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The Devil's Teardrop: A Novel of the Last Night of the Century
A classic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver featuring the intricate forensic detail, masterful plot twists, and harrowing breakneck pace that made A Maiden’s Grave, The Bone Collector , and The Coffin Dancer national bestsellers.
It’s New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1999, and Washington, DC, is under siege. Early in the day, a grisly machine gun attack in the Dupont Circle Metro station leaves dozens dead and the city crippled with fear. A note delivered to the mayor’s office pins the massacre on the Digger, a robotlike assassin programmed to wreak havoc on the capital every four hours—until midnight. Only a ransom of $20 million delivered to the Digger’s accomplice—and mastermind—will end the death and terror. But the Digger becomes a far more sinister threat when his accomplice is killed in a freak accident while en route to the money drop. With the ransom note as the single scrap of evidence, Special Agent Margaret Lukas calls upon Parker Kincaid, a retired FBI agent and the top forensic document examiner in the country. Somehow, by midnight, they must find the Digger—before he finds them.
It’s New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1999, and Washington, DC, is under siege. Early in the day, a grisly machine gun attack in the Dupont Circle Metro station leaves dozens dead and the city crippled with fear. A note delivered to the mayor’s office pins the massacre on the Digger, a robotlike assassin programmed to wreak havoc on the capital every four hours—until midnight. Only a ransom of $20 million delivered to the Digger’s accomplice—and mastermind—will end the death and terror. But the Digger becomes a far more sinister threat when his accomplice is killed in a freak accident while en route to the money drop. With the ransom note as the single scrap of evidence, Special Agent Margaret Lukas calls upon Parker Kincaid, a retired FBI agent and the top forensic document examiner in the country. Somehow, by midnight, they must find the Digger—before he finds them.
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
553 people are currently reading
3752 people want to read
About the author
Jeffery Deaver
500 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 504 reviews
March 18, 2019
A stand alone published in 1999.
This book might be twenty years old but it reads as well now as it did back then.
The main protagonist ‘Parker Kincaid’ is a retired FBI forensic document examiner. He is divorced from his alcoholic wife and has two young kids that he is fulltime father and mother to. He is trying to lead an exemplary life because he knows that if he puts one foot wrong his ex wife will pounce and try to take the children.
He is at home working on a document when the door bell goes. He answers the door, which was his first mistake, to find two FBI agents are standing there. He knows one, an agent he has worked with in the past. The other, a slim attractive woman, he has never seen before.
They are there to seek his help. The mayor has been handed a letter demanding $4,000,000. if the money is not forth coming the killing of innocent will commence at 4 o’clock, again at 8 o’clock and again at 12 midnight. There is a madman on the loose with an Uzi and the FBI needs all the help they can get.
Although reluctant Parker decides to help by analysing the hand written letter but nothing else he stresses. But that is not going to happen; he gets life threateningly close to the action.
What follows is a heart stopping race against time to stop the madman and the carnage he has unleashed on the citizens of Washington.
The pace is fast, the tension high with twists and turns in every new chapter.
The end was a disappointment. People should have been reeling in the aftermath of all that carnage but no, it was just all in a days work.
Apart from the end this was an enthralling read. 4/5 stars.
This book might be twenty years old but it reads as well now as it did back then.
The main protagonist ‘Parker Kincaid’ is a retired FBI forensic document examiner. He is divorced from his alcoholic wife and has two young kids that he is fulltime father and mother to. He is trying to lead an exemplary life because he knows that if he puts one foot wrong his ex wife will pounce and try to take the children.
He is at home working on a document when the door bell goes. He answers the door, which was his first mistake, to find two FBI agents are standing there. He knows one, an agent he has worked with in the past. The other, a slim attractive woman, he has never seen before.
They are there to seek his help. The mayor has been handed a letter demanding $4,000,000. if the money is not forth coming the killing of innocent will commence at 4 o’clock, again at 8 o’clock and again at 12 midnight. There is a madman on the loose with an Uzi and the FBI needs all the help they can get.
Although reluctant Parker decides to help by analysing the hand written letter but nothing else he stresses. But that is not going to happen; he gets life threateningly close to the action.
What follows is a heart stopping race against time to stop the madman and the carnage he has unleashed on the citizens of Washington.
The pace is fast, the tension high with twists and turns in every new chapter.
The end was a disappointment. People should have been reeling in the aftermath of all that carnage but no, it was just all in a days work.
