Lincoln Rhyme and his team are waiting for a ship to attempt discharge of their their illegal Chinese passengers. One is the notorious Ghost. With the INS on the way to intercept, and the Coast Guard following the ship in a heavy storm, the one thing Lincoln didn't count on was a shipboard explosion.

There are some survivors, and Lincoln is determined to find out what went wrong, and whether or not the Ghost escaped the sinking ship. His partner, Amelia Sachs, is 'walking the grid' looking for evidence along the shore, when she finds and rescues one of the ship's passengers. With time running out, can Amelia and Lincoln discover the whereabouts of the Ghost before he can do any more killing?

Lincoln Rhyme returns in another fast paced suspense. His ability to decipher clues and solve mysteries from his home 'laboratory' never ceases to amaze. The stakes are higher, this time around, and time is limited to solve the mystery. Every page of this story will keep you reading. The red herrings, plot twists and many characters make it difficult for the reader to figure out too early, the true identity of the Ghost.

Lincoln and Amelia's relationship is explored a little deeper, giving more insight to the way they work together. FBI agent Fred Dellray returns to help Lincoln with this case, while the Immigration and Naturalization Service, INS, keeps getting in their way. While the case takes them from shoreline to Chinatown, to New York burroughs, the pace never lets up.

Jeffrey Deaver has once again surpassed this reviewer's expectations. You won't want to miss his latest tale into the world of forensics with his favorite criminologist.