Special Agent Pendergast is an FBI agent out of New Orleans. No one knows much about