The Vanished Man - Jeffrey Deaver

For those of you who saw the movie The Bone Collector - this book is by the same author that wrote the book that movie was based on.  You won't be sorry to read it.

"The Vanished Man (2003)

It begins at a prestigious music school in New York City.  A killer flees the scene of a homicide and locks himself in a classroom.  Within minutes, the police have him surrounded. When a scream rings out, followed by a gunshot, they break down the door. The room is empty.

Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are brought in to help with the high-profile investigation. For the ambitious Sachs, solving the case could earn her a promotion. For the quadriplegic Rhyme, it means relying on his protégée to ferret out a master illusionist they've dubbed "the conjurer" who baits them with gruesome murders that become more diabolical with each fresh crime. As the fatalities rise and the minutes tick down, Rhyme and Sachs must move beyond the smoke and mirrors to prevent a terrifying act of vengeance that could become the greatest vanishing act of all.

The Vanished Man is available now in paperback in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. It will be released in paperback in the USA and Canada in June 2004.

Reviews:

"Often, it's the details that help solve crimes, and no one does detail better than Deaver, particularly by way of the forensic expertise of Lincoln Rhymes and Amelia Sachs... Well-researched and exciting, this has all the elements of good crime fiction: likable leads, a colorful supporting cast, fascinating scientific analysis, and a look at the secrets of an otherwise unknown world. A sure hit."  – Booklist

"This is prime Deaver." – Publishers Weekly

"...the book's plotting and pacing—featuring twist upon twist and reversal upon reversal—are nothing short of dazzling, reminiscent of Agatha Christie at her best. Deaver proves himself an accomplished illusionist, misdirecting your attention with one hand while slipping a firecracker down your pants with the other."  – Amazon.com "

Synopsis above courtesy of www.jeffreydeaver.com