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The Forgotten Room: A Novel
Unavailable
The Forgotten Room: A Novel
Unavailable
The Forgotten Room: A Novel
Audiobook9 hours

The Forgotten Room: A Novel

Written by Lincoln Child

Narrated by Johnathan McClain

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

A LONG-LOST EXPERIMENT OF UNGUESSABLE INTENT
 
A SECRET ROOM, INGENIOUSLY HIDDEN INSIDE A VAST SEACOAST MANSION
 
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR LINCOLN CHILD AT HIS RIVETING BEST

Professor Jeremy Logan (the quirky and charismatic "enigmalogist" who specializes in solving problems of the strange or seemingly supernatural variety) receives an urgent summons from the director of Lux, one of the oldest and most respected think tanks in America. An unexplainable tragedy has taken place in the sprawling compound located on the coastline of Newport, Rhode Island. One of Lux's most distinguished doctors, overcome by erratic behavior, violently attacked his assistant before meeting with a gruesome self-inflicted end. Deeply shaken by the incident and the bizarre evidence left behind from the doctor's final project-as well as recent troubling behavior among several of the think tank's other scientists-Lux fears there is something more sinister occurring within its walls and looks to Jeremy Logan to investigate.
     Logan quickly makes a surprising discovery. In a long-dormant wing of the estate, he uncovers an ingeniously hidden secret room, unknown and untouched for decades. The room is essentially a time capsule, filled with eerie machinery and obscure references to a top-secret experiment known as "Project S." As Logan attempts to unravel its meaning, he begins to discern what transpired in that room-and why the frightening project was suddenly abandoned and sealed off many years before. As his work draws him ever deeper into harm's way, Logan soon unleashes a series of catastrophic events upon the rest of Lux . . . and himself.
     One of Lincoln Child's most thrilling novels to date, The Forgotten Room is replete with exhilarating action, veiled history, and mesmerizing science-making for a truly intelligent page-turner.


From the Hardcover edition.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 12, 2015
ISBN9780804192262
Unavailable
The Forgotten Room: A Novel
Author

Lincoln Child

Lincoln Child is a Florida resident and former book editor who has published seven novels of his own, including such bestsellers as Full Wolf Moon and Deep Storm. With Douglas Preston, he writes international #1 bestselling thrillers, including the Agent Pendergast adventures. Readers can sign up for The Pendergast File, a 'strangely entertaining' newsletter from the authors, at their website, PrestonChild.com. Visit www.facebook.com/PrestonandChild

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Reviews for The Forgotten Room

Rating: 3.6462263726415096 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

212 ratings32 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Forgotten Room is a well written thriller novel with a beginning, middle and end. The characters are all believable as well as the setting. There are blood and guts and it does get gory at times. In my opinion it goes a little too long but I suspect Lincoln Child did this in order to create more suspense. I give this book a solid rating of four stars.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a entertaining story. It begins as a ghost story, with Jeremy Logan hired to investigate the strange happenings at Lux, a think tank. People are not acting like themselves, and one has been driven to suicide. What is causing these strange symptoms? Is it something supernatural, or is their a scientific explanation?

