The Stone Monkey: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel

Jeffery Deaver is one of my favourite author's and unfortunately I was extremely disappointed with The Stone Monkey. I always finish a book I have purchased, with this one however, I shelved it several times before I completed reading it. I was bored and did not find anything in the whole story line that excited me. Please do not write any more like this one.

The fourth Lincoln Rhyme novel in series from author Jeffery Deaver, "The Stone Monkey", at best was a very pedestrian read. The usual protagonists, Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs have a limited role in moving this story along. A cargo ship out of a Russian port, "Fuzhou Dragon" is travelling to the United States with a secret. The ship is smuggling people out of China to NYC's Chinatown. "piglets" as the cargo is known by are being smuggled by the master "Snakehead" Kwan Ang. Ang is known as the "Ghost" for his skill and ability in human trafficking Chinese into country without leaving any trail. Ang doesn't like to leave witnesses. When the smuggling ship is detected by the Coast Guard, Ang sets off an explosion to sink ship and all it's piglets. However, quite a few escape into the freezing waters. Ang makes it to shore on a life boat and disappears. The few refugees from the now sunken ship stumble into transportation to Chinatown. The FBI and INS need Rhyme and Sachs to process evidence so they can track the Ghost and refugees. Well over a 500 page read, this one plods along very slowly. Most of the story comes from the surviving Chinese and their struggle to stay hidden from the Ghost. Rhyme and Sachs come and go throughout book to help story hobble along. I would have to say I was somewhat bored with this one after about page 200. However I stayed with it hoping for a turn around. All in all the story itself was okay. The supporting characters had too much to do keeping the book moving forward. This one needed more Rhyme and Sachs to be sure. Going with three stars out of a possible five stars for, "The Stone Monkey". For those Rhyme and Sachs fans it's an interesting read because of Rhyme's insistence of a possible operation to gain mobility. For those Amelia Sachs fans, she keeps getting lost in this one. But the parts Sachs pop up in are thankfully really good action sequences too. Check it out.

At first I didn’t like The Stone Monkey because it spent way too much time on the peripheral characters, and not enough on Lincoln and Amelia, the main characters. Then, after the story developed more, I sort of got into it.

The writing was excellent and the pacing fast, with solid third-person, past-tense.

In the end, it worked out okay so I’ll give it a pass. However, more than half the book was about the others and not the main characters. Though they had stuff to do, when I read a book about Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, I expect them to dominate the story, not take second fiddle until the last third of the book. Still not a bad story. Recommended.

A smuggling ship is scuttled on Eastern Long Island. The story begins here and wends its way to NY's Chinatown. A well developed cast of characters are chasing down "the Ghost", the chief antagonist. He's a brutal murderer whose only interest is money and acts without any conscious whatsoever. He's after some of the Chinese immigrants from the ship and Lincoln Rhyme's crew must act to stave him off before he can murder more innocents.
The story is very gripping. What's impressive is Mr. Deaver had obviously done a lot of research into Chinese customs, beliefs, and language. One of the the more entertaining characters is a detective Sonny Li, whom Rhyme and his team befriend. Li and his broken English, chain smoking personna adds a bit of color to the story.

The ending does not happen quickly. It's as well thought out as the rest of the novel and is told in detail. The ending wraps the book up very well.

As for Jeffrey Deaver novels? This is one of the best; not to be missed.

