The Burning Wire
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Jeffery Deaver |
| Products | Crime thriller novel |
The Burning Wire is a crime thriller penned by American writer Jeffery Deaver, featuring the retired and quadriplegic forensic expert Lincoln Rhyme. This book represents the ninth entry in the Lincoln Rhyme series.
Plot
An explosion at a Queens substation owned by Algonquin Consolidated Power and Light results in a fatal arc flash, prompting an inquiry led by Lincoln Rhyme and his investigative team.
The main suspect becomes Ray Galt, a disenchanted employee of Algonquin who is battling leukemia attributed to radiation exposure near power lines. Intelligence gathered through signals (SIGINT) suggests Galt has backing from an environmental extremist group named "Justice For," though little is known about this organization except for the alias "Rahman."
After the incident, threatening letters demand that Algonquin curtail its electrical supply, warning of additional attacks.
At the same time, Rhyme tracks down his recurring adversary Richard Logan, dubbed "The Watchmaker," working in cooperation with Mexican Federal Police after identifying Logan’s location in Mexico.
In the end, Logan is uncovered as the mastermind behind the sabotage, attempting to implicate others for the crimes. He tries to eliminate Rhyme but is outsmarted when Rhyme shuts off power to the control panel. Logan is apprehended, although execution in New York remains improbable due to reluctance toward capital punishment.
Reception and awards
Alison Flood of The Observer criticized Deaver for including overly detailed technical descriptions of the electrical infrastructure that hinder narrative pace and for not sufficiently developing Rhyme’s partner, Amelia Sachs. Nevertheless, Flood commended Deaver’s ability to deliver several unexpected twists near the story’s finale.
In July 2010, The Burning Wire attained position #24 on The New York Times Best Seller list for Hardcover Fiction.