The Midnight Lock is the 15th book in the series featuring criminalist, Lincoln Rhyme by author Jeffrey Deaver. I've been a fan of this series for a long time and was excited to hear a new book was coming out. Its been a few years since I've read through the series and jumping back into the world of Lincoln and the gang felt familiar and brought a sense of joy and excitement.

After 15th books you would think the ideas would have dried up, but the author excels yet again with an interesting, intriguing and unique mystery. All the series regulars are back including Lincoln's now wife, Amelia Sachs, Rookie Ron Pulaski, Division Head Lon Selitto, Detective Mel Cooper and Lincoln's aide, Thom.

The main story follows Lincoln and Amelia as they investigate a series of burglaries where the perp leaves a calling card signed The Locksmith. While this is the main focus, there are several side stories and obstacles the characters must overcome in their investigation. The author is a master storyteller weaving all the various elements of these threads together in an exciting climax and resolution. Just when you think its all wrapped up, he unravels another layer, artfully joining dots you didn't even realize were connected.

Overall, this was a fun, quick and exciting read. I'd highly recommend it to fans of mystery, forensics and police procedural. While I'd recommend starting from the beginning if you're new to this series, you dont need to know the backstory to enjoy this one.

Lincoln Rhymes #15

Annabelle Talese, a fashion influencer is hung over but hyper aware that a number of things in her apartment are off kilter, especially when she finds a note in her underwear drawer which reads ‘Reckoning - The Locksmith’. Meanwhile, Lincoln is being interrogated in court at the trial of Viktor Buryak and his answers are frustrating the defence lawyer. In a packed plot we also have a conspiracy blogger site ‘The Hidden’ where Verum, truth, spouts forth various theories. How too, does a moderator of ViewNow (think YouTube) fit into the storyline?

First of all the positives. The Locksmith storyline is extremely creepy and chilling, just the thought of how the perpetrator is able to get into locked apartments in the way that he does sends shivers down the spine. There are plenty of twists, turns and changes of direction, misdirection, curved balls and red herrings especially towards the end which is good and unexpected.

However, unfortunately this book never grabs me fully. The chapters are not always easy to follow as there are several plot threads that becomes confusing and dizzying. Although it’s obviously very well researched the depth and detail on locks is not of great interest to me, as is some of the minute forensic detail, important though that is in the plotting. The pace rises and falls too much and it thus loses momentum and also my attention.

Overall, elements of this are extremely good but there’s just too much going on for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, Harper Fiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

The Midnight Lock has given me my first encounter with Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs who are the principal characters in a series of books by Jeffery Deaver. I found the book an interesting primer for wannabe locksmiths or burglars and seems to be well researched. The plot was interesting with disparate elements coalescing almost by slight of hand. This was the most disappointing side to the story and very unlifelike. Lincoln Rhyme seems to have uncanny insight bordering on the paranormal in bringing a set of forensic discoveries together and with satnav accuracy pinpointing a crime scene or building of interest. Whilst the novel afforded some entertaining escapism, I doubt I'll be searching the bookshelves for any others in the series.

A criminal, the Locksmith, is Terri siding New York. He breaks in, no lock is too secure, watches women sleep and moves items around. Lincoln Rhymes must watch from the sidelines after being NYPD are no longer suing civilian consultants, while his wife, Amelia Sachs investigate the Locksmith.
15th in the series, but a first for me. I was expecting a cannot-put-down read but found the second half lacked pace and kept my attention. Hoping this is just a blip.

Poor old Lincoln Rhyme. It seems everyone wants him dead in this one!

You'd like to think that those who are there to help us, and are trusted with things such as keys to our homes, or fixing locks that have been broken etc would not abuse the power they have and just get on with their jobs and move on. But no, not in this new Deaver, THE MIDNIGHT LOCK shows us that you can't trust anyone. The Locksmith is using his lockpicking powers - skills rather than powers, sounds like he's a super villain! - to gain entry into unsuspecting victims' homes and torment them while they sleep.

At the same time Lincoln has lost a case and is being targeted by a mobster. So while the mobster wants Lincoln dead, the Locksmith also wants in on the action and basically Lincoln has to outsmart everyone to A. stay alive and B. put some baddies behind bars or in the ground.

Loved this one. Quite a darkly fun trip, that had me racing through the pages. Any Rhyme book is a winner for me and it made me want to go back and read them again!

Recommended for fans of the Lincoln Rhyme series, police procedurals, creepy bad guys and complex police cases to solve.

