Apr 18, 2010

Book Review: The Stone Monkey by Jeffery Deaver

The Stone Monkey: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver
(paperback - April 14, 2003)

"Embrace your limitations...Fate make you this way, Laoban. And make you this way for purpose. Maybe you best detective you can be because of what happen. Your life balanced now, I'm saying."

Lincoln Rhyme, a forensics expert, is confined to a wheelchair, a quadriplegic barely able to move much more than his head. However, assisted by the latest equipment and technology in his office, he is able to direct an investigation of a ship that's carrying illegal immigrants from China into U.S. waters. The boat is blown up in the water with the passengers locked in the hold below; the culprit is the wanted and illusive man known as Ghost, a snakehead, or human smuggler wanted by Interpol. Rhyme has a team of men from the FBI, INS, and NYPD helping with the investigation, and also Amelia Sachs, his protege.

A Hong Kong undercover policeman assists them in the frantic search for Ghost, who is hunting down about a dozen of the immigrants who managed to escape the sinking of the boat.  The policeman also teaches Rhyme about looking at the tragedy of life from another point of view.

My comments: An excellent plot with more twists and turns than you expect in this suspenseful novel. The author Jeffery Deaver weaves his knowledge of Chinese culture, folklore, and history into his thriller, and also uses the more recent tragedy of human smuggling and illegal immigration into his plot. I gave The Stone Monkey five stars for story, fast paced action, and characterization.

Challenge: Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge


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7 comments:

  1. Jeffrey Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series is one I actually like. He's got a new one coming out shortly. I agree with your comments on Stone Monkey, and I seem to remember that this was probably the book in the series that I liked the best. Thanks for your post!

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  2. Interesting review. I have not read from this series before but have read the author before.

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  3. Thanks for this review. Deaver is a very talanted writer, and I like his Lincoln Rhyme character. I was glad to see from NancyO's comment that Deaver's got a new release coming out soon.

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  4. Great review!

    I'm adding to my list!

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  5. Thanks! for the review, must read Stone Monkey.

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  6. This is one author that I've really wanted to read...Lincoln sounds pretty awesome!

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  7. Love this series. Deaver really know how to write a great thriller. And I learned a lot in this one too.

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