The Twelfth Card (Lincoln Rhyme Series #6)

Typical hero thriller!

Admittedly, this is the first Deaver book I have read, muchless a "Rhymes" series book.

I have to make this short. But essentially it was an overall good read. Though predictable in the character's having access to all the necessary agencies and equipment. Not to forget, "arriving just in the nick of time" to thwart the criminal from completing his job.

It was a book and I didn't ever not want to continue reading. It was my "lunch" book and did it's job of taking me away from the office for an hour.

Deaver pulls out a joker in THE TWELFTH CARD.

For over the past decade, bestselling mystery writer Jeffery Deaver has astonished readers with the creation of Lincoln Rhyme, the fictional quadriplegic who, throughout the notorious series, has successfully answered the one question lingering from everyone's mind: how can you solve a crime that you cannot see? Throughout the books, fans have become aware of not only the elevated brilliance of the well known criminalist, but also of the love interest that he shares with his partner, Amelia Sachs. Despite of the some of the graphic crime scenes that two have had to encounter behind the yellow police tape, Deaver fails to deliver in THE TWELFTH CARD.

In this sixth series entry, the duo take on a case that they have never took on before; one that has gone cold for 140 years. Throughout the entire case, both Rhyme and Sachs try in their best efforts to protect Geneva Settle, a sixteen-year old Harlem student who nearly gets ambushed by a crazed assassin in the beginning scenes of the book. By digging further into the investigation, Rhyme and Sachs later discover that the ruthless assassin may be after her because of a term paper she is working on regarding Charles Singleton, a former slave and an ancestor of Geneva's. Moreover, they find out that the madman who skulks Geneva leaves his calling card of the Hanged Man, the "twelfth card" in the tarot deck. They also discover that Charles witheld a devastating secret that he found to be too ahamed to reveal. Thoughout the investigation, questions linger through Rhyme and Sachs: Why is this crazed madman on the hunt for innocent blood? What secrets are lied within his calling card? And most important, what type of "secret" would Charles have had been veiling for all this time?

Sad to say, Deaver disappoints his fans in this entry. Throughout the majority of the narration of the book, readers will become exposed with various slang that they will happen to find tedious. Such figures of speech impedes Deaver's main talent in psychological writing. As he did in THE STONE MONKEY, the author yet again fails to deliver what makes this series enjoyable for readers.

A key literary element that seems to torpedo Deaver's attempt lies within the one-dimensional character development of not only Rhyme, but of also the majority of the other remaining characters. Througout the investigation, the interaction of characters made by Rhyme lackes the ecstacy that made the disabled criminalist popular.

Without a doubt, Deaver fans will also get the impression of having their intelligence insulted. Thoughout the book, the author provides a myriad amount of historical detail based on hearsay rather than actual research. Fans will become annoyed by his deversion from the well-known police procedural into a tale of historical uncertainty. Sure enough, readers will realize sooner or later that the details provided in this book was not anything in which they have learned or studied in history class.

THE TWELFTH CARD is yet indeed another disappointing attempt by Deaver. By the lack of character development and research, readers can certainly argue that this churning is actually a publication deadline rather than a piece of literature.

Very disappointing

I love all of the Lincoln Rhymes books and bought this one eagerly. By the time I'd read a few chapters, though, I was feeling very disappointed. I kept picking the book back up, trying to give it another chance, but finally laid it down and never went back to it (something I simply never do with books). The speech throughout the book was horrendous and tedious, the plot line was nothing but dull, the characters I could not even care about - I don't know what happened with this book, but I really hope Mr. Deaver gets back in the game with his next book. I would not recommend this book to anyone for any reason.

Alright....but could have been better

I love Deaver's books...however this book was lacking in a few ways. All in all the character's were likeable and it had the typical feel of a Jeffery Deaver novel. My problem with the book lies in the speach. It really did sound like a white guy trying to sound black...and it didn't work for me. I can't wait for his next book...I truly hope it's better.

What a Page Turner!!!

The Twelve Card is fraught with twist, all of which you never see coming. Mr. Deaver has a great talent for writing, and is one of the least of writers that actually knows how to hold a reader¿s attention. Though ¿page-turner¿ is used out of context nowadays, The Twelve Card lives up to it.

too unrealistic

Love Deaver, love Lincoln Rhyme, but this one was simply too much. Not at all believable. The story was interesting, and it moved well, but some of the stretches the readers are asked to make are just too far.

