minimali's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
highladyofthenightcourt21's review against another edition
3.0
This one had a promising start but I lost interest about halfway through. Still finished it and enjoyed it, but just wasn't as into it as I have been with others in the series.
bookhawk's review against another edition
3.0
The Cutting Edge is a good mystery solved by Lincoln Rhyme and crew. I vacillated between three and four stars in the rating but ultimately settled on three. Perhaps Deaver set too high a standard in some of the earlier books but the Cutting Edge seemed to have too many plot lines and perhaps an extra twist or two that was one too many. The twists and varying plots seemed to not fit together as seamlessly as one would hope. Moreover, the continued rivalry with the Watchmaker suffers from fatigue. Deaver deserves credit for educating as he delivers fiction and the foray into cryptic crosswords was also a treat.
rwarner's review against another edition
5.0
As thrillers go, this was fantastic. The twists just kept coming. I couldn't put it down. And I LOVED the nod to cryptic crosswords!
arthur_pendrgn's review against another edition
3.0
Between 2 and 3 stars depending on what section of the book I was reading. The plot is too convoluted, resulting in a long list of discardable characters and ponderous pacing. Lincoln and Amelia barely interact for all that they are newly weds.
kirkw1972's review against another edition
3.0
The 14th book in the series and this time we're talking diamonds along with murder. I wasn't so keen on this one, in fact I struggled quite a lot with it. I think it was the subject matter. Far too much on the diamond cutting process and then the geothermal cutting environmental issues. Neither subject interested me much and the story did nothing to change that. Then we had a subplot that at first felt unnecessary but then was shoe horned into the main plot and became silly and then even sillier when linked to past novels. I'm usually all for throwing everything into a book but this felt a step too far.
I've been doing a re-read of some first books and have recently finished the first ever LR one and I did like to see how far he's come and how much the main characters have changed. It was an interesting book from that perspective but not enough this time about them. I think, for me, this one just didn't work.
I've been doing a re-read of some first books and have recently finished the first ever LR one and I did like to see how far he's come and how much the main characters have changed. It was an interesting book from that perspective but not enough this time about them. I think, for me, this one just didn't work.
paigedc's review against another edition
3.0
I've read all the Lincoln Rhyme series (this is book #14), and they are all pretty good crime drama serials about a quadriplegic NYC captain and his rookie-turned-protégé-turned love interest.
A few books in the middle of the series followed the same killer, but this one focuses on someone who seems to be targeting engaged couples. A diamond cutter is found murdered in his shop, along with a couple there to purchase a ring. Later, a woman is tortured in a grisly manner with her ring. Captain Rhyme and Detective Sachs have very little evidence, only the initials of a witness, to go on, and it appears the killer has that same information. Using crime scene forensics as their guide, they must stop the killer before he strikes again.
These books always have a surface story plus more depth to them. It's like Law & Order but better--you know exactly what you're going to get, and you're probably going to be surprised at some point along the way. If you've never read one of these books, start with The Bone Collector; it's an excellent read, and you may find yourself sucked into a lengthy series.
A few books in the middle of the series followed the same killer, but this one focuses on someone who seems to be targeting engaged couples. A diamond cutter is found murdered in his shop, along with a couple there to purchase a ring. Later, a woman is tortured in a grisly manner with her ring. Captain Rhyme and Detective Sachs have very little evidence, only the initials of a witness, to go on, and it appears the killer has that same information. Using crime scene forensics as their guide, they must stop the killer before he strikes again.
These books always have a surface story plus more depth to them. It's like Law & Order but better--you know exactly what you're going to get, and you're probably going to be surprised at some point along the way. If you've never read one of these books, start with The Bone Collector; it's an excellent read, and you may find yourself sucked into a lengthy series.
pamela22's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Thank goodness I’ve finally finished this! Only took me four and a half months. Clever but I just wasn’t invested in the characters nor the events. Had unexpected twists and turns but pretty mundane, really.
knit_and_purl's review against another edition
3.0
Solid 3.5 stars. I did figure out one of Deaver's twists, but again missed another. I enjoy his books, but I'm finding them a little long and verbose lately.