Still Life with Crows

A Novel

By: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

For the first time in unabridged audio!

A small Kansas town has turned into a killing ground. Is it a serial killer, a man with the need to destroy? Or is it a darker force, a curse upon the land? Amid golden cornfields, FBI Special Agent Pendergast discovers evil in the blood of America's heart.

©2004 Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child (P)2011 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"As usual, Preston and Child deftly mix the real and the surreal, creating an atmosphere in which everything, for reasons we can't quite nail down, seems a tad off-kilter. Call it creeping paranoia, perhaps, or the dreadful certainty that something awful is about to happen. Whatever you call it, it's a recipe for success." ( Booklist)

one problem for me

good read but i found too much time was spent in one aspect of the "mystery": enough was enough. read it and you'll see if i am right.

Haunting and captivating

This book blew me away! It grabbed me from the first page with its beautiful imagery. Preston and Child are truly talented.

Holy shirt!

I absolutely loved this book, it isn't often that I get the chills from a book, but this one was so fantastic I couldn't help it! Especially with Scott Brick as a reader, I loved every second!

So exciting, I listened to it all in one day!

This book was so exciting, I couldn't stop it. I listened to it all day on my day off! You literally have to listen all the way until the end!

Another good book in series

The narrator does a good job with accents and the plot is good. More development of main character in series. And subtle clue to next book midway through.

Pendergast in top form!

I started the Pendergast series about 14-15 years ago via Audible. I didn’t realize it back then, but some of these earlier books (the BEST books!) were only available as abridged versions. I’m starting again from the beginning, and I’m hearing the unabridged version of this book for the first time! OH, my! The entire story changed. Completely different ending and so much more insight into Pendergast. So exciting for me after thinking I knew the book well already. This and Cabinet of Curiosities are not to be missed. They are basically stand-alone books, so if you only read two, read these two!

fast pace

loved unexpected plot developments in the entire story kept you reading hard to put the book down

Great Listen

This is the first Preston and Child book I have listened to and it is also the first time I found myself jumping at shadows and peeking around corners because of an odd sound. You are at the edge of your seat within minutes of listening and the characters became personal to me within a few chapters, a first key of great storywriting and Scott Brick ( not my first time listening to) brings the storywriting alive with the storytelling.
Creepy, eerie, funny and real, the story is easy to picture as it is being told wrapping you up in the puzzle ( if not trying to figure it out before being told) The only drawback is sometimes ( I have since read 2 other P and C books) the endings can get a little drawn out leaving the listener to roll their eyes and say outloud get on with it already.
BUT! This is a definate great book to listen to.

children of the corn a la Pendergast

this book keeps one in suspense until 3/4 the way through. Really creepy and somewhat believable, Pendergast uses characters to his advantage in the usual way building their self esteem in small way bit by bit, as would a teacher.

Best Pendergast Yet

Without a doubt this is worth the first 3. Clean, solid mystery - stands on its own outside the cannon but enough to continue the Pendergast story.