| Publisher | HarperCollins |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 17 March 2022 |
| ISBN-10 | 0008303886 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0008303884 |
| Format | paperback |
| Pages | 448 |
| Price | £ 8.99 |
The Midnight Lock
by
Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, now married, return for another twisty New York forensic adventure, which sends them up against a shadowy and dangerous opponent, The Locksmith.
Review
Many readers of Jeffery Deaver’s very devious crime thrillers no doubt set off thinking they can out-think the author’s route to resolution. I certainly do – every time. This time I guessed one wrong ‘un and one right ‘un. I was incorrect with every other guess and supposition.
Deaver had me again, as he has done with every single one of his novels. It is very galling! But that is why all his books are a masterclass in double thinking, illusionary plotting and generally turning every angle on its head and getting to the resolution before the reader does. Deaver is known for writing a synopsis that is nearly as lengthy as the finished work, so there is no fear that he will lose his way in the final writing of the book.
The Midnight Lock opens with a woman who wakes to the realisation that she has had an intruder in her house while she slept. She had thought the locks on her doors and the alarm system would keep her safe. The subtle, and not so subtle, messages left by him for her to discover are so unsettling that she is forced to sell and move on. This is the introduction to The Locksmith – a brilliant lock-picker – who so far hasn’t brought any violence to his night-time excursions – but who carries a knife and steals other blades from the houses he enters. It is a certainty that he will draw blood sooner rather than later.
At the same time, across the city, Captain Lincoln Rhyme, independent criminalist and forensic expert, is giving evidence at the trial of a mobster. Unusually, his evidence is not enough to put the man away; the crime boss is awarded his freedom, whilst Rhyme is barred from working with the police in any way in the future. The trouble is he is married to a serving officer and at his back are a tight team of cops who are all about to become involved in the Locksmith case.
There is corruption in the crime world, the political world and the police world. There is double dealing, plus undercover cops and undercover villains, fascinating forensic evidence and exciting chase and rescue scenes, also fire and bullets, muscle cars and muscle wheelchairs, culminating in last minute relief and resolution that comes in waves and tides.
I am exhausted – these people never seem to sleep. I, however, am off for a quick nap now, thoroughly satisfied and with this excellent novel still buzzing in my head.
Reviewed 12 November 2022 by Kerry Hood
Kerry Hood has worked in publishing for many years and lived in London for just as many, but suspects her heart is in the country.
