Jeffrey Deaver
Author of The Bone Collector
About the Author
Jeffery Deaver was born on May 6, 1950 in Chicago, Illinois. He received a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Fordham University. Before attending law school, he worked as a business writer. After law school, he worked for a Wall Street law firm practicing show more corporate law. In 1990, he decided to stop practicing law and become a full-time writer. His first novel was a horror story entitled Voodoo. He is the author of more than 25 novels and has written some of those stories under the pseudonym William Jeffries. He writes the Lincoln Rhyme series and the Kathryn Dance series. A Maiden's Grave was adapted into a film by HBO called Dead Silence and The Bone Collector was adapted into a feature film starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He received the Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger from the British Crime Writers' Association, the Ellery Queen Reader's Award for Best Short Story of the Year three times, and the British Thumping Good Read Award. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Jeffery Deaver on September 08, 2019 in Gallarate, Italy
Series
Works by Jeffrey Deaver
Watchlist: Two Serial Thrillers in One Killer Book (2010) — Editor; Contributor — 366 copies, 12 reviews
The Complete Law School Companion: How to Excel at America's Most Demanding Post-Graduate Curriculum (1984) 33 copies
Forever {story} 4 copies
The Kathryn Dance Collection 1-3: The Sleeping Doll, Roadside Crosses, XO (English Edition) (2015) 3 copies
Beautiful [short story] 2 copies
Born Bad [short story] 2 copies
The Steel Kiss (First Six Chapters) 2 copies
O 11° Mandamento 1 copy
The Ruins 1 copy
Born in Death 1 copy
Ein Tödlicher Plan Thriller | Undercover in Einem Netz Aus Korruption, Intrigen und Mord (2025) 1 copy
Glamorama 1 copy
Repressed 1 copy
Lincoln Rhyme 1-12 1 copy
Deceptions 1 copy
Deadline Clock 1 copy
Ablak a halálra 1 copy
The Hangman's Waltz 1 copy
Jeffery Deaver presenta Suspense: i piu bei racconti gialli degli ultimi cento anni /Edizione italiana a cura di Andrea Carlo Cappi — Editor — 1 copy
Robin and Ruby 1 copy
Mary, Mary 1 copy
Cold-Blooded: Repressed 1 copy
Piekielna dzielnica 1 copy
Lullaby 1 copy
Skin Trade 1 copy
Pygmy 1 copy
Last Words 1 copy
Little Earthquakes 1 copy
Jeffery Deaver Collection 8 Books Set (Mistress of Justice, Bloody River Blues, Shallow Graves, Manhattan Is My Beat, Death of a Blue Movie Star, October List, Speaking In… (2022) 1 copy, 1 review
The First Day of School 1 copy
The Blank Card [short story] 1 copy
Afraid [short story] 1 copy
Interrogation [short story] 1 copy
Surveillance [short story] 1 copy
The Commuter [short story] 1 copy
Together [short story] 1 copy
The Fall Guy [short story] 1 copy
Nocturne [short story] 1 copy
Gone Fishing [short story] 1 copy
Eye to Eye [short story] 1 copy
The Plot 1 copy
Tunnel Girl [short story] 1 copy
The Voyeur [short story] 1 copy
Deaver Export Shrinkwrap 3 for 2 containing Bone Collector, Coffin Dancer and Maiden's Grave (2005) 1 copy
2000 1 copy
2003 1 copy
Het dossier 1 copy
Making Amends 1 copy
Associated Works
In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper (2016) — Contributor — 286 copies, 16 reviews
Bibliomysteries: Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores, Volume One (2013) — Contributor — 241 copies, 14 reviews
The Lineup: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives (2009) — Contributor — 239 copies, 5 reviews
Manhattan Mayhem: New Crime Stories from Mystery Writers of America (2015) — Contributor — 210 copies, 30 reviews
In the Shadow of the Master: Classic Tales by Edgar Allan Poe (2009) — Contributor — 194 copies, 3 reviews
