Brimstone (novel)



""The cloven hoofprint burned into the floor told her everything she needed to know. The devil had finally come for Jeremy Grove.""

Brimstone is a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child first published in 2004. It is part of their informal Agent Pendergast series.

A string of murders among the wealthy and elite draws Pendergast to investigate. When the cause of death seems to be burning from the inside, and satanic images appear at the deaths, people begin to wonder if the devil really has appeared in modern day New York and is collecting his dues.

""Mr. Buck? If you don't mind, there's something personal I'd like to say to you... First of all, there's only one Jesus and you aren't Him. Another thing: I'm a Christian, and I try to be a good one, although I may not always succeed. You had no right to stand there when I was at the mercy of that crowd, point your finger at me, and pass judgement. You should take a good look at that passage in the Gospel of Matthew: Judge not, that ye be not judged... Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.... I always liked the King James Version the best. Now, listen. You worry about yourself from now on, being a good citizen, keeping out of trouble, and obeying the law... If there's a Second Coming in the works, you sure as heck won't get advance notice - that much I do know... Farewell, Mr. Buck. Keep your nose clean.""
 * Affably Evil:.
 * Asshole Victim:  points out that the people he killed were wastes of humanity and he probably did the world a favor.
 * The Bus Came Back: D'Agosta has returned from his failed writing career an had to take a job that bumps him down two ranks to Sergeant.
 * The Casanova: The last musician known to have the Stormcloud was a notorious womanizer. He succumbed to brain damage caused by syphilis, went crazy and fled the owners of the violin.
 * Chekhov's Skill: Count Fosco's tinkering. D'Agosta's brushing up on his shooting skills.
 * The Chessmaster:  plans every minute detail to deliver master strokes at any possibility.
 * Early-Bird Cameo: D'Agosta unknowingly sees  while escaping his pursuers.   then rescues   in the epilogue.
 * Gaia's Vengeance: Von Menck believes the murders are a predictor that a natural correction is coming to wipe the corruption of the world away.
 * Hoist by His Own Petard: D'Agosta sneaks back to  and.
 * Human Shield: Bullard's mooks strategically position a bunch of kids as a human shield against the Chinese..
 * Laser Hallway: The security system surrounding Bullard's factory. Aside from motion and weight sensors at the fence and booby traps throughout, an entire field is equipped with lasers that Pendergast and D'Agosta must crawl through (Pendergast using cigarette smoke to identify where the beam is). The space for them to avoid the beams is justified, as wild boar roam the area and the grid is specifically designed to pass over their backs and trip for a walking man.
 * MacGuffin: The killer is after.
 * Mad Scientist:.
 * Master of Disguise: Pendergast shows up on the scene of the first murder dressed like a tourist and D'Agosta takes quite some time to recognize him.
 * Miles to Go Before I Sleep:
 * No Bisexuals: Averted and lampshaded by Pendergast when an officer at Jeremy Groves' murder scene describes the fact that he "liked men and women" as "perverse sexual tendencies." Pendergast points out that thirty percent of all men have some bisexual tendencies.
 * No Mister Bond I Expect You to Dine:  invites Pendergast and D'Agosta to stay the night (which he won't allow them to refuse) and then explains his entire plan and it's execution over dinner.
 * Polite Villains Rude Heroes:  VS D'agosta.
 * Purple Eyes: Constance Green is described as having violet eyes.
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivered by Hayward to Buck.
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivered by Hayward to Buck.
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivered by Hayward to Buck.


 * Serious Business: . Though the MacGuffin in question would have originally been put to use.
 * The Only One Allowed to Defeat You:.
 * Title Drop: Pendergast finds brimstone at the scene of Jeremy Grove's murder and notes that it is "good Old Testament brimstone."