The Book of the Dead (novel)
 Hardcover edition | |
| Author |
Douglas Preston Lincoln Child |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Stanislaw Fernandes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Diogenes Trilogy, Aloysius Pendergast |
| Genre | Thriller |
| Publisher | Warner Books |
Publication date | July 1, 2007 |
| Media type | Print, e-book, audiobook |
| Pages | 640 pp. |
| ISBN | 0-446-61850-0 |
| OCLC | 144811105 |
| Preceded by | Dance of Death |
| Followed by | The Wheel of Darkness |
The Book of the Dead is a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child published on July 1, 2007 by Warner Books. This is the seventh book in the Special Agent Pendergast series.[1] Also, it is the third and final installment to the trilogy concentrating on Pendergast and his relationship with Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta in their pursuit to stop Pendergast's brother, Diogenes.[2]
Preston and Child call these books the Diogenes trilogy. The three books in the trilogy start with Brimstone in 2004 and continue with Dance of Death in 2005. This final book was released on May 30, 2006 and has been on the New York Times Best Seller list, reaching as high as #4 on the list.
Synopsis
Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast is the focus of this novel as his evil brother Diogenes puts several plans into effect. One plan involves targeting Aloysius's dearest friends...and casual acquaintances.
Concurrently, the New York Museum of Natural History has re-opened an old tomb, closed down decades ago. There are hints of the tomb being cursed, but most tombs do have a curse on them as a matter of course, as a protection against grave robbers. Not much is thought of the curse until a lighting technician is found savagely murdered. Later, a British Egyptologist goes mad and attacks a colleague; security is forced to shoot and kill him. When a replacement Egyptian specialist turns out to be the one woman Pendergast is in love with, everyone becomes suspicious of this coincidence. Their fears are not unfounded.
Connections to other works by Preston and Child
- Near the beginning of the book, Nora Kelly studies yellow micaceous Anasazi potsherds and begins to plan an expedition to find their source. This references Thunderhead.[3]
- Readers will find echoes of Relic and Dance of Death in the premise of another big museum exhibit gone wrong.[4]
Sequel
Though this novel ends the trilogy, Agent Pendergast and his ward, Constance Greene, appear next in the novel The Wheel of Darkness which picks up very shortly following the events depicted here.
References
- ↑ The Book of the Dead (Pendergast #7)
- ↑ The Book of the Dead, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
- ↑ Preston, Douglas; Lincoln Child (2007). "Ch. 6". The Book of the Dead. pp. 32–34. ISBN 0-446-61850-0.
- ↑ Book Review: Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child