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dark_library_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
paulabrandon's review against another edition
2.0
Quadraplegic crime scene whiz Lincolm Rhyme and his police partner Amelia Sachs come to the assistance of young Geneva Settle, a Harlem girl who is the inexplicable target of a dedicated hitman. They try to figure out who the hitman is and why he's after Geneva. Could it really be linked to the death of one of her ancestors, who confessed in a letter he was hiding a big secret?
I was interested in reading a Lincoln Rhyme book, as I had not read one before. I've also collected a few Jeffery Deaver books over the years from op shops. Unfortunately, I found this book to be quite dry and dull. The action is sporadic and the pacing is slow. Most disappointing was the fact that this was a procedural story. They're not my thing. I was not a CSI fan, and have never found much interest in the methodic collection and examination of crime scene material.
There are attempts to give a background to the hitman and I was quite intrigued by the revelation that he I liked Geneva, even though she was a little too perfect and virtuous. As for Lincoln and Amelia, they both came off as surprisingly flat. The cast surrounding them had more personality and were more interesting.
Many plot twists abound, but too many of them are of the variety where they don't actually add to the narrative all that much, such as. Or they're so out of left-field that they require a ton of info-dumping to reveal how they came about. The author has an annoying tendency to end a scene right at the point of action, only for the next chapter to retroactively tell us how it resolved.
I've got a couple of other Deaver books, so I'll give one of them a go eventually, but The Twelfth Card was a stodgy affair and never pulled me in.
I was interested in reading a Lincoln Rhyme book, as I had not read one before. I've also collected a few Jeffery Deaver books over the years from op shops. Unfortunately, I found this book to be quite dry and dull. The action is sporadic and the pacing is slow. Most disappointing was the fact that this was a procedural story. They're not my thing. I was not a CSI fan, and have never found much interest in the methodic collection and examination of crime scene material.
There are attempts to give a background to the hitman and I was quite intrigued by the revelation that he
Spoiler
used to work as an executioner for death row prisoners. Could you even imagine what being in that line of work was like?Many plot twists abound, but too many of them are of the variety where they don't actually add to the narrative all that much, such as
Spoiler
Geneva's parents not existingI've got a couple of other Deaver books, so I'll give one of them a go eventually, but The Twelfth Card was a stodgy affair and never pulled me in.
gabmc's review against another edition
2.0
Jeffry Deaver is such a good plotter - this book had me changing my mind about who and why right up until the very end. Geneva Settle is a school girl researching an ancestor - a freedman who might have committed a robbery. She is in the library before opening hours and hears someone - she thinks quickly and escapes. Lincoln Rhyme and his team are called in. They soon realise they are dealing with a professional as there is very little evidence left at the crime scene. One thing I really like about this series is the 'evidence charts' that are included -- I feel like I can really play along and be detective. Is it possible that Geneva's research into something that happened over 140 years ago could be relevant to the attempt on her life today? Or could she have witnessed something while she was in the library? Really good book.
peter_gagne's review against another edition
3.0
A good Deaver read, with Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs. I just got the feeling that Deaver got the "black stuff" a little off. It felt forced and not quite real. Of course, I'm a while guy readign this several years after it came out, so I'm a bit removed from 2006 "black speak". Worth the read, but nothing to write home about.
littlemissgemreads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
amathison's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
If you’re only going to read one Jeffery Deaver, this is the one. Lots of twists and turns
jwoodsum's review against another edition
4.0
This is the third Lincoln Rhyme book that I've finsihed (I'm reading them out of order). This one had the usual cast - Linclon and Amelia and thier helpers - plus a lovely secondary character, teenager Geneva Settle. Geneva is a fiesty teenager determined to get out of Harlem (which she equates with hopelessness and poverty) by studying hard so she can attend college. Great sub-plot involving post-Civil War NYC and civil rights efforts in the 19th century. A very tricky villain (or villains as it turns out).
stevem0214's review against another edition
3.0
Good book, but a little long for my taste. I got lost a couple of times in the story and had to figure out what was going on! It does have a really great ending though.