The Coffin Dancer

Jeffery Deaver / 杨孟哲New Star Press · ChinaAug 2018

Rating 4.3
Word count
233K words
Chapters
6
ISBN
9787802255050

Tags

Foreign Literature Forensic ScienceMaster of DisguiseBombing MysteryCat-and-MouseRace Against TimeCountdownPsychological TacticsCriminal PsychologyAmerican Thriller

Summary

As a plane explodes in midair, forensic scientist Lincoln Rhyme and his beautiful partner Amelia Sachs face a new challenge: tracking down the mysterious killer behind the attack, a man who changes disguises faster than the next victim appears. Their only clue is a tattoo depicting Death dancing with a beautiful woman on a coffin. They have only forty-eight hours left and must prevent two murders. Amelia, determined to charge ahead, nearly walks into a death trap, and even Lincoln Rhyme seems to have fallen into another, larger trap...

Editor's review

The Coffin Dancer is a landmark installment in Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series, earning a high rating of 8.1 on Douban. The novel continues Deaver's signature intricate plotting and breakneck pacing but moves the stage from New York to Las Vegas, injecting fresh dramatic tension into the series. In this editor's view, the book's most outstanding quality is its construction of a double mystery—not only tracking the mysterious assassin code-named 'the Coffin Dancer' but also dissecting a crisis of trust within the law-enforcement system. Deaver's dedication to forensic detail reaches a new height here; every trace of microscopic evidence becomes a gear driving the plot forward, while Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs's partnership undergoes a severe test amid the crisis.

In terms of narrative technique, Deaver adopts a multi-threaded strategy, weaving the investigation line, the killer line, and the internal-review line into a dense net, and the final reversal when the net closes is both unexpected and perfectly fitted. Particularly noteworthy is the shaping of 'the Coffin Dancer' as a villain who transcends simple evil: his motives mix tragedy with a paranoid yet internally coherent logic, giving the confrontation between good and evil psychological depth. For series readers, this book is an important turning point in Lincoln Rhyme's character arc; for new readers, it is a top-tier crime-suspense novel that stands on its own. Deaver proves here that genre literature can also carry complex explorations of human nature.

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Reading tips

  1. Set aside uninterrupted reading time, as the plot is tightly linked and hard to put down
  2. Pay some attention to the laying out of microscopic evidence clues; these are often the key to solving the mystery
  3. After finishing, compare with earlier Lincoln Rhyme books to observe the character's evolution

About the publisher

New Star Press China · Founded in 1989

New Star Press focuses on classic works, mystery and detective fiction, science fiction, history, foreign literature and art, and its 602 titles in the library show a balance between popular reading and humanistic depth. Representative books include The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Illustrated Collector's Edition, And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, The Player of Games, Local Government in Qing China, A Good Man Is Hard to Find and A Collection of Fine Ukiyo-e Prints, spanning classic literature, detective fiction, science fiction, local history and visual art. Its authors and contributors include William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie and Iain M. Banks, as well as translators such as Zhu Shenghao and Su Fuzhong and illustrators such as John Gilbert and George Cruikshank. Known for the detective series Midnight Library and for social-science and humanities titles, the press emphasizes edition design and reading experience; public information is limited, so this profile highlights the publishing features reflected in the library's books.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 第一部 太多种死亡的方式
  3. 第二部 杀人地带
  4. 第三部 最高明的技艺
  5. 第四部 猴子伎俩
  6. 第五部 死神之舞

FAQ

Will not having read earlier books in the series affect my understanding? Basically no. Deaver provides enough background information in this book, and the case stands on its own, but knowing the earlier books helps you better grasp the evolution of the characters' relationships.
Are the forensic details in the novel professional and credible? Deaver is known for rigorous research; the forensic procedures and technical methods he describes are based on real investigative techniques and stand up to scrutiny.
What are the pace and tension like in this book? It opens with a high-tension event and then maintains rapid momentum, with multiple twists in the middle; it is tightly paced narrative with no dull stretches throughout.

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About the author

Jeffery Deaver Author · United States · 1950

Jeffery Deaver is an American suspense and crime novelist born in 1950. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and Fordham University School of Law. His writing is known for intricate plotting and narrative tension. His representative works include the Lincoln Rhyme series, featuring a paralyzed detective, beginning with The Bone Collector, which has been adapted for film and television multiple times. His other works include The Sniper's Room, The Angel's Horn, The Coffin Dancer, The Broken Window, The Empty Chair, The Stone Monkey, and The Burning Wire. In the Chinese book market, his works are often categorized as suspense and mystery, premium fiction, and foreign literature. Deaver has also been invited to continue the 007 series, reflecting his broad influence in genre fiction.

杨孟哲 Author

Yang Mengzhe is an author about whom limited public information is available. Two works are currently attributed to this name, namely The Coffin Dancer and Baudolino, both commonly classified under foreign literature. Judging from the titles and the category, Yang's writing or translation activity centers on literary works from abroad and may touch on suspense, historical, or fantasy themes, yet no clear record exists of nationality, dates of birth and death, education, or personal experience, and speculation is inappropriate. With no existing author profile in the database, readers' understanding of the full scope of Yang's work remains quite limited. On the available evidence, the name Yang Mengzhe is chiefly linked to these two works and plays a role as author or translator in the transmission and reading of foreign literature. The two titles differ noticeably in tone, the former leaning toward suspense and thriller elements, the latter toward history and reflection, suggesting interests that are not confined to a single genre. Overall, Yang Mengzhe's profile as a writer still awaits fuller public documentation.