Still Life with Crows (Pendergast, Book 4)

Still life with crows rocks
now we know why those corn fields always look kind of menacing. if you're nuts about pendergast (as i am), you're gonna love this one. we also get to see his human side, which is not as evident in later books. the usual preston and child creepy characters and bad ways to die. well written, reads fast...loved it.

Not Their Best, But Still A Fun Read!
I liked this one quite a bit, but I wouldn't say it is one of my favorites of their work. It wasn't terribly unpredictable and while I did enjoy the new characters (particularly Corrie - I hope she shows up in the series again) there were a few factual errors in the end of the book that were disappointing to say the least (the errors would constitute spoilers, which I don't want to give). But I was relieved that the solution to this mystery was not as offensive as it could have been (and had me worried that this would be the last book of theirs I read). I did find it very amusing that Corrie's book was a fake sequel to one of their books - every time the name was mentioned, I smiled.

A change of pace...
I really enjoy this series ! I started a few years ago with Book of the Dead, and was heartbroken to discover it was the "end of an 8 book series". After some time passed, and running out of good fiction from my usual authors, I searched for the original books on Amazon. I promptly bought the first few books. This one is a nice change of pace from the first three books, all set or occuring around the NY Museum of Natural History. While I find the museum to be fascinating in itself, it was nice to leave the dusty halls for a different outdoor setting. This book took Agent Pendergast into small town America, placed him opposite a good but somewhat stereotypical sheriff, and made things happen. The miles of corn became as suffocating as the author intended, and the trips into the cave were creepy enough to be what the reader expects from this series. I think they waited too long to introduce the cave, however, and there were some excellent surprises waiting at the end. I am looking forward to the shipment of book 5 !

Horrifying but Wonderful
Still Life with Crows, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child: In Medicine Creek, Kansas, a town where little changes, where Main Street is a two-block stretch of dusty businesses, a peculiar and grisly murder has taken place. The body mutilated and placed carefully in an elaborate tableau in the middle of the endless cornfields. Now eagle-eyed and even-tempered FBI Agent Pendergast arrives to turn upside down this small community to find the killer who must be one of them. The killings are timed to coincide with the arrival of the Extension agent with genetically modified corn. Can there be a connection?

I was disappointed to walk away with this book on my last trip to the library, but the moment I started reading, my disappointment changed to interest and attention. I was spellbound. The language was poetic, the pacing delicate and well timed, and there was humor among the horror. I normally don't like this type of novel, but this was so well-written, I truly enjoyed it, despite its ghastly nature. The characters are engaging. And at times surprising. If you'd have told me I'd like this, I'd have laughed out loud--but I did. I was sorry for the book to end and am eager to read another. Also, I found out just now it is part of a series--I vaguely suspected it might be--but it hangs together as an individual unit so well that the fact that it's fourth in the series sis not diminish it readability! I'm going back tot eh library to get the FIRST one and read them all, maybe. We'll see how the next one is.

One thing about reading this type of book is that it makes me nervous walking around alone at night in Detroit.

And here's something more eerie: four dead birds have appeared in a certain spot where I walk every day, appeared, disappeared, and reappeared--I kid you not. It's under some low bushes where I have to duck into darkness to get through. Four different kids of dead birds, a sparrow, a blackbird, a wood thrush and a starling. Where's Pendergast when I need him?

One thing I don't like about this novel and others like it is the expendable people. I'm tempted to write my own novel about their lives. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child would probably consider ME one of the expendable people the could toss into a crevice in the cave or leave in a field surrounded by dead crows.

I didn't think they answered the question of why the tableaus very well--look at the example Job had of the 45. But that's just me. One tiny tweak in an otherwise super book. (But scary and horrifying!)

Pretty Good Thriller
Damn... now I guess I have to go back and read the first three books of the Pendergast series (Relic, Reliquary, Cabinet of Curiosities). This book was pretty gripping from page 1. My only significant complaint (SEMI-SPOILER ALERT) is the number of chapters/pages devoted to the climactic, long-winded 'chase scene' in Kraus Kaverns. After about 50 pages of multiple characters running through the dark, getting disoriented, being attacked by 'the monster', etc., the book simply loses much of its steam (IMO). However [2nd SPOILER ALERT], the Epilogue was actually quite good at tying up loose ends (and included the obligatory 'return of the monster you believed was dead'). A fun and fast-paced read from these two crafty co-authors. Pendergast is a most excellent literary creation; can't wait to read more books centered around him.