- Table View
- List View
The Skeleton Key: Tense, unpredictable and utterly gripping
by Erin Kelly'Moody, propulsive, and one of the most intriguing set ups I've read in years' GILLIAN McALLISTER'I completely lost myself to this book for a few days' LUCY FOLEY'Unputdownable' HEAT'There's layer upon layer of mystery in this frankly brilliant read' BELFAST TELEGRAPHTHIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART ... Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried - gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.From the bestselling author of He Said/She Said and Watch Her Fall, this is a taut, mesmerising novel about a daughter haunted by her father's legacy . . .'A feat of real ambition and imagination - original, suspenseful, and with complex characters that spring irresistibly to life on the page, this is Erin Kelly at her finest' LOUISE CANDLISH'Erin Kelly excels at twisted family dynamics and toxic, compelling characters, and this glorious slice of bohemian gothic showcases all her strengths' RUTH WARE'Scary, eerie, moving and compelling: a beautifully-plotted, gorgeously-written triumph of a thriller' NICCI FRENCH'An intricately plotted thriller, full of detail and invention, with impeccably realised settings and characters as monstrous as they are believable. Above all it is a completely addictive story of two families destroyed by success. Erin Kelly is a genius' JANE CASEY'A twisted treasure hunt with a fatal family secret at its heart. Powerful, playful and deeply disturbing. I loved it' SARAH HILARY'A blisteringly good read. I simply couldn't put it down' LUCY DAWSON'A unique storyteller; impossible to predict, impossible to put down' JOHN MARRS
The Skeleton Key: The brand-new unpredictable, tense and utterly gripping suspense from the million-copy bestselller
by Erin KellyTHIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART ... Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried - gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. His daughter, Nell, became a recluse.But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.From the bestselling author of He Said/She Said and Watch Her Fall, this is a taut, mesmerising novel about a daughter haunted by her father's legacy . . .'An intricately plotted thriller, full of detail and invention, with impeccably realised settings and characters as monstrous as they are believable. Above all it is a completely addictive story of two families destroyed by success. Erin Kelly is a genius' JANE CASEY'Moody, propulsive, and one of the most intriguing set ups I've read in years. Erin Kelly doesn't put a foot wrong in this atmospheric, original thriller' GILLIAN McALLISTER'A feat of real ambition and imagination - original, suspenseful, and with complex characters that spring irresistibly to life on the page, this is Erin Kelly at her finest' LOUISE CANDLISH(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
The Skeleton Key: The brand-new unpredictable, tense and utterly gripping suspense from the million-copy bestselller
by Erin Kelly'Flawless' SUNDAY TIMES *** 'A rich and fascinating puzzle' MAIL ON SUNDAY *** 'I completely lost myself to this book for a few days' LUCY FOLEY *** 'A deliciously involving page turner' GUARDIANSummer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried: one by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous, murderous degree. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.Inspired by the author's love for Masquerade, this is a taut, mesmerising novel of danger and obsession.'The ultimate entertaining thriller' EVENING STANDARD'With rich characterisation and intricate yet propulsive plotting' GUARDIAN'Sparks the most intense of emotions' THE TIMES *THRILLER OF THE MONTH*'A gorgeously intricate puzzle of a book' THE OBSERVER'Pacy, brilliantly plotted, and full of complex characters and relationships' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'A dark treasure hunt, family secrets and plot twists' STYLIST ONLINE'There's layer upon layer of mystery in this frankly brilliant read' BELFAST TELEGRAPH'Moody, propulsive, and one of the most intriguing set ups I've read in years' GILLIAN McALLISTER'A highly imaginative time-slip novel ... and an excellent psychological thriller' LITERARY REVIEW'A delicious deep dive into the secrets and grievances of one of the most dysfunctional families you're ever likely to meet' RED'A richly imagined, multi-layered story' IRISH INDEPENDENT'Original, suspenseful, and with complex characters that spring irresistibly to life on the page' LOUISE CANDLISH'Twisted family dynamics and toxic, compelling characters' RUTH WARE'Scary, moving and compelling: a beautifully-plotted, gorgeously-written triumph of a thriller' NICCI FRENCH'A completely addictive story of two families destroyed by success' JANE CASEY'By turns a dysfunctional family drama and a deliciously sinister thriller' i ONLINE
The Skeleton Makes a Friend: A Family Skeleton Mystery (#5) (The Family Skeleton Mysteries #5)
