Pendergast--the world's most enigmatic FBI Special Agent--returns to New York City to investigate a murderous cult.
William Smithback, a New York Times reporter, and his wife Nora Kelly, a Museum of Natural History archaeologist, are brutally attacked in their apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Eyewitnesses claim, and the security camera confirms, that the assailant was their strange, sinister neighbor--a man who, by all reports, was already dead and buried weeks earlier. While Captain Laura Hayward leads the official investigation, Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta undertake their own private--and decidedly unorthodox--quest for the truth. Their serpentine journey takes them to an enclave of Manhattan they never imagined could exist: a secretive, reclusive cult of Obeah and vodou which no outsiders have ever survived.
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"Really enjoyed this. The opening of the story really grabbed my attention. There were some far-fetched, unrealistic elements but also some beautifully described settings. It's the first book I've read in this series but won't be the last :-) "
— Dustin (4 out of 5 stars)
“This taut page-turner can only add to the authors’ growing fan base.”
— Publishers Weekly“No one has ever accused this writing team of lacking guts…Individually, these two writers turn out books that are solid, competent, workmanlike. Together, they manage to kick it up several notches, producing novels that are elegantly written and feature unique characters and eerie, compelling stories. For fans of the Pendergast series, this is a must-read.”
— Booklist“Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have a reputation for writing sinister horror stories set in New York City. This one does not disappoint…With the underlying story featuring zombies and the undead, it takes the sober Auberjonois to help maintain the credibility of the plot. His sincere delivery is perfect for a strange story that is more than a little creepy.”
— AudioFile" Wonderful novel! Preston and Child hit it out of the ball park on this book! You will not want to pause this one! "
— Deborah, 4/10/2016" This book was creepy in the BEST way! I had nightmares, but couldn't stop turning the pages! "
— Lynda, 12/21/2013" Lovely characters and heart-wrenching emotions. You know, the usual. "
— Conni, 11/29/2013" Another fine mystery from our intrepid special agent Pendergrast. This is my fourth or fifth novel by this duo of writers and I enjoy these story's every time. This one agent Pendergast is chasing a religious cult that seems to be able to conjure up zombies only Preston/Child can write. If you follow the adventures of this special FBI agent then you will eat up this book and won't want to wait for the next one. "
— Bernie, 11/24/2013" Wasn't one of their best but as always Pendergast is always fun. He's an unbelievable character but hey, it's good entertainment. "
— Cynthia, 11/22/2013" Not really a too realistic thriller, but pretty good fun. "
— Ronald_h, 11/17/2013" I hated to see Smithback killed, but an enjoyable story none the less "
— Amoxy, 10/31/2013" Eh - and it totally hurts me to say that. What I loved previously about the Pendergast books was their incredible detail and depth and lately they feel a little slapdash. I "
— Coki, 10/22/2013" This was another fun read about zombies and voodoo. I look forward to reading more of their books. "
— Cindi, 10/16/2013" Highly improbable but always fun to read. "
— Paula, 10/12/2013Douglas Preston has published forty books of both nonfiction and fiction, of which over thirty have been New York Times bestsellers, several also reaching the #1 position. He is the co-author, with Lincoln Child, of the Pendergast series of thrillers. He also writes nonfiction pieces for the New Yorker magazine. He worked as an editor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and taught nonfiction writing at Princeton University. He is president emeritus of the Authors Guild and serves on the advisory board of the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe.
Lincoln Child is the New York Times bestselling author of The Forgotten Room, The Third Date, Terminal Freeze, Deep Storm, Death Match, and Utopia, as well as coauthor, with Douglas Preston, of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including Fever Dream.
René Auberjonois is an American stage, film, television, and voice actor and an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. After graduating from Carnegie-Mellon University, he acted with various theater companies, including San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater and Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum. In 1969, he earned a Tony Award for his performance as Sebastian Baye alongside Katharine Hepburn in Coco. Since then, he has acted in a variety of theater productions, films, and television series, in addition to being active in radio drama.