Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
15th book in the famous Lincoln Rhyme series. I am a huge fan Lincoln, a former homicide detective is quadriplegic following an accident at a crime scene. Amelia, his wife now walks the crime scene and is in many ways his eyes and ears.
I was engrossed in the story of the Locksmith and as always enjoying the forensic science use by Lincoln and his team behind solving, but for me this book had too many entangled cases which I found a bit confusing and took away from the Locksmith.
Lincoln, as always, was fascinating., still a good read with many favourite characters.
3.5 stars

The Midnight Lock by Jeffrey Deaver is a 4 star read.
I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by this author before, I’ve obviously been missing out. I really enjoyed this story, there were twists and turns and even more twists. This took me on a heart stopping rollercoaster ride and I was glad to get to the end but I will definitely be reading more of this author as soon as possible.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley.

Oh wow. This book is absolutely superb. The plot is creepy, dark, full of drama and has so many twists I was in danger of having whiplash! I thought I'd worked out what was going on but, no, I certainly had not.

Jeffrey Deaver is a master storyteller.

I was totally hooked from the very first page til the thrilling ending.

I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.

Annabelle Talese wakes one morning to realise that her things have been rearranged, and is terrified to realise that someone has been in her apartment whilst she slept. The police are initially dismissive as nobody has been hurt and nothing was taken, but the case is referred to Rhyme and Sachs when a detective realises that the apartment was locked up tight. Soon a spate of similar crimes are being recorded across the city, and the culprit, dubbed 'the Locksmith' is public enemy no. 1. As well as tracking down the Locksmith, the duo are also facing scrutiny after Rhyme was publicly sacked, and a conspiracy theorist is determined to cause trouble.

I've read a few Lincoln Rhyme books recently to make sure that I was up to date before diving into this one (which I got as an arc from NetGalley). I have to say I'm not sure how I got so behind, I've enjoyed every single one that I've read, and am always astounded at how cleverly things are linked together. I mean sometimes you do think it's maybe not totally realistic, but hey I generally read to escape reality and it makes for a good story!

There's a lot going on in this book, as always with the Lincoln Rhyme series. Despite being sacked by the Mayor, Linc still manages to be the main focus of the book and his thoughts and deductions drive the investigation.
There's a few characters in here that you don't know whether to trust or not, and those feelings flip flop a few times as the story progresses. There's one I'm definitely hoping we see again though.

I was quite surprised at some of the events that happened throughout this book, both in the lead up to and after Lincoln's sacking. I think Deaver is a master of tying things together, particulary with a storyline that seems to be totally unrelated on the surface.

If you like a mystery where you can follow along with the clues and work things out for yourself then this series may not be for you, but if you're happy to go along for the ride and have some of the facts kept hidden until the big reveal then you're on to a winner.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and Harper Fiction for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Deaver's latest murder myster has an interesting look into the effects of the access of social media and its influence over us. Can playing violent video games escalate to more graphic scenes of murder, rape and violence which in turn culminates into committing the atrocities yourself? The narrative of the main suspect of the novel certainly believes so. How did this once mild young man become overwhelmed by the scenes he is exposed to while working as a moderator become the Locksmith plaguing New York. With his ability of picking locks is anyone really safe from him?

With this penchsnt, the Locksmith proves a challenge for Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs. Especially as Rhyme has been benched and is having to solve the crime outsude of normal channels. Will they manage to stop the Locksmith as he escalates with each break in before he gives in to his inner darkness?

Deaver delivers once more with a chilling story that has you checking your locks through the night.

The midnight lock by Jeffrey Deaver.
A killer without limits
He comes into your home at night. He watches you as you sleep. He waits. 
 
A city in turmoil
He calls himself ‘The Locksmith’. No door can keep him out. No security system can catch him. And now he’s about to kill. 

 A race against time to stop him
Nobody in New York is safe. Now it’s up to Lincoln Rhyme to untangle the web of evidence and catch him.

 But with Lincoln under investigation himself, and tension in the city at boiling point, time is running out…

A good read. Good characters. Likeable story. 4*.

Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs have a new adversary - a killer who comes into your home and watches you while you sleep and leaves no trace. He can get past any lock with ease. He calls himself The Locksmith and no one in New York City is safe. This will be one of the hardest cases of their careers to crack, especially after Rhyme is officially removed from the case. However this won’t stop them from hunting their quarry. But has he already found them?
In the fifteenth book of the series Jeffery Deaver still amazes me with an unerring ability to keep the reader guessing.
A quite marvellous piece of literature and expertly written with the authors deft touch for the dramatic twist.
No one writes a thriller quite like Jeffery Deaver. His writing is intelligent, expertly researched and highly immersive. He truly is a sensational story teller. Just outstanding yet again.

I very much enjoyed the latest in the Lincoln Rhyme series. It can quite easily be read as a standalone.

Women in New York are waking up to find their personal possessions have been rearranged but there is no sign of a break-in. The perpetrator is swiftly named The Locksmith as the police begin a hunt for the culprit.

There is a great storyline with clever trails to follow and some neat misdirection. The characters are all deftly realised. I learned an awful lot about keys and locks!

In summary, a welcome addition to the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5*

I read a lot of books but it's rare that the story grips me from the very first page. The opening to "The Midnight Lock" was a pure genius.

One of my biggest fears is indeed either waking up to a stranger in my room... or to an evidence that a stranger was there and was watching me. And that's what happens in the book! The Locksmith can break into any apartment and there isn't a lock that would stop him.

Lincoln Rhyme, a fantastic scientist who has a better lab at home than the police department, is investigating the case with his wife Amelia Saschs, but their work is interrupted by politics and internal issues within NYPD which kicks Rhyme off the official case.

The plot is very complex, I felt the book was a bit long, but at the end all the different threads of the story make complete sense and it's fantastic how everything is explained and connected. I really didn't see many things coming and it was brilliant to discover what the author plotted. The book is smart and entertaining.

I was delighted to learn that this is a continuation of the series and I have at least 14 books with the main characters to read! I'll definitely spend more time with Jeffery's creations, because I loved the writing, story and the characters!

Great read a real page turner as the man called the Lock Keeper keeps entering women's homes and watching them sleep, moves things and no one can keep him out. A detective called Rhymes tries to catch him with help from his wife.
would highly recommend.

I am not going to bore you but as per usual, I do recommend you start at the beginning and read this series in order. Yes, for the background and character development, but mostly cos it's one of my favourite series which has never let me down!
So... we start with a weird one. A woman reports that someone has been in her flat. Moving things. While she sleeps. Se reports it but is merely given lip service by the police. Until she turns up dead however. That's a bit of a game changer. Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs (one of my favourite partnerships) are called in to assist the police with their investigation. Until, that is, they are kicked off and banished when a trial goes south and there are whisperings about Rhyme's loyalty when evidence he presents in court is found to be dubious.
But, it'd be a short book if Rhyme did as he was told and his "friends" also toed the party line. But what they uncover is chilling. And he is forced to pits wits against The Locksmith, a nasty piece of work who loves breaking into places but now looks to be escalating...
As well as that, there's a new "voice" - Verum - who spouts rather interesting conspiracy theories along the way.
This book for me was just perfect. Very well plotted and that plot was expertly executed. It was also a bit of an eye opener re social media and what we give away, both knowing and inadvertently. I might have a scroll back through mine to see what's lurking in the background!
Characters that I have learned to love as I have got to know them through the series continue to delight herein. I do love reconnecting with familiar faces. The good and the bad!
And the way the author brings it all together had be grinning like a loon at his brilliance.
Pacing is darned near perfect and follows the narrative all the way through. Unlike a lot of mainstream books, this has no waffle or padding to "up the word count". All the description is necessary to scene set, develop characters, or progress the narrative. Some might say that the detail of the locks is unnecessary, I personally found it fascinating. There are the usual twists, turns and duplicitous behaviour, as well as some red herrings and some rather clever misdirection. Skilful enough that I never felt duped.
All in all, another winner... I do wonder what the author has in store for Rhyme next time. Can't wait. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

It is timely that this tale is being published now because, for me, it does an excellent job of reinforcing many of the things that the world is just waking up to. Two major examples, the first is the stupidity of the many who post their lives online so that stalkers and trolls and villains can use the data so freely offered to abuse verbally and in far too many cases attack personally. The second is the snake oil salesmen (and women) who pander to the paranoia of so many, spreading lies and damn lies and getting paid to do so by the gullible and the advertisers who use their platforms to sell to the gullible.

