"In nineteenth-century New York, the public flocked to collections of strange and grotesque oddities called "cabinets of curiosities." Now, in lowe...
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reviews
Sep 01, 2011
Mike (the Paladin)
rated it: 
Okay...I gave it a 5 star. Not many of those on my list, but I gave Relic a 4 and the only way to up that was a 5. I'm a little surprised at myself for the rating. This is a very good read and I have it on my shelf. I obtained it after listening to the audio (in a vehicle). I only do that if I figure I'll possibly reread at some point.
The atmosphere in this book combined with the imaginative story line is, if not great, just short of it. These books seem to have a largely female read More...
The atmosphere in this book combined with the imaginative story line is, if not great, just short of it. These books seem to have a largely female read More...
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Apr 12, 2008
Robert
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Feb 16, 2008
Kirsten
rated it:
Sadly, I've now read all of the Pendergast novels, at least until the new one comes out this summer. Fortunately, I seem to have inadvertantly saved the best for last! Cabinet of Curiosities is definitely my favorite of all of them. At a construction site in New York City, workers unearth more than thirty skeletons, evidence of a serial killer operating more than 100 years ago. Soon afterward, a chilling series of copycat murders are perpetrated by a killer dubbed The Surgeon by the press. Agent
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(5 people liked it)
Jan 09, 2008
Paul
rated it:
Since I have a hearty bus commute these days, I do a lot of reading. Though I love fine literature, at times, when on the bus, I just want a good pulpy detective novel and this is one of the best I have read so far. Co written by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Childs, this ghoulish, gothic tale set against the backdrop of contemporary Manhattan is one of those books that will keep you up till 3 AM if you aren't careful. These authors have written quite a number of books together and though I have not
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(3 people liked it)
Jan 20, 2012
Charlie
rated it: 
The Cabinet of Curiosities is the third in the Pendergast series by Preston and Lincoln, but the first book I have ever read by these authors. I found this during the Borders liquidation sitting alone and was simply intrigued by the description. I was not at all disappointed.
The character of Pendergast is rather unique. Even though I missed the first two installments, where I am sure there is a better fleshing out of the character, I felt that I did get to know, and really like him in More...
The character of Pendergast is rather unique. Even though I missed the first two installments, where I am sure there is a better fleshing out of the character, I felt that I did get to know, and really like him in More...
Jan 13, 2012
Hugues
rated it:
Après avoir découvert le duo Preston et Child l'année dernière avec Relic, je n'ai pas pu mettre la main sur le 2e tome des enquêtes de l'inspecteur Pendergast à la bibliothèque et me suis rabattu sur le 3e, curieusement intitulé "La chambre des curiosités" comme si la notion de cabinet de curiosité n'existait pas en français...
Lors du creusement des fondations d'un futur immeuble, on retrouve dans une ancienne cave à charbon datant de la fin du XIXe siècle, trente six squelettes More...
Lors du creusement des fondations d'un futur immeuble, on retrouve dans une ancienne cave à charbon datant de la fin du XIXe siècle, trente six squelettes More...
Jul 06, 2011
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child released their 3rd book featuring Special Agent Pendergast in 2002, and since I'm new to the authors, I've just gotten around to reading it. When a brutal 36 person ancient murder scene is unearthed at a construction site, SA Pendergast and archeologist Nora Kelly dive into the investigation of an old doctor who performed brutal surgeries on living people. But just as they get deep into their findings, a fresh run of murders occur that have strange similarities
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Jul 01, 2011
Emilie
rated it:
I kind of like Preston & Child's Pendergast character. Maybe it's because he's from New Orleans. Maybe it's because he's a strange guy. Whatever... I like him and I generally enjoy the books he appears in.
Cabinet of Curiosities is the latest of his appearances that I've read. It's not as good as some of them, but it's still fun. The setting makes it -- the NYC Museum of Natural History takes center stage. Also -- NYC at the turn of the century is there. The characters interacti More...
