Fans of Special Agent Pendergast will not be disappointed in this, the finale of what authors Preston and Child have termed the Pendergast trilogy.  The book opens with Pendergast in a high security prison, framed by his nemesis brother Diogenes who remains at large.  Meanwhile the New York Museum of Natural History is under a barrage of bad publicity as a string of criminal acts occur within its walls including the theft and subsequent destruction of the prized diamond collection.   Thankfully, a generous foreign benefactor has promised a large sum of money to reopen the "Tomb of Senef"exhibit which had been closed over half a century earlier under heavy speculation of an ancient curse.  Soon after work begins on this momentous project slated to "save" the museum, strange things begin to happen to the crew in charge of the restoration.  Has the curse been brought forth again? 

     For maximum enjoyment it is highly recommended that Dance of Death and Brimstone, the other books in the trilogy, be read first.  Although The Book of the Dead is an excellent book on its own merit, its important to appreciate the authors great attention to detail and threads of storyline from the previous books that are tied together so neatly in this volume.  The choice of Egyptian theme and involvement of an ancient curse works very well in this book and allows for smooth plot transitions as we try to figure out the answers to all the mayhem and brace ourselves for the showdown between the Pendergast brothers. 

     Looking forward to the next book by this writing duo.