Fever Dream by Douglas Preston & Lee Child

This book is also the first in the “Helen” trilogy.

In this story we learned that FBI special agent Pendergast was once married to the lovely Helen Esterhazy.  Sadly, we also learned that she’d been killed not long after their marriage in a tragic lion attack while in Africa.

Now some time has passed, but not enough to dispel Pendergast’s sorrow for her death. When he learns that Helen was murdered, his quest for her killer takes him to New Orleans, following the history of noted artist John James Audubon, and into the heart of the dark alligator infested swamps of Louisiana. His quest also places those he cares about like NYPD detective. Vincent D’agosta, in mortal danger.

This was a thrilling and engrossing story with many twisty elements making the reader wonder just where in the world this story will end up.