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Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human. But the museum's directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders. Museum researcher Margo Green must find out who - or what - is doing the killing.
Gideon Crew - brilliant scientist, master thief, intrepid adventurer - is shocked when his former employer, Eli Glinn, vanishes without a trace, and Glinn's high-tech lab Effective Engineering Solutions shuts down seemingly overnight. Fresh off a diagnosis that gives him only months to live, Crew is contacted by one of his former coworkers at EES, Manuel Garza, who has a bead on one final treasure hinted at in EES's final case, the long-awaited translation of a centuries-old stone tablet of a previously undiscovered civilization: The Phaistos Disc.
At 12, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down. At 24, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him. Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful.But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills.
Nora Kelly, a young archaeologist in Santa Fe, receives a letter written 16 years ago, yet mysteriously mailed only recently. In it her father, long believed dead, hints at a fantastic discovery that will make him famous and rich - the lost city of an ancient civilization that suddenly vanished a thousand years ago. Now Nora is leading an expedition into a harsh, remote corner of Utah's canyon country, but what she unearths will be the newest of horrors.
The largest known meteorite has been discovered, entombed in the earth for millions of years on a frigid, desolate island off the southern tip of Chile. At four thousand tons, this treasure seems impossible to move. New York billionaire Palmer Lloyd is determined to have this incredible find for his new museum. Stocking a cargo ship with the finest scientists and engineers, he builds a flawless expedition. But from the first approach to the meteorite, people begin to die....
Guy Carson is a brilliant scientist at GeneDyne, one of the world's foremost biochemical companies. When he is transferred to Mount Dragon, GeneDyne's high-security genetic engineering lab, his good fortune seems too good to be true.
Carson soon finds that it is. He learns that GeneDyne geneticists are tinkering with a common virus with an eye on the enormous profit to be had from a cure for the flu. Their cure involves permanently altering DNA in humans. What's more, Mount Dragon harbors another secret that puts the world at horrifying risk.
Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human. But the museum's directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders. Museum researcher Margo Green must find out who - or what - is doing the killing.
Gideon Crew - brilliant scientist, master thief, intrepid adventurer - is shocked when his former employer, Eli Glinn, vanishes without a trace, and Glinn's high-tech lab Effective Engineering Solutions shuts down seemingly overnight. Fresh off a diagnosis that gives him only months to live, Crew is contacted by one of his former coworkers at EES, Manuel Garza, who has a bead on one final treasure hinted at in EES's final case, the long-awaited translation of a centuries-old stone tablet of a previously undiscovered civilization: The Phaistos Disc.
At 12, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down. At 24, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him. Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful.But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills.
Nora Kelly, a young archaeologist in Santa Fe, receives a letter written 16 years ago, yet mysteriously mailed only recently. In it her father, long believed dead, hints at a fantastic discovery that will make him famous and rich - the lost city of an ancient civilization that suddenly vanished a thousand years ago. Now Nora is leading an expedition into a harsh, remote corner of Utah's canyon country, but what she unearths will be the newest of horrors.
The largest known meteorite has been discovered, entombed in the earth for millions of years on a frigid, desolate island off the southern tip of Chile. At four thousand tons, this treasure seems impossible to move. New York billionaire Palmer Lloyd is determined to have this incredible find for his new museum. Stocking a cargo ship with the finest scientists and engineers, he builds a flawless expedition. But from the first approach to the meteorite, people begin to die....
Guy Carson is a brilliant scientist at GeneDyne, one of the world's foremost biochemical companies. When he is transferred to Mount Dragon, GeneDyne's high-security genetic engineering lab, his good fortune seems too good to be true.
Carson soon finds that it is. He learns that GeneDyne geneticists are tinkering with a common virus with an eye on the enormous profit to be had from a cure for the flu. Their cure involves permanently altering DNA in humans. What's more, Mount Dragon harbors another secret that puts the world at horrifying risk.
A centuries-old, cursed pirate's treasure, valued at over $2 billion, lies deep within the treacherous waters off the coast of Maine. Men who have attempted to unearth the fortune have suffered gruesome deaths. Will a high-tech expedition meet the same fate?
Manhattan. Les ouvriers d'un chantier de démolition s'affairent parmi les gravats, lorsque le bulldozer se fige soudainement devant l'horreur du spectacle qui apparaît ; des ossements humains. L'enquête menée par Pendergast, du FBI, l'archéologue Nora Kelly et le journaliste William Smithback établit qu'il s'agit des restes de trente-six adolescents, victimes d'un tueur en série, le Dr Leng, ayant sévi à New York vers 1880.
What fire bolt from the galactic dark shattered the Earth eons ago, and now hides in that remote cleft in the southwest U.S. known as Tyrannosaur Canyon?
Amos Decker's life changed forever - twice. The first time was on the gridiron. A big, towering athlete, he was the only person from his hometown of Burlington ever to go pro. But his career ended before it had a chance to begin. On his very first play, a violent helmet-to-helmet collision knocked him off the field for good and left him with an improbable side effect - he can never forget anything.
