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    Blue Labyrinth
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    Blue Labyrinth
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    Blue Labyrinth
    Audiobook14 hours

    Blue Labyrinth

    Written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

    Narrated by Rene Auberjonois

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Special Agent Pendergast-one of the most original, compelling characters in all of contemporary fiction-returns in Preston and Child's new exhilarating novel
    BLUE LABYRINTH
    A long-buried family secret has come back to haunt Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast.
    It begins with murder. One of Pendergast's most implacable, most feared enemies is found on his doorstep, dead. Pendergast has no idea who is responsible for the killing, or why the body was brought to his home. The mystery has all the hallmarks of the perfect crime, save for an enigmatic clue: a piece of turquoise lodged in the stomach of the deceased.
    The gem leads Pendergast to an abandoned mine on the shore of California's Salton Sea, which in turn propels him on a journey of discovery deep into his own family's sinister past. But Pendergast learns there is more at work than a ghastly episode of family history: he is being stalked by a subtle killer bent on vengeance over an ancient transgression. And he soon becomes caught in a wickedly clever plot, which leaves him stricken in mind and body, and propels him toward a reckoning beyond anything he could ever have imagined....
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette Audio
    Release dateNov 11, 2014
    ISBN9781478982852
    Unavailable
    Blue Labyrinth
    Author

    Douglas Preston

    Douglas Preston writes about archaeology for the New Yorker and National Geographic magazines, as well as novels and nonfiction works (such as The Lost City of the Monkey God). With Lincoln Child, he writes international #1 bestselling thrillers, including the Agent Pendergast adventures.

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    Reviews for Blue Labyrinth