Apart from the end this was an enthralling read. 4/5 stars.
May 8, 2024
A riveting psychological drama!
It's New Year's Eve 1999! A fixated killer, known only as "Digger", walks into Washington DC's Metro Station at 9:00 a.m. and empties a silenced Uzi on full automatic into the crowd on a brutal killing spree. The FBI receives a ransom note demanding a $20 million dollar payoff with curt instructions that unless the payment happens without a hitch, the "Digger" will repeat the mass murder at 4:00 p.m., at 8:00 p.m. and again at 12:00 midnight during the height of the New Year's Eve celebrations. Parker Kincaid, a former FBI agent and top flight forensic document examiner, is asked to return to active duty as a consultant to assist Margaret Lukas, special agent in charge of the task force put together to round up the mastermind and his automaton killer before the carnage is repeated. Given the intensely compressed time frames and enormous potential for death involved, Gerald Kennedy, DC's mayor, agrees to the payment demand and the FBI puts a plan in place to track the murderer and his "control" after the ransom is collected. The whole affair comes off the rails when the extortionist is killed in a hit-and-run car accident on the way to the drop. It now appears nobody knows how to contact "Digger" to stop the next three scheduled killing fairs!
The reading is intense and compelling. The excitement builds from the very first page until a breathless climax with two incredible twists that will leave every reader sitting on the edge of their chairs.
Despite the fact that the entire book takes place in less than a one day time frame, the action in this thriller is surprisingly low key and evenly paced. Deaver's success with this novel rests more on the psychological components of the drama - examination of the realistic issue of whether a city should succumb to payment of extortion demands to terrorists and criminals; the fascinating minutiae of forensic investigation of evidence, in particular, the ransom note; the validity of profiling on the basis of criminal conduct and physical evidence such as handwriting; the political maneuvering of governments and the balance of rivalry and cooperation between police agencies during a crisis; and, both the synergy and conflict of multiple brains at work in the environment of a task force assigned to a criminal investigation.
But the climax does arrive, of course, and,when it does, the action switches gears and becomes intense and frenetic. Despite a double surprise ending that has somewhat of a Hollywood over the top flair to it that stretches the credibility factor somewhat, any thriller fan will be left feeling they've got their money's worth! An enjoyable read, a worthy addition to Deaver's extraordinary body of work, and an easy book to recommend to those that enjoy the thriller genre.
Paul Weiss
It's New Year's Eve 1999! A fixated killer, known only as "Digger", walks into Washington DC's Metro Station at 9:00 a.m. and empties a silenced Uzi on full automatic into the crowd on a brutal killing spree. The FBI receives a ransom note demanding a $20 million dollar payoff with curt instructions that unless the payment happens without a hitch, the "Digger" will repeat the mass murder at 4:00 p.m., at 8:00 p.m. and again at 12:00 midnight during the height of the New Year's Eve celebrations. Parker Kincaid, a former FBI agent and top flight forensic document examiner, is asked to return to active duty as a consultant to assist Margaret Lukas, special agent in charge of the task force put together to round up the mastermind and his automaton killer before the carnage is repeated. Given the intensely compressed time frames and enormous potential for death involved, Gerald Kennedy, DC's mayor, agrees to the payment demand and the FBI puts a plan in place to track the murderer and his "control" after the ransom is collected. The whole affair comes off the rails when the extortionist is killed in a hit-and-run car accident on the way to the drop. It now appears nobody knows how to contact "Digger" to stop the next three scheduled killing fairs!
The reading is intense and compelling. The excitement builds from the very first page until a breathless climax with two incredible twists that will leave every reader sitting on the edge of their chairs.
Despite the fact that the entire book takes place in less than a one day time frame, the action in this thriller is surprisingly low key and evenly paced. Deaver's success with this novel rests more on the psychological components of the drama - examination of the realistic issue of whether a city should succumb to payment of extortion demands to terrorists and criminals; the fascinating minutiae of forensic investigation of evidence, in particular, the ransom note; the validity of profiling on the basis of criminal conduct and physical evidence such as handwriting; the political maneuvering of governments and the balance of rivalry and cooperation between police agencies during a crisis; and, both the synergy and conflict of multiple brains at work in the environment of a task force assigned to a criminal investigation.
But the climax does arrive, of course, and,when it does, the action switches gears and becomes intense and frenetic. Despite a double surprise ending that has somewhat of a Hollywood over the top flair to it that stretches the credibility factor somewhat, any thriller fan will be left feeling they've got their money's worth! An enjoyable read, a worthy addition to Deaver's extraordinary body of work, and an easy book to recommend to those that enjoy the thriller genre.
