Jack Reacher
thriller
Series · thriller
Lincoln Rhyme
The Lincoln Rhyme series by Jeffery Deaver has 22 books and is best read in publication order, starting with The Bone Collector (1997). The next book, The Collateral Heart, is due 17 November 2026.
- Books
- 17 novels + 5 novellas
- First published
- 1997
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: The Bone Collector (1997) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
The Bone Collector
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Bone Collector - Book 2:
The Coffin Dancer
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Coffin Dancer - Book 3:
The Empty Chair
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Empty Chair - Book 4:
The Stone Monkey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Stone Monkey - Book 5:
The Vanished Man
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Vanished Man - Book 6:
The Twelfth Card
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Twelfth Card - Book 7:
The Cold Moon
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Cold Moon - Book 8:
The Broken Window
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Broken Window - Book 9:
The Burning Wire
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Burning Wire - Book 10:
The Kill Room
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Kill Room - Book 11:
A Textbook Case
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Textbook Case - Book 12:
The Skin Collector
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Skin Collector - Book 13:
Rhymes with Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Rhymes with Prey - Book 14:
The Steel Kiss
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Steel Kiss - Book 15:
The Deliveryman
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Deliveryman - Book 16:
The Burial Hour
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Burial Hour - Book 17:
The Cutting Edge
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Cutting Edge - Book 18:
The Midnight Lock
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Midnight Lock - Book 19:
A Perfect Plan
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Perfect Plan - Book 20:
The Watchmaker's Hand
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Watchmaker's Hand - Book 21:
Swiping Hearts
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Swiping Hearts - Book 22:
The Collateral Heart
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Collateral Heart
About the Lincoln Rhyme series
Lincoln Rhyme is a former NYPD forensic criminalist left quadriplegic by an on-the-job accident, who solves crimes from his Manhattan townhouse-turned-lab using nothing but his intellect, an encyclopedic command of forensic science, and a rotating team of field investigators who become his hands -- chief among them NYPD officer (later detective) Amelia Sachs, whose willingness to walk crime scenes exactly as Rhyme directs makes her his essential partner, both professionally and eventually romantically. Jeffery Deaver built the series around real, granular forensic detail -- trace evidence, ballistics, digital forensics, criminal psychology -- deployed at a breakneck pace, with the genre's signature Deaver twist: nearly every book contains at least one reversal designed to make the reader realize they misread the entire case.
Each novel typically unfolds over a tightly compressed timeframe (often 24 to 48 hours) against a methodical, resourceful antagonist -- the franchise-defining Bone Collector, art forger Richard Logan (the Watchmaker), assassins, hackers and con artists who force Rhyme to out-think rather than outrun them. The blend of hard-science procedural detail, breathless pacing and misdirection has made the series a touchstone of modern forensic thrillers, and inspired both the 1999 Denzel Washington/Angelina Jolie film adaptation of The Bone Collector and the 2020 NBC series Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Lincoln Rhyme series?
There are 17 novels as of The Collateral Heart (November 2026), plus five standalone short stories/novellas.
What order should I read the Lincoln Rhyme books in?
Publication order, starting with The Bone Collector. Rhyme and Amelia Sachs's relationship and the recurring Watchmaker antagonist arc build across the series.
Is the Lincoln Rhyme series finished?
No, it's ongoing. The newest novel, The Collateral Heart, is due November 17, 2026 in the US and Canada.
Is the Lincoln Rhyme TV series based on the books?
Yes. NBC's Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector (2020) adapts the character, as did the 1999 film The Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, though both take liberties with the source novels.
Do I need to read the short stories?
No. A Textbook Case, Rhymes with Prey, The Deliveryman, A Perfect Plan and Swiping Hearts are bonus side stories -- Rhymes with Prey is a fun crossover with John Sandford's Lucas Davenport for readers of both series, but none are required to follow the main novels.
If you like the Lincoln Rhyme series
Reading order last verified .