    4/5

    334 ratings42 reviews

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    • 3/5
      It's always a happy day when a new Pendergast adventure is on my shelf.
    • 4/5
      Another great read in the Pendergast series. While some of these books aren't always a 5-star read, they're still incredibly enjoyable and I always find myself looking to grab the next one of the series at Barnes & Noble when it gets released each year. Hats off to Pendergast and all of his investigations.
    • 4/5
      Who is tracking A.X.L. Pendergast, and why? Beginning with a bolt from the blue on the doorstep to the final revelation of a wrong from the deep past, Preston and Child have produced a rippin' good page-turner.I enjoyed this book very much, enough so I read it in one sitting. Will recommend to my mystery-living friends. As mine is a proof copy and uncorrected, some unclear sentences and such things as Hottentots in South America weren't a real distraction.
    • 2/5
      I used to love reading a Preston/Child thriller. This book focuses on Pendergast and his relationships, and it's not enough to sustain my interest. These were gothic shockers and now they're kitchen sink dramas. Boring, and the last of the series I'll read. Too bad, I miss the thrill of the old books.
    • 4/5
      Pendergast's son's body is dumped on his doorstep; there is a murder at the museum. The two seem unrelated, but are they. While formulaic, this was enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      Six-word review: Pendergast finally comes back to life.Extended review:The last few Pendergast books have seemed borderline insipid to me, despite some feverish action and weird over-the-top drama with the Helen story and the twins. It was as if--not uncommonly for series writers--Preston and Child were running out of steam with their protagonist, and maybe even turning to NaNoWriMo plot ninjas for their story twists. In fact, for a while I suspected them of willing him to die.With this one, they seem to have resurrected the Pendergast of old, albeit channeling the spirit of Sherlock Holmes in a way that he never did until recently.What's markedly different, however, is the project team. There's a fierce and very tight circle of partisan collaborators who are willing to dare anything and risk everything to save him when he is beyond the possibility of saving himself. These are characters we've seen in previous episodes, but bonded and coordinated now in ways they haven't been before. Even though I've happily admired Pendergast's prowess as the cat that walks by himself, I'm glad to see the extent of loyal collaboration on his behalf, which tells us more about his character than any amount of authorial description.In this wide-ranging tale of witting and unwitting evil, madness, desperation, and revenge, Pendergast faces demons spawned by his personal and family history. Not without the almost obligatory underground chase (back in the museum once again), it also ranges from New York to California to Brazil to Switzerland and offers realistic-sounding glimpses of unknown landscapes. As is often the case, I find myself wondering if the authors have invented such places as the crimehold in Rio and the abandoned desert hotel, or based them on research, or visited them themselves. The descriptions always sound vividly authentic, a quality I value. I even appreciate the totally bizarre touches such as the room full of whale eyeballs, which is far too outlandish to be anything but real.This fourteenth installment also seems to have been blessed by tighter editing. There are relatively few conspicuous lapses aside from a heavy, and often not quite apt, use of -ing participles ("Moving quickly now down the hallway, she descended the steps..." [page 311]), which express simultaneity but here are used way too often to speed up depiction of consecutive actions. Nevertheless, I saw very little use of a wrong word, and "dogleg" occurred only once, and if anyone sported anything, it escaped my notice. Instead the story moved right along, held my attention, and proved a highly satisfactory page-turner just when I needed one.What puzzles me, in the end, aside from a few loose ends (how did the turquoise actually come to rest where it was found?), is the title. Series books often have titles that seem only to label the volume and not to describe the contents, typically with some sort of overall consistency or recognizable pattern that distinguishes the series; but usually one can find some sort of connection to the novel, however tenuous (Cemetery Dance, White Fire). But here, even though a labyrinth would be entirely in keeping with the plot elements of many Pendergast novels (and the idea is enforced by the incorporation of a maze device at every chapter head), there is no labyrinth in this book, much less a blue one. The title seems arbitrary, a grabber, possibly even one forced on the book by a marketing team with little regard to fitness. (Were they drawing one from column A and one from column B?) I notice that the preceding book uses "white" in the title and the following "crimson," as if we were now going to borrow the palette of John D. MacDonald's color-titled Travis McGee series.If we now have a Crayola box of Pendergast stories to come, that sounds fine to me. I'm still following.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the book, but it was not by any means my favourite Pendergast book.
    • 4/5
      Not the best Pendergast novel - and I read them all. It's ok. Sometimes slow. Sometimes predictable. As always, some very interesting information, some very creative stuff masked as 'real'.
    • 4/5
      Having read and enjoyed all of the Preston/Child novels in the Pendergast series, I am always excited to read the next one. This one, as usual, did not disappoint. It is filled with thrills, mystery and suspense and is a genius work of fiction. I especially liked this one as it revolves heavily around Constance Greene, who has always been a very mysterious and interesting character to me. I highly recommend this book, as well as the entire Pendergast series, to those fans of suspence. It will be one you won't want to end. I was provided an advance digital copy of this book by NetGalley.
    • 5/5
      Always a fan of the Pendergast series. Here we follow Pendergast on a personnal quest, when he tries to find the murderer of his son Alban. After going to a seemingly random place, Agent Pendergast his poison with a compound that was developped by one of his ancestor. With the help of his ward, Constance, Lt d'Agosta and Dr Margot Green, they race against the clock to find a cure, and confront the person who seems to be a very dangerous opponent.
    • 4/5
      Blue Labyrinth is an interesting and exciting ride, but I found it a bit of a departure from what I've come to expect from the Pendergast series. A familiar character returns for this one, which was nice. In general, normally secondary characters take centerstage for this story, so if you're looking for a story centered on the Agent, this would not be your first choice. SPOILERS AHEAD!Pendergast starts out in true form -- picking up on obscure clues and disappearing on the hunt, but not explaining his actions to anyone. The book begins in a Sherlockian fashion, opening with the dead body of Alban, and Pendergast pursued the clues with more determination than ever. But in a novel twist, Pendergast is hit with the poison that killed Alban, becoming the next victim of his son's killer. From here, we saw a different Pendergast. At one point, I thought we were glimpsing a sign of human frailty in him, which was unusual enough, when the day after a physical fight in which he was equally matched, he was stiff and sore. But we soon found that he'd been poisoned. The symptoms continued to produce behavior out of the ordinary for Agent Pendergast, such as the sudden listlessness when he saw the picture of his attacker as the suspect in the Museum murder. He soon became more erratic and unhinged. During his whole trip to Brazil, he was weak, frail. The fact that he was looking for his son added another dimension of vulnerability. It was tough watching Pendergast in such a state. Towards the end, he'd given up on surviving. On one hand, it was logical, as no one had survived before. On the other hand, he's never been one to give up. But the elixir was working on his mind, and he wasn't as sharp as he might have been.What was more unusual -- and more disturbing -- was that he was in need of help in this story. In fact, he needed saving in the end. This is a different turn than any previous book. His relationship to Constance was different as well. He was more open with her, more honest, revealing. And yes, there was the kiss, but Constance seemed to place more importance on the fact that he called her his oracle. Which he then threw back in her face in a way only Pendergast could pull off -- and live, apparently. Constance showed her claws in this one -- and they are sharp.I'm disappointed the authors decided to get rid of Alban so quickly. I'm sure they had good reasons, but he seemed to have potential to be a formidable and worthy adversary for Pendergast. Now, we'll never know.Overall a fun ride, full a suspense, mystery, and tension. Just not what I was expecting.
    • 3/5
      It was nice to revisit the cast of Relic, but this wasn't the best in the series. With Pendergast out of commission for much of the book, the other characters really don't carry it on their own. A fun book for fans, but certainly not the one to start with.
    • 4/5
      The latest Pendergast story begins with the body of his deranged genius/killer son Alban being left on the doorstep of Pendergast's mansion. A turquoise lodged within the body leads him to an abandoned mine where an elaborate trap leaves him exposed to a deadly poison created by one of his ancestors, leaving him stricken and doomed to a slow painful death. With the help of a few friends of previous adventures, Pendergast is led to a final conflict with the person behind this elaborate revenge plot, in which we see how truly formidable his ward Constance Greene can be. There are a number of plot twists to this book I didn't see coming, and a couple I did. But there are hints here that make me wonder just how dead Pendergast's brother Diogenes and son Alban really are.
    • 4/5
      A really good Pendergast mystery. Made me really wonder about the back story of the character Constance.
    • 4/5
      I'm sure I won't be the only one who compliments this book on the intricacies of the plot and cleverness of the characters. Special Agent Pendergrast is one of the most original characters in mystery today. In this story, his estranged son Auban has been murdered and his body left on Pendergrast's door. When police officials arrive, it is clear that Pendergrast wants to look into this investigation himself. The story is in two parts, one being a death at the Museum of Natural History in New York. In an autopsy, a blue stone is found and Pendergrast follows leads that show it came from a disused mine in Colorado.Something happens as he finds an old mine and begins exploring it, even though he knows it's a trap.Pendergrast and another man are gassed and Pendergrast barely survives but is weakened by the gas he was exposed to. Cleverly, the story moves to South America and the trail of Auban Pendergrast. Even though Auban had done some terrible things, there is a secret that Pendergrast learns. Not only does the reader have a plot that Alfred Hitchcock would dream of putting to film but the dialogue is wonderful. Characters are rich and well described. The sarcastic manner that some of the officious characters have and the manner in which Pendergrast takes them down a step or two are just as amusing as the story. The reader has to read this slowly to appreciate everything that is going on, it's like a fine meal that shouldn't be hurried. I wish that Alan Pendergrast could have been my high school English teacher. I would have loved the manner in which he might have discussed the classics. Pendergrast and Constance Green appear in the concluding scenes at the New York Museum of Natural History and I could only imagine how much fun it would be to see this action live. I listened to the story with Audible and found it a delight to savor.
    • 4/5
      I am waiting for a title with the color "red" in it from Preston & Child. After White Fire, the pair have produced Blue Labyrinth, the latest adventure for FBI agent Aloysius X. L. Pendergast.In the current offering Pendergast is the victim of revenge from someone whose family suffered from a toxic elixir sold by Pendergast's great-grand father (or uncle, or some such), who developed and marketed potions as a means of revitalizing the Pendergast family fortune. As luck would have it, the potion in question was not only toxic, but also caused genetic alterations that left its effects dormant in later generations, only to materialize at some random point. The adventure involves several of Pendergast's allies, especially Constance Greene - Pendergast's ward - who gets to play a fairly substantial role in the story for once. And what Pendergast book could be considered complete without an appearance by Vincent d'Agosto, A.X.L.'s perhaps best friend?The story drags a bit in places, but the last third of the book moves relatively quickly. As usual, there is plenty of action, and some interesting revelations about the Pendergast family. Overall, perhaps a typical Pendergast adventure, but not quite as good as some of the earliest stories.
    • 4/5
      Pendergrass is an FBI agent, who has many complaints against him, but far more successes. He has a very strange and complicated family history. He is, on my opinion, one of the most interesting and original characters in this genre.I was glad to see him once again dealing with a case that again takes him back to his own family and glad to see Constance playing a significant role. Although anything in this series is more interesting than most, I have to admit I am glad the whole Helen trilogy of books, is done with. All the old regulars are back in form and all working to save the life of one very ill Prendergast. A very interesting, never dull series with plenty of action, mental and physical. Hope this series never ends.ARC from publisher.
    • 4/5
      I love all the Pendergast books. Great characters and you can suspend reality while reading them. Although I know Pendergast is always going to get through the difficulties, I always find myself rushing through pages to make sure he actually survives his latest adventure.
    • 4/5
      Another excellent book in the Agent Pendergast series - actually one of the best. I really enjoyed the authors getting Constance more involved in the story - she is a fascinating character. As always - fast paced and fanciful - full of curiosities and mysteries.
    • 5/5
      Blue Labyrinth by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is the very highly recommended 14th book to feature Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast. Fans of the series are going to love this latest adventure that brings Pendergast back as a main character and this time he actually shows a fallible, mortal side.

      Blue Labyrinth opens with the body of Pendergast's estranged son, Alban, left dead on the doorstep of his Manhattan mansion. As detached as Pendergast acts, he closely follows the investigation and jumps into action when the autopsy reveals a gemstone, a rare type of turquoise, in Alban's stomach. Pendergast traces the gemstone to the mine of origin and looks for clues and traps while trying to decipher Alban's movements to find his murderer.

      In the meantime Lt. Vincent D'Agosta has been called in to investigate a murder at the New York Museum of Natural history. Fans of the series will be thrilled to see Margot back and those new to the series will appreciate her just as much in this outing. Constance Greene is also back and plays an intricate part in this novel. We also learn more about the Pendergast family history - this time a black sheep of sorts whose actions are affecting current events.

      Blue Labyrinth is an utterly engrossing thriller that held my rapt attention to the end. Admittedly it is not my absolute favorite of the Pendergast books, but that would be based on all 14 books. Alone, this latest Preston and Child novel is thoroughly enjoyable and a wonderful addition to the series. Usually Pendergast is always a step ahead of everyone; this time he may have actually met a foe who can actually challenge even his mental acuity.

      A nail-biting-stay-up-all-night at the airport book, Blue Labyrinth is definitely a must read for fans but those unfamiliar with the series should get enough background information with the story to appreciate it just as much. I've said it more than once and Blue Labyrinth confirms it: it is seemingly impossible for Preston and Child (or Preston OR Child) to write a novel I won't enjoy.

      Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Grand Central Publishing for review purposes.
    • 3/5
      Some of the plot points require some serious suspension of disbelief, and the end devolves into an 'action' story, but if you liked the others in this series, you'll like this one.
    • 4/5
      As always great Pendergast mystery. Love Preston & Child!
    • 4/5
      In which our hero finds his humility. Of course, teaching Aloysius Pendergast a lesson is no small task. To get his attention, his sociopathic son Alban is delivered on his door step, quite dead. Who could best this rival of Pendergast himself? The clues lead to an abandon resort town in New Mexico, where he smells lilies...Pendergast is plagued by the doings of long-dead ancestors more than any other character in literature. It seems one of these ancestors who also happens to take credit for the large fortune Pendergast enjoys was something of a snake oil salesman. Except the snake oil worked for a time...then it killed the user. Oops. A cure came too late to save his own wife, and besides, one of the ingredients was a plant now extinct.Pendergast is actually incapacitated through a large portion of the end game in this book, his ward, Constanza, taking the lead role. Which is fine, she is every bit as competent as Pendergast himself when it comes to MacGuyvering her way out of a tough situation. She certainly knows how to rack up a body count. In the end, Pendergast takes responsibility for his ancestor's crimes and does what he feels is the right thing, something he didn't do when he vanquished another ancient ancestor earlier in the series. When called on it, he said he'd rather live with the guilt than live as a pauper. At least he's not disingenuous.
    • 4/5
      My first PendergastInteresting in audioAlthough it is book 14, I was able to successfully catch up on several fronts.
    • 4/5
      Agent Pendergast suffers from a mysterious illness.
    • 5/5
      Blue LabyrinthDouglas Preston & Lincoln ChildGrand Central Publishing; 2014Best selling authors Preston & Child have done it again! "Blue Labyrinth" is a grab ahold of you kind of mystery!Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast is an odd sort of duck - to put it mildly! But he always gets his man. However, when a dead man is delivered to his own front door, Agent Pendergast is stunned to learn that the dead man is an old enemy. Now that has Pendergast's attention!As he follows the clues, Pendergast will learn of a long hidden family dirty secret and that the deadly threat involves more of his family than just him. His own sons' lives may be at risk. "Blue Labyrinth" is a book you won't be able to set down for later!I received this book for free to review. I am a member of GoodReads, LibraryThing, NetGalley and maintain a book blog at dbettenson.wordpress.com.
    • 4/5
      One of the better -- features Constance. Mysterious.
    • 1/5
      A very disappointing book. For me, the series seems to be running out of steam, if not on empty. I never finished the book as I found it uninteresting.
    • 5/5
      As a big fan of Preston and Child's Pendergast books (this is #14 in the series), I was really exciting to finally get around to reading "Blue Labyrinth". I was not disappointed. The book starts fast with a body dropped off at the Dakota residence of FBI agent A.X.L. Pendergast. Not just another body, by the way, but rather that of his evil son, Alban. A car screeches away from the apartment and a great thriller begins. Pendergast is stunned, not so much because of the death of his son, but rather because someone was able to best his formidable offspring. Clues are left soon drawing Pendergast and his ward, Constance Greene into a search for the killer or killers. The plot soon parallels a murder investigation led by Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta with assistance from another name from the past, Margo Green. As D'Agosta attempts to find the killer of a National Museum of History employee, his case starts to intertwine with Pendergast's. Constance and Margo become main players in the book as the add their expertise to the story.The Pendergast that fans of the character took to in the earlier Preston and Child novels is certainly back in "Blue Labyrinth". He is irascible, arrogant, brilliant, and even fallible in parts. The plot is carefully crafted with numerous shocks and twists throughout. Most readers will find themselves saying, "I didn't see that coming" more than once.Totally enjoyable and immensely intense, fans of the series will want to rush out and get a copy of "Blue Labyrinth" as soon as they can.
    • 4/5
      After some weak spots in the Helen trilogy, Preston and Child have shown they're still going strong with another solidly enjoyable stand-alone Pendergast tale. Just like 2013's White Fire, Blue Labyrinth brings back one of Pendergast's side-kicks (this time Margo Green, with some nice references to her earlier appearances and their effects on her) and spins a puzzling and interesting mystery.