Cabinet of Curiosities is the latest of his appearances that I've read. It's not as good as some of them, but it's still fun. The setting makes it -- the NYC Museum of Natural History takes center stage. Also -- NYC at the turn of the century is there. The characters interacti More...
Jun 27, 2011
Hazel
rated it: 
***please note: serious spoilers in this review***
This book started out in an interesting fashion, but a lot didn't make sense. For example, 1) I never understood what Nora found attractive in Smithback, he seemed like a fop and a simp. Maybe she wants to get a divorce in a later book in the series. 2) I never saw why Pendergast chose Nora. 3) Very dumb epiphanies - the final room to room walkthrough with the insects, then the lizards, then the clothing, then finally the armor - som More...
This book started out in an interesting fashion, but a lot didn't make sense. For example, 1) I never understood what Nora found attractive in Smithback, he seemed like a fop and a simp. Maybe she wants to get a divorce in a later book in the series. 2) I never saw why Pendergast chose Nora. 3) Very dumb epiphanies - the final room to room walkthrough with the insects, then the lizards, then the clothing, then finally the armor - som More...
Jan 02, 2010
Brian
rated it:
Perhaps the greatest find I’ve made in the last few years from out of all the fiction literature I’ve read are the ‘Pendergast Books’ by authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Each formidable writers on their own, together they have been quietly releasing a somewhat interlocking series of novels based around a cast of characters. Most prominent among them is the eccentric FBI Agent Pendergast, a character surrounded by mystery and danger. Although the first unofficial book in the series was
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Jun 14, 2011
Kyle
rated it:
The Cabinet of Curiosities is the third book featuring a character named Pendergast, but it seems to be a stand-alone novel if you are new to the series like me. There are several references to previous books, but I didn't feel like I missed anything essential to understand this tale. While this wasn't a deep scholarly work, I found it to be an enjoyable page turner where I anxiously wanted to find out what happens next!
The book is set in modern-day New York, but does an interestin More...
The book is set in modern-day New York, but does an interestin More...
Jun 06, 2011
Vickie
rated it:
Definitely a summertime "junk food" novel! So...mildly creepy, uber-gruesome at times, horror wannabe book, that fits better in the mystery category than horror (except for the weird paranormal trips taken by Pendergast and a sci-fi fascination with immortality.) I enjoyed the story itself and I'm a sucker for fiction that sneaks in a bit of education via pseudo historical documents and secret archives (think The Historian, The DaVinci Code, A Discovery of Witches.) Overall, I'd call i
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Feb 12, 2010
Dhuaine
rated it: 
36 skeletons discovered on construction site, dated XIX century. New bodies popping up, murdered in the same exact fashion. Agent Pendergast, thinking the murderer the same in both cases.
And that's it. Half of the surprise stuff was revealed in the blurb and no, there isn't much more behind it. Basically the entire plot boils down to tracking the culprit and Final Confrontation with Miracle Out of the Blue ending. The ending was botched totally and completely; I couldn't believe it c More...
And that's it. Half of the surprise stuff was revealed in the blurb and no, there isn't much more behind it. Basically the entire plot boils down to tracking the culprit and Final Confrontation with Miracle Out of the Blue ending. The ending was botched totally and completely; I couldn't believe it c More...
Feb 14, 2010
Zell
rated it:
Super Pendergast returns! Praise HIS might!
Yes, THAT was the worst part of this book. When I was reading about his "super powers" I thought something like: "What the hell?! Is that Marvel or something?". Meditation, ability to experience historical events and play chess or bridge in the mind. Pendergast is the type of person who knows EVERYTHING better than you and probably can speak fluently in more than 90% of known languages. Add to this incredible stamina and More...
Yes, THAT was the worst part of this book. When I was reading about his "super powers" I thought something like: "What the hell?! Is that Marvel or something?". Meditation, ability to experience historical events and play chess or bridge in the mind. Pendergast is the type of person who knows EVERYTHING better than you and probably can speak fluently in more than 90% of known languages. Add to this incredible stamina and More...
