Prolific Authors – 22 Books

It is time once again to take a look at the authors I have read the most, dating back to high school.  This year, I’m once again on pace to set a new record for books read in a year, so I thought it would be nice to take a deeper dive into those books I’ve read through August of this year. Since our last check-in, I’ve read an additional 1xx books, so there should be some movement over the past two years.  Without further ado, it’s time to take another look and see if my “favorite” authors have changed much over the years.  We conclude today with the sole author I’ve read 22 times, a level unseen two years ago.

Jeffery Deaver

In 1999, the first entry of Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series, The Bone Collector, was adapted into a film starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.  Around that time, I picked up a paperback copy, which I read in 2000.  I slowly added additional titles as I would find them as remainders, picking up new hard covers for $3 or $4.


Things increased in 2015, when I started picking up titles on deals through the Amazon Kindle store or from the library, leading to 17 additional books added to my read bookshelf.  In August of last year, I finished off the Lincoln Rhyme series with The Broken Window.  There is still room to grow, as I have three remaining entries of his Kathryn Dance series, although my local library does not have them available in an electronic format, and what looks to be a new series where he has teamed up with Isabella Maldonado.

Book 34 (of 52) – The Broken Window

The Broken Window – Jeffery Deaver

When Lincoln Rhyme’s cousin is arrested for murder, the criminologist is able to link it to a number of crimes where the evidence appears airtight.  The investigation brings Rhyme, Sachs, and crew into the world of data mining, where they learn of the data collection companies that know almost everything about us, and their unsub who is using that data to commit his crimes and nearly perfectly frame someone else.  When computer manipulation starts putting the team and their loved ones in jeopardy, they need to find and stop the man they call 522, but can they do it in time?

In 2000, I read The Bone Collector, the first entry in Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme saga.  With The Broken Window, the eighth entry out of sixteen, I have now completed the entire collection.  I assume there will be books coming, as the latest entry set up a new nemesis for Rhyme, but since that just came out less than a year ago, so I may have some time to wait.

Prolific Authors – 18 Books

Way back in December of 2011 (and again every other December since), we’ve taken a look at the authors I have read the most, dating back to high school. This year, since I’ve far surpassed my reading output of any year on record, I thought it would be nice to take a deeper dive into those books I’ve read through October. Since our last check-in, I’ve read an additional 118 books, so there could be some movement over the past two years, but it’s time to take another look and see if my “favorite” authors have changed much in that time span.  Today, we finish things off with a new leader, the lone author I’ve read 18 times, a level unseen two years ago.

Jeffery Deaver

In 1999, the first entry of Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series, The Bone Collector, was adapted into a film starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.  Around that time, I picked up a paperback copy, which I read in 2000.  I slowly added additional titles as I would find them as remainders, picking up new hard covers for $3 or $4.

The Midnight Lock – Jeffery Deaver

Things increased in 2015, when I started picking up titles on deals through the Amazon Kindle store or from the library, leading to thirteen additional books added to my read bookshelf, with The Burning Wire, which I read earlier this year, being the most recent prior to the start of this countdown.

Prolific Authors – 14 Books

Way back in December of 2011 (and again every other December since), we’ve taken a look at the authors I have read the most, dating back to high school.  This year, since I’ve far surpassed my reading output of any year on record, I thought it would be nice to take a deeper dive into those books I’ve read through August. Since our last check-in, I’ve read an additional 60 books from 54 different authors. There shouldn’t be much movement over the past 2 years, but it’s time to take another look and see if my “favorite” authors have changed much in that time span.  We continue today with the two authors I’ve read 14 times.

Jeffery Deaver

In 1999, the first entry of Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series, The Bone Collector, was adapted into a film starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.  Around that time, I picked up a paperback copy, which I read in 2000.  I slowly added additional titles as I would find them as remainders, picking up new hard covers for $3 or $4.

The Vanished Man – Jeffery Deaver

Things increased in 2015, when I started picking up titles on deals through the Amazon Kindle store, leading to 10 additional books added to my read bookshelf, with The Cold Moon being the most recent prior to the start of this countdown.

Stephen King

I first read King’s work during my freshman year of high school.  In fact, I remember reading Pet Sematary after finishing my Biology final at the end of freshman year, waiting for the class to be dismissed.  My total reached 9 novels by 1993, but then college and other pursuits got in the way and King fell out of my favor.

Stephen King – 11/22/63

That changed in 2012, when the release of 11/22/63 brought me back in to the King fold.  I’ve added 5 of his more current work, most of which has been through the Hard Case Crime imprint, which limited, but did not completely remove, the horror elements.

Book 27 (of 52) – The Vanished Man

The Vanished Man - Jeffery Deaver

The Vanished Man – Jeffery Deaver

For the first time in 7 years, I returned to the universe of Lincoln Rhyme, the quadriplegic forensic consultant introduced by Jeffery Deaver in 1997’s The Bone Collector.  The Vanished Man is both the fifth in the series and the fifth entry I’ve read.  In it, Rhyme and his crew deal with an illusionist using magic to kill while leading the police on a wild goose chase in regards to his ultimate endgame.

I’ve always enjoyed Deaver’s work, but never quite enough to pay full price for it.  Other than The Bone Collector, which I read in paperback around the time the movie was released, his other works were either remaindered hard covers, which were bought for about 1/4 the original price, or, in the case of this book, an ebook had as part of Amazon’s daily deal.

Due to the nature of the protagonist, there are many twists and turns in this novel.  One could almost say too many, as they kept coming even after the mystery was wrapped up.  That said, it was entertaining and has got me interested enough to think about picking up more of the series.