I didn't care for this book. Ifelt myself skimming pages of descriptions to get to some action. I don't know what the plot about the theft of Native American artifacts had to do with the rest of the story. I get that there will be a sequel when hopefull all will be aorted out, but I'm not sure I really care at this point.

This is a book that definitely feels like filler in a trilogy. Actually, based on an author's note at the end, it's the third in a quartet that began with The Cabinet of Curiosities and will end with the next one in the Pendergast series. It's mostly a bridge novel that sets up the conclusion, with an ending that promises the next one will be rather out there. There's murder, there's time travel, there's revenge, there's D'Agosta and Coldmoon back for more screen time. It's what you'd expect in a Pendergast novel. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

This is the 21st Pendergast novel. It begins right where Bloodless ends with Constance going back in time to NYC to save her brother and sister. I was concerned that the time machine was going to be a jumping the shark moment but I enjoyed the late 1800s parts of the book the most. Given this is the 3rd out of 4 in this mini series within the larger series, I eagerly await the next book.

This ARC was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost and I am providing an unbiased review.

From my sources, this is the 21st book in the Agent Pendergast series, and if you have not read any of them before, you should start them. I believe it is best to read them in chronological order, but to each their own. I am not going on to describe briefly the plot of this particular story, because it is a bit of a continuation from the last book. I will mention (again) you may want to start this series with book one, "The Relic" (which was made into a movie years ago). You won't regret it.

That being said, it was great to return to the Pendergast world, plus the return of some new and old characters. As I stated above, this story continues from the previous book, and answers some, yet not all, of the questions I had at the end of the last book. You may not like me admitting this, but this part of the story raises yet even more questions for me. I am expecting another follow-up story, and that wait will have to be burdened (at least a year, if not more).

Preston & Childs' writing style has always been a good read for me. I have not only read all of the Pendergast series, but some of their individual spin-offs and other stand-alone novels. The Pendergast stories just flow well, considering there are two different people writing them. Once again I give them the applause they deserve.

This where some spoilers may come in...

Thoughts on this story? I don't recall Pendergast ever being so ... distraught? in distress? ... as he was at the start of this novel. What truly are his concerns/feelings for Constance? It was good to see a newer character, Coldmoon, have to return to his 'normal' FBI career, yet cross paths in NY with D'Augustino our earlier FBI agent of several novels. Their connection to Pendergast will become clearer I think in future writing. And the final question, now the Dr Leng knows what he knows, what will happen? I have my thoughts, but it will be a long wait to find out....

Constance has found a way to travel back in time and kill the serial killer, Dr. Leng, who killed her brother and sister while she was a child. Although she is not going back in her own timeline and things won't change, the world she travels back into 1880's New York will change and she plans to stay there with her family. FBI Special Agent Pendergast is left in the present trying to find a way to save her without causing more issues., the time machine was broken when she traveled back and he doesn't know if it can be fixed so he can try to get her back to their timeline.

It is a very quick-paced journey through Constances's experiences as she tries to find and save her siblings and SA Pendergast as he tries to get her back before something happens to her. Woven throughout the journey is a murder case that agent Coldmoon is working to solve during the modern timeframe.

I honestly haven't read the first 20 books in the series and now have to go back and read them all.

My brothers and I were recently at my mom's house and I was listening to my Kindle read the book. My brother calls from another room, "Is that Preston and Child?" He recognized the writing style and characters!

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

We begin the story where the last book in the Series BLOODLESS ended. Pendergast’s ward, Constance Green uses the Time Machine to travel back to New York in the year 1880. She has devised a plan to rescue her older sister Mary before she is murdered by Dr. Leng during his experiments to discover the secret for extending the human life-span. Constance also plans to change the dreadful lives of her younger brother Joe and to rescue her younger self, then exact her revenge on Dr. Leng. Meanwhile in present day, Pendergast cannot accept he has lost Constance forever. What will he do to get her back? This book also has another story that weaves its way into Pendergast’s life. Lt. Commander D’Agosta and Special Agent Coldmoon are investigating a murder that has occurred at the New York Museum of Natural History. Will they solve the murder, and will Lt. Commander D’Agosta rush to help his old friend Pendergast once more?