"The Stone Monkey" is the first novel by Jeffery Deaver I've read, and if it's representative of his work, then I truly don't understand why he is so highly regarded. The story concerns a psychotic human trafficker called "The Ghost" who is smuggling a group of Chinese immigrants to New York by boat, but who decides to scuttle the boat and kill them all when the drop-off goes bad. A few manage to survive and make their way into the city, so the Ghost sets about hunting the survivors down to kill them, too, plus anyone else who gets in his way. Paraplegic investigator Lincoln Rhyme, who has the intellect and impatience of Sherlock Holmes and the unpleasant personality of Nero Wolfe, assembles a team to track the Ghost. In addition to one of every racial stereotype, the team includes Rhyme's female "Watson," Amanda Sachs, a one-time high fashion model turned policewoman (hey, it could happen). Most teeth-jarring of all is new member Sonny Li, a Chinese policeman who was undercover as one of the immigrants the Ghost was smuggling to America, and whose dialogue and actions make Charlie Chan's Number One Son look like a Nobel Prize winner. The sheer number of coincidences that facilitate the plot become ridiculous by page fifty, and the forensics scenes, in which the team gathers together in Rhyme's home to pick over dust specs, are tedious, when they're not absurd. The absurdity comes into play when there isn't enough evidence for Rhyme to pick over, so he goes into a sort of intellectual trance to deduce something undeduceable. He also encourages Sachs to do the same thing, pushing her metaphorically into the mind of the killer to produce "eyewitness" information of the crime through supposition. This sort of thing was already unbelievable back in the days of Sax Rohmer's Morris Klaw, the "Dream Detective." The two star rating, as opposed to one star, is for the passages of the book that follow the survivors of the Ghost's shipwreck as they struggle to make their way through New York and stay hidden from the menace they know is following them. There is also one good twist. These portions of "The Stone Monkey" are worth reading; any parts involving Lincoln Rhyme (who is a truly annoying character) and his "Doc Savage" team of combative, heavily-accented assistants, is not.

(I checked this book out from the local library as an audiobook) What a great story! I particularly enjoyed learning so much about Chinese culture "10 judges of hell!" The characters were well fleshed out and relateable, so that I worried out loud about my favorites or rolled my eyes at the antics of the consistently foolish. Books this well written make me enjoy other books so much less when they're not so deep, fleshed out, attentive to detail, and truly suspenseful. I think I've read all of the Lincoln Rhyme series and have very much enjoyed every one of them.

Getting to read Jeffery Deaver is always great! I always love his stuff, and the twists just add to the enjoyment of being drawn in all the more. From what I've read so far, I love "The Empty Chair" the most. And so far, I'm not convinced that Deaver has topped that level yet. Ok, ok, at least not until I read more adventures with Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs. Right? Well, reading about "The Stone Monkey," there were no real big endorsements that made you want to go out and get this quick. For me, it was simply the 4th book featuring Lincoln Rhyme and Sachs. That was enough for me to get out there and see what was happening! After all, too many stories speak of Chess matches, right? Maybe we'll find out how this compares to Wei-Chi! Game on!

This starts out with a disaster involving Chinese immigrants on a ship, and a lot of them being killed in the process. Behind that would be a menace known as The Ghost. And he isn't intimidated by our cops either! But he hasn't exactly tangled with the likes of Rhyme and Sachs, has he? The Ghost is out to kill other families that survived while on the ship. Lincoln and Amelia are set to prevent such a thing, and they have the help of a cop from China, and others on their side. And without a doubt, Chinatown plays a role in this, and the hunt is on! Who's ready to play with fire and ten judges of Hell? You know somebody's gonna get messed up.

Deaver's a genius, no doubt about it. But despite all the great research he did, and the pandemonium he put in his plot, I thought it came off kind of choppy. In the end, I was satisfied, but I also felt like Deaver tried too hard. Either that or "The Vanished Man," was just too good for me to fully appreciate this effort. But if this is truly what you call a weak link in Deaver's efforts, no big deal! He cranked out a good story, along with many more after this one. This hasn't slowed him down in the least! Jeffery Deaver is still a bestselling author, and people are always on the prowl for the latest and greatest his pen produces. So I'm going to stick with him. And when it comes time for me to read "The Vanished Man," I can't wait! Maybe it'll be a Chess match next time, but I enjoyed the Wei-Chi concept as well.

