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Pendergast #18
Verses for the Dead
Preston & Child return with their #1 bestselling series, confronting FBI Special Agent Pendergast with the one challenge he never expected: a partner.
After an overhaul of leadership at the FBI's New York field office, A. X. L. Pendergast is abruptly forced to accept an unthinkable condition of continued employment: the famously rogue agent must now work with a partner.
Pendergast and his new teammate, junior agent Coldmoon, are assigned to Miami Beach, where a rash of killings by a bloodthirsty psychopath is distinguished by a confounding M.O.: cutting out the hearts of his victims and leaving them--along with cryptic handwritten letters--at local gravestones, unconnected save for one bizarre detail: all belonged to women who committed suicide.
But the seeming lack of connection between the old suicides and the new murders is soon the least of Pendergast's worries. As he digs deeper, he realizes the brutal new crimes may be just the tip of the iceberg: a conspiracy of death that reaches back decades.
After an overhaul of leadership at the FBI's New York field office, A. X. L. Pendergast is abruptly forced to accept an unthinkable condition of continued employment: the famously rogue agent must now work with a partner.
Pendergast and his new teammate, junior agent Coldmoon, are assigned to Miami Beach, where a rash of killings by a bloodthirsty psychopath is distinguished by a confounding M.O.: cutting out the hearts of his victims and leaving them--along with cryptic handwritten letters--at local gravestones, unconnected save for one bizarre detail: all belonged to women who committed suicide.
But the seeming lack of connection between the old suicides and the new murders is soon the least of Pendergast's worries. As he digs deeper, he realizes the brutal new crimes may be just the tip of the iceberg: a conspiracy of death that reaches back decades.
434 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2018
3443 people are currently reading
8258 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Preston
178 books13.4k followersDouglas Preston was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1956, and grew up in the deadly boring suburb of Wellesley. Following a distinguished career at a private nursery school--he was almost immediately expelled--he attended public schools and the Cambridge School of Weston. Notable events in his early life included the loss of a fingertip at the age of three to a bicycle; the loss of his two front teeth to his brother Richard's fist; and various broken bones, also incurred in dust-ups with Richard. (Richard went on to write The Hot Zone and The Cobra Event, which tells you all you need to know about what it was like to grow up with him as a brother.)
As they grew up, Doug, Richard, and their little brother David roamed the quiet suburbs of Wellesley, terrorizing the natives with home-made rockets and incendiary devices mail-ordered from the backs of comic books or concocted from chemistry sets. With a friend they once attempted to fly a rocket into Wellesley Square; the rocket malfunctioned and nearly killed a man mowing his lawn. They were local celebrities, often appearing in the "Police Notes" section of The Wellesley Townsman. It is a miracle they survived childhood intact.
After unaccountably being rejected by Stanford University (a pox on it), Preston attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he studied mathematics, biology, physics, anthropology, chemistry, geology, and astronomy before settling down to English literature. After graduating, Preston began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as an editor, writer, and eventually manager of publications. (Preston also taught writing at Princeton University and was managing editor of Curator.) His eight-year stint at the Museum resulted in the non-fiction book, Dinosaurs in the Attic, edited by a rising young star at St. Martin's Press, a polymath by the name of Lincoln Child. During this period, Preston gave Child a midnight tour of the museum, and in the darkened Hall of Late Dinosaurs, under a looming T. Rex, Child turned to Preston and said: "This would make the perfect setting for a thriller!" That thriller would, of course, be Relic.
In 1986, Douglas Preston piled everything he owned into the back of a Subaru and moved from New York City to Santa Fe to write full time, following the advice of S. J. Perelman that "the dubious privilege of a freelance writer is he's given the freedom to starve anywhere." After the requisite period of penury, Preston achieved a small success with the publication of Cities of Gold, a non-fiction book about Coronado's search for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola. To research the book, Preston and a friend retraced on horseback 1,000 miles of Coronado's route across Arizona and New Mexico, packing their supplies and sleeping under the stars--nearly killing themselves in the process. Since then he has published several more non-fiction books on the history of the American Southwest, Talking to the Ground and The Royal Road, as well as a novel entitled Jennie. In the early 1990s Preston and Child teamed up to write suspense novels; Relic was the first, followed by several others, including Riptide and Thunderhead. Relic was released as a motion picture by Paramount in 1997. Other films are under development at Hollywood studios. Preston and Child live 500 miles apart and write their books together via telephone, fax, and the Internet.
Preston and his brother Richard are currently producing a television miniseries for ABC and Mandalay Entertainment, to be aired in the spring of 2000, if all goes well, which in Hollywood is rarely the case.
Preston continues a magazine writing career by contributing regularly to The New Yorker magazine. He has also written for National Geographic, Natural History, Smithsonisan, Harper's,and Travel & Leisure,among others.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/dougla...
As they grew up, Doug, Richard, and their little brother David roamed the quiet suburbs of Wellesley, terrorizing the natives with home-made rockets and incendiary devices mail-ordered from the backs of comic books or concocted from chemistry sets. With a friend they once attempted to fly a rocket into Wellesley Square; the rocket malfunctioned and nearly killed a man mowing his lawn. They were local celebrities, often appearing in the "Police Notes" section of The Wellesley Townsman. It is a miracle they survived childhood intact.