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child do it again! I just finished an eARC (thanks to NetGalley) of their latest Pendergast #21 The Cabinet of Dr. Leng. Constance Greene used a time machine to go back in the past but to an alternate timeline. While she can change things it won’t mess up the timeline that she came from. She goes back to 1880 to save her brother Joe; her older sister, Mary, and her younger self. She also has plans to kill Dr. Leng. Pendergast knows that she doesn’t want him to follow her, but he knows that Dr. Leng is way more cunning than Constance knows and is afraid that he will kill them all. The time machine was almost destroyed when Constance used it to travel back into the past. Will Pendergast be able to fix it so that he can save her from Dr. Leng? 
At the same time this is going on there is another case going on in our present world. Special Agent Coldmoon was involved with Pendergast on a few cases. We see Special Agent Coldmoon again. He gets sent to the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota to investigate a death. In the course of his investigation, he is sent to New York where he meets Lieutenant Commander Vincent D’Agosta and finds out that he and Pendergast have worked together several times. D’Agosta and Special Agent Coldmoon work together on the Rosebud case because it ties into a case that he is working on at the New York Museum of Natural History. Vincent is growing tired of some parts of the job, but he feels like this new case might be a break from some of the monotonous parts of the job. However, Pendergast asks for his help and D’Agosta obliges him.

Preston and Child are always on my go-to list for good reads. This book follows the Pendergast series, a set of stories that features an eccentric detective. Well worth the read, and another enjoyable adventure (even for readers who do not tend toward mysteries).

2.5 Stars rounded up to 3

This is the 21st installment in the Pendergast series. (According to the authors’ note at the end of the book, this novel is considered part of a quartet with the fourth book in progress.) Having read all of them and thoroughly enjoyed the FBI agent’s idiosyncratic personality, I was disappointed in this latest book. Many of the past story lines have had dark overtones, but this one takes the reader back to pure evil in the form of the demented genius, Dr. Leng. This is one trip down memory lane I would have preferred not to take.

At the end of the previous book, Constance (Pendergast’s “ward”) has disappeared using a machine that allows travel between time and dimensions. Her hope is to return to a specific date in late nineteenth century New York City to rescue her sister and brother from their gruesome fates. Pendergast is devastated and is determined to intervene. Additional storylines involve the investigation of two murders related to ancient Lakota artifacts by FBI Agent Armstrong Coldmoon and NYPD Lt. Commander Vincent D’Agosta.

I realize my review is a minority opinion since most have been 4 or 5 stars. Here is my reasoning. I thought the pacing was slow at times and the transitions between timelines and the three-story threads seemed disconnected and did not flow smoothly. The character of Pendergast felt marginalized and, while his mental/emotional state was understandable, I missed his brilliant insights and unique approach to solving crimes. I did not care for the scientist and the resolution of his character seemed unnecessarily harsh. Lastly, the “ending” was abrupt with a “to be continued” notation. Overall, this was a much slower and, at times, ponderous read compared to my previous experiences with this series. That said, I am still a fan of these authors and await the next book.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy as a gift. I really enjoyed the book! Here's my honest review:

I made clear after the last book that I felt it was one of the weakest entries in the series thus far. I found out later that it was meant to be the start of a new trilogy within the series (a trend in the long-running adventures of Pendergast - trilogies within the series are a regular thing), and amended my review to take that information into account.

This one knocked it out of the park. Absolutely loved it. It built on the history of the series, drew in concepts from one of my favorite books of all time, prior Pendergast story Cabinet of Curiosities, and really set up some new stakes.

It did end kind of abruptly, but that's normal for the second book in a trilogy, and one thing I'm really pleased about is how the authors didn't do what I expected at all. While one thing that happened was expected, there were so many things that went the opposite way I was thinking they would - especially the end. While I fully believe that the thing I thought would end this book will still happen in the second, I love that Preston and Child totally didn't take the obvious route to get there. And the surprises in store for long-time readers will be sure to shock and delight.

5 stars, and really makes me rethink my review of the last one in context of the trilogy. Highly recommended, but really, you need to have the context of the whole series. This is book 21, and you should also read Thunderhead between Reliquary and Cabinet of Curiosities.

