Cold Vengeance (novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | August 2, 2011 |
| Founder | Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child |
| Products | Suspense novel |
| Parent | Grand Central Publishing |
Cold Vengeance is a suspense novel authored by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, published on August 2, 2011, through Grand Central Publishing. This book represents the eleventh entry in the Special Agent Pendergast series and serves as the second part of the Helen trilogy. It follows the events of Fever Dream.
Plot Summary
Following the exposure of the conspiracy responsible for his wife’s death, Pendergast chases the last remaining conspirator across Scotland. During this pursuit, he uncovers a far-reaching menace: the Covenant ("Der Bund"), a secretive alliance of Nazis and their sympathizers manipulating global affairs.
Plot
In Scotland, a fierce pursuit unfolds between Pendergast and Judson. After Esterhazy shoots Pendergast and abandons him in quicksand, Pendergast miraculously survives. Meanwhile, Constance is admitted to the same mental institution where Aunt Cornelia had been confined.
Corrie Swanson informs D’Agosta that Pendergast missed an arranged rendezvous. Judson, having received clearance to exit Scotland, disguises himself near the area where Pendergast vanished. Vinnie scours the Scottish marshlands searching for clues to Pendergast’s whereabouts.
In Malfourche, June Brodie and her husband are assassinated by a Covenant-linked killer following a local journalist’s exposé of their story. Esterhazy continues his relentless hunt for Pendergast, who now assumes the guise of a Welsh clergyman. They confront each other in a churchyard, but Esterhazy manages to evade capture.
Esterhazy meets with an operative from the Covenant who commands him to personally eliminate Pendergast. After consulting with a homeless individual, Esterhazy targets someone close to Pendergast. Meanwhile, reporter Ned Betterton investigates both the Brodie murders and incidents connected to Fever Dream.
Suspecting Helen might still be alive, Pendergast exhumes her coffin; forensic analysis confirms the remains are hers but also reveals mitochondrial DNA linked to Nazi doctor Faust. A database inquiry finds no evidence of Helen beyond her supposed death caused by a lion attack.
Learning of Helen’s Brazilian background and Nazi lineage, Pendergast intensifies his inquiry. Judson impersonates Constance’s psychiatrist to manipulate her into cooperating with their schemes and ultimately kidnaps her to use as leverage against Pendergast.
Esterhazy abducts Constance during an offsite hospital visit by deceiving staff. Betterton traces the assassins to the yacht Vertgeltung ("Vengeance") but is killed there. The Covenant lures Pendergast to this yacht where Constance is held; although she manages to send a secret signal to authorities, she is thrown overboard.
Fearing for his life, Esterhazy kills several Covenant members; meanwhile, Pendergast inflicts damage on the yacht and escapes alongside Judson and Constance. Judson confesses to killing Helen’s intellectually disabled twin to fake Helen’s death and vows to reunite with them in Central Park.
Corrie uncovers Nazi-related evidence while searching for Constance but is captured by a Covenant agent. When Pendergast reunites with Helen, they are ambushed: Judson dies, Helen is taken captive, Proctor is shot, and Pendergast sustains injuries.
Outstanding plot threads leading into Two Graves include Proctor’s survival status, Helen’s captivity by the Covenant, and Corrie’s situation after being confronted by a Nazi operative.
Reception
—Evaluation from Publishers Weekly