    I like the investigation. The scientific facts are presented in a way that was easy to understand. The bad guy wasn't readily apparent, but was believable. A good book. I look forward to #5 in the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Between the strange abandoned mystery lab from the 1930s to the unexplained schizophrenic like behavior that suddenly took hold of seemingly sane people there was something about this book that just really captured my attention. Whilst I was aware it was the 4th in the series before I started, I didn't feel like I was reading half a book, there's a little scene in the beginning that does a good job of painting Dr Jeremy Logan as a enigmatologist with a strong moral compass. As the story unfolds a baffling and violent self inflicted death takes place at a prestigious think tank, the director of such summons Dr Logan to investigate what happened, during the course of which seemingly paranormal events begin to be uncovered as well as a strange scientific laboratory which seems long abandoned that none of the current staff seem to even be aware of.I can't fault the writing or plot developments and found it to be an enthralling read which was hard to put down - to the point I finished it in less than a day. As a result, I think I shall be going back and digging up the other Jeremy Logan books as I enjoyed this one so much.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I've enjoyed most of the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child books, most of Preston's solo efforts, and, unfortunately, few of Child's. Child clearly is the weaker of the two writers."The Forgotten Room" is forgettable. The protagonist, Jeremy Logan, is flat and sure makes some dumb-ass decisions.Logan studies the supernatural and is an "empath"—someone who can channel others' feelings, fears, etc. So we're already on shaky ground. Here, he's invited to a Biltmore-like mansion where a Fellow in a think tank, called Lux, killed himself. Logan, a former Fellow himself, is invited to investigate.Logan discovers a room in the west end of the mansion where the Fellow had worked that appears to have been abandoned. But in it was a strange device. What follows is just a run-of-the-mill "who done it" with little in the way of surprises or interesting twists. In fact, one of the character's names gives it away.Just because the Pendergast series by Preston/Child is good doesn't mean Child's solo work is.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The story was fun. It isn't great literature, but an entertaining quick read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this book. This was my first time reading this author. I liked how he provided a plausible explanation for induced psychosis, well done.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fun, quick mystery read. Good characters and plot. Won't win any awards but entertaining none the less.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Not my favorite Lincoln Child book for a long shot. Jeremy Logan is character from previous Child books, a self-styled "Enigmologist" who is hired to investigate the unusual death of William Strachey, a scientist at a research laboratory called Lux. Strachey was working on the restoration of the west wing of the facility, when suddenly his bTehavior started becoming strange. His suicide (by decapitation) was thought by all to be out of character for this well-liked scientist.The plot is slow to develop, and it seemed to me that Logan repeated his own history several times in the story. He enlists the help of others -- one dies in a fire, another is nearly killed in an accident. None are ruled suspicious, but Logan is certain he's on a track to finding out something that will break the case wide open. He discovers missing records in the more than 100 year old archive, and then pieces together the existence of an entire missing room. Now the fun begins, but the novel is already 3/4 complete.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I wasn't quite expecting this book. Thought more of a horror type genre so surprised when it kept me on my toes reading.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lincoln Child's solo novels (when he's not writing with long-time partner Douglas Preston) are consistently good - good, but not great. "The Forgotten Room" has an interesting premise: Professor Jeremy Logan is called by an old former colleague to return to a think tank called Lux to investigate a mysterious death. In his investigation, Logan stumbles upon part of Lux's secret history. Is this secret sinister or not, and does it have anything to do with the mysterious death?I found the plot to be a little slow for Lincoln Child. Usually Child's books roar along at a brisk pace. This one took a while getting into the meat of the story, and although I was curious as I progressed through the book, I wasn't riveted like I wanted to be. The big reveal was - again - interesting, but not in a blow-me-away-what-the-heck-I-am-floored kind of way.All in all, the book was entertaining but not Child's best. If I could give 1/2 stars, I would give this book a 3 1/2, but I'm giving it a 4 because it's definitely better than just a 3.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Not up to par on this one.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Sinister setting and tone throughout; technological and architectural detail; unique male protagonist with special skills and insight; powerful women characters, both good and bad. Too much description and not enough character development. Moderately fast pace, increasing toward the end. Larger-than-life; high stakes adventure.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    fast paced with a creepy hook, perfect summer reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I greatly enjoyed the story plotline which is original and intriguing. Lack of blasphemy and gutter language is refreshing. I did find the reader difficult to follow at first as he read too fast and tended to drop his voice at the end of a sentence which made his articulation unclear. however this improved and he read with great feeling and excitement as the climax approached. super book!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It started a bit slowly, but it was ultimately pretty engaging and enjoyable. It’s a fun read for a nice, slow day.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    In all my previous reviews of Lincoln Child's books, and in particular the Jeremy Logan series, I have frequently mentioned that I really enjoy the pacing of his books. I have always loved reading action adventures, but in the past few months, I have become a bit fatigued with over-the-top action books. Then I discovered Lincoln Child's books and it simply hit the sweet spot for me in terms of pacing. His books normally have compelling story-lines whilst the action is believable and even entertaining.

