The
Cutting Edge by
Jeffery Deaver has many twists and turns. It brings into focus
how diamonds are not people’s best friends and can actually
be dangerous to one’s health. It appears there is a
serial killer terrorizing couples for the rings on their fingers.
Deaver noted, “I like writing in the little esoteric
pieces into the story. For example, the Italian culture in
The Burial Houror electricity for the grid inTheBurning Wire.
I saw the movie Blood Diamondand thought about writing something
with the diamond industry. I wanted to make a character obsessed
with diamonds in a twisted and psychological way. I knew this
industry would be a perfect foil for an overarching story.”
The plot opens with the horrific murders of a couple, William
Sloane and Anna Markam, and a master diamond cutter, Jatin
Patel, who works in Manhattan’s diamond district. As
they enter to pick up their engagement ring, a gunman wearing
a ski mask goes in right behind them. After the intruder shoots
William and Anna dead, he tortures and kills Jatin with a
box-cutter. Shortly thereafter, an employee, Vimal Lahori,
arrives but manages to escape the killer. The tension ratchets
up as the killer, now dubbed The Promiser, hunts Vimal and
more engaged couples.Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are hired
on a consulting basis to analyze the evidence and assist the
police in catching the murderer. Simultaneously an additional
story unfolds in Brooklyn where a drilling construction site
is a home to numerous and extremely rare earthquakes that
set off gas leaks and explosions. In addition, Lincoln is
hired as a consultant by the defense team of a known Mexican
cartel leader.
He is very careful not to get too graphic while addressing
violence, “I do not like sexual sadism or sexual violence,
and will not kill a child or animal. A death should create
huge and rippling consequences for many people. Before a writer
kills someone, they must think it through because it is a
horrific incident. To have more of an impact there should
be fewer scenes. I guess I follow the Alfred Hitchcock approach
of suspense, not gore.”
In this book, Deaver does not give much page time to the main
characters, Rhyme and Sachs. The focus is more on Vimal and
his girlfriend He is a young and passionate sculptor and apprentice
diamond cutter. Through him, readers learn numerous details
about diamonds and the industry. It almost appears that diamonds
become a character in the story.
The author commented, “I do think in the novel the other
characters were looked at more than Rhyme and Sachs. In the
book, there is this attitude between Muslims and Hindus. I
like including these personal conflicts and hoped to pull
off a Romeo and Juliet. This is why I spent a lot of time
with Vimal and his girlfriend. I also wanted to write him
as someone who wanted to escape his father and the killer
But he was drawn to the diamond, similar to that of Michelangelo.
Both feel the objects are souls needed to be brought out.”
The multiple plots become connected at the story’s end.
Deaver once again uses his magical ways to show nothing is
as clear-cut as it seems.
Reviews
of other titles in the
Lincoln Rhyme series
The
Bone Collector #1
The
Empty Chair #3
Kill
Room #10
The
Steel Kiss #12
The
Burial Hour #13
The
Cutting Edge #14 (includes Kathryn Dance)
Kathryn
Dance Series
Solitude
Creek #4
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