The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories: First Annual Collection (2000) — Contributor — 68 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Select Editions 1999 v06 #246: The Devil's Teardrop / Lake News / Thunderhead / A Walk to Remember (1999) 55 copies, 1 review
Alive in Shape and Color: 16 Paintings by Great Artists and the Stories They Inspired (2019) — Contributor — 53 copies, 3 reviews
The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories: Third Annual Collection (2002) — Contributor — 46 copies
Reader's Digest Select Editions 2001 v05 #257: The Ice Child / The Blue Nowhere / Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas / Back When We Were Grownups (2001) 43 copies
A Confederacy of Crime: New Stories of Southern-Style Mystery (2001) — Contributor — 42 copies, 1 review
The Best of the Best American Mystery Stories: The First Ten Years (2014) — Contributor — 39 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Select Editions 2000 v05 #251: Ghost Moon / The Empty Chair /Hawke's Cove / The Color of Hope (2000) 30 copies, 1 review
Private Investigations: Mystery Writers on the Secrets, Riddles, and Wonders in Their Lives (2020) — Contributor — 29 copies, 4 reviews
The Deadly Bride and 21 of the Year's Finest Crime and Mystery Stories: Volume II (2006) — Contributor — 29 copies
Greatest Hits: Original Stories of Hitmen, Hired Guns, and Private Eyes (2005) — Contributor — 18 copies
Thriller: An Anthology of New Mystery Short Stories (The Music and Murder Mystery Series) (2023) — Contributor — 13 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Vanished Man • Don't Look Back • Prey • Street Boys (2003) 12 copies
Select Editions: The Sleeping Doll / Heart of the Dales / The Island / The Sacred Bones (2000) 12 copies
Reader's Digest Select Editions 2007 v05 #293: Shadow Dance / Francesca's Kitchen / The Sleeping Doll / Garden Spells (2007) — Author — 11 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Ice Child • The Blue Nowhere • Warlock • Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas (2001) 10 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Auswahlbücher 226 : Im Schatten des Pferdemondes. Mord auf Bestellung. Ums nackte Leben. Der China-Ship (1999) — Author — 9 copies
The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories: Seventh Annual Edition (1998) — Contributor — 9 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Last Light • The Stone Monkey • Dying To Tell • Fallen Angel (2001) — Contributor — 8 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Second Wind • The Devil's Teardrop • A Peculiar Chemistry • Stinger (2000) 6 copies
Libros selectos. El tatuado de la danza macabra. Vuelo funesto. El halconero. La última jugada (2000) 6 copies
Livros Condensados: O Macaco de Pedra | Um Passo de Dança | Eu Não tenho Medo | Melodia do Coração (2004) — Author — 5 copies
Livros Condensados: A cadeira vazia | Bem-vindo a Normal | Presidente em exercício | Brisa sussurante (2002) 4 copies
Livros Condensados: Stinger | Lua Vazia | A Lágrima do Diabo | A Catarata do Anjo (1998) — Author — 4 copies
Death's Betrayal: Two Novellas from Transgressions {audio} (2005) — Contributor — 4 copies, 1 review
Het Beste Boek 229: De illusionist / De thuiskomst / Dubbele leugen / Schaduwspel 3 copies, 1 review
Livros Condensados: A Décima Segunda Carta | No Comboio Para Lisboa | Crime Nas Apostas | Juntos Na Solidão (2007) — Author — 3 copies
Det Bästas bokval, vol. 218 3 copies
Det Bästas Bokval (2004) vol 234: Stenapan; Par och piruetter; Hinder i vägen; Jag är inte rädd — Author — 2 copies
Valitujen Palojen Tiivistetyt Kirjat - The testament; Fly away home; The Devil's teardrop; The obsession (2001) 2 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Exclusion Zone / The Loop / The Coffin Dancer / Archangel (1999) 2 copies
Readers Digest Select Editions: The Empty Chair / The Other Side of the Dale / Code to Zero / Nora, Nora (2003) — Author — 2 copies
