****

SOME 17 years after 1997’s The Bone Collector, which was adapted into a film starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, comes its long-awaited semi-sequel, featuring Deaver’s most loved character, quadriplegic consultant forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme.

The 11th book in the series sees the team tackle the case of a serial killer terrorising New York, who picks victims at random from dark alleyways and dank basements.

Chillingly methodical, the murderer kills by injecting lethal poison into targets, in the form of elaborate tattoos, and it is up to Lincoln and his cohorts to decipher these messages and designs, and untangle the twisted web of clues as the clock ticks.

Superbly written with Deaver’s signature twists, The Skin Collector is another gripping thriller from the king of suspense, and might just make you think twice about taking that quiet shortcut home.

Shereen Low