Pendergast: The Beginning

Pendergast #0.5

by Douglas Preston, Jefferson Mays (Narrator), Lincoln Child

From the #1 New York Times bestselling duo Preston and Child comes the Agent Pendergast origin story—a golden opportunity for longtime fans and new readers to learn about Agent Pendergast’s strange and shocking first case.

It only took six months for the life of Special Agent Dwight Chambers to crumble around him. First, he lost his partner, and then, tragically, his wife. Returning to work at the New Orleans Field Office, Chambers is dismayed to find himself saddled with mentoring a brand new FBI agent—a certain A. X. L. Pendergast. As Chambers tries to pull himself together, his enigmatic and exasperating junior partner pulls an outrageous stunt that gets both of them suspended.

Pendergast welcomes the banishment, because it gives him the opportunity to investigate a peculiar murder in Mississippi that has captured his fancy. Chambers grudgingly goes along. What starts off as a whimsical quest swiftly turns into a terrifying pursuit, as Chambers and Pendergast uncover a string of grisly, ritualistic killings that defy any known serial killer profile.

Thanks in large part to Pendergast’s brilliance and unorthodox methods, they solve the case and find the killer… and that is when the true horror begins.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Crime, Horror, Mystery Thriller

Audible Audio

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

Douglas 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...

Reviews

[Tara — on semi-hiatus for health reasons; will check in when possible. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Step into the captivating realm of Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast, a remarkable man whose extraordinary journey with the Federal Bureau of Investigation is nothing short of legendary. From facing spine-chilling supernatural entities to battling ancient horrors, and even navigating the twists of time to track down a Victorian-era serial killer, Pendergast’s adventures are truly awe-inspiring!

Get ready to uncover the thrilling origins of this exceptional agent as we explore his early days with the FBI! You'll be entranced by the haunting cases that marked the start of his career—each filled with peril and intrigue, where deadly consequences lurked just around the corner. Join us on this enlightening journey as we reveal the truths behind the man, the myth, and the intriguing mysteries that sculpted Special Agent Pendergast into the extraordinary figure we’ve come to admire.

"Pendergast: The Beginning" invites readers on an exhilarating and nostolgic adventure into the formative years of Aloysius Pendergast, as he embarks on his thrilling path as a junior FBI agent in the vibrant, often dangerous streets of New Orleans in the early 1990s. The story dives into Pendergast’s fascinating family legacy, brimming with secrets and unique eccentricities, while introducing his wise mentor, Agent Chambers. This dynamic duo works together to unravel the mysteries posed by a sinister, twisted serial killer.

With every page turn, authors Preston and Child skillfully weave a rich tapestry of suspense and intrigue, filled with unexpected plot twists and clever misdirection that will keep you on the edge of your seat. They create a chilling atmosphere that draws you into harrowing crime scenes, presenting unforgettable villains who will haunt your thoughts long after you’ve finished reading. This gripping installment is genuinely a page-turner, compelling you to stay lost in its intoxicating narrative until the final shocker unfolds. It’s such an engaging story that you may find it impossible to put down! I genuinely encourage you to grab a copy. Whether you’re new to the Pendergast series or a seasoned fan, this book is a fantastic entry point that will surely enchant you.

Mark your calendars—the anticipated publication date in the UK is set for January 29, 2026, while readers in Canada and the US can look forward to its release on January 27, 2026!

A heartfelt thank you to Zoe at Head of Zeus, NetGalley, and Aria & Aries | Head of Zeus for providing the widget to download the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the origin story of FBI agent Pendergast. I have read every book in this series, but this book works perfectly as a standalone and is an excellent introduction to the wonderful creation that is Pendergast. In this book, he is newly installed in the New Orleans office and is assigned to a senior agent who theoretically is supposed to show him the ropes. However, that is not how Pendergast works, and he and his partner are soon exiled from the office and turn to an old case. The case is very creepy, the bodies pile up and Pendergast’s adversary has special skills. Unfortunately for him, so does Pendergast.

This book was perfect for me. It had a great plot. Pendergast is restored to the character I love (unlike the unrecognizable character in the more recent books). There is no Constance (I hate her guts) and it gives more of the Proctor backstory (if you’ve read this series you’ll know who these are). And the audiobook is narrated by Jefferson Mays. The ending of this book leads you right into “Relic”. Also a great book.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central for the pre-release copy of Pendergast: The Beginning by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Below is my honest review.

I am *super* excited that we are getting a pre-Relic Pendergast tale. There is so much history that's hinted at and revealed over the course of the extremely long series, so having full length stories going into depth for some is such an awesome thing.

I really loved this one. It's classic Pendergast, but it's early on in his career and explains some really lingering questions: why was he transferred to NYC? Why is Proctor so loyal? What happened to his New Orleans partner agent?

It had a great plot, some very Pendergast-novel murders, and some fun little tidbits of sci-fi goodness.

Keep at it, Doug and Linc. We need more Pendergast stories, and I'll gladly devour any stories about him from ANY point on the timeline.