by Leigh Perry&“Whodunits don&’t come much funnier… Fans of offbeat comic mysteries will be richly rewarded.&”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) Georgia Thackery is feeling pretty good about her summer job teaching at prestigious Overfeld College, and she&’s renting a rustic cabin right by a lake for herself, her daughter, Madison, and her best friend, Sid the Skeleton. Together again, the trio are enjoying the quiet when a teenager named Jen shows up looking for her friend. Georgia doesn&’t recognize the name, but she learns that the person Jen was looking for is actually Sid. Sid reveals that he and Jen are part of a regular online gaming group that formed locally, and one of their members has gone missing. Sid admits that he might have bragged about his investigative prowess, enough so that Jen wants him to find their missing player. Given that Sid doesn&’t have many friends offline—none, really, unless you count the Thackery family—Georgia agrees to help. They manage to discreetly enlist Jen, who lives in town, and follow the clues to... a dead buddy. Now they've got a killer on their hands. Probing the life of Sid's friend, they realize a lot is wrong both on campus and in the seemingly quaint town, and someone doesn't want them looking deeper… &“You'll love the adventures of this unexpected mystery-solving duo.&”—Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author
The Skeleton Paints a Picture: A Family Skeleton Mystery (#4) (The Family Skeleton Mysteries #4)
by Leigh PerryNo bones about it, this death is suspicious…&“Amateur sleuth Georgia, and her sidekick, Sid, are just plain fun!&”—Sofie Kelly, New York Times-bestselling author of the Magical Cats Mysteries Georgia Thackery, adjunct English professor, has a new job teaching at Falstone College of Art and Design, known as FAD to its students and faculty. Living in a borrowed bungalow during winter in the snowiest part of Massachusetts, Georgia feels her isolation weighing as heavily as the weather. Then she receives a package containing her best friend, Sid, a walking, talking skeleton who has lived with the Thackery family since Georgia was six. With Georgia working out of town, Sid was lonely too. The two of them make plans for a cozy semester together, and it might have worked out that way if Sid hadn&’t snuck out in the middle of the night to play in the snow and spotted a crashed car. When he drags Georgia out to investigate, they find the driver behind the wheel, apparently dead from the collision. Initially, police think it&’s an accident, so Georgia and Sid think that&’s the end of it—until Georgia finds out the body hits closer to home than she&’d realized... &“Dr. Georgia Thackery is smart, resourceful, and determined to be a great single mom to her teenager. Georgia is normal in every respect—except that her best friend happens to be a skeleton named Sid. You&’ll love the adventures of this unexpected mystery-solving duo.&” —Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author &“A very touching and entertaining whodunit. The mystery is intelligent and nicely done with fun insights into academia and anthropology.&” —RT Book Reviews on A Skeleton in the Family
The Skeleton Road (Books That Changed the World #3)
by Val McDermidAn Edinburgh detective encounters skeletal remains that may be connected to the brutal Balkan Wars of the 1990s in this “tightly paced mystery” (Los Angeles Times).In the center of historic Edinburgh, Scotland, builders are preparing to demolish a disused Victorian Gothic building. They are understandably surprised to find skeletal remains hidden in a high pinnacle that hasn’t been touched by maintenance for years. Who do the bones belong to, and how did they get there? Could the eccentric British pastime of free climbing the outside of buildings play a role? Enter cold case detective Karen Pirie, who gets to work trying to establish the corpse’s identity. And when it turns out the bones may be from as far away as former Yugoslavia, Karen will need to dig deeper than she ever imagined into the tragic history of the Balkans: to war crimes and their consequences, and ultimately to the notion of what justice is and who serves it.“McDermid melds the political thriller with the police procedural for an intense novel.”—Associated Press
The Skeleton Road: A chilling, nail-biting psychological thriller that will have you hooked (Karen Pirie #3)
by Val McDermidDon't miss the electrifying new Karen Pirie thriller - STILL LIFE is available to preorder now___________________The third book in the Karen Pirie series, from No. 1 bestselling author Val McDermid.When a skeleton is discovered hidden at the top of a crumbling, gothic building in Edinburgh, Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is faced with the unenviable task of identifying the bones. As Karen's investigation gathers momentum, she is drawn deeper into a dark world of intrigue and betrayal. Meanwhile, someone is taking the law into their own hands in the name of justice and revenge -- but when present resentment collides with secrets of the past, the truth is more shocking than anyone could have imagined . . .From number one bestseller, Val McDermid comes an atmospheric, spine-chilling tour de force -- her richest and most accomplished psychological thriller to date.
