Book Review Jackie K Cooper
THE KILL ROOM by Jeffery Deaver
A new Jeffery Deaver novel is always a welcome event, but a new Lincoln Rhyme story by Deaver is a special gift that will send his fans into orbit. Deaver is always a writer who creates engrossing stories that provide reading pleasure of the highest degree; still a story about Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs elevates his skills to an even higher level than you would think possible. A prime example is his latest novel, THE KILL ROOM. If this contemporary story doesn't get your pulse racing, your head spinning and your adrenaline pumping then nothing will.
As Deaver fans know Rhyme is a quadriplegic forensics expert who works out of his home/office in New York City. Amelia Sachs is his investigator and lover. Their relationship, both personal and private, has been the subject of some of his most successful books. Rhyme and Sachs are such favorites of Deaver's readers that they might as well be called Romeo and Juliet.
Each book gives a new glimpse into their relationship but their story never gets in the way of the fresh subject matter of each new novel. This time out Rhyme/Sachs are called upon to build a case against the government for assassinating a criminal with a drone. Talk about being timely!
THE KILL ROOM allows Deaver to create one of his most menacing villains ever. Jacob Swann is a man who is handy with a knife and enjoys using it. Deaver does not provide a large amount of detail about the murders but he gives enough to make each and every one involving Swann's actions chilling.
When Deaver writes a book he fills it with details. In THE KILL ROOM we get details about drones, details about cooking, details about killing, and details about how all these details build a case. In any other writer's hands these details would kill the flow of the story but Deaver knows just how much information to describe without making the plot soggy. You read and absorb the details, taking this information into your subconscious and using it to flesh out the structure of the story. No other author can do this with the ease and skill Jeffery Deaver possesses.
There is not a large cast of supporting characters in the Rhyme/Sachs stories. There is Tom, Lincoln's nurse/attendant; Ron, the other investigator who works with Amelia; and Loy, the police detective who provides liaison with the police department. Each of these adds something to the story and enriches the overall narrative.
It is hard to describe how enjoyable each story by Jeffery Deaver is. If it were possible to convey the enormity of his talent then each of his books would be number one on the best seller lists. As is, he remains a bit of a secret. He is cherished and admired by his fans but still an unknown quality to those who have not yet dived into his stories. THE KILL ROOM would be a great place for those newbies to start.
If you are a person who enjoys a tight, twisted, terrific crime thriller which also has a personal story woven into it then you have to read Jeffery Deaver. He is one of the best writers on the scene today. His talent will knock your socks off.
THE KILL ROOM is published by Grand Central Publishing. It contains 496 pages and sells for $28.00.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com