Five stars, highly recommended, AND since it's a prequel that was specifically written to be another potential starting point for new readers, you can start with this one if you'd like.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you been reading Pendergast books for a while, entranced by this man, his shadowy background and almost otherworldly skills, involved in solving often peculiar, often shocking crimes? Or have you heard of Pendergast but read little of the Preston and Child series? Have I got a book to recommend to you both. Pendergast: The Beginning is the foundational story of the man as an FBI agent. With new hints of his life before the Agency, we see the man hit the road running in his probationary placement in the New Orleans field office in 1994.

Beginning by taking a look at older unsolved cases, Pendergast begins to see what he considers a possible trail of a serial killer, linked to a current murder case. In a style that will make many of his bosses and co-workers irritable or downright angry in coming years, Pendergast works with Chambers, his mentor, before going rogue with his own theories and investigations. The case that he discovers uncovers layers and years of strange events and death. The men he has identified as involved are interesting and the chase becomes a very exciting fight to the death.

I really enjoyed this outing with Aloysius Pendergast as he begins making his unusual mark on the world of fighting crime and unusual criminals. I plan to continue reading new works about his exploits.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. I’m happy to provide a review.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Preston and Child take us back to the year 1994, when Agent Pendergast was new to the FBI, stationed in his home town of New Orleans. For his first real action, he discovers an old cold case ties in with a recent killing, and eventually connects more, proving there's a serial killer. Already displaying his trademarked tendency to ignore authority and conduct investigations as he sees fit, even if it means going rogue with regards to department policy, Pendergast will have a challenge persuading his mentor that the deaths they're investigating aren't as clear cut as they appear.
It was great going back in time to the early days of Pendergast, to see him operate and feel what it was like in the earlier novels as opposed to how far down the rabbit hole the series has gone in recent years. And, of course, an introduction to his driver/bodyguard Proctor and how evnetually those two came together. I wouldn't mind seeing more retro stories in the series.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was originally published at FanFiAddict.

According to the Goodreads star-ratings metric, two stars means a book was OK. If one must use a star-rating, this works well enough since Pendergast: The Beginning is the textbook definition of a supremely OK book. Coming along as entry #23 in the Pendergast series, co-authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child go back in time to just before their collaborative debut with The Relic to explore the titular FBI agent’s first case a newbie investigator in ye olden days of 1994.

This makes for a neat trip down memory lane, although I shudder at the realization that some of you reading this now might not even have been born then (a thought that has prompted me to sprout at least three more gray hairs), but Pendergast itself feels less like a story the authors were in urgent need of telling than a book written to fulfill a contractual obligation. Sure, they throw in the requisite twists and turns, transforming a rote serial killer story into something more nefarious and deeper, not to mention something straight out of another ‘90s staple, The X-Files, but it lacks that particular spark of yesteryear.

Keeping a series character feeling fresh after 30 years is a difficult task for any author. I stopped reading the Pendergast books roughly 15 years ago after Cemetery Dance and have only occasionally dipped back into the various other series Preston & Child have dreamt up since. I haven’t felt much of a need to check back in with Pendergast, but nostalgia and curiosity once again got the better of me with The Beginning. I’m happy to report this wasn’t a complete waste of my time, but I probably won’t feel the need to pick up a Pendergast book for at least another 15 years.

Pendergast, for me, is a character that has always worked better in small doses as a supporting character. He’s an eccentric, anachronistic, know-it-all oddball. He’s a Deep South Hercule Poirot derivative, a moneyed aristocrat who never feels like a contemporary character but one that has been plucked from a Holmesian mystery book several centuries past and plopped into the present-day, of which he is completely oblivious to. Pendergast is not without charm, but it’s easier to relate to senior Agent Chambers, the Lestrade to Pendergast’s Holmes, whom he is partnered with in The Beginning. Chambers is often completely exasperated by and at wits end with the ostensibly younger agent’s roguish deductions, leaps of logic, and overall strange behavior. I, too, have come to find myself more exasperated than charmed by Pendergast over the years, particularly as he has become the central focus of so many books that have served to progressively strip away the mystery and deepen the soap opera of his weirdo life. See again: small doses.

Pendergast: The Beginning is written with a certain irony, of course. At one point, Chambers thinks of the clues his partner has uncovered as the kind that can only exist in fiction. It’s also a wink and a nod to readers, given that Pendergast is the type of character that can only exist in fiction. He’s a striking work of imagination, but every time he appears on page we are forced to reckon with the uncanny valley of his artificial existence. Nobody speaks or behaves like this in the real world. He’s a comic book character writ large, a sort of Batman for popular fiction airport reads, with his master of disguise schtick, which we see in the book’s opening, and suit jacket cum utility belt filled with hidden compartments chockfull of the investigator’s tools. Pendergast isn’t an FBI agent so much as he’s the imaginary ideal of an FBI agent, working for the imaginary ideal of a competent federal investigatory agency that, even in this entirely made-up world, has a hard time putting up with his shit.

Said shit eventually culminates in a fiery climax set aboard a paddle wheel steamboat, because not even Pendergast’s nemeses can behave even the least bit contemporary, forcing one to question why these guys aren’t caught sooner. If you want to know who the killer in any given Pendergast book is, look for the guy who acts like he’s a Jame Bond villain that’s at least two centuries past their expiration date.