The Skeleton Room: Book 7 (Wesley Peterson Ser. #7)
by Kate EllisWhen workmen converting former girls' boarding school, Chadleigh Hall, into a luxury hotel discover a skeleton in a sealed room, DI Wesley Peterson and his boss, Gerry Heffernan are called in to investigate. But within minutes they have a second suspicious death on their hands: a team of marine archaeologists working on a nearby shipwreck have dragged a woman's body from the sea. And it becomes clear that her death was no accident. The dead woman's husband may be linked with a brutal robbery of computer equipment but Wesley soon discovers that the victim had secrets of her own. As he investigates Chadleigh Hall's past and the woman's violent death, both trails lead in surprising directions and matters are further complicated when a man wanted for a murder in London appears on the scene, a man who may know more about Wesley's cases than he admits
The Skeleton Room: Book 7 in the DI Wesley Peterson crime series (DI Wesley Peterson #7)
by Kate Ellis'A beguiling author who interweaves past and present' The TimesWhen builders converting Chadleigh Hall, a former school, into a luxury hotel discover a skeleton in a sealed room, DI Wesley Peterson is called in to investigate.Soon Wesley has a second suspicious death on their hands: a team of marine archaeologists working on a nearby shipwreck off the Devon coast have dragged a woman's body from the sea.As Wesley investigates Chadleigh Hall's past and the woman's violent death, both trails lead in surprising directions. Matters are further complicated when a man wanted for murder in London appears on the scene - a man who may know more about the case than he admits . . .Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering Kate Ellis's DI Wesley Peterson novels for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner if you love reading Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves.PRAISE FOR KATE ELLIS:'I loved this novel . . . a powerful story of loss, malice and deception' Ann Cleeves'Haunting' Independent'Unputdownable' Bookseller'The chilling plot will keep you spooked and thrilled to the end' Closer'A gripping read' Best'A fine storyteller, weaving the past and present in a way that makes you want to read on' Peterborough Evening Telegraph
The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking: A Family Skeleton Mystery (#6) (The Family Skeleton Mysteries #6)
by Leigh Perry&“Mirth and murder blend beautifully&” in this tale of an amateur sleuth and her bony best friend (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Dr. Georgia Thackery is back home with her parents after finding a new adjunct position at Bostock College. Everyone is excited for their first family Christmas with nothing to hide. Why? Because Georgia&’s daughter Madison is now in the know about Sid, their walking, talking family skeleton. But their Christmas cheer is interrupted when the Thackerys' dog Byron goes missing on a cold December night. When he&’s finally found, he has a femur clutched between his jaws—and Georgia and Madison race to apologize to Sid for letting the dog gnaw on him yet again. Except that all of Sid&’s bones are present and accounted for… This bone is from somebody else, and when they trace Byron&’s trail to an overgrown lot nearby, they find the rest of the skeleton. It&’s the normal kind, not moving or telling jokes, and when the police come to take charge, they&’re sure it was murder, and one of Georgia&’s adjunct friends could be implicated. With tensions stirring at the college and everyone hiding a secret or two, Sid and Georgia must uncover the truth before the ghost of a Christmas past strikes again. &“Amateur sleuth Georgia, and her sidekick, Sid, are just plain fun!&”—Sofie Kelly, New York Times-bestselling author of the Magical Cats Mysteries
The Skeleton Takes a Bow
by Leigh PerryAnd the best performance as a skull goes to... After years of hiding in the Thackery family house, Sid the skeleton is delighted to finally have his moment in the spotlight. He's starring in a high school production of Hamlet. Well, not so much starring in as being a prop. At least part of him has a part--he's using his head to play Yorick of "Alas, poor Yorick" fame. Every day, Georgia Thackery's daughter, Madison, who's also in the play, brings in his skull, and every night, she takes him home... Until one night when he's accidentally left at school--and hears the sounds of someone being murdered. But the next day, there's no body and no one seems to be missing. Sid is not a numbskull--he knows what he heard. Georgia thinks he imagined it--until a week later when a body is found. Now Georgia and Sid will both need to keep their heads as they stick their necks out and play sleuth to catch the conscience of a killer...
