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The Burning Wire (Lincoln Rhyme #9)

by Jeffery Deaver (Goodreads Author)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 5,827 ratings · 489 reviews

Deaver's latest Lincoln Rhymenovel brings back the brilliant criminologist and his partner/paramour with the plot line that fans have clamored for.

About the plot:
As Earth Day approaches, someone breaks into the power company and starts manipulating the electric grid in New York City to create "arc flashes," 5000-degree sparks that leap from electrical outlets and kill anyb...more

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published June 1st 2010 by Simon & Schuster

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Mar 04, 2011 Paula marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Wait, is this in German? I don't think my German is that good.

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Nov 02, 2012 Ubik 2.0 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Terra, mozziconi, qualche pezzetto di carta, viti e bulloni, frammenti di escrementi di roditori, capelli, fibre di stoffa, incarti di caramelle e di fast-food, granelli di cemento, sassolini. L’epidermide degli scantinati di New York.”

Condivido l’osservazione critica di molti lettori che mi hanno preceduto: d’accordo che Deaver è sempre particolarmente attento ai risvolti scientifici delle vicende che narra, sui quali si tiene costantemente aggiornato, ma stavolta pare che si sia fatto prend...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Lizzie Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars

‘The Burning Wire’ by Jeffery Deaver

11.20 am New York’s Manhattan's electricity grid begins to record critical failures in several sections and gradually section after section goes down. A blast from a sub station kills one person and injures several others in an electrical explosion that jumps from the sub-station to a bus stopped nearby, and the city is in panic.

While the FBI try to determine just who is behind this horrific attack, world-class forensic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme, a quadriple...more ‘The Burning Wire’ by Jeffery Deaver

11.20 am New York’s Manhattan's electricity grid begins to record critical failures in several sections and gradually section after section goes down. A blast from a sub station kills one person and injures several others in an electrical explosion that jumps from the sub-station to a bus stopped nearby, and the city is in panic.

While the FBI try to determine just who is behind this horrific attack, world-class forensic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme, a quadriplegic, assembles his team, NYPD detective Amelia Sachs and officer Ron Pulaski, who discover anomalies in the sub station and seek by forensics to uncover the method used to create the circumstances that caused a blast of electricity in the sub station.

This is the first book I have read in this series and I am aware that there are nine earlier books in the series. That this is a dedicated team is evident by the worry shown to Lincoln Rhyme - his blood pressure and his general health, are part of the book. And as the investigation progresses his physical limitations threaten to drive away his closest allies just when he needs them most.

There is an enormous mount of information about electricity which maybe people will find fascinating but I admit I didn’t. I read for the mystery, not to learn that my hair dryer puts out 10 amps - about back feed – low voltage - juice to hurt you, current in one wire connecting to another wire…… not information that interests me, and there was much of this. However, as the story progresses and more and more of these attacks continue across the city we understand that the author is setting the scene to explain just what is happening, and that is, that the perpetrator is reconnecting a few wires in a house or office so that the bathtub, the sink, the computer keyboard, the simple desk lamp, can kill!.

Then the demand letters start to appear…..

Whilst urgently seeking the person behind these attacks, Rhyme is consulting on another high-profile investigation in Mexico, a hired killer known, Logan, known as the Watchmaker, one of the few criminals to have eluded Rhyme. Handling two massive investigations takes a toll on Rhyme's health.

