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Pendergast #17
City of Endless Night
In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Special Agent Pendergast must stop a serial killer who is terrorizing New York City with a trail of headless victims.When Grace Ozmian, the beautiful and reckless daughter of a wealthy tech billionaire, first goes missing, the NYPD assumes she has simply sped off on another wild adventure. Until the young woman's body is discovered in an abandoned warehouse in Queens, the head nowhere to be found.Lieutenant CDS Vincent D'Agosta quickly takes the lead. He knows his investigation will attract fierce scrutiny, so D'Agosta is delighted when FBI Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast shows up at the crime scene assigned to the case. "I feel rather like Brer Rabbit being thrown into the briar patch," Pendergast tells D'Agosta, "because I have found you here, in charge. Just like when we first met, back at the Museum of Natural History."But neither Pendergast nor D'Agosta are prepared for what lies ahead. A diabolical presence is haunting the greater metropolitan area, and Grace Ozmian was only the first of many victims to be murdered . . . and decapitated. Worse still, there's something unique to the city itself that has attracted the evil eye of the killer.As mass hysteria sets in, Pendergast and D'Agosta find themselves in the crosshairs of an opponent who has threatened the very lifeblood of the city. It'll take all of Pendergast's skill to unmask this most dangerous foe-let alone survive to tell the tale.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 16, 2018
2890 people are currently reading
12527 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 1,871 reviews
March 12, 2019
Ah, finally a Pendergast that feels a little bit more old school. Maybe not quite as intricate and mysterious and Relic and Cabinet of Curiosities, but still has the feel of one of the earlier books. Being back in the streets of New York probably helps. It hasn’t been since Cemetery Dance that I have enjoyed a Pendergast quite this much.
There were a couple of plot points that did feel a bit silly and out of place. One of them I thought was building up to be a pretty big deal and kind of fizzled out. So, in the department of fleshing out multiple storylines, this one was not quite as good as some of the others.
I guess if you really, really wanted to, you could read this one without reading the others, but you would be missing so much of the backstory. My recommendation is still to go get a copy of Relic, start at the beginning, and enjoy the ride.
Hmmmm . . . I keep trying to write more, and I just keep typing spoilers! I guess I am going to have to wrap this review up or I am going to give everything away!
Okay, so one spoilerish thing about the Epilogue. Do not read this unless you have read the book already or don’t care about spoilers
I have said it before, and I will say it again, if you are not reading Pendergast, what are you doing??? (I guess that is “asked” not “said”, but you know what I mean!)
There were a couple of plot points that did feel a bit silly and out of place. One of them I thought was building up to be a pretty big deal and kind of fizzled out. So, in the department of fleshing out multiple storylines, this one was not quite as good as some of the others.
I guess if you really, really wanted to, you could read this one without reading the others, but you would be missing so much of the backstory. My recommendation is still to go get a copy of Relic, start at the beginning, and enjoy the ride.
Hmmmm . . . I keep trying to write more, and I just keep typing spoilers! I guess I am going to have to wrap this review up or I am going to give everything away!
Okay, so one spoilerish thing about the Epilogue. Do not read this unless you have read the book already or don’t care about spoilers
I have said it before, and I will say it again, if you are not reading Pendergast, what are you doing??? (I guess that is “asked” not “said”, but you know what I mean!)
January 20, 2018
The headless daughter of a millionaire is found, Pendergast who is in disgrace with the FBI after his last outing is assigned the case. Although working again with his friend, Detective D'Agosta, Pendergast shows little interest, taking it for the punishment it is meant to be. But then, more headless corpses, beheaded of wealthy New Yorkers, men who have the best security money can buy. Yet, someone is managing to penetrate these systems. Pendergast for much of the book is working in the background, his ghostly presence shadowing D'Agosta, at odds with the city's theory of why these killings are taking place.
It is with welcome relief I welcome back a Pendergast story that doesn't include any of his nefarious and very strange family. Not that I do not find them interesting but though with the previous books this subject had been overdone. This is back to form, Pendergast doing what he does best. Seeing things others do not see,putting things together in a way other cannot. Though in this one there s the very real possibility that Pendergast has met his match. Someone he cannot out think, anticipate.
The scene in the old asylum, the cat and mouse game that ensues was suspenseful and harrowing.
I won't say this is the best in series, but I do think it is the best in the last several years.
ARC from Netgalley.
It is with welcome relief I welcome back a Pendergast story that doesn't include any of his nefarious and very strange family. Not that I do not find them interesting but though with the previous books this subject had been overdone. This is back to form, Pendergast doing what he does best. Seeing things others do not see,putting things together in a way other cannot. Though in this one there s the very real possibility that Pendergast has met his match. Someone he cannot out think, anticipate.
The scene in the old asylum, the cat and mouse game that ensues was suspenseful and harrowing.
I won't say this is the best in series, but I do think it is the best in the last several years.
ARC from Netgalley.
March 16, 2020
***4.5 STARS***
I thoroughly enjoyed this seventeenth book of the Pendergast series. I have read them all and if possible they get better and better.
This one starts out with a young, spoiled New York socialite found murdered and decapitated. Who would want to kill this young woman? Then another murder occurs with the same M.O. Is there a serial killer roaming the streets of New York?
As always Pendergast is exceptional and a detective to the highest order, quirks and all. Vincent D’Agosta plays a prominent role in this mystery and I always love when the two work together.
Fast paced with twists and turns. I didn’t see who the killer was...I was surprised and I like that. I don’t want to read a book easily decoded.
I highly recommend this book and actually the whole series. Can be read as a stand-alone although some small references to past books. Can’t wait to read the next one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this seventeenth book of the Pendergast series. I have read them all and if possible they get better and better.
This one starts out with a young, spoiled New York socialite found murdered and decapitated. Who would want to kill this young woman? Then another murder occurs with the same M.O. Is there a serial killer roaming the streets of New York?
As always Pendergast is exceptional and a detective to the highest order, quirks and all. Vincent D’Agosta plays a prominent role in this mystery and I always love when the two work together.
Fast paced with twists and turns. I didn’t see who the killer was...I was surprised and I like that. I don’t want to read a book easily decoded.
I highly recommend this book and actually the whole series. Can be read as a stand-alone although some small references to past books. Can’t wait to read the next one.
February 24, 2018
"A perfect absence of compassion and empathy, and a high degree of ambition, and you get a psychopath of the highest order."
Two adolescent boys are running at high speed to escape the aftermath of a neighborhood prank. They dart into an old abandoned property and dive into a pile of leaves that have blown into a darkened corner. Their temporary refuge smells of mold and something definitely rank. The leaves shift with their squirming and a dead body reveals itself. The source of the screaming comes from the boys themselves......never a peep from the headless one.
Preston & Child present their 17th book in the Pendergast Series. Not to worry, though. City of Endless Night reads as a stellar standalone with only tiny dots of the past. You most certainly can hit the ground running with this one. It's that good.
Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta of the NYPD is called to that decaying warehouse late that night. He's the lead detective assigned to this horrendous case. While sifting through that leaf fondue, D'Agosta raises his head and finds FBI Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast crouched low on the floor. The two men agree that this young woman was killed elsewhere and brought to the scene. Nothing to hang a hat on......there's a missing head that doesn't show up in that leafy mound.
The unfortunate victim turns out to be Grace Ozmian, a young socialite living the high life on daddy's billions. Kinda makes you scratch your own head as to how she ended up here in a bad way. The questions keep piling up as the body count rises.......wealthy individuals who lose their heads much like ol' Grace. They won't be spending another nickel on this earth. Uh, that's for sure.
