THE MIDNIGHT LOCK

5 stars out of 5

I've read and loved every single book featuring criminalist Lincoln Rhyme (this is the 15th), and I'm pretty sure of one thing: I probably wouldn't like him a lot - he's more than a little bit on the arrogant side. That said, there's no one I'd rather have investigating a case in which I'm an innocent suspect than the master of evidence. This book did nothing to change that opinion and maybe enhanced it given the restraints that are placed on him and his team of experts.

Testifying for the prosecution in a case involving a known gangster, the defense attorney drills holes in Rhyme's evidence-collection skills and the accused is acquitted. When that happens, the powers-that-be put the blame squarely on Rhyme and declare that the department no longer has need of his consulting services. That presents a bit of a dilemma since his current case - involving a break-in artist known as the Locksmith, a person who slips into residences and rearranges things while the victims are sleeping - is just starting to get interesting. 

Needless to say, Rhyme and his team, which includes police Detective Amelia Sachs (also his wife), have no intention of shutting down, but they do need to be careful not to run afoul of the police muckity-mucks. For those who have followed the series for a while, there are several references and comparisons to the Watchman, another Rhyme nemesis, who is believed to still be "out there" somewhere.

I will say that the story has several threads that make it a little harder to follow than some of the others (including an incognito conspiracy theorist and a mega-wealthy family that owns a highly successful "sensationalist" newspaper), and some of the explanations - such as how locks work - tend to get a little tiresome at times. But Rhyme's thought process, and Sachs's instincts, more than make up for those transgressions. One scene in particular is one of the most nail-biting I've experienced in many, many books (thank goodness it didn't last longer than it did - I couldn't have held my breath much longer).

In the end, most things are resolved with a few surprises thrown in, setting Rhyme's team up for their next adventure (for the record, I'm hoping that one character new to this book gets tapped for more). I'm more than ready, so bring it on. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Good job!

The Midnight Lock by Jeffery Deaver (G.P. Putnam's Sons, November 2021); 448 pp.