jaci

This was a read about everyday life, in an area of the US I’ve never visited, and from the viewpoint of a man in the decade of his life I’m preparing to enter. Character, Frank Bascombe has great insight and amusing portrayals of family members, neighbors, and friends. I may have to go back and read the previous Richard Ford novels about this character. The book did move a little slow, but I smiled quite a bit, and it was a nice change of pace from fast action or high intrigue.

This character, Stephani Plum, was just too stupid. It was painful to listen to.

I have enjoyed most of the Pendergast stories, and this final is one of the best. They are set apart from other thrillers by the in-depth, descriptive background and thought processes of the characters that make them believable.

The psychotic brother, Diogenes is very scary. He lurks in the back of the mind as the story progresses. The revealed origin of his psychotic behavior in this book is so detailed it made the hair rise on my arms and I had to stop, wondering if I could really listen to the rest. Brother and FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast is further revealed as the caring, intelligent, deep thinking individual that everyone would like to know.

The complex plot, descriptive scenery, and compelling story made me wish the book was longer. I recommend reading earlier books Relic, Brimstone and Dance of Death - they set the stage for Book of the Dead. I look forward to more books from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.