An inexplicable explosion rocks the antiquities collection of a London museum and the race begins to determine how it happened, why it happened, and what it means. Lady Kara Kensington's family paid a high price in money and blood to found the gallery that now lies in ruins. Her search for answers leads Kara and her friend Safia al-Maaz, the gallery's curator, into a world they never dreamed existed.
Former naval doctor Peter Crane is summoned to a remote oil platform in the North Atlantic to help diagnose a bizarre medical condition. But when he arrives, Crane learns that the real trouble lies far below on "Deep Storm", a stunningly advanced science-research facility built two miles beneath the surface on the ocean floor. The top-secret structure has been designed for one purpose: to excavate a recently discovered undersea site that may hold the answers to an ancient mystery.
Dr. Morton Handler practiced a strange brand of psychiatry. Among his specialties were fraud, extortion, and sexual manipulation. Handler paid for his sins when he was brutally murdered in his luxurious Pacific Palisades apartment. The police have no leads, but they do have one possible witness: seven-year-old Melody Quinn.
Rising out of the Nevada canyons, Utopia is a theme park so technologically advanced as to be awe-inspiring. But serious mishaps are starting to cause concern, and things turn from bad to worse when a group of mercenaries infiltrates the park's computerized infrastructure, holding the entire park hostage. The engineer who designed the park now must find a way to save it.
Who is Nola Brown? Nola is a mystery. Nola is trouble. And Nola is supposed to be dead. Her body was found on a plane that mysteriously fell from the sky as it left a secret military base in the Alaskan wilderness. Her commanding officer verifies she's dead. The US government confirms it. But Jim "Zig" Zigarowski has just found out the truth: Nola is still alive. And on the run.
In the early hours of a quiet weekend morning in Manhattan's Diamond District, a brutal triple murder shocks the city. Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs quickly take the case. Curiously, the killer has left behind a half-million dollars' worth of gems at the murder scene, a jewelry store on 47th street. As more crimes follow, it becomes clear that the killer's target is not gems but engaged couples themselves.
Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He's also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as part of the off-the-books black box Orphan program, designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence assets - i.e. assassins. He was Orphan X. Evan broke with the program, using everything he learned to disappear.
Court Gentry is known as The Gray Man - a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible, and then fading away. And he always hits his target. But there are forces more lethal than Gentry in the world. And in their eyes, Gentry has just outlived his usefulness. Now, he is going to prove that for him, there's no gray area between killing for a living-and killing to stay alive.
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.
I've read this series from the beginning and enjoyed them, especially the earlier books, but the last several books have been a disappointment. This book is almost ruined by Corrie Swanson. She is too much of an idiot to enjoy reading about. I spent so much time being annoyed and baffled by her thought processes, complaints and poor decision-making that it distracted me from the story as a whole. The scene with the blizzard, snow mobile and abandoned mine was almost more than I could bear listening to. Ugh. I will pass on further books that include Corrie or, heaven forbid, Tristram. I've read this series from the beginning but the last several books have been a disappointment.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have been hoping to learn more about Corrie Swanson. Remember, we met Corrie in Still Life with Crows (book 4). Back then she had an abusive mother and no future. Pendergast took her under his wing and placed her in boarding school. She has been in and out of novels ever since. In this novel she is grown and attending John Jay College and play the central role throughout the novel.
Oscar Wilde and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (in the 1800s) setup the intrigue; and, before you even begin Chapter 1 you are hooked and titillated with some unknown ‘story of revulsion.’ Preston and Child perform their usual excellence in descriptive phase and dialog. I simply love the how they place you in the scene.
This is book 13 of the series and comes after the latest trilogy 10-12 which was heart wrenching and left many issues unresolved. Rene Auberjonis narrates the novel in his usual excellence. He has been the voice of this series since book 8 and continues to deliver.
This book is a must read. If you are new to the series, I encourage you to read Still Life with Crows first to get a good introduction to Corrie. Though you can jump straight to this novel because it does stand on its own. This is one of my most favorite series and I cannot recommend it more highly. For us Pendergast lovers, all I have to say is ‘He is back!’
38 of 44 people found this review helpful
It was OK. Not the best Pendergast story I've ever read at all. Too predictable, not very engrossing. I didn't believe Cory's actions, her motivations seemed unclear, the supporting characters were not well developed...overall, meh...
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
No, I could have written this, and I can't write. I could figure what was happening before it was revealed. Very few surprises. They are loosing me as a reader. This was not my first disappointment in one of their later books. Their plots seem to be getting weaker.
I have read many earlier books and loves them.
Has White Fire turned you off from other books in this genre?
Not sure
What does Rene Auberjonois bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I like his voice and style.
If this book were a movie would you go see it?
No way.
Any additional comments?
I didn't like it.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
As a fan of Agent Pendergast I was disapointed that this book had less of him and more of Corrie. When she was first introduced she was portrayed as street smart, but in this outing she has apparently been struck stupid. The parts of the book with her character seem like they were written for a 9th grader.