Clearly this is a must for all Lincoln Rhyme fans, and it’s a forensics dream as Rhyme describes and explains as they gather evidence.
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Lizzie Hayes
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Aug 14, 2012 Rush rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really waited long enough to buy this book. And this one was worth it, especially for people who follow lincoln rhyme books. No wonder why i give it 5 stars.
The story is literally mindblowing. A killer who uses electricity to kill people and makes demands that cannot be met. He rigs wires in a way that in the first incident, it leaves 20 people injured and one dead. Soon Rhyme and Sachs come up and take the case, and it leads to them concluding that he will strike again. The concept of electri...more I really waited long enough to buy this book. And this one was worth it, especially for people who follow lincoln rhyme books. No wonder why i give it 5 stars.
The story is literally mindblowing. A killer who uses electricity to kill people and makes demands that cannot be met. He rigs wires in a way that in the first incident, it leaves 20 people injured and one dead. Soon Rhyme and Sachs come up and take the case, and it leads to them concluding that he will strike again. The concept of electricity, the omnipresent weapon, is used well by Deaver to make t a great case. The case is slow moving, but the thrill leaves you entranced by hat all electricity can actually do.
But there's obviously more to what meets the eye, and in the case of this book, it is the crux of the book.
Firstly , its the Watchmaker(a delight to all those who've read the cold moon). He is this time in mexico, on a mission that they are yet to determine. Kathryn Dance(another delight) is on the case with officials in mexico and rhyme too decides to give his ideas and help them nail the watchmaker. This alternative track is really interesting, given that the Watchmaker is rhyme's equal and both have scored a one all in the earlier books( The cold moon, and the broken window).
And secondly, it is the conflicts within the characters themselves. Generally, in Deaver's books, it is one character that faces a conflict in life. But to my surprise, in this book, you can say that half of the lot faces conflicts(though boring in the beginning, they also manage to keep up the pace of the book).
There's Rhyme, whose health is deteriorating, thanks to the two tedious cases he has to manage. This puts some more trouble to Thom,his caretaker. Furthermore, certain events unfold that again cause more conflict in Rhyme.
Then we have Ron Pulaski and Fred Dellray, who have their own conflicts. Dellray is losing his touch in the FBI thanks to the newer generation of technology and cloud generation. His old hobby of snitches and dressing up and going undercover doesnt seem to yield any great results and he thinks his job's now in jeopardy. Ron pulaski,well, is just not confident and the idea of electricity being a weapon scares him everytime because of which an incident happens, and he faces a conflict because of it.
In the end, all these alternate tracks do coincide with each other and become one track, which is just another surprise to the reader.
Moreover, I would recommend that people should read other books on Rhyme before starting with The
Burning Wire, as they will enjoy it much more if they know the characters in the book.
Fans of Deaver will love to see some characters like Arthur Rhyme and Parker Kincaid make short appearances throughout the book. Though there's one downside. Unlike The Broken Window, Pam Willoughby does not appear in the book(Really enjoyed her track in the previous book :p).
Concluding, this book is "one hell of a read", more because of the abrupt but amazing ending it has, where all the characters rush to the hospital. Don't wanna mention more cause it would spoil the fun of the book. (less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Harry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-antagonists, detective-mystery, favorites

By far, Jeffery Deaver is the one author with that uncanny ability to develop plot twists and very complex characters that leave you stunned to the end. If you've seen the movie, trust me, the books are far more ingenious and developed as compared to what we were presented with on the silver screen. The Bone Collector is a series novel starring Lincoln Rhyme, our famous forensics expert bound to his bed and mobile wheelchair.

Reading this novel I am reminded to never commit a crime. The art of fo...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jeffery Deaver- The Burning Wire 4 Stars

Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are back as they take on a killer who is using the New York City’s electricity to murder innocent civilians. They must now find a reason behind the attacks in order to figure out just who is committing them. Stopping them may just be the scariest thing they have ever done. At the same time Rhyme is trying to put a stop to the Watchmaker who is in Mexico. He is assisting the Mexican police force and Agent Dance.

This book had...more

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Feb 15, 2012 James Perkins rated it 2 of 5 stars

Like all fictional detectives, Lincoln Rhyme has the mind of a genius, only slightly different to the usual: this policeman never visits crime scenes and he never chases criminals down the street. He is a quadraplegic. Confined to a wheelchair, only able to move his head and a couple of fingers, he lets his mind and his police colleagues conduct the investigation. Unfortunately, it comes across as nothing more than a gimmick to make this detective different. I lost my suspension of disbelief whe...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Dlora rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure-action, murder-mystery, suspense-thriller

I know my husband (and maybe Melissa) is getting tired of Lincoln Rhyme being so smart he is almost infallible, but I am fascinated with the things I learn in his books. In this one, I learned about the power industry. Because Greg is an electrical engineer I should be more familiar with electricity, but I have to admit it sort of seems like magic to me. I thought Deaver did a good job explaining ohms and voltage and amps so I could understand (not that I'll necessary remember for long!). I enjo...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, new-york, mystery, csi

