Cemetery Dance - Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

The successful writing duo of Preston and Child is back with the 9th novel in the Pendergast series.

Pendergast is an enigmatic FBI agent with a seemingly unending store of knowledge, skills and talents. He ends up investigating (or seeking out) "X-File" types of cases. There is a cadre of recurring characters, including Detective Vinnie D'Agosta, journalist William Smithback, his archaeologist wife Nora and Wren - a researcher who seems to live in the bowels of The New York Public Library.

In Cemetery Dance, one of these recurring characters is killed. According to eyewitnesses the killer was someone who was declared dead ten days ago....

Preston and Child novels are plot driven, usually involving otherworldly elements. They are great suspense/thriller reads. But it is the character of Pendergast that people talk about the most when you mention this writing duo. His mysterious ways and endless abilities are great fun, reminding me somewhat of Sherlock Holmes. The locales chosen for their novels are fascinating as well. I have especially enjoyed the New York ones - I would love to see The New York Museum of Natural History. (the site of their first collaboration 'Relic' - also made into a movie)

I listened to this latest offering in audio format. I was halfway through the first disc by the time I realized who the reader was - Rene Auberjonois. Who? He has numerous film and television credits, but the one I remembered his voice from was his role as Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He has read seven of the Pendergast books and I soon forgot Odo. The different characters are easily identified by voice changes and inflections. The suspense of the book is easily heard and projected through his reading.

I have read all the previous books in this series, but I'm really getting hooked on audio books and may just listen to the next one as well.

Listen to an excerpt.