Paul Weiss
June 26, 2016
Spoiler
Any avid reader has standards for a good story.
This one falls short of mine, in that I expect an author to respect the reader enough not to play dirty by changing the facts late in the story in order to make it come together.
If a character is thinking and the thoughts are written for us, we assume we can expect them to be true im relation to the plot
The same with a reaction from a character.
"The driver of a large truck had been looking at an invoice - "
The paragraph sets up the scene as an accident, the driver's reaction and panic are described... Until around pg 400, almost at the story end, we find out it was all a pre-planned murder, which fit a perfect crime plot.
This just ruined a good story for me & as I ponder this turn around - because it IS a turn around and not a twist - suddenly a dead man is attacking someone.
Oh... I see, the FBI had the vehicle surrounded & killed a man supposedly but the real bad guy snuck out of it, leaving a body to be mistaken for himself...
Right.
The mastermind plotted that a particular bus with the driver would be patiently waiting for the killer to finish a shooting spree amongst 10,000 people at midnight in downtown DC. & the killer just jumped in, had another shoot out, murdered the driver and escaped scott free as planned.
Too complicated.
I could buy the first three shooting catastrophes being planned, not this one.
Next, our psycho not quite brain dead murderer is finally killed dead & our quasi-hero falls asleep with the bloody body and aftermath of the killing in his living room with his children likely to find in the morning and wakes up to a completely restored room (by FBI) just on time to save his cajones.
Right
What I see is a genre change here, from crime fiction to all out fantasy.
Any avid reader has standards for a good story.
This one falls short of mine, in that I expect an author to respect the reader enough not to play dirty by changing the facts late in the story in order to make it come together.
If a character is thinking and the thoughts are written for us, we assume we can expect them to be true im relation to the plot
The same with a reaction from a character.
"The driver of a large truck had been looking at an invoice - "
The paragraph sets up the scene as an accident, the driver's reaction and panic are described... Until around pg 400, almost at the story end, we find out it was all a pre-planned murder, which fit a perfect crime plot.
This just ruined a good story for me & as I ponder this turn around - because it IS a turn around and not a twist - suddenly a dead man is attacking someone.
Oh... I see, the FBI had the vehicle surrounded & killed a man supposedly but the real bad guy snuck out of it, leaving a body to be mistaken for himself...
Right.
The mastermind plotted that a particular bus with the driver would be patiently waiting for the killer to finish a shooting spree amongst 10,000 people at midnight in downtown DC. & the killer just jumped in, had another shoot out, murdered the driver and escaped scott free as planned.
Too complicated.
I could buy the first three shooting catastrophes being planned, not this one.
Next, our psycho not quite brain dead murderer is finally killed dead & our quasi-hero falls asleep with the bloody body and aftermath of the killing in his living room with his children likely to find in the morning and wakes up to a completely restored room (by FBI) just on time to save his cajones.
Right
What I see is a genre change here, from crime fiction to all out fantasy.
September 20, 2015
Well written psychological thriller.
July 18, 2011
Total brain candy and I'm okay with that, it's summer. In case I haven't mentioned this before, brain candy is escapist reading, stuff you wouldn't want to read all the time because just like real candy, it's not good for you. You might think that would mean light, sweet, fluffy reading but to me that's only part of it. I love thrillers but I have to confess I am not sure they are all that good for your brain because I'm not sure I do a lot of time thinking about big questions when i read them, I admit it, I am racing to find out what happens. The big questions are often being asked, I just don't want to really think about them I'm just looking for entertainment. I tend to keep a couple of brain candy paperbacks handy in my purse or backpack for reading during piano lessons, in the waiting room at the doctor's and dentists, or just when I need a break from something that requires a little more heavy lifting on my part. Such was the case with The Devil's Teardrop.
So, I like Jeffrey Deaver and while this has a scary nasty premise it's not my favorite. No particular reason, might be because I read another of his not long ago and it felt a touch formulaic. This story only had a fleeting reference to Lincoln Rhyme, Deaver's best known protagonist but since I actually tend to get tired of most series that's usually a plus. And the bits about handwriting and forgeries was pretty interesting so I don't know why it's not getting four starts but it's not.
