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Pendergast #14
Blue Labyrinth
Special Agent Pendergast-one of the most original, compelling characters in all of contemporary fiction-returns in Preston and Child's new exhilarating novel Blue Labyrinth.
A long-buried family secret has come back to haunt Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast...
It begins with murder. One of Pendergast's most implacable, most feared enemies is found on his doorstep, dead. Pendergast has no idea who is responsible for the killing, or why the body was brought to his home. The mystery has all the hallmarks of the perfect crime, save for an enigmatic clue: a piece of turquoise lodged in the stomach of the deceased.
The gem leads Pendergast to an abandoned mine on the shore of California's Salton Sea, which in turn propels him on a journey of discovery deep into his own family's sinister past.
But Pendergast learns there is more at work than a ghastly episode of family history: he is being stalked by a subtle killer bent on vengeance over an ancient transgression. And he soon becomes caught in a wickedly clever plot, which leaves him stricken in mind and body, and propels him toward a reckoning beyond anything he could ever have imagined...
A long-buried family secret has come back to haunt Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast...
It begins with murder. One of Pendergast's most implacable, most feared enemies is found on his doorstep, dead. Pendergast has no idea who is responsible for the killing, or why the body was brought to his home. The mystery has all the hallmarks of the perfect crime, save for an enigmatic clue: a piece of turquoise lodged in the stomach of the deceased.
The gem leads Pendergast to an abandoned mine on the shore of California's Salton Sea, which in turn propels him on a journey of discovery deep into his own family's sinister past.
But Pendergast learns there is more at work than a ghastly episode of family history: he is being stalked by a subtle killer bent on vengeance over an ancient transgression. And he soon becomes caught in a wickedly clever plot, which leaves him stricken in mind and body, and propels him toward a reckoning beyond anything he could ever have imagined...
403 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2014
1274 people are currently reading
7915 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 1,824 reviews
August 30, 2022
A mysterious dead man appears at the doorstep of Agent Pendergast's home. Who is the dead man? Who killed him? Why is Pendergast led to an old mining village? What is the role of Hezekiah Pendergast and ancestor and his compound elixier, a quack medicine. There seems to be a bill to settle. Who are the opponents and what is the reason for revenge? Nail biting story with that leads us back to Museum of Natural History in New York with some good characters of prior books in the Pendergast series. The ending was a bit drawn, but as every single novel in this outstanding series fast paced, unique, intriguing and really recommended!
May 20, 2025
I have read all of the books in order (not the fractional additions) and want to give this book a solid 4.25*. Since this book has been out for over 10 years many others have written great reviews, I am only adding a few thoughts. I enjoyed getting back some of the "old gang" from the very early books. Constance Green is fascinating, and I hope she continues to be a main character. Very minor romantic hints.
December 10, 2018
4 to 4.5 stars, but going with 4 on this . . . . and here is why!
Sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief a bit when reading action thrillers. With Preston and Child, they try and make the unbelievable more believable. However, there have been a few books where the suspension of disbelief has to be dialed up a notch to get through to the end. Blue Labyrinth is one of those. Not that this has to be a bad thing, it just is such an obvious contrast to their other books that it makes it feel somewhat different from the rest of the series. In fact, this one may have been a 3.5 to 4 after the first 250 pages, but the end really ramped things up close to 4.5!
“What sort of things did I have to suspend my disbelief on?” you might ask. Well, a few of them would probably be spoilers, so I will shoot for generalities here. Pretty much everything that needed to happen to move the story along for the first two thirds of the book happened pretty easily or out of nowhere. Often I would think, “that is so obscure, they will never figure that out” and then someone would walk in and be like, ”oh, it is obviously this!” That got a little bit old after a while.
Now you are saying, “Matthew, this is a 4 star review, but you are really not selling it! What’s up?” Okay, okay, now the good stuff!
This was my first book in the Pendergast series in almost 8 months and it was good to be home. Reacquainting myself with familiar characters and tying events from previous books into the events of this book was a blast. Also, Preston and Child still really know how to write an action packed climax. There is some bad-assery in about 10 pages at the end of this book that might have been enough to bring it up to 4.5 even if the rest of the book was 1 star.
Finally, I think I am more willing to give Preston and Child a little leeway because my time with their books has been a great ride. Kind of like how the Academy will finally give the best actor Oscar to Leo even if The Revenant wasn’t his best film, but he has been nominated so many times for the rest of his body of work it is about time! If the story in this book was the same but was not tied to the rest of the Pendergast storyline and was the first book I read by some unknown author, I may have given it 3 stars.
But, what can I say, I am a Preston and Child fanboy! #notashamed
Sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief a bit when reading action thrillers. With Preston and Child, they try and make the unbelievable more believable. However, there have been a few books where the suspension of disbelief has to be dialed up a notch to get through to the end. Blue Labyrinth is one of those. Not that this has to be a bad thing, it just is such an obvious contrast to their other books that it makes it feel somewhat different from the rest of the series. In fact, this one may have been a 3.5 to 4 after the first 250 pages, but the end really ramped things up close to 4.5!
“What sort of things did I have to suspend my disbelief on?” you might ask. Well, a few of them would probably be spoilers, so I will shoot for generalities here. Pretty much everything that needed to happen to move the story along for the first two thirds of the book happened pretty easily or out of nowhere. Often I would think, “that is so obscure, they will never figure that out” and then someone would walk in and be like, ”oh, it is obviously this!” That got a little bit old after a while.
