Rating: 
Summary: Quadriplegic criminologist in Carolina
Review: Lincoln Rhyme is a quadriplegic ex-NYPD genius at interpreting crime scene evidence. He's in North Carolina for an operation, presumably at Duke, which seems rather a gamble given that every Carolinian he meets is a dim-witted country rube, except for an emotionally disturbed teenage entomologist suspected of multiple murder and kidnapping. He gets recruited by the local police who need the help of one of them clever New Yorkers. I don't think this book is going to do much for good relations between New york and North Carolina (I haven't read all the other reviews yet so I don't know if any Southern hackles were raised)
It's a police procedural techno-thriller using the usual devices to keep you on the edge of your seat. There are four young female characters to get in peril and rescued in the nick of time. (This is I believe known in the trade as the attractive-young-female-in-peril-who mistakes-the good-guys-for-the-bad-guys gimmick. It was started in the eighteenth century with "The Castle of Otranto" and Jabe Austen thought she'd killed it with "Northanger Abbey" in 1817) To be fair, Jeffrey Deaver is very good at this suspense business and at making us m-t-g-g-f-t-b-guys. In order to build up suspense he chops the narratice up between multiple points of view so as to end chapters on cliffhangers. Sometimes an omniscient narrator steps in to explain things about geography,history, insects, geology, plants, gas chromatography and quadriplegia. When he's not there the characters explain these things to each other
There are a confusing number of characters to begin with but is gets simpler as seven of them are shot to death. Two characters get stung to death by wasps. One character makes a joke (it's about quadriplegia).
I noticed a lot of plausibility problems and by the end I was doing a lot of "no-that-would-never-happen" but by then I was hooked. Actually the thing that seduced me into starting this book wasn't any of the gimmicks but the quiet poetic descriptions of coastal swamp scenery and realistic Bobby Ann Mason type atmosphere build-up on the first three pages.
Rating: 
Summary: Rhyme at his Best
Review: After reading all five Rhyme novels that are out right now, i can definitely say that The Empty Chair is Deaver's best novel in the series.
The novel finds handicapped criminalist Lincoln Rhyme in North Carolina with his protege and lover, Amelia Sachs, and his witty aide, Thom, to meet with a doctor for surgery that could potentially cure his quadripelegia. But Rhyme is soon contacted by a local sheriff, a brother of one of Rhyme's colleagues back in New York, who requests that Rhyme lends his expertise in helping to track down a young kidnapper known as "The Insect Boy", who has kidnapped two girls from the sheriff's community and killed a local athlete.
The first half of the novel deals with the hunt for the kidnapper and the missing girls, with Lincoln and Amelia working with local authorities who aren't all that pleased that a couple of outsiders from up-north are budging in on their case. The pace of the novel really picks up in the second half, when Amelia goes against Rhyme and helps the Insect Boy escape, believing that he was framed for the murder. From there, the novel has so many twists and turns that one should easily be able to finish this book in one sitting.
Everything about this novel is perfect. Rhyme and Sachs both develop brilliantly. The supporting cast is also one of Deaver's best, including the Insect Boy, the local cops, and a college student that Rhyme recruits as an impromptu forensics assistant. The Empty Chair really delves into the dark side of the deep south, and the dangerous, untamed swamp and wilderness where the pursuit of the kidnapper takes place is portrayed so well that readers will be on the edge of their seats as Sachs and the search team tread carefully through it, avoiding all sorts of traps that may lay in wait for them.
It doesn't get much better than this. 5 out of 5.
Rating:
Summary: Empty Chair Full Of Satisfaction
Review: Following the development of Jeffrey Deaver's writing talent has been full of rewards for the reader. Especially rewarding is the creation of Lincoln Rhyme, a brilliant criminalist who happens to be quadriplegic. I didn't think Deaver could do any better than "The Devil's Teardrop" but this story he has created for Rhyme and Amelia Sachs is hypnotic. Like the proverbial onion, this multi-climactic roller-coaster ride is multi-layered, full of twists and surprises that kept me guessing and totally immersed in the characters and the plot.On a most basic level, Rhyme goes to North Carolina for experimental surgery and while there is asked to help find two women allegedly kidnapped by a teen who is also accused of murdering a teenage boy. The fugitive teenager, Garrett Hanlon, has been monickered Insect Boy because of his fascination with insects and their unique survivalist behavior. Within this framework, Deaver has developed a story that seems to peak at least three times, including a difference of opinion between Rhyme and Sachs that ultimately jeopardizes Sach's freedom and reveals Rhyme's true feelings toward her. The Insect Boy is the creative core of the story. From him the reader has to determine the level of his involvement in the murder and kidnappings and therefore determine in how much danger Sachs finds herself. Garrett's knowledge of insects is phenomenal and guides much of his behavior. The information about insects adds to the interest and fascination of the book. There were points in the story where I wondered if Sachs would be able to extricate herself from a seemingly hopeless predicament. As the end of the book rapidly approached, I kept wondering how it was going to have a satisfying conclusion. When it appeared Rhyme's character may be coming to an end, I found myself begging it wouldn't be true. I don't feel comfortable adding too much more. I know I'd be very angry if, by reading a review, the story's secrets were hinted at or revealed. With that being said, Deaver cleverly gave the book a title that has more than one meaning.