But, back to the scary nasty. So. What if you had a pair of killers, one who masterminds and one who does the actual killing. And let's say that the Brains behind the operation sets things up so that the Killer will proceed with a plan to commit multiple killing sprees unless he gets the signal to stop. And then let's say that the Brains is killed accidentally just after the "ransom note" is dropped off but before the deadline to respond has even expired and the Killer just goes on killing? Well, it's Jeffrey Deaver and those what ifs are bound to be multiplied and keep you guessing right to the very end. Only this time I guessed before the very end but because I was expecting more plot twists the surprise was actually that I had guessed. As surprises go, it was kind of a bummer. Three stars.
So, I like Jeffrey Deaver and while this has a scary nasty premise it's not my favorite. No particular reason, might be because I read another of his not long ago and it felt a touch formulaic. This story only had a fleeting reference to Lincoln Rhyme, Deaver's best known protagonist but since I actually tend to get tired of most series that's usually a plus. And the bits about handwriting and forgeries was pretty interesting so I don't know why it's not getting four starts but it's not.
But, back to the scary nasty. So. What if you had a pair of killers, one who masterminds and one who does the actual killing. And let's say that the Brains behind the operation sets things up so that the Killer will proceed with a plan to commit multiple killing sprees unless he gets the signal to stop. And then let's say that the Brains is killed accidentally just after the "ransom note" is dropped off but before the deadline to respond has even expired and the Killer just goes on killing? Well, it's Jeffrey Deaver and those what ifs are bound to be multiplied and keep you guessing right to the very end. Only this time I guessed before the very end but because I was expecting more plot twists the surprise was actually that I had guessed. As surprises go, it was kind of a bummer. Three stars.
September 6, 2017
Jeffery Deaver is an author who has never really clicked for me. The Devil's Teardrop may be an example of why. Deaver does a good job of making a semi-obscure forensic science (document analysis) interesting. And there are definitely some exciting moments. But suspension of disbelief is so frayed torn and trampled upon that by the time you reach the end of the book you can only boggle at the fact that you finished. Most of the real nonsense doesn't happen till near the end so you will probably be like me and think you might as well finish. Don't. Read this review instead, understand that I have taken this bullet for you, and move on. Honestly it is not worth it. Go read some Michael Connelly you'll feel better.
July 19, 2016
This was the first book I’ve read by Mr. Deaver. All I can say is WOW.
This book had everything I like in a good—no, GREAT book. There were endless plot twists and turns from the opening chapter to the last few pages. The characters were realistic. I identified with all of them. The writing was crisp, powerful and moving. I’d write more praise for The Devil’s Teardrop but I’m sleepy.
I am looking fwd to reading many more of his writing.
This book had everything I like in a good—no, GREAT book. There were endless plot twists and turns from the opening chapter to the last few pages. The characters were realistic. I identified with all of them. The writing was crisp, powerful and moving. I’d write more praise for The Devil’s Teardrop but I’m sleepy.
I am looking fwd to reading many more of his writing.
July 15, 2019
I think maybe reading this book felt like what watching action movies feels like to people who like action movies.
Jeffery Deaver's writing is simple and easy to read and his plots are tight and tense. This was the first book of his I read, back in 2010 and I'd say my opinion hasn't really changed.
Jeffery Deaver's writing is simple and easy to read and his plots are tight and tense. This was the first book of his I read, back in 2010 and I'd say my opinion hasn't really changed.
December 27, 2012
The first book that got me hooked to J Deaver. Brilliant.
December 18, 2018
I happened to find this book at a used bookstore and I thought it sounded interesting so I decided to give it a shot, since I'm a Deaver fanatic!
The Devil's Teardrop takes place on New Years Eve Night in Washington DC, a mysterious killer known only as the Digger leaves several people dead in a subway tunnel by machine gun, and leaves a note for the authorities demanding ransom. The key characters, Special FBI Agent Margaret Lukas who is leading the investigation and search for the Digger, and Parker Kincaid, a retired FBI Agent and document examiner, who joins Lukas and the FBI to translate a riddle in the note left by the killer, which will give them clues to where the Digger will strike next.
I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story, couldn't put it down! An excellent murder mystery!!
PS I should mention Lincoln Rhyme makes a small cameo in the story too (for those who don't know who that is or aren't that familiar with Deaver, Lincoln Rhyme is Deaver's key character in another series of his books)
The Devil's Teardrop takes place on New Years Eve Night in Washington DC, a mysterious killer known only as the Digger leaves several people dead in a subway tunnel by machine gun, and leaves a note for the authorities demanding ransom. The key characters, Special FBI Agent Margaret Lukas who is leading the investigation and search for the Digger, and Parker Kincaid, a retired FBI Agent and document examiner, who joins Lukas and the FBI to translate a riddle in the note left by the killer, which will give them clues to where the Digger will strike next.
