THE CUTTING EDGE

Deaver's fourteenth mystery to feature detectives Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs is set in Manhattan's Diamond District, where a sadistic killer is ruining wedding plans. The cast of characters is large, and narrator Edoardo Ballerini deftly gives each of them a nuanced voice, which helps the listener stay oriented as the plot grows increasingly complex. Ballerini relies on an impressive array of accents--Indian, Russian, British, and, of course, New York cop--mostly with success, though his South African falls a bit short. While not without suspense, the plot twists are more frustrating than genuinely surprising. Nonetheless, it should appeal to fans of the genre, though brides-to-be should forgo listening. D.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2018]