    With the fourth installment of this series, I was not convinced. The story-line wasn't convincing enough for me to believe some of the characters' actions. The plot was a bit thin and the story during the middle half of the book was also moving slower than I liked. I believe the book would have been better if it was 30 pages or so shorter.

    If this was the first book I have read by the author, I probably would have given it 4 stars as it isn't bad at all. However, after becoming used to the lofty standards Lincoln Child sets, I was expecting a bit more and felt a little disappointed after completing the book.

    Stating the above, will I move on to the fifth installment of the series? Yes, of course! Lincoln Child is a great author and I am concerned that I may just miss out on a good story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved it! Fast paced with a great mix of action & suspense and an intriguing plot. Well developed characters lead the reader into the depths of the mystery.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not too bad. Wasn't Pendergast but I'll take it!!!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The idea that sound vibrations could cure or cause mental unbalance was an interesting one. I will definitely read another Jeremy Logan book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As entertaining as Child's other novels. No standout elements, but science, technology, a science experiment from the 30s, uncovered in present day America. A decidedly steampunky machine. And the possibility that the experiment was mothballed when they realized their machine to contact the "other side" was bringing malevolent forces into our world.

    Twists, turns, murders, secrets, a hurricane, trapped isolation with a group of dedicated killers after the hero... it's all there.

    Fun. Exciting. Interesting.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A scary mansion housing a scientific think tank. Is it driving people insane or is it something even more sinister?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well paced and surprisingly fun. I have read several books in this series and some are better than others. It's strange that this series is set up as a man who travels the world trying to find the truth behind paranormal events, only to find that sometimes the truth of a paranormal event is that it's paranormal.This book does a great job with introducing the hero, the other characters and the... scope(?) of the work that was being done. The mystery is established very quickly and the description was enough to be very chilling.I've read a number of thrillers and the thing that they don't do very well is establish a romantic subplot. This is usually because as a part of a series it's difficult to introduce a new character as a love interest in a way that won't bother fans. That being said I think the romantic subplot of this is very well done and made me actually care about the relationship between the couple.Overall I think this was a very enjoyable entry into a series where some of the other books are a little forgettable. I liked the mystery, I liked the solution and I thought the red herring was an understandable choice.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Forgotten Room was an enjoyable audiobook but didn't keep me driving around the block. A thriller with some science fiction blended in, this was definitely interesting, just not the usual breakneck speed of the Pendergast series written with Douglas Preston.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book was an enjoyable read with a unique subject matter. I must admit, however, that I got a little lost in all the technology and science. But I still feel that the story was redeemed because of all the great mystery and suspense. I am a huge fan of the Preston/Child Agent Pendergrast novels and I certainly see similarities in writing style. I think this book would appeal to fans of science fiction, as well as thriller and suspense. I was provided a free advanced copy of this book by Netgalley.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a great stand-alone book. I loved the suspense, intrigue and characters. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Throughout the whole story. I hope there will be more like this.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Surprisingly unoriginal. It's just like many other books. It is true about plot, about characters, practically about everything. I wanted to give even lower rating but the book does have a few interesting references.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Child writes very good book - this was not one of his best but still very enjoyable. A very fast read with pretty good pacing.The premise of a decades old "mind control/destroyer" research being resurrected, including experimentation on humans, did not seem impossible to imagine. I like this primary character and his work on the "fringes" - and I look forward to the next novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When Jeremy Logan arrives at Lux in Newport, Rhode Island, it lead me to imagine an elite think tank based in New Haven with Yale professors and graduates. The mansion that Lux occupied could easily be one of the old mansions on an Ivy League campus. Certainly, the politics and backbiting and the perks of Lux were also reminiscent of highly productive professors.While the "enigmatologist" does sound a little wacky, Lincoln Child presents both the field and the expert in such a logical way that it's easy to suspend disbelief and follow Jeremy Logan's investigations of the mysterious deaths. I was fascinated by the architecture of this mansion and the idea behind The Forgotten Room. The concept and execution were wonderfully done - such a fun, absorbing read!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    **SPOILER ALERT**

    This is a mystery, so if you plan to read the book, don't read this review. Really, because although I won't give away 'who done it', there's no way I can comment on the book without revealing a few things.