I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story, couldn't put it down! An excellent murder mystery!!
PS I should mention Lincoln Rhyme makes a small cameo in the story too (for those who don't know who that is or aren't that familiar with Deaver, Lincoln Rhyme is Deaver's key character in another series of his books)
July 8, 2013
A surprising disappointment. It's the first time I read this best-selling author. The blurb enticed me but the book ended up being one of those that you can't wait to finish because it fails on the basic levels.
The idea of the plot is fine, but the characters are flat. Virtually emotionless with overly blunt, somewhat unnatural dialogue. The law enforcement tactics applied to catch the killer are unimpressive for an expert team of agents, sometimes even unrealistic to me.
Overall a frustrating, unsatisfying read.
The idea of the plot is fine, but the characters are flat. Virtually emotionless with overly blunt, somewhat unnatural dialogue. The law enforcement tactics applied to catch the killer are unimpressive for an expert team of agents, sometimes even unrealistic to me.
Overall a frustrating, unsatisfying read.
July 17, 2024
jeffery deaver at it again! i love love love his writing, and because of his brilliant research into fbi investigation, all the procedures feel so realistic. this is the second time i'm reading something from him after exactly 5-6 years, the first which was the bone collector that traumatised 13-year-old me in 2018 :')
the characters were well thought out. parker kincaid was a sweetheart. agent margaret lukas was a girlboss! the way her character fleshed out and developed was beautiful. agent cage will always be my fav husbando tho <3
this book took me out of my 6-month reading slump with a BANG!! so yeah it's going straight in my coffin. recommend for lovers of the films, prisoners and the batman, and the manga, monster :)<3
⊹ . ⋆ ☽ ⋆ . ➶
the characters were well thought out. parker kincaid was a sweetheart. agent margaret lukas was a girlboss! the way her character fleshed out and developed was beautiful. agent cage will always be my fav husbando tho <3
this book took me out of my 6-month reading slump with a BANG!! so yeah it's going straight in my coffin. recommend for lovers of the films, prisoners and the batman, and the manga, monster :)<3
⊹ . ⋆ ☽ ⋆ . ➶
June 17, 2020
Although I find Jeffery Deaver to be a hit or miss author, I’m always willing to dive into more of the author’s work. I’ve been meaning to read The Devil’s Teardrop for a while, and once I got started I found I devoured it in a single sitting. Although I really enjoyed this one, I didn’t quite love it as much as I’d hoped.
There is no denying that this story was addictive, one that kept me guessing and turning the pages until the end. I had many theories, I was desperate to see how everything came together, and could not put it down. As addictive as it was, I do feel it was a little slow in places. There were some points where I felt like the story was dragging, and I found myself desperate to get back into the drama of things. I think this is because certain parts of the story felt like they were introduced simply to tick a mark on a checklist, and the story could have done without them.
Even though I would not label this my favourite Jeffery Deaver, it was another addictive read.
There is no denying that this story was addictive, one that kept me guessing and turning the pages until the end. I had many theories, I was desperate to see how everything came together, and could not put it down. As addictive as it was, I do feel it was a little slow in places. There were some points where I felt like the story was dragging, and I found myself desperate to get back into the drama of things. I think this is because certain parts of the story felt like they were introduced simply to tick a mark on a checklist, and the story could have done without them.
Even though I would not label this my favourite Jeffery Deaver, it was another addictive read.
March 14, 2022
This awesome story begins with a mass shooting at the Metro station in Washington D.C., followed by a letter delivered to the mayor. The Digger is responsible for the shooting. Unless the writer is paid $20,000,000 by noon, there will be further shootings at 4:00, 8:00 and midnight. The shooter is, of course, the Digger. It's up to the FBI to figure out where the next shooting will take place.
Parker Kincaid is a former FBI agent who specializes in determining whether questioned documents are authentic. He is persuaded to assist the FBI by studying the letter for clues about the writer.
This is an exciting suspense story with lots of action and cat-and-mouse games as they try desperately to prevent further mass killings.
243
Parker Kincaid is a former FBI agent who specializes in determining whether questioned documents are authentic. He is persuaded to assist the FBI by studying the letter for clues about the writer.