Deaver's books just keep on getting better and better. This one is no exception.
All the usual characters are back in full force, as well as some new excellent subsidiary characters. John Sung, Sony Li, Sam Chang, and the captain of the Fuzhou Dragon, who, even though he only features in the first couple of chapters, is an incredibly strong presence.
Deaver packs it all again, knowing exactly what his readers want. Quirky characters, a quick, tense, suspenseful and original plot, which has complex and interesting twists. (It is a good thing that here he has cut down on his twists...he still has some (really good ones) but just not quite as many. sometimes he can go over the top.) The relationship between is Rhyme and Sachs is moving along nicely. I like the fact that Deaver is not rushing their relationship. It tells us a couple of things. First, the he plans at least several more Rhyme books, during which their relationship will progress. Second, he is a talented writer who thinks ahead. Some writers who write series characters develop their characters really well early on in a series, but in the later novels there is nothing left to develop, so the characters begin to seem wooden and very two dimensional. (james Patterson, this is you im talking about.) Wise writers choose to develop their characters more slowly, giving room for a series to seem fully developed. It is the mark of a really good writer that even though the characters are still being developed, they do seem fully fleshed out in all the novels, even though they are not fully devloped. Deaver manages to do this so well. There are still things we have yet to know about Rhyme and Sachs, but still their characters are wonderfully vivid.
there is less interaction in this novel between the two leads, because interaction is not always needed any more. Sachs KNOWS what Rhyme will say, she doesnt need to hear him say it. It shows how far their relationship has gone, and is a reflection of it. It also gives us an opportunity to see how both characters work almost on their own. When the two characters do interact, it really gives the reader a kick. This time round, Deaver concentrates a little more on his other stock characters (Dellray, Sellito, etc) and it gives the book a really good, well rounded feel. (Although i have always felt that Deaver sometimes gives Thom unnaceptably short shrift.)
Deaver does his research wonderfully, and his little tidbits about Chinese culture (and other things) which he feeds to the reader really are wonderful.
The beginning of the book is great. It begins with a scene of incredible suspense and does not let up all the way through. (It was almost as if i had stepped into the book right at the exciting climax.) I was amazed at how he built the suspense up so well over just a couple of pages.
Deaver's books always have essneitally very bad crimes in them, and wonderfully chilling villains. THis one is no exception. Justice is meted out in the end, as always.
A brilliant book. Possibly his best yet.

Author Jeffery Deaver tackles the issues of illegal human-smuggling from China to the United States, a new era of organized crime and the politics within government entities, with the consequences that could mean fates worse than death to those seeking freedom in the U.S.

In a race against a fast-ticking clock, Lincoln Rhyme and his team of agents must uncover the mysterious human smuggler who carries the moniker Ghost and works his cruelty in efficient and haunting ways. The lives of members of several families who survived a tragic ordeal while being shipped to the U.S. are in the balance in this cold war between good and evil.

The action is layered with the movements of the major characters and the various crimes which take place as the Ghost attempts to murder those who beat the incredible odds and lived through unspeakable evil while under his "care."

The thriller does plod along in parts when the plot bogs down in a meticulous account of the investigation by Rhyme's team - which includes a number of updates at the end of chapters - but the angles approached makes the story feel as if it was pulled from the front pages of national newspapers.

This is the fourth book in the Lincoln Rhyme/Amelia Sachs' series featuring Lincoln as the quadriplegic consultant to the NYPD with Amelia acting as his eyes and legs by walking the crime scenes for him, while reporting back everything she sees and feels. While one might think that having someone heading up an investigation, who's confined to a wheelchair, might be a little far-fetched, then you haven't made the acquaintance of Lincoln Rhyme. Deaver makes this series so interesting by putting top notch technology at Lincoln's fingertips (just a figure of speech as Lincoln only has feeling in his left ring finger).
As the story opens, Lincoln has tracked down a cargo ship, the Fuzhou Dragon, said to be bringing in illegal Chinese immigrants. The smuggler is a man known as "The Ghost" -- aptly named as there are no known photographs of him in existance. Not only is The Ghost a smuggler of illegal aliens, he is also a killer and Lincoln has been asked by the FBI and the INS to help them capture this murderer before he strikes again on Lincoln's turf.
A good part of this story takes place in New York's Chinatown as The Ghost tries to track down two of the families he has smuggled into this country. At the same time, Lincoln and Amelia are trying to reach these families first before The Ghost gets to them. This is the real mystery.....why is The Ghost after immigrants he, himself, has smuggled into this country?
Deaver's descriptions of this area and its Chinese cultures are well researched and make for some very interesting reading. It's actually one of the best fictional trips into Chinatown that I've yet to come upon. I especially liked the story Deaver tells of the "Ten Judges of Hell" who keep a book called "The Register of the Living and the Dead" -- which is actually the balance sheet of life and death for the Chinese people.
Comparing this book to the other three in the series (The Bone Collector, The Coffin Dancer, The Empty Chair), I'd have to say it's right at the top of the list for me because Deaver weaves a tale that has a number of twists and turns, some of which totally caught me by surprise. He also introduces a wily policeman from China, Sonny Li, who will grow on the reader as much as he is growing on Lincoln (which isn't an easy feat). I know the next book in the series, The Vanished Man, has just come out and I look forward, with great anticipation, to another adventure with Lincoln and Amelia. I hear it's a winner.