To complicate things even more, Preston & Child add the likes of an overzealous journalist who seems to have his own theory for the crimes. Bryce Harriman is digging into his own pile of trouble as he tries to uncover past lives of the victims. It may cost him his own.
City of Endless Night is one of the best in this series so far. D'Agosta is written this time around as front and center with our Pendergast more on the peripheral until the end. It's an enjoyable fast read in which you won't come up for air for some time. (Recommend snacks and beverages close by) The Epilogue is quite enticing, too. A promise of more good stuff to come...... Get crackin' Preston & Child.
Two adolescent boys are running at high speed to escape the aftermath of a neighborhood prank. They dart into an old abandoned property and dive into a pile of leaves that have blown into a darkened corner. Their temporary refuge smells of mold and something definitely rank. The leaves shift with their squirming and a dead body reveals itself. The source of the screaming comes from the boys themselves......never a peep from the headless one.
Preston & Child present their 17th book in the Pendergast Series. Not to worry, though. City of Endless Night reads as a stellar standalone with only tiny dots of the past. You most certainly can hit the ground running with this one. It's that good.
Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta of the NYPD is called to that decaying warehouse late that night. He's the lead detective assigned to this horrendous case. While sifting through that leaf fondue, D'Agosta raises his head and finds FBI Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast crouched low on the floor. The two men agree that this young woman was killed elsewhere and brought to the scene. Nothing to hang a hat on......there's a missing head that doesn't show up in that leafy mound.
The unfortunate victim turns out to be Grace Ozmian, a young socialite living the high life on daddy's billions. Kinda makes you scratch your own head as to how she ended up here in a bad way. The questions keep piling up as the body count rises.......wealthy individuals who lose their heads much like ol' Grace. They won't be spending another nickel on this earth. Uh, that's for sure.
To complicate things even more, Preston & Child add the likes of an overzealous journalist who seems to have his own theory for the crimes. Bryce Harriman is digging into his own pile of trouble as he tries to uncover past lives of the victims. It may cost him his own.
City of Endless Night is one of the best in this series so far. D'Agosta is written this time around as front and center with our Pendergast more on the peripheral until the end. It's an enjoyable fast read in which you won't come up for air for some time. (Recommend snacks and beverages close by) The Epilogue is quite enticing, too. A promise of more good stuff to come...... Get crackin' Preston & Child.
July 10, 2018
Ever since the end of the Diogenes Trilogy, the series has been in a decline. I still look forward to each new one, but each new entry has less going for it than the last. (In my opinion, the good ones have been Relic, Reliquary, The Cabinet of Curiosities, Still Life with Crows, the Diogenes Trilogy, and White Fire.)
Why the decline? Firstly, I think too much Pendergast is a bad thing. The books where he wasn't the sole protagonist are usually much better than the ones where he is. He's much more fun when he has to share the stage with someone more normal, like D'Agosta, or Nora, or Corrie or Margo. Spending too much time on Pendergast takes the luster off of his mystery and exposes him for the genre power fantasy that he is. I love my genre power fantasies, but I need to be wooed with a little more subtlety. How many times do we need to hear about how expensive his handmade shoes are? I for one, am sick of that.
Secondly, the authors are clearly tired of the character, and it shows in how little life each book has now. The villains and side characters have grown sadly forgettable. In City of Endless Night, they couldn't even bother making a half-decent side plot. There's hardly any atmosphere. I really would have liked to *feel* more during City of Endless Night, and when I think about how much promise the villain and setting had, I feel like I should have. Even though this villain was clearly competent and dangerous, certainly a match for Pendergast, the last time I felt that Pendergast was in any real danger was back in Reliquary--that moment when he's getting ready to go into underground Manhattan, and the narrator describes him as "the last of the great explorers." You really felt it at that moment, that the book was taking you somewhere original, exotic, and dangerous.
I'll keep reading, because when you've grown up with a series it's hard to let go, and they're still entertaining books. And the publication of worse books doesn't mean that the early books magically disappear. I can always reread my favorites with no loss of appreciation. It just makes me a bit sad, that's all. I wish the authors would start a new series starring Corrie instead.
Why the decline? Firstly, I think too much Pendergast is a bad thing. The books where he wasn't the sole protagonist are usually much better than the ones where he is. He's much more fun when he has to share the stage with someone more normal, like D'Agosta, or Nora, or Corrie or Margo. Spending too much time on Pendergast takes the luster off of his mystery and exposes him for the genre power fantasy that he is. I love my genre power fantasies, but I need to be wooed with a little more subtlety. How many times do we need to hear about how expensive his handmade shoes are? I for one, am sick of that.
Secondly, the authors are clearly tired of the character, and it shows in how little life each book has now. The villains and side characters have grown sadly forgettable. In City of Endless Night, they couldn't even bother making a half-decent side plot. There's hardly any atmosphere. I really would have liked to *feel* more during City of Endless Night, and when I think about how much promise the villain and setting had, I feel like I should have. Even though this villain was clearly competent and dangerous, certainly a match for Pendergast, the last time I felt that Pendergast was in any real danger was back in Reliquary--that moment when he's getting ready to go into underground Manhattan, and the narrator describes him as "the last of the great explorers." You really felt it at that moment, that the book was taking you somewhere original, exotic, and dangerous.
I'll keep reading, because when you've grown up with a series it's hard to let go, and they're still entertaining books. And the publication of worse books doesn't mean that the early books magically disappear. I can always reread my favorites with no loss of appreciation. It just makes me a bit sad, that's all. I wish the authors would start a new series starring Corrie instead.
March 12, 2019
Pendergast and D'Agosta try and track down a killer who is beating impossible odds and decapitating his victims. But Pendergast isn't his usual self. Constance's departure at the end of the last book has affected him more than he realizes. For most of the book his heart isn't in tracking down the killer. There's some subplots with new characters that don't seem to have a whole lot to do with the overall story. Kings Park Psychiatric Center plays a role in the book. This is a real place that locals go urban exploring in frequently. It has a fascinating history consistent with what is depicted in the book.
https://abandonednyc.com/2014/06/17/k...
This book hearkens back to the style of the early Pendergast novels. It's more of an ensemble book with multiple chapters focusing on other characters. We don't delve into anymore of Pendergast's history. I found that refreshing. It's solely a stand alone murder mystery, but still a great read.
Received an advance copy from Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://abandonednyc.com/2014/06/17/k...
This book hearkens back to the style of the early Pendergast novels. It's more of an ensemble book with multiple chapters focusing on other characters. We don't delve into anymore of Pendergast's history. I found that refreshing. It's solely a stand alone murder mystery, but still a great read.
Received an advance copy from Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2019
Excellent!! 5 STARS!!
I felt City of Endless Night was similar to all the books from the beginning of the Pendergast series. It was set in NYC and it has one of my favorite characters in it, Vincent D'Agosta.
I loved how Vinny had such a big part in this book.
Pendergast was excellent as well in doing what he does best, tracking down bad people!
Yes, you have to suspend some disbelief in reading this series. It's a bit crazy and he's never been beat but I don't read this series in whether this could really happen.
I read the Pendergast series because it's entertaining as hell and the plots are always interesting and new!
I mean, we're on book #17 and Preston & Child are still going strong. Will they ever end this series?! Who knows but I'll be along for the ride and reading until the series ends.
