Review: Crimson Shore by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Published November 10, 2015
by Grand Central Publishing

Crimson Shore is #15 in the Pendergast series. Pendergast and his ward Constance take on a mystery that on the surface seems to be about purloined wine, but ends up being about a much bigger mystery. They find a remnant of a skeleton that had been walled up in a wine cellar from a distant past. Who retrieved the skeleton and why? Who put it there in the first place? There is a mystery of the past as well as of the present. Exmouth, Massachusetts isn't the sleepy, idyllic town it would appear to be on the surface. The city has a seriously twisted past.

Was this a good book? Basically yes. But, I did find something problematic with it for me. The first two-thirds of the book was a well-written mystery book with a nod to Poe. It progressed swiftly and I read it eagerly. The mystery seems to be well wrapped up, then boom! There is a supernatural-ish plot tacked on for the last third of the book. The two parts of the story only seem loosely related. I still enjoyed the writing in the second part,  but was dismayed as to what seemed to be added on for specific purposes rather than to further the plot of the book. I guess I would say it most likely furthers the plot of the series.

If you've enjoyed books in this series in the past,  you will most likely mostly enjoy this book as well. I would not start reading the series with this book though.

I gave this book 3.5 stars out of 5. It's well written, but there is that problem with plot.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.