A Chinese people-smuggler and ruthless killer is heading for American shores and is being hunted globally for his crimes. But anyone known as The Ghost is going to be difficult to find. Enter Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs. Although The Ghost is on the run, he is also hunting down the latest boatload of illegal immigrants that he has personally brought to the US. For some reason he is trying to eliminate them all.
Rhyme teams up with a very interesting character in Sonny Li, a Chinese policeman who is also chasing The Ghost. Sonny adds a tremendous off-beat perspective to the investigation that is very refreshing.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book was in following the movements of two families of Chinese immigrants as they try to blend in to life in their new country. All the fears and uncertainties of living in a new country, combined with the fear of possibly being hunted down themselves manages to build the tension and gives you the feeling that confrontation will be inevitable.
Once again, Lincoln and Amelia are hard at it, gathering evidence and solving crimes with their own unique brand of teamwork. The funny thing is, although they are brilliant at what they do, neither of them are particularly likable characters. I find that I'm beginning to find it difficult to feel a great deal of affinity towards either because of their cold, defensive and downright rude attitudes to other people, colleagues and enemies alike.
Rhyme's home is now set up as a fully functioning forensic laboratory complete with experts in each particularly field to man it. Maybe it's because we're up to our 4th Lincoln Rhyme book, but the forensic part of the book is starting to feel a little mechanical and anti-climactic. That being said, the addition of the Chinese people and their customs has served to keep the story fresh and interesting.

Jeffery Deaver is authoring some of the best mystery novels to date. His 'Lincoln Rhyme' series is excellent, and it subtley puts to sleep (or at least out of the way) some of the frequently preconcieved notions even the best of us have about stereotyping people and pigeonholing their issues.
Lincoln Rhyme is of course the brilliant forensic scientist who suffered a spine severing accident rendering him a quad. Others would have given up at that point but Mr. Deaver has us recognizing that 'giving up' was not in Mr. Rhyme's character.
His association with Amelia Sachs is to some extent a happy alternative to the Susan of Spenser fame and the Lucy of Elvis Cole fame. A tough, single minded woman she is equally afraid of failure as she is driven to success. Which leads me to why I am tiring of the relationship.
It doesn't go anywhere. The story moves at breakneck speed. This paperback was 500+ pages and it only chronologically covers 48 hours. While the novels are great, the dialogue crisp and both literate as well as "New York-ese," and the plots filled with Hichcockian surprises, the relationship is tedious. Why does she have to drive at 101 miles an hour on the Long Island Expressway, have crying jags and do nothing about her arthritis in her leg (Advil, Sachs, the key to anti-inflamatories.)
Having said that, this mystery picks up at the end of a long investigation, the smuggling of Chinese immigrants into New York. Once trapped by Rhyme's investigative skills which are both brilliant and resounding in common sense, "The Ghost," a Chinese 'snakehead,' blows up the ship and murders a number of the "undocumented" passengers he was smuggling.
Clues abound. Who is he? Why did he kill the passengers? What more daredevil things can Amelia do as Lincoln's legs? Will the Ghost get to the surviving families?
Mr. Deaver drops clues to us throughout the book and we are well informed with the sprinkling of evidence that we learn along with the less able investigators from INS, FBI, State and NYPD.
The relationship between Sachs and Rhyme keeps intruding. Some readers may like this. I don't know. I want to read a book about a crime, murder, mayhem, kidnapping, evil genius perps pursued relentlessly by homeric investigators. "Relationships" are in a different section of Borders or Waldenbooks or the store.
Anyhow, that's my gripe. Other than that, Deaver is great. I'll always read him.