Now you are saying, “Matthew, this is a 4 star review, but you are really not selling it! What’s up?” Okay, okay, now the good stuff!
This was my first book in the Pendergast series in almost 8 months and it was good to be home. Reacquainting myself with familiar characters and tying events from previous books into the events of this book was a blast. Also, Preston and Child still really know how to write an action packed climax. There is some bad-assery in about 10 pages at the end of this book that might have been enough to bring it up to 4.5 even if the rest of the book was 1 star.
Finally, I think I am more willing to give Preston and Child a little leeway because my time with their books has been a great ride. Kind of like how the Academy will finally give the best actor Oscar to Leo even if The Revenant wasn’t his best film, but he has been nominated so many times for the rest of his body of work it is about time! If the story in this book was the same but was not tied to the rest of the Pendergast storyline and was the first book I read by some unknown author, I may have given it 3 stars.
But, what can I say, I am a Preston and Child fanboy! #notashamed
September 19, 2017
The book starts off with a bang! The murdered corpse of an enemy shows up on the doorstep to Agent Aloysius Pendergast's home and later on during the autopsy a turquoise is found in the stomach of the deceased. This stone will lead Pendergast on a hunt to find the killer of his enemy and this killer is out for revenge that will put Pendergast life in danger!
It's action from the start, just the way I like it. It's great to read another excellent book by Preston & Child about Agent Pendergast. I did miss Corrie Swanson in this story, but she had a prominent role in the last book so I shouldn't pout. It was good to have Vincent D'Agosta and helping Pendergast in this book. Constance Greene is also lending a hand, which is a good thing because of her knowledge of the Pendergast family history and Pendergast will need all help he can get!
Someone in the Pendergast family caused something years ago that affects present time and now Pendergast has to fight for his life and his friends must do their utmost to save his life.
It's a great book. Very enjoyable and forward driven all the time. I didn't like it as much as the last book White Fire, but as I stated above, I just adore Corrie Swanson, I have since the first time I read Still Life with Crows one of the best books in the series. But anyway, it's still a really, really good book!
Btw: I still wait for Hollywood make movies about Agent Pendergast with Paul Bettany in the title role! I need a remake of The Relic with Agent Pendergast in it!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
It's action from the start, just the way I like it. It's great to read another excellent book by Preston & Child about Agent Pendergast. I did miss Corrie Swanson in this story, but she had a prominent role in the last book so I shouldn't pout. It was good to have Vincent D'Agosta and helping Pendergast in this book. Constance Greene is also lending a hand, which is a good thing because of her knowledge of the Pendergast family history and Pendergast will need all help he can get!
Someone in the Pendergast family caused something years ago that affects present time and now Pendergast has to fight for his life and his friends must do their utmost to save his life.
It's a great book. Very enjoyable and forward driven all the time. I didn't like it as much as the last book White Fire, but as I stated above, I just adore Corrie Swanson, I have since the first time I read Still Life with Crows one of the best books in the series. But anyway, it's still a really, really good book!
Btw: I still wait for Hollywood make movies about Agent Pendergast with Paul Bettany in the title role! I need a remake of The Relic with Agent Pendergast in it!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
March 20, 2021
If you’ve ever had top-shelf tequila—Cabo Wabo, Don Julio, Patron—you know it can be a smooth spirit that you can sit, sip, and relax with, or that can transform an ordinary margarita into a transcendent experience.
Blue Labyrinth is not top-shelf tequila. It’s more like…Montezuma Tequila.
Two decades ago, I worked in the commercial publishing industry in Manhattan. Two obvious but relevant facts: 1) living in Manhattan is kind of expensive; and 2) entry-level publishing gigs do NOT pay well.
One other obvious but relevant fact: when you’re in your early 20s, you want to go out and do the things the young people enjoy, such as fraternizing with like-minded Bohemians at drinking establishments. Being short on cash, however, one must find ways to do this economically. That’s where Montezuma Tequila—the anti-top-shelf tequila—comes in.
When my roommate at the time (now a well-respected publishing professional whom I won’t embarrass) moved in, he brought with him a leftover supply of liquor from his undergraduate days at a school well known for its copious consumption of poor quality spirits. Amongst that collection was a bottle of Montezuma, which became our pre-game drink of choice because, somehow, it was the least offensive bottle in the collection. When you have to pony up $20 per drink for yourself and the object of your romantic affection, you don’t want to buy any more drinks than you have to, so we did our level best to ensure that we didn’t need to buy much for ourselves by nipping from that never-ending handle of the most vile tequila ever to be placed into a bottle. It was so bad that we took to placing it in the freezer in the hopes that the extreme chill would help nullify the larynx-melting torture of swallowing it.
But, after the first shot, it wasn’t so bad. Maybe that’s because your taste buds had been rendered inert, maybe it’s because the part of your brain that renders conscious thought had been obliterated…but the second and, if one could handle it, third shots weren’t too bad. You even started to look forward to and enjoy them in that sort of, “Yeah, man, let’s do this—come on! Let’s go! Bring it! Let’s make it happen!” kind of way.
That’s why Blue Labyrinth is Montezuma Tequila. At first, it’s kind of like, “Dear lord, I can’t even…gah! GAH! It burns! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!” But, after you start to get into it—after you swallow the unbelievable burn of those first few chapters and disconnect the logical part of your brain, you’re like, “AHAHAHAHA! Oh, YEAH—you go, Constance! You drop acid! And not in the hallucinogenic sense! Get literal with that, girl! Melt the flesh from their bones and make Rambo look like Mr. Rogers!”
