David's Reviews > Bloodless

Normally, I thoroughly enjoy the Pendergast series. This unusual FBI agent investigates macabre and bizarre (think X-files) type mysteries. Though they border on the edge of the supernatural, generally there is a real world explanation. For example, our hero's ward, though appearing to be in her twenties is actually much older, due to being subjected to an evil experiment that gave her "eternal youth." Or, in one installment, a "monster" turned out to be an inbred, mutant hillbilly with diminished mental capacity.

Pendergast is a wonderful investigator, patient, and able to see clues the reader would miss. I enjoy his dialogues, especially with those who dislike and challenge him. I also enjoy the descriptions of the guns that the author's take special care to get correct.

With that said-- this one crosses the line of reality/believeability. The authors attempt to telegraph an important clue to at least part of the mystery, but it is almost as if that part of the story came from another novel and the authors felt the need to tie these together. Then, the authors stretch the story into a Science Fiction tale that left me cold and distressed. They just went much too far.

I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the novel, but then-- they blew it with this absurd Science Fiction manure. This is so unlike this writing team that I tried to overlook it. I wanted to like it. However, I just couldn't accept its absurdity.