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  • The Collateral Heart

The Collateral Heart

Lincoln Rhyme #17 / 18
by Jeffery Deaver
The Collateral Heart (Lincoln Rhyme #17) by Jeffery Deaver
⧗ 9.26 / 4
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Lincoln Rhyme is back, and the stakes are bigger than ever before. The brand new crime thriller from the master of the genre, Jeffery Deaver – pre-order now.

A terrible arson in Manhattan burns an old building to the ground. Amelia Sachs—criminalist Lincoln Rhyme’s wife and crime scene investigator extraordinaire–manages to save a victim from a fiery death. And in doing so she makes an eerie discovery. The arsonist has left a package of clues that might hint as to their motive and where they will strike next.

As the perp prepares for another attack, and Rhyme and Sachs work feverishly to unravel the mystery, they cross paths with a detective from Long Island. Desdemona Vale is a sharp and unstoppable officer—balancing her fervent search for the killer of a young woman from her neighborhood, with the arduous task of caring for her two young granddaughters.

The searches for their respective villains lead Rhyme, Sachs and Vale improbably to another member of the cast: James Harper, a famed historian and the host of one of the most popular history podcasts in the country, a man who may, or may not, be able to shed light on the perp’s motive and identity.

As always in a Jeffery Deaver novel, the multiple, interweaving plots race along nonstop adhering to the template of a one-sitting read; nothing is quite what it seems to be; and the novel features three surprise endings!

More shockingly yet, as the layers of the plots are pulled back, Lincoln Rhyme learns to his dismay that he has a new nemesis—a worthy and terrifying successor to the Watchmaker. Can he stop the carnage in time? The answer is found on the very last page.

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ThrillerMysteryCrime FictionSuspense Thriller
Release date: November 17, 2026

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Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver

Long before The Bone Collector introduced the calculating brilliance of Lincoln Rhyme to readers around the world, Jeffery Deaver was already quietly assembling the tools of his trade: a fascination with psychology, a sharp legal mind, and a love of music that taught him how to pace a story like a song, with rising tension, sudden drops, and crescendos that leave you breathless.

Born outside Chicago in 1950, Deaver’s path to becoming one of the most inventive voices in modern crime fiction wasn’t linear. He studied journalism, practiced law, and even considered a career in folk music before finding his stride in fiction. That varied background seeps into his novels, where legal nuance, technical precision, and psychological complexity collide in plots that are always one twist ahead of the reader.

Read more ...

What sets Deaver apart in the world of thrillers is not just his ability to craft airtight plots but his near-clinical attention to how people tick. His characters, especially those like the quadriplegic forensic genius Lincoln Rhyme or the emotionally layered Kathryn Dance, aren’t just puzzle-solvers. They are portraits of resilience, intellect, and internal struggle. Through them, Deaver doesn’t just tell a mystery, he peels back the layers of obsession, fear, and control that drive people to the edge.

With over 40 novels and short story collections, including bestsellers like The Coffin Dancer, The Kill Room, and The Midnight Lock, Deaver has become a fixture on international bestseller lists. His work has been translated into dozens of languages and adapted for film and television, but he remains a writer’s writer, meticulous in structure, unpredictable in outcome, and deeply committed to the craft of suspense.

Even after decades in the genre, Deaver hasn’t settled into predictability. He continues to explore new angles on justice, morality, and technology, often incorporating cutting-edge forensic science and cybercrime into his stories. His readers don’t come for comfort, they come for a mental chess match where every move counts and nothing is ever quite what it seems.

Whether he’s crafting a standalone psychological thriller or dropping readers into the cat-and-mouse world of Rhyme and Dance, Deaver’s fiction is unmistakable: intricate, unsettling, and utterly addictive. He doesn’t just write about crime, he dissects it.

Lincoln Rhyme

In the Lincoln Rhyme series, the world of forensic investigation transforms into a high-stakes chessboard where every piece moves with calculated precision. At the heart of this gripping saga is Lincoln Rhyme, a brilliant forensic expert confined to a wheelchair, whose mind remains as sharp as ever despite physical limitations. His partnership with Amelia Sachs, a determined and intuitive detective, forms the beating core of stories that delve deep into the psychology of crime and the intricate dance between hunter and hunted.

Read more ...

These novels don’t just unravel mysteries, they immerse readers in a realm where cutting-edge forensic science intersects with human vulnerability. The atmosphere is taut with tension, grounded by a meticulous attention to detail that makes each investigation feel authentic and urgent. From the darkest alleys to the sterile labs where evidence is pieced together like a complex puzzle, the series captures the relentless pursuit of truth under pressure.

What sets this collection apart is the layered characterization and moral complexity threading through each case. Rhyme’s intellectual rigor contrasts with his physical confinement, creating a compelling portrait of resilience and determination. Meanwhile, Sachs’s street-smart tenacity challenges conventions, adding emotional depth to their joint quest for justice. The balance between their strengths offers a fresh dynamic that elevates the crime thriller beyond standard fare.

With stories that combine suspense, innovation, and human insight, this series has become a landmark in modern thriller fiction. The tension builds steadily, crafting an atmosphere where danger feels immediate and every discovery carries weight. Readers seeking a blend of psychological depth and forensic intrigue will find themselves drawn into a world that keeps secrets close, and justice closer.


Lincoln Rhyme consists of sixteen primary books, and includes four additional books that complement the series but are not considered mandatory reads and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of three more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

The Bone Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #1)
★ 9.34 / 3
The Coffin Dancer (Lincoln Rhyme #2)
★ 8.34 / 3
The Empty Chair (Lincoln Rhyme #3)
★ 8.34 / 3
The Stone Monkey (Lincoln Rhyme #4)
★ 8.34 / 3
The Vanished Man (Lincoln Rhyme #5)
★ 8.66 / 3
The Twelfth Card (Lincoln Rhyme #6)
★ 8.00 / 3
The Cold Moon (Lincoln Rhyme #7)
★ 8.00 / 3
The Broken Window (Lincoln Rhyme #8)
★ 8.00 / 3
The Burning Wire (Lincoln Rhyme #9)
★ 8.34 / 3
A Textbook Case (Lincoln Rhyme #9.5)
★ 8.00 / 1
The Kill Room (Lincoln Rhyme #10)
★ 8.00 / 3
The Skin Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #11)
★ 8.00 / 3
The Deliveryman (Lincoln Rhyme #11.5)
★ 8.00 / 1
The Steel Kiss (Lincoln Rhyme #12)
★ 8.00 / 3
The Burial Hour (Lincoln Rhyme #13)
★ 8.00 / 3
The Cutting Edge (Lincoln Rhyme #14)
★ 8.00 / 3
A Perfect Plan (Lincoln Rhyme #14.5)
★ 8.00 / 1
The Midnight Lock (Lincoln Rhyme #15)
★ 8.34 / 3
Swiping Hearts (Lincoln Rhyme #15.5)
★ 8.00 / 1
The Watchmaker's Hand (Lincoln Rhyme #16)
★ 7.66 / 3
The Collateral Heart (Lincoln Rhyme #17)
⧗ 9.26 / 4
The Deadliest Sense (Lincoln Rhyme #17.5)
⧗ 9.00 / 1
Lincoln Rhyme Book 18 (Lincoln Rhyme #18)
⧗ 8.50 / 2


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