It is necessary that the characters in The Empty Chair adapt to their experiences: it is the only way they can survive. Every character in the novel is damaged both physically and emotionally. For each character— Rhyme, Sachs, Lucy, and Garrett—physical damage is the outward sign of emotional pain.

Lincoln Rhyme is a quadriplegic as the result of an accident that occurred during an investigation. He is confined to either a bed or a wheelchair fitted with numerous accouterments to help him do his work and to keep him alive—which for Rhyme is almost the same thing. While his physical condition is precarious, much of the anguish he feels is mental: What had kept Lincoln Rhyme sane since his accident—what had kept him from finding some Jack Kevorkian to help with assisted suicide—were mental challenges like this.... Lincoln Rhyme's...