Rating:
Summary: What A Wild Read!
Review: For anyone who is a fan of forensic mysteries, Deaver is the one for you. His hero-Lincoln Rhyme is a treasure. Who'd ever think that an author could make a character like this so believable. Rhyme is a quadriplegic, and although his intelligence is certainly not impaired from his accident, his mobility sure is, but he has two great characters to help him do the "leg work" so to speak. Amelia and Thom are wonderful, and the other people that he brings in like Lucy in this case gather all the information, and take all the chances, and Rhyme sits back and analyzes what the evidence states. This is a really exciting book, and in typical Deaver fashion, it keeps you guessing all the way through. Don't ever think the action is complete until you get to the last page. This is my favourite Lincoln Rhyme novel. I had to read it again because the plot is so intricate and I got more out of it the second time.
Rating:
Summary: In my opinion...his best
Review: I have been reading most of Jeffery Deaver's work and "The Empty Chair" shows that he has grown as an accomplished suspense writer deserving to be among the big authors This amazing novel features forensic scientist Lincoln Rhyme and assistant Sachs, (a Deaver classic), in this opportunity, trying to find clues and whereabouts of victims around the swamps of North Carolina. The book also provides a reference map before the first chapter to follow Lincoln Rhyme's search. Suspense, action, insects and characters galore throughout the whole story, but get ready and buckle up...because the best of the best in terms of writing style, twists, turns and "coups de grace" is reserved for the last 200 pages, they are full of "traps" and "surprises". It is remarkable how Deaver plays cunningly with them, making absolutely impossible to outguess him. Lincoln Rhyme brightness matching Einstein intelligence is clearly shown, but the huge material resources he needs to employ in order to get the key information required to solve the puzzle and confront the bad guys are not, (we have to remember that he is a quadriplegic in a wheelchair with restricted mobility), this is, in my opinion, something that has to be improved in terms of his character drawing, but it is just a very tiny dark spot in this wonderful book of supreme quality
Rating:
Summary: Another 5-Star effort -- but not as good as Coffin Dancer
Review: I would never have guessed that reading a book absolutely LOADED with forensic details would interest me -- but I am VERY pleased that I took the gamble with Jeffery Deaver. Like many, I was first introduced to Deaver's work when I saw 'The Bone Collector' and figured that even though it was an entertaining movie, that Hollywood (as usual) took enough liberties with the plot to have rendered it not nearly as good as the book -- which in fact was the case. Lincoln's first adventure was simply stunning. I next went to one of my all-time favorite murder/mysteries, 'The Coffin Dancer'...a novel loaded with Deaver's trademark twists & turns and provided me with just about the best surprise ending I have read to date. After that truly amazing literary stunt, I was absolutely hooked on Deaver. I couldn't tell you how much I looked forward to his next voyage with Lincoln and Amelia. 'The Empty Chair' is pretty much everything Deaver has helped us expect out of a seriously scientific-driven murder mystery. Lincoln, who is preparing for a risky surgery which may or may not help give him additional minor mobility gets the call to help locate the Insect Boy, who has kidnapped and is presumably getting ready to kill a young woman. The really interesting thing about 'The Empty Chair' to me was the fact that as brilliant as Lincoln is, being out of New York -- anywhere out of New York, puts him entirely out of his element. Knowing as much about your specific environment is what helps him solve crimes...but down South is about as far away from his comfortable surroundings as Lincoln CAN be. This however does not stop him from his insatiable addiction to taking charge and working with whatever is available to him to solve a crime-in-progress. Some may be turned off with the incredible detail of what looks to be the smallest most insignificant physical evidence, but Deaver's sheer narrative force MAKES it interesting -- if not downright fun. I LOVE this kind of attention to seemingly tiny details, and a story featuring Lincoln & Amelia is chock full of it. Personally I didn't find the commonly used twists & turns to be as all-out surprising as in his previous stories, but Deaver certainly IS a genius at taking note of things that us average arm-chair criminologists gloss over. The best part is after he brings up the tiny stuff, you almost immediately realize just how important it is to the ultimate solving of the crime -- you can't always piece it together, but don't worry, Mr. Deaver does that just fine by himself. All in all, 'The Empty Chair' failed to entertain me as fully as 'The Bone Collector' and 'The Coffin Dancer' but I certainly have to give Deaver his due for all of the HUGE amount of research he absolutely MUST perform in order to tie it all together forensically tiny bit by tiny bit. Take note: IF you enjoy the show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, pick up one of Deaver's books featuring Lincoln Rhyme, the absolute OPPOSITE of what we have come to expect out of a Hero Crime Investigator. Just plain FUN, and HIGHLY recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Too Much