After unaccountably being rejected by Stanford University (a pox on it), Preston attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he studied mathematics, biology, physics, anthropology, chemistry, geology, and astronomy before settling down to English literature. After graduating, Preston began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as an editor, writer, and eventually manager of publications. (Preston also taught writing at Princeton University and was managing editor of Curator.) His eight-year stint at the Museum resulted in the non-fiction book, Dinosaurs in the Attic, edited by a rising young star at St. Martin's Press, a polymath by the name of Lincoln Child. During this period, Preston gave Child a midnight tour of the museum, and in the darkened Hall of Late Dinosaurs, under a looming T. Rex, Child turned to Preston and said: "This would make the perfect setting for a thriller!" That thriller would, of course, be Relic.
In 1986, Douglas Preston piled everything he owned into the back of a Subaru and moved from New York City to Santa Fe to write full time, following the advice of S. J. Perelman that "the dubious privilege of a freelance writer is he's given the freedom to starve anywhere." After the requisite period of penury, Preston achieved a small success with the publication of Cities of Gold, a non-fiction book about Coronado's search for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola. To research the book, Preston and a friend retraced on horseback 1,000 miles of Coronado's route across Arizona and New Mexico, packing their supplies and sleeping under the stars--nearly killing themselves in the process. Since then he has published several more non-fiction books on the history of the American Southwest, Talking to the Ground and The Royal Road, as well as a novel entitled Jennie. In the early 1990s Preston and Child teamed up to write suspense novels; Relic was the first, followed by several others, including Riptide and Thunderhead. Relic was released as a motion picture by Paramount in 1997. Other films are under development at Hollywood studios. Preston and Child live 500 miles apart and write their books together via telephone, fax, and the Internet.
Preston and his brother Richard are currently producing a television miniseries for ABC and Mandalay Entertainment, to be aired in the spring of 2000, if all goes well, which in Hollywood is rarely the case.
Preston continues a magazine writing career by contributing regularly to The New Yorker magazine. He has also written for National Geographic, Natural History, Smithsonisan, Harper's,and Travel & Leisure,among others.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/dougla...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,632 reviews
March 28, 2019
Recently I saw this come across my Facebook feed:
"Google 'Florida man' followed by your birthday and post the title of an article that comes up"
Some examples of results:
- Florida Man Faked Robbery To Get Out Of Work (March 27th)
- Jury finds Florida man guilty of dismembering father, but not murder (June 21st)
- Pot keeps washing up on the shores of Florida: Deputies said a man tried to steal some (September 13th)
- Freak show owner may get no penalty (my birthday - November 30th)
Feel free to comment on my review with your results!
Point is - weird stuff is always going on in Florida, and this time Preston and Child are getting in on the action. The mystery in this book definitely would fit in well with these bizarre headlines. However, things are often weird for Pendergast, so this is nothing new.
I was quite impressed with this edition of the Pendergast saga. Dare I use the cliched phrase that it feels like it gets back to the roots of the series? Yes, I dare! If you gave up on Pendergast around the middle of the "Color title" books, I don't blame you. But I mean it when I say it is worth getting back into it with Verses for the Dead.
"Google 'Florida man' followed by your birthday and post the title of an article that comes up"
Some examples of results:
- Florida Man Faked Robbery To Get Out Of Work (March 27th)
- Jury finds Florida man guilty of dismembering father, but not murder (June 21st)
- Pot keeps washing up on the shores of Florida: Deputies said a man tried to steal some (September 13th)
- Freak show owner may get no penalty (my birthday - November 30th)
Feel free to comment on my review with your results!
Point is - weird stuff is always going on in Florida, and this time Preston and Child are getting in on the action. The mystery in this book definitely would fit in well with these bizarre headlines. However, things are often weird for Pendergast, so this is nothing new.
I was quite impressed with this edition of the Pendergast saga. Dare I use the cliched phrase that it feels like it gets back to the roots of the series? Yes, I dare! If you gave up on Pendergast around the middle of the "Color title" books, I don't blame you. But I mean it when I say it is worth getting back into it with Verses for the Dead.
December 20, 2021
It’s a mystery to me why the plotting in this series is so much better than in the other series written by these authors together, and also in the books written by them separately. (I read one two days ago that was unpardonable.) I’ve read every book in this series and it’s still entertaining me. In this one, Pendergast is forced to work with a new partner, Coldmoon, a Native American who’s mission is to never let Pendergast go rogue since Pendergast’s suspects tend not to survive long enough to be prosecuted. Here there are distant suicides, current murders, stolen hearts, literary references, alligators and atonement. As usual, Pendergast is preternaturally insightful but he shows a little more humor in this book. To my great relief, Constance makes only one very brief appearance in this book. I’m already looking forward to the next one in the series.
August 16, 2021
3.5⭐
Verses for the Dead is a great mystery thriller, but missing the very unique Pendergast supernatural feel. I miss the other supporting characters as well since this book is based in Florida. We're introduced to a new sidekick perhaps? Agent Coldmoon is a great addition.
Verses for the Dead is a great mystery thriller, but missing the very unique Pendergast supernatural feel. I miss the other supporting characters as well since this book is based in Florida. We're introduced to a new sidekick perhaps? Agent Coldmoon is a great addition.
February 26, 2019
Normally, I would say: "Pendergast, you're after my heart again in this one."
However, there are other hearts involved in Verses for the Dead.....multiple ones.
An elderly woman walks her dog in the wee hours of the morning in Miami. Their destination is the cemetery to visit the grave of her late husband. The heat of the day is already upon them. Little Twinkle breaks loose from the woman's weak grasp of the leash and heads directly for something on a nearby grave. Iris reaches for the item and faints dead away. Precious pup has found a human heart.
