A new case for the brilliant forensic expert Lincoln Rhyme, who is confined to a wheelchair, and for his student, assistant, and lover—the talented detective Amelia Sachs!
And this case is directly connected to Lincoln Rhyme’s own family: the murder of an elderly, well-to-do woman is blamed on his cousin, Arthur.
Everything is against Arthur—from evidence to witness testimony. Lincoln and Amelia set out to prove that, in reality, the murder for which Arthur is accused is one link in a long chain of crimes committed by a mysterious maniac. It seems this person has enormous possibilities and has waged a real war against the police and the FBI… But who is this “dark” genius capable of fooling even the most experienced forensic experts?