Halfway through a six-hour drive to a client site in Houston when Diogenes Pendergast decided to reveal his grand plan. Nearly missed my exit. Fifteen hours of audiobook later, and I'm still processing what Preston and Child pulled off here.
Look, I've been following the Pendergast series since the beginning, so I knew what I was getting into. But Book of the Dead? This one hits different. We've got Aloysius Pendergast—arguably the most brilliant FBI agent in fiction—rotting in a supermax prison for a murder his psychotic brother Diogenes framed him for. Meanwhile, said psychotic brother is orchestrating something genuinely horrific involving an Egyptian tomb exhibition at the New York Museum of Natural History. The setup alone had me white-knuckling the steering wheel.
Scott Brick Behind the Wheel
Scott Brick narrates this one, and here's the deal—he's solid. Really solid. His voice has this cool, almost clinical quality that fits Pendergast like a tailored suit. When he shifts into Diogenes territory, there's this chilling undercurrent that made Ranger's ears perk up more than once. (Yes, my dog was in the truck. He's heard worse.)
But I gotta be honest about something that bugged me. There are these music segues scattered throughout—and whoever made that production decision should've reconsidered. You're deep in a tense moment, heart rate elevated, and suddenly there's this musical interlude that yanks you right out. Like having someone change the radio station during a firefight briefing. Disruptive doesn't cover it.
Also caught a few mispronunciations. Nothing egregious, but when you've spent 25 years around military precision, you notice these things. Some listeners have compared Brick unfavorably to Rene Auberjonois, who narrated earlier books in the series. I get it—Auberjonois brought more variety to the accents and character voices. But Brick's dramatic intensity? That works for this particular story.
Don't Parachute In Without a Briefing
Here's where I need to level with you. If you haven't read the previous Pendergast novels, you're going to feel like you dropped into an operation without proper intel. The emotional weight of Pendergast's imprisonment, his complicated relationship with Diogenes, the supporting cast—it all builds on what came before. Can you enjoy it standalone? Probably. Will you get the full impact? Not a chance.
Preston and Child clearly did their homework on the Egyptian tomb stuff. The archaeological details, the curse elements, the museum setting—it all rings true. Preston writes for archaeology magazines, and it shows. When authors know their subject matter, you can tell. When they're faking it, you can tell that too. (Trust me, I've thrown books across the room over bad military details. This isn't that.)
The pacing is mostly excellent. There are moments where the multiple storylines—Pendergast in prison, Diogenes executing his plan, various characters converging on the museum—create this mounting tension that kept me pushing through rest stops. But around the middle, things drag a bit. Some of the setup feels longer than necessary. At 1.25x speed, this was manageable. At normal speed? Might've tested my patience.
The Violence Question
Fair warning—this gets dark. Diogenes is a genuine psychopath, and the book doesn't shy away from that. There's violence, psychological manipulation, and some intense action sequences. Nothing gratuitous, but definitely not for the faint of heart. If you've served, you've seen worse. Fourth Wing had similar intensity in its combat scenes, though with dragons instead of psychopaths. If you haven't, be prepared.
The supernatural elements are handled well—present but not overwhelming. It's that blend of thriller and unexplained phenomena that makes this series work. You're never quite sure if there's something genuinely otherworldly happening or if it's all elaborate misdirection.
Mission Debrief
Worth your time? If you're a Pendergast fan, this is essential. If you're new to the series, go back and start earlier—you'll thank me. The audiobook production is clean despite those annoying music interruptions, and Brick delivers a performance that carries fifteen hours without wearing thin.
Who should listen: Series veterans who've been waiting for the Diogenes showdown. Who should skip: Newcomers—start with Relic or you'll be lost, and anyone who needs their thrillers violence-free.
Ranger approved this one, for what that's worth. He stayed awake through the climax, which is more than I can say for some of the thrillers we've listened to lately. The Egyptian tomb mystery delivers, the brother-versus-brother conflict pays off, and the ending sets up future books without feeling like a cheap cliffhanger.
Just skip those music segues mentally. Your immersion will thank you.