Look, we all know Pendergast books can veer into ridiculous, over-the-top territory. It’s not so much the Baskerville-esque blurring the line between reality and the supernatural that makes some of these stories go off the rails; it’s the Bond-meets-Terminator-meets-Bourne action sequences.
And, yet, they remain compulsively readable because Preston and Child are so damn good at their craft—no matter how absurd the action gets, you have to know what happens next and, when it’s all over, you’re ready for more.
So, pop this one in the freezer, plug your nose, and get it down your gullet—you’ll thank me.
Though you may not feel great the next morning.
Blue Labyrinth is not top-shelf tequila. It’s more like…Montezuma Tequila.
Two decades ago, I worked in the commercial publishing industry in Manhattan. Two obvious but relevant facts: 1) living in Manhattan is kind of expensive; and 2) entry-level publishing gigs do NOT pay well.
One other obvious but relevant fact: when you’re in your early 20s, you want to go out and do the things the young people enjoy, such as fraternizing with like-minded Bohemians at drinking establishments. Being short on cash, however, one must find ways to do this economically. That’s where Montezuma Tequila—the anti-top-shelf tequila—comes in.
When my roommate at the time (now a well-respected publishing professional whom I won’t embarrass) moved in, he brought with him a leftover supply of liquor from his undergraduate days at a school well known for its copious consumption of poor quality spirits. Amongst that collection was a bottle of Montezuma, which became our pre-game drink of choice because, somehow, it was the least offensive bottle in the collection. When you have to pony up $20 per drink for yourself and the object of your romantic affection, you don’t want to buy any more drinks than you have to, so we did our level best to ensure that we didn’t need to buy much for ourselves by nipping from that never-ending handle of the most vile tequila ever to be placed into a bottle. It was so bad that we took to placing it in the freezer in the hopes that the extreme chill would help nullify the larynx-melting torture of swallowing it.
But, after the first shot, it wasn’t so bad. Maybe that’s because your taste buds had been rendered inert, maybe it’s because the part of your brain that renders conscious thought had been obliterated…but the second and, if one could handle it, third shots weren’t too bad. You even started to look forward to and enjoy them in that sort of, “Yeah, man, let’s do this—come on! Let’s go! Bring it! Let’s make it happen!” kind of way.
That’s why Blue Labyrinth is Montezuma Tequila. At first, it’s kind of like, “Dear lord, I can’t even…gah! GAH! It burns! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!” But, after you start to get into it—after you swallow the unbelievable burn of those first few chapters and disconnect the logical part of your brain, you’re like, “AHAHAHAHA! Oh, YEAH—you go, Constance! You drop acid! And not in the hallucinogenic sense! Get literal with that, girl! Melt the flesh from their bones and make Rambo look like Mr. Rogers!”
Look, we all know Pendergast books can veer into ridiculous, over-the-top territory. It’s not so much the Baskerville-esque blurring the line between reality and the supernatural that makes some of these stories go off the rails; it’s the Bond-meets-Terminator-meets-Bourne action sequences.
And, yet, they remain compulsively readable because Preston and Child are so damn good at their craft—no matter how absurd the action gets, you have to know what happens next and, when it’s all over, you’re ready for more.
So, pop this one in the freezer, plug your nose, and get it down your gullet—you’ll thank me.
Though you may not feel great the next morning.
December 11, 2018
Another crazy and action packed book in the Pendergast series!
Preston & Child just keeps throwing out new subject matter in this series and it's always well done and researched.
Blue Labyrinth starts off with a huge spoiler AND I can't mention it at all.
In fact, there is not much that I can mention about this plot since it affects so many previous books in the series.
If you are looking for a fun, action packed and exciting series to read, look no further then the Pendergast series!
If you can suspend belief on some of the subject matter in this series, especially this book, you'll enjoy it so much more. It's like an fun, exciting and updated Sherlock series and Pendergast is just more intelligence then us mere mortals. haha!
Go start with Relic and enjoy the ride!
Preston & Child just keeps throwing out new subject matter in this series and it's always well done and researched.
Blue Labyrinth starts off with a huge spoiler AND I can't mention it at all.
In fact, there is not much that I can mention about this plot since it affects so many previous books in the series.
If you are looking for a fun, action packed and exciting series to read, look no further then the Pendergast series!
If you can suspend belief on some of the subject matter in this series, especially this book, you'll enjoy it so much more. It's like an fun, exciting and updated Sherlock series and Pendergast is just more intelligence then us mere mortals. haha!
Go start with Relic and enjoy the ride!
July 18, 2025
Blue Labyrinth is the 14th Pendergast novel written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Focused on an eccentric FBI special agent whose family has more drama than the entire city of New York, where the books generally take place, this was another fine example of how two authors co-writing a series can be incredibly successful. Vivid fighting scenes. Intelligent use of history and genealogy to bring together different plot lines and stories from the past. A sense of needing to rush through to the end but slowly savor every page. Really enjoyed this one, also because I buddy read it with a good friend who loves the series as much as I do. Go Constance! How is Pendergast even still alive? And do I believe the person who died is really dead? NO! Looking forward to the next one.
November 4, 2014
Pendergrass is an FBI agent, who has many complaints against him, but far more successes. He has a very strange and complicated family history. He is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting and original characters in this genre.
I was glad to see him once again dealing with a case that takes him back to his own family and glad to see Constance playing a significant role. Although anything in this series is more interesting than most, I have to admit I am glad the whole Helen trilogy of books, is done with. All the old regulars are back in form and all working to save the life of one very ill Prendergast.
A very interesting, never dull series with plenty of action, mental and physical. Hope this series never ends.
ARC from publisher.
I was glad to see him once again dealing with a case that takes him back to his own family and glad to see Constance playing a significant role. Although anything in this series is more interesting than most, I have to admit I am glad the whole Helen trilogy of books, is done with. All the old regulars are back in form and all working to save the life of one very ill Prendergast.
A very interesting, never dull series with plenty of action, mental and physical. Hope this series never ends.
ARC from publisher.
December 13, 2018
Not my favorite Pendergast book, but a solid read nonetheless. There's not nearly enough detective work in this book. It's just Pendergast stumbling around in the dark and being helpless. Constance gets a chance to take center stage at the end of the book though and is great.
January 2, 2023
“Most people are about as aware of their surroundings as a sea cucumber.”
Blue Labyrinth is not a perfect book, or even the best Pendergast novel (which is still Relic). The story flags a bit in the middle third. But other than that, the plot moves briskly, with several satisfying twists along the way. The authors made an interesting choice regarding Alban, but after the Diogenes trilogy, I imagine they felt that a series of Alban-as-uber-villain books would feel repetitive.
I was disappointed by the Helen trilogy, but found Blue Labyrinth to be a nice return to form for the Pendergast series. I'm looking forward to the next one! Recommended.
January 23, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller
This is not a book I would pick or buy, especially not book 14 of a series I have never read. I got this book from one of the thriller boxes I subscribed to a few years ago. My monthly random picks made me read it after it had been sitting on the shelves for some time. The story follows Aloysius Pendergast, an FBI special agent. It starts when a dead body is found at his doorstep.
The victim has a piece of turquoise in their stomach, which leads Pendergast to an old, abandoned mine by the lonely shores of California's Salton Sea. This find sets him off on a journey into his family's troubled past, where he digs up a long-hidden secret that's been passed down through the years.
It is the first time I have read a book by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I don’t know how this book compares to their other works. The characters, especially the FBI agent, are well-developed. I think if I had read the series from the beginning, I might have liked this book more, as I would have been more familiar with the characters and the overall atmosphere of the series.
While my reading experience with this book was decent, I just wish I had liked it more. The plot twists felt somewhat predictable, and the pacing was off at times. It turned out to be an OK mystery thriller. It could’ve been much better if the story had not felt uneven at times, with some parts dragging while others felt rushed. This didn’t intrigue me enough to read the other books in the series.
Genre: Mystery Thriller
This is not a book I would pick or buy, especially not book 14 of a series I have never read. I got this book from one of the thriller boxes I subscribed to a few years ago. My monthly random picks made me read it after it had been sitting on the shelves for some time. The story follows Aloysius Pendergast, an FBI special agent. It starts when a dead body is found at his doorstep.
The victim has a piece of turquoise in their stomach, which leads Pendergast to an old, abandoned mine by the lonely shores of California's Salton Sea. This find sets him off on a journey into his family's troubled past, where he digs up a long-hidden secret that's been passed down through the years.
It is the first time I have read a book by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I don’t know how this book compares to their other works. The characters, especially the FBI agent, are well-developed. I think if I had read the series from the beginning, I might have liked this book more, as I would have been more familiar with the characters and the overall atmosphere of the series.
While my reading experience with this book was decent, I just wish I had liked it more. The plot twists felt somewhat predictable, and the pacing was off at times. It turned out to be an OK mystery thriller. It could’ve been much better if the story had not felt uneven at times, with some parts dragging while others felt rushed. This didn’t intrigue me enough to read the other books in the series.
February 27, 2018
Blue Labyrinth left me feeling unsatisfied. It starts off well but then it meanders all over the place.
For some reason, Margo Green makes an appearance and is now an ethnobotanist because you know - plot. Alban magically reverses 15 years of brainwashing. And Constance suddenly becomes talented at spec ops. There is one intriguing new character who is introduced but he is promptly killed off. WTF! Preston & Child have literally lost the plot here.
Anyway, for a while I thought this book was a homage to 'The Dying Detective' but alas it is not.
Overall, a big fat MEH!
For some reason, Margo Green makes an appearance and is now an ethnobotanist because you know - plot. Alban magically reverses 15 years of brainwashing. And Constance suddenly becomes talented at spec ops. There is one intriguing new character who is introduced but he is promptly killed off. WTF! Preston & Child have literally lost the plot here.
Anyway, for a while I thought this book was a homage to 'The Dying Detective' but alas it is not.
Overall, a big fat MEH!
August 1, 2018
Rtc ... one of the best so far.
Edit: It has come ... my review!
So, as all readers of this series goes forward, it gets harder and harder to review them with no spoilers, right?!
Well, what I can say, is;
This was one of the most interesting to me because it hits our favorite agent very close to heart and home. It also gives us the very definition of irony. You hate the irony it gives and yet like me you might be glad about it at the same time. You’ll see.
I also felt catharsis in many areas of Pendergast angst, I must admit. So that was the awesome part.