The Locksmith is the newest scare to haunt young women living alone in New York. Unimpeded by even the most sophisticated of locks, he invades their homes, watches them sleep from their bedside, marks his intrusion by moving things around, and leaves undetected. He is extremely smart and leaves absolutely no evidence that might help the police catch him before he starts hurting people. But there is one man who can coax a lead out of the virtually non-existent evidence—the brilliant criminalist (frequently called a criminologist, to his chagrin) and ex-cop, Lincoln Rhyme, who works as a consultant for the NYPD. Unfortunately, Lincoln is fired before he could take a look at the case for an impossibly rare mistake of his in another murder case that results in the acquittal of a slippery mobster named Viktor Buryak. The excommunication means that Lincoln cannot be involved in any of the investigations, has to return all evidence that is under his custody, and is liable to be punished—along with his co-conspirators—for any transgression. Still, there are some sensible people in the force who understand Lincoln's importance for the investigation’s success and they try to circumvent the departmental decree. Meanwhile, the mobster Buryak, infuriated to have been nearly convicted for murder, and paranoid that Lincoln will try to nab him again somehow, plans to neutralise him. The Locksmith too takes note of the threat that Lincoln poses to his freedom and decides to eliminate him.

Thus, The Midnight Lock by Jeffery Deaver pits the much-loved Lincoln Rhyme’s phenomenal forensic and analytical skills against some near-perfect criminal masterminds and what results is a fantastic thriller that reaffirms its author’s undisputed skill. In his fifteenth outing, the quadriplegic Lincoln—one of the finest fictional creations ever—is his usual ingenious, acerbic self and he still can’t let go of a case that tickles his brain cells. Lincoln’s wife and his surrogate on the crime scenes, Detective Amelia Sachs is beautiful, smart and daring as ever. There are more characters, all well-crafted with Deaver’s deft touch, and quite interesting to watch in action.

Right from the chilling start, the plot is gripping and is filled with clever, unpredictable twists and turns that make reading The Midnight Lock a world of fun. Just the thought of someone that can defeat all locks and enter one’s home in the night is terrifying and Deaver hits the perfect spot with the Locksmith’s character. As can be expected, Deaver garnishes this delicious tale with numerous nuggets of information about locks and lockpicking, and of course, forensic sciences including trace evidence analysis. The dialogues, especially Lincoln’s pithy ones, are crisp and eminently enjoyable.

A few sequences that need the reader to suspend disbelief and a bit of cluttering due to the multiple subplots—these are a couple of minor issues I had with this book. Barring those, The Midnight Lock is yet another superhit from this prolific master who still retains the magic that has thrilled readers for almost four decades! I loved it and am ever ready for more!

My sincere gratitude to HarperCollins UK, Jeffery Deaver and NetGalley for the review e-copy of The Midnight Lock in exchange for my unbiased review.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HarperCollins, Harper Fiction, for the ARC.

This is the latest book by Jeffrey Deaver in the Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs detective series - and it really is an excellent read!. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a complex storyline involving several sub-plots, it's well-written (as always), with believable dialogue - and touches of humour where Rhyme is concerned.

The main story centres around The Locksmith - apparently this person can defeat the strictest of security locks and alarm systems to be able to break into young women's homes. He observes them; he takes away trophies; he rearranges their personal things and, most disturbingly, removes knives. He also leaves a particular page of the Herald in their homes - annotated with the word "Reckoning" in lipstick. The investigators start to fear that The Locksmith is escalating his behaviour and the next victim may get hurt. Rhyme begins to wonder if the Locksmith is his nemesis the Watchmaker in a different guise.

Meanwhile, Rhyme is the expert witness in the case of a murder, for which the infamous organised crime boss, Viktor Buryak is accused, and also looking at the murder of wealthy industrialist Alekos Gregorius.

Politics, corrupt police offices, clandestine forensic testing, organised crime and murder are all woven into the story, with tense and heart-stopping moments. There are red-herrings and twists, as you would expect from this author, as well as cautionary words on the use of social media platforms.

All the various strands come together in the end though, neat and tidy as usual.

Excellent Read.


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I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of The Midnight Lock, the fifteenth novel to feature New York forensics expert Lincoln Rhyme and his wife Detective Amelia Sachs.

The self named Locksmith is entering women’s apartments, making his presence felt and leaving. It is terrifying for his victims because no lock can hold him and it looks like he’s escalating. Lincoln Rhyme has taken on the task of catching him, but he’s under investigation himself so it’s a race.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Midnight Lock, which is an exciting read with clever twist upon twist and plenty of action scenes. It’s a true thriller in other words.

The novel is told from Lincoln and Amelia’s points of view on the one side and a first person narrative from the unnamed Locksmith on the other. I’m not always a big fan of hearing from the perpetrator, but in this case it works extremely well, giving a bit of backstory, a big dollop of misdirection and some useful tips on lock picking, whereas the investigation concentrates on the here and now, basically what they can extrapolate from the few physical clues. Of course, many of the twists derive from what they’re not telling the reader and that leads to several gobsmacking events in the final few chapters. What a finale! Brilliant. It makes skim reading the technical bits (it all means nothing to me) worth it to get there faster.