City of the Endless Night starts off with the daughter of a wealthy tech billionaire found dead in a abandoned warehouse in Queens.
Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta gets the case and must figure out why Grace Ozmian was killed and decapitated. D'Agosta gets help from FBI Agent A.X.L. Pendergast and they set off on a thrilling ride on who's killed Grace and others?
I did not have a clue who the killer was at all. I did not see it coming and for that, BRAVO Preston & Child!!!!
I felt City of Endless Night was similar to all the books from the beginning of the Pendergast series. It was set in NYC and it has one of my favorite characters in it, Vincent D'Agosta.
I loved how Vinny had such a big part in this book.
Pendergast was excellent as well in doing what he does best, tracking down bad people!
Yes, you have to suspend some disbelief in reading this series. It's a bit crazy and he's never been beat but I don't read this series in whether this could really happen.
I read the Pendergast series because it's entertaining as hell and the plots are always interesting and new!
I mean, we're on book #17 and Preston & Child are still going strong. Will they ever end this series?! Who knows but I'll be along for the ride and reading until the series ends.
City of the Endless Night starts off with the daughter of a wealthy tech billionaire found dead in a abandoned warehouse in Queens.
Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta gets the case and must figure out why Grace Ozmian was killed and decapitated. D'Agosta gets help from FBI Agent A.X.L. Pendergast and they set off on a thrilling ride on who's killed Grace and others?
I did not have a clue who the killer was at all. I did not see it coming and for that, BRAVO Preston & Child!!!!
June 28, 2022
I may have slacked off on the last book, friends, but I’m back with yet another Pendergast book food metaphor, a grand tradition that stretches all the way back to the hot dog that was Relic.
After a somewhat grueling stretch of dealing with the complicated (and not always riveting) aspects of Pendergast’s family history and personal entanglements, City of Endless Night gets us out of Pendergast’s head and into some captivating (and decapitating) shenanigans involving a serial killer who doesn’t exactly fit any of the traditional molds (it being well known that serial killers are often factory produced on an assembly line, or maybe that’s a disassembly line…but, I digress).
So, in short, City of Endless Night is Doritos: it’s familiar and consistent and you know exactly what you’re getting, it’s delicious, and you really can���t stop until you finish the bag (or, in this case, book).
I’m recharged on Pendergast and looking forward to the next adventure. I’m also experiencing mild gastrointestinal distress from having consumed an entire bag of Doritos. But, sometimes we have to suffer for our art.
After a somewhat grueling stretch of dealing with the complicated (and not always riveting) aspects of Pendergast’s family history and personal entanglements, City of Endless Night gets us out of Pendergast’s head and into some captivating (and decapitating) shenanigans involving a serial killer who doesn’t exactly fit any of the traditional molds (it being well known that serial killers are often factory produced on an assembly line, or maybe that’s a disassembly line…but, I digress).
So, in short, City of Endless Night is Doritos: it’s familiar and consistent and you know exactly what you’re getting, it’s delicious, and you really can���t stop until you finish the bag (or, in this case, book).
I’m recharged on Pendergast and looking forward to the next adventure. I’m also experiencing mild gastrointestinal distress from having consumed an entire bag of Doritos. But, sometimes we have to suffer for our art.
January 30, 2025
City of Endless Night is the 17th Pendergast novel written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I've previously read the first sixteen novels, plus a few short stories, and I'm excited and saddened to know there are only three more left until the current release. I hope the series doesn't end soon... Pendergast is one of the most remarkable super sleuths, offering an intense and cunning intelligence that always finds the criminal - even tho he's probably died 4 or 5 times already (coming back to life from the brink of death, I mean). I buddy read this one again, and we haven't had a chance to discuss it yet, but I can't wait to see if our thoughts are paralleled again. The plot was great - a lunatic serial killer is decapitating people around NYC - initially horrible criminals who never paid for their crimes but then it changes. Why? Pendergast and D'Agosta work together, and we meet several potential suspects. While a bit obvious, it is also a shock because of the reason and one of the victims, but it still kept me turning the pages non-stop.
November 22, 2017
Not what they used to be. Repetitive and boring. Unconnected characters, drifting, listless unimaginative plot.
January 28, 2018
I've read every book in this series and this is one of the better ones. It can be read as a standalone. The headless corpse of a young woman is found and FBI Special Agent Pendergast is assigned to work on the case with his police detective friend Vincent D'Agosta because he is in the doghouse with the FBI. Other murders follow and they become a classic puzzle for Pendergast to solve in his usual brilliant, wry and preternaturally perceptive manner.
This book has a very exciting ending. While it doesn't have the spooky elements that are often in books by these authors, I didn't miss them. I also didn't miss Pendergast's ward Constance who I hope never comes back, but I fear that I hope in vain.
This book has a very exciting ending. While it doesn't have the spooky elements that are often in books by these authors, I didn't miss them. I also didn't miss Pendergast's ward Constance who I hope never comes back, but I fear that I hope in vain.
March 16, 2019
Pendergast .... Can he meet his match ? Wait a minute .. Wait a minute... Is there such a thing?! Let's see. Meet the Decapitator.
I was twitchy,
Mouth agape,
Gaspy,
Focused,
"Shhhhhhhh",
Making various exclamations ,
Avoiding various activities like eating and putting off br breaks,
Hiding under a blanket like Bastian in The Never-ending Story!
5 stars!
I have made a LEGO minifigure of AXL Pendergast. Needs more customization, but it is him!
I was twitchy,
Mouth agape,
Gaspy,
Focused,
"Shhhhhhhh",
Making various exclamations ,
Avoiding various activities like eating and putting off br breaks,
Hiding under a blanket like Bastian in The Never-ending Story!
5 stars!
I have made a LEGO minifigure of AXL Pendergast. Needs more customization, but it is him!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2019
City of Endless Night by Douglas Preston is a thriller that kept me guessing most of the book. Trying to find a link between the murders, the great clues, creepy characters, and behind the scenes info is very interesting. Great action ending!
November 8, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me a copy of this to read in exchange for an honest review.
So as many of you know, the Pendergast series is one of my longest followed and most beloved series. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller with adventure and strangeness mixed right in. This wasn't the strongest entry into the series, what with a relatively predictable villain and a meandering plot with some side stories that felt unnecessary, but it was still a Pendergast book... and one thing that seriously redeemed it was that we got to see a side of Pendergast we haven't seen very deeply before -- and he was VULNERABLE. Pendergast has always been one of those "step ahead of everyone" kind of characters, and it's part of his charm. He's crazy smart, can read people, and knows how to play them to get what he wants... but the events of the last book really brought him into a new realm, and this book played on that new weakness and vulnerability to show this side of Pendergast, and to almost bring him down to a normal human. Of course, it was awesome to see him struggle and find his mastery again, but it was an absolute pleasure to get to see him accept that maybe he's not always the smartest person in the room or the best player in the game.
I think that brought a fresh new perspective to the character, who after 17 books could be at risk of getting stale, right? Who am I kidding? Pendergast is the bomb.
Read this one. It's fun. And if you haven't already, read the rest.
