The Bone Collector

by Jeffery Deaver
Book #1 in the Lincoln Rhyme series (published 1997)
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Lincoln Rhyme was once a brilliant criminologist, a genius in the field of forensics — until an accident left him physically and emotionally shattered. But now a diabolical killer is challenging Rhyme to a terrifying and ingenious duel of wits.
When New York City is thrown into chaos by the assaults of the Bone Collector, a serial kidnapper and killer who gives the police a chance to save his victims from death by leaving obscure clues, the cops go to Lincoln Rhyme, the well known ex-NYPD forensics expert left paralysed after an accident on the job.
Rhyme reluctantly postpones his ambitions towards suicide and puts together a forensic investigation team, enlisting as his eyes and ears young police officer Amelia Sachs.
Rhyme digs deep into the only world he has left – his astonishing mind – and slowly begins to narrow the noose around the Bone Collector. But the kidnapper is narrowing his own noose – around Lincoln Rhyme.