Rating:  Summary: A below-par effort for an inconsistent author Review: As a previous reviewer wrote, Deaver comes up with good ideas, but often can't carry them off well.He has a few stock gimmicks/problems, and this book is no exception. (1) He witholds crucial information, because the plot will fall apart otherwise [for example, in this book, family members keep referring to "The Funeral" (they practically SPEAK it in italics) without ever attaching a person's name to it]. (2) The hero or villain (or both) is generally omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent [Here, it is the villain who pulls off an amazing number of crimes in diverse places in a short period of time. In the Lincoln Rhymes novels, Rhymes has a bottomless stockpile of arcane knowledge, eliminating any suspense, since you KNOW he will figure out everything immediately ("That microscopic dirt particle on the victim could only have come from a 2-block area in lower Manahattan that for two weeks 200 years ago contained both a stockyard and a brewery") ] (3) Some character is pretending to be someone else, and the author doesn't "play fair" revealing this. Basically, the book isn't awful, but should have been considerably better.
Rating:  Summary: I am soooo disappointed Review: This is what I would call a "it just so happened" book. Too many unrealistic occurrences make this story less than believable. I concur with others in that this had to be written just to fulfill a contract. "The Bone Collector" and "The Coffin Dancer" were top notch; what happened here?
Rating:  Summary: Quick, satisfying thriller Review: This is a great weekend novel. In fact, I was so wrapped up in the story, that I finished it off in a day. True, other reviews here point out that this isn't BONE COLLECTOR or some of the other magnificent Deaver thrillers. However, I thought this was an interesting and fun suspense novel with a delightfully dark villain. Tate Collier finds himself facing middle-age with a puzzling ex-wife, an estranged teen daughter and a string of bimbo lovers. Once one of the most respected and feared trial lawyers in the country, Tate has settled into a life of farming and small-town law. Then his daughter, Megan, disappears. Tate and Bett join forces to track her down, and both find themselves facing ghosts from the past. Aaron Matthews is the devious, ruthless and completely insane psychoanalyst who sets off a series of events that threatens to destroy Tate's family, his reputation and his very life. The Colliers face buried family secrets as Matthews himself slashes and manipulates his way to his own revenge. Yes, you have to suspend disbelief through parts of this novel. Yes, the bad guy does take on almost supernatural abilities. But I was still able to lose myself in this story, and I really enjoyed the twists and turns. Is it Deaver's best novel? I don't think so. It is still a great deal of fun, and Deaver's superb writing style and ability to create suspense shine through. All Deaver fans have to read this one. If you're new to Deaver, keep in mind that he has some incredible novels; read this one and move on to the rest.
Rating:  Summary: OK I guess! Review: I thought this book is okay. It's not as great as Bone Collector or Devil's Teardrop. I suggest though, to borrow it from the Library, save your money on this. I hope that the next Lincoln Rhymes will be a good one if not the best... Looking forward to it.
Rating:  Summary: It's no Lincoln Rhyme! Review: I know authors like to break out of a mold but we readers don't like it when they do! Deaver has a real winner with his forensic expert and I find it hard to read one of his books without making comparisons. This book is very psychological and does make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end- for the first 40 pages. A family is terrorized by a kidnapper and his band who are some very dispicable characters. The band then moves on to another family with the same pattern and intent but, of course, things fall apart as the wife refuses to let them tear apart her family. Early in the book, the circumstances- and the horrors-are wonderfully described but, as the book progresses, the story just gets longer without getting better. The characters are good but the story becomes very convoluted and, at the end, many of the details are left unresolved. For example, a neighbor is murdered and, when this is reported to the police, the police indicate that they have already had a report. But we never find out who called in that report or why it is significant that it had previously been reported. I was also very disappointed because the name of one of the main characters changes from the flyleaf to the story- and I kept waiting for this "other" character to show up! Deaver has proven that he can do much better- and, when the next Lincoln Rhyme comes out, we will all know how much better he can do!
Rating:  Summary: The worst book I've read in two months Review: Jeffery Deaver fascinates me. He has great ideas for novels, and sometimes even turns out a great book. But whether it's the book itself or just the ending, Deaver always finds a way to ruin everything he's written. Whether it's suddenly swerving things with a ridiculous ending that negates the first 95 percent of the novel or by throwing ridiculous situations and characters into the mix, Deaver always finds a way to ruin his books and tick off the readers. This is a perfect example. Don't bother reading this. Spend your money on sleeping pills...they'll have the same effect. Bad characters, a STUPID ending, a choppy plot, and I could go on and on about what's wrong with this book. Another strikeout for Deaver.
Rating:  Summary: An ok read... Review: This is not up to the level of "The Bone Collector" or "Devil's Teardrop" or "A Maiden's Grave". It reads quick, and while not overly satisfying, it's a good check-out-from-the-library-kill-a-few-hours book.
Rating:  Summary: Speaki ng In Tongues Review: Could this possibly be one of Jeffery's books that have been out of print? He does have several of them. It's not a Lincoln Rhyme but I did like A Maidens Grave, which also was not a L.R. Jeffery also wrote another book about a guy that is a handwritting expert and has a hobby collecting things from Thomas Jefferson. It was very good and I have a mental block as to the title, I don't have the book, I loaned it out.
Rating:  Summary: Not the best of Deaver Review: Over the years I have noticed that occasionally an author of exceptionally good novels will write a "fill-in" novel, i.e., almost as if it were written to complete a book contract, or to earn enough money to work diligently on the next effort. Speaking in Tongues is such a book. I cared little for the characters and found the novel second-rate. As my professors used to say, "There is too much padding in this." Deaver "pads' this book and gives us too little of substance.
Rating:  Summary: Disappointing Deaver Review: After discovering Deaver's wonderful previous books, I really was shocked at the rather slipshod and ramshackle way he put together "Speaking in Tongues". Unrealistic is an understatement in the way the killer seems to show everywhere, easily misleading and eluding the police and getting them to convey confidential information. And the ending is so poorly done. This looks like a book he was writing to beat a deadline and so he just threw a bunch of ideas and words together. Again, very disappointing.
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