So as many of you know, the Pendergast series is one of my longest followed and most beloved series. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller with adventure and strangeness mixed right in. This wasn't the strongest entry into the series, what with a relatively predictable villain and a meandering plot with some side stories that felt unnecessary, but it was still a Pendergast book... and one thing that seriously redeemed it was that we got to see a side of Pendergast we haven't seen very deeply before -- and he was VULNERABLE. Pendergast has always been one of those "step ahead of everyone" kind of characters, and it's part of his charm. He's crazy smart, can read people, and knows how to play them to get what he wants... but the events of the last book really brought him into a new realm, and this book played on that new weakness and vulnerability to show this side of Pendergast, and to almost bring him down to a normal human. Of course, it was awesome to see him struggle and find his mastery again, but it was an absolute pleasure to get to see him accept that maybe he's not always the smartest person in the room or the best player in the game.
I think that brought a fresh new perspective to the character, who after 17 books could be at risk of getting stale, right? Who am I kidding? Pendergast is the bomb.
Read this one. It's fun. And if you haven't already, read the rest.
March 11, 2020
Another fascinating and extremely compelling Pendergast adventure. He and d'Agosta are chasing down a serial killer decapitating his victims. The murders start with Grace Ozmian, the daughter of billionaire entrepreneur Anton Ozmian. Some more will follow. Why are the heads missing? Why gets Harriman blackmailed? And what about an old deserted asylum? The action is fast paced, cleverly plotted and the endgame absolutely worth the reading. There is even some romance in the novel (okay I could have done without). If you're looking for a well plotted, cleverly written book with an outstanding FBI agent this is it. Really recommended!
January 16, 2018
City of Endless Night is the seventeen book in the Pendergast series, and I have read every single one of them. My personal favorite is the ones that have a slight supernatural element to the story like the first book Relic with the monster in the New York Museum of Natural History, which is why I felt a bit disappointed while reading this one. Don't take me wrong, it's a great thriller, and it's nice to have D'Agosta and Pendergast working together to catch a murderer.
However, it feels just like an ordinary thriller. Sure, the killings and beheadings is an interesting mystery especially since there seems to be no link to the people killed. I just wished that the book had been a bit more extraordinary. Instead, we get a straight-forward thriller, with not a very memorable killer. Well, besides the fact that this is one of the first times that Pendergast goes up against an enemy that seriously could outsmart him. The best part of the book is the end part when the killer and Pendergast face-off and Pendergast truly has to fight for his life against an enemy that is better than him. And, yes that is a very unusual scene since Pendergast is someone that often seems more than human.
City of Endless Night is a good thriller, as always is the writing great and, despite my reservations about the story, did I enjoy reading the book. It's only that I really enjoy when the stories take a more suspenseful feeling when Pendergast is up against something beastly and since the killer in this book is an ordinary killer (well he was psycho, but still very much human) did I get a bit disappointed.
Nevertheless, it's not a bad book, never boring and I enjoyed both the main story and the side stories.
I want to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
However, it feels just like an ordinary thriller. Sure, the killings and beheadings is an interesting mystery especially since there seems to be no link to the people killed. I just wished that the book had been a bit more extraordinary. Instead, we get a straight-forward thriller, with not a very memorable killer. Well, besides the fact that this is one of the first times that Pendergast goes up against an enemy that seriously could outsmart him. The best part of the book is the end part when the killer and Pendergast face-off and Pendergast truly has to fight for his life against an enemy that is better than him. And, yes that is a very unusual scene since Pendergast is someone that often seems more than human.
City of Endless Night is a good thriller, as always is the writing great and, despite my reservations about the story, did I enjoy reading the book. It's only that I really enjoy when the stories take a more suspenseful feeling when Pendergast is up against something beastly and since the killer in this book is an ordinary killer (well he was psycho, but still very much human) did I get a bit disappointed.
Nevertheless, it's not a bad book, never boring and I enjoyed both the main story and the side stories.
I want to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
May 8, 2023
City of Endless Night book started well. Classic Pendergast, entertaining as always. But the book fades in the back half as it eventually becomes clear who the killer must be. And the final confrontation is a bit over-the-top, with an almost impossible-to-believe climax. It’s fine, but it’s not one of the better entries in the series.
February 13, 2018
4 Agent Pendergast and Lieutenant D'Agosta are back stars
This is the seventeenth book in the Agent Pendergast series by Preston and Child and it's a good one. I so enjoyed every page turning moment as I sped through this book in a day. Pretty much proof of the "I can't put it down" aura of this novel.
Aloysius Pendergast and Vincent D'Agosta are are on the trail of a killer. A young wealthy woman has been murdered and grisly details are found when her corpse is discovered headless in an abandoned warehouse. This will not be the last crime of this type as these two team up together to find the murderer and ultimately discover the motive behind these killings. Could the motive be a pay back for crimes committed by the victims, or is it a rage against the one percenters that inhabit New York City where the murders have taken place? Perhaps there is something else driving this murderer and his quest for killings and beheadings.
As always Pendergast and D'Agosta are up against evil forces as they try to stop the killings and manage also to save themselves from the same fate. Hopefully, our two stalwart protagonists will be back once again in the next installment, to save lives, outwit masterminds, and keep this reader coming back for more.
This is the seventeenth book in the Agent Pendergast series by Preston and Child and it's a good one. I so enjoyed every page turning moment as I sped through this book in a day. Pretty much proof of the "I can't put it down" aura of this novel.
Aloysius Pendergast and Vincent D'Agosta are are on the trail of a killer. A young wealthy woman has been murdered and grisly details are found when her corpse is discovered headless in an abandoned warehouse. This will not be the last crime of this type as these two team up together to find the murderer and ultimately discover the motive behind these killings. Could the motive be a pay back for crimes committed by the victims, or is it a rage against the one percenters that inhabit New York City where the murders have taken place? Perhaps there is something else driving this murderer and his quest for killings and beheadings.
As always Pendergast and D'Agosta are up against evil forces as they try to stop the killings and manage also to save themselves from the same fate. Hopefully, our two stalwart protagonists will be back once again in the next installment, to save lives, outwit masterminds, and keep this reader coming back for more.
January 17, 2018
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After the last two lackluster entries in the series, we're finally back to a more traditional Pendergast story. While not the best offering in the series, it could only go up from Obsidian Chamber.
Once again teamed with D'Agosta trying to find a serial killer in NYC. This time, it seems like it's a class warfare type spree, but like any Pendergast book, nothing is as it seems. Except if you've read a Pendergast book before then it's quite obvious how it's going to go. And that's really the whole issue with this book, team Preston/Child hit the reset button of sorts and gave us a run of the mill B-side Pendergast story. Perhaps they wanted to show that Pendergast, without Constance, is a shell of his former self, that's why his sleuthing was so sub-par. That can also explain the slight rift in the D'Agosta/Pendergast partnership. The two of them definitely did not have the ease of relationship they've had previously.
Beyond that, there was just something off with this story. There seemed to be less sleuthing and more action with a showdown that was pretty lackluster. The bad guy and the motivation was underwhelming to say the least. The Pendergast character was kind of pathetic in his mopey state. There were a few side stories that didn't meld as well, specifically the one with Swope. While it was nice to see some old faces again, I can't imagine any new readers understanding or caring why they're in the book. Laura Hayward was always such a dynamic character, but to readers of this book, she's just a wife with little to no personality. Even Bryce Harriman who was more prominent here would be a bit of a head scratcher for new readers, especially his constant references to Will Smithback.
To be honest, this book is more for readers who have slogged through some inferior book and have been hoping the series will right itself. In that regard, this book is a success. But new readers? I can't see them being that interested. Early books showed a real love for the character of Pendergast, but these later books seem like a need to continue a series more than anything. Did I enjoy the book? Yes, I read it in one day. Did I enjoy it more than the previous two books? Definitely. But do I think that the series should be coming to an end soon? Yes. This is a book that is in the middle of the pack of the series. 3/5.
BTW, don't know if it's just in the ARC or not, but Kings Park is in Suffolk County, not Sussex County. Just like Adirondack, New York, it seems team Preston/Child is on a mission to irk me in terms of New York geography.
After the last two lackluster entries in the series, we're finally back to a more traditional Pendergast story. While not the best offering in the series, it could only go up from Obsidian Chamber.
Once again teamed with D'Agosta trying to find a serial killer in NYC. This time, it seems like it's a class warfare type spree, but like any Pendergast book, nothing is as it seems. Except if you've read a Pendergast book before then it's quite obvious how it's going to go. And that's really the whole issue with this book, team Preston/Child hit the reset button of sorts and gave us a run of the mill B-side Pendergast story. Perhaps they wanted to show that Pendergast, without Constance, is a shell of his former self, that's why his sleuthing was so sub-par. That can also explain the slight rift in the D'Agosta/Pendergast partnership. The two of them definitely did not have the ease of relationship they've had previously.
Beyond that, there was just something off with this story. There seemed to be less sleuthing and more action with a showdown that was pretty lackluster. The bad guy and the motivation was underwhelming to say the least. The Pendergast character was kind of pathetic in his mopey state. There were a few side stories that didn't meld as well, specifically the one with Swope. While it was nice to see some old faces again, I can't imagine any new readers understanding or caring why they're in the book. Laura Hayward was always such a dynamic character, but to readers of this book, she's just a wife with little to no personality. Even Bryce Harriman who was more prominent here would be a bit of a head scratcher for new readers, especially his constant references to Will Smithback.
To be honest, this book is more for readers who have slogged through some inferior book and have been hoping the series will right itself. In that regard, this book is a success. But new readers? I can't see them being that interested. Early books showed a real love for the character of Pendergast, but these later books seem like a need to continue a series more than anything. Did I enjoy the book? Yes, I read it in one day. Did I enjoy it more than the previous two books? Definitely. But do I think that the series should be coming to an end soon? Yes. This is a book that is in the middle of the pack of the series. 3/5.
BTW, don't know if it's just in the ARC or not, but Kings Park is in Suffolk County, not Sussex County. Just like Adirondack, New York, it seems team Preston/Child is on a mission to irk me in terms of New York geography.
May 31, 2018
Even after seventeen books, the Pendergast series is endlessly fascinating! This thriller takes place in NYC and begins with the discovery of the headless body of a young woman. FBI Special Agent Pendergast is called in to help D'Agosta and the NYPD because it appears she may have been transported across state lines.
It turns out the victim is the only child of a ruthless tech billionaire, and when other wealthy people are killed in similar ways, the mayor puts the heat on the NYPD to come up with some answers quickly. But it is an ambitious young reporter named Harriman who suggests the theory that captures the public's imagination--that the serial killer is targeting 'one-percenters' in what he calls 'the city of endless night.' Pendergast's is the only dissenting voice but he is not sharing his reasons. Who will be the next wealthy victim if no one can stop 'the Decapitator?'
Exciting reading with a nice plot twist that I did not see coming! This is a favorite series of mine so I'd especially like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to read an arc of this latest thriller through NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child!
It turns out the victim is the only child of a ruthless tech billionaire, and when other wealthy people are killed in similar ways, the mayor puts the heat on the NYPD to come up with some answers quickly. But it is an ambitious young reporter named Harriman who suggests the theory that captures the public's imagination--that the serial killer is targeting 'one-percenters' in what he calls 'the city of endless night.' Pendergast's is the only dissenting voice but he is not sharing his reasons. Who will be the next wealthy victim if no one can stop 'the Decapitator?'
Exciting reading with a nice plot twist that I did not see coming! This is a favorite series of mine so I'd especially like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to read an arc of this latest thriller through NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child!
January 29, 2018
Another satisfying read in the Pendergast series. While it doesn't move the overall "mythology" of the series along, it does provide a complex thriller with further insights into Pendergast's character, and it can be read as a standalone, set in New York City, featuring the the extremely wealthy and the extremely not. Pendergast himself is strangely out of sorts as the story opens, having difficulty involving himself in solving the initial crime (perhaps due to developments at the end of the last book), showing a level of decreased insight lacking in his crime solving.
D'Agosta and Pendergast are teamed up again due to the discovery of a headless corpse, a crime scene involving one or possibly two distinct killers. And they soon learn that the victim is prominent and wealthy, though also notorious. Who would want her dead -- and in that way? The investigation begins but will become very complicated, eventually drawing Pendergast out of the fog surrounding him. But at what cost?
Recommended to Pendergast followers. You know who you are!
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
D'Agosta and Pendergast are teamed up again due to the discovery of a headless corpse, a crime scene involving one or possibly two distinct killers. And they soon learn that the victim is prominent and wealthy, though also notorious. Who would want her dead -- and in that way? The investigation begins but will become very complicated, eventually drawing Pendergast out of the fog surrounding him. But at what cost?
Recommended to Pendergast followers. You know who you are!
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
January 28, 2018
I received a copy of this book, City of Endless Night ,through a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing!
As a fan of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's 'Agent Pendergast' series, I am always eagerly awaiting each book. The latest, City of Endless Night is the 17th book in the series and as usual, the excitement builds quickly. The story begins at a crime scene in Queens, New York on a cold December night where Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta of the NYPD and his crew have been called to investigate the murder of a young woman whose body was discovered in an abandoned garage.... oh, and the body just happens to be headless! Lurking on the periphery of the crime scene, as is his habit, is FBI Special Agent Aloysius X.L. Pendergast. Pendergast... eccentric, unconventional and seemingly genetically incapable of following FBI protocol, has partnered with D'Agosta, solving numerous crimes in the past.
If you're a regular reader of the Pendergast series and in particular, if you have read the previous book, The Obsidian Chamber, then you're aware that because of Pendergast's handling (perhaps MISHANDLING) of a case involving his own brother, Diogenes, he has fallen into disfavor with his superiors at the Bureau. He has been sent to this crime scene in Queens as a kind of punishment; but after wandering around the crime scene with his usual test tubes and tweezers, he discovers an overlooked clue.. a minute piece of evidence which piques his interest and the hunt for the killer begins....
The NYPD has no sooner identified the body of the headless young woman as Grace Ozmian, socialite daughter of tech billionaire Anton Ozmian, when another headless body is found. This body is that of former New Jersey Attorney General-turned- Mob lawyer, Marc Cantucci. The discovery of Marc Cantucci in his secure fortress-like homes just the beginning. Over the weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday more headless bodies will be discovered... a former Russian international arms broker and husband and wife CEOs of LFX Financial.
As the bodies continue to stack up and the NYPD is scrambling for a break in the case, the city begins to descend into hysteria and panic. Of course, this hysteria is fueled by reporter for 'The New York Post', Bryce Harriman. Harriman, whose career has been floundering, came upon an idea to attract much needed attention to his newspaper and himself. On Christmas Day,he publishes a story in which he takes the NYPD and the FBI to task for not yet finding the killer or killers. Harriman writes that he is sure a serial killer is targeting members of the 1% of New York society... the "exceedingly rich, flagrantly corrupt and entirely reprehensible." Harriman also says that the killer(s) is sending a message to "mend your ways before it is too late."Harriman's article has the desired effect of creating a climate of hysteria and setting off protests against the 1% throughout the city. The pressure begins to build on the NYPD to finally solve the case. Was Harriman correct... was a serial killer stalking the 1% of New York Society in their heavily guarded and protected homes? Maybe...... maybe not.
The thrilling hunt for this diabolical killer takes Lieutenant D'Agosta and Special Agent Pendergast across the city... from Queens to Manhattan and culminating in a shocking, nail-biting confrontation with a madman at King's Park Psychiatric Center on the north shore of Long Island... an abandoned psychiatric hospital, known for its cruel electroconvulsive shock therapy. Will D'Agosta and Pendergast survive the hunt for this cruel and crafty killer?.......
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Pendergast series and I have to confess that in addition to reading the print copy provided by Grand Central Publishing, I also listened to the audiobook version and the phenomenal narration provided by Rene Auberjonois (as always!) . Now, I begin the wait for the next book in the series......
As a fan of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's 'Agent Pendergast' series, I am always eagerly awaiting each book. The latest, City of Endless Night is the 17th book in the series and as usual, the excitement builds quickly. The story begins at a crime scene in Queens, New York on a cold December night where Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta of the NYPD and his crew have been called to investigate the murder of a young woman whose body was discovered in an abandoned garage.... oh, and the body just happens to be headless! Lurking on the periphery of the crime scene, as is his habit, is FBI Special Agent Aloysius X.L. Pendergast. Pendergast... eccentric, unconventional and seemingly genetically incapable of following FBI protocol, has partnered with D'Agosta, solving numerous crimes in the past.
If you're a regular reader of the Pendergast series and in particular, if you have read the previous book, The Obsidian Chamber, then you're aware that because of Pendergast's handling (perhaps MISHANDLING) of a case involving his own brother, Diogenes, he has fallen into disfavor with his superiors at the Bureau. He has been sent to this crime scene in Queens as a kind of punishment; but after wandering around the crime scene with his usual test tubes and tweezers, he discovers an overlooked clue.. a minute piece of evidence which piques his interest and the hunt for the killer begins....
The NYPD has no sooner identified the body of the headless young woman as Grace Ozmian, socialite daughter of tech billionaire Anton Ozmian, when another headless body is found. This body is that of former New Jersey Attorney General-turned- Mob lawyer, Marc Cantucci. The discovery of Marc Cantucci in his secure fortress-like homes just the beginning. Over the weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday more headless bodies will be discovered... a former Russian international arms broker and husband and wife CEOs of LFX Financial.
As the bodies continue to stack up and the NYPD is scrambling for a break in the case, the city begins to descend into hysteria and panic. Of course, this hysteria is fueled by reporter for 'The New York Post', Bryce Harriman. Harriman, whose career has been floundering, came upon an idea to attract much needed attention to his newspaper and himself. On Christmas Day,he publishes a story in which he takes the NYPD and the FBI to task for not yet finding the killer or killers. Harriman writes that he is sure a serial killer is targeting members of the 1% of New York society... the "exceedingly rich, flagrantly corrupt and entirely reprehensible." Harriman also says that the killer(s) is sending a message to "mend your ways before it is too late."Harriman's article has the desired effect of creating a climate of hysteria and setting off protests against the 1% throughout the city. The pressure begins to build on the NYPD to finally solve the case. Was Harriman correct... was a serial killer stalking the 1% of New York Society in their heavily guarded and protected homes? Maybe...... maybe not.
The thrilling hunt for this diabolical killer takes Lieutenant D'Agosta and Special Agent Pendergast across the city... from Queens to Manhattan and culminating in a shocking, nail-biting confrontation with a madman at King's Park Psychiatric Center on the north shore of Long Island... an abandoned psychiatric hospital, known for its cruel electroconvulsive shock therapy. Will D'Agosta and Pendergast survive the hunt for this cruel and crafty killer?.......
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Pendergast series and I have to confess that in addition to reading the print copy provided by Grand Central Publishing, I also listened to the audiobook version and the phenomenal narration provided by Rene Auberjonois (as always!) . Now, I begin the wait for the next book in the series......
November 2, 2017
So, straight up, this review might be a little spoiler-y. Not ruin-the-book spoilers (I hope), but definitely some spoiler-y things. So if you hate spoilers, stop reading now.
The Pendergast books tend to be a special pleasure for me. I look forward to a new one each year and when it hits my kindle, all other reading stops.
That being said, this one wasn’t my favorite.
This one is a Pendergast/D’Agosta book. That’s fine, but I missed Constance – immensely. Proctor plays a tiny role in this one. Really tiny. Basically driving on a beach. And while I like Pendergast and D’Agosta, I didn’t really feel that relationship this time. Vincent did his thing. Pendergast did his thing. And even when they were in the same room (or at the same crime scene) together, they kind of felt separate.
During much of the book, we get to experience Pendergast’s insights into the crime. It was fun to try put those insights into some sort of solution. Fun, but useless. You see at about 80% of the way through the book, you haven’t figured it out. Pendergast hasn’t figured it out. Vincent hasn’t figured it out. And our Baddy? Our Baddy gets tired of waiting for them to figure it out and just straight out confesses!
What?!?!
Seriously. I’m reading the book and all of a sudden Impatient Baddy gets tired of waiting for their investigation to pan out and has a come-to-Jesus moment. (I’ve gathered you here to explain that I am your killer, this is why I’m your killer, and hey…can I kill you now?)
I was so disappointed. The final 20% of the book is Pendergast being Pendergast (a good thing), Vincent doing nothing, and a kind of disappointing Baddy.
All in all, this latest entry into the Pendergast saga felt like basic thriller 101. I felt like it was missing some of the nuances that really make a Pendergast book and, yes, I missed Constance.
Still looking forward to the next book, of course, but this one didn’t add much to our World.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
The Pendergast books tend to be a special pleasure for me. I look forward to a new one each year and when it hits my kindle, all other reading stops.
That being said, this one wasn’t my favorite.
This one is a Pendergast/D’Agosta book. That’s fine, but I missed Constance – immensely. Proctor plays a tiny role in this one. Really tiny. Basically driving on a beach. And while I like Pendergast and D’Agosta, I didn’t really feel that relationship this time. Vincent did his thing. Pendergast did his thing. And even when they were in the same room (or at the same crime scene) together, they kind of felt separate.
During much of the book, we get to experience Pendergast’s insights into the crime. It was fun to try put those insights into some sort of solution. Fun, but useless. You see at about 80% of the way through the book, you haven’t figured it out. Pendergast hasn’t figured it out. Vincent hasn’t figured it out. And our Baddy? Our Baddy gets tired of waiting for them to figure it out and just straight out confesses!
What?!?!
Seriously. I’m reading the book and all of a sudden Impatient Baddy gets tired of waiting for their investigation to pan out and has a come-to-Jesus moment. (I’ve gathered you here to explain that I am your killer, this is why I’m your killer, and hey…can I kill you now?)
I was so disappointed. The final 20% of the book is Pendergast being Pendergast (a good thing), Vincent doing nothing, and a kind of disappointing Baddy.
All in all, this latest entry into the Pendergast saga felt like basic thriller 101. I felt like it was missing some of the nuances that really make a Pendergast book and, yes, I missed Constance.
Still looking forward to the next book, of course, but this one didn’t add much to our World.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
January 22, 2018
Another year another Pendergast and this one is a fairly stand alone installment of the still satisfactory read that the misters Preston & Child still are able to deliver.
This time NYPD Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta is confronted by a series of murders in which the victim is left decapitated. He is glad that his "friend' FBI special agent Pendergast is on the case. He still trusts this strange and enigmatic character to help him solve any case thrown at them. Only this time their opponent or perpetrator is something that cannot even be qualified by Quantico's Behavioral Unit. It is a riddle for all police services and newspaper why this killer targets the 1 percenters of New York and the ones targeted seem to be no big loss for society. Every time the killers ups his game and leaves no trace and no answers. The cat and mouse game for Pendergast & D'Agosta has not yet run its course until they really apprehend their culprit.
As with every book they proof to be the masters of the thriller game, lovely to have them doing their thing once a year.
I still have a book of each gentleman to read this year. And while they are both excellent writers their combined effort is always preferable. Looking forward to next year.
This time NYPD Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta is confronted by a series of murders in which the victim is left decapitated. He is glad that his "friend' FBI special agent Pendergast is on the case. He still trusts this strange and enigmatic character to help him solve any case thrown at them. Only this time their opponent or perpetrator is something that cannot even be qualified by Quantico's Behavioral Unit. It is a riddle for all police services and newspaper why this killer targets the 1 percenters of New York and the ones targeted seem to be no big loss for society. Every time the killers ups his game and leaves no trace and no answers. The cat and mouse game for Pendergast & D'Agosta has not yet run its course until they really apprehend their culprit.
As with every book they proof to be the masters of the thriller game, lovely to have them doing their thing once a year.
I still have a book of each gentleman to read this year. And while they are both excellent writers their combined effort is always preferable. Looking forward to next year.
December 2, 2017
Love this series; loved this book. From the first page on, I didn't want to put it down and, for the record, I read the whole thing in record time.
While there's no shortage of action, though, this one - the 17th - focuses far less on the almost otherworldly side of FBI Special Agent A.X.L. (Aloysius) Pendergast. Maybe that's because his beloved ward, Constance Greene, isn't part of his life now; she's retreated to a monastery, apparently with no plans to return any time soon - and understandably, he's in a bit of a personal funk. But by the end of the book, he's picked up investigative steam - finding clues, digesting them and spitting out spot-on conclusions.
The saga begins with the murder of the daughter of a ruthless, much-hated technology billionaire. It's a killing with a gruesome twist: There's a body, but no head. The case falls under the purview of Lt. Vincent D'Agosta, who's less than thrilled that it landed in his lap in large part because he knows the whole thing will turn into a media circus. So it is, then, that he's not unhappy when his rather eccentric friend Pendergast turns up at the crime scene.
A shortage of clues leaves both men scratching their heads - Pendergast less so, of course - and the situation slides downhill fast. Not only does another victim turn up (well, most of him, anyway; he, too, is headless), but a nosy newspaper reporter got a whiff of a Pulitzer and starts sharpening his pencil - to the point of coining the phrase to describe New York City that became the title of the book.
Still, law enforcement folks try hard to squelch the rumor that a deranged serial killer is on the loose, but those efforts take a nosedive as more heads roll (literally). Now, there's little doubt that the murders are the work of one person (perhaps with a cohort); and it's up to Pendergast and D'Agosta to discover the why and, of course, the who - the sooner the better.
Meanwhile, the reporter's articles continue to rile up the general public (as well as spark a sub-plot scenario that, as an aside, to me seemed totally out of joint with the rest of the story). Near the end, the action takes a very serious turn toward the worst-case scenario, leading Pendergast on a not-so-merry chase that could result in no possibility of an 18th book.
If there is one, though, it's a sure bet I'll be chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. As for this one, three cheers to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy (via NetGalley).
While there's no shortage of action, though, this one - the 17th - focuses far less on the almost otherworldly side of FBI Special Agent A.X.L. (Aloysius) Pendergast. Maybe that's because his beloved ward, Constance Greene, isn't part of his life now; she's retreated to a monastery, apparently with no plans to return any time soon - and understandably, he's in a bit of a personal funk. But by the end of the book, he's picked up investigative steam - finding clues, digesting them and spitting out spot-on conclusions.
The saga begins with the murder of the daughter of a ruthless, much-hated technology billionaire. It's a killing with a gruesome twist: There's a body, but no head. The case falls under the purview of Lt. Vincent D'Agosta, who's less than thrilled that it landed in his lap in large part because he knows the whole thing will turn into a media circus. So it is, then, that he's not unhappy when his rather eccentric friend Pendergast turns up at the crime scene.
A shortage of clues leaves both men scratching their heads - Pendergast less so, of course - and the situation slides downhill fast. Not only does another victim turn up (well, most of him, anyway; he, too, is headless), but a nosy newspaper reporter got a whiff of a Pulitzer and starts sharpening his pencil - to the point of coining the phrase to describe New York City that became the title of the book.
Still, law enforcement folks try hard to squelch the rumor that a deranged serial killer is on the loose, but those efforts take a nosedive as more heads roll (literally). Now, there's little doubt that the murders are the work of one person (perhaps with a cohort); and it's up to Pendergast and D'Agosta to discover the why and, of course, the who - the sooner the better.
Meanwhile, the reporter's articles continue to rile up the general public (as well as spark a sub-plot scenario that, as an aside, to me seemed totally out of joint with the rest of the story). Near the end, the action takes a very serious turn toward the worst-case scenario, leading Pendergast on a not-so-merry chase that could result in no possibility of an 18th book.
If there is one, though, it's a sure bet I'll be chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. As for this one, three cheers to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy (via NetGalley).
January 5, 2018
4.5 stars!
CITY OF ENDLESS NIGHT, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is the 17th book in the Agent Pendergast series--arguably, their most popular character. In this latest, we join FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta in a series of crimes in NY--reminiscent, to an extent, to their very first encounter in the novel, THE RELIC.
". . . the thoughts that you must try to banish are the ones that most persistently push themselves back in . . ."
I was thrilled to see a return to the Pendergast of old--specifically, more level-headed, always a step ahead of everyone else, and as enigmatic as ever. The books that placed him in "relationship" positions seemed to take away a vital part of him. Namely, the unattainable detachment that the character is known so well for.
Here we begin with the murder of a wealthy, but lazy socialite, whose body is found in a most unique manner. The plot is riddled with several, decent subplots, and the characters that we know from previous novels are true to their usual selves, as readers have come to know them.
"No one is safe."
This was a fast paced thriller, with the usual police procedural drills, and of course, twists and turns at every corner. In short, the type of Preston/Child book I've come to love through the years. I won't say anything else about the main plot that might run the risk of spoiling it for some, but I feel that loyal followers of this series will find this a satisfying novel on many levels.
". . . The outcome was unpredictable . . . and that itself was its beauty . . ."
Highly recommended!
CITY OF ENDLESS NIGHT, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is the 17th book in the Agent Pendergast series--arguably, their most popular character. In this latest, we join FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta in a series of crimes in NY--reminiscent, to an extent, to their very first encounter in the novel, THE RELIC.
". . . the thoughts that you must try to banish are the ones that most persistently push themselves back in . . ."
I was thrilled to see a return to the Pendergast of old--specifically, more level-headed, always a step ahead of everyone else, and as enigmatic as ever. The books that placed him in "relationship" positions seemed to take away a vital part of him. Namely, the unattainable detachment that the character is known so well for.
Here we begin with the murder of a wealthy, but lazy socialite, whose body is found in a most unique manner. The plot is riddled with several, decent subplots, and the characters that we know from previous novels are true to their usual selves, as readers have come to know them.