Part of the problem with Pendergast: The Beginning is that it’s tonally inconsistent. It tries to be everything for everyone and ultimately feels like nothing more than a mish-mash of incongruent oddities. Lincoln & Child have their fun crafting a modern-day Sherlock Holmes howdunit (who the bad guy is is never in question for long, to either readers or Pendergast himself), right down to giving Pendergast his own Moriarty (something they’d already done previously in the Diogenes trilogy). Their wannabe brainy horror-mystery then devolves into a straight-up actioner that reads like Under Siege on a riverboat. Readers, it is impossible not to feel some degree of whiplash swinging from Sherlock Holmes straight into a ‘90s-era Steven Seagal set piece.

As a teenager in the ‘90s, I couldn’t help but think of The Relic as one of literature’s greats. It helped scratch that particular itch I had as an X-Files obsessive. Thirty years later, I can’t help but see Pendergast, with all its pastiche derivations and its central character’s baggage of oddities, as pure silliness. Fun, certainly, but still supremely silly, with Pendergast and all his affectations, coming across as the silliest of them all. In another year, in another country, under a different presidential administration, I might question how he’s managed to keep himself employed in the FBI, but considering the state of our constantly norm-defying, increasingly AI slop-ridden, real world and the agency currently being led by the ever-embarrassing Trump cultist Kash Patel, I suppose I must give him yet another pass. I don’t know if Pendergast is any sillier than what’s happening outside these book’s pages, but I do know he’s certainly less harmful.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Slow And Unevenly Paced Through The First 70% But Finishes Strong!

Pendergast: The Beginning is one of those books that’s both satisfying and somewhat disappointing at the same time. As an early but lapsed fan of the series in recent years, I looked forward to reading this book in order to get a closer look at the early life of Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast—his family, his formative experiences, and the shadows that shaped him. There are some genuinely very good moments here and, as always, Preston & Child continue to do a very good job in building atmosphere.

But… this is also a rare case where the authors’ own mythology works against them. By pulling back the curtain on Pendergast’s past, the book inevitably removes some of the mystique that made him such a compelling character in the first place. Certain revelations feel a bit too tidy, and I found the pacing to oftentimes be uneven—slow throughout a considerable portion of the book, then suddenly rushing once the actual plot kicks up the excitement level during the final 30% of the book. Further, several side characters come off as flat; more archetype than flesh and blood.

Still, for big fans of the series featuring Pendergast it’s an enjoyable dive into the lore—even if it’s not as tight, thrilling, or surprising as the best entries in the series. For newcomers, though, this probably isn’t the book to start with. It’s more of a companion piece than a standalone knockout.

#Pendergast,The Beginning. #Net Galley

[Gatorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent but somewhat disappointing origin story about the start of Pendergast's FBI career in New Orleans. The case chosen is a bit more pedestrian than you'd expect and not seemingly worthy of the beginning of a character as iconic as Pendergast. As has been the case with several of the last few entries in the series, the writing is getting somewhat stale and cliched at times. I've read every book in the series and I long for the days of exciting stories like Relic and Still Life With Crows, just to name a few. It's certainly not a bad book, but it's just not as good as you'd expect for an entry of this nature. We do get to see the initial connection with Proctor, which is cool, and the epilogue reminds us of the glory days of the series. I liked it generally, but I was left wanting more. Here's hoping again that this duo can find the same magic that once existed in the series. I know I'll keep reading regardless, though. Thanks to the publisher via Netgally for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

PENDERGAST: The Beginning, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child shows us the start of Agent Pendergast's illustrious career. It was nice to see the enigmatic Pendergast without all the accumulated "baggage" that has surrounded him for the past half dozen or so books. I loved that we got to see his interaction with Proctor (another favored character), and some of his trademark investigative genius.

The case itself was a little underwhelming for my tastes; switching mid-book into something...quite bizarre. This was probably more a fault of my hoping that we would be seeing into an even earlier period, including the house his parents died in, than the writing itself. I was expecting more information on an even earlier path, and this story was set as more of a precursor to THE RELIC. That being said, the epilogue made me think fondly of those earlier books, where our MC was not time traveling with his "ward", and dealing with her love-lust emotions .

Overall, smooth writing style featuring one of my all-time favorite Protagonists. I was a bit disappointed not to have a better glimpse into an even earlier time, and featuring some of his more "infamous" family members. However, a good throwback to the original Pendergast from the early books.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful, addictive, and twisty!

In this twenty-third instalment in the Pendergast series, Pendergast: The Beginning, we head back in time to 1990s New Orleans, when Agent Pendergast’s career in the FBI first began with a complex case involving a serial killer with a chilling fixation on right arms.

The writing is taut and intense. The characters are meticulous, tormented, and persistent. And the plot is a suspenseful, engrossing whodunit full of twists, turns, lies, deception, revelations, obsession, depravity, violence, and murder, all interwoven with a dab of the supernatural.

Overall, Pendergast: The Beginning is an eerie, tortuous, fast-paced tale by Preston & Child that far exceeded my expectations and does an exceptional job of highlighting just how easily evil can live among us hidden behind masks of normality.

[Chelsea (gofetchabook)]

DNF on page one when one of the characters was introduced as “Martego Unpronounceable-Last-Name.”

