαψα ό,τι είχε απομείνει μεσα στο κεφάλι μου. Παρόν, παρελθόν μέλλον, πατεράδες, θείοι, σόγια, εραστές, συνεργοί, διεφθαρμένοι μπάτσοι, παλιές υποθέσεις, ενας δολοφόνος που ίσως και να μην είναι δολοφόνος. Ένας συνεργός που όμοιός του δεν υπάρχει στην πλαση. Και ολοι μαζί δουλεύονται μεταξύ τους. Ενα μπράβο στον Deaver που κατάφερε να τους ξεμπερδέψει και τους έβαλε όλους σε ενα βιβλίο. Εγω πάλι πάλεψα να το τελειώσω.
October 12, 2021
Tek paragrafta -miş li gecmiş, -di li geçmiş, geniş ve şimdiki zaman olunca okuma zevki de kalmadı haliyle. Üstüne yazar da kurguyu çetrefilli yapacağım diye baya bir zorlamış. Belki kitabın yarıdan fazlasını anlamsızca uzatıp her şeyi son çeyreğe sıkıştırmasaydı daha çok sevebilirdim 🤔
July 18, 2020
Just my second reading of the Lincoln Rhyme series and I did enjoy the book. It is highly detailed in the planning of crimes by a rather smart operator called the watchmaker and elaborately worked on by Rhyme and team. He adds a woman to his net that is gifted in reading communication of people and he also anticipates the loss of one of the members. We get radical terrorist plots, dirty cops and other crime puzzles to follow.
Since I have enjoyed two of these I think I will "go all out" and pay the 1.99 price from Amazon for the first Lincoln Rhyme book and go back to the beginning. I probably saw the movie years ago but I don't really remember it.
Library Loan
Since I have enjoyed two of these I think I will "go all out" and pay the 1.99 price from Amazon for the first Lincoln Rhyme book and go back to the beginning. I probably saw the movie years ago but I don't really remember it.
Library Loan
February 24, 2017
I really enjoyed the seventh book in the Lincoln Rhyme series. This one also gives us a first look at a character that Deaver spins off into her own series, Kathryn Dance. We get to see the science side of things and also how Dance uses her expertise in kinesics, which is the science of body language, nonverbal gestures, postures and facial expressions. Dance works at the California Bureau of Investigation and gets pulled into this case via Lon Selitto who believes that Dance can help out Rhyme and Sachs as they hunt down a man known as "The Watchmaker." There is a bit too much science (there were whole paragraphs that made my eyes glaze over) and I have to laugh again at the constant Red Herrings, but I do love the callbacks to "The Bone Collector" in this one.
What I found interesting in this one is that we have Sachs investigating her first homicide solo and also assisting on "The Watchmaker" cases. It's not often that we get to see Sachs independent from Rhyme while they are investigating. Due to Sachs running her own investigation, you would think her focus would be split, but I got a kick at seeing how she was handling things. However, due to one of the cases (not telling you, no spoilers here) Sachs gets a huge revelation spilled her way.
Rhyme is his typical self. However, he gets thrown a bit with Sachs off doing her own investigation and tends to act petty as hell. I do love that with Sachs running a case though, we get to see the rise of Officer Ron Pulaski that readers met in the last book. Pulaski became a favorite while reading this book.
I also loved the character of Kathryn Dance too. I do wish that we got more details about her though. I know she's a widow with two kids. I still have no idea how her husband died though. And I really wish we got to see her showcase her abilities more in this one. She was great in every scene and I enjoyed it.
Per usual, Deaver shows us the police trying to track down The Watchmaker. But instead of being in that character's head, Deaver instead gives us the third person POV of a man assisting The Watchmaker. I have to say that this character, Vincent, was grotesque. I maybe got a bit sick reading about him. I will have to say though that Deaver got way too repetitive with this character though. All Vincent thinks about is "the hunger" and eats a lot. "The hunger" in this case is that Vincent likes to rape women, so yeah, you kind of hope he gets a cement block up his skull eventually.