Lincoln Rhyme is the original Grissom. Back before CSI New York, long before Hoartio put on his first pair of sunglasses and before Vegas had such a strong crime resolution rate, Jeffery Deaver wrote the first Lincoln Rhyme book – The Bone Collector, about a paraplegic forensic analyst who can solve crime just by studying the evidence. Using a former model, turned cop, Amelia Sachs as his legs and eyes on the scene he is able to pin point future action from the smallest of crumbs, the tiniest sp...more Lincoln Rhyme is the original Grissom. Back before CSI New York, long before Hoartio put on his first pair of sunglasses and before Vegas had such a strong crime resolution rate, Jeffery Deaver wrote the first Lincoln Rhyme book – The Bone Collector, about a paraplegic forensic analyst who can solve crime just by studying the evidence. Using a former model, turned cop, Amelia Sachs as his legs and eyes on the scene he is able to pin point future action from the smallest of crumbs, the tiniest splat of mud and the hint of perfume in the air.

The Burning Wire is the ninth in the series and is has complex and intriguing as ever. However, as the perpetrator this time is killing with electricity the first half of the book feels a little like a text book as Jeffery Deaver attempts to explain ‘juice’ to us. Various methods of death by electricity are gruesome to read and have a cinematic feel to them – but getting to the understanding behind them felt a little like hard work at times. However, this is balanced by the paranoia the usually confident Amelia displays – how do you protect yourself from some as invisible as electricity – especially when it is around us all the time? This humanising element is something that balances out the cold science – and the reason why I keep reading!

For me the joy of these books is never being able to figure out who done it – because this isn’t an investigate about the motives but the journey of how to narrow down and capture the suspect. Lincoln is not a very sympathetic character – although he is intelligent and professional. After eight books I never concerned myself about his disability anymore, so I was concerned when his former suicidal ideas seem to resurface here. It’s not Lincoln that keeps me coming back but Amelia, Fred Dellaware and Ron Pulaski who are more relatable and human. I still enjoyed the journey here even if it felt a little harder than previously to get my head around electricity. An intelligent thriller for those you like a little challenge in their crime novels.
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Jun 20, 2011 Schnaucl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, june, library, mystery_crime, read_2011, series, last_in_currently_following_series

I enjoyed this book. I didn't figure out the mystery ahead of time, which I always appreciate.

There were times where it felt like Deaver was putting in some of the information about electricity because he'd found out some cool fact and wanted to share it (or maybe prove he'd done his research) rather than because it was strictly necessary. But I can live with that, especially since I thought the use of electricity as a murder weapon was innovative.

I also thought the information about green ener...more I enjoyed this book. I didn't figure out the mystery ahead of time, which I always appreciate.

There were times where it felt like Deaver was putting in some of the information about electricity because he'd found out some cool fact and wanted to share it (or maybe prove he'd done his research) rather than because it was strictly necessary. But I can live with that, especially since I thought the use of electricity as a murder weapon was innovative.

I also thought the information about green energy was useful and it's something I wish more people understood. I love green energy too -- but there's simply no current technology that can replace more than a fraction of the power we currently get from "dirty" technology. Even if everybody had solar panels on their roof (and the start up costs make that highly unrealistic) it wouldn't be enough.

I'm also not sure why Deaver keeps acting like Sachs driving 70 mph is really fast. Unless she's supposed to be doing it on residential streets or something. Seventy is standard on many portions of the freeway.

(view spoiler)[I really don't know what to do with the assisted suicide thing. It seems entirely random (or incredibly heavy handed about choosing life or death, take your pick). Rhyme just seems like an odd choice as spokesman. He obviously has an active mind and is still accomplishing great things. Why would someone like that be a candidate for assisted suicide. It's not that I fail to understand how becoming disabled could be depressing and make something think of suicide, at least at first. But clearly Rhyme hasn't let it stop him from what he loves and if he were profoundly depressed I don't think he could continue to do what he does.

