The Devil's Teardrop (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "The Digger's in town..." (more)
Key Phrases: Margaret Lukas, Parker Kincaid, Tobe Geller (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Thriller readers can always count on getting extra value from Jeffery Deaver--strong plots, fascinating research, believable characters, and plenty of surprise endings. Like in The Terminator, the bad guys in The Devil's Teardrop just won't quit, and they create enough havoc in the last 50 pages to fill a whole new book.

Although Deaver's brilliant, wheelchair-bound forensic expert Lincoln Rhyme makes a guest appearance, the muscular scientist in charge here is Parker Kincaid--an expert in document analysis who'd much rather be checking the authenticity of letters from Thomas Jefferson than figuring out when a crazed shooter known as the Digger will strike again. But it's New Year's Eve, 1999, and the Digger has begun a reign of terror--promising to shoot into crowds in Washington, D.C., every four hours until he's paid $20 million. As Kincaid searches an odd ransom note for clues (and tries to maintain a low profile so that his vindictive ex-wife won't get custody of his young kids), we get to know the Digger better. He is a frighteningly invisible character with serious brain damage, who methodically obeys a set of instructions from an unknown handler. We also learn many amazing facts about paper, ink, and handwriting analysis, and watch as a relationship slowly and reluctantly develops between Kincaid and the FBI agent in charge. All this as the devious Deaver leads us down several garden paths overflowing with dead bodies. --Dick Adler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

starring Denzel Washington.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; 1st THUS edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671038443
• ISBN-13: 978-0671038441
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (155 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,282 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute Original, November 21, 1999

By	Agnes P Lau (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Devil's Teardrop: A Novel of the Last Night of the Century (A Lincoln Rhyme Novel) (Hardcover)

This book was phenonmenal! The plot was completely original: using an extortion letter to figure out the criminal's next target and steps for capture on New Year's Eve. The author researched the information very very thoroughly. I had no idea so much detail was entailed in document forensics! From the writing of the words, to conjuctions and sentence structures. It was about thrill to read this book! Each page revealed and new twist. The ending seemed a bit cliche, but Mr. Deavers provided an original twist.

This is a must read. Great GREAT JOB!

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Devil's Teardrop will grab and hold you from the first page., November 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Devil's Teardrop: A Novel of the Last Night of the Century (A Lincoln Rhyme Novel) (Hardcover)

Devil's Teardrop is an edge of the seat thriller that is the perfect introduction into the diabolical world that is Jeffrey Deaver's mind. If you read any of his prior works, then you pretty much know what to expect. For those of you who is a first time reader of Deaver's books, such as myself, then prepare for the most intensifying reading before Y2K. Which is ironic, because that is exactly the date that this story takes place. At 9a.m., Dec. 31, 1999, a mass murder takes place in the Metro Station of Washington D.C. committed by a man only known as the Digger. After the murders, a note is left in a phone booth near the Mayor's office. It warns that if $20 million is not paid in full within the next four hours, another mass murder will commence. This will happen every four hours all the way until the midnight hour until the money is paid. To make matters worse, if the writer of the note is killed, the Digger will continue to kill. If the writer of the note is captured, the Digger will continue to kill. With time against them, former forensics expert Parker Kincaid and Special Agent Margaret Lukas have only four hours to decipher the note before another massacre occurs.

Devil's Teardrop is wonderfully written. Deaver's knowledge of forensics and law enforcement slang thrusts the reader into the psychotic and dangerous life of the FBI. The characters have real personalities that help bring the book to life and it successfully thrusts you into this alternate world of chaos and disorder. A highly recommended anyone who likes suspense and thrillers. Then again, it's a highly recommended book for just about anyone who likes to read.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cheese, but good cheese, December 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Devil's Teardrop: A Novel of the Last Night of the Century (A Lincoln Rhyme Novel) (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book, but several things about it bugged me. First of all, I think I'm getting tired of Deaver's writing style. The problem is that because it's a Deaver book, I knew well ahead of time that there would be a twist at the end. I didn't know exactly what it would be, but I knew it was coming. So when it did, I wasn't all that surprised; instead, I just thought, Yep, there he goes again. Secondly, I'm well aware that to read a story like this one must suspend disbelief, but the stuff that happens in this one is really very ridiculous. I won't go into any of that for the sake of anyone who hasn't read it yet, but quite a few scenes had me rolling my eyes. I find it really odd that what starts out as an intelligent, very well researched novel descends into a sort of comedy of errors where every scene plays out in the least believable way.

But despite all my whining here, I enjoyed the book for what it was: a thriller that's meant to keep you guessing until the end, more fantasy than reality. It's not as good as A Maiden's Grave, but it's a good time-killer.