4.5 Stars 🌟

Wow, now that’s a complete shocker….the ending of this just made my head explode….
_______________________________________________________
Okay, it's been a couple of days since I finished this and it's time to put my thoughts together. First of all, I am a HUGE fan of this series and have read all 21 books. It felt like the last book was taking us back to the Pendergast from the beginning of the series and I was delighted about that.

This book continues in this vein....sort of. The beginning was a little choppy because we are thrown back to the past as we begin to follow Constance in old New York. For some reason, that setting was a little harder to settle into.

Then there is a almost parallel timeline that is occurring in present day and I found myself liking that timeline much better. But....it might just be because I ADORE Pendergast and really, really don't like Constance. I also have to admit that after this book, I don't dislike Constance as much as I did going into it - so, there is that.

Since this is an ARC, I wasn't able to listen to the audio so I'm not sure what is happening on the narrator front, but I will be curious to see who ends up narrating it.

And not to beat a dead horse but....that ending....

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

The story begins with Constance Greene in 1880 London, looking for her lost sister and brother. Returning to present day, with Special Agent Coldmoon trying to deal with Agent Pendergast’s deeply emotional response to Constance using a machine to leave him and go back in time to try to save her brother and sister’s lives.

Coldmoon leaves to start his new assignment in Denver and gets sent to the Rosebud reservation to investigate the murder of a prominent Lakota artist.

In New York City, Lt. Commander D’Agosta is investigating the death of curator who froze to death in a collections freezer at the NY Museum of Natural History. D’Agosta has also worked with Agent Pendergast in the past.

These three stories weave in and out, with the only thing in common being everyone’s relationship with Agent Pendergast. I was especially drawn into Constance’s story, comparing life in the 1880s to life in present time. All the details for a woman to step back in time and create a life for herself. And her search for her brother and sister.

There are so many twists and turns; I never lost interest and kept wondering how things would work out.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Cabinet of Dr. Leng. This is my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I am an avid fan of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s books. This was so good that I had to force myself to put it down so I could savor the story. I don’t want to give the story away but I have to say the descriptions and plot is very well written. The ending was not what I expected.
Constance Greene is a great character and again she is involved in a most intriguing situation. She has gone back to the 1800’s to see if she can rescue her sister and brother. Meanwhile a murder on an Indian reservation has Coldmoon and D’Agosta searching for answers. Pendergast is devastated by Constance’s rejection but he finds a way to help her even though she doesn’t want it. So many twists and turns.
This book is a page turner! I highly recommend it!

I have listened to many of The Pendergast books. This one I read.
The story is intriguing as usual. The story starts from the beginning. Lt D’Agosta has a murder at the natural History Museum. There is a second timeline—Constance Green has gone back to 1880’s to save her family and herself.
I really enjoyed the book. Once again it has a cliff hanger. If you read these books, you know there are arcs that span several books. I am really looking forward to the next one. I do plan to listen to this one again. I did notice that FBI Special Agent Pendergast is mostly in the background -- But we did get read about many of the characters we have come to love.
I highly recommend this book -

They’ve still got it! Every time I see an announcement for another Pendergast novel, I wonder how Preston & Child plan to keep their readers engaged after twenty books featuring Agent Pendergast. I should know better than to doubt them. Picking right up after the events of Bloodless, The Cabinet of Dr. Leng brings Pendergast’s story full circle - featuring a murder at the Museum of Natural History, Lieutenant D’Agosta, Captain Hayward, Constance Green, and of course the enigmatic and evil Dr. Leng himself. My only complaint is how little Pendergast seemed to feature in his own story - he was seen throughout the book solely through the eyes of the other characters. I hope this changes in the next book, and there will be a next book, as this story ends on a major cliff hanger in true Preston & Child style. I can’t see what’s in store next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was exceptional! Joins my top 5 in the series. Cannot wait for the conclusion!
If you haven’t read this series, do it now.
Start with Relic and continue on. You will be hooked.
Love Pendergast!!!