Australian Reader's Digest Select Editions: The Loop • The Kremlin Device • Somebody's Baby • The Coffin Dancer (1999) — Contributor — 2 copies
Reader's Digest Select Editions: The Vanished Man • Street Boys • The Christmas Train • The Summer That Never Was (2003) 2 copies
Goed fout : fragmenten uit misdaadverhalen van bekroonde auteurs — Contributor — 2 copies
Reader's Digest Select Editions: XO / The Man Who Forgot His Wife / A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder / Now You See Her (2012) — Author — 1 copy
Wenn wir uns wiedersehen / Das Gold von Malawi / Von kalter Hand / Jennys Geschichte (Reader´s Digest Auswahlbücher) (1988) — Contributor — 1 copy
Het Beste Boek 206: Het bloed kruipt / Influenza / Een droom van een man / Wespenval — Contributor — 1 copy, 1 review
Livros Condensados: O macaco de pedra | Um dia perfeito | Rato de praia | Por inteiro — Author — 1 copy
Válogatott könyvek 30. Jeffery Deaver - Kőmajom; Susan Wilson - Szenvedélyek szigete; John Katzenbach - A lélekbúvár; James Thayer - Ítéletidő (2003) — Author — 1 copy
Det Bästas Bokval (2003) vol 225: Eldfångaren; Bärnstensamuletten; Den tomma stolen — Author — 1 copy
Reader`s Digest Auswahlbüher: Die Meschenleserin / Weit übers Meer / Die letzte Sure / Ihre einzige Liebe (2009) 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Deaver, Jeffrey
- Legal name
- Deaver, Jeffery Wilds
- Other names
- Jeffries, William
- Birthdate
- 1950-05-06
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Missouri (BA)
Fordham University (JD) - Occupations
- lawyer
journalist
folk singer
novelist - Agent
- Deborah Schneider (Gelfman Schneider Literary)
- Relationships
- Deaver, Julie Reece (sister)
- Short biography
- Jeffery Deaver (born May 6, 1950) is an American mystery/crime writer. He has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Fordham University and originally started working as a journalist. He later practiced law before embarking on a successful career as a best-selling novelist.He has been awarded the Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger from the British Crime Writers' Association and the Nero Wolfe Award, and he is a three-time recipient of the Ellery Queen Reader's Award for Best Short Story of the Year and a winner of the British Thumping Good Read Award. His novels have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including The New York Times, The Times, Italy's Corriere della Sera, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Los Angeles Times.
Deaver was born outside Chicago in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. His mother was an artist, and his father an advertising writer. His sister Julie Deaver is an author of young adult novels. The book that inspired him to write was From Russia With Love, a James Bond novel by Ian Fleming. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA
- Map Location
- Illinois, USA
Members
Discussions
Fiction framed for murder in Name that Book (August 2020)
Mai 2020: "Edge"/"Schutzlos" von Jeffery Deaver in Brettspiel-Twitter auf Librarything (May 2020)
Reviews
I managed to re-read The Bone Collector a couple of years back without vomiting, so I thought I would try a sequel - never again! Why are these novels so INSUFFERABLY SMUG? Hey there reader, did you forget how stunningly beautiful Amelia Sachs is, with her shampoo ad red hair and 'Julia Roberts' lips? Or how incredibly handsome Lincoln Rhyme is, with his 'Tom Cruise' nose (why on God's green earth would anyone choose Tom Cruise as the epitome of a good looking nose?) And how none of the show more detectives they work with are merely good at their jobs, but almost supernaturally talented at whatever they do? Then let Jeffrey Deaver remind you! On. Every. Single, Page.