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Oct 24, 2011
Les travaux de construction d’une tour à Manhattan mettent à jour un charnier, des dizaines de squelettes d’adolescents enfouis là depuis plus d’un siècle. L’enquête menée par l’agent du FBI Pendergast, aidé par l’archéologue Nora Kelly et le journaliste William Smithback, va mettre en évidence les agissements d’un savant fou dans les années 1880. Le problème, c’est que d’étranges meurtres se produisent encore et que quelqu’un semble très intéressé par les archives du Muséum d’histoire naturelle
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Mar 07, 2011
Diane
rated it:
From Publishers Weekly: In seven bestselling novels (from Relic to The Ice Limit), Preston and Child have delivered a body of science-based thrillers that for high excitement and robust scientific imaginings rival those of Michael Crichton. Their eighth outing is another richly entertaining tale, about the hunt for a seemingly immortal serial killer at work in New York City. Preston and Child revive characters and settings from earlier novels, often a red flag that authorial imagination is tiri
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Jan 24, 2009
Jared
rated it:
It almost pains me to give this book 4 stars instead of 5, but I think I need to reserve that rating for books that keep my head spinning long after I'm done with it. I love the Douglas/Child writing team, and this is yet another grand accomplishment by them. Their books are creepy, with just enough detail to conjure up vivid images without spoon-feeding it to you. Read the part in this book about the landlord going down into the locked basement where his tenant has been spending a lot of tim
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Aug 28, 2011
X5-494
rated it:
Dieser Thriller fängt – wie ich finde – wirklich sehr langsam an, aber wenn man zum so ca. letzten Drittel kommt, dann kann man das Buch fast nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.
„Formula“ dreht sich im großen und ganzen um vier Hauptpersonen, von denen ich nur eine wirklich sympathisch finde, aber die anderen sind auch ganz okay. Eine der vier Personen ist mir persönlich ein bisschen auf den Senkel gegangen (und – oh Wunder! – es war mal nicht die weibliche), aber nie so, dass ich das Buch More...
„Formula“ dreht sich im großen und ganzen um vier Hauptpersonen, von denen ich nur eine wirklich sympathisch finde, aber die anderen sind auch ganz okay. Eine der vier Personen ist mir persönlich ein bisschen auf den Senkel gegangen (und – oh Wunder! – es war mal nicht die weibliche), aber nie so, dass ich das Buch More...
Feb 02, 2012
Gina
rated it:
On a warm fall day, construction workers are digging the foundation for a luxury apartment building in New York City. The crew unearths an underground maze of small rooms and soon discover old skeletons and relics from the late 19th century. Almost out of nowhere, a peculiar man claiming to be from the FBI's Louisiana office shows up with an archeologist from the New York Museum of Natural History. The archeologist, Dr. Nora Kelly, is both intrigued by the find and yet cautious of her new fri
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Oct 22, 2010
Bianca
rated it:
The plot of the third novel in the Agent Pendergast series is pretty simple: An old coal tunnel is dug up when the house on top of it is demolished for redevelopment. In the tunnel over 30 bodies are found. Agent Pendergast takes an interest, nobody knows why, and he enlist dr. Nora Kelly to help him find out who the murderer is. When searching the archives of the Museum of Natural History they find a hidden letter which is published by journalist Bill Smithback (who is also the boyfriend of Nor
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Sep 04, 2010
Kat
rated it:
I had the feeling throughout this book that references were being made to a back story that I hadn't read, but I thought I'd been tackling the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child books in order. At the end I realized that I'd overlooked Thunderhead. >.< You can definitely read this book without reading Thunderhead, but it seems Thunderhead does introduce the character of Nora Kelly and her relationship with Bill Smithback. I'm definitely going to go back and read Thunderhead before I continue on
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Sep 18, 2011
Shelly
rated it:
Uhm...this book owns my face. No, seriously. This book is amazing. It's extremely smart and well written, with impeccable details-- both medical and just every day things. I'm not particularly fond of female protagonists in crime/mystery books as they tend to play the damsel in distress card often. Nora Kelly, on the other hand is just as badass as the boys. She's smart, has a backbone and knows her shit. Pendergast is amaze-balls per usual. There is a story within a story here, the present day
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Jan 03, 2010
Erin
rated it:
Unknowingly jumped into this thriller series on book #3. Was able to catch on and follow along with no problems ... and with the happy thought that I could go back and begin with #1!