I have devoured Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Agent Pendergast Series since its very first entry. THE CABINET OF DR. LENG is #21, and definitely explores in greater depth the characters of Constance Greene, Dr. Enoch Leng, and of course Pendergast himself, as well as the secondary but nonetheless vital characters of Special Agent Armstrong Coldmoon and NYPD Lieutenant Commander Vincent Dagestan. Particularly appealing is the unfolding of Pendergast's charisma and magnetic influence on anyone who is drawn into his extensive sphere of influence. The story lines herein are very compelling (as is the explanatory Author's Note). Without spoiling, I think I can safely state that THE CABINET OF DR . LENG is a novel packed full of surprises and twists and emotional roller-coasters, leaving the avid reader hungry for Pendergast's next inimitable installment--may he continue forever.

ALERT!! SPOILERS!!


When I heard I was going to be able to read The Cabinet of Dr. Leng, I was really excited. I enjoyed Bloodless, the previous book in the series, and I loved that this book not only continued that story, but that it was all part of the Dr. Length story arc, which i had thought completed.

I've never been happier to be wrong. While the actual mystery in Bloodless had little to do with Dr. Leng, it led really will into Cabinet (which in itself is a reference to The Cabinet of Curiosities, book 3 in the Pendergast series).

I have to say, the Pendergast books are having less and less to do with Pendergast. Coldmoon, Constance, D'Agosta..even Proctor have been getting more word counts than Aloysius. Don't get me wrong, they're all spectacular characters, but it's called the Pendergast series, Doug & Linc.... Just saying.

Great book, excellent representation of Dr. Leng in all of his evil glory...but a CLIFFHANGER, guys? Really? I almost cried.

Thanks to Netgalley, Doug & Linc and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read every Pendergast novel and feel qualified to say that Preston and Child are at their best when they put Pendergast in the forefront of the plot. That's not necessarily the case with "The Cabinet of Dr. Leng" as Pendergast shares the limelight with other familiar characters: Constance, D' Agosta, Coldmoon, and even Proctor in a memorable appearance.

This novel picks up where the last one, "Bloodless", left off when Constance left the present and, via a parallel universe, returned to her past in 1880 New York City. Constance returns to save her siblings (and herself) from the experiments of Dr. Leng. As the book started out, I was somewhat concerned that the plot was of a "jump the shark" nature since it involved time travel. However, with some suspension of disbelief, it all seems to work out for an enjoyable reading experience.

The pacing of the book moves rapidly as the scenes change from 188o NYC to the present to even a setting involving Coldmoon and some counterfeit Lakota artifacts. The plot then ratchets up when Pendergast and D'Agosta use the time machine to attempt to save Constance.

Though somewhat rushed, the ending is shocking and could both frustrate and intrigue even the most inveterate P & G followers. At the same time, it will have those same followers counting the days until the next novel is published.

THE CABINET OF DOCTOR LENG gets a thumbs-up from me.

While the Preston an Child books are about the story of FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast, this 21st book in the series, THE CABINET OF DOCTOR LENG, is also a book about Pendergast”s ward, Constance Greene. Constance makes her way back to where she originally came from, New York in the late 1800s, to save her brother and sister from death and to defeat Dr. Enoch Leng. Readers of the Longmire series are sure to enjoy the present-day Lakota storyline. Coldmoon and Palogna are on the case to solve a crime that takes place on an Indian reservation. Pendergast is the character in this book who unites the past and present.

Since the story’s plot takes place in two alternating settings, the authors take the reader on a journey into two different time periods. The book contains interesting and well-written descriptions of places and incidents, and I often felt like I was at the scene. I appreciate the writers’ abilities to incorporate research into their writing without resorting to an “information dump.” The characters are well-formed and believable, but I think my reaction to the Constance and Pendergast characters would have been even greater and more meaningful had I read the other books in the series first. I, therefore, suggest reading this series in order.

The Prendergast books are a series of books that are considered to be techno-thrillers, and I can honestly say that I didn’t think this series would appeal to me. I was wrong. While my thoughts may have drifted toward “The Twighlight Zone,”THE CABINET OF DOCTOR LENG is an intriguing book, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

My thanks go to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this DRC (Digital Reader’s Copy) of THE CABINET OF DOCTOR LENG.