I will say that that the twist in the tale was a corker which hooked me again, but - HOLY HELL - the steaming pile of cliches I had to wade through to get to that point was not worth the reading time. And if the characters aren't beautiful or handsome, with movie star features, then they are patronised to within an inch of their life. Poor Percey, the serial killer's intended victim, has her ugliness - I'm guessing she would just be an average looking woman in any book but this - hammered home, from the 'troll' nicknames she remembers from school to being called 'plucky'. Because if a woman can't be a supermodel, then the next best compliment is that she acts like a man - unless she's Amelia Sachs, of course, who is both a stunner and a ballsy mechanic/driver/crack shot (*yawn*).
So anyway, buried underneath all the Hollywood hype, there is a Columbo-style forensic puzzle to solve, in which we know the killer - the chapters alternate between him and Lincoln's dicks - and forget that we're supposed to be cheering on the plucky widowed pilot and actual want the Coffin Dancer to finish off the good guys, especially Sachs. Or was that just me? show less
I will say that that the twist in the tale was a corker which hooked me again, but - HOLY HELL - the steaming pile of cliches I had to wade through to get to that point was not worth the reading time. And if the characters aren't beautiful or handsome, with movie star features, then they are patronised to within an inch of their life. Poor Percey, the serial killer's intended victim, has her ugliness - I'm guessing she would just be an average looking woman in any book but this - hammered home, from the 'troll' nicknames she remembers from school to being called 'plucky'. Because if a woman can't be a supermodel, then the next best compliment is that she acts like a man - unless she's Amelia Sachs, of course, who is both a stunner and a ballsy mechanic/driver/crack shot (*yawn*).
So anyway, buried underneath all the Hollywood hype, there is a Columbo-style forensic puzzle to solve, in which we know the killer - the chapters alternate between him and Lincoln's dicks - and forget that we're supposed to be cheering on the plucky widowed pilot and actual want the Coffin Dancer to finish off the good guys, especially Sachs. Or was that just me? show less
Although I've been aware of Jeffery Deaver's work for decades, I've never gotten around to reading one of his novels so, when Amazon offered his latest (251-page) novella 'The Rule Of Threes' for free, I decided to give it a try.
'The Rule Of Threes' was entertaining in a magic-trick kind of way. My first impression was that it was a conventional but well-done clever cop versus cunning serial killer story with both the cop and the killer being distinctive enough to keep the story fresh. The show more storytelling valued pace over detail but the dialogue worked well, the action scenes were exciting, the peaceful small-town setting amplified the impact of the violence and the level of tension kept rising.
Towards the middle, I started to realise that this wasn't the conventional story I thought it was going to be. The main investigator wasn't the out-of-towner-who-fearlessly-follows-the-evidence type I'd thought she was. The more I learned about her, the more dangerous and unpredictable she seemed to be. The Sherrif, who'd initially seemed like a central casting version of a grumpy disillusioned middle-aged wannabe-cowboy bully Sherif turned out to the someone quite different. Then something started to feel off about the obsessed-with-things-that-come-in-threes killer and I wondered how Jeffery Deaver was going to pull everything together in such a short time.
Then came the big twist. A twist so big that it almost felt like a cheat. I found myself going "How was I supposed to see that coming?" Then I accepted that this wasn't a book where I was being invited to solve the mystery before the detective did, this was a rollercoaster ride thriller that I had to surrender control to and enjoy the ride. The momentum of the story pushed me forward and dropped me through twist after twist to an ending that I thought was very satisfactory.
'The Rule Of Threes' was entertaining and has left me with an appetite for some more Jeffery Deaver. I think I'll try his most recent books first. show less
'The Rule Of Threes' was entertaining in a magic-trick kind of way. My first impression was that it was a conventional but well-done clever cop versus cunning serial killer story with both the cop and the killer being distinctive enough to keep the story fresh. The show more storytelling valued pace over detail but the dialogue worked well, the action scenes were exciting, the peaceful small-town setting amplified the impact of the violence and the level of tension kept rising.
