Blue Labyrinth

Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

I have been a fan of this series from the very beginning, when Agent Pendergast was a minor character.  I, along with most other readers, always want to know more about Pendergast's life, how he thinks and what motivates him.  This information comes in drips and dribbles, pieced together from all the books written so far.  Blue Labyrinth adds more color to the Pendergast picture, but still leaves quite a bit of gray.  

Preston and Child have never been afraid of killing off characters, or at the very least landing them in the ICU.  Poor Proctor better have a good health insurance plan!  It was interesting to have Pendergast out of commission for much of the story, having to rely on others for help.  It took a team of allies to try and get in front of the man who out-witted the usually indefatigable special agent.  I was glad to see Constance and Margo join in the action and be able to hold their own.  

I miss the stand alone stories, where Agent Pendergast solves mysteries and meets new and, often, strange characters.  The last few books have certainly answered many questions about the Pendergast family history and Agent Pendergast's own back story, but I am hoping for a moody, creepy protagonist that doesn't have a personal connection to any of the main characters.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book immensely, and can't wait to get my hands on the next one.  I just hope the future holds more bizarre and darkly fascinating mysteries for everyone involved.