Deaver has outdone himself. This latest installment of the achievements of Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs is outstanding. He weaves a plot so well that you are constantly guessing at the outcome. The character growth of both Lincoln & Amelia are helped immensely by the other characters in the book. He has used the plight of Chinese refugees to help set the stage for a magnificent piece of work. I didn't want the book to end. The melding of Eastern and Western philosphies and detective work was outstanding. The characters throughout the book were built upon the conflicts that are there in all families who have migrated to this country. The characters of Sonny Li and the Ghost were especially entertaining. Throughout the book the central theme was about creating balance in your life which makes this work of fiction a work with philosophical undertones. I believe that Mr. Deaver has achieved that balance himself and he now wants the same for his readers.
Whether or not one has read the previous Lincoln Rhyme installments or not, I would definitely recommend that they read this one immediately. It is the best book I have read this year.
I cannot wait for the next installment of the adventures of Rhyme and Sachs (no first names, please)!

Jeffrey Deaver is fast becoming one of my favourite thriller writers, and with good reason. While authors such as James Patterson and Dean Koontz seem to be taking steps backwards in terms of accomplishment with each successive novel, Deaver just keeps getting better and better.
The Stone Monkey tells the story of the Ghost, a notorious human smuggler, and two families who survive his attempt to scuttle the ship carrying them to the US. The Wus and the Changs disappear deep into the Chinatown network in an attempt to escape his inevitable attempts to wipe out the only surviving witnesses.
Enter Lincoln Rhyme, Amelia Sachs, and a new addition to the team, Sonny Li, a Chinese police officer who also survived the scuttling of the Fuzhou Dragon. Rhyme is locked in a race against time to track down the two families before the Ghost does, but the Ghost seems to always be one step ahead.
Deaver set himself a daunting task writing The Stone Monkey. The intricacies of Chinese culture, and particularly family culture, present him with myriad opportunities to shoot himself in the foot and possibly offend some readers, but the book is obviously meticulously researched and Deaver acquits himself admirably. One does suspect, however, that he doens't entirely agree with the woman's place in a Chinese family unit, and uses a few parts in this book to subtley show this.
All in all, The Stone Monkey is an engaging read and a cracking detective yarn, and is quite likely to ignite an interest in Chinese spiritualism in many readers.

In Lincoln Rhyme's latest novel he is helping the FBI and the INS to track a hired killer and human smuggler known as `The Ghost'. Rhyme tracks the assassin to a Chinese freighter that is bringing two dozen illegal aliens to the United States. When the Ghost finds himself cornered he blows up the ship and manages to escape. He does not want any survivors and kills anyone he can find. The lucky ones manage to pass by the Ghost and escape to Chinatown. The killer cannot let them live and he will use every single connection he has to kill them.
At first the Ghost's motivation for killing the undocumented survivors is elusive. It does not make much sense throughout the story. It is not until the end of the story that Lincoln Rhyme and his assistant, Amelia Sachs, pulls a rabbit out of the hat and manages to explain everything. Deaver brings in his trademark twist that gives the book its satisfying conclusion. The author does a good job with his characters by adding more dimensions to them in each particular book. The focus in this novel is with Amelia who is concerned about Lincoln as well as her health. She befriends one of the refugees who helps her come to terms with some of her issues. Deaver always brings something new to his series that is always appreciated. One should also try Deaver's stand alone novels like A MAIDEN'S GRAVE for the serious reader or THE DEVIL'S TEARDROP for fans of the hard boiled mystery. Whatever the case, it is always a treat.

In this novel, the duo of Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are on the case of an evil people trafficer, known only as the 'ghost'. The 'ghost' has just deliberately scuttled a cargo ship carrying his illegal immigrants, after locking them in the hold. However, a couple of families have escaped, and now he is ruthlessly on their trail, in the city of New York.