We had an assisted suicide initiative on the ballot in my state within the last few years. The spokespeople were primarily very successful people, including one who was once high up in the military but had since retired. They also had degenerative incurable diseases that would eventually become not only incredibly painful but rob them of their mental faculties. That, it seems to me, is who you want for your spokesperson.

There's no reason why Rhyme's mental faculties should deteriorate any more than the next person's. His body is crippled, his mind is not. And I know Rhyme keeps saying he doesn't define himself by his disability but clearly that is part of his self definition. He's constantly aware of how people look at him and he frequently calls himself a "crip."

And while we're on the subject, I figured that Rhyme would want to get the surgery. I'm glad Deaver talks about realistic (minimal) improvements. And I understand that Rhyme likes to do things like that alone. That having been said, what he did was exceptionally cruel. It is exponentially worse to be the person waiting rather the person having surgery and by not telling Tom or Sachs about it beforehand he didn't allow them any time to mentally prepare for it. Even when everything is fine waiting takes a toll. When I believed the person having the surgery had the tougher time I would have not been happy with what he did but I could understand it. Having been on both sides of the issue I can't cut him any slack.

I also thought it was really interesting that after The Broken Window which was largely about how much information data mining could provide and how accurate it was, this book argues that human intelligence is at least as important if not more so. My personal opinion is they work best in conjunction when both sides respect the other's expertise. (hide spoiler)](less)

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Jun 17, 2011 Dave Sheriton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jeffrey Deaver has become my favourite author, particularly with the Lincoln Rhyme series. Having released a few books centering on other characters, the launch of a new Rhyme was welcome news indeed. Would it be up to standard? Having promoted other peripheral characters into their own series would he have "lost" the Rhyme theme? I was pleased to find, within the first few pages that he had me hooked, as always, not wanting to put the book down.

I have no intention of giving important plot chang...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Pete Kowalski rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wish there were 10 stars or half stars, would give this 3.5, maybe 4. I rate books pretty high because they draw me in and I'm pretty selective. When I've taken chance they always seem to turn out good, or I move on, which I don't remember happening.

This has 3 main characters pretty much, but others who are developed quite a bit. One of the main characters, who is Lincoln Rhyme (same guy in "the bone collector" which was made into a move with the same name, with Denzel and Angelina Jollie (sp)...more

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Mar 12, 2011 False Millennium rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is one of those authors where I ask myself, "WHY do you bother?" I don't have the answer. Habit, I suppose. Another "junk read" for me and Deaver's in the mid-range of those writers, with Lee Child and Dennis Lehane being on top. With so many of these crime-thriller-mystery writers, they now focus in on a topic (in this case, electricity,) research it to death a la Tom Clancy, then toss in some interesting "facts" to tempt the reader's interest. Here's one: it one takes one-tenth of one amp...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Wanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Yawn. I have been a fan of Deaver's for years. His "The Blue Nowhere" might be one of the best mystery stories that I have ever read. And more recently, I've looked forward to his newest e-books, which Brian and I find to be a great way to pass the miles driven back and forth on I-95 visiting the kids.
This one was a disappointment.
All the usual elements are there, Sachs, Rhyme, crime details, suspense -- but these Sachs-Ryme stories are beginning to sound uncomfortably the same. A crime occurs,...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Sandie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-books, contemporary-lit, thrillers-and-mystery

If a fast moving, exciting suspense thriller is what you're seeking, steer clear of Jeffrey Deaver's latest offering THE BURNING WIRE.

The ingredients necessary to infuse the story with drama are there. We have Lincoln Rhymes, a quadriplegic criminalist who lives in his mind once again matching wits with his nemesis, The Watchmaker. There is also a perpetrator attempting to bring an electrical company to its knees using electricity and arc flashes as his weapon of choice (particularly frightenin...more

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Jun 25, 2010 Andi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been a big fan of Jeffery Deaver for years. Interestingly, he lives, part of the time at least, in my neighborhood, but I've never met him. What I love the most about his books are his skillful handling of twists and his detailed research. I never fail to learn something about an unfamiliar subject reading one of his books. This is especially true of the Lincoln Rhyme books.

