The Book of the Dead

The Book of the Dead
Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Warner Press
ISBN: 0446576980
Fiction, Paranormal Mystery
Reviewed by Katherine Maria Scott

“To any who cross this threshold, may Ammut [the Swallower of the Dammed] swallow his heart.” There etched in the tomb of the formal Egyptian regent Senef was the curse of the baboon-headed god-monster, ignored by the ill-fated staff of the prestigious New York Museum of Natural History. Motivated by their sheer logical intellect and the need to detract attention away from an embarrassing jewel theft that threatened to keep patrons from the museum and thus harm the museum’s revenue, neither chilling Egyptology legends nor The Book of the Dead would convince them to heed the warning. Even the tomb’s deadly and mysterious past made no impressions… until the rumored curse of the past began again.
Meanwhile, one of the FBI’s Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast has been locked up at the high security Herkmoor Federal Correctional Facility in Herkmoor, New York, a Federal prison proud to boast a perfect record on no successful escapes, for a murder he claims not have committed. He was framed! Unfortunately, the supposed culprit was his deranged younger brother, his presumed dead brother.

And if that wasn’t enough of a bother, Diogenes Pendergast, the brilliant, but demented master criminal and younger brother schemed to complete his life’s work, the perfect crime, his master piece. Past crimes, analysis, and plans couldn’t determine what that was, but good old speculation and a gut feeling convinced the lead the detective, Captain of Homicide Laura Hayward that Diogenes final project was somehow related to the museum.

With all its intertwining subplots and supporting characters The Book of Dead’s, Constance Greene proves to be an unusual and intriguing allure to the reader, unpredictable at time. Yet, as the plot advances, the reader gains a respect and desire to learn more about this particular character.

The Book of the Dead is a superbly written novel with intriguing plot twists to keep the reader engaged and eager to embark on a journey to survive an ancient curse. I could not put down this book! Preston and Child expertly intertwine the secondary plots and weave then into the major plot involving the opening of Senef’s tomb. Throughout the book the suspense is kept at peak and the clues stack up as the reader tries to fit the puzzle together along with the cast of characters.

This was an excellent read and although this is the third book in what has become known as the Pendergast Trilogy, it’s a stand alone book. However, I strongly encourage readers to read the first two books, Brimstone and Dance of Death, which are available as trade books or audio books. Personally, I also plan to read more about the character Constance Green in The Cabinet of Curiosities and look forward to other novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. These two writers have officially been added to my list of favorite authors!