We also get a reappearance of a character that I haven't thought about since "The Bone Collector." That was a nice little reveal that Deaver gives so this quickly pushed the book up to 5 stars for me.
I would say that "The Cold Moon" is typical Deaver. A lot of science with some great dialogue and Red Herrings thrown in. The ending leaves things with Rhyme having a nemesis though. I liken it to Holmes versus Moriarty. I started reading the next book in the series after this, and was glad to see how Deaver continues with this in "The Broken Window."
What I found interesting in this one is that we have Sachs investigating her first homicide solo and also assisting on "The Watchmaker" cases. It's not often that we get to see Sachs independent from Rhyme while they are investigating. Due to Sachs running her own investigation, you would think her focus would be split, but I got a kick at seeing how she was handling things. However, due to one of the cases (not telling you, no spoilers here) Sachs gets a huge revelation spilled her way.
Rhyme is his typical self. However, he gets thrown a bit with Sachs off doing her own investigation and tends to act petty as hell. I do love that with Sachs running a case though, we get to see the rise of Officer Ron Pulaski that readers met in the last book. Pulaski became a favorite while reading this book.
I also loved the character of Kathryn Dance too. I do wish that we got more details about her though. I know she's a widow with two kids. I still have no idea how her husband died though. And I really wish we got to see her showcase her abilities more in this one. She was great in every scene and I enjoyed it.
Per usual, Deaver shows us the police trying to track down The Watchmaker. But instead of being in that character's head, Deaver instead gives us the third person POV of a man assisting The Watchmaker. I have to say that this character, Vincent, was grotesque. I maybe got a bit sick reading about him. I will have to say though that Deaver got way too repetitive with this character though. All Vincent thinks about is "the hunger" and eats a lot. "The hunger" in this case is that Vincent likes to rape women, so yeah, you kind of hope he gets a cement block up his skull eventually.
We also get a reappearance of a character that I haven't thought about since "The Bone Collector." That was a nice little reveal that Deaver gives so this quickly pushed the book up to 5 stars for me.
I would say that "The Cold Moon" is typical Deaver. A lot of science with some great dialogue and Red Herrings thrown in. The ending leaves things with Rhyme having a nemesis though. I liken it to Holmes versus Moriarty. I started reading the next book in the series after this, and was glad to see how Deaver continues with this in "The Broken Window."
June 9, 2020
Jeffrey Deaver returns with the awesome tag-team of Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs to face what may be their deadliest case yet.
On a dark cold night in December 2 people in New York are found brutally murdered, the first of many victims of a serial killer calling himself The Watchmaker, whose calling card is a moon-faced clock ticking away the victims last moments on Earth. Quadriplegic Lincoln Rhyme is up against his deadliest foe ever, when Rhyme realizes the Watchmaker has more victims targeted in a similar manner. Rhyme once again has his companion Amelia Sachs bear his eyes, ears and legs to walk the grid of the grisly crime scenes and recover the evidence left by the killer.
But Sachs is not only investigating the murders of a serial killer, but also investing her first lead assignment on a homicide, as Sachs investigation intensities, she is pulled into a web of corruption within the NYPD, and also discovering a deep, dark secret about her past.
A solid murder/mystery with plenty of twists and turns, you think it's going in one direction then Deaver pulls you in the opposite direction!
The Cold Moon also introduces us to Kathryn Dance, an interrogation and kinesic (body language) specialist from California, who assists Rhyme and Sachs in their search for the Watchmaker. Dance is an interesting character with her own series by Deaver, which I look forward to reading very soon!
