White Fire

By: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

Narrated by: Rene Auberjonois

Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Past and present collide in Preston and Child's most thrilling novel ever....

Special Agent Pendergast arrives at an exclusive Colorado ski resort to rescue his protégée, Corrie Swanson, from serious trouble with the law. His sudden appearance coincides with the first attack of a murderous arsonist who - with brutal precision - begins burning down multimillion-dollar mansions with the families locked inside. After springing Corrie from jail, Pendergast learns she made a discovery while examining the bones of several miners who were killed 150 years earlier by a rogue grizzly bear. Her finding is so astonishing that it, even more than the arsonist, threatens the resort's very existence.

Drawn deeper into the investigation, Pendergast uncovers a mysterious connection between the dead miners and a fabled, long-lost Sherlock Holmes story - one that might just offer the key to the modern day killings as well.

Now, with the ski resort snowed in and under savage attack - and Corrie's life suddenly in grave danger - Pendergast must solve the enigma of the past before the town of the present goes up in flames.

©2013 Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

“Narrator René Auberjonois is perfection as he portrays the rip-roaring assortment of Preston and Child's over-the-top characters... Auberjonois's cool persona is ideal for the black-suited mystery-man Pendergast. As Corrie, he's a hard-headed 20-something who won't be bullied. A sadistic serial arsonist, a beleaguered sheriff, wizened miners, and 'old money' interests give Auberjonois plenty of opportunities to dazzle.” (AudioFile Magazine)

"Sherlock Holmes fans will relish Preston and Child's 13th novel featuring eccentric FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast (after 2012's Two Graves), one of their best in this popular series...easily stands on its own with only passing references to Pendergast's complex backstory." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Another highly entertaining and genuinely thrilling story from Preston & Child starring their romantic, faintly gothic, and always mysterious FBI agent, Aloysius Pendergast. As always the prose is elegant, replete with exquisite descriptions, and this time we're treated to dashes of historic characters Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde, as well as a positively delicious serving of the great Sherlock Holmes. Through myriad shocks, surprises, twists and turns, the suspense never lets up. Great fun to the last page." (Anne Rice)

Best reader ever!

Good story with great reader. Rene Aubergenois is fantastic and it’s so sad he’s no longer with us

Best Pendergast ever

Sure Corrie Swanson made bad decisions. But she's so human compared to Pendergast. In this book the agent seemed more approachable and the descriptions of his winter clothing added some humor. I think this was one of the authors best books.

WOW

I have not been a fan of Pendergast like some others, but this one knocks him back into the starting team lineup.

I am sure I'll listen to this one again because there were lots of fun details and characters.

It was also nice to see some of the characters "grow up" a bit.

Pendergast meet Sherlock Holmes

Any sherlock fan will love this story though the authors use Sherlock Holmes influence a lot in Prendergast this one is actually about a missing Sherlock Holmes story Doyle wrote and the reason behind the stories gruesome past and creation.

Hair-raising, Plot-twisting, and Riveting!

Where does White Fire rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Definitely in my top 5

Who was your favorite character and why?

Agent Pendergast has been a favorite character for years now. I became fascinated with him from the first time I heard a Preston/Child mystery.

What about Rene Auberjonois’s performance did you like?

Mr. Auberjonois has also been a favorite for many years. He's an incredibly versatile actor, and his performance in these books has been engrossing. I find myself picturing the characters as he voices them, and they are very distinct. While Agent Pendergast may look different than Mr. Auberjonois, he voices the Southern gentility in such a way that you feel like you know Agent Pendergast - at least as well as anyone can with such a mysterious character.There was one Preston/Child novel on audio that was performed by another actor. While he was a very good performer, I'd become used to Mr. Auberjonois's versions of the characters and it took some mental adjustment to get myself into the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was touched by the moment Agent Pendergast found a burned female corpse - one he thought he knew - in an abandoned mine and was grieved by the situation. We have seen him grieve before, but this was a very private, touching moment.

Any additional comments?

I devour the Agent Pendergast stories. Many audiobooks I save for my long commute into work and back home. With these books I find time during breaks and at home to indulge in a little 'guilty' pleasure. Case in point? I started this book yesterday and finished it this afternoon.

Ok, not great, but still ok.

I love the Pendergast character. His young protege is somewhat annoying. Pendergast is investing a lot of time and money on a kid that's a bit of a jerk. The whiny way the narrator expresses her adds to that. Not the kind of book I'd read again, but not a waste of time either.

Cory is so annoying!

Pendergast is a great character and I truly enjoy his adventures! The references and inclusion of Holmes in this book was also fun a great addition. The idea of the story was well done. I myself got a little tired of listening to Cory make mistake after mistake getting mad at Pendergast only later to beg forgiveness over and over. Overall I enjoyed listening to the book it made my commute to and from work much more enjoyable.

Another great addition to the Pendergast series

In this edition, Corrie Swanson takes more of a center stage and acts like the young, headstrong girl she is. I sometimes found it hard to listen to her actions/words, but I think Preston and Child make it very believable and consistent with how Corrie has grown through the parts of the series she has been a part of. It seems that going forward Pendergast and Swanson may actually become more partners together, but we'll have to see if that happens or not moving forward. Great book and looking forward to the next.

Great book

This book held my interest all Christmas break. I started listening to it before the break and finished after. I like this series.

Is this the best Pendergast Story?

What made the experience of listening to White Fire the most enjoyable?

So many things; the current day plot weaving in a Sherlock Holmes storyline, excellent characters, and the Colorado mountain setting. I read a number of the Pendergast plot summaries and wanted to read one that got him out of NYC. Glad I chose this one!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

One thing I liked is how the storyline was moved along separately by the two main characters

Which scene was your favorite?

The Sherlock Holmes story in a story

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really, it was great from beginning till end.

Any additional comments?

Give a great narrator an awesome story and step back. I read the Blue Laybrinth recently, but I think this one was better.