Enter FBI Agent Extraordinaire, Aloysius Pendergast. Only this time our guy is not flying solo. There's a new sheriff in town in the likes of Assistant Director in Charge Walter Pickett. Pickett is having none of Pendergast's solo expeditions. He'll be stepping on Pendergast's tail with a heavy boot. Pickett gives him an ultimatum: work with a partner or don't work at all.
Pendergast actually seems to possess no sweat glands under pressure. He eyes Special Agent Coldmoon with his usual polite gentleman manner. Coldmoon is a Lakota who has distinguished himself with multiple acts of bravery. Pendergast extends his hand and we're off to the races with this new dynamic duo. But believe me, ol' Pickett is still wearin' those heavy boots.
This case starts to amp up when reports of additional hearts start appearing on the graves of suicide victims. Douglas Preston drops no breadcrumbs in this one and we begin scratching our heads. The usual suspects are not allowed on stage. So who exactly is the who?
Verses for the Dead can actually be read as a standalone. It's not the usual Pendergast feast, though. I missed the peculiarity that wafts around Pendergast and his uncanny ability to focus on blades of bent grass and irregular patterns of dandruff. Pendergast's usual scientific approach is replaced by a snappy young woman coroner who is a wiz at autopsies. Watch what she picks up on.
Special Agent Coldmoon should get a special series designed with him in mind. Preston creates him with a few quirks of his own. Boiled sludge coffee is his favorite. You'll be questioning the pairing and the why behind it as the story unfolds. It has a tendency to overshadow the mystery at hand.
I hope we swing back to New York City in the next one.....more familiar ground for Pendergast. Perhaps Coldmoon can take a trek to the Big Apple this time. All in all, I'll take Pendergast when and wherever Preston parachutes him into a storyline. A day without Pendergast is like....you know how that goes.
However, there are other hearts involved in Verses for the Dead.....multiple ones.
An elderly woman walks her dog in the wee hours of the morning in Miami. Their destination is the cemetery to visit the grave of her late husband. The heat of the day is already upon them. Little Twinkle breaks loose from the woman's weak grasp of the leash and heads directly for something on a nearby grave. Iris reaches for the item and faints dead away. Precious pup has found a human heart.
Enter FBI Agent Extraordinaire, Aloysius Pendergast. Only this time our guy is not flying solo. There's a new sheriff in town in the likes of Assistant Director in Charge Walter Pickett. Pickett is having none of Pendergast's solo expeditions. He'll be stepping on Pendergast's tail with a heavy boot. Pickett gives him an ultimatum: work with a partner or don't work at all.
Pendergast actually seems to possess no sweat glands under pressure. He eyes Special Agent Coldmoon with his usual polite gentleman manner. Coldmoon is a Lakota who has distinguished himself with multiple acts of bravery. Pendergast extends his hand and we're off to the races with this new dynamic duo. But believe me, ol' Pickett is still wearin' those heavy boots.
This case starts to amp up when reports of additional hearts start appearing on the graves of suicide victims. Douglas Preston drops no breadcrumbs in this one and we begin scratching our heads. The usual suspects are not allowed on stage. So who exactly is the who?
Verses for the Dead can actually be read as a standalone. It's not the usual Pendergast feast, though. I missed the peculiarity that wafts around Pendergast and his uncanny ability to focus on blades of bent grass and irregular patterns of dandruff. Pendergast's usual scientific approach is replaced by a snappy young woman coroner who is a wiz at autopsies. Watch what she picks up on.
Special Agent Coldmoon should get a special series designed with him in mind. Preston creates him with a few quirks of his own. Boiled sludge coffee is his favorite. You'll be questioning the pairing and the why behind it as the story unfolds. It has a tendency to overshadow the mystery at hand.
I hope we swing back to New York City in the next one.....more familiar ground for Pendergast. Perhaps Coldmoon can take a trek to the Big Apple this time. All in all, I'll take Pendergast when and wherever Preston parachutes him into a storyline. A day without Pendergast is like....you know how that goes.
March 26, 2019
5 STARS!
What a great way to end the series if Preston & Child decide to do just that!
Verses for the Dead starts off with FBI Agent A. X. L. Pendergast investigating a murder in Miami that defies explanation and lots of questions. Pendergast unfortunately has one thing that is affecting his flow of the murder investigation, and that is:
Dun, dun, duuuun, A PARTNER!
FBI Agent Coldmoon is now partnered with the elusive and eccentric Pendergast and doesn't really know what to think about him.
I loved this partnership! Both characters worked well with each other and I hope to see more of Agent Coldmoon if the series continues.
Verses for the Dead is another excellent, exciting and thrilling addition to the Pendergast series!
The plot involves the humid and bright setting of Miami, the terrifying landscape of the Everglades and the great chemistry of a brand new character interacting with my beloved Pendergast!
Hey Preston & Child, don't wait to long on writing another Pendergast book!
What a great way to end the series if Preston & Child decide to do just that!
Verses for the Dead starts off with FBI Agent A. X. L. Pendergast investigating a murder in Miami that defies explanation and lots of questions. Pendergast unfortunately has one thing that is affecting his flow of the murder investigation, and that is:
Dun, dun, duuuun, A PARTNER!
FBI Agent Coldmoon is now partnered with the elusive and eccentric Pendergast and doesn't really know what to think about him.
I loved this partnership! Both characters worked well with each other and I hope to see more of Agent Coldmoon if the series continues.
Verses for the Dead is another excellent, exciting and thrilling addition to the Pendergast series!
