Book info

• Title The Stone Monkey
• Author Jeffery Deaver
• Year 2002
• Genre Thriller

Investigators Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are recruited to track down a cargo ship carrying two dozen illegal Chinese immigrants, as well as the notorious human smuggler and killer known only as the Ghost. But when the capture goes disastrously wrong, Lincoln and Amelia find themselves in a race to stop the Ghost before he can track down and murder the two surviving families who have vanished deep into the labyrinthine world of New York City's Chinese community. Over the next forty-eight hours the Ghost ruthlessly hunts for the families while Rhyme struggles desperately to find them first. Meanwhile, Sachs pursues a very different kind of policework - forming a connection with one of the immigrants that may have far reaching consequences for her relationship with her partner and lover, Lincoln Rhyme.

Thoughts

After the exploits of the last book, where Rhyme and Sachs were somewhat out of their comfort zone in the country, this time they’re firmly back in New York. Instead, the foreign nature of the crimes comes to their door as they are dealing with Chinese people smuggling racket, and hunting the mastermind behind the whole thing.

I really liked the way this story unfolded, that Sachs had to take on some really unusual crime scenes, that Rhyme actually made a friend (sad times, though), and that there were the usual twists and turns along the way.

My only complaint is that there was one moment where it was obvious what was going on. Sachs asking ‘what are these herbs the criminal bought’ seconds after someone says to her ‘I bought you these herbs.’ I feel like, especially given all her experiences so far, she maybe could have connected those dots quicker. But it’s easy for me to say that from my lofty position as the reader! Great work as always.

Rating: 4 / 5