This is an exciting suspense story with lots of action and cat-and-mouse games as they try desperately to prevent further mass killings.
243
October 3, 2024
I can totally imagine the digger as paul dano
My fav characters are:
-Digger 💗
-Tey :D
My fav characters are:
-Digger 💗
-Tey :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2017
Un misterioso killer, chiamato il Becchino, un massacro in metropolitana e una lettera recapitata al governatore di Washington, nella quale si spiega che , se non saranno pagati venti milioni di dollari, il succitato becchino compirà una strage ogni quattro ore. Come se non bastasse, il mandante delle stragi viene investito in un incidente e muore : il becchino ora continuerà ad uccidere perchè nessuno potrà fermarlo. Inizia così una vera caccia all'uomo, con l'aiuto di un esperto calligrafo, Peter Kinkaid (la lettera infatti è l'unica traccia tangibile che ha la squadra investigativa per arrivare al colpevole).Una corsa contro il tempo, un racconto avvincente e ad alto impatto emotivo, ricco di colpi di scena, che tiene il lettore incollato alle pagine.Ma con Deaver niente è come sembra e, spiazzandoci più di una volta, l'autore riesce a capovolgere gli eventi e a farci perdere ogni certezza. L'epilogo, inaspettato come in tutti i suoi romanzi ci ha abituato, mette tutte le tessere del puzzle al loro posto, rendendo credibile tutta la vicenda. Bentornato, Deaver, mi eri mancato!
June 6, 2013
There is a killer on the loose and wonderful father, Kincaid Parker, the best forensic paper analyzer (in the world?) and a darn good detective to boot, comes out of retirement to aid beautiful FBI agent Margaret Lukas to catch the fiend. The plot has a twist then a turn and another twist and you get the idea. And there are a bunch of subplots. I enjoyed learning a bit about the science of analyzing paper and the layout of the story is very clever. The telling of it left some chasms of credulity for me that I could not quite leap. A good beach book.
May 8, 2024
Loved this novel... One of Deaver's best! The main character is not Lincoln Rhyme, for a change and I really enjoyed his view of everything...I had always hoped Deaver would wrote another book with him as protagonist, but as far as I know, he hasn't...
August 2, 2016
Veramente bello ed affascinante. Oltretutto, è autoconclusivo - anche se l'autore ha detto che gli piacerebbe scrivere ancora di Kinkaid. :D
July 2, 2019
Amazing book, Dan Brown style. The book had such an effect on me that I read it in a single day!
September 10, 2023
Deaver creates a quality thriller with this novel when he begins by establishing a threat with a time table-- Every four hours on New Year's Eve there will be a mass shooting in Washington, D.C. if 20 million dollars isn't paid, according to the note delivered to the mayor. The problem is, the mastermind behind the threat is hit by a truck and killed and the problem remains to discover the identity of the shooter as well as the location of the next shooting. The clever ticking time clock keeps the reader flipping the pages as the demented shooter continues on with the plan.
Document expert, Parker, is brought BACK to the FBI, despite having retired in order to protect and raise his two young children. He is reluctant to be involved (apparently, in a previous novel his children were threatened by a seriel killer nicknamed the Boatman)---
The most interesting parts of this novel would normally be the cleverness of the villain, and the twists that Deaver throws in... For me, he threw ONE too many twists, rather than ending the novel a couple of chapters sooner... So, the most interesting parts for me was the careful details of document examination, both using scientific equipment, and the mind of the hero, Parker.
The least important part of the novel was Parker's attraction to the lady agent who is in charge of the task force. He gives them something in common, her life and his have both been touched by tragedy. This particular romance (which builds over the course of a 24 hour period) struck me as nothing short of ridiculous and harmed the novel.
The novel has some truly terrifying moments, but the most terrifying to me was after I finished the book and laid it aside and viewed the photo of the author on the back cover. Seriously, the publisher should have found a more flattering image of the author than the one chosen.
Deaver is a good enough writer to take both the good and the bad elements and weave them into a novel that keeps the reader turning pages until he reaches the finish line. A good novel, and I usually like Deaver's stuff a bit better than I did this time. Still, I have to say it was enjoyable.
Document expert, Parker, is brought BACK to the FBI, despite having retired in order to protect and raise his two young children. He is reluctant to be involved (apparently, in a previous novel his children were threatened by a seriel killer nicknamed the Boatman)---
The most interesting parts of this novel would normally be the cleverness of the villain, and the twists that Deaver throws in... For me, he threw ONE too many twists, rather than ending the novel a couple of chapters sooner... So, the most interesting parts for me was the careful details of document examination, both using scientific equipment, and the mind of the hero, Parker.