This one is also all over the map with some dealings actually in the museum again.
Edit: It has come ... my review!
So, as all readers of this series goes forward, it gets harder and harder to review them with no spoilers, right?!
Well, what I can say, is;
This was one of the most interesting to me because it hits our favorite agent very close to heart and home. It also gives us the very definition of irony. You hate the irony it gives and yet like me you might be glad about it at the same time. You’ll see.
I also felt catharsis in many areas of Pendergast angst, I must admit. So that was the awesome part.
This one is also all over the map with some dealings actually in the museum again.
March 2, 2021
This is book 14 in this series and it still has plenty of momentum.
In this instalment Pendergast is haunted by the actions of his great-great grandfather. An alchemist who sold an elixir that was supposed to heal but caused a slow, painful death and which was then passed on to future generations.
As usual the book delves in some of the paranormal, the bizarre and the macabre. Never a dull moment.
Looking forward to book 15 ☺
In this instalment Pendergast is haunted by the actions of his great-great grandfather. An alchemist who sold an elixir that was supposed to heal but caused a slow, painful death and which was then passed on to future generations.
As usual the book delves in some of the paranormal, the bizarre and the macabre. Never a dull moment.
Looking forward to book 15 ☺
November 28, 2014
Another addition to the Pendergast line-up!
I have to admit that there were several scenes/subplots that just didn't sit very well with me; however, the last 1/3 of the book was so good that it almost made up for those "that-character-would-never-have-done-that" moments. In previous books, I found the character of Constance to be "unnecessary". In BLUE LABYRINTH, she actually played a pertinent role and made for a much more believable personality, in my humble opinion.
This book brings back several other characters from the past, (Margo Green, Vincent, "mentions" of Laura Haywood, and Pendergast's sons). We also delve back into the mysterious Pendergast background and uncover some things that had remained an enigma until this point. Pendergast, himself, remains as unreadable as always, and his quick wit and distain for pompous people in authority is as evident as ever. One of my favorite quotes from Pendergast from this book came from early on in the story: "I've had long experience with this Museum. There is a certain subset of curators who behave in their little fiefdoms like a liege lord. I tend to be severe with such people. An annoying habit, but very hard to break."
Of course, I am already anticipating the next release from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Highly recommended!
I have to admit that there were several scenes/subplots that just didn't sit very well with me; however, the last 1/3 of the book was so good that it almost made up for those "that-character-would-never-have-done-that" moments. In previous books, I found the character of Constance to be "unnecessary". In BLUE LABYRINTH, she actually played a pertinent role and made for a much more believable personality, in my humble opinion.
This book brings back several other characters from the past, (Margo Green, Vincent, "mentions" of Laura Haywood, and Pendergast's sons). We also delve back into the mysterious Pendergast background and uncover some things that had remained an enigma until this point. Pendergast, himself, remains as unreadable as always, and his quick wit and distain for pompous people in authority is as evident as ever. One of my favorite quotes from Pendergast from this book came from early on in the story: "I've had long experience with this Museum. There is a certain subset of curators who behave in their little fiefdoms like a liege lord. I tend to be severe with such people. An annoying habit, but very hard to break."
Of course, I am already anticipating the next release from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Highly recommended!
August 1, 2023
A knock on the door starts this 14th adventure. When the door is opened, the body of Pendergast’s son is discovered. Of course, the obvious question is who could possibly have murdered Pendergast’s son? The culprit(s) are leaving a fairly obvious trail for Pendergast to follow. The reader will get to know a whole new and different side of Pendergast. We are allowed to see the real man and all his emotions laid bare. Characters are brought back from previous books and even from previous locations. On the surface it appears to be a secondary murder plot...but the reader soon realizes that the crimes are all tied together. One of the biggest differences is that in this book the interaction increases dramatically between De’Agosta, Margot and Constance as they attempt to save Pendergast. I have enjoyed all of the Pendergast novels, but perhaps this one is, or is very close to being, my favorite. I really can't comment much on the rest of the story as that would certainly give away things that the reader will enjoy learning themselves. I can say that, as we long-time readers all know... Pendergast can be, and is, egotistical, petulant and self-centered, but you can't help but love the man. In Blue Labyrinth we see him suffer and perhaps show the more "human" side that we may have missed.
October 29, 2014
This latest in the exciting Pendergast series begins in a mysterious way with the dumping of the body of Pendergast's son, Alban on the agent's door step. From there it is a fast and furious across country and nations journey to find who killed this young man and why. There are ties to the history of the Pendergast family and money, ties in the distant past.
As always, the pace is fast and, happily, along the way Pendergast is joined by past cohorts and companions Constance Greene, Lt. Vincent D'Agosta and Margo Green, all of whom play integral roles in the ultimate finish. For this time, for reasons both emotional and physical, Aloysious will have grave need of their services. This is another excellent installment in the series and recommended. Of course, if you know the series, you know to suspend your disbelief at the door. I have no problem with that. I enjoy these thrillers with that extra je ne se quois.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
As always, the pace is fast and, happily, along the way Pendergast is joined by past cohorts and companions Constance Greene, Lt. Vincent D'Agosta and Margo Green, all of whom play integral roles in the ultimate finish. For this time, for reasons both emotional and physical, Aloysious will have grave need of their services. This is another excellent installment in the series and recommended. Of course, if you know the series, you know to suspend your disbelief at the door. I have no problem with that. I enjoy these thrillers with that extra je ne se quois.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 2, 2020
Overall, the writing was good and included delightful descriptions. However, the second half felt rushed, or jumbled together. Indeed, the way the plot ended felt stitched together haphazardly. Additionally, the epilogue lacked authenticity, and my daughter and I were left feeling somewhat dissatisfied, and as if we had missed something.