The Skeleton Takes a Bow (The Family Skeleton #2)
by Leigh Perry“This is a great cozy filled with sparkling humor and lots of twists and turns ... Every cozy lover will revel in The Skeleton Takes A Bow." — Criminal ElementEnglish adjunct Georgia Thackery and her best friend, Sid the skeleton, must find a murderer and the victim after the local high school auditorium becomes the scene of a late-night murder...and Sid is the only witness!Against her better judgment, Georgia allows her daughter Madison to sneak Sid into the Pennycross High School Drama Club’s spring production of Hamlet. As a bona fide member of the Thackery family, Sid is thrilled to lend a hand—or in this case, a skull—to help Madison’s thespian pursuits. But when Sid accidentally overhears a murder occurring off the stage, he and Georgia suspect something’s rotten in the state of...well, Massachusetts.As an adjunct English professor, Georgia is familiar with Hamlet’s typical body count. So, she knows the scene Sid heard from the wings—long after rehearsals ended and the high school closed for the night—was definitely off-script. But how can she and Sid investigate a murder if the victim’s corpse is nowhere to be found?It seems like a dead end. But even a bare bones investigation is better than none at all, because if Georgia and Sid don’t act quickly, Madison and her classmates could be in danger of something far worse than stage fright...Readers will be delighted by the second book in the Family Skeleton cozy mystery series by Agatha award-winning author Toni L. P. Kelner, writing as Leigh Perry—perfect for fans of Charlaine Harris and Bailey Cates!Praise for The Skeleton Takes a Bow:“This mystery moves effortlessly with good plotting, amusing dialogue and a suspenseful and funny ending. Georgia’s endearing family of crime solvers will have readers clamoring for the next in the series.” — RT Book Reviews“The humor and wit are razor sharp ... Leigh Perry, the pen name of Toni Kelner, shines in this delightfully funny and unique series that blends paranormal with mystery and academic satire.” — Kings River Life Magazine“The family love and humor are forefront in an enjoyable mystery ... THE SKELETON TAKES A BOW deserves applause for its refreshing departure from the cozy mystery formula.” — Lesa’s Book Critiques
The Skeleton That Would Not Rest
by Anne SchraffWhile digging a koi pond, Luke and Rhea find a skeleton buried in their yard. Luke is determined to find out what happened and makes some interesting discoveries during his search.
The Skeleton in the Closet
by M.C. BeatonIgnorance is bliss... especially when it comes to murder!Ever since the death of his father, Fellworth Dolphin has slaved away as a waiter to support his miserly, cold-hearted mother. So when she suddenly dies Fellworth is shocked to discover she has left him a fortune. Somewhat confused, Fell teams up with a girl from work, Maggie, to investigate the source of the riches. But what they find instead is a closet full of skeletons...Is it really possible Fell's father was involved in a decades-old train robbery? And who is the mysterious woman in the portrait hidden in his mother's wardrobe? As Fell and Maggie poke around the village for answers they find themselves on a surprise-filled path to danger and adventure - but all this good fortune could come to a sudden end if they don't stay one step ahead of a cunning killer...