The least important part of the novel was Parker's attraction to the lady agent who is in charge of the task force. He gives them something in common, her life and his have both been touched by tragedy. This particular romance (which builds over the course of a 24 hour period) struck me as nothing short of ridiculous and harmed the novel.
The novel has some truly terrifying moments, but the most terrifying to me was after I finished the book and laid it aside and viewed the photo of the author on the back cover. Seriously, the publisher should have found a more flattering image of the author than the one chosen.
Deaver is a good enough writer to take both the good and the bad elements and weave them into a novel that keeps the reader turning pages until he reaches the finish line. A good novel, and I usually like Deaver's stuff a bit better than I did this time. Still, I have to say it was enjoyable.
August 7, 2022
Weer een intrigerende thriller van Jeffrey Deaver. Deze keer gaat om een meedogenloze moordenaar die om de 4 uur op drukke plaatsen om zich heen schiet. De FBI schakelt een deskundige in om de ‘dreigbrief’ te ontleden. (Grappig is dat deze dan weer Rhyme om advies vraagt). Zoals meestal zitten er weer meerdere onverwachte wendingen in het verhaal. Terwijl de FBI steeds dichterbij lijkt te komen, wordt het zoekprogramma verstoord door een PR-actie van de burgemeester, een journalist die wraak wil nemen, onverwacht bezoek bij het huis van de schriftdeskundige enz. De combinatie van thriller en de onderlinge relaties en persoonlijke omstandigheden (in dit geval oa zorg over voogdij en ruzie met ex, maar ook vriendschap die de schutter opvat voor een klein jongetje zijn elementen die het verhaal extra kleur geven.
July 25, 2025
La trama mi è piaciuta molto: la premessa è geniale, segue un buon mix tra colpi di scena e pensiero laterale... E, come sempre, mi sono affezionata ai personaggi, ben caratterizzati e simpatici. JD permette sempre di entrare nella testa del "cattivo", questo rende tutto molto interessante.
Ma...
- Ho trovato noiosissimi i "riassunti-delle-puntate-precedenti" delle vite dei protagonisti: c'erano mille modi di evitare pagine e pagine di ricordi "pensati".
- Troppe incongruenze nelle procedure dell'FBI: un giornalista viene sottoposto a controlli incrociati, analisi fantascientifiche della retina, macchine della verità nascoste... poco dopo uno psicologo viene invece accolto in una postazione operativa in incognito e lì per lì gli vengono svelati tutti i segreti possibili... no no no, così il lettore intuisce subito chi nasconde qualcosa e da chi guardarsi! Per non parlare del cattivo finale...
- L'enigma dei falchi: se si spara un colpo di fucile, cosa fanno degli uccelli? ma possibile che l'autore non abbia trovato un esempio più cavilloso? Questo enigma continua a tornare fino all'ultima pagina, le menti più geniali dell'FBI ci si arrovellano... no, dai, non è possibile!
Ma...
- Ho trovato noiosissimi i "riassunti-delle-puntate-precedenti" delle vite dei protagonisti: c'erano mille modi di evitare pagine e pagine di ricordi "pensati".
- Troppe incongruenze nelle procedure dell'FBI: un giornalista viene sottoposto a controlli incrociati, analisi fantascientifiche della retina, macchine della verità nascoste... poco dopo uno psicologo viene invece accolto in una postazione operativa in incognito e lì per lì gli vengono svelati tutti i segreti possibili... no no no, così il lettore intuisce subito chi nasconde qualcosa e da chi guardarsi! Per non parlare del cattivo finale...
- L'enigma dei falchi: se si spara un colpo di fucile, cosa fanno degli uccelli? ma possibile che l'autore non abbia trovato un esempio più cavilloso? Questo enigma continua a tornare fino all'ultima pagina, le menti più geniali dell'FBI ci si arrovellano... no, dai, non è possibile!
June 23, 2022
S Deaverem mám jeden problém. Už od začátku mu nevěřím žádné náznaky, kdo by tak mohl být pachatel. Jakmile vypadá, že je konec, tuplem nevěřím. Zvlášť když ještě zbývá dost velký kus knihy. Už mě prostě nedokáže překvapit.