GTFO with that.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a prequel to the Pendergast series and goes back to just before he appears in The Relic. It takes place in New Orleans before he is transferred to New York City and as with the other books in the series is engaging which makes it a fast read. It is well done and provides some more background on the main character. A definite read for those who are fans of the Pendergast series.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, and my fiction book review blog.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am familiar with the authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, but have not read any of their work recently, so it was a great surprise to see Pendergast: The Beginning up for grabs on NetGalley. I get an introduction to Pendergast through the experience of his first case. And what a whopper of a case it is.

FBI Special Agent Dwight Chambers’ life has fallen into a shamble, and, on top of that, he is assigned a new agent as his partner, A X L Pendergast. When Pendergast pulls a stunt, they are told to go work on something and stay away from the office. Pendergast loves the opportunity to work on a cold case that caught his attention. Neither him nor Chambers could have foreseen what was to come…and I wasn’t either.

Pendergast is a quirky character, and I love him. He sees more than meets the eye, and he will need every bit of his inner sight to battle evil. Why would a person as rich as Pendergast, want to be an FBI agent? You will need to read the story to find out why. It will test all his skills.

Chambers was a puzzle to me and I will solve it…maybe. Still, at the end, I am not sure what to make of him. Is he clueless, gullible?

The villains are awesome, and I mean that in the worst possible way. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have created some of the most intriguing characters. None of them are perfect in any way.

Wow. I knew some things before they happened. I have read so many books, it is hard to totally surprise me, but that ending. Fantastic. I think I have read some of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s work, but I will definitely be reading more, now that he is in my sights.

See more at https://www.fundinmental.com

[LindaPf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I was there for the literary beginning of Pendergast — I read “Relic” in 1995 and the FBI special agent had a small part in the shadows (and did not appear in the movie). Now, twenty two books later and of indeterminate age (maybe born in 1960, but still in his 40s), we get an origin book for A.X.L. Pendergast. It’s taken a long time for the reader to glean certain facts (like his first name, later his middle name, a former wife who is dead/then not-dead, twin sons secretly born in 2012, a beautiful companion who is really about 150 years old, and many relatives who dealt in, um, pharmaceuticals). Plus many unexpected supernatural encounters.

This particular origin story is focused on Pendergast’s first days at the New Orleans Field Office as a rookie agent. His placement there is due to an intervention higher up, although he was born in Louisiana. He’s been partnered with Dwight Chambers, an agent near retirement and terribly depressed after the death of his wife. Chambers initially has no desire to mentor the strange pale young man, but is eventually intrigued enough to work a cold case with corpses missing right arms. Simultaneously, we’re introduced to Proctor’s pre-Pendergast chauffeur story — as a former military man working private security who is unexpectedly kidnapped by a man who is admiring Proctor’s right arm. A typically weird Preston/Child plot. Have no fear: rookie Pendergast presented himself then with the same sly arrogance that still has.

Pendergast generally doesn’t have partners (until the great addition of Coldmoon), and we do get to meet the agent who was assigned to mentor him initially.

I felt the plot was a clever way to give us more of early Pendergast without considering the trajectory of the future storylines, and I’m all in for more early New Orleans Pendergast capers. 4.5 stars.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Sophie has jade colored eyes, and Magnus has deep green, almost feminine, eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO There are exuberant descriptions of live oaks, Chinese Wisteria and Spanish moss that characterize the Louisiana swamp.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

[Jeanette Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

You had me at the prolouge.

FBI Special agent Dwight Chambers has been assigned to mentor the new recruit A. X. L. Pendergast.

Poor guy. Before he knows it, Chambers is in all sorts of situations.

Forget all the short letter series on the telly, this is what you want.

🔹️
"For want of a better word. Devious. Calculating. careful."
🔹️

I have never been to swamps myself. Still, I can see their world. I can feel my own nervousness with the boats and hidden threats that might cost you an arm or a leg.

The pace of the story is good. There is always something happening, yet we have time to think, to let things... simmer, if you would like.

Pendergast might appear as a little peculiar to some. To me, it made total sense. Actually, he made sense total to me. As peculiar as that might sound.😂

🔹️
"Even I find this spectacle of ferocity and gore to be strangely compelling."
🔹️

This is not for the faint of heart.
I held my breath. Of course, I had to try.
Even though I was hooked, the authors kicked it up another notch when someone ran out of resources...

I enjoyed the different points of view. I do not know what it is. Somehow, I just crave the "bad" person's side of things in this book.

With enemies almost as formidable as the authors of this book, Chambers and Pandergast do their best to solve this case. I am at the edge of my wits, right down to the oh, so twisted twists.

🔹️
"He was done with Pendergast."
🔹️

You do not have to twist my arm, I think I have to read the "next" 22 books now.😁

[Lupita_333 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Pendergast character and the way he worked to solve the murders with his partner. I liked how much back story we got of him. Some of the characters felt dull with not much personality.

Really creepy settings when it came to the murder scenes / body discoveries.

Parts of the story felt unfinished and rushed.

Since I enjoyed this one, I will continue reading this series soon.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Twainy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Epilogue. It got me! Full circle. More Relic Pendergast!!!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendergast: The Beginning by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Grand Central Publishing — thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

I opened this prequel expecting something calm and nostalgic, maybe even a gentle “once upon a time” for our favorite pale and unsettling FBI agent. Instead, I got a story that grabbed me by the collar and said, “Sit down, we’re doing this my way.” Which, to be fair, is exactly how Pendergast himself operates, so the tone is fitting.

