The odd couple at the heart of this extremely impressive first thriller--a psychotic genius and a sensitive, scarred psychiatric nurse--have already led to the inevitable comparisons to The Silence of the Lambs. But Bill Kaiser is no Hannibal Lector: he uses his formidable physical and mental skills for a good cause, the preservation of historic buildings. And Sharon Blautner doesn't go up against Kaiser to further her career, like FBI agent Clarice Starling: she's already lost her job because of an act of kindness toward Bill, and seems to genuinely care for him. What's also amazing is how much author Matthew Hall knows and communicates about everything from how to fake mental illness to the way painters create their works.