On a dark cold night in December 2 people in New York are found brutally murdered, the first of many victims of a serial killer calling himself The Watchmaker, whose calling card is a moon-faced clock ticking away the victims last moments on Earth. Quadriplegic Lincoln Rhyme is up against his deadliest foe ever, when Rhyme realizes the Watchmaker has more victims targeted in a similar manner. Rhyme once again has his companion Amelia Sachs bear his eyes, ears and legs to walk the grid of the grisly crime scenes and recover the evidence left by the killer.
But Sachs is not only investigating the murders of a serial killer, but also investing her first lead assignment on a homicide, as Sachs investigation intensities, she is pulled into a web of corruption within the NYPD, and also discovering a deep, dark secret about her past.
A solid murder/mystery with plenty of twists and turns, you think it's going in one direction then Deaver pulls you in the opposite direction!
The Cold Moon also introduces us to Kathryn Dance, an interrogation and kinesic (body language) specialist from California, who assists Rhyme and Sachs in their search for the Watchmaker. Dance is an interesting character with her own series by Deaver, which I look forward to reading very soon!
July 23, 2012
"The Cold Moon" is the seventh book featuring Lincoln Rhyme, one of Deaver's bread-and-butter characters. Normally, I don't jump into the middle--let alone the last third--of a series to test the waters, but I learned that Deaver pushes plot while dropping tidbits of character to orient the reader, whatever she has read before. This proved true here: though Rhyme and his cohorts have obviously been through a lot, Deaver offers pieces of their history at (for the most part) opportune moments to familiarize all with an idea of what has come before. It's just enough for new readers, and, I imagine, just enough for fans who pick up dozens of other books between installments. I wonder if this isn't the standard thriller fiction in general (though Lee Child usually brushes past Reacher's history in the majority of his books).
The plot is the main protagonist of this book, and I'll be durned if Deaver didn't keep pulling the wool over my eyes throughout. Deaver is, in fact, known for his use of "twists" and misdirection in his writing, and he uses both to great effect here. Often, I had no idea how a climactic scene was going to go down. In retrospect, however, I realized something:
I read most of this book on an airplane, which proved the perfect setting for this kind of read--that is to say: a fun, fast-paced, engaging-if-not-involved cops-and-killers story. The New York setting was nice, too, for a native, though I wish Deaver had included more color when his characters went to a dive bar or restaurant; name-dropping aside, the setting doesn't feel like New York.
So, this foray into Deaver's work was a success: fun was had, and I will probably pick up other books in the future.
The plot is the main protagonist of this book, and I'll be durned if Deaver didn't keep pulling the wool over my eyes throughout. Deaver is, in fact, known for his use of "twists" and misdirection in his writing, and he uses both to great effect here. Often, I had no idea how a climactic scene was going to go down. In retrospect, however, I realized something:
I read most of this book on an airplane, which proved the perfect setting for this kind of read--that is to say: a fun, fast-paced, engaging-if-not-involved cops-and-killers story. The New York setting was nice, too, for a native, though I wish Deaver had included more color when his characters went to a dive bar or restaurant; name-dropping aside, the setting doesn't feel like New York.
So, this foray into Deaver's work was a success: fun was had, and I will probably pick up other books in the future.
December 28, 2008
Latest in the Lincoln Rime series, featuring the quadriplegic forensic investigator. Oh, Jeff. You were doing so well for the first 250 pages: the villain was thoroughly creepifying, the forensics were engaging and CSI-like, and the characters’ personal lives were actually interesting, too. And then we took a sharp left turn into exposition land, where the narrator takes over the story for five or ten pages at a stretch to explain that the villain really isn’t after what we thought (haven’t you written this book before? Twice?) and what he is after is a lot less interesting than the whole serial killer jaunt. It hurts me when you do this. To your credit, there were some interesting, if fumble-fingered, threads about the duties of a capital L Liberal in these over-patriotic times, and the villain promises to become more interesting again in a later book. Props for the good old college try, but let’s aim a bit higher next time, okay?
November 3, 2019
A solid and reliable Rhyme novel with an above-average number of twists and turns, at an increasing pace. So you get to bask in the serial killer's blinding moonlight before the story runs away from you.