Pendergast's part of the story was a bit better and had the story been better written it could have been very good. The introduction of Corrie into the story seemed like it was written to create tension, but was just irritating.
A minor quibble is the very wealthy Pendergast disparaging the rich residents of this exclusive ski town. Snobbery or a tick added by the authors?
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
White Fire is the latest installment in the successful Pendergast series of novels for which the authors Preston and Child collaborate. I thought advertising this work as a Pendergast book bordered on bait-and-switch marketing. Pendergast indeed eventually arrives on the scene, but a major portion of this story, and the entire early setup of the novel, is devoted to Corrie Swanson, a minor character who appeared in earlier works in this series.
The authors did not develop Corrie as a character. Instead, she is used as a theatrical prop and counterpoint to Pendergast's brief appearances to lend the novel an unrealistic if not implausible sense of danger and drama. In sum, Corrie is a one-trick pony whose default response to all situations is simply to do the opposite of what she is told or what makes sense. She is a literary stick figure and caricature of a restless young woman who brings little to the table as a principal character whom the reader might like, dislike, sympathize with, root for or relate to in any satisfying way.
I wonder if the authors are running out new ideas for the Pendergast series?
I would give White Fire a pass and perhaps re-read (or re-listen to) an earlier and more entertaining Pendergast novel.
Rene Auberjonois performs well in this work, capturing the unique southern drawl of Pendergast, the alleged protagonist in this work, as well as a myriad of other characters who come and go in this novel.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
I am a huge fan of A.X. Pendergast ever since 'The Relic' where I don't think anyone was sure that his character was going to be continued into a series. The last few books have all been written about his ex-wife & are classified as the 'Helen Trilogy', the books were by no means 'Bad' but I was not impressed by the quality nor the tangent these books threw our usually implacable A.X.P. into a world of shadow conspiracies, getting man-handled by 'uncouth brigands', killing more than a dozen people single-handed on a large yacht, & the questions unanswered after the 'Helen Books' were done. I'd like give my opinion that our Sherlock Holmes like character of A.X.P. is getting back to 'past form' & using his ultimate hero 'Afoot'. The eccentric detective with his unconventional methods, unique persona, & unlimited resources behind his obsessions to solve crimes.
I don't want to give away too much with this book but there are more than just one story arc & although I read some reviews from people lucky enough to get the book early there were a couple reviews that mentioned how Corrie stole the spotlight from him. I clearly do not think so! I can confidently say that before this book I liked her character as a supporting character but after reading this book I did not feel the same. She was the anti-establishment type personality in 'Still Life with Crows' & even in her other candid appearances in the books after, but I found her character growth showing her in a negative light. I'm not getting too specific but although she might have aged, her maturity level & lack of 'classy behavior' have not... & I don't mean she needed to be comparable to or as worldly achieved as a character like A.X.P. but I don't see how it would be possible for her to overshadow him in any book. This book reminded me of one of my favorite books which ironically is 'Still Life with Crows'. After that the 'Diogenes Trilogy' was also fantastic & the books that were released in between that time & leading to the 'Helen Trilogy', tended to range from satisfactory to slightly above average.
In this book there is even a reference to Conan Doyle & Sherlock Holmes himself & are worked into the story. Although I was able to guess what was to happen at the end about halfway thru, which is not something I could have done with past books, the story brought the 'old school' persona of A.X. Pendergast back to the front & I am looking forward to the next story P&C write regarding A.X.P. He is back to his old ways of putting self-entitled people back in place with a sharp tongue that's laced with honey & sarcasm, his enigmatic ways of breaking down a crime scene, along with his ability to banter & return salvo's with any antagonist. I really hope they don't make a spin-off with Corrie's character because as alluded to, they didn't "work together' the same way they did in Medicine Creek but both have arcs that cross at different points. Corrie is DEF. no 'Lt. D'Agosta' lol, but she's young & still has time to develop into a better supporting character that I felt P&C took away way too early with Smithback's demise.
I tried not to reveal much in this review because with certain mysteries or crime series I believe u need to read it all & figure out if u liked or disliked it without giving away too much of the plot, its not the same as reviewing other genre's. I focused more on the characters & they're current persona's in this book compared to the past & the overall plot undertones for the protagonist(s). Renee is always a great narrator for the Pendergast books & he doesn't disappoint here, I truly think that if anyone thought the A.X.P. books were straying a bit off the 'norm' in the past, P&C have brought it much closer to the 'roots' again. Its worth strapping on ur snowshoes & take a trip to Colorado.
17 of 24 people found this review helpful
Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?
Yes, very much so. There were several mysteries going on. I figured out who the arsonist must be early on, but otherwise the other revelations were a surprise. Corey Swanson was her usual stupid self, though.
What about Rene Auberjonois’s performance did you like?
This reader is wonderful. He does all the voices and does Pendergast's voice exactly as I imagined it.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I enjoy all of the Pendergast series and find the plot lines fascinating and unique. I will not spoil the ending just say I was going to write the authors until I listened to the small remaining part of the book. I also really enjoy the narrator who fully embodies my imagination of Pendergast. Bravo!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful