74 books like Agent Pendergast

The concept of this story is amazing, especially at a time when they are “bringing back” different species. I am often amazed at what scientists have been able to accomplish in real life, and it’s even more fun to read about it in fiction. 

Another thing that I loved about this story is how it shows that nature cannot be contained. We can manipulate it, but we’d better not make too many assumptions about how things will progress because nature has its own way of doing things.

The characters were also great in both the book and the movie.

Preston and Spezi’s memoir helped me learn how to write from inside a murder investigation. I knew I needed to write about my father’s unusual death and my suspicions, but I didn’t have the tools to tackle it. The two journalists describe how they solved an infamous serial killer case only to become suspects themselves. Preston and Spezi drive their story with a momentum I tried to match in telling mine.

As if life in a Puritan colony isn’t horrifying enough, there’s a monster hanging around, ready to rip everyone to holy shreds for their sins. That’s Slewfoot in a nutshell, but there’s so much more than that. I loved the main character, a confident English woman who was sold into marriage to a Puritan colonial man by her father (gee, thanks, Dad). Big surprise—Puritan life isn’t all that great for her, especially due to her new husband’s smarmy brother, who wants what’s theirs.

I enjoyed this remarkable book, which I’d describe as part folktale, part historical fiction, and part monster-ghost-fest. I really felt that I was there, and as a New England transplant myself, I felt a bit ashamed of the local ancestry’s absurd ways long gone. But as is my taste, the fantastic supernatural element and its complex world held most of my attention. I found this novel to… show more.

This is another story that takes me back to my medical training days. A young member of the surgical team makes an impulsive decision that leads to an ethical dilemma and a web of deception.

This story is not only a thriller but addresses important issues related to the ethics of the transplant system. It’s a great read to get a look at the inner workings of the medical system. 

I love this book because it features an ordinary radiology resident, Dr. George Wilson, who gets caught up in an international conspiracy. Stories that feature an ordinary person faced with extraordinary circumstances and overcoming them are always going to keep my attention.

This story takes me back to my medical school days and makes me wonder what I would have done if I had been faced with a similar situation. Any Robin Cook story is a winner, but this is my favorite by far. 

I’ve read most of the books in the Rachel Hatch series, but Downburst is the one that I always reminisce about when thinking about this rugged protagonist.

She is ex-military and her code of honor is non-negotiable: "Help good people and punish those who hurt others." That edict is put to the test when she finds herself in a rural town in New Mexico that lives at the mercy of a violent street gang.

Hopelessly outnumbered and mostly on her own while the police look the other way, “Hatch” as she likes to be called, takes on the entire gang and ruthlessly eliminates them a few at a time. There is something very Clint Eastwood about Hatch in her approach and her demeanor. 

The Shadow Box was a step outside of my comfort zone, but I have no regrets for diving right in.

The novel crashes out of the gate when a left-for-dead artist named Claire Chase wakes up from being half-strangled in her garage by a man in a mask. She’s almost sure her assailant was her husband, Griffin who is also the Connecticut State Attorney and candidate for governor.

Claire has no idea who to trust and goes into hiding in the woods. She contacts a close friend and tries desperately to unearth the identity of her attacker while she is being searched for as a missing person. She’s incredibly resourceful and quite a rugged outdoorswoman as she searches for the man who tried to murder her.

History and the supernatural are my literary biscuits and gravy—it doesn’t come around often, but I readily devour it when offered. (Well, now I’m hungry, dang it.) I haven’t often encountered a tale like this featuring an abandoned mining town (thus the book’s title) that isn’t exactly abandoned. I could tell things weren’t going to go well in this novel, but like a gawker at a car accident, I went ahead and looked anyway. I’m really glad I did.

I loved the premise of a crew investigating an abandoned mining town. Folks, I can’t think of many uglier places to have lived in history than a mining town, and that’s bound to leave some residue. Needless to say, the setting was amazing, and the action was intense. A setting like that is begging for the supernatural to come out, and yes, it does.

The resilience of the protagonist, FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera, dubbed the "Warrior Girl" by the media really drew me in.

She’s the only person to ever survive a horrifying encounter with a serial killer called the Cipher when she was a teenager. This terrible attack molds her into the ultimate protector for those who can’t save themselves. Nina tugs at your heartstrings with her bravery, despite her prickly nature.

Once the serial killer starts killing again, he drops hints to the media that his rampage is tied to Nina. She’s forced to confront the nightmare that nearly ended her life. Her next encounter with the Cipher is cringe-worthy, but her courage and tenacity shine through and make Nina Guerrera the woman you have to root for. 

I confess: I love the book because of the dog, Einstein. But I also love it because Koontz shines a spotlight on the downside and potential harm of technology and spins a classic tale of good versus evil.

I have never forgotten this book, and I read it on publication in 1987. The story is fascinating and different. But it stayed with me because of the quality of the writing and the unexpected use of magical realism. A dog who understands language? Wonderful. And he was a major character, another surprising bonus for me.

I’m a fan of Dean Koontz because his suspense novels always deliver a great story and always rise above the genre.