This latest entry in the series is one of the best, IMHO. The case is convoluted, the murder weapon unique, and the tw...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Aries rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller

Come detto poco tempo fa, Deaver, dopo un piccolo e momentaneo calo, è riuscito e sta riuscendo a far rialzare la qualità dei propri romanzi più famosi, quelli incentrati sull’azzeccatissimo duo Rhyme/Sachs: Il filo che brucia dimostra questa nuova piega, regalando attimi di puro “piacere da thriller” che qualunque appassionato non potrà non gustare a fondo.
Altra conferma che si sta avendo di romanzo in romanzo è l’evidente desiderio di Deaver di approfondire nuovi ambienti, nuove situazioni, nu...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Patrick Ellard rated it 4 of 5 stars

This ninth and latest entry into the Lincoln Rhyme series of books deals with a serial killer who uses the unlikely method of electricity to murder his victims. Again it's up to Rhyme and his team to try and track down the killer using forensic evidence before he can strike again.

On first thought, electricity doesn't seem like the most interesting of topics and in reality it doesn't quite live up to previous entries into the series but nevertheless Deaver has still managed to create an entertain...more

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May 30, 2011 D.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers

A little tired of trying thriller writers that are new to me, I turned to the last Lincoln Rhyme novel, published in 2010, The Burning Wire.

I got what I expected, but not as thrilled as with the last one in the series The Broken Window. This time, and while I appreciated all of Deaver's thorough knowledge and research for the novel, I found myself bored. There was a great deal in this storyline that would have appealed to people in the business of electricity - and maybe this read would be an e...more A little tired of trying thriller writers that are new to me, I turned to the last Lincoln Rhyme novel, published in 2010, The Burning Wire.

I got what I expected, but not as thrilled as with the last one in the series The Broken Window. This time, and while I appreciated all of Deaver's thorough knowledge and research for the novel, I found myself bored. There was a great deal in this storyline that would have appealed to people in the business of electricity - and maybe this read would be an electrical technician's delight, but I found myself blinded too much by science: watts, amps, cables, wires etc., etc.

I considered that Deaver must have felt the need to include all the 'tech', being the thorough writer he is, but I would have rather been entertained by his using this story to give the reader more to think about in terms of how electricity is marketed, sold and used, rather than his usual choleric descriptions. The reason I say this is because he does, in my opinion, gives the reader various points to ponder: how reliant on power we are and how we always need to pay for what we use to private companies for what is actually an 'essential' service. I felt he could have expanded this. The villain was holding the energy company to ransom, but aren't we all ultimately reliant on how we can pay?

Again, the author has tackled a matter that affects society as a whole, and something that is 'current' ('scuse the pun). The last Rhyme novel featured information amassing, banking and selling. In this novel it was about energy - electricity to be precise - and how that energy we can easily take for granted is something with capacity for unthinkable destructive power. Deaver invents villains that thrive the power of their 'master' minds afford them and pits them against his own brains trust, his character Lincoln Rhyme. It's always refreshing to read an author that values the power of the mind.

I am glad that he ends this novel with some hope for change from the usual. You can only write so many novels with the same backdrop, the same scenario without evolution of characters. I know some fans probably won't like that, but that's life and this intelligent writer should be able to pull that off with aplomb.(less)

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Apr 07, 2011 Miles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews

A couple of months ago I was introduced to Jeffrey Deaver’s writing via the wonderful standalone “Edge”, a bold and imaginative thriller, and haven’t looked back since. With Deaver’s “Carte Blanche” hitting the bookstores next month what better way to prepare for Bond’s latest adventure than read the latest instalment in the Lincoln Rhyme series – “The Burning Wire”!

I’m not quite sure what planet I’ve been living on but given that I’ve never encountered Lincoln Rhyme before, not in the book form...more A couple of months ago I was introduced to Jeffrey Deaver’s writing via the wonderful standalone “Edge”, a bold and imaginative thriller, and haven’t looked back since. With Deaver’s “Carte Blanche” hitting the bookstores next month what better way to prepare for Bond’s latest adventure than read the latest instalment in the Lincoln Rhyme series – “The Burning Wire”!

