Lincoln Rhyme Books in Order

The Recommended Lincoln Rhyme Reading Path

If you want to experience Jeffery Deaver’s high-octane forensic thrillers at their best, the ideal way is to read the books in order of publication. Because character relationships develop, personal lives evolve, and recurring villains like the Watchmaker weave their way through multiple installments, starting from the beginning is highly recommended. The core reading path follows the novels from their iconic debut in the late 1990s through to the high-stakes investigations of the 2020s.

Your journey begins with The Bone Collector (1997), which introduces Lincoln Rhyme, the brilliant former head of NYPD forensics who was paralyzed in the line of duty, and Amelia Sachs, the street-smart patrol officer who becomes his eyes and ears at crime scenes. Following this is The Coffin Dancer (1998), pitting the duo against an elusive, shapeshifting hitman. In The Empty Chair (2000), the action moves temporarily to North Carolina for experimental spinal surgery, only for Rhyme and Sachs to get caught up in a local manhunt. Next is The Stone Monkey (2002), which dives into human smuggling and introduces a deadly mastermind known as the Ghost, followed by The Vanished Man (2003), set against the world of stage magic and illusionists.

The sequence continues with The Twelfth Card (2005), which centers on a historic mystery in Harlem, and The Cold Moon (2006), a pivotal novel that introduces Kathryn Dance. From there, read The Broken Window (2008), focusing on identity theft and data manipulation, and The Burning Wire (2010), where a killer targets New York's electrical grid. The Kill Room (2013) takes the investigation to the Bahamas, followed by The Skin Collector (2014), which acts as a direct sequel to the events of the first book. Next is The Steel Kiss (2016), involving killer consumer products, The Burial Hour (2017), which takes the team to Italy, and The Cutting Edge (2018), centered on the diamond industry. The series reaches its modern era with The Midnight Lock (2021), dealing with a lock-picking stalker, and The Watchmaker's Hand (2023), which features a citywide terror plot involving collapsing construction cranes.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

Fortunately for readers, the chronological timeline of the Lincoln Rhyme series aligns perfectly with the publication order of the main novels. However, Jeffery Deaver has also published several short stories and novellas that expand on the forensic duo's cases. If you want to include these side stories in your reading, they should be inserted at specific points between the main novels to preserve the timeline of the characters' lives.

Here is where the short stories and novellas fit chronologically:

• A Textbook Case (2013) – Best read after The Burning Wire and before The Kill Room (commonly referred to as Book 9.5). It follows Rhyme analyzing a minor training case that turns out to involve a real, unresolved murder.
• Rhymes With Prey (2014) – Best read after The Skin Collector (commonly referred to as Book 11.2). This crossover short story brings Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs together with John Sandford's famous investigator Lucas Davenport in a high-stakes New York case.
• The Deliveryman (2016) – Best read after The Skin Collector and before The Steel Kiss (commonly referred to as Book 11.5). This story follows Sachs as she faces a courier who delivers victims to a brutal human trafficker.
• A Perfect Plan (2021) – Best read after The Cutting Edge and before The Midnight Lock (commonly referred to as Book 14.5). Rhyme tackles a supposedly foolproof murder conspiracy.
• Swiping Hearts (2023) – Best read after The Midnight Lock and before The Watchmaker's Hand (commonly referred to as Book 15.5). In this novella, the team investigates a malicious predator who uses dating apps to psychologically destroy his victims.

The Shared Universe: Kathryn Dance Crossovers

One of the most exciting aspects of the Lincoln Rhyme series is its shared universe with CBI (California Bureau of Investigation) agent Kathryn Dance. Unlike Rhyme, who relies on physical trace evidence, Dance is an expert in kinesics—the study of body language, verbal cues, and interrogation techniques. Reading both series in tandem provides a richer understanding of Deaver's fictional landscape.

Kathryn Dance is introduced in the seventh Lincoln Rhyme novel, The Cold Moon (2006). She then spins off into her own series, which begins with The Sleeping Doll (2007). To get the full experience of their professional crossovers and personal cameos, you can read them interspersed as follows:

1. The Cold Moon (Lincoln Rhyme Book 7) – Kathryn Dance's first appearance.
2. The Sleeping Doll (Kathryn Dance Book 1) – Introduces her own team and cases in California.
3. The Broken Window (Lincoln Rhyme Book 8)
4. Roadside Crosses (Kathryn Dance Book 2)
5. The Burning Wire (Lincoln Rhyme Book 9) – Features a guest appearance by Kathryn Dance.
6. XO (Kathryn Dance Book 3) – Features a guest appearance by Lincoln Rhyme.
7. The Kill Room (Lincoln Rhyme Book 10)
8. The Skin Collector (Lincoln Rhyme Book 11)
9. Solitude Creek (Kathryn Dance Book 4)
10. The Steel Kiss (Lincoln Rhyme Book 12)

Crossovers, Co-Authors, and Spin-Offs

While the Kathryn Dance novels represent the most extensive spin-off, Jeffery Deaver has also expanded the Lincoln Rhyme universe through unique collaborations with other authors. The most prominent example is Rhymes With Prey, a short story co-authored with John Sandford. In this thrilling crossover, Sandford's Minnesota-based protagonist Lucas Davenport travels to New York City to track down a witness. The clash of investigative styles between the tech-bound Rhyme and the street-smart Davenport provides a fantastic treat for fans of both series. This story is collected in the anthology FaceOff, edited by David Baldacci, which pairs famous thriller characters written by their respective creators.

What to Know Before You Start

Before stepping into Jeffery Deaver's intricate mysteries, there are a few key details that will help you appreciate the series. First and foremost is the central dynamic between the two protagonists. Lincoln Rhyme is a brilliant forensic scientist who became a quadriplegic after an accident on a crime scene. Amelia Sachs is a younger patrol officer who becomes his physical surrogate, walking the grid, gathering trace evidence, and facing down physical threats while Rhyme analyzes the findings from his high-tech New York townhouse. Their partnership is built on deep mutual respect, which eventually blossoms into a complex romantic relationship.

Deaver's writing style is renowned for its extreme forensic detail and psychological tension. The plots are notoriously complex, often featuring multiple narrative twists in the final acts that subvert everything the reader and the characters believed to be true. The tone is gritty and suspenseful, reflecting the dark side of New York City and the depravity of the serial killers the duo pursues. While most novels can function as standalone criminal investigations, the overarching character development and recurring adversaries make chronological reading the most rewarding path.