Book Review: The Vanished Man

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Vanished Man     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Jeffery Wilds Deaver
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller   Police Procedural
Series: Lincoln Rhyme # 5
Simon & Schuster, March 2003, $25.95, 413 pp.

He is the Conjurer, a master illusionist and magician who makes Houdini seem like an amateur. He no longer performs publicly because a fire left him with horrible burn scars on his face and neck and lung damage so he can no longer interact with an audience. Instead of public performances, he kills people with his first victim murdered in an odd and vicious way, performing for an audience that exists in his own mind.

Quadriplegic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme and New York Police Officer Amelia Sachs, his partner both in work and in their personal lives struggle to catch the Conjurer but he is a master escape artist who successfully eludes his captors many times. His misdirection is so brilliant that he even fools the brilliant Rhyme as to what his ultimate goal is. If Lincoln fails to figure it out soon, many more innocents will die.

Anyone who likes a great police procedural or enjoys learning about a magician’s tricks will want to read THE VANISHED MAN. There are so many twists and red herrings in the story line that the audience will feel as bewildered as Lincoln is by the clever sleight of the hand plotting of Jeffrey Deaver. The brilliant writer tells a strong tale that includes a beautiful relationship and love story between the hero and his assistant.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner