Review: Brimstone

I must confess. There were three Pendergast novels, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child that I hadn't read, Brimstone being one of them.

Brimstone is the first novel in the Diogenes Trilogy. Though he's only mentioned and never seen, you get an idea as to how dangerous this character, who's the younger bother of Aloysius Pendergast, is going to be. With regards to the events in the book, is there any way that he can be more psycotic than a crazed, demon-impersonating Count? I'm not sure, but that, I will soon find out.

D'Agosta is now a Sergeant with the Southampton Police Force, and he hates it. While investigating the mysterious death of a most ignorant art critic, Special Agent Pendergast makes his trademark, pain-in-the-arse entrance. Together, they discover what demons really exist, along with the whereabouts of Stradivari's most famous violin, the Stormcloud. What could a musical instrument possibly have to do with demonic deaths or spontaneous human combustion? If you desire those answers, you'll have to read the book yourself.

As well, Captain Laura Hayward's grit and determination is put to the test when a former criminal-turned-reverend leads a group of fanatics outside the home of another grisly death. And don't forget about Bryce Harriman of the New York Post who wants so desperately to get back to the Times, not just because it has the better reputation, but to try to make the life of reporter Bill Smithback miserable.

Brimstone, just like every other Pendergast novel, leaves me cheering whenever the title character pisses someone off. I have the same feeling whenever D'Agosta decides to be both subtle and charming. The pace was good, the suspense was fantastic, and D'Agosta finally gets the chance to travel back to his family's homeland, and discover his roots in Italy.

As for Pendergast's fate, which was looking grim at one point, only in the next book Dance of Death, will I discover how he fared.



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