Towards the middle, I started to realise that this wasn't the conventional story I thought it was going to be. The main investigator wasn't the out-of-towner-who-fearlessly-follows-the-evidence type I'd thought she was. The more I learned about her, the more dangerous and unpredictable she seemed to be. The Sherrif, who'd initially seemed like a central casting version of a grumpy disillusioned middle-aged wannabe-cowboy bully Sherif turned out to the someone quite different. Then something started to feel off about the obsessed-with-things-that-come-in-threes killer and I wondered how Jeffery Deaver was going to pull everything together in such a short time.
Then came the big twist. A twist so big that it almost felt like a cheat. I found myself going "How was I supposed to see that coming?" Then I accepted that this wasn't a book where I was being invited to solve the mystery before the detective did, this was a rollercoaster ride thriller that I had to surrender control to and enjoy the ride. The momentum of the story pushed me forward and dropped me through twist after twist to an ending that I thought was very satisfactory.
'The Rule Of Threes' was entertaining and has left me with an appetite for some more Jeffery Deaver. I think I'll try his most recent books first. show less
I listened to this as an audiobook while I was out on a long run – and it is a testament to how good this story is that a run of two hours seemed to go by in a flash!
The story introduces the reader to seven strangers in seven very different situations and then pulls them all together when one violent act takes place.
Without giving away any important plot points, I can say that the story is a stark reminder of the prejudices which people hold and the snap judgements that we can all make. show more Things are very often not what they seem, and this is perfectly illustrated here.
The story itself is taut and well told at a decent pace, as shorter stories have to be. It’s narrated by J D Jackson, who does a terrific job. I have only read one book by Jefferey Deaver before – the first Lincoln Rhyme novel, ‘The Bone Collector’ – and I remember thinking it was well written but pretty gory (probably the reason I never read any others in the series). This is not particularly gory, despite an act of violence being at the heart of the story, and therefore I would not worry about recommending this to someone who was slightly squeamish.
Basically brilliant, and if Deaver has any other shorter stories available on audiobook, you can be sure I will seeking them out. show less
The story introduces the reader to seven strangers in seven very different situations and then pulls them all together when one violent act takes place.
Without giving away any important plot points, I can say that the story is a stark reminder of the prejudices which people hold and the snap judgements that we can all make. show more Things are very often not what they seem, and this is perfectly illustrated here.
The story itself is taut and well told at a decent pace, as shorter stories have to be. It’s narrated by J D Jackson, who does a terrific job. I have only read one book by Jefferey Deaver before – the first Lincoln Rhyme novel, ‘The Bone Collector’ – and I remember thinking it was well written but pretty gory (probably the reason I never read any others in the series). This is not particularly gory, despite an act of violence being at the heart of the story, and therefore I would not worry about recommending this to someone who was slightly squeamish.
Basically brilliant, and if Deaver has any other shorter stories available on audiobook, you can be sure I will seeking them out. show less
Nur noch bar bezahlen...
Nachdem die 450-Minuten-Lesung dieses Buches vorüber war, überlegte ich mir ernsthaft, ob ich meine Kunden- und Kreditkarten sowie mein Handy abschaffen soll, vom Navi ganz zu schweigen. Denn das Szenario, das Jeffrey Deaver in seinem achten Fall für Lincoln Rhyme und Amelia Sachs entwirft, wirkt so nah an der Realität, dass man sich zwangsläufig fragt, wieviel davon schon Realität IST.
Durch Zufall kommt Lincoln Rhyme mit seinem Team einem Serienkiller auf die show more Spur, der eine offenbar perfekte Methode entdeckt hat, die Verantwortung für seine Bluttaten anderen Menschen in die Schuhe zu schieben. Unter Zuhilfenahme eines immensen Datenpools manipuliert er das Leben Anderer auf derart perfide Art und Weise, dass diese am Ende ihrer vollständigen Identität beraubt sind oder wegen Verbrechen verurteilt werden, die sie nicht begangen haben. Als er feststellt, dass man ihm immer näher kommt, beginnt er seine Täuschungen auch auf Rhyme und sein Team auszudehnen...