V tomto případě se mi hodně líbí základní myšlenka - co když zemře vyděrač, který už instruoval svou prodlouženou ruku?
Číst to jako první knihu od Deavera, budu naprosto nadšená.
Ale každopádně doporučuji. Příjemná změna byl jiný vyšetřovatel než Lincoln Rhyme. I když i ten se tam mihnul.
V tomto případě se mi hodně líbí základní myšlenka - co když zemře vyděrač, který už instruoval svou prodlouženou ruku?
Číst to jako první knihu od Deavera, budu naprosto nadšená.
Ale každopádně doporučuji. Příjemná změna byl jiný vyšetřovatel než Lincoln Rhyme. I když i ten se tam mihnul.
June 30, 2025
Really enjoyed this book about a retired FBI Document specialist called in to try to help solve the case of the every 4 hour mass shooting case while putting his own family in danger and trying to hide this fact from his ex-wife who is trying to obtain custody of their children.
Great character building because as the minutes tick off; we still learn alot about his family and his children and some of the other FBI agents involved in the case. The entire book takes place on New Year's Eve.
Superb read!
Great character building because as the minutes tick off; we still learn alot about his family and his children and some of the other FBI agents involved in the case. The entire book takes place on New Year's Eve.
Superb read!
February 3, 2020
Сълзата на дявола издава убиецът, който е премислил всичко: https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
Но скоро Кинкейд ще трябва да остави домашното спокойствие и да излезе на улиците на Вашингтон, където властва ужасът. Някой избива безогледно хора на публични места, след което изчезва като сянка. Наричат го Гробокопача и е мистериозен убиец, който не за първи път се развихря. Неговият партньор предава бележка с исканията им и… умира, блъснат от камион. И макар паникьосаният кмет на града да е готов да плати искания огромен откуп, за да спаси жителите на столицата, то няма на кого да ги предаде. А някъде там Гробокопача гледа часовника и очаква обаждане, което няма да дойде – и знае, че ако телефонът не звънне, просто трябва да излиза пак и пак и да убива хора по предварително набелязания план.
Izdatelstvo ERA
https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
Но скоро Кинкейд ще трябва да остави домашното спокойствие и да излезе на улиците на Вашингтон, където властва ужасът. Някой избива безогледно хора на публични места, след което изчезва като сянка. Наричат го Гробокопача и е мистериозен убиец, който не за първи път се развихря. Неговият партньор предава бележка с исканията им и… умира, блъснат от камион. И макар паникьосаният кмет на града да е готов да плати искания огромен откуп, за да спаси жителите на столицата, то няма на кого да ги предаде. А някъде там Гробокопача гледа часовника и очаква обаждане, което няма да дойде – и знае, че ако телефонът не звънне, просто трябва да излиза пак и пак и да убива хора по предварително набелязания план.
Izdatelstvo ERA
https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
February 17, 2024
Found this book quite hard to get into the plot, there was times that the plot jumped quickly into the next scenario without much of an explanation as to what and why! Best way to read this book is on your own without any distractions and read it start to finish in one sitting
April 8, 2024
I dont really know how to rate or review a book, I havent read enough, but I liked this one!
The moment to moment writing was really engaging and kept me turning the page. The overarching story was solid but not incredible. The ending was pretty jarring and silly and impossible for the reader to deduce. Reading the book was an exciting 4 star experience at times, but the ending and having to sit back and think about the whole story as a singular piece of art is more of a 3 star.
I've seen other readers compare it to candy, and I totally get that. I do like me some thriller-y candy though 🤷🏼♂️
The moment to moment writing was really engaging and kept me turning the page. The overarching story was solid but not incredible. The ending was pretty jarring and silly and impossible for the reader to deduce. Reading the book was an exciting 4 star experience at times, but the ending and having to sit back and think about the whole story as a singular piece of art is more of a 3 star.
I've seen other readers compare it to candy, and I totally get that. I do like me some thriller-y candy though 🤷🏼♂️
June 9, 2017
My first non-Rhyme Deaver novel; glad I looked it up. Protagonist is pulled several ways, emotionally, during the story, including a romance "to bud, or not to bud?". Then he's thrown into a blender for the last 30 pages or so, and I'm left with wanting this to be another series. SOL, pal...
July 27, 2017
Ahhh. It's good with a convoluting plot. The antagonist--the sociopath--deserves to be locked up forever, sometimes I wish he would suffer more. I like Kincaid and Lukas. And the ending is sweet.
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