The Coffin Dancer

“The Coffin Dancer” is the second novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme and his new assistant, Amelia Sachs, as well as several other characters that you will recognize from the Bone Collector. As with The Bone Collector, time is a critical factor in the resolution of this case . . . a couple of potential victims of a hired killer (the so-called Coffin Dancer) must be sheltered over a week-end so they can testify at a grand jury hearing on Monday. The Coffin Dancer is known for his creativity, adaptability and persistence (you cannot change your mind once you have hired him). The book’s rapid pace, pulls you into the frenzy so that you feel like you are there, watching Lincoln and Amelia work toward their goal. As with the previous Lincoln Rhyme book, Deaver includes meticulous detail concerning forensics, primarily the recovery and analysis of trace evidence; I’m not a scientist, and cannot evaluate the accuracy of these descriptions, but they are fascinating.