January 18, 2020
The Pendergast series is one of my favorites. The mix of strange, mysterious characters and plots, plus police investigation and supernatural events just ticks most of my I-love-to-read-this boxes.
When I first started the audio book for Blue Labyrinth, I did not remember reading this book before. But as I got further into the story, I started to remember a few plot points. Luckily, I didn't remember any major spoilers and enjoyed the story a second time.
The action starts immediately and doesn't let up from start to finish. In the beginning pages, the front door of Pendergast's home is opened to reveal a very unpleasant surprise.....and things get progressively stranger and darker from there. This time Pendergast does not get through his investigation without great bodily harm....in fact, he is facing death, depending on Margo, Constance and his ever faithful friend D'Agosta to help save him. Very exciting and entertaining plot!
Interesting character development and changes in this book. I'm hoping the series moves away from Pendergast's family tree for awhile.....the ongoing plot points about his wife, his sons, his ancestors have pretty much run their course (for me, anyway). I really want something new.....still weird, dark and strange....but new.
Another great story in this series!
I listened to the audio book version (Hachette Book Group) of this story. As usual Rene Auberjonois gave a top-notch performance. Ever since he was in the television series Benson when I was a kid, I have enjoyed his acting skills. I was sad to learn of his passing in December 2019. Truly a great performer. I know nothing about his personal life, but I get the distinct feeling he was a truly nice person as well. I will enjoy hearing his voice reading several more books in this series. I'm not sure who might be able to fill his shoes to read the new books in this series...he was truly perfect to narrate Pendergast.
Blue Labyrinth is the 14th book in the Pendergast series. For this series, readers really need to start at the beginning to understand the characters, events and to avoid spoilers. As I write this, there are currently 18 books in this series, with a new book (Crooked River) coming out in February 2020. I will keep reading and listening until this series comes to an end! Love it! I'm almost caught up.....only 5 more books to go until I have to wait months for each new book....it will be so hard to wait!
On to the next book -- Crimson Shore!
When I first started the audio book for Blue Labyrinth, I did not remember reading this book before. But as I got further into the story, I started to remember a few plot points. Luckily, I didn't remember any major spoilers and enjoyed the story a second time.
The action starts immediately and doesn't let up from start to finish. In the beginning pages, the front door of Pendergast's home is opened to reveal a very unpleasant surprise.....and things get progressively stranger and darker from there. This time Pendergast does not get through his investigation without great bodily harm....in fact, he is facing death, depending on Margo, Constance and his ever faithful friend D'Agosta to help save him. Very exciting and entertaining plot!
Interesting character development and changes in this book. I'm hoping the series moves away from Pendergast's family tree for awhile.....the ongoing plot points about his wife, his sons, his ancestors have pretty much run their course (for me, anyway). I really want something new.....still weird, dark and strange....but new.
Another great story in this series!
I listened to the audio book version (Hachette Book Group) of this story. As usual Rene Auberjonois gave a top-notch performance. Ever since he was in the television series Benson when I was a kid, I have enjoyed his acting skills. I was sad to learn of his passing in December 2019. Truly a great performer. I know nothing about his personal life, but I get the distinct feeling he was a truly nice person as well. I will enjoy hearing his voice reading several more books in this series. I'm not sure who might be able to fill his shoes to read the new books in this series...he was truly perfect to narrate Pendergast.
Blue Labyrinth is the 14th book in the Pendergast series. For this series, readers really need to start at the beginning to understand the characters, events and to avoid spoilers. As I write this, there are currently 18 books in this series, with a new book (Crooked River) coming out in February 2020. I will keep reading and listening until this series comes to an end! Love it! I'm almost caught up.....only 5 more books to go until I have to wait months for each new book....it will be so hard to wait!
On to the next book -- Crimson Shore!
March 1, 2015
After a serious lesson about online retailers interested in your money and not in earning it, it taught me that while Online a book might be cheaper when it comes to really delivering you best go to a real bookstore. And at the end of the day I still ended up with a 1st edition of this novel. Next time I just might go for a signed version.
The novel starts with a rather unexpected twist, Pendergast evil twin son turns up at his doorstep. And he is mighty dead. While Pendergast ponders the question of whom might have be so skilled to take the life of his brilliant and evil son he also wants to know for what purpose.
We and Pendergast find out about his sons journey through life that led up to him being dead. We also find out that the real target always was him and his family.
It takes the strength of two strong women to defend the FBI agent Pendergast and make it one of the great stand alone books of the series.
While it lacks the sometimes Gothic feel of the earlier books in exchange for a more scientific feel of the adventures. That said with each book we are being presented by some classic tidbit of real Americana. In this case the rise and fall of an inland sea and their history.
As always Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child deliver a brilliant book and establish for me the reason of buying their books blindly upon release.
Thank You gents, probably to the end of 2015 with another Pendergast novel.
The novel starts with a rather unexpected twist, Pendergast evil twin son turns up at his doorstep. And he is mighty dead. While Pendergast ponders the question of whom might have be so skilled to take the life of his brilliant and evil son he also wants to know for what purpose.