We meet him as a rookie assigned to the New Orleans Field Office, where Dwight Chambers—his designated mentor—is struggling to function after personal tragedy. Chambers is exhausted, grieving, and absolutely not in the mood to babysit an unnervingly polite wunderkind in a black suit who seems to know everything except how to follow a single order. Their early scenes together feel like watching a tired dad realize the toddler he’s been handed can pick locks, quote obscure poetry, and probably solve a homicide before breakfast. It’s funny, but also unexpectedly tender.

Once the pair are “temporarily encouraged” to disappear from the office after Pendergast pulls a stunt that would get a normal agent fired on sight, the book really opens up. They land on a strange murder over the Mississippi border, and what looks like an isolated case quickly spirals into something darker and much more elaborate. The ritualistic killings are chilling without leaning into shock value, and the pacing builds just right—steady at first, then tightening, then refusing to let go.

What impressed me most is how the authors balance familiarity with novelty. Pendergast already feels fully formed—precise, eerie, brilliant—but we get just enough vulnerability to remind us he hasn’t become that legend yet. And we finally see the early bond with Proctor, whose presence adds depth without stealing the spotlight. His storyline offers clarity on a relationship that always felt strange and strangely loyal.

New Orleans is almost a character itself here. The humidity, the layered history, the juxtaposition of beauty and decay—it all fits Pendergast like a tailored suit. If someone else had been born in this city, the story might’ve unfolded differently. But Pendergast? No. He and New Orleans share a sort of gothic DNA.

There’s one quote from the book I kept coming back to, because it sums up his entire vibe:
“Some men chase answers. Pendergast chases the truth hiding beneath them.”
That line snapped into place for me like the final bead on a string. It’s why he feels so different from every other fictional investigator.

Was everything perfect? No. I could nitpick the occasional detour that felt a bit stretched, or the fact that Pendergast shows almost no signs of rookie awkwardness—not that anyone expected him to. But honestly, the book’s charm is that it leans into his absurd competence with a straight face. The authors know their character, and they know their audience.

Reading this felt like settling in for a long-awaited reveal. Not a loud one, not an overwrought one, but the kind delivered in a quiet room where someone finally says, “Here’s how it really began.” And for longtime fans, it’s almost emotional.

The last pages tie directly into Relic, which made my little book-nerd heart flap like a startled pigeon.

In short: it’s atmospheric, clever, tense in all the right places, and absolutely worth losing sleep over. I started it at a reasonable hour and finished it at a deeply unreasonable one, muttering “just one more chapter” like a person bargaining with their own bad decisions.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

[jeff popple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendergast: The Beginning is an origin story for the enigmatic FBI agent. Set before the events of Relic, where we first met Pendergast, it goes back to his first shocking case.

New Orleans in the early 1990s, and Special Agent Dwight Chambers’ life is in free fall. First, he lost his partner, and then, tragically, his wife. Returning to work at the New Orleans Field Office, Chambers is drinking too much and is dismayed to find himself saddled with mentoring a brand new FBI agent, the quirky A. X. L. Pendergast. As Chambers tries to pull himself together, his unfathomable and exasperating junior partner pulls an outrageous stunt that gets both of them suspended.

Pendergast welcomes the banishment, because it gives him the opportunity to investigate a peculiar murder in Mississippi that has captured his fancy. Chambers grudgingly goes along. What starts off as a whimsical quest swiftly turns into a terrifying pursuit, as Chambers and Pendergast uncover a string of grisly, ritualistic killings that defy any known serial killer profile.

This is a very atmospheric and chilling thriller. It starts out as a hunt for a serial killer, but then around the halfway point it unexpectedly turns into something very different. The pacing is good throughout, with the additional viewpoint of a captive of the serial killer adding to the early suspense. The descriptions of New Orleans and the Louisiana swamps are rich, and give the book a strong sense of place, and the secondary characters and villains are well described and interesting.

There are misdirections, surprises and gruesome events along the way to the final showdown, which is spectacularly good and bloody, with the usual Preston and Child touches of the extraordinary.

Fans of the series will greatly enjoy seeing Pendergast as a rookie agent, with a mysterious past, on his first case. Although a new agent, he already has that sly arrogance that becomes so evident later in the series, but he is willing to learn from the more steadfast and wily Chambers. Being set in Louisiana, the book does allow the authors to dive into Pendergast’s fascinating family legacy, brimming with secrets, unique eccentricities, and wild rumours. There is also a significant appearance by a tough ex-military contractor, known as Proctor, who goes on to become Pendergast’s chauffeur in later books. 4.5 rounded up.

Very enjoyable. Full review and more at: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/l...

[Ellen Cutler · Rating 4 out of 5]

What fun. While Preston and Child have dropped a considerable amount of Agent AXL Pendergast's backstory into the first 22 books of the series, there are always more questions. Pendergast, himself, is not my favorite character--I gravitate toward the supporting cast. Proctor is certainly somebody I wanted to learn more about. In "Pendergast: The Beginning" I got just that.

Usual disclaimer: Douglas Preston is my cousin and I am partial to him as a writer of both fiction and nonfiction, and predisposed to like his books. You can always take my opinions with the big grain of salt.

There are two stories here, one about Proctor, the rather mysterious chauffeur and aide of the Pendergast books, the other about the young Pendergast and his first job with the FBI. Set in Louisiana, with excursions into New Orleans as well as the swamps. These arcs are destined to intersect in the cabal of strange fellows who met at Tulane University. Dr Telligren, in present time a distinguished professor in bio-engineering, was advisor and professor to two graduate students, Parker Wickman and Dorion Magnus. The program was experimental and the graduate students, plus a third, voluteered for experimental procedures. That third student died a suicide; Wickman and Magnus became depraved murderers.

Proctor finds himself imprisoned in Wickman's house of horrors. Pendergast, and his partner and mentor Agent Chambers, begin looking through FBI cold cases in order to stay, for a while, out of the way of Chief Estevez to runs that Field Office. A series of deaths that involve the amputations of the victims' right arms, suggests the work of a serial killer. Inconsistencies, peculiarities, and other complications provide the grist for the story-tellers' mill. As the story rises to its climax--with increasing amounts of violence and gore--the pace accelerates. Preston and Child definitely know how to write a page-turner.

Prologue and Epilogue bracket the narrative. The Epilogue, delightfully, is lifted verbatim from a chapter in "Relic," the first of the Pendergast thrillers. No loose ends, no strain to seamlessly join the prequel to what follows.

My complaint is the ones I often make. The authors tend to invoke a sort of magic, occult Eastern spiritual practices, the over-riding of science, to add color and excitement to their stories. I've learned to live with it although I will never be a lover of the "deus ex machina" resolution to a drama.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendergast: The Beginning by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is the very highly recommended investigative thriller It is the origin story of Agent A. X. L. Pendergast and the 23rd novel in the series featuring him. Those following the long-time series will want to read this account of his first case as a rookie while anyone who wants to start the series will enjoy this introductory novel.

Special Agent Dwight Chambers of the New Orleans Field Office is grieving and spiraling into depression after his wife's death. When he returns to work, Chambers is dismayed to find himself assigned to mentor brand new FBI Agent Pendergast. The two find themselves banished from the office after Pendergast pulls a brilliant coup that exposes corruption. They are encouraged to find an obscure case to work on and Pendergast has just the case: a man in Mississippi found dead missing his right arm. The case soon spirals into something more that indicates a serial killer is at work.

As expected, it features a fast-paced, well written, intricate, interesting, and compelling plot. Those new to the series can easily enjoy this beginning story without having any previous knowledge of the characters. Yes, it is a Pendergast story, but it is also an exceptional investigative thriller. This story is set in 1994, when computers and other technological advances were relatively basic compared to today.

The plot will be exactly what fans of Preston and Child expect to encounter while simultaneously encountering a young agent Pendergast. Much of his personality is present here, including his extraordinary intelligence and maverick methods, but this is before his well-developed and legendary lore. Fans will certainly recognize the early Pendergast and be pleased to see the early story of Proctor. Also included is a tie in to Relic, the first novel Pendergast was in as a character.

Pendergast: The Beginning is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys thrillers and fans of Pendergast. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/1...

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Grand Central Pub for the eARC of this book via NetGalley.

It's incredible that this book series is on its 23rd installation, and the authors still haven't run out of new material to base their storylines on. And this time, we get to back to the beginning and finally get a bit more backstory about Pendergast (as well as another staple character from the other books).

Right off the bat as I started reading, I thought, "man, it feels good to be back in this series." I so missed Pendergast and his high-level of intellect, unusual way of thinking, southern gentility, and rare witticisms. This prequel instantly transports the reader back to the early age of the internet, when everything was changing rapidly enough that people still didn't know what to make of this new tool, and if it would even stick around (ha). At this time, Pendergast is a junior agent, having recently graduated from the FBI Academy — so he is still very green at investigation, and rough around the edges overall, much to the fury of his senior partner, Agent Chambers.

Like the rest of the books by Preston & Child, I really enjoy that you get entire chapters from the POV of the guilty party, giving you insight and details without actually giving away exactly what's going on; sometimes you still can't even tell who they are in relation to the rest of the story. It's always so well done and just adds to the anticipation and the mystery at hand.

This book also carries on the inclusion of tidbits of science and history (albeit sometimes skewed or exaggerated a bit to fit the plot) that are fed to the reader in a simplified but very understandable way, to help further the story.

The overall mystery at hand is once again very well put together by the authors and kept me riveted until the end — though I do wish we had a little more detail when it comes to the "experiments" that were involved, and I kind of feel like the ending was drawn out a little bit more than necessary in this book.

However, I absolutely LOVED how the epilogue came full circle and deposits Pendergast in a setting that should be very familiar to long time readers.

[Anthony Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendergast is back, or rather, he's only just getting started. Because this is a prequel that fills in the blanks of the stoic and stranger FBI agent's beginnings with the bureau. And what a start it is. Pendergast and his mentor, an affable senior agent who has lost his spark thanks to a personal tragedy, come across the baffling case of a serial killer with a predilection for arms. And I don' mean weapons. I mean actual human arms. And of course, because it's a Pendergast novel, the killer's motives are anything but normal, and border on the supernatural. I won't give anything away here but suffice to say that it's not hard to see from this book how Pendergast ended up dealing with the Bureau's strangest cases.