I’m not quite sure what planet I’ve been living on but given that I’ve never encountered Lincoln Rhyme before, not in the book form anyway, it came as a complete shock to me that the hero of “The Burning Wire” is a quadriplegic. I vaguely remember watching Denzel Washington star alongside Angelina Jolie as the bed ridden and intelligent criminologist in the movie “The Bone Collector”, but for some strange reason when I began reading this novel I didn’t connect the two immediately.

Despite a typically efficient portrayal by Denzel, reading “The Burning Wire” had more of an effect on me – but isn’t that what books do best? Challenge the mind and allow the imagination to run riot? You choose the set, the colours, styles and the visualisations – although written by someone else, books allow you to live a story through your own eyes, you own mind – if the book is that good. The Burning Wire is all that and more, Deaver does not disappoint.

“New York is being held to ransom. Manhattan's electricity grid has been the victim of a horrific attack . . . and more are planned.

While the FBI and Homeland Security try to determine who's behind the carnage, Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs race to decode the forensics in order to prevent the next assault.

But all is not what it seems. Electricity can be as lethal as it is vital, and Lincoln Rhyme soon finds he's up against a merciless killer with a unique weapon - one that can be found in everyone's home and office.

And in the meantime, one of the few criminals to have ever slipped Rhyme's net is under surveillance in Mexico. The deadly assassin known as the Watchmaker has set his murderous sights on innocent victims, whose identity is as yet unknown. . .

Lincoln Rhyme must race against the clock, juggling the two investigations, as they hurtle headlong toward their deadly outcomes.”

Full review on my blog: http://www.milorambles.com/2011/04/07...(less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Riley rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was my first Jeffery Deaver book and was recommended to me by someone in Chapters. The fact it was on-sale in the discount section for $4.99 only helped me with my indecision of what book I should bring home.

There's a master electrician running around NYC setting up traps to kill people. I did feel this part fell a little short and didn't make me commit to the book the same way other books have where the villain and the threat seems more likely or real.

Rhyme and his team of investigator...more

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Jun 08, 2010 Giovanni Gelati rated it 5 of 5 stars

Details , details, details, opening the pages of the novel, you get a ton of them. Lincoln Ryhme is back and seeing the details and the minutia others over look. He is a modern Sherlock Hemlock. Sorry , that is Sherlock Holmes, I have been watching too many Sesame Street episodes with my grandson. None the less or more , depending on how you look at it, Ryhme works his magic.
Jeffrey Deaver does what many others fail to do. He educates us; he makes us look at the world through a different set of...more Details , details, details, opening the pages of the novel, you get a ton of them. Lincoln Ryhme is back and seeing the details and the minutia others over look. He is a modern Sherlock Hemlock. Sorry , that is Sherlock Holmes, I have been watching too many Sesame Street episodes with my grandson. None the less or more , depending on how you look at it, Ryhme works his magic.
Jeffrey Deaver does what many others fail to do. He educates us; he makes us look at the world through a different set of circumstances, he makes us look at the little things. Stuff that may seem unimportant, unrelated, and totally incongruent to others. I think that is at the crux of my enjoyment of his work. His process and his ability to tie many little pieces together to make the puzzle not just fit but seem like it was there the entire time. He doesn’t hide facts, or evidence, there is very little that is revealed after the conclusion for us to say, hey if I had known that I would have solved the mystery. He lays it all out there for us to read;, the rest is for us to put together.
I think the interplay between all the characters in The Burning Wire is his best to date. I will accept any argument you will make , but it is my position that Lincoln Ryhme has turned a corner here that I don’t think any of us saw coming. Thom was given more ink than in the past, Sachs was front & center as well as a host of other favs. I think that this is Deaver’s most complete work yet , and I find that hard to fathom. I have certainly enjoyed his other novels, but was amazed at the way he created an entirely different world that we as a people and a consumer take for granted, the electrical energy system. As long as the lights turn on, we are totally oblivious to its origin and how it gets there. An amazing plot plan again, how does he do it? I guess that is part of what makes him rock.
I was fortunate to get this as it was released. If you don’t have this in your reading plan for this month, try to make some room for it. The pace was quick; the microcosm created by Deaver is first rate, the details are intense. He basically makes you think twice before turning on the light switch. Excellent novel, a great read . I have a feeling this will find its way into our top ten this year. Put this in your Goodreads –to read- list, but make sure it is at the top.
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Apr 27, 2011 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Deaver fans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 07, 2011 Hazard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, english

