I had seen the movie version of THE BONE COLLECTOR and was not fond of it. I am a huge fan of Jeffery Deaver and decided to finally read this one.

First of all, I'd like to talk about the movie. When a writer creates characters and a story from his/her own imagination, the details should be respected. After reading the book, I have the feeling that the movie producers simply wanted to buy rights to this book not because they liked the story but because it was a best seller coming from a popular author. They wanted to turn this into a black movie with black characters. The head character Lincoln Rhyme is a white man. Amelia Sachs is a white woman with hair as red as her flaming temper. Thom, Lincoln's assistant and physical therapist is a gay white man. So why, in the film, is Lincoln Rhyme suddenly Denzel Washington, a black man and why is gay white Thom now a black woman? Amelia's hair color was changed because Angelina Jolie, a pitiful actress at best, was their choice to play Amelia.

To me, this is disrespectful to both author and to the characters. They should have filmed the story using a white actor (George Clooney, for example) as Lincoln, a redhaired actress or at least one who colored her hair red or used hair pieces as Amelia, and a white man as Thom. Changing these things was a racist act (yes, you CAN be racist towards white people). It is like deciding to make a miniseries of the wonderful Alex Haley book ROOTS and change all the characters to Asian just because you had some Asian actor friends.

I enjoyed this story. Lincoln Rhyme had been at the top of the forensic game when an accident at a crime scene left him a prisoner in his own body, paralyzed from the neck down. His marriage crumbled, his career ended, and left unable to care for himself, Lincoln is actively planning suicide with the help of a doctor when a case just literally is dropped into his bedroom. He meets patrol officer Amelia Sachs who had stumbled onto a dead body and the race is on.

Lincoln can't help being drawn into trying to solve the case. The killer- the Bone collector- kidnaps and kills people , leaving very unique clues that take forensic muster to figure out. Poor Amelia, hoping for a people job (she has terrible arthritis), is forced to walk the grid at the scenes and be Lincoln's eyes. At one point he wants her to saw off a pair of hands as evidence! He finds her strangely attractive but she isn't interested.

When the FBI tries to barge in and steal the case away, taking it in the wrong direction, it is Amelia who suddenly steals the evidence and returns it to the makeshift lab at Lincoln's townhouse. Lives are at stake and she sees firsthand that the FBI are going in the wrong direction.

How does she wind up in Lincoln's bed? How does she and Thom keep him from committing suicide (obviously there are many more Lincoln Rhyme books in the series so this is no spoiler)? What inspires him to stay alive? Who is this bone collector and why is he murdering people who remind him of characters in an obscure book he stole from the library just as they died in history in this book? You'll have to read the book to find out. You won't regret it.

Reading Jeffery Deaver's first novel featuring criminalist Lincoln Rhyme for the fourth time feels as fresh as when I first read it many years ago.
Deaver skillfully weaves together an excellent plot, peopled with well drawn characters & enchances this with his descriptions of New York City. This 25th anniversary edition features an introduction by the author in which he tells how he used Sherock Holmes & his methods of deduction as a basis for the character of Lincoln Rhyme. Despite having read all of the Holmes & Rhyme stories over the years I'd never noticed this connection before.
This was an ideal read before my wife & I visit New York for our September holiday. However, based on the opening chapter of The Bone Collector, I don't think we'll get into a yellow cab when we leave JFK Airport!

What can I say other than I absolutely LOVED this book?! Incredibly well written, engaging story with psychology, police protocol, crime history...the list goes on! I am a sucker for a good gory crime novel, so this ticked basically every box for me. I very much look forward to reading more of the Lincoln Rhyme series.

Way over the top!! Like trying to cram all 15 seasons of CSI with an element of Batman for good measures, all in one book!
I skipped through it and then had to look up the plot because I just couldn't tolerate it enough to finish reading it.

According the number of feathers I found in my yard Sunday, a neighborhood cat stalked, caught and killed what appeared to be a seagull. Its feathers looked like a gull and I’m close to Matanzas Bay and although not an expert on birds, I can surely identify a gull’s feathers.

As I was inspecting the ‘crime scene’ I looked at my feet and thought, “oh my God, I’m contaminating the scene of the crime!” I don’t think I’ll ever look at such scenes the same after reading about Lincoln Rhyme’s keen eye for evidence even though he’s a quadriplegic. His reluctant ‘sidekick’ is a beautiful patrolwoman, soon to be moved to public affairs. Simply not beautiful but model (which she was) gorgeous.

My friend Sandy is passing Jeffery Deaver books to me regularly saying you’ve got to read him and I thought I had but no, this is my first Deaver but certainly not my last.

Deaver’s storyline was exceptional and his characters, including Rhyme, were top notch. I felt as though I knew them, knew them well.

