I'm a long-time fan of the Agent Pendergast novels, and discovering the new one at the library made me a happy girl indeed.

This time, Aloysius and his ward/assistant, Constance, are vacationing in Exmouth, Mass., when they become involved with a burglary that turns out to be only part of a crime: a body that had been walled up in the building where the crime took place has been stolen.

Then other bodies start showing up, all of them with some connection to the original crime.

This is a complex, well-constructed novel with both real-world and occult references that keep readers entertained from start to finish.

Nicely done.

Pendergast and his ward Constance Green traveler to Exmount, Massachusetts, an old village on the coast north of Salem to investigate the theft of valuable wine from a wine cellar. What they found in this peaceful little village is much more than the bargain for and soon they have to fight for their lives.

I was lucky enough to get an approved on NetGalley for this book and it was a really good book. I have just one main problem with the book, I just don't like Constance Green that much. I mean I like her history, the first books with her and explanation “to her life”, but as a character in a book (especially this book) she just feels a bit to aggravating. It didn't help that Constance in the beginning kept on correcting a man's Shakespeare quotes. I loathe people that just know it all and must constantly show off. And, I feel that way with Constance. I have never that problem with Pendergast because he really uses his knowledge in such a great way, even though it can be annoying for those around him. Another thing, it seems that they are trying to make Constance and Pendergast a couple. There are hints about that, one scene partially in this book and I just feel...nooo.

Alright, now that is off my chest. This little town Exmouth is close to Salem, and you know what that means...witches! Or is it? Perhaps that is just a red herring. Also, there is a ship that was lost over a hundred years ago. What happened to the ship. And, what the hell happened to all the wine?

And the ending, of course, it ends with a cliffhanger and it seems that someone is back. Someone bad and I can only think of one person, but how can that be?

I hope Corrie Swanson is back in the next book *puppy eyes*...

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The thrillers of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child "stand head and shoulders above their rivals" (Publishers Weekly). Preston and Child's Relic and The Cabinet of Curiosities were chosen by readers in a National Public Radio poll as being among the one hundred greatest thrillers ever written, and Relic was made into a number-one box office hit movie. They are coauthors of the famed Pendergast series and their recent novels includeFever Dream, Cold Vengeance, Two Graves, and Gideon's Corpse. In addition to his novels, Preston writes about archaeology for the New Yorker and Smithsonian magazines. Lincoln Child is a former book editor who has published five novels of his own, including the huge bestseller Deep Storm. 

Readers can sign up for The Pendergast File, a monthly "strangely entertaining note" from the authors, at their website, www.PrestonChild.com. The authors welcome visitors to their alarmingly active Facebook page, where they post regularly.

WEBSITE: http://www.prestonchild.com FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/PrestonandChild

There are a lot of fictional characters that I really like but Agent Aloysius Pendergast and Constance Greene are right up there at the top of my favorites list along with Sherlock Holmes; Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devin; Sebastian Gage; and last but certainly not least Amelia Peabody, Emerson, Ramses & the rest of the crew - just to name a few. As for Pendergast though, I just love how he instigates people and then makes them look completely stupid. It's so hilarious! Constance can carry her own too. She seems to be learning from the best.

I hate to say it but even though I loved the characters in this one, the story was not one of my favorites. It was still a solid effort and I enjoyed it but I like some of the other books in the series a whole lot more. I think I enjoyed the last quarter of the book, that had the most action in it, the best. I wasn't expecting the cliffhanger and twist at the end but I can't wait to see where it goes. It sucks though having to wait 6 months or year, however long, for the next release though. : ( 

The first two-thirds of Crimson Shore were absolutely fantastic – the very definition of a page-turner. The Poe-esque hidden burial chamber, they mystery of the lost shipwreck, the terror of the mud flats and salt marshes, the forgotten community of Salem witches, and the creepiness of small town America all combined to provide the perfect Agent Pendergast story. It had plenty of atmosphere, a legitimate mystery, some dark humor, and even a bit of awkward romance.

Fully healed and completely recovered from his last few adventures, Pendergast is once again the fascinatingly enigmatic man-in-black with whom we are most familiar. His eccentricities are on fully display, and his Holmesian knack for reading people is on point once again. While never quite infallible, the almost superhuman aspect of his character is back, both mentally and physically. At the same time, Constance Greene is quickly developing into a leading character in her own right. She’s been displaying more personality in each book, but here she really steps into an investigative arc of her own. Her total lack of social skills, combined with her almost psychotic rage, is a perfect contrast to Pendergast’s polish and perfection.

What’s more, Constance has the opportunity here to be part of two equally awkward romantic entanglements. The weird sort of crush that Sergeant Gavin has on her is perfectly understandable, even if it does go completely off the rails later on. Far more interesting, however, is her romantic tension with Pendergast, a scenario that manages to be both sad and amusing.

As for the final third of the book, it’s as awkward and forced as anything Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have ever written. It honestly feels as if they reached the climax, realized the story wasn’t long enough, and decided to tack on some supernatural adventure. What’s unfortunate is that it really could have worked, if only they’d made an effort to better integrate it with the rest of the plot. Yes, it's connected, and the false end of the original subplot is important to Constance's character, but the narrative link is tenuous, at best. As a standalone novella, I rather enjoyed it, but in the context of the rest of the story it felt tacked on, rushed, and (worst of all) artificially constructed to allow for another Pendergast-is-in-peril cliffhanger endings.

Maddeningly uneven, Crimson Shore is one of those books that I loved . . . and then hated . . . and then enjoyed somewhat ironically . . . and then just became exasperated with. I wish I could be as unreservedly enthusiastic about is as some advance readers, but it’s one structural edit away from being a truly solid Pendergast adventure.

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Grand Central Publishing

Last night when I picked a new book to read was the choice between a book I really wanted to read (this one) or something I should read (a book that is closer to being published or part of a blog tour). This book won!