But this isn't just a Pendergast origin story. We finally get a peek into his enigmatic jack-of-all-trades chauffeur/butler/right hand man, Proctor. Although I do feel that Proctor's story was somewhat limited in that he really only appears in the first quarter of the book, and again at the end, and doesn't really have any part to play in the core excitement. It would have been nice to see him a little more involved.

And then there's Pendergast. He's young here. A rookie new to the FBI, but he appears to have arrived cut from whole cloth. He's the same old Pendergast that we know and love from the rest of the series, with no real youthful exuberance or inexperience. He meditates and deduces and grasps the true implications of clues while those around him get it wrong. And while we do get some new information regarding his life prior to the FBI, it's not as much as I expected when I started the book. One thing I thought worked very well was the New Orleans setting, which made a perfect backdrop for the book. The big easy is such a mysterious place, and a fitting place of origin for a man like Pendergast.

All in all, the book is a wild ride, full of weirdness and murder with a dash of the supernatural. Fans of the series will no doubt wholeheartedly enjoy this installment. Five stars.

[Deanna Loves to Read!!:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I was so excited to read this book! I have followed the series, but stopped a while back because the premise in the latest books were getting a little too over the top. But I always wanted to know more about the intriguing FBI agent, Pendergast. How he started, what was his history. This book delivered! I felt like I was reconnecting with an old friend!

The year is 1994. Pendergast is just beginning his career with the FBI, and is stationed in his home town, New Orleans. I love anything connecgted to New Orleans- there are so many elements in the unique place to choose from, and they fit Pendergast to a T!

He has been looking into cold cases, and sees a connection between one cold case, and a murder that happened recently. Pendergast does what he always does, ignores his command and investigates the case in his own quirky way. He eventually convinces his mentor that he is right, and the case takes off. This, but case is a little tamer than previous novels. There were a few moments where I felt it dragged just a bit, but only in a few places.

I love that we get to see how Pendergast and Proctor (his soon to be chauffer and bodyguard) met and what the history was that brought them together. The creepy, dark and haunting atmosphere that is unique to this series is very present. We get to see Pendergast in the past without the burden of what will happen in future cases. I would love to see more books written in this retro style, as the newer ones seem to have lost their way.

Highly recommend if you are thinking of starting this series, want to be reminded of the Pendergast from "Relic", "The Book of the Dead", and "Still Life With Crows". This is a great series that blends investigations, with haunting bits of supernatural woven through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendergast: The Beginning by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is the origin story, although there is plenty more before this book takes place. It is the story of Pendergast’s first cases as an FBI agent and also when he and Proctor renew their relationship and begin the one that we see in most of the Pendergast novels. Needless to say, this was not a straight case, but one convoluted that took place over a number of years. It happened at all after Pendergast busted the supervisor as corrupt, causing headaches for all involved. He then told he and Chambers, the senior agent, to get out of the office and stay away for a week. There had been a murder a ways away that had drawn Pendergast’s attention so off they went. The odd thing about the murder was that the man’s right arm had been separated from his body. They found others.

Pendergast is and always has been a fascinating character. This first assignment took him home to New Orleans, an area he knew well. Chambers was a by-the-book investigator while Pendergast was anything but. His peculiarities, instead of hindering, turned out to be very helpful. He had plenty of skills from his previous existence and put them to good use, as he always will. The murder was convoluted and turned into so much more than one might expect, like Pendergast investigations always do. Proctor nearly became a victim of the same serial killer, but managed to survive long enough to meet Pendergast again. I love this series, despite every crime and Pendergast, himself, being highly unlikely. The characters are interesting and the investigations always alluring. Bad things happen, and Pendergast is always available to investigate and more.

I was invited to read Pendergast by Grand Central Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #GrandCentralPublishing #DouglasPreston #LincolnChild #Pendergast

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child go back to the early 1990’s to bring us the start of Pendergast’s FBI career in “Pendergast: The Beginning”, the twenty-third chapter in the long-running series.

We start with Aloysius Pendergast as a junior FBI agent at the New Orleans Field Office, being assigned to Special Agent Dwight Chambers as a mentee. Chambers’ life has crumbled around him, both personally and professionally, and mentoring a weird new agent is not high on his list of priorities. So he is quite surprised when he jumps to Pendergast’s defense after Pendergast pulls a stunt to weed out a dishonest agent, resulting in both of them being suspended.