This novel is predicated on the evils of social media and the carelessness of those who use it. I’m not a big user and this novel vindicates my position on this as it is scary about how predators operate through it. Interestingly enough enough it also has an online character Verum, who spews ridiculous conspiracy theories. I couldn’t possibly comment on any real life parallels, but the author nails it.

There is also a fair amount of politics in this novel with Lincoln being scapegoated. It was quite worrying for this reader but how he reverses it is amazing. Another gobsmacking moment.

The Midnight Lock is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

The Midnight Lock is the next in the series of the Lincoln Rhyme series of novels. Rhyme is a quadriplegic former detective investigator. Working together with his wife Amelia Sachs in his home laboratory to crack tough cases. In this novel we meet 'The Locksmith', a creepy individual who is breaking into women's apartments while they are asleep and moving things around so that when they wake they know someone has been inside. 'The Locksmith' stalks his victims using social media videos to get the low down on his victims lives and work out what locks they have that he will need to pick.

Rhyme and Sachs pick up the locksmith case following the failure of a large case they had been working on where the perpetrator had been found not guilty. The city mayor sees the case as such a failure that he bans the police department from working with non serving investigators meaning Rhyme is sidelined. As a serving investigator, Sachs continues to work on cases and successfully splits the evidence between Rhyme's lab at home and the official police lab. Just who is 'The Locksmith' and will they get to him before he gets to his next victim?

This novel has so many twists and turns - I thought I had cracked who the locksmith was by mid way through the book....but no! Just when you think you have an idea nailed down, along comes another twist that takes you in another direction. I love Deaver as a crime writer as his writing is thrilling and twisty. Enjoy!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read all of Deaver’s oevre but what a disappointment this one is. Pages about being in court. I was utterly bored. I persevered it nothing improved for me so I gave up.
Rhyme is usually so interesting but he seemed bored with himself too. Maybe time to invent new character.

This latest instalment forensic detection by Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs continues their investigative endeavours to identify and provide culpable evidence against the self-titled ‘Locksmith’ who; suffering from some massively intense “Daddy Issues”, takes to terrorising people on their own home – with what seems initially to be mild physiological parlour tricks – but soon ramps up the terror quotient.

As an aside, they’re also dealing with the fallout from a murder case, which falls apart because of evidence presented in court by Lincoln Rhyme.

There are a lot of intricate threads woven together in this book, with more than a few red herrings involved. But paramount in the narrative is the damage and harm which individuals can bring upon them selves, by over sharing their (supposedly) private lives on social media.

Mr Deaver is a master at misdirection, and this is particularly evident in the final pages of the book where, just as I’m thinking ‘Noooo ! He can’t be writing for this to happen’ he throws another spanner in the works, with not one, but two plot twists.

Overall, a finely tuned piece of work – though some of the background may be more obvious if some of the previous books in the series have been read.

I got this from Net Galley to review so came in mid way through a series, it was fine though, the plot was strong enough to carry it without knowing all the backstories. The detail about locks was interesting and the thought that there was someone who could get through any security added a layer of intrigue to the story. The perspective flipping between characters was balanced well. A solid crime novel.

The Midnight lock by Jeffery Deaver is the latest offering in the Lincoln Rhymes series and the first one that I have read. But have seen the TV series so aware of what the series entails.
The story starts with a woman waking after a big night out slightly hangover, trying to grab her slippers but they are not where she left them. She also tries to grab her phone that is supposed to be charging but it is missing. She thinks that there has been a break in but when she checks her front door lock it is still locked. When another similar incident happens the know they are hunting a killer called the Locksmith.
Thank you, Harper Collins, for a copy of ‘The Midnight lock.’ I found this have a great storyline with lots of twists and turns and great for fans of the series. But than it started to get a bit too much technical for me and by the last third of this book I started losing interest. 3.5 stars from me.

I liked the 2 main investigators but didn’t feel that we got to know them or their relationship very well. This is a good story but I felt the characterisation was a little lacking. I would have like to have known more about several of the characters as part of the story. I’d give it 3.5 stars.

Synopsis

Lincoln Rhyme is in court acting as expert witness in the prosecution of Viktor Antony Buryak a man who is a broker of information to the criminal underworld. Lincoln is uncharacteristically evasive, and the Defending Council is able to discredit his testimony. This results in the case being lost.

There is a new adversary for him in town in the guise of ‘The Locksmith’ who is an expert lockpicker. So far, he has broken into women’s apartments whilst they have been asleep but he has made his presence felt by moving objects, eating or drinking and by leaving his ‘calling card’ a page torn from a newspaper with a message written in their lipstick. These home invasions have been disturbing but so far there has been no physical harm, the fear is of escalation to rape or even murder.

The newspaper leads to the Whittaker Media Group a group full of tabloid excess run by a dysfunctional family. The patriarch and major shareholder has had a change of heart though and is in the process of winding up the Group’s businesses and reinvesting the proceeds into a better journalism centre. There’s certainly need for it to counter the rise of fake news and a conspiracy theorist blogger Verum who is warning of ‘The Hidden’.
However, before Lincoln and his team can make much progress a decision with monumental implications is made. The mayor with an eye on poll ratings cannot risk further humiliation so he decides that the NYPD can no longer use external consultants, including Lincoln. His team are reassigned, and his townhouse operations are closed. Catching The Locksmith has suddenly got a whole lot harder…

My thoughts

What is the enduring appeal of the character? From my point of view, I think it’s that a seemingly vulnerable man, a quadriplegic, can thrive and save the day purely through his intelligence and inventiveness. The antipodal of the all-action hero. His character and situation have developed over the series and even though he can be insufferable the interactions with his team and outsiders are well thought out. I guess it’s not true that nobody likes a ‘smart ass’.

Lincoln was originally portrayed as a man considering suicide who rediscovers his zest for life, even in his restricted capacity, through his work as a consultant. He has then had a resurgence in his inner strength, his strength of character, so to see him being portrayed as fallible and even incompetent at the start of the book is an interesting shift. Lincoln truly is a man who lives for his work.

The plot is multi-strand and gets a little bit convoluted but is adroitly pulled together at the end. It keeps a fairly keen pace throughout and the reader doesn’t get chance to get bored. There are plenty of action pieces where a major character is in trouble, but these of course are defused. With the main character being confined to a wheelchair the author regularly relies upon surprise intervention which is then explained after the event. As he cannot fight his way out of trouble he must think ahead and recognise trouble in advance and while the surprise intervention eventually stops becoming a surprise the other option would make for a boring read. There are also twists and false dawns aplenty, with the identity of The Locksmith apparently revealed more than once before it becomes clear who it really is.

This is a book for modern times though, touching on current themes like fake news, conspiracy theories and over exposure on social media, but these provide a backdrop rather than a specific theme. Much is about the power of familial relationships both good and bad and the desire for redemption.

The science can be a fascinating part of the story and the skill of the author is that of including enough to interest but not to get tedious. Whether it is all genuine I have no idea, some of it does seem to be a little bit far-fetched (autopsying a fly?) but we must remember it is fiction after all.

Enjoyable escapist stuff that delivers just what the reader expects, I’ve no doubt this will keep his legion of fans happy.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and of course Net Galley for granting me access to this book in exchange for a fair review.

This is a great read and i would recommend you read this! This was a really fun read which I read so so quickly. I was kindly gifted an e-book in return a honest review.

The Midnight Lock is a new novel from Jeffery Deaver in his long standing Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs series.
Having read several of these books already I was familiar with all the main characters and the first half of the book had a worrying similarity to previous stories; the usual minute attention to detail, the evidence reviews on the whiteboard, the easy banter between Rhyme and the other members of his team, however as the story progressed the plot managed a few unforeseen twists and turns once again showing Deaver to be the master storyteller that he is.

When I chose this book I didn't realise it was part of a long series normally this puts me off as I like to start at book 1 and read through but as I had so kindly been given a copy for review I decided to give it a go. I'm so pleased I did I really enjoyed it and unlike some series it wasn't hard to start with this book. Lots of action to keep me reading very late I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it. I'm off to find book 1 now. Thank you so much for my advanced copy

Another Jeffery Deaver thriller is an amazing author who brings the words off the page, you are hooked and need to see what happens next.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Harper Collins for supplying an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Now I was really looking forward to reading this as I have loved this series, having read 12 of the previous 14 books. The other 2 books are waiting to be read. But sadly, this one well short of his usual high standard.
Lincoln Rhymes is an unusual character and very different from other sleuths. Formerly a NYPD Homicide Detective who since an accident at a crime scene is now a a quadriplegic, but that doesn’t stop him working as Forensic Consultant. The other main character, Amelia Sachs a NYPD detective acts as his eyes as she walks crime scenes and much more. There are a growing number of other recurring characters, that work in the background.

This book starts quite well, and I was enjoying it, and enjoying getting re acquainted with the “cast”. But then I realised that my mind had wandered off somewhere and I had lost interest. I tried to pull it back, but no avail. There were points where I could have even just given up on it. I really struggled to connect with the characters and the plot was … shall I say not up to the usual standard.

Looking at the average score, I am probably in the minority. Wrong book at the wrong time? Maybe. I will read the other 2 books in the series and will try the next one. Hopefully a one-off slump!