The Skin Collector

Lincoln Rhyme, Book 11

By: Jeffery Deaver

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

In his classic thriller The Bone Collector, Jeffery Deaver introduced listeners to Lincoln Rhyme - the nation's most renowned investigator and forensic detective.

Now, a new killer is on the loose: A criminal inspired by the Bone Collector. And Rhyme must untangle the twisted web of clues before the killer targets more victims - or Rhyme himself.

The Skin Collector

The killer's methods are terrifying. He stalks the basements and underground passageways of New York City. He tattoos his victims' flesh with cryptic messages, using a tattoo gun loaded with poison, resulting in an agonizing, painful death.

When a connection is made to the Bone Collector - the serial killer who terrorized New York more than a decade ago - Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are immediately drawn into the case.

Rhyme, Sachs, and the NYPD must race against time to answer the many questions the investigation uncovers: Whom will the killer attack next? What is the message behind the victims' tattoos? Does the killer's own inking - a fanged centipede sporting a woman's face - hold any significance? And what is his ultimate mission?

As time runs out, Rhyme discovers that the past has returned to haunt him in the most troubling way imaginable....

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 Jeffery Deaver (P)2014 Hachette

Excellant book as always from Deaver!

I enjoyed this book in the same way I always enjoy Jeffrey Deaver's books. Entertaining right to the end!

The Best So Far

Skin is the eleventh book in the Rhyme series. It is with out a doubt the best. The plot is well done. The characters go above and beyond. This story is worth your time.

Awesome book

Highly recommended and very entertaining. Plot twists, great characters and a great storyline. Well read too.

Not the best

Finally back to the regular reader Mr. Ballerini is very good.
Good twists and turns. Decent story but not my favorite.

Same Old Same Old

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I'm not sure I would recommend it. I found this book to be formulaic and very predictable. Anyone who has read some or all of the past Lincoln Rhyme books will be able to guess most of the plot.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending seemed like a gimmick to set up future books.

How could the performance have been better?

The reader was often very melodramatic. Would have preferred a more natural voice. Sometimes different speakers were hard to tell apart.

twister

as always Deaver leaves you guessing up to the end. twisters is what i call them

Couldn't stop listening! Great reader!

Held my attention and kept me on my feet and edge of my seat the whole time! Like riding a roller coaster So many twists and turns! Happy, sad, laughter and suspense! Everything I look for in a great thriller! Thank you Mr. Deaver!

Awesome writing

This book is a great read I love how the unsub is right there in plain sight. I have read 3 of Deavers book bone collector, coffin dancer and skin collector and they are all great. I seen the movie and I picture Denzel Washington and Angelina in the story as I read the book.

First 2/3 Filler - then interesting.

Not Jeffrey Deaver's best. The first 2/3 of the story is largely filler - Although the detailed descriptions are (as always) beautifully written, the story meanders like a lazy river with no outlet in sight. The last 1/3 of the story is excellent and moves brusquely. Overall, it feels like the author had a deadline to meet and was creating the story on-the-fly with changes in direction clear. Not a disappointment but not a favorite.

Almost a flat liner

Nor even Edoardo Ballerini's mellifluous voice could raise the temperature of the story told in this book beyond tepid. It was not so bad I abandoned it, but I found myself drifting off and away on a number of occasions but was able to pick the thread up easily again, which is not always a good sign. In really good books, if this happens, I have to replay, as I don't want to miss a word. Unfortunately, Deaver's books, like so many other writers of series, have become formulaic. I had guessed the 'perp' by the first 1/3 of the book and the rest was spent wondering what the denouement would bring and, for me, there was not a lot to get excited about. It wasn't badly written, it was a book that had just been written in a pretty ordinary and predictable way; no interesting writing here, if you're looking for a little, as least, literary skill. If you've read the Bone Collector don't waste a credit on this book, just read the Bone Collector again.