January 6, 2022
Classic Deaver: compelling, easy to follow and difficult to put down.
No graphic brutality or drag-you-down drama.
Interesting storyline with plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing.
Believable characters with distinct personalities. Thought-provoking dialogue.
No graphic brutality or drag-you-down drama.
Interesting storyline with plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing.
Believable characters with distinct personalities. Thought-provoking dialogue.
November 20, 2018
Augenblicksnervenkitzel für extrem harmoniesüchtige Gemüter
Eigentlich Zweieinhalb Sterne, da Deaver den Bösen keine halbe Seite lang einen Stich gönnt und auch nicht den Hauch eines Makels bei seinen Guten oder deren Verwandtschaft zulässt. Das ist eine ziemlich schlechte Eigenschaft für einen Krimi-Autor. Die forensisch-technische Seite ist natürlich großartig und die hinter jeder Ecke hervor gezauberten neuen Wendungen sorgen für einen zuverlässigen Zeitvertreibsfaktor. Aber da der Meister der unvorhersehbaren Wendungen immer gleich wieder die Spannung raus lassen muss, entlarvt er sich in gewisser Hinsicht als ein hochprofessioneller Pfuscher oder von mir aus auch ein Geistesverwandter von Karl May.
Eigentlich Zweieinhalb Sterne, da Deaver den Bösen keine halbe Seite lang einen Stich gönnt und auch nicht den Hauch eines Makels bei seinen Guten oder deren Verwandtschaft zulässt. Das ist eine ziemlich schlechte Eigenschaft für einen Krimi-Autor. Die forensisch-technische Seite ist natürlich großartig und die hinter jeder Ecke hervor gezauberten neuen Wendungen sorgen für einen zuverlässigen Zeitvertreibsfaktor. Aber da der Meister der unvorhersehbaren Wendungen immer gleich wieder die Spannung raus lassen muss, entlarvt er sich in gewisser Hinsicht als ein hochprofessioneller Pfuscher oder von mir aus auch ein Geistesverwandter von Karl May.
March 25, 2018
'The Cold Moon' is a meticulously put-together thriller. There are no plot holes or loose threads. Deaver's sure hand is evident when describing crime scenes and related investigations. The problem is very little here is attention-holding, maybe with the exception of the kinesics evaluator's character. Not once do the good guys appear to be in any real danger. There is some fun to be had in the sequences featuring the Watchmaker and his aide, but that comes to an end with the first plot twist. It seems, in making the plot convoluted, Deaver forgot to make it entertaining. Still, its not all bad and there are minor pleasures to be had, albeit sporadic.
September 21, 2015
Overly long and a few twists to many. It is always nice to revisit Rhyme and Sachs, but this time that's the only really good part of the book.
July 15, 2024
Deaver zawsze lubił zaskakiwać czytelników swoimi intrygami, dlatego też "przewrotek" i nietypowych zwrotów akcji z pewnością nie brakuje w jego powieściach. Siódmy tom kryminalnego duetu Rhyme & Sachs okazał się dla mnie najlepszą częścią serii, i chyba jeszcze w żadnej powieści autora nie czułam się tak okrutnie zmanipulowana, jak w "Zegarmistrzu"...
Czytając tę powieść, nie sposób przewidzieć co stanie się na kolejnych stronach. Muszę przyznać, że Deaver niezwykle sprawnie manipuluje czytelnikiem, wodząc go za nos i zaskakując nieprzewidywalnymi zwrotami akcji. Kiedy już myślałam, że rozwiązanie zagadki jest w zasiegu kolejnej przewróconej kartki, autor nagle rzuca zupełnie nowe i nieoczekiwane światło na sprawę, zmieniając diametralnie bieg śledztwa...