The plot involves the humid and bright setting of Miami, the terrifying landscape of the Everglades and the great chemistry of a brand new character interacting with my beloved Pendergast!
Hey Preston & Child, don't wait to long on writing another Pendergast book!
January 10, 2025
Verses for the Dead is the 18th FBI thriller in the Pendergast series written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. If you've read my reviews before, you know I am obsessed with series, so of course I had to read one set in NYC with an eccentric investigator. I prefer the ones that dig into the nefarious characters from the protagonist's family archives but this self-contained mystery was strong and had a bunch of side plots that kept my attention. From alligators to brothers of formerly alive characters (that we've lost in the series), so much is right with this cast and approach. But I missed the main supporting cast (Laura, D'Agosto, Constance...). The new ME and the FBI colleague were great tho. Buddy read this with a friend, and now we only have 2 more left before the upcoming release. We'll finish one in August and the last in September, I think... almost there!
January 2, 2019
While this was a good mystery with some great new characters, it lacked the depth and atmosphere that has been such a part of the rest of the series. The setup was fantastic and the mystery compelling, but the ending felt rather rushed. Still, it is always great to spend time with Pendergast. I’m looking forward to more Constance in the next book!
February 13, 2019
The 'Agent A.X.L. Pendergast' series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is one of my favorite mystery/thriller series and I eagerly await each new offering. # 18 in the series, 'Verses for the Dead' was worth the wait. If you follow this series, then you're aware that at the end of the last novel, SA Pendergast's future with the FBI seemed somewhat questionable. though Pendergast had received numerous commendations from the FBI and had a high case 'solve rate', he was also considered a rogue agent, never feeling particularly constrained by the Bureau's rules and regulations... and of course, there was the little problem that Pendergast's suspects never seemed to make it to trial but rather ended up in the morgue instead. Throughout his career, Pendergast had had a kind of protector in the FBI.... Howard Longstreet, his supervisor in the organization; but Longstreet was no longer available to act on Pendergast's behalf. This story picked up with the introduction of Pendergast's new supervisor, Walter Pickett.... a man with his eye firmly on furthering his career at the FBI and he made it clear from their first meeting that Pendergast's affinity for skirting the rules would no longer be tolerated. Pickett informed Pendergast that his investigations would have to be strictly 'by the book' and furthermore, Pendergast would also be required to work with a partner... junior agent Coldmoon who was of native descent and whose orders seemed to be keeping an eye on Pendergast's activities.
The story.. and the new case (a bizarre one!) began in Miami, Florida. An elderly woman and her dog were at a local cemetery paying their respects to the woman's deceased husband when she noticed that her dog had found an object on a nearby grave. It was a human heart! Pendergast and Coldmoon were assigned to the case and were instructed to assist the Miami Police Department. Upon arriving in Miami, the two agents discovered that the human heart found on the grave had belonged to a young woman who had been expertly and efficiently murdered before her heart had been removed and placed upon the grave with a note presumably written by the killer and expressing a desire for atonement... but atone for what? Pendergast was sure that this question, if answered, could provide the clue they needed to hunt down the killer. But before they had an opportunity to begin their investigation, more murders were committed... and more hearts were placed on graves in the Miami area.
In typical Sherlockian fashion, Pendergast developed a hunch that there was a connection between the current murders and the people whose graves the hearts were placed upon... the choice of graves was NOT random. They had discovered that the graves belonged to young women who had all committed suicide during the previous decade.... but were these deaths REALLY suicides? Pendergast was certain the killer's choice of these graves was, in some way, connected to the reason the killer felt he must atone. Despite his skepticism about Pendergast's hunch, Coldmoon accompanied him to Maine, the site of the first suicide. The deduction Pendergast made led him (and Coldmoon) up and down Interstate 95.... reinvestigating suicide cases and hoping to discover what might connect these deaths to the murders in Miami and to a killer who was now referring to himself as 'Mr. Brokenheart'.
In a race against time, Pendergast and Coldmoon raced up and down the east coast, attempting to piece together the clues from the killer's past and finally, their hard work paid off... there WAS a pattern! The clues led Pendergast and Coldmoon into the swampy wetlands of Florida where they encountered not only the sudden opening of a massive sinkhole beneath their feet but an alligator farm occupied by dozens of hungry gators. And the story culminated in a surprising plot twist and a harrowing gun battle between Pendergast and a clever psychopathic killer.
This novel was classic Pendergast, complete with his trademark eccentric but oh-so-charming manner and his scarily odd ability to solve crimes with just minimal clues. This book kept me listening long past my usual bedtime... wanting to listen to just a few more minutes of the expert narration performed by Rene Auberjonois.
Now, I await the next installment......
The story.. and the new case (a bizarre one!) began in Miami, Florida. An elderly woman and her dog were at a local cemetery paying their respects to the woman's deceased husband when she noticed that her dog had found an object on a nearby grave. It was a human heart! Pendergast and Coldmoon were assigned to the case and were instructed to assist the Miami Police Department. Upon arriving in Miami, the two agents discovered that the human heart found on the grave had belonged to a young woman who had been expertly and efficiently murdered before her heart had been removed and placed upon the grave with a note presumably written by the killer and expressing a desire for atonement... but atone for what? Pendergast was sure that this question, if answered, could provide the clue they needed to hunt down the killer. But before they had an opportunity to begin their investigation, more murders were committed... and more hearts were placed on graves in the Miami area.