Deaver schafft es immer wieder, mit einem gut durchdachten Plot und ansprechender Sprache tolle Bücher abzuliefern. Zudem verwendet er aktuelle Themen wie Datendiebstahl (im Vorgänger The Broken Window) oder in diesem Fall Energieversorgung, um die herum er seine Geschichten konstruiert. Dies sorgt für abwechslungsreiche Lektüre und The Burning Wire bildet keine Ausnahme. Mit durchdachten und glaubwürdigen Charakteren ausgestattet, spannend und mit Deavers bekannten Wendungen versehen gehört die...more

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Sep 07, 2012 A. rated it 5 of 5 stars

There is somebody in New York City who accesses the Manhattan electrical power substation and tampers with it to create an arc flash that destroys a city bus - full of people. This person soon starts sending demands to Algonquin Consolidated Power and Light or he will strike again. Forensic expert Lincoln Rhyme and his partner Amelia Sachs are brought into the case along with FBI and Homeland Security's special terrorist task force who believe the attack may be from a terrorist group. The demand...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Lisa Cindrich added it

Another one I would never have selected that I had to read for the mystery group.

I don't know...I'd give the first half one star and the second half somewhere between 1.5 and 2. At least the second half contained some character development. Lots of info dumps, especially in the early chapters. And I gave up trying to keep track of which swiftly introduced character was from Homeland Security, which from the NYPD, the FBI, etc. After 4 or 5 new people introduced in about 2 pages, I just couldn't...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Stacy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love this series, but this may be my least favorite. There was way too much information about electricity and how it is harnessed and used in the beginning of the book. I actually started the book and put it down for a week, something I don’t remember ever doing with this series. Once the overabundance of information tapered off the story became much more fun and fast paced.

I did enjoy the extra storyline with FBI agent Fred Dellray. He hasn’t had a big story lately and it was great to see hi...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Kellie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-reads, lincoln-rhyme-series, mystery-thrillers

#9 of the Lincoln Rhyme series, the quadriplegic criminalist. This was another great work by Deaver. The subject is electricity. Deaver obviously does a lot of research. It was interesting. I always learn something when I read a Deaver book. This is one of my favorite series. In this one, Rhyme and Sacks and their team is on a case involving someone who is diverting electricity to electrocute people in NYC. The manipulation revolves around Algonquin Electric, the major electric company in the ci...more

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Jun 27, 2010 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-reads

It's been a while since I've really enjoyed the Lincoln Rhyme series. With the last 3, I seriously saw the plot twists coming way ahead and that hadn't usually been the case with Jeffrey Deaver.

The latest Rhyme/Sachs novel really captured my interest and attention, with the sick serial murderer using electricity and the electrical grid serving New York City as his weapon of choice. As with all the Rhyme series, there was much that was educational about The Burning Wire: I learned tons about ele...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Michael Segedy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had only read one other novel by Deaver (Cold Moon), and I thought I'd give him another chance. Cold Moon had an interesting antagonist but a plot that was incredibly unrealistic. Too much was happening in too little space, and most of it not at all plausible. But the character the Watchmaker kept me interested. Burning Wire will most likely be the last book of Deaver's I read. Again, it is lacking in realism, which is paramount in crime novels, and the main character, Rhyme, has become less i...more

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What do you think about the main antagonist of this new Lincoln Rhyme novel?	5	41	Nov 08, 2012 07:34am

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About Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver was born outside of Chicago in 1950. His father was an advertising copywriter and his mother was a homemaker. Deaver worked as a magazine writer, then, to gain the background needed to become a legal correspondent for The New York Times or Wall Street Journal, he enrolled at Fordham Law School. In 1990 he started to write full time. Deaver has been nominated for six Edgar Awards fro...more

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The Burning Wire (Lincoln Rhyme #9)

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