I found this novel a good read, if not quite a page turner. The combination of Rhyme and Sachs is always interesting, although, I feel, the large cast of characters, around them, from the different law enforcement agencies, can sometimes be a bit unwieldy, and on few occasions I had to think as to which character, belonged to which agency.

I thought there were a couple of small drawbacks to the book. Firstly, there seemed to be an awful lot of action/events going on in the space of just a few days, and, secondly, I felt some of the Chinese characters in the novel, were a bit too stereotyped. All in all, though, a fairly good book. Three and half to four stars.

"Stone Monkey" (named after a good luck amulet worn by the story's Chinese doctor) is Deaver's fourth in the NYPD Forensic Expert (and quadriplegic) Lincoln Rhyme series. In this one, he and "leg-man" Amelia Sachs are trying to locate a "Snakehead", a Chinese illegal immigrant smuggler, named the Ghost who has sunk the boat before the Coast Guard can get to it, and now needs to find and eliminate the two families and a couple of single people (a doctor and an undercover detective) who made it to the Long Island shore and survived. The Chinese people are temporarily hiding out in New York's huge Chinatown, but the brutal Ghost seems to have unlimited connections in his quest to find them and eliminate any witnesses to the incident. The detective, a fun character named Sammy Li, hooks up with Rhyme's team and nearly steals several scenes with both his insights and his humorous commentary on various turns in the investigation.

Like Deaver's "Vanished Man" that combines a forensic police procedural with considerable information about the practice of magic and illusion, this novel equally informs us readers about Chinese culture and the hopes and aspirations of those seeking a better life in the "Beautiful Country" (as they call America). While the indifference of the villain to human life gets a little hard to take, in the end he gets what he deserves, mostly through the hard work of Rhyme and Sachs. At the end, a twist we never expected helped explain some otherwise puzzling developments during the case. Just one caveat - it appears to us from the lack of much background on our leading man and lady that it might help to read this series in order - Deaver's technique of unfolding the bare minimum of character development in each successive story may detract from these otherwise interesting and suspenseful tales.

Deaver has managed to keep this unique and incredibly interesting series fresh and new through four books now--with "The Stone Monkey," the fourth, providing a fascinating clash of East and West.
A boatload of illegal Chinese immigrants, most of them vocal dissidents on the mainland, never reaches the shores of the U.S. Their cruel fate is the work of The Ghost, a vicious killer who also doubles as the clandestine agent in charge of smuggling illegal aliens from his homeland.
When The Ghost embarks on a killing spree in New York's Chinatown (having conveniently dispatched his human cargo), Rhyme and Sachs are called into the case. Impatient and haughty Rhyme must learn whole new ways of facing life as he is unwillingly drawn into the "tao of life" by a Chinese cop, one of the few survivors of the fatal voyage. And Sachs must do her usual job while hiding a sad secret.
What gives the story its depth is the constant "yin and yang"--Rhyme needing to absorb and work with the very different Asian way of solving crimes while still using his New York moxie (all in a wheelchair); Sachs and Rhyme juggling their relationship against dual personal problems (Rhyme's upcoming operation and Sach's secret); and Eastern justice meted out secretly--and horribly--on U.S. shores.
This is a fascinating and fast-paced book, not to be missed for fans of the series.

I enjoyed the Blue Nowhere and the movie The Bone Collector. While the pacing and the concept of Lincoln Rhyme and his partner Amelia is interesting, it was marred by his inaccurate and stereotypical representation of China and the Chinese characters.
I can only think he based his research on the book Greiver: An American Monkey King in China, which is the only place I have ever encountered the ridiculously stupid (and female) name of "Kangmei." Deaver didn't have any more of a clue regarding Chinese names than the author of Greiver. In addition he mixes up transliteration systems (which would all be pinyin if they were from Mainland) and Chinese languages (why would Mandarin Chinese speakers give their child the Cantonese Chinese name of Po-yi?)
He makes mainland China sound like it's made up of backwater fishing villages, when it has it's share of modern cities. He has characters praying to Chinese Gods. Gods like Zhen Wu, which even if most religion hadn't been purged from modern China, is not a figure any Chinese person would choose to pray to!
The addition of the Stone Monkey pendant only confirms that the fictional and inaccurate work of Greiver played a major part in Deaver's research.
Perhaps those who don't know any better and who don't care otherwise will find this an enjoyable read. I probably would have as well, if the glaring stereotypes and errors hadn't been as annoying as a hundred papercuts rubbed with lemon juice the entire time.