Although I’m not one to try to figure out the ‘who dun it’ I was about three quarters though, and I’m thinking the guy has to be a character already introduced. Came up with a zero guess though.

It would be my guess that Deaver read Sherlock Holmes over and over because Rhyme’s sleuthing abilities reminds me of Holmes, with Holmes flat on his back, of course.

Some of Deaver’s favorite writers/poets which I found on his Web site are: J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Helprin, Saul Bellow, John Updike, Ian Fleming, Gabriel Marquez, John LeCarre, Thomas Harris, Rober Heinlein, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(no surprise), John Cheever, John Fowles, Robert Frost, Kenneth Robeson, Harper Lee, Truman Capote and Theodore White. Quite a list of authors but few surprises.

Deaver has been nominated for seven Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America, an Anthony Award and a Gumshoe Award. I tend towards reading Edgar Award nominees and winners. That list just seems to be getting longer because the bar seems to be setting higher and higher each year. Writers are getting better and better with more intricate storylines and well-drawn characters which are a must for readers. (I must add that for as many good/great writers, there are an equal number of not so good writing, due in part, to self publishing of ebooks, I believe.)

And surprise, folks, I have another protagonist to put on my list of series I’m reading, Detective (retired) Lincoln Rhyme and gratefully, there are only six or so. I say greatfully because I’m running quite a few series and characters I’m reading, checking them off one by one, slowly but surely. I've read some more than others. For instance I can only read Vachss infrequently because of the subject and his writing which is very vivid and strong with a sensative subject.

Here’s my updated latest list:
•tRaymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe),
•tMichael Connelly (Harry Bosch)
•tRobert B. Parker (Spenser)
•tRoss Macdonald (Lew Archer)
•tJohn Lescroart (Dismas Hardy)
•tJohn Sandford (Virgil Flowers/Lucas Davenport)
•tEd McBain (Matthew Hope)
•tLawrence Block (Matthew Scudder)
•tAndrew Vachss (Burke)
•tSara Parasky (Victoria Iphigenia "V. I. or Vic" Warshawski)
•tJeffery Deaver (Lincoln Rhyme)

I need to do myself a favorite and just stop adding authors/protags to the list and finish up the ones I’ve already started. Anyone have any ideas on how I should go about doing that, let me know. Or I could just stop it and determine that I'm reading a series to the end. I love anticipating the reading of any one of these guys, the characters; no the guys are real to me!

This book is taking me longer to read because I am enjoying looking up criminologist terms I do not know. This helps with the proper pronunciation and function of the word. I saw this movie a long time ago starring Denzel Washington as Lincoln Rhyme and was fascinated with the technology and science. But, reading about it is slow going.

The entire NYPD and eventually the FBI is looking for the Bone Collector. He is a madman living out a fantasy from another century. The rat scene with Morella was horrible. Amela Sachs has been pulled into the field of forensics. She is getting better at walking the gird (crime scene). As for Lincoln Rhyme, for a man who only has use of his mind, one finger, head, and shoulders, he has it going on. What can I say? A mind is a terrible thing to waste and Lincoln Rhyme is not wasting his. Education Counts.

Quotes:
Sellitto said delicately, "Borrowing federal evidence is one thing. Destroying it? I don't know 'bout that, Lincoln. If there's a trial ...."

She continued quickly, "I only took that call this morning because someone was home sick. I didn't plan on it." "Yes, well I had other plans too," Lincoln Rhyme said, "Now, let's look at some evidence."

"Cover you? Wait a minute. I don't do that."

WoW! I finally got the book! It was a really good book can't wait until I read the second book and the third etc..Lincoln Rhyme was a criminology until an accident left him paralyze and but now a serie
killer is challenging Lincoln Rhyme to a terrifying duel of wits. With police detective Amelia Sach by his side, Rhyme must follow the clues that the killer is leaving him.

Unabridged audio.

The book and movie aren't TOO far apart here, but enough. The care giver at home, the relationship and how it develops etc.

The story of a man ready to "cash-in his chips" and the reason he finds to keep going is well done, and a bit better than it's sequels. I enjoyed this and I'm not really a fan of mysteries. It's worth a look.

Prima cosa da fare: andare immediatamente a recuperarmi il film.

Muy bueno!!! La estructura es impecable, página tras página sin respiro. Las escenas de los crímenes muy bien detalladlas, y bastante duras, por momentos he cerrado el libro... para tomar aire. Ánimo!!! Vale la pena.

Bring book 2 quickly

Wow, why have I waited so long to read any books by Jeffery Deaver? Especially Lincoln Rhyme. These are up there with the best. Gripped from 1st page. Can't wait to read book 2.

Mr Deaver is a clever author who writes in depth murder thrillers. No fault to be found with The Bone Collector and worthy of all the stars. 10 of 10 stars