In typical Sherlockian fashion, Pendergast developed a hunch that there was a connection between the current murders and the people whose graves the hearts were placed upon... the choice of graves was NOT random. They had discovered that the graves belonged to young women who had all committed suicide during the previous decade.... but were these deaths REALLY suicides? Pendergast was certain the killer's choice of these graves was, in some way, connected to the reason the killer felt he must atone. Despite his skepticism about Pendergast's hunch, Coldmoon accompanied him to Maine, the site of the first suicide. The deduction Pendergast made led him (and Coldmoon) up and down Interstate 95.... reinvestigating suicide cases and hoping to discover what might connect these deaths to the murders in Miami and to a killer who was now referring to himself as 'Mr. Brokenheart'.
In a race against time, Pendergast and Coldmoon raced up and down the east coast, attempting to piece together the clues from the killer's past and finally, their hard work paid off... there WAS a pattern! The clues led Pendergast and Coldmoon into the swampy wetlands of Florida where they encountered not only the sudden opening of a massive sinkhole beneath their feet but an alligator farm occupied by dozens of hungry gators. And the story culminated in a surprising plot twist and a harrowing gun battle between Pendergast and a clever psychopathic killer.
This novel was classic Pendergast, complete with his trademark eccentric but oh-so-charming manner and his scarily odd ability to solve crimes with just minimal clues. This book kept me listening long past my usual bedtime... wanting to listen to just a few more minutes of the expert narration performed by Rene Auberjonois.
Now, I await the next installment......
February 27, 2025
Were those nine women murdered or did they die by suicide? What about the cut out hearts upon their graves and the literary notes? Special Agent Pendergast and his sidekick Agent Coldmoon have a very intriguing case set in Miami with a great final and surprising denouement. What a Pendergast it was! Splendid murder mystery at its very best. Another book in that magnificent series I can highly recommend!
January 29, 2021
I love the Pendergast series. And they haven’t let me down yet. The addition of Agent Coldmoon was intriguing and Pendergast continued to be his inscrutable self. The ending had me on the edge of my seat and had the usual twist knocking me back. I began reading this book while on my way to Key West so the Florida setting was fun. Wish I had finished it while I was there but we were on the move a lot enjoying restaurants and bars and some real life while we could. Thanks again to the authors for delivering up an exciting, interesting, and smart novel. You make a great team!
January 19, 2023
It’s hot chocolate, folks—warm, familiar, comforting, and just what you need after the turbulent ups-and-downs of the past several Pendergast outings. Throwing a partner into the mix for him is like adding some sort of flavored marshmallows—some people will love it, some people will hate it, but everyone will have a strong opinion. On to the next adventure!
January 26, 2019
In the latest book in this long-running series, FBI Special Agent Pendergast is assigned a young partner, junior agent Coldmoon. Of course, Pendergast has no doubt that his partner's main job is to spy on him for their new chief, Assistant Director in Charge, Walter Pickett.
Their first assignment takes them to Miami, FL, where a young woman has been murdered and a body part removed. Said part is found on the grave of a woman who committed suicide some ten years before and with this 'gift' is a stanza from a poem: verses for the dead.
After a second woman is found murdered with a similar MO, they begin to realize they are dealing with a highly organized killer 'who quotes Shakespeare and Eliot, uses fine paper and rare vintage pens--in short, a man of literary pretensions.'
It's very interesting how they follow a trail of clues. Pendergast is sometimes dogged in his determination to leave no stone unturned.
As usual, the conclusion is wildly exciting. I'm not sure I buy the motive but then I'm not a crazy psychopath! Very good addition to the series. I, for one, am glad that the authors have left behind the plots involving Pendergast's brother and gotten back to some real detection.
Their first assignment takes them to Miami, FL, where a young woman has been murdered and a body part removed. Said part is found on the grave of a woman who committed suicide some ten years before and with this 'gift' is a stanza from a poem: verses for the dead.
After a second woman is found murdered with a similar MO, they begin to realize they are dealing with a highly organized killer 'who quotes Shakespeare and Eliot, uses fine paper and rare vintage pens--in short, a man of literary pretensions.'
It's very interesting how they follow a trail of clues. Pendergast is sometimes dogged in his determination to leave no stone unturned.
As usual, the conclusion is wildly exciting. I'm not sure I buy the motive but then I'm not a crazy psychopath! Very good addition to the series. I, for one, am glad that the authors have left behind the plots involving Pendergast's brother and gotten back to some real detection.
February 8, 2019
Agent Pendergast is saddled with a new boss and partner as he investigates a serial killer who cuts out women's hearts and leaves them on the graves of suicides in Florida. The new director wants no part of Pendergast's unorthodox methods and is looking for any reason to get rid of him. This is a good jumping on point for new readers. There's very little of Pendergast's personal baggage, it's all about the case. I found it refreshing after so many volumes revolving around Pendergast's eccentric family.
December 28, 2021
Update5/15/20
Edit:
This was absolutely great and worth the wait I had to go through and it was back to classic SI Pendergast.! I loved Coldmoon. He was so hilarious and so opposite to Axl that it was perfect!!! Oh the coffee thing! Coffee lovers in general are so specific about their tastes usually and then there are Agent P’s habits of having to drink very expensive beverages; then you add in Coldmoon. Love it!
I liked how they ended up working together and so many things made me laugh, but it worked! Oh the beginning of the book was just classic!
This one got five stars ! If you jumped off.., jump back on the wagon ! The case of Mr. Brokenhearts is a doozy.
Recommended.
My copy came with a special additional epilogue to read separately and I loved that too. You find out something you didn’t know before and something kinda interesting.