Motyw pozostawiania zegarów na miejscu zbrodni jawi się na początku jako jedynie dziwaczny i niezrozumiały zabieg, ale w miarę odkrywania kolejnych faktów, staje się coraz bardziej kluczowy dla rozwiązania zagadki. Intryga może się wydawać nieco przekombinowana ale w połączeniu z dynamicznym tempem akcji i ciekawie wykreowanymi postaciami powieść stała się dla mnie niezwykle absorbującym doświadczeniem.
Deaver zaskakuje nie tylko całkiem zgrabnie poprowadzoną akcją i nieoczekiwanym zakończeniem, ale również drobiazgowością w opisach śledztwa oraz ekspercką wiedzą na temat procedur kryminalistycznych.
Warto było dać tej książce szansę i zagłębić się w świat nieprzewidywalnych śledztw autora.
Czytając tę powieść, nie sposób przewidzieć co stanie się na kolejnych stronach. Muszę przyznać, że Deaver niezwykle sprawnie manipuluje czytelnikiem, wodząc go za nos i zaskakując nieprzewidywalnymi zwrotami akcji. Kiedy już myślałam, że rozwiązanie zagadki jest w zasiegu kolejnej przewróconej kartki, autor nagle rzuca zupełnie nowe i nieoczekiwane światło na sprawę, zmieniając diametralnie bieg śledztwa...
Motyw pozostawiania zegarów na miejscu zbrodni jawi się na początku jako jedynie dziwaczny i niezrozumiały zabieg, ale w miarę odkrywania kolejnych faktów, staje się coraz bardziej kluczowy dla rozwiązania zagadki. Intryga może się wydawać nieco przekombinowana ale w połączeniu z dynamicznym tempem akcji i ciekawie wykreowanymi postaciami powieść stała się dla mnie niezwykle absorbującym doświadczeniem.
Deaver zaskakuje nie tylko całkiem zgrabnie poprowadzoną akcją i nieoczekiwanym zakończeniem, ale również drobiazgowością w opisach śledztwa oraz ekspercką wiedzą na temat procedur kryminalistycznych.
Warto było dać tej książce szansę i zagłębić się w świat nieprzewidywalnych śledztw autora.
December 9, 2025
Excellent story. Kathryn Dance is introduced and Lincoln is after the Watchmaker who appears to be killing people. This story has a lot of twists and turns where you think you know what is happening and then the author pulls the mat from under your feet. There are a plethora of twists, turns and red herrings.
The Watchmaker is brilliant, calculating and a cold-blooded villain. Rhyme and Sachs once again are using forensic evidence to work out where he will strike next.
Police corruption, unsavory characters, winter in New York with Sachs also handling her first homicide case. Highly entertaining story.
SPOILERS AHEAD
As always twists and turns. I liked that the Watchmaker escaped. The story had lots of red here’s but the Watchmaker was hired by right wing extremists to bomb a military award ceremony. Lincoln figures it out and the right wing leader is shot by Sachs.
The Watchmaker is brilliant, calculating and a cold-blooded villain. Rhyme and Sachs once again are using forensic evidence to work out where he will strike next.
Police corruption, unsavory characters, winter in New York with Sachs also handling her first homicide case. Highly entertaining story.
SPOILERS AHEAD
As always twists and turns. I liked that the Watchmaker escaped. The story had lots of red here’s but the Watchmaker was hired by right wing extremists to bomb a military award ceremony. Lincoln figures it out and the right wing leader is shot by Sachs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2011
This is another great read by Jeffery Deaver. Quadriplegic ex-detective Lincoln Rhyme and his girlfriend/lover Detective Amelia Sachs are in for a roller coaster ride. This book has more layers than a wedding cake.
It begins when there seems to be two murders in New York City. Rhyme is handling the case as a consultant to the police. Amelia Sachs is permanently assigned to work for him but she wants to broaden her horizons by being lead detective on a case of her own and not just do forensic work with Rhyme. She is given a case of a man who committed suicide. His wife convinces Amelia that he would not commit suicide and was, in fact, murdered.