This allows Pendergast to pursue a crime that has captured his interest: a murder in nearby Mississippi, where the victim’s right arm was removed. As they dig into the mystery, the two agents realize that there is a serial killer on the loose, one with a peculiar fascination with the victims’ right arms. Once the serial killer is tracked down, that’s when the real mystery begins…

Compared to the last three books or so, this is a welcome bit of a throwback to the earlier books in the series, a straight-forward mystery/thriller with a bit of the unknown/supernatural thrown in. We see Pendergast was a maverick right from the start of his FBI career, doing what he believes is right regardless of what other people think. However, he does pause and listen to his mentor at times, knowing that he still has a lot to learn, which makes him tolerable. The glimpse of his further backstory is tantalizing, and we learn a little bit about how Proctor reentered Pendergast’s life. I have a feeling we’ll be exploring more of Pendergast’s past in the next few chapters to come.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every agent has a means to an end... and every agent must start somewhere to make a name for himself.
We have all become familiar with A.X.L. Pendergast and many of us have in turn, fallen in love with the mysterious and enigmatic figure that our agent is. Many of us have also fallen in love with this series as a whole. In some way, Pendergast: The Beginning is a prequel of sorts... an introduction to A.X.L. Pendergast's career, of his rather rebellious nature, and of course... of his investigations and misdeeds. Here we see him without his experience, without his repertoire of credentials... as a fresh FBI agent diving his nose where he perhaps shouldn't be looking...only to be drawn into the thick of things for digging his nose too far... towing his new partner along on another wild adventure of danger, of intrigue, and edged with the whispers of the paranormal.

Not only is this another masterful addition to the Pendergast series and to the iconic mystery duo of Preston & Child, but I truly enjoyed the way that this novel not only serves to be a means to a beginning, but also gives us a glimpse into just how Proctor found himself to be working with A.X.L. Pendergast.

I adored this Pendergast novel and I cannot wait to hear when my fellow mystery-loving friends also get around to reading it and we can yell about how we have another fantastic Preston & Child novel to read again and again. I adored this, and I cannot wait for our next Pendergast adventure...
Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing as well as Hachette Book Group for this copy in advanced. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
(Per request of Grand Central Publishing/ Hachette Book Group, this review has been held until 30 days in advanced of the book's official release date.)

[Karen Axnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the stunningly graphic cover to the closing epilogue, this latest Pendergast novel kept me turning pages past my bedtime. Having read all the previous (22 in number) books featuring the incomparable, quirky FBI agent, I welcomed this storyline which details Pendergast’s first assignment as a newly minted graduate of Quantico. It fills in gaps that explain some of the mysterious elements of Pendergast’s proclivities and connections with higher ranking officials.

Pendergast is assigned to the New Orleans office under the mentorship of decorated veteran agent, Dwight Chambers. Despite his long successful career, Chambers is suffering from an incapacitating depression after the recent death of his wife. Hence, the lines between mentor and mentee become blurred, fueled by Pendergast’s rogue personality.

The storyline follows the interaction between the two agents as they are banished from the office and choose to pick up an unusual case. The murder proves to be the tip of the iceberg eventually uncovering the work of a serial killer with ties to a prestigious university professor who conducted paranormal research, now in disrepute. Pendergast displays his unusual talent to solve challenging (often violent) crimes using his powers of observation, logic, and military experience. This novel illuminates the beginning of a stellar, if strikingly unusual career.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo, Preston and Child, bravo! "Pendergast" is not only one of the best books in the entire series (I've read them all), but it also succeeds wonderfully in filling in many of the blanks regarding Pendergast's early life, his first assignment with the FBI, and his connection to Proctor.

In addition to the great backstory material, Preston and Child introduce their readers to some memorable standalone characters in this book. The plot revolves around Pendergast's assignment to agent Dwight Chambers, a man racked with sorrow and bitterness over the recent death of his wife. The last thing that Chambers wants is to babysit a new agent, but that's exactly what he has been assigned to do. What Chambers quickly finds out is that Pendergast is unlike any agent or person he's ever worked with or met. After a memorable scene involving Pendergast's unmasking of a rogue agent, he and Chambers are given some time off because of the unorthodox methods used in the unveiling. They decide to dig into a cold case that involves murder and mutilation. What they begin to find as they unravel the clues, though, is that they may be dealing with a serial killer.

This book contains non-stop action, plenty of plot twists, terrific dialogue, occasional humor, and all the quirks and oddities that make Pendergast such a beloved character. This is the Pendergast that we all came to love in "Relic" and "Reliquary". This book gets my highest recommendation!

I'd like to thank Net Galley, Grand Central Publishing, and the authors for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Marge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review. Having followed the Pendergast Series from the beginning, I was especially interested in seeing how Aloysius Pendergast’s career and key relationships first took shape.
Set during Pendergast’s early days with the FBI, the story follows his initial assignment as he reviews older cases while assisting with a current investigation. What begins as routine quickly grows more complex as he notices patterns others have overlooked, leading him down a path that challenges both protocol and patience. His methodical yet unconventional approach foreshadows the investigator he will become, even as he is still learning how far he can push against authority.
One of the most engaging aspects of the novel is the introduction of Proctor and the circumstances that bring him into Pendergast’s orbit. Their early interactions provide insight into how trust is earned and how a partnership begins to form under pressure. This relationship adds texture to the narrative and will be particularly meaningful for longtime readers.
The investigation itself builds steadily, uncovering a trail of disturbing events that spans years and escalates into a tense and dangerous pursuit. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child balance suspense with character development, creating a story that feels both grounded and ominous.

Content note: the novel includes violence and dark themes consistent with the series.

Overall, this is a rewarding origin story that adds depth to a familiar character while remaining accessible to new readers. A strong addition to the series and an excellent place to begin!