"No one is safe."
This was a fast paced thriller, with the usual police procedural drills, and of course, twists and turns at every corner. In short, the type of Preston/Child book I've come to love through the years. I won't say anything else about the main plot that might run the risk of spoiling it for some, but I feel that loyal followers of this series will find this a satisfying novel on many levels.
". . . The outcome was unpredictable . . . and that itself was its beauty . . ."
Highly recommended!
February 4, 2021
Jack Sparrow dijo en una ocasión… perdón!! El capitán Jack Sparrow dijo en una ocasión: “El mundo sigue siendo el mismo, pero con menos alicientes”. Pues parece ser que al mundo de nuestro amigo Pedergast le pasa algo parecido. Últimamente les falta algo a sus historias.
En este caso el libro empezó bastante bien, con una serie de asesinatos bastante sangrientos y misteriosos, pero el desarrollo de los acontecimientos ha sido bastante extraño. Hay partes que no son muy creíbles, situaciones inverosímiles y personajes con conductas bastante contradictorias. No puedo decir más para no hacer spoiler.
Me alegra ver en acción a Vincent D’agosta (echo de menos a Laura Hayward), pero a él también le falta un poco de la chispa (o la mala leche) que lo caracterizaba en los primeros casos.
El epílogo sí me ha gustado mucho. La última escena me ha parecido muy bonita. Aunque sí es cierto, que siendo Pendergast el perfecto caballero que es, y teniendo ese don de palabra que lo caracteriza… digamos, para no desvelar nada importante, que me ha faltado algo.
Es curioso, pero después de 17 libros del Agente Pendergast, a mi parecer, aun no hay ninguno que le haga sombra a aquel primer caso de la bestia del Museo de Historia Natural de Nueva York. Aun así, ese final me ha dejado con ganas de leer el libro número 18. Esperemos que para entonces Aloysius haya disfrutado de unas buenas vacaciones para recupera fuerzas lo más lejos posible de la ciudad que no descansa.
En este caso el libro empezó bastante bien, con una serie de asesinatos bastante sangrientos y misteriosos, pero el desarrollo de los acontecimientos ha sido bastante extraño. Hay partes que no son muy creíbles, situaciones inverosímiles y personajes con conductas bastante contradictorias. No puedo decir más para no hacer spoiler.
Me alegra ver en acción a Vincent D’agosta (echo de menos a Laura Hayward), pero a él también le falta un poco de la chispa (o la mala leche) que lo caracterizaba en los primeros casos.
El epílogo sí me ha gustado mucho. La última escena me ha parecido muy bonita. Aunque sí es cierto, que siendo Pendergast el perfecto caballero que es, y teniendo ese don de palabra que lo caracteriza… digamos, para no desvelar nada importante, que me ha faltado algo.
Es curioso, pero después de 17 libros del Agente Pendergast, a mi parecer, aun no hay ninguno que le haga sombra a aquel primer caso de la bestia del Museo de Historia Natural de Nueva York. Aun así, ese final me ha dejado con ganas de leer el libro número 18. Esperemos que para entonces Aloysius haya disfrutado de unas buenas vacaciones para recupera fuerzas lo más lejos posible de la ciudad que no descansa.
January 14, 2020
Wow. How could I have forgotten how wonderful the character Special Agent Aloyious Pendergast was; especially when in conjunction with Lt. CDS Vincent D'Agosta. Extreme personalities that complement each other.
Lincoln and Child are a writing duo that also complement each other.
While I try very hard to avoid books about serial killers. This was astoundingly good.
I have wondered about electro-convulsive shock treatment: failing to see how it could be beneficial to anyone. Especially since during its heyday not only was it used for just about all mental conditions; for adults and children. Now we know about the different parts of the brain and how they function. The plotting in this book used that information extraordinarily well.
Unputdownable. Superb prose.
Lincoln and Child are a writing duo that also complement each other.
While I try very hard to avoid books about serial killers. This was astoundingly good.
I have wondered about electro-convulsive shock treatment: failing to see how it could be beneficial to anyone. Especially since during its heyday not only was it used for just about all mental conditions; for adults and children. Now we know about the different parts of the brain and how they function. The plotting in this book used that information extraordinarily well.
Unputdownable. Superb prose.
January 22, 2018
What a disappointment. I love these books, as corny as they are what with the evil super-villains and the gory murders and the Lord Peter Wimsey-ish protagonist and the loyal sidekicks. They're one of my guilty pleasures, and I don't even feel guilty about it. But geez, this was just the dumbest plot ever.
It was written like a made-for-TV movie. Serial killer at loose, murdering the rich and famous. The authorities are clueless, so our man Pendergast is brought in, of course. I won't tell you the ending other than to say I went "Aw, REALLY?"
Preston, Childs, guys--you can do better. You're both rich and famous. Don't stoop to this.
It was written like a made-for-TV movie. Serial killer at loose, murdering the rich and famous. The authorities are clueless, so our man Pendergast is brought in, of course. I won't tell you the ending other than to say I went "Aw, REALLY?"
Preston, Childs, guys--you can do better. You're both rich and famous. Don't stoop to this.
December 11, 2021
Another Preston and Child I couldn't wait to get my hands on ...
This one involves the murders, and decapitations (with missing heads), of several very wealthy, successful and influential individuals, a fact which gets the public (of NYC) in an uproar when a local reporter theorizes that someone is out to kill the 1% - those at the top in terms of wealth gotten at the expense of the other 99%. Of course, Lt. D'Agosta, long-time friend of FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast is put on the case.
I had a problem with this book at the start in that Pendergast is almost nowhere to be seen. He's put on the case, too, almost as a punishment and is present in scene after scene walking around, looking at evidence and clues - blood-spatter, etc. - with almost exacting indifference. But as the novel progresses, there's more of our favorite, silver-haired FBI agent, including some really riveting scenes which I could re-read over and over. (This includes, no spoiler, a fantastic stalk-and-seek chase in a ten-story abandoned psychiatric institution on Long Island.)
This book isn't as long as some of those in this series, and it suffers a little in that most of the 'action' occurs in a city. (Preston/Child are best in 'weird locations,' and though NYC can be weird, most of the settings are sparkling, marble-steel-and-granite high-rises.) Regardless, it def. belongs in a series which continues to beguile and astonish.
Four stars.
This one involves the murders, and decapitations (with missing heads), of several very wealthy, successful and influential individuals, a fact which gets the public (of NYC) in an uproar when a local reporter theorizes that someone is out to kill the 1% - those at the top in terms of wealth gotten at the expense of the other 99%. Of course, Lt. D'Agosta, long-time friend of FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast is put on the case.
I had a problem with this book at the start in that Pendergast is almost nowhere to be seen. He's put on the case, too, almost as a punishment and is present in scene after scene walking around, looking at evidence and clues - blood-spatter, etc. - with almost exacting indifference. But as the novel progresses, there's more of our favorite, silver-haired FBI agent, including some really riveting scenes which I could re-read over and over. (This includes, no spoiler, a fantastic stalk-and-seek chase in a ten-story abandoned psychiatric institution on Long Island.)
This book isn't as long as some of those in this series, and it suffers a little in that most of the 'action' occurs in a city. (Preston/Child are best in 'weird locations,' and though NYC can be weird, most of the settings are sparkling, marble-steel-and-granite high-rises.) Regardless, it def. belongs in a series which continues to beguile and astonish.
Four stars.
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