#Pendergastian
****************
Thoughts to come..,
Thank you Doug and Linc!
Edit:
This was absolutely great and worth the wait I had to go through and it was back to classic SI Pendergast.! I loved Coldmoon. He was so hilarious and so opposite to Axl that it was perfect!!! Oh the coffee thing! Coffee lovers in general are so specific about their tastes usually and then there are Agent P’s habits of having to drink very expensive beverages; then you add in Coldmoon. Love it!
I liked how they ended up working together and so many things made me laugh, but it worked! Oh the beginning of the book was just classic!
This one got five stars ! If you jumped off.., jump back on the wagon ! The case of Mr. Brokenhearts is a doozy.
Recommended.
My copy came with a special additional epilogue to read separately and I loved that too. You find out something you didn’t know before and something kinda interesting.
#Pendergastian
****************
Thoughts to come..,
Thank you Doug and Linc!
March 25, 2019
So sad to have caught up to the authors! I hope there will be more Pendergast books in the future. This one got back to the basics, and I found it refreshing as well as good. No doubt about the fact that Pendergast is one of my absolute favorite characters out there. Highly recommend this series!
January 15, 2019
What a joy it is to enjoy a book so much that you're sad when you reach the end! Over the years, I've become a fan of several series, including this one - never (or rarely) missing a new installment. And over those same years, I've watched way too many of them become rather stale; characters I'd come to love fall off their professional games, take on lesser roles in their own stories and even, in one instance, continue to act like a silly pre-teenager well into what should be grown-up years. Not so here; although I admit to wishing for a bit more interaction between FBI agent A.X.L. Pendergast and his ward, Constance, his remarkable sleuthing powers and clever repartee haven't faded one whit.
But while many things remain the same, others have changed; most notably, a new chief at the FBI's New York field office, who isn't pleased with Pendergast's think-outside-the-box tendencies, no matter how many cases he solves as a result. As such, he gives Pendergast an ultimatum: Henceforth, he must work with a partner. That turns out to be junior agent Coldmoon, a Native American from the Lakota tribe who's very intriguing in his own right (in fact, he's interesting enough that I can see him with a series of his own (are you listening, Messieurs Preston and Child)? For now, though, they're a dynamic duo - and watching two very capable characters who really don't want to work together work together is a treat.
As the story begins, a very fresh human heart is found in Miami on the grave of Elise Baxter, who died 11 years earlier - her death deemed suicide by hanging. A note announcing the "gift" is signed "Mister Brokenhearts," so the search begins to identify the writer as well as the former owner of the heart. When the rest of her is found, Pendergast and Coldmoon are assigned to the case (in fact, Coldmoon gets another concurrent assignment, but the nature of that one isn't for me to reveal).
The two detectives head first to Maine, where Baxter died, but clues or ties to the heart-deprived woman are nonexistent. Meanwhile, another fresh heart turns up in a mausoleum in Miami - on the container holding the remains of a woman who reportedly committed suicide in a manner eerily similar to Baxter. By this time, Pendergast's supervisor is plenty riled up, and his anger only escalates when Pendergast insists that exhumation of the long-ago suicide victims' bodies is highly advisable. Ultimately, though, he gets his way, and when an especially capable medical examiner does her thing, clues start falling into place that lead Pendergast and Coolmoon to uncharted territory and a fight to the death (who bites the dust is yet another tidbit that's for me to know and other readers to find out).
All told, it's quite an exciting adventure, and I'm sorry it's over. I have confidence that another installment is in the works, of course - but hey, fellas, could you please hurry it up just a little bit?
But while many things remain the same, others have changed; most notably, a new chief at the FBI's New York field office, who isn't pleased with Pendergast's think-outside-the-box tendencies, no matter how many cases he solves as a result. As such, he gives Pendergast an ultimatum: Henceforth, he must work with a partner. That turns out to be junior agent Coldmoon, a Native American from the Lakota tribe who's very intriguing in his own right (in fact, he's interesting enough that I can see him with a series of his own (are you listening, Messieurs Preston and Child)? For now, though, they're a dynamic duo - and watching two very capable characters who really don't want to work together work together is a treat.
As the story begins, a very fresh human heart is found in Miami on the grave of Elise Baxter, who died 11 years earlier - her death deemed suicide by hanging. A note announcing the "gift" is signed "Mister Brokenhearts," so the search begins to identify the writer as well as the former owner of the heart. When the rest of her is found, Pendergast and Coldmoon are assigned to the case (in fact, Coldmoon gets another concurrent assignment, but the nature of that one isn't for me to reveal).
The two detectives head first to Maine, where Baxter died, but clues or ties to the heart-deprived woman are nonexistent. Meanwhile, another fresh heart turns up in a mausoleum in Miami - on the container holding the remains of a woman who reportedly committed suicide in a manner eerily similar to Baxter. By this time, Pendergast's supervisor is plenty riled up, and his anger only escalates when Pendergast insists that exhumation of the long-ago suicide victims' bodies is highly advisable. Ultimately, though, he gets his way, and when an especially capable medical examiner does her thing, clues start falling into place that lead Pendergast and Coolmoon to uncharted territory and a fight to the death (who bites the dust is yet another tidbit that's for me to know and other readers to find out).
All told, it's quite an exciting adventure, and I'm sorry it's over. I have confidence that another installment is in the works, of course - but hey, fellas, could you please hurry it up just a little bit?
January 23, 2019
Eighteen books and still going strong in this series. That's quite something and our authors never seem to run out of things to keep FBI special agent A.X.L. Pendergast busy and on his game.
