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FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast has mourned the loss of his wife, Helen, ever since a rare red lion took her life. But when he finds out that she may have been murdered in a meticulous setup, he begins the hunt for those who betrayed her. It turns into an obsession that almost gets him killed in Preston and Child’s follow-up to 2010’s Fever Dream, Cold Vengeance.
The chase takes Pendergast from the moors of Scotland to the Louisiana bayou and several places in between. The one man who holds the most answers—Helen’s brother—remains elusive, but Pendergast means to get his questions answered before he kills his brother-in-law for the part he played in Helen’s death.
As each layer of the mystery peels away, Pendergast uncovers some startling clues that point to a conspiracy going back generations—a conspiracy that Helen may have played a big part in. He also learns that most everything surrounding Helen’s death is a horrific lie.
Cold Vengeance ups the freakish factor with a mystery that brushes against the paranormal. The plot’s dark and mysterious atmosphere comes alive on the moors and on the bayou, making your scalp crawl in unease. You’ll never quite be sure about what’s going on, but you’ll want desperately to find out as you eagerly turn pages.
As the story twists and turns, your brow will wrinkle in concentration as you try to fit all the pieces of this bizarre thriller together. You’ll often wonder if the authors have painted themselves into a corner with some aspects of the plot, but then they’ll surprise you with a plausible outcome.
Pendergast isn’t your average FBI agent; he’s always been a bit of a rogue who plays by his own rules. In Cold Vengeance, he seems to be losing his grip on reality, and you might find yourself questioning his obsession when it comes to Helen.
Cold Vengeance adds to the mystery of this series, throwing in some shocking revelations, bringing in a few more intriguing characters, and leaving unanswered questions that are guaranteed to make you want to read the next book in the Special Agent Pendergast series. Be forewarned, though, that Cold Vengeance ends in a true cliff-hanger. It might drive you as batty as it did me—because you’ll have to wait a while for the next book—but I’m positive that it’ll be worth the wait.
