Lincoln Rhyme is back in another astonishing case. This time, he must confront another chilling killer that has a contract over three important witnesses. The killer is called The Coffin Dancer, for the only known and certain fact about him is that he has a tatoo on his arm featuring Death dancing with his victim, a woman, in front of a coffin. The Dancer has reached one of the witnesses, making explode the plane he was flying. Rhyme must protect the two remaining: the wife of the late pilot and a friend of the marriage. Using his legendary forensic skills, he tests himself with the killer, a very elusive man that is a legend inside the force. Rhyme himself had been prey, when the Dancer killed a pair of his techs years before. And so, nothing will be what it seems, for the killer is a master of disguise. The Dancer will do anything, anything to get the victims... 

 

   Deaver amazes again. Even if The Bone Collector had a dark streak of humor that this book lacks, his character evolved into a new form of detective, changing from anti-hero to hero, no longer a quadraplegic but an active detective that is relentless. Every changing set of surprises is masterly plotted by this extremely variable master. Deaver delivers the same formula, and yet, triumphs, challenging the reader with shifting backgrounds.