Aloysius X.L. Pendergast: A Mysterious Profile

Aloysius X.L. Pendergast: A Mysterious Profile by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs

This is a short, fun book for fan service. The inventors of Agent Pendergast dialogue about how they met and how their most successful character was developed. Obviously, it is not a Pendergast novel. It can be read in under an hour.

I have read a couple of Pendergast novels but I have steered clear of reading the rest. Preston and Child are good writers. The books I have read have been compelling page-turners, but my sense is that I reading the equivalent of junk food. Pendergast has seemed to me to be obviously a cliche pastiche of several characters. Yet, I know I'm weak and would not be able to put down the mystery I start reading.

After reading this, I may pick up a few more. I found their description of the process of writing Pendergast to be engaging. What does the “L” in his name stand for? They don't know. Pendergast has grown in the telling.

If you are interested in taking a peak behind the curtain, and you like mysteries, this could be a book for you.