As a reader of this series, one knows full well that Pendergast is a loner when it comes to solving a case. However, in this book, our intrepid mysterious agent acquires a partner, Coldmoon, and as you can imagine, he is none to happy about that.
The two are assigned to a case where some grisly instances are happening. A part of the human anatomy is found on graves that belonged to suicide victims, buried in Miami, along with notes that quote well known literature, attached to them. Pedergast with his sixth sense for the mysterious, the cunning, and the nuances of a case, along with Coldmoon are on the trail of who they believe might be a serial killer.
They travel to various parts of the country where the original suicides have occurred in search for clues, all the time getting to know one another and perhaps fostering a camaraderie. Could it be that Agent Pendergast will be a loner no more?
As the agents find more and more clues, the case seems to become murkier and more sinister then they originally suspected. Will Pendergast and Coldmoom find the killer? Will more women die as our killer needs a part of their anatomy to quell his guilt?
As usual, Preston and Child have created a well done story that takes the reader into the twisted mind and heart of killers. They succeed in making this a tense thriller with twists and turns aplenty. Recommended for those who love Agent Aloysius Pendergast and his seventeen previous adventures.
My reviews cn also be seen here: http://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress...
As a reader of this series, one knows full well that Pendergast is a loner when it comes to solving a case. However, in this book, our intrepid mysterious agent acquires a partner, Coldmoon, and as you can imagine, he is none to happy about that.
The two are assigned to a case where some grisly instances are happening. A part of the human anatomy is found on graves that belonged to suicide victims, buried in Miami, along with notes that quote well known literature, attached to them. Pedergast with his sixth sense for the mysterious, the cunning, and the nuances of a case, along with Coldmoon are on the trail of who they believe might be a serial killer.
They travel to various parts of the country where the original suicides have occurred in search for clues, all the time getting to know one another and perhaps fostering a camaraderie. Could it be that Agent Pendergast will be a loner no more?
As the agents find more and more clues, the case seems to become murkier and more sinister then they originally suspected. Will Pendergast and Coldmoom find the killer? Will more women die as our killer needs a part of their anatomy to quell his guilt?
As usual, Preston and Child have created a well done story that takes the reader into the twisted mind and heart of killers. They succeed in making this a tense thriller with twists and turns aplenty. Recommended for those who love Agent Aloysius Pendergast and his seventeen previous adventures.
My reviews cn also be seen here: http://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress...
January 1, 2019
Descent to the Ordinary
A series I've always enjoyed, in large part due to its quasi-mystical overtones and interesting characters; the plots, though convoluted, are always coherent. However, the old crew are largely gone along with the hint of the supernatural; this is just another serial killer procedural. The story held my attention but it was just...ordinary.
A series I've always enjoyed, in large part due to its quasi-mystical overtones and interesting characters; the plots, though convoluted, are always coherent. However, the old crew are largely gone along with the hint of the supernatural; this is just another serial killer procedural. The story held my attention but it was just...ordinary.
March 5, 2019
Now THAT was a Pendergast book. I loved the last book, because, well, I love anything Pendergast, but let's be honest here... it felt a little like a retooled previous entry in the series. This one, on the other hand, was a top notch return to form. One of my favorite of the recent volumes in the series. Highly recommended.
July 12, 2021
This is part of a series and can be read as a stand alone novel. In this one, Pendergast has a new boss who is not going to stand for Pendergast's eccentric ways. He is assigned a partner and they are assigned a case in Miami where a human heart was discovered at a gravesite.
This is a straight up murder mystery case and I enjoyed the change up. If you are a fan of this series you know it can dip into the supernatural or the weird explained by science but it makes sense that a FBI agent would deal with a case that is just "normal". Adding to the enjoyment of the case was the addition of the new characters and the change of venue. The new partner was terrific and I loved Pendergast and the new partner playing off each other like it was a buddy cop movie. As for the murder mystery it was intriguing where I had no idea who was the culprit. It also had an action packed finale where I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out how it would end.
This was a tightly told entry in this beloved series. It had several plots going at the same time that were perfectly balanced throughout. I enjoy the character Pendergast and having him with a new partner while still being a master detective made for a fun read.
This is a straight up murder mystery case and I enjoyed the change up. If you are a fan of this series you know it can dip into the supernatural or the weird explained by science but it makes sense that a FBI agent would deal with a case that is just "normal". Adding to the enjoyment of the case was the addition of the new characters and the change of venue. The new partner was terrific and I loved Pendergast and the new partner playing off each other like it was a buddy cop movie. As for the murder mystery it was intriguing where I had no idea who was the culprit. It also had an action packed finale where I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out how it would end.
This was a tightly told entry in this beloved series. It had several plots going at the same time that were perfectly balanced throughout. I enjoy the character Pendergast and having him with a new partner while still being a master detective made for a fun read.
December 17, 2023
There was a particularly tender scene where Pendergast was consoling a mother of a victim of suicide with empathy and sensitivity. The mother, moved by Pendergast's empathy gives her daughter's medallion to Pendergast to keep saying, "I think you're someone who knows a little about lost causes." It was an extraordinary scene that stood out and underscored Pendergast's humanity and why I like his character so much.
