Jeffery Deaver returns with a devious collection, featuring two never-before-published stories in which fan favorites Colter Shaw and Lincoln Rhyme are united by the layers of deception taking over New York City. A murder at a crime writers' conference. The method is entirely literary, and the motive seems obvious. But can the detective who was first on the scene puzzle out what needs reading between the lines? A mysterious woman has gone into hiding, and Colter Shaw is tasked with bringing her to a safe house. But with a hitman on his trails, the race toward safety takes on a whole new meaning. A serial killer with a motive never before seen in the history of crime challenges Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs to rethink everything they know about the nature of evil --- and the evidence its perpetrators leave at the scenes.