Book info

• Title The Skin Collector
• Author Jeffery Deaver
• Year 2014
• Genre Thriller

They have never seen a murder like it - but something about this killer is all too familiar... A new type of serial killer is stalking the streets of New York - one more devious and disturbing than ever before. A talented tattoo artist is using poison instead of ink. His victim is a young woman. And on her skin he's left a message: 'the second'. Processing the scene, NYPD detective Lincoln Rhyme and his associate Amelia Sachs find just one trace of evidence. A scrap of paper that connects this case with one they will never forget: the killer they called The Bone Collector...

Thoughts

The next instalment in Lincoln Rhyme’s saga, and you can sort of feel the formulaic nature of this one from the very beginning. The same selection of characters are in place, doing roughly the same things, chasing after the same sort of criminals - usually crimes within crimes - and with the same sort of twists and turns.

Having said that, and as always with these books, there’s just enough to keep it interesting. Ron trying his hand at going undercover, the saga that Lon goes through, Sachs and Pam (although in all honesty, I don’t buy into their relationship as much as the author wishes I did), and Lincoln’s ongoing obsession with his nemesis.

It was entertaining enough, and whilst not pushing the boat out in any way, as a comfort read, it’s pretty good.

Rating: 3 / 5