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Dance of Death is the sixth book in the Agent Pendergast series and Book Two of the Diogenes Trilogy. Released on June 15, 2005, it was published by Grand Central Publishing (then Warner Books) and marks the tenth collaborative Preston-Child novel.

Plot Summary[]

Two brothers. One a top FBI agent. The other a brilliant, twisted criminal. An undying hatred between them. Now, a perfect crime, And the ultimate challenge: Stop me if you can...

-Publisher's synopsis

The book follows FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast and his sidekick, Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta. Pendergast was last seen at the end of the previous novel, Brimstone, where he was buried alive behind a brick wall in Castel Fosco. His estranged brother, Diogenes, rescues him and nurses him back to health. However this is not a true act of kindness; Diogenes has a dark agenda and needs his brother alive in order to carry out his nefarious plans.

Pendergast's ward Constance Greene requests Vincent D'Agosta's presence for a very important meeting. D'Agosta is shown a letter written many months previously by Pendergast about his brother Diogenes. In the letter, Pendergast writes that he does not know of Diogenes's whereabouts, but does in fact know one thing—a date, January 28. D'Agosta presumes that this will be the date of Diogenes's greatest crime. Having been hated by and hating his family, Diogenes obviously cannot be trusted.

Returning Characters[]

First Appearances[]

  • Glen Singleton
  • Rolf Krasner
  • Hugo Menzies
  • Special Agents Brooks
  • Special Agents Rabiner
  • Martyn (Dakota Doorman)
  • Fenton Davies (New York Times Editor)
  • Special Agent in Charge Carlton of the New York field office
  • Rolf Krasner (EES's psychological specialist)
  • George Ashton (chief curator of the Sacred Images exhibition)
  • George Kaplan (Gemologist expert)

Locations[]

Timeline[]

Notes:[]

  • Ice Limit 3: Return to Cape Horn, is a Novel seen by D'agosta in an apartment building Pendergast is hiding in
  • Margo's "Funeral" is attended by many, among them are her mother, Nora Kelly, Aloysius Pendergast, Collopy, Charlie Prine, and Jack Manetti
  • Pendergast has all of his friends "Go to ground" or go into hiding, he has Proctor find Corrie Swanson at school and send her to Australia, Proctor goes to a cabin on a lake, Mime Goes dark, turning off all of his equipment and securing himself in his home, Constance returns to the depths of The Riverside Drive Mansion, Margo is in the hospital, Smithback is in a mental health centre, D'agosta is with Pendergast, and Nora does not listen to his warnings, and continues to go to work at the hospital. Oddly, no mention of Wren, or if he told him to hide or not.
  • When Margo Green and Nora Kelly meet for the first time, Smithback admires that the two heroines from his books are meeting
  • Margo Green is now the Editor in Chief of Museology
  • Although they never meet, this is the first book to feature Corrie Swanson and Nora Kelly, who later have their own book series together

Character Deaths[]

Body Count: 3 and 1 dog (All killed by Diogenes)

  • Torrence Hamilton: Tutor who taught Pendergast mandarin, French and Italian.
  • Charles duschant: Pendergast's friend from his youth, the only one he still kept in touch with.
  • Mike Decker and his dog

Antagonists[]

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