Both cases are multilayered with shockers at each level and when the two cases suddenly intertwine, the result is explosive. The story has it all-a rapist, murderer, crooked cops, explosions, kidnappings, and plenty of heart-pounding action. There is also some emotional tension between Amelia and Lincoln as she believes her father was a corrupt cop and decides she wants to leave the force for security work. Since she is the person who made Lincoln Rhyme come to life again and not want to go through with his planned suicide, will taking a job that sends her overseas break his heart? Two characters who were victims in THE BONE COLLECTOR make an appearance here and they are anything but victims now.
The interactions among Lincoln Rhyme, Amelia Sachs, their teams, and the criminals are well done and interesting. Another Jeffery Deaver character from other books makes an appearance here- Kathryn Dance , the kinesics expert from California.
Who is the Watchmaker, what is his real motivation, what crimes were actually committed, why, and more questions will keep your attention riveted and your heart thumping as you turn those pages.
It begins when there seems to be two murders in New York City. Rhyme is handling the case as a consultant to the police. Amelia Sachs is permanently assigned to work for him but she wants to broaden her horizons by being lead detective on a case of her own and not just do forensic work with Rhyme. She is given a case of a man who committed suicide. His wife convinces Amelia that he would not commit suicide and was, in fact, murdered.
Both cases are multilayered with shockers at each level and when the two cases suddenly intertwine, the result is explosive. The story has it all-a rapist, murderer, crooked cops, explosions, kidnappings, and plenty of heart-pounding action. There is also some emotional tension between Amelia and Lincoln as she believes her father was a corrupt cop and decides she wants to leave the force for security work. Since she is the person who made Lincoln Rhyme come to life again and not want to go through with his planned suicide, will taking a job that sends her overseas break his heart? Two characters who were victims in THE BONE COLLECTOR make an appearance here and they are anything but victims now.
The interactions among Lincoln Rhyme, Amelia Sachs, their teams, and the criminals are well done and interesting. Another Jeffery Deaver character from other books makes an appearance here- Kathryn Dance , the kinesics expert from California.
Who is the Watchmaker, what is his real motivation, what crimes were actually committed, why, and more questions will keep your attention riveted and your heart thumping as you turn those pages.
October 8, 2021
Per la prima volta Amelia si trova alle prese con un caso tutto suo che riguarda l’omicidio di un uomo d’affari, mascherato da suicidio, ed un giro di poliziotti corrotti di cui facevano parte anche persone a lei care.
Questo la allontana un po’ dal caso di cui invece si sta occupando Rhyme: il serial killer che si firma l’Orologiaio, che uccide delle persone apparentemente senza alcun collegamento tra di loro, nei modi più particolari e che la facciano soffrire il più a lungo possibile, lasciando un antico orologio con le fasi lunari ed una poesia sulla scena del crimine.
Per la prima volta si incontrano Rhyme e Kathryn Dance. Qui infatti facciamo la conoscenza dell’esperta di cinesica (anche se io ho già letto tre sue indagini), che viene reclutata da Sellitto, che ha assistito ad un suo seminario, per interrogare un testimone reticente.
Il caso dell’orologiaio è davvero molto molto bello, studiato alla perfezione, fin nei minimi particolari.
E la capacità narrativa è la solita di Deaver, cioè magistrale, capace di tenerti incollata al libro perché vuoi saperne di più delle briciole disseminate qua e là sulla strada.
Il problema è che purtroppo quando si incrociano i due casi, cioè più o meno verso l’ultimo centinaio di pagine, per me scade tutto.
Questa volta il tentativo di stupire non è riuscito benissimo e la sensazione che mi ha lasciato è stato di forzatura immane.