I started this series on the recommendation of a friend. I enjoy book series and getting to know the characters and dynamics between them. This is the first one in the series. I'm up to book 4 and I have to say this one is my least favorite. So keep after it! They get better and better.

I really think Deaver is one of the better American writers of this genre...but is it absolutely necessary to cram his stories full of offensive language? I was always taught by both my parents and my professors in writing and English, that if a writer had to resort to constant use of foul language, that those people did not have anything of import to say. It's getting to the point very quickly with Deaver that I will cease to pick up his books if he doesn't curtail the language a bit. It's not that I am prudish (ok, well maybe I am) or naive that this stuff doesn't go on in the 'real' world. As a deaf person, I am lucky. I don't have to hear this constantly. I certainly don't want to read it constantly either!
Having said that...I thought the plot was plausible and intriguing. I am always sad to read about the absolute indignities and dangers that immigrants risk trying to come to our country. I am also aware that we Americans tend to be less than cordial for whatever reasons, even though I figured and Deaver clarified that those coming over here from Asia are more educated and less liable to be users of our welfare system, then many of the people who have been here for centuries.
Deaver threw a few curveballs in here, and even though I thought about the possibility that a certain character was involved as the 'bad guy' everyone was looking for, the plot device that Deaver used ended up surprising me a bit. Other than the language, the book was enjoyable. Since Deaver is a mystery writer, I don't expect him to pad his stories a lot with romance. If I wanted that particular genre I'd look at other authors. As always, the forensic science is interesting, and Deaver keeps up-to-date with the new technology coming out involving care for quads and also assistive technology that makes it possible for those of us with disabilities to participate in the real world through computers.
Karen Sadler

A shipload of illegal Chinese immigrants sinks off the coast of Long Island. It appears an explosion has occurred which succeeded in destroying not only the ship but killing many of the passengers onboard. One of the survivors is a smuggler of the Chinese into this country. He is a ruthless killer nicknamed "The Ghost" because he has never been caught and always is ahead of the authorities. The Ghost is intent on killing any of the other survivors of the ship. Involved in the manhunt to capture the killer is the quadriplegic police investigator, Lincoln Rhyme, with his assistant, Amelia Sachs. Rhyme has set up a police lab in his apartment and with the help of the officers in his division, is involved in a cat and mouse chase of The Ghost.
Jeffrey Deaver has written another successful thriller starring one of his most memorable creations, Lincoln Rhyme. Much effort and empathy has gone into the subplot of the plight of the illegal Chinese immigrant. In attempting to write a nonstop action thriller, Jeffrey Deaver resorts to certain stock devices such as some of the impossible escapes of the villain. Sometimes Lincoln's assumptions based on the evidence presented to him are a bit of a stretch. This is something that has occurred in the other Lincoln Rhyme novels. However, characters are well thought out and the story is quite clever and entertaining. Overall, a recommended read

The Lincoln Rhyme plus Amelia Sachs chemistry lives and works in yet another mystery full of suspense and a completely new plot that is a true page turner. Chinese smuggling of human cargo sets the pace from page one; with the New York harbor in sight the Ghost sinks the ship rather than be boarded by the US Coast Guard. The Ghost is a particularly viscious smuggler/killer who is determine to murder the few survivors of the shipwreck. One of the survivors, a Chinese policeman convinces Lincoln to allow him to work with Lincoln's team to hunt down the Ghost. The ensuing trip through New York's Chinatown and some Chinese family culture as these survivors try to stay hidden and alive is fast paced and captivating. Stone Monkey is Jeffery Deaver's best mystery yet and Lincoln remains the best forensic specialist in spite of his handicaps. He and Amelia are an unlikely couple but the chemistry continues to work. If you like following a complicated mystery through to a successful conclusion, you will want to read Stone Monkey.