Update: reading for a second time, as my daughter is here on a visit and we enjoy listening to this series together. 7/11/2020. We chuckled at the many references to how Pendergast's new partner, Agent Coldmoon drinks his coffee, especially as we enjoy a bracing cup of dark roast in the morning to kickstart the day. Our favorite coffee quote comes from when Pendergast finally succumbs to Coldmoon's invitation to try a taste. Pendergast takes the smallest of sips and then announces: "The floral bouquet of poison sumac blooms first on the palate, followed by notes of diesel oil and a long finish of battery acid."
Update: reading for a second time, as my daughter is here on a visit and we enjoy listening to this series together. 7/11/2020. We chuckled at the many references to how Pendergast's new partner, Agent Coldmoon drinks his coffee, especially as we enjoy a bracing cup of dark roast in the morning to kickstart the day. Our favorite coffee quote comes from when Pendergast finally succumbs to Coldmoon's invitation to try a taste. Pendergast takes the smallest of sips and then announces: "The floral bouquet of poison sumac blooms first on the palate, followed by notes of diesel oil and a long finish of battery acid."
May 21, 2021
Aquí, enganchada a Pendergast.
January 29, 2019
Pendergast and his elderly ward Constance finally in Volume 18 do what readers have been waiting three books for,
The authors have been reading my critiques - they've stopped the susurrus - but Pendergast is still "refold[ing] one leg over the other" and crossing "one leg...casually over the other" and "uncross[ing] his feet" and tenting his fingers.
"You never asked why I wanted to stop at Jamesville," Coldmoon said.
Pendergast looked over. "Conjugal visit?"
Ahahahahahaha! Ha!
January 12, 2019
A serial killer is terrorizing Miami, removing the hearts of his victims and placing them on the graves of suicides. Agent Pendergast is sent to investigate, but will his new supervisor and partner cramp his style?
Also, I’d like to add a single word, which will mean nothing to new readers, but will intrigue the Hell out of longtime fans. This, by itself, won't spoil anything: Smithback.
As with all Preston & Child books, this is a tautly-constructed propulsive thriller of a book. Yes, it's the eighteenth book in a series, but it's still as decent a place to start as any. If you start here, a few details of previous books will be spoiled. But then, just knowing that the series extends to eighteen books and counting means that you won't have to worry about Pendergast’s chances of surviving the first book …
For what it's worth, I read the Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition of this book, which features an extra chapter. True fans of the series will want to get their hands on this edition, assuming they haven't already. I am unabashedly a fan, and am thus incapable of reviewing these books objectively. Needless to say, highly recommended!
Also, I’d like to add a single word, which will mean nothing to new readers, but will intrigue the Hell out of longtime fans. This, by itself, won't spoil anything: Smithback.
As with all Preston & Child books, this is a tautly-constructed propulsive thriller of a book. Yes, it's the eighteenth book in a series, but it's still as decent a place to start as any. If you start here, a few details of previous books will be spoiled. But then, just knowing that the series extends to eighteen books and counting means that you won't have to worry about Pendergast’s chances of surviving the first book …
For what it's worth, I read the Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition of this book, which features an extra chapter. True fans of the series will want to get their hands on this edition, assuming they haven't already. I am unabashedly a fan, and am thus incapable of reviewing these books objectively. Needless to say, highly recommended!
February 23, 2019
4.5 actually. Preston and Child have always been favourite authors of mine. And, I really like their character Special Agent Pendergast, who is portrayed as an intriguing character with a very different way of looking at events. An excellent plot with real characters I can relate too. Unputdownable, my highest praise
January 26, 2019
A new FBI director in NYC is cleaning shop, painting a target on Pendergast's back. He dispatches him to Florida (with a new partner, Agent Coldmoon) to investigate a strange murder where the victim's heart is removed and left on someone's grave. Rather than focus on the victim, Pendergast works the case from the angle of the buried person, who was a suicide. There is a note of apology from the murderer signed Mr. Brokenhearts. As the bodies accumulate, Pendergast has to battle the local PD and his new boss, but finds support from his new partner, who is supposed to be spying on Pendergast. For those who like mysteries, this is for you as there is no occult stuff other than the suggestion of the occasional dreamscape.
January 8, 2022
Thoughts soon.
March 4, 2019
Feels a bit more like the old Pendergast after a few books in the series that were a bit less than inspired. Wish there had been a hint of the supernatural as in some previous stories.
March 14, 2019
3.5 stars
December 26, 2020
4.5 stars.
Verses for the Dead is definitely one of the better books in this series with quite a mind-boggling and engaging mystery. And, Pendergast had to work with an FBI partner this time. One who's supposed to be carrying out a side agenda of sorts for his superior, with regard to Pendergast’s unusual ways. It's always interesting when a new character is heavily involved in the investigation with Pendergast and seeing his/her perspective of his mannerisms and methods. I also found that Pendergast's characterisation has evolved quite a bit since the crazy, maniac turn he had in the Helen trilogy and most notably after yet another personal conflict in The Obsidian Chamber. I liked this a lot as it made him a more authentic character that would and could change after being subjected to such harrowing circumstances.
Verses for the Dead is definitely one of the better books in this series with quite a mind-boggling and engaging mystery. And, Pendergast had to work with an FBI partner this time. One who's supposed to be carrying out a side agenda of sorts for his superior, with regard to Pendergast’s unusual ways. It's always interesting when a new character is heavily involved in the investigation with Pendergast and seeing his/her perspective of his mannerisms and methods. I also found that Pendergast's characterisation has evolved quite a bit since the crazy, maniac turn he had in the Helen trilogy and most notably after yet another personal conflict in The Obsidian Chamber. I liked this a lot as it made him a more authentic character that would and could change after being subjected to such harrowing circumstances.
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