I am in awe of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Whether working as a team or solo, these legendary authors are incapable of producing an uninteresting story.

Typically, their work is that of sheer brilliance made all the more satisfying because I come away learning quite a lot. What better edification for a reader than that? With the release of this 21st entry in the Pendergast series, we get to spend time with both old and new characters in a novel that ties together a handful of prior installments.

More than any other Preston & Child book in recent memory, THE CABINET OF DR. LENG mixes the paranormal with science fiction and top-notch psychological thrills. The result is a novel that reads like a high-octane amusement park ride that you never want to see end. Preston & Child are in limited company with writers who are able to successfully blend these genres, including James Rollins, Steve Berry and Christopher Golden.

"More than any other Preston & Child book in recent memory, THE CABINET OF DR. LENG mixes the paranormal with science fiction and top-notch psychological thrills. The result is a novel that reads like a high-octane amusement park ride that you never want to see end."

The action is set not long after the events of BLOODLESS. Pendergast’s “ward,” Constance Greene, is able to utilize a time machine to send her back to the year 1880 in New York City. She has revenge on her mind as her brother and sister were victims of infamous serial killer/psychiatrist Dr. Enoch Leng. Of course, fans of the series will recall that Constance was “found” at the uptown residence of Pendergast, and it was apparent that she belonged to another time.

Even though Constance warns Pendergast not to get involved, he has no choice. He knows what Dr. Leng is capable of and does not believe that she will be able to outsmart him or enact payback the way that she intends. This forces Pendergast to reach out to Gaspard Ferenc. With an extremely handsome payday offered for quick work, Ferenc is tasked with fixing up the machine that is delivered from down south with the intention of opening up a portal to 1880 and allowing Pendergast the opportunity to assist Constance.

We also are treated to a parallel narrative involving Pendergast’s recent partner, Special Agent Armstrong Coldmoon. His investigation, which is centered on a Native American reservation, ends up being connected to a case in New York City that Pendergast’s colleague, Detective Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta, is working on. It is with a huge smile on my face that I turned the pages, enjoying these well-plotted connections and watching as Preston & Child worked their literary magic to bring these three characters together.

Pendergast shares Constance’s plight with Coldmoon and D’Agosta. He is able to convince D’Agosta to go back in time with him once the machine is repaired to rescue Constance and put an end to Dr. Leng. To get around any space-time continuum complexities, Pendergast makes it clear that the 1880 they will be returning to is not the one from their own timeline. Even if they succeed in stopping Leng permanently, it will not change anything about the Dr. Leng from their own reality. The focus simply must be on helping Constance and bringing her back in one piece.

Under the disguise of a brilliant pseudonym, Constance eventually meets Dr. Leng and believes that she has the advantage on him in her revenge plan. However, he consistently remains several steps ahead of the typically resourceful Constance. Pendergast and D’Agosta do eventually make their way back, but accomplishing their goal will not be easy as they first must acclimate to a very foreign landscape while avoiding anything that might reveal themselves to not belonging there. This is a lot easier said than done, and the sci-fi implications are handled with mind-bogging ease that elevates the entire story.

This spectacular read ends somewhat abruptly on a cliffhanger that clearly sets up the next entry in the series, which cannot come fast enough for me. I trust that the always reliable Preston & Child are hard at work on #22 as we speak!