The Skeleton in the Closet
by M.C. BeatonIgnorance is bliss... especially when it comes to murder!Ever since the death of his father, Fellworth Dolphin has slaved away as a waiter to support his miserly, cold-hearted mother. So when she suddenly dies Fellworth is shocked to discover she has left him a fortune. Somewhat confused, Fell teams up with a girl from work, Maggie, to investigate the source of the riches. But what they find instead is a closet full of skeletons...Is it really possible Fell's father was involved in a decades-old train robbery? And who is the mysterious woman in the portrait hidden in his mother's wardrobe? As Fell and Maggie poke around the village for answers they find themselves on a surprise-filled path to danger and adventure - but all this good fortune could come to a sudden end if they don't stay one step ahead of a cunning killer...
The Skeleton in the Grass
by Robert BarnardThe Skeleton In The Grass, reminiscent of Robert Barnard’s much-acclaimed Out of the Blackout, illuminates an earlier time and place: a small English village in 1936, as Franco’s troops are conquering Spain and Hitler’s legions are preparing to overrun Europe. The world at large may be sliding into the abyss of disaster, but life at Hallam, country seat of the glamorous and renowned Hallam family, still represents the ultimate in British civilization. Teatime, with its cucumber sandwiches and cream cakes, continues as it has for a hundred years. It’s not that the Hallam family ignores the world outside its gracious doors. On the contrary, Helen and Dennis Hallam care passionately about peace and principle, and Dennis dramatically conveys these views to the nation in his controversial weekly review column. Avowed pacifists, Helen and Dennis represent a political stance that the villagers mistrust and fear. That fear and suspicion turn to nasty pranks when a sinister Fascist major gains control over some of the local youths. Helen and Dennis, and their sons Oliver and Will, become the victims of cruel taunts and the kind of teasing that leads to terror. As the Hallams and villagers grow more hostile, we see the story through the eyes of Sarah Causeley, and idealistic young woman who has recently come to be nursery governess at Hallam. To Sarah, the Hallams represent beauty, brilliance, and style—an idyllic life in the midst of chaos. But as she watches, the Hallams’ world begins to disintegrate, and a tense and unexpected encounter leads to a shocking murder. Much more than a crime novel, The Skeleton in the Grass is an extraordinary piece of fiction that captures the essence of a family that captures the essence of a family and a world on the brink of extinction. With subtlety and skill, Robert Barnard amazes with his versatility and storytelling power.
The Skeleton on the Skateboard (Graveyard School #2)
by Tom B. StoneDEAD MAN'S CURVE IS SCARY ENOUGH.... Who's the new hot dog on Skateboard Hill? He's the only thrasher who can take Dead Man's Curve alive. Skate and Vickie are determined to meet him--he may be their only chance to beat obnoxious Eddie Hoover in the upcoming skateboard contest. But if the phantom boarder gives the secret of his awesome moves, will Skate and Vickie have to take the ultimate wipeout in return? You'll be dying to go to class at GRAVEYARD SCHOOL Bookshare's library has: #1 Don't Eat the Mystery Meat! #3 The Headless bicycle Rider, #4 Little Pet Werewolf, #5 Revenge of the Dinosaurs, #6 Camp Dracula, #7 Slime Lake, #10 There's a Ghost in the Boy's Bathroom, #11 April Ghouls' Day and #12 Scream, Team!.