Willkommen zurück, 1984! Bei George Orwell sah die Zukunft zwar etwas anders aus, aber letzten Endes kam sie zum gleichen Ergebnis: vollständige Überwachung. Deaver zeigt in seinem Thriller mustergültig auf, was geschehen kann, wenn all die Informationen, die jede/r von uns tagtäglich mehr oder weniger unbewusst versendet, zentral gespeichert und ausgewertet werden. Neben dieser beklemmend wirkenden Fiktion, die durchaus ausreichend genug gewesen wäre für eine spannende Story, wartet Jeffrey Deaver noch mit einem Psychothriller in gewohnt dramatisch-spannender Art auf, der auf kongeniale Weise von Dietmar Wunder (Synchronsprecher von u.a. Daniel Craig, Robert Downey Jr.) vorgetragen wird.
Weshalb dann nicht die volle Punktzahl? Ein paar kleine Unplausibilitäten störten mich doch: Weshalb kann ein Mann, der seit längerem auf der Strasse lebt (und auch so aussieht), sich völlig unverdächtig als Nachbar ausgeben? Oder die finale Rettungsaktion - vielleicht doch etwas zu viel des Guten.
Aber ansonsten: hörens- und sicherlich auch lesenswert! Und das mit den Kunden- und Kreditkarten werde ich wirklich noch einmal überdenken. show less
Nachdem die 450-Minuten-Lesung dieses Buches vorüber war, überlegte ich mir ernsthaft, ob ich meine Kunden- und Kreditkarten sowie mein Handy abschaffen soll, vom Navi ganz zu schweigen. Denn das Szenario, das Jeffrey Deaver in seinem achten Fall für Lincoln Rhyme und Amelia Sachs entwirft, wirkt so nah an der Realität, dass man sich zwangsläufig fragt, wieviel davon schon Realität IST.
Durch Zufall kommt Lincoln Rhyme mit seinem Team einem Serienkiller auf die show more Spur, der eine offenbar perfekte Methode entdeckt hat, die Verantwortung für seine Bluttaten anderen Menschen in die Schuhe zu schieben. Unter Zuhilfenahme eines immensen Datenpools manipuliert er das Leben Anderer auf derart perfide Art und Weise, dass diese am Ende ihrer vollständigen Identität beraubt sind oder wegen Verbrechen verurteilt werden, die sie nicht begangen haben. Als er feststellt, dass man ihm immer näher kommt, beginnt er seine Täuschungen auch auf Rhyme und sein Team auszudehnen...
Willkommen zurück, 1984! Bei George Orwell sah die Zukunft zwar etwas anders aus, aber letzten Endes kam sie zum gleichen Ergebnis: vollständige Überwachung. Deaver zeigt in seinem Thriller mustergültig auf, was geschehen kann, wenn all die Informationen, die jede/r von uns tagtäglich mehr oder weniger unbewusst versendet, zentral gespeichert und ausgewertet werden. Neben dieser beklemmend wirkenden Fiktion, die durchaus ausreichend genug gewesen wäre für eine spannende Story, wartet Jeffrey Deaver noch mit einem Psychothriller in gewohnt dramatisch-spannender Art auf, der auf kongeniale Weise von Dietmar Wunder (Synchronsprecher von u.a. Daniel Craig, Robert Downey Jr.) vorgetragen wird.
Weshalb dann nicht die volle Punktzahl? Ein paar kleine Unplausibilitäten störten mich doch: Weshalb kann ein Mann, der seit längerem auf der Strasse lebt (und auch so aussieht), sich völlig unverdächtig als Nachbar ausgeben? Oder die finale Rettungsaktion - vielleicht doch etwas zu viel des Guten.
Aber ansonsten: hörens- und sicherlich auch lesenswert! Und das mit den Kunden- und Kreditkarten werde ich wirklich noch einmal überdenken. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 243
- Also by
- 106
- Members
- 65,893
- Popularity
- #210
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 1,525
- ISBNs
- 2,342
- Languages
- 29
- Favorited
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