We and Pendergast find out about his sons journey through life that led up to him being dead. We also find out that the real target always was him and his family.
It takes the strength of two strong women to defend the FBI agent Pendergast and make it one of the great stand alone books of the series.
While it lacks the sometimes Gothic feel of the earlier books in exchange for a more scientific feel of the adventures. That said with each book we are being presented by some classic tidbit of real Americana. In this case the rise and fall of an inland sea and their history.
As always Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child deliver a brilliant book and establish for me the reason of buying their books blindly upon release.
Thank You gents, probably to the end of 2015 with another Pendergast novel.
November 14, 2018
Wow! Constance in action! Unexpected..lots of action. Very enjoyable.
January 13, 2015
A great return for FBI Special Agent AXP Pendergast. His sociopath son, Alban, shows up as a corpse at the Riverside Drive mansion, with the only clue being a rare piece of turquoise in his stomach, luring Pendergast to a shuttered Salton Sea resort, where he is dosed with a deadly poison gas. Meanwhile, NY Detective Vincent D'Agosta is assigned to solve the murder of a Museum of Natural History employee, who was helping a visiting scholar. Of course, the two cases become linked, and there is a race against time to save the dying Pendergast, who is losing his faculties. His charge, Constance Greene, has to use her prodigious brain and skills and Dr. Margo Green has to battle her demons in the basement of the museum in order to find an antidote and bring the vengeful perpetrator to justice. The best one in this series in a long, long time.
October 31, 2014
Preston & Child are at it again! This wild ride was a globetrotting adventure, with characters making trips to Brazil, Switzerland, California's Salton Sea, Upstate New York, Louisiana... these people were busy!
Someone unexpected shows up on Pendergast's doorstep. That's not unusual, right? But here's the kicker -- this person is dead! Pendergast follows the breadcrumbs and gets himself in over his head. Very un-Pendergasty of him, no?
Meanwhile, a murder case at the museum leaves our brave Vincent D'Agosta looking for clues in a seemingly clue-free situation, our dear Constance's research into Pendergast family history becomes incredibly useful, and another favorite oft-recurring character gets involved as well.
All in all, one of the best Pendergast books to date. My favorites - Cabinet of Curiosities, Book of the Dead, White Fire - have met a fine addition into their midst, as Blue Labyrinth definitely sets the bar high.
One of my absolute favorite things about this one, beyond the reappearance of some fan favorites and the delve into Pendergast history, is that the cast of characters supporting Pendergast get a large quantity of "screen time" -- they take center stage in a lot of the action in the second half of the book. I love the books in the series where Pendergast isn't the only main storyline, because the diverse cast of characters Preston & Child have birthed really makes this series what it is - one of my absolute favorites.
Now, do we really have to wait another year for another???
Thanks to Sonya Cheuse at the Hachette Book Group and Netgalley for review copies of this book!
Someone unexpected shows up on Pendergast's doorstep. That's not unusual, right? But here's the kicker -- this person is dead! Pendergast follows the breadcrumbs and gets himself in over his head. Very un-Pendergasty of him, no?
Meanwhile, a murder case at the museum leaves our brave Vincent D'Agosta looking for clues in a seemingly clue-free situation, our dear Constance's research into Pendergast family history becomes incredibly useful, and another favorite oft-recurring character gets involved as well.
All in all, one of the best Pendergast books to date. My favorites - Cabinet of Curiosities, Book of the Dead, White Fire - have met a fine addition into their midst, as Blue Labyrinth definitely sets the bar high.
One of my absolute favorite things about this one, beyond the reappearance of some fan favorites and the delve into Pendergast history, is that the cast of characters supporting Pendergast get a large quantity of "screen time" -- they take center stage in a lot of the action in the second half of the book. I love the books in the series where Pendergast isn't the only main storyline, because the diverse cast of characters Preston & Child have birthed really makes this series what it is - one of my absolute favorites.
Now, do we really have to wait another year for another???
Thanks to Sonya Cheuse at the Hachette Book Group and Netgalley for review copies of this book!
October 20, 2020
4.5 stars.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned goes the usual phrase. Judging from this book, I'd think it is more appropriate to say that hell hath no fury like a woman bent on saving the one she loves most.
"Your fatal mistake was believing you had - and please forgive the crudeness of today's vernacular - a bigger pair of balls."
What a thrilling ride this book has been. This was one which I couldn't even mention a single thing without spoilers. And for once, even the synopsis of the book was free of spoilers from previous books. I've always enjoyed it when the narrative veered towards more personal aspects of Pendergast's life and family history. This is simply because it offers an intimate exploration into the characters, whether it is the extraordinarily fascinating eponymous hero of the series or the people closest to him.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned goes the usual phrase. Judging from this book, I'd think it is more appropriate to say that hell hath no fury like a woman bent on saving the one she loves most.
"Your fatal mistake was believing you had - and please forgive the crudeness of today's vernacular - a bigger pair of balls."
What a thrilling ride this book has been. This was one which I couldn't even mention a single thing without spoilers. And for once, even the synopsis of the book was free of spoilers from previous books. I've always enjoyed it when the narrative veered towards more personal aspects of Pendergast's life and family history. This is simply because it offers an intimate exploration into the characters, whether it is the extraordinarily fascinating eponymous hero of the series or the people closest to him.