The Skeleton's Knee (Joe Gunther #4)
by Archer MayorAbraham Fuller died of a gunshot wound that took twenty years to do the job. A hermit in rural Vermont, he'd kept to himself, but when the old damage finally causes a fatal aneurysm, Detective Joe Gunther decides to learn more about Abraham Fuller--and whomever wanted him dead. Gunther's crew combs Fuller's cabin and garden and discovers a skeleton with a stainless steel knee joint. Moreover, medical analysis proves the body is a murder victim. Does the skeleton have anything to do with Gunther's murder case? His investigation takes him on a trail that leads to Chicago and to people who desperately want to hide their pasts. The trail may lead him to the solution of a murder--or to a fresh, new corpse ... his own.
The Skelly Man: An Alex Rasmussen Mystery (Alex Rasmussen Mysteries #2)
by David DanielAmiable, wisecracking Alex Rasmussen was first introduced--to great acclaim--in The Heaven Stone, which won the PWA/St. Martin's Best First Private Eye Novel Contest, and was also named one of the best mysteries of the year by the Providence Journal-Bulletin. Now ghosts from the past and a murderous Halloween haunt his second case. A former cop gone private, Rasmussen makes a living in the decaying New England mill town of Lowell, Massachusetts. Lowell is also the hometown of Good Night Show host Jerry Corbin, whose career has started to slump in recent years. Corbin and his entourage have come to town to film the pilot episode for a new series designed to boost his sagging star quotient and rescue his ratings. Unfortunately, someone's been sending Corbin hate mail, and an off-the-record investigation is in order. Enter Rasmussen, whose familiarity with TV consists of whatever's on the set in his local bar between sporting events. He's game for the job, though, and soon finds himself one of the insiders in Corbin's camp. Digging into Corbin's life to find out who wants to destroy him, Rasmussen learns that there are old secrets someone wants kept and old grudges someone wants satisfied. Corbin may have been on the fringes of these events, but now he has become the prime target.
The Ski Slope Mystery (Nancy Drew Notebooks #16
by Carolyn KeeneSOMEBODY'S NOT PLAYING FAIR!Nancy, Bess, and George are going skiing. But the whole weekend is getting crazy. First some bratty boys play catch with Bess's hat. Then George's lucky necklace disappears!Not only that, but someone's getting very pushy on the mountain. It's up to Nancy to find out who's playing all the dirty tricks. Because someone's turning the snow fun into no fun at all!
The Skin Collector (A Lincoln Rhyme Novel #12)
by Jeffery DeaverIn his classic thriller The Bone Collector, Jeffery Deaver introduced readers to Lincoln Rhyme-the nation's most renowned investigator and forensic detective. Now, a new killer is on the loose: a criminal inspired by the Bone Collector. And Rhyme must untangle the twisted web of clues before the killer targets more victims-or Rhyme himself. The killer's methods are terrifying. He stalks the basements and underground passageways of New York City. He tattoos his victims' flesh with cryptic messages, using a tattoo gun loaded with poison, resulting in an agonizing, painful death. When a connection is made to the Bone Collector-the serial killer who terrorized New York more than a decade ago-Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are immediately drawn into the case. Rhyme, Sachs, and the NYPD must race against time to answer the many questions the investigation uncovers: Whom will the killer attack next? What is the message behind the victims' tattoos? Does the killer's own inking--a fanged centipede sporting a woman's face--hold any significance? And what is his ultimate mission? As time runs out, Rhyme discovers that the past has returned to haunt him in the most troubling way imaginable...
The Skin Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #11)
by Jeffery DeaverIn his classic thriller The Bone Collector, Jeffery Deaver introduced readers to Lincoln Rhyme-the nation's most renowned investigator and forensic detective.<P> Now, a new killer is on the loose: a criminal inspired by the Bone Collector. And Rhyme must untangle the twisted web of clues before the killer targets more victims-or Rhyme himself.<P> The killer's methods are terrifying. He stalks the basements and underground passageways of New York City. He tattoos his victims' flesh with cryptic messages, using a tattoo gun loaded with poison, resulting in an agonizing, painful death.<P> When a connection is made to the Bone Collector-the serial killer who terrorized New York more than a decade ago-Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are immediately drawn into the case. <P> Rhyme, Sachs, and the NYPD must race against time to answer the many questions the investigation uncovers: Whom will the killer attack next? What is the message behind the victims' tattoos? Does the killer's own inking--a fanged centipede sporting a woman's face--hold any significance? And what is his ultimate mission? <P> As time runs out, Rhyme discovers that the past has returned to haunt him in the most troubling way imaginable. . .