NOT HIS BEST WORK!

Being that is was a Lincoln Rhyme story I expected it to be great like his other books. BUt this book just did not make the cut. It had a poor plot line. I couldn't stand the character's. How they talked and how it was just too unreal. The twist weren't good enough to keep me reading. It made it feel like it was a drag to keep reading. I love his other Lincoln Rhyme novels this one i just couldn't stand.

Deaver and Rhyme at their BEST

Jeffery Deaver writes another great Lincoln Rhyme novel. This one is about Geneva Settle, a 16 year old black girl who is researching her ancestor, Charles Singleton who lived during the Civil War. He was active in the early Civil Right movement but the newspaper report tells of his arrest for theft. While Geneva is at the Black History Museum looking at the micro fiche tapes, she is attacked by Thompson Boyd. But Geneva is smarter than Boyd. She sets up a mannequin in her place and runs. In steps Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs to help the police figure out why Geneva is the target of Boyd. Boyd is willing to sacrifice innocents to accomplish what he was hired to do. Who hired him and why? Is he working alone? Why has he become a person who feels nothing? Another problem arises when Lincoln discovers that Geneva¿s parents are fictitious and she is living on her own. She is doing very well in school so no one suspects the real situation. Where are her mom and dad? And, of course, there is always the side of the story where Lincoln¿s paralysis comes in. This time, he is exercising to attempt to create even a small amount of movement. Does all the hard work bring about what Lincoln hopes for? The twists and turns of this story kept me wanting to listen long into the night. The reader, Dennis Boutsikaris, is adept at voice inflections and keeps the reader interested by not becoming monotone. He is clear and precise in his pronunciation of the words and does very well when reading the Black English Vernacular. The Twelfth Card provides historical background on the civil rights movement and how hard life was for the black man. It also tell of what hard work and determination of a teenager can bring about and of Lincoln¿s constant struggle to gain even a little bit of freedom from the paralysis he suffers.

Can't wait to read it!

I loved ever single Lincoln Rhyme novel so far, and every Deaver book as well. I can't wait to read it, and if it is like any other book written by Deaver, it will become an instant classic!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of his BEST!

I always look forward to reading the next Lincoln Ryhme novel, and this one kept me guessing at every turn. The character, Geneva Settles, is extremely likeable from the start and you're rooting for her the whole way. She does have some of her own surprises as well that are thrown into the mix well. The ending (g's??) is gratifying and surprising. What will Lincoln be doing in the next book? I can't wait to find out.

not up to his usual standards

good main character developement but secondary characters poorly laid out not real believable a former gangbanger pretends to be a school counselor that would not work in real life the legal action taken would of ended up in court for year and years no bank would give up like that and the villian would not try to kill his prey on a campus with a loud messy shotgun not nearly his best work

Outstanding and unputdownable

Sixteen years old high school student Geneva Settle is at the Museum of African American Culture early in the morning reading microfilmed copies of Coloreds Weekly Illustrated in the basement. She is interested in researching her ancestor Charles Singleton, a slave who was freed by his master, given a farm, but eventually incarcerated for robbery. Geneva hears a noise and takes off running because she knows it was the click of a gun...................... Thompson Boyd, a killer for hire, was going to murder her and he was using a rape kit as camouflage to disguise how the young woman had to die. Police consultant Lincoln Rhyme, a paraplegic and his lover and partner Amelia Sachs are assigned the case. They hire a security firm to watch over her because she is the target of the killer. Thompson Boyd outwits them at every turn but luck keeps Geneva alive until they catch the hitman. However the person who wants Geneva dead still plans to kill her as she can destroy all he worked so hard to possess.................... THE TWELFTH CARD is an exciting police procedural that centers on a high school student who has survived on her own for two years and has no idea why someone wants her dead. Jeffrey Deaver¿s strength as a writer is his ability to create characters, major and secondary, that readers come to care about. Fans will feel for the policeman who loses his nerve; the hero who fears being tested to see if he regained any feeling in his paralyzed body; and the student who doesn¿t understand why her world is in danger of detonating.......................... Harriet Klausner

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