June 7, 2017
Equally compelling as the large majority of the rest of the series. This has been my guilty pleasure, and a great resource for learning how to write well, since I started picking up adult thrillers when I was 14 (a decade ago!) I couldn't put it down and I devoured it in a few days.
I may be getting a bit tired of the overused and cheap tropes - the whole good and evil twin story (there's always twins! always!), silent, unassuming lady killer, yada yada - but I can't deny that I do love Pendergast. He's basically Sherlock, or House, or all the other asshol-ish but eerily smart protagonist heroes out there but I'm not complaining. It's addictive.
I may be getting a bit tired of the overused and cheap tropes - the whole good and evil twin story (there's always twins! always!), silent, unassuming lady killer, yada yada - but I can't deny that I do love Pendergast. He's basically Sherlock, or House, or all the other asshol-ish but eerily smart protagonist heroes out there but I'm not complaining. It's addictive.
July 14, 2021
I can't for the life of me understand all these 4 and 5 star reviews! This book was quite a drag! And badly written: much too much detail given during an achingly slow investigation... Pendergast is seriously boring, mind-numbingly so.
However, if you love FBI agents capable of ridiculously super-human feats (e.g. putting oneself into a transe to be able to watch an event taking place in the past), and wooden undeveloped characters, then you'll probably love this book.
I don't, so I didn't.
However, if you love FBI agents capable of ridiculously super-human feats (e.g. putting oneself into a transe to be able to watch an event taking place in the past), and wooden undeveloped characters, then you'll probably love this book.
I don't, so I didn't.
March 2, 2019
Well, this book is still not as good as the first few books in this series but it is unquestionably much better than White Fire which I found pretty boring.
Pendergast finds his evil son’s dead body on his threshold. Despite the lack of deep feelings regarding this death, he is determinated to find the killer. The whole case becomes more and more connected to the Pendergast family’s dark past.
The good thing about the book is that we spend so much time with some well-known characters – D’Agosta and Margo. Also, Constance who was more like a shadowy person in the last few books, plays a crucial role in this story.
The plot is as always with this series more than a bit unrealistic but it’s quite interesting.
Recently I was a little bored with this series and this book did not quite convince me that there is still hope for some significant dynamism in the story. Unless it's about killing more characters. But after all the read is quite okay.
Pendergast finds his evil son’s dead body on his threshold. Despite the lack of deep feelings regarding this death, he is determinated to find the killer. The whole case becomes more and more connected to the Pendergast family’s dark past.
The good thing about the book is that we spend so much time with some well-known characters – D’Agosta and Margo. Also, Constance who was more like a shadowy person in the last few books, plays a crucial role in this story.
The plot is as always with this series more than a bit unrealistic but it’s quite interesting.
Recently I was a little bored with this series and this book did not quite convince me that there is still hope for some significant dynamism in the story. Unless it's about killing more characters. But after all the read is quite okay.
December 21, 2019
I'll confess that I love the Preston & Child books too much to rate them objectively. They write some of the best thrillers in the business, and are the standard by which I judge all other such books. And Blue Labyrinth is among the best they've written. Yes, this is a series book, and, yes, some things in previous books will be spoiled if you read it first. But don't let that put you off, because this book is one hell of a ride. Rarely does Pendergast face off against a foe this deadly or determined. You'll be grabbed (politely) by the collar from page one and dragged into the roller coaster ride of your life. Lives hang in the balance and survival is more uncertain than ever. Excellent book!
November 16, 2014
3.5 stars. Like all Preston and Child novels, there are some parts I really, really like, and there are the other parts I really, really don't. At least I didn't give myself a headache rolling my eyes as much as I have in their past few novels. (And I believe I only counted one reference to a "violet-eyed woman" which was a huge relief.) I'm still stumped over why they included parts of the subplot, and again, some of their characters do completely out-of-character things to the extreme. Overall, I enjoyed that this felt like more of a throwback to the early Pendergast novels, with their strengths as opposed to the over-the-top plots they've used more recently. I'm still going to be shaking my head and trying to figure out the holes in the overly convoluted plot of this one. As a reader, I believe Pendergast and his associates are interesting characters on their own without having to resort to such outlandish and wild antagonists.
December 15, 2018
no firearms knowledge? no problem
greene and green team up, kick ass--horrifically
p135: as he took a seat beside margo, d'agosta loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.
p178: as he passed a small, grimy upholstery store, a dented and scarred toyota hilux four-door pickup stopped in front of him with a screech. it was barely narrower than the alleyway itself and effectively blocked his progress. while the driver stayed behind the wheel, three young men in khaki pants and brightly colored knit shirts burst out from the other three doors. each carried an ar-15, and each had his weapon trained on pendergast.
three narrow-assed young men who managed to open the doors and squeeze themselves (burst, as pimples when squeezed, maybe) out the hilux, carrying rifles, no less
greene and green team up, kick ass--horrifically
p135: as he took a seat beside margo, d'agosta loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.
p178: as he passed a small, grimy upholstery store, a dented and scarred toyota hilux four-door pickup stopped in front of him with a screech. it was barely narrower than the alleyway itself and effectively blocked his progress. while the driver stayed behind the wheel, three young men in khaki pants and brightly colored knit shirts burst out from the other three doors. each carried an ar-15, and each had his weapon trained on pendergast.
three narrow-assed young men who managed to open the doors and squeeze themselves (burst, as pimples when squeezed, maybe) out the hilux, carrying rifles, no less
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