As to the story the book tells, it was a bit like the theatre performance that Hercule Poirot attended where he exploded in indignation when the detective came onto the stage in the final scene and announced "who did it and how" without there being any real clues in the actual play. I am certainly not Hercule Poirot but I feel the same about this tale. Mind you, the wheelchair bound "besserwisser" whom everyone seems to adore, in this book in particular, got right up my nose.

In summary, this book is a good read just for the fact that it points out rather well the dangers of clickbait, "headline only" news and the very real dangers of (anti)social media.

I read this book in one sitting it was so good. As always Jeffery Deaver has written a brilliant, thrilling book high kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. At times it was creepy too. A great book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

One of my favourite authors and one I'm always recommending. I love the Lincoln Rhyme stories, they are smart, complicated and full of red herrings. This particular title was a great read but just not quite 5 stars. I'm not sure what was missing, if anything tangible, it was just a little bit too neat and tidy.
Some fantastic social commentary as always and some really disturbing bad guys. A great read.

I enjoy Deaver's novels and especially his Lincoln Rhyme thrillers. It's something to do with the strong setting and the collegiality of Rhyme and his group of friends/ helpers, but it doesn't hurt that, as Deaver described on a recent online session to launch The Midnight Lock, the author knows he's competing for attention with social media, games, video and countless other channels and he sets out to write books that grab the attention.

And how. In this latest visit to Rhyme's townhouse forensics lab - we've been away for a coupe of years following the doings of new Deaver protagonist Colter Shaw, on the West Coast - there is, as always, plenty of action, but behind it all, a distinct air of menace. Rhyme has learned that he's being targeted by old adversary The Watchmaker; he's also fluffed a case, and the crime boss who's free as a result want revenge for Rhyme's involvement all the same; 'Verum', an online purveyor of fake news and rabble-stirring conspiracy theory highlights Rhyme's failure as the outworking of a vast conspiracy; and, perhaps worst of all, the Mayor and the City authorities have turned against him, forbidding any police officer to work with or even speak to him.

It's all getting very dark, and though this we see, in a first person narrative, the mysterious stalker known as 'The Locksmith' lay their plans and carry them out. This figure, who will be Rhyme's main opponent in The Midnight Lock, is a master of burglary, entering women's apartments are night and disarranging things just enough to alarm. In some truly tense scenes, we see him break in, move around and make himself at home, toying with thoughts of going further still. Deaver gives us the dry, technical background to the lockpicking, with serves both to cast light on the depth of the Locksmith's skill and knowledge and to undermine any faith I had in the ability of locks to protect. Bolts, bolts are the thing, and don't trust electronics either.

As usual in these books, it's very much a game of cat and mouse - or several games, in fact; Rhyme can't of course let the fact that he's still looking into the case come out, and there are other hands at work too, with their own agendas, their own truths. The malleability of truth here is something of a theme, the story covering not only Verum's bizarre ravings but also the activities of a sleazy tabloid which monetises lies for the sake of sales.

Amidst all this, Rhyme's absolute faith in the truth as revealed by evidence (by which he means, scientific evidence, not testimony) is a rather helpful touchstone and pointed up something I should perhaps have spotted sooner, that Deaver is pitching Rhyme as a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Certainly the setting of the two men is similar, solving crimes from their homes at the heart of the world-cities of their age, London and New York, but the focus in The Midnight Lock on samples of material from shoes to enable identification of movements put me in mind of Dr Joseph Bell, whose deductions Conan-Doyle reflected in Holmes. More prosaically, I think Rhyme has some of Holmes' disdain for "unnecessary" information, even for commonplace knowledge if it isn't related to crime or forensics. And the same sense of ennui when not actively engaged on a case.

I wouldn't take this parallel too far - Rhyme has married! - but the presence of The Watchmaker as a Nemesis does also create a parallel. In this book, the first question to be determined is, of course, whether The Locksmith and The Watchmaker might be the same person, a possibility that adds to the sense of threat in the air, a sense that only builds as the unknown stalker becomes aware of Rhyme's interest and builds it into his plans...

As always with Deaver's books, The Midnight Lock is terrific, page-turning fun and I was pleased to re-acquaint myself with Rhymes after the break (although also glad to hear on that Zoom event that Shaw will also be back again).

A spine chilling narrative about a crazy killer who is called The Locksmith. I found the story wandered too much and I didn't connect with the characters. Not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins publishers for this advance read of Lincoln Rhyme's 15th outing.

The bone collector is one of my favourite books and introduced me to Jeffrey Deaver and Lincoln Rhyme/Amelia Sachs and I've since read many in the series. This one follows them as they are met with a master lock picker who is breaking and entering, seemingly with intent. Whilst this goes on Rhyme is removed as consultant by the police due to an inconclusive evidence on a previous trial that made the Mayor look bad.

They work covertly to try unmask the ID of the locksmith whilst trying to uncover little inconsistencies in the forensic evidence left in each instance.

I adore the forensic detail in these books, the research and knowledge of science never fails to impress me in these books and keeps me guessing. Also, Deaver never fails to surprise me with the ID of his culprits, this one in particular I didn't guess at all.

The 4 star rating was due to at some places I did zone out just a little , the devil is in the detail but sometimes getting there can be a slog.

My highlight was the fire scene with Pulaski. My heart was racing reading it. Fantastic writing.

Really enjoyed it overall, another solid installment in the series.

The wee book lady xx.

Cracking story, all the twisty, turny stuff you expect from a Jeffrey Deaver and fabulous characters and a new slant on a crime.

A great read.

Highly recommend.

I have yet to read a Jeffery Deaver that I haven’t enjoyed and this one did not disappoint. As ever it is rich in facts and detail. Some reviewers have said that there were perhaps too many facts for them, particularly concerning the amount of information about locks, but I found it fascinating and it enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

However, you really need to keep your wits about you. This is not a book you can read with one eye on the kids. There are so many threads to this storyline. We have the Locksmith. Who is he? What motivates him? Will he get the chance to step up to murder? That is one I didn’t figure out until the big reveal, although I really thought I had it sussed. We have the gangster, Buryak. Will he ever be brought to justice? Will he get his revenge on Lincoln through Amelia? We have the mystery of who murdered Alexos Gregorios. Who can be trusted, who is the villain? All is revealed in not one but several dramatic climaxes.

One thing’s for sure. I will never post another on-line video from my home and I will never again trust the burglar alarm to protect me.

The Midnight Lock by Jeffrey Deaver
This is another outing for Jeffrey’s Deaver’s forensic consultant Lincoln Rhyme. Although I have read a number from the series I had not read one for a while and although this book began well I did find the plot became rather convoluted and introduced a variety of different themes.
At the beginning Lincoln is giving evidence in the trial of Viktor Buryat who has always managed to escape prosecution. Lincoln’s evidence is brought into disrepute and the case is dismissed. Lincoln too is released by the police department and they are told to give him no information about the current case which they are investigating related to a man who enters women’s homes, leaves obvious evidence that he has been there and then relocks the doors. He is nicknamed The Locksmith.
In tandem with this story are other storylines related to the owner of a media empire which traded in sleaze, a conspiracy blogger and a moderator for View Now (a version of You Tube). How do these different aspects of the story come together?
I must admit that although I found the research to do with locks exemplary I did sometimes find myself skimming through these sections. I found there were a few too many threads for me. I did however enjoy the climax of the story. Many thanks to Net Galley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.