Review: I'm a new fan of the Lincoln Rhyme series and started with The Stone Monkey -- a terrific book which had me at the book store within 24 hours to pick up the other Rhyme novels. I have to say that The Empty Chair is not very good -- nowhere near the calibre of The Bone Collector or Coffin Dancer. There are simply too many plot twists and the basic premise of the novel (town becomes toxic waste dump) has been done to death. This part of the plot can be figured out in the first 100 pages. The interaction between Sachs & Rhyme is still good - even Thom gets to be involved a little more - but the story is simply over the top in terms of who the villains actually are and how the heroes save the day. The reader is also expected to believe that charges against Amelia for manslaughter are dropped because the victim was dirty? Implausible to say the least. Also, the author's technique of having a "personal crisis" in the relationship between Sachs & Rhyme end one chapter and then begin the next chapter with the villain's actions is getting a little tired. The author should have more faith that his work is intriguing enough to get the reader to actually want to finish the book without resorting to gimmicks and chapter-ending cliffhangers. This book is a disappointment and clearly the weakest in the series...not bad enough to ruin the entire series, however. I'll still read the Rhyme novels -- overall, the series is very, very good!
Rating: 
Summary: Not nearly as good as the first two books in the series
Review: If you know Deaver's series about quadriplegic forensic investigator Lincoln Rhyme and his love affair/sidekick ex-model-turned-into-cop Amelia Sachs, you'll realise "The empty chair" has all elements to give continuity to one of the best thriller series I know: a murder, kidnapping, interesting forensic details, Rhyme and Sachs running against time, etc. But this third book is not nearly as good as the first two, "The bone collector" and " The coffin dancer". Why is that? In my opinion, one of the greatest things about Lincoln and Amelia is the feeling of closeness the reader gets when reading about the crippled investigator. Lincoln is always in his state-of-the-art medical bed, surrounded by latest technology forensic equipment, and Amelia is Lincoln's eyes and legs. This combination prooved to be very good and adequate in the first two books. In "The empty chair", Lincoln and Amelia are not in New York anymore. They have traveled to North Carolina, where Rhyme will undergo a cirurgy that may restore some of his nerve connections. But while wating the cirurgy, the local sheriff asks Lincoln to help him in a murder-kidnapp case. From there, Deaver gives the reader his usually competent plot. The problem is, in this book character development is way below average. It's full of stereotypes. Even Rhyme and Sachs are a little worn out. Other characters are flat and I often confused one with another in the first pages of the book. The final solution of the mistery is simply ridiculous, when you think in Jeffery Deaver's terms. It's the kind of solution used in bad first-books by unknown authors in the eighties. Deaver disappointed me badly with the last hundred pages of "The empty chair". I hope "The stone monkey" is much better than this one, because Rhyme and Sachs are too good a team to be forsaken. Grade 6.3/10
Rating:
Summary: The Empty Emotionless Boy, I mean Chair
Review: It's hard for me to take a book seriously when one of the main characters breaks a 16 year old out of jail purely because the jail escapee claims he is innocent, and the main character (Sachs) thinks he is telling the truth.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, that is the only reason why Sachs breaks him out of jail. I found the 16 year old (and every plot point where he is involved) annoying and very hard to swallow as a legitimate character - if only because of the author's portrayal of him.
With that said, the book had it's moments. I might have given it a better review had the 16 year old boy been cut out and someone else pasted in.
Rating:
Summary: Wonder why he didn't title it "The Hornet's Nest".
Review: Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs return again and get into more trouble than you can possibly imagine. During the course of the book you will be convinced that Amelia will (1) go to jail for a long time (2) be murdered on more than one occasion and (3)need to be fitted for a straight jacket. You will also conclude at different times that Lincoln will (1) be murdered on more than one occasion (2) has lost his touch (3) has lost Thorn. What makes this book work is that Deaver is so capable of writing illusionally. You are sure that you read something that makes what follows impossible. When you go back and check you see that you filled in a blank that Mr. Deaver didn't. This book is a maserful exercise in mystery writing. There are times that it seems a bit tedious and confusing, but that is what the writer intends, for reasons that you will see as you continue through it. I do wonder why he titled it The Empty Chair, although there is a plausable explanation for it when you link that psychological technique to what turns out to be a very important memory by one of the characters. Read it and enjoy the delicious attention to detail and devious turns and twists that this writer has clearly mastered. A great read!
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