    **SECOND WARNING**SPOILERS AHEAD**

    Okay, you've been warned.

    The Forgotten Room is a contemporary fantasy-paranormal mystery-science fiction story. A scientist at a respected think tank kills himself in a particularly imaginative and gruesome fashion, and a paranormal investigator (with empathetic psychic powers) is called in to find out why.

    Huh?

    Yeah, that's the premise. Why the paranormal investigator? (Although he has a different word for it that he made up.) Calling him in wasn't a unanimous decision on the part of the think tank's board of directors. It was approved by majority vote, but there is no real explanation for why it was even considered. The victim apparently lost his mind, but it seems no one seriously considered that his uncharacteristic behavior might be caused by, for instance, a brain tumor, exposure to some chemical or drug, a rare disease, some repressed traumatic event.... Nope, they call a ghost buster. It made no sense. Not for this kind of setting and and these characters. I kept reading looking for some kind of explanation and never saw one. There were other victims, people who saw or heard things that weren't there, but none were as extreme. That might lead one to suspect leaking gas or some kind or virus or bacteria in the duct work, maybe radiation, but a group of serious academics isn't going to jump to the conclusion that evil supernatural forces are at work and call in a pop-science ghost chaser.

    Another thing I found confusing was the first chapter. It's more of a prologue, really. The
    enigmalogist (the made up name, see above) has just completed an unrelated investigation and has made an amazing discovery, but he falsifies his report in exchange for a pay off and claims to have found nothing. Okay, I thought. The point of the chapter is to let us know that this character is corrupt and lacks scientific ethics. Except that throughout the rest of the book, this never becomes apparent. Maybe the point of the first chapter is just to let us know that he has a history of falsifying his findings for personal reasons, rather like the Venkman character in Ghostbusters. He's a very poor scientist. But he's not the fun, quirky, overtly self-centered jerk Venkman is. He's not nearly as interesting...and no fun at all.

    I'm not really sure what to make of this book. The writing isn't bad. It's reads like a typical detective novel, which can be quite enjoyable. It's just that the situation and the characters' behavior make little sense. If this were a fun romp, like Ghostbusters, which it sort of reminds me of in some ways, that would be all right. But it's not. It's not nearly as witty or as charming.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child is a highly recommended thriller.
    Yale professor Jeremy Logan is an enigmalogist or an investigator who specializes in analyzing phenomena that have no obvious explanation. He has been asked by Gregory Olafson, the director, to come to the Lux to discreetly investigate what could have led to the erratic behavior and horrific suicide by one of their distinguished doctors, Willard Strachey. The Lux is a think tank located in Dark Gables, a seaside mansion in Newport, R.I. Ten years earlier Jeremy was asked to leave the Lux based on questions about his research.

    Once he arrives, Jeremy discovers that the doctor wasn't the only one behaving erratically. He thinks that Strachey's behavior may be related to his oversight of the renovation of an unused wing of the mansion. While investigating, Jeremy discovers a secret room in that wing. The secret room contains equipment from a project that doesn't seem to have any documentation on it. It seems to be from something that may have been called Project Sin that was conducted in the 1930's.

    Jeremy has keen insight into people and as he interviews the residents you will wonder if the cause of the problem is related to the paranormal or if it can be explained by science. It is clear that whatever has caused the problem is still ongoing and Jeremy may be in danger himself if he can't figure it out soon.

    The writing is excellent, as usual, and Child will grab your attention and hold it to the end. The chapters are short and quick, which made this an excellent book to read in quick bursts here and there as time permitted during the day. I found myself reading it pretty quickly as the mystery and plot were compelling and Jeremy is a likeable character.

    Jeremy also appeared in The Third Gate and Deep Storm, but this is a stand-alone novel that can be enjoyed without reading about any of his previous investigations.

    Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Knopf Doubleday for review purposes.