The Skin Collector: Lincoln Rhyme Book 11 (Lincoln Rhyme Thrillers #11)
by Jeffery DeaverFrom the author of The Goodbye Man, discover Jeffery Deaver's chilling series that inspired the film starring Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington, and is now a major NBC TV series. This is the the eleventh novel in the bestselling Lincoln Rhyme series.They have never seen a murder like it - but something about this killer is all too familiar . . .A new type of serial killer is stalking the streets of New York - one more devious and disturbing than ever before. A talented tattoo artist is using poison instead of ink. His victim is a young woman. And on her skin he's left a message: 'the second'. Processing the scene, NYPD detective Lincoln Rhyme and his associate Amelia Sachs find just one trace of evidence. A scrap of paper that connects this case with one they will never forget: the killer they called The Bone Collector...'Outstanding . . . Deaver proves himself a grandmaster of the genre as each surprise leads to an even bigger surprise, like a series of reverse Russian nesting dolls' Starred Review, Publisher's Weekly
The Skin Collector: Lincoln Rhyme Book 11 (Lincoln Rhyme Thrillers #11)
by Jeffery DeaverA new type of serial killer is stalking the streets of New York - one more devious and disturbing than ever before.They call this butcher The Skin Collector: a tattooist with a chamber of torture hidden deep underground. But instead of using ink to create each masterpiece, the artist uses a lethal poison which will render targets dead before they can even entertain the prospect of escape...Drafted in to investigate, NYPD detective Lincoln Rhyme and his associate Amelia Sachs have little to go on but a series of cryptic messages left etched into the skin of the deceased. As the pair struggle to discover the meaning behind the designs, they are led down a treacherous and twisting path where nothing is as it seems. And with the clock rapidly ticking before the killer strikes again, they must untangle the twisted web of clues before more victims - or they themselves - are next.(P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton
The Skin Gods (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne #2)
by Richard MontanariBONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Richard Montanari's The Echo Man.With the breakneck pacing and intricate plotting of his most recent novel, The Rosary Girls, Richard Montanari established himself as one of the most exciting suspense writers working today. Now he proves himself a virtuoso with The Skin Gods, an explosive new thriller featuring Philadelphia homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano. It is the steaming heart of summer in the City of Brotherly Love. Back on the force after taking a bullet during the arrest of a sadistic murderer, Detective Kevin Byrne warily returns to police headquarters. He cannot shake the memory of the Rosary Killer' s innocent victims-or his growing sense that the evil has not been vanquished. And when he and his partner, Detective Jessica Balzano, are called in on a bizarre case, Byrne's gravest suspicions are confirmed. A madman, dubbed The Actor by the homicide unit, is meticulously re-creating Hollywood's most famous-and most gruesome-death scenes. The first murder is caught on film, spliced into a rented VHS edition of the Hitchcock black-and-white masterpiece Psycho. But in place of Janet Leigh is a real-life woman, and this time, the blood is red and the knife is real. Soon, more thrilling classics are turned into terrifying snuff films and placed on video store shelves for an unsuspecting public to find. The key to this horrific puzzle could lie with any of The Skin Gods' supporting cast: the A-list Hollywood director, the ruthless executive assistant, the convicted mass murderer-or perhaps someone else who has made a sinister art of gruesome violence. Hot on the psychopath's trail, Balzano and Byrne descend into the mouth of madness and beyond, deep into the depraved underworld of S&M clubs and the porn industry, where the worship of flesh leads to malevolent evil. Before the final credits roll, the investigators will discover that none of The Actor's victims are as innocent as they appear to be, and that the clue the police need to prevent future murders might be found in Detective Byrne's own dark past.