The Twelfth Card

by Jeffery Deaver

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Sixteen-year-old Geneva Settle is an all-A-student from Harlem. As she is researching a term paper at the African-American Museum someone attempts to kill her. Through a combination of acute awareness, cleverness and perhaps a bit of luck Geneva gets away, but so does the assailant.

As Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs starts to investigate the scene both it and the way the perpetrator made his escape suggests that he is a professional killer and not what the left behind clues would suggest. Because the left behind clues are deliberately left behind and offers no leads to the man they are seeking.

So contrary to normal procedure Lincoln, Amelia and their team have to start looking at possible motives as well as following the meagre trace evidence. Could the motive be connected to the term paper Geneva is writing about her ancestor, Charles Singleton? Charles was a former slave who was active in the early civil rights movement.

Jeffery Deaver's books are cleverly written, there's no arguing with that. You keep turning the pages, trying to keep up with all the twists and turns of the plot and as much as you try to expect the unexpected you will still be surprised. Of course, after having read quite a few of his books you will start noticing some of the set ups and almost get annoyed with some of them.

Lincoln Rhyme is (obviously) still quadriplegic and in his wheelchair and part of the book is about his continuing struggles with coping with his situation. It is clear that he is an impressive person with a brilliant mind, but it is still a bit difficult to see what attracts Amelia so to this all too often moody and cantankerous man. At least from the insights we as readers are given of their life together they are either exchanging sarcastic remarks or meaningful looks.

Still, Jeffery Deaver can write and his books are well worth reading. This one especially, and what makes it so is the story about Charles Singleton. Here all obvious writer's tricks are left out and instead a story full of interesting and intriguing details is told.

This series contains, in chronological order:
The Bone Collector
The Coffin Dancer
The Empty Chair
Stone Monkey
The Vanished Man
The Twelfth Card