Pendergast's bloodlust continues as he chases those responsible for the abduction of Helen, who was revealed to have been alive and well for the past twelve years at the climax of Cold Vengeance.

But a new threat intrudes upon Pendergast's chase: a serial killer who holds New York City in the grip of terror.

Pendergast kills the killer, but misses the white-haired man who piloted the plane into Mexico, Wulf Konrad Fischer, who escapes.

We discover that Corrie Swanson was able to escape from the house and evade the Nazi that was ready to kill her (at the end of Cold Vengeance).

Lady Viola Maskelene visits Pendergast, after being called by Captain Hayward, who tells her about the murder of Helen.

Pendergast informs Viola that he intends to kill himself, using a drug invented by his ancestor that will give him a few minutes of total euphoria before he dies.

Corrie Swanson shows Pendergast the Nazi papers she found in the old house, but he doesn’t seem interested.

He tells her to lay low for awhile: her estranged father lives in Allentown, PA and he suggests that she go there to stay for a month or so.

Finally, D’Agosta is able to convince Pendergast to come up out of his stupor: he shows him the details of the current hotel murders.

Dr. Felder is trying to track down a lock of hair that Constance gave to the photographer, Alexander Wintour.

They were all returned by her mother, who told lies about her husband, convincing Corrie that her father had abandoned her.

Pendergast traces Tristam’s escape route back to an abandoned brewery, but all he finds is the word, “BETATEST,” after raising it from the table.

Pendergast chases him: but Alban is able to confront him after kicking away his father's weapon: he says it’s time for a little father-son chat.

She also seems to think that Alban has some sort of hyper awareness or sixth sense that has been bred into him through the Nazis eugenics program.

Pendergast goes to Brazil and meets with Colonel Souza, police chief of Alsdorf, a small town where there have been some serial murders in the previous six months.

Heading back to the car, after saying that he was going to kill her, Corrie kicks him in the groin, then her father sticks his penknife in Foote’s eye.

The scam is that the dealership is selling non-existent cars, with the help of a crooked GMAC auditor.

She mentions that the story about killing her child was to convince the Chinese government that he was dead, so that he could be transported safely out of Tibet and into India, where he can be trained to be the nineteenth Rinpoche, in absentia.

Back in New York, Pendergast has helped lead D’Agosta to the traitor that communicated the location of the meeting between Helen and AP to Der Bund.

At the 891 Riverside mansion, Pendergast writes a letter to Viola, thanking her for saving his life, and apologizing for his behavior towards her.

Preston and Child’s high-adrenaline 12th thriller featuring maverick FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast wraps up the trilogy that began with 2010’s Fever Dream and continued with 2011’s Cold Vengeance with a bang.

Despite Pendergast’s impressive combination of brains and brawn as well as network of helpers, his efforts to rescue Helen don’t play out as he anticipated.

Given the growing cast of characters and their complex backstories, those already familiar with the bestselling authors’ fictional world will most enjoy this intelligent suspense novel.