A un certo punto mi sono chiesta “a che cosa servono adesso ancora ste 100 pagine?”. Ecco avrebbe potuto risparmiarsele e fare un libro grandioso come suo solito, ma invece no. Ha voluto peccare di presunzione e questi sono i risultati.
L’impressione di sospensione finale in più non credo sia stata solo una mia sensazione ma penso sia perché incontreremo di nuovo qualcuno dei protagonisti di questo caso in futuro.
Voi che ne pensate?
Questo la allontana un po’ dal caso di cui invece si sta occupando Rhyme: il serial killer che si firma l’Orologiaio, che uccide delle persone apparentemente senza alcun collegamento tra di loro, nei modi più particolari e che la facciano soffrire il più a lungo possibile, lasciando un antico orologio con le fasi lunari ed una poesia sulla scena del crimine.
Per la prima volta si incontrano Rhyme e Kathryn Dance. Qui infatti facciamo la conoscenza dell’esperta di cinesica (anche se io ho già letto tre sue indagini), che viene reclutata da Sellitto, che ha assistito ad un suo seminario, per interrogare un testimone reticente.
Il caso dell’orologiaio è davvero molto molto bello, studiato alla perfezione, fin nei minimi particolari.
E la capacità narrativa è la solita di Deaver, cioè magistrale, capace di tenerti incollata al libro perché vuoi saperne di più delle briciole disseminate qua e là sulla strada.
Il problema è che purtroppo quando si incrociano i due casi, cioè più o meno verso l’ultimo centinaio di pagine, per me scade tutto.
Questa volta il tentativo di stupire non è riuscito benissimo e la sensazione che mi ha lasciato è stato di forzatura immane.
A un certo punto mi sono chiesta “a che cosa servono adesso ancora ste 100 pagine?”. Ecco avrebbe potuto risparmiarsele e fare un libro grandioso come suo solito, ma invece no. Ha voluto peccare di presunzione e questi sono i risultati.
L’impressione di sospensione finale in più non credo sia stata solo una mia sensazione ma penso sia perché incontreremo di nuovo qualcuno dei protagonisti di questo caso in futuro.
Voi che ne pensate?
April 1, 2016
Un "Deaver" o due, ogni tanto, è... necessario. Fa bene. Contrasta l'accumulo di acido lattico, un po' come l'aspirina dopo una lunga e aspra salita in montagna. È defaticante. Soprattutto in periodi in cui i pensieri quotidiani sono confusi. Deaver ti prende e ti porta con sé sul fianco di un'iperbole, senza che tu ti accorga della vertigine. Sospetti di essere fuori equilibrio, ma non puoi che seguirlo. Non ti dà tempo di riflettere. Intanto fai ginnastica benefica. Assecondi l'assurda idea che la semplice logica possa, in fondo, rimette tutto a posto. E lo svago ti fa respirare.
Tre stelle perché parliamo in fondo di un cliché. E perché anche Deaver, di quando in quando, si lascia prendere la mano dalla sua abilità e confeziona panini troppo farciti.
Tre stelle perché parliamo in fondo di un cliché. E perché anche Deaver, di quando in quando, si lascia prendere la mano dalla sua abilità e confeziona panini troppo farciti.
October 22, 2022
Genres: Crime/Thriller
I have read quite a few of these Lincoln Rhyme books lately so I'm not sure what else I can say about them. I like the stories, the character, the different threads, the endings, and more. They always draw me in.
This one, for the most part, teetered a little too close to the edge of plausibility. Entertianing? Yes. Believable? Not so much. Overall, this was a fun read so 4 stars.
I have read quite a few of these Lincoln Rhyme books lately so I'm not sure what else I can say about them. I like the stories, the character, the different threads, the endings, and more. They always draw me in.
This one, for the most part, teetered a little too close to the edge of plausibility. Entertianing? Yes. Believable? Not so much. Overall, this was a fun read so 4 stars.
August 7, 2022
as usual Jeffery Deaver's book: surprised me and amazed me at the same time😱
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