The strange and mysterious FBI agent Pendergast arrives in NYC, drawn by a 100-year-old charnel. He soon must confront the possibility that the serial killings have resumed in modern-day Manhattan. Many other peculiar characters come alongside him in his hunt. Some you'll like, some you'll suspect, and More...
The strange and mysterious FBI agent Pendergast arrives in NYC, drawn by a 100-year-old charnel. He soon must confront the possibility that the serial killings have resumed in modern-day Manhattan. Many other peculiar characters come alongside him in his hunt. Some you'll like, some you'll suspect, and More...
Nov 21, 2011
Kim
rated it:
This is a book that draws you in and then keeps you on your toes and looking over your shoulder for the rest of the book. It wasn't until nearly the end that I figured out who the "surgeon" was. A well kept secret in a well written book.
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Aug 07, 2011
Candice
rated it:
I have not read any of the other Preston/Child books, but my husband recommended this one. It's a real page-turner. It opens with the discovery of bodies at a construction site in New York City. Archaeologist Nora Kelly is called on examine the site, and soon finds herself teamed up with FBI agent Pendergast. Now there's a real character! Tall, pale, extremely cultured, and with amazing powers of observation and reasoning. The bodies, murdered at the end of the 19th century, were all kille
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Jun 18, 2009
Eustacia
rated it:
So far, so good, though I'm only a little ways into this one so far. The main character of FBI Agent Pendergast has already been established in other books by the authors, though I don't feel left out in the dark yet (this is the first book I've ever read by the authors). A murder mystery with supernatural tendencies...? I'm actually not sure yet since I just started it.
Just finished the book and it was pretty good. The authors do a great job of creating solid characters, complet More...
Just finished the book and it was pretty good. The authors do a great job of creating solid characters, complet More...
Jun 11, 2011
Since so many people love Special Agent Pendergast and his creators Preston and Childs, I'm going to skip giving it a rating. I have it listed as a big mistake but for me it's huge. No only do I loathe any kind of fantasy in my mysteries, I expect thrillers and horror novels to be somewhat realistic. So why is this a huge mistake and not merely big? I decided to try Agent Pendergast because several people in one of my groups mentioned him. So, typically me, I immediately ordered almost all o
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Sep 15, 2010
Marty
rated it:
This was a surprise. I don't know where I picked it up, but it was in my book bag (we don't have book shelves in the RV) and I started to read it when I finished my last book. It is one of those books that seize hold of you gently at first, but before you know it - you are totally wrapped up in the characters and the story. Some of the graphic detail related to the murders (yes, it is a murder mystery( is a bit gory, but aside from that it was a great story and has more depth than the average d
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Dec 14, 2011
Kim
rated it:
This is the book where Special Agent Pendergrast goes from being a minor character to a main character. For the most part, I like the oddities that make Pendergrast a unique character, but sometimes it seems a bit forced.
The story is well written and the mystery is just that, a mystery. As with the two previous books, there is an element of supernatural injected into the story (though not as much as the previous two). For some, this can be a bit off-putting, especially if you want jus More...
The story is well written and the mystery is just that, a mystery. As with the two previous books, there is an element of supernatural injected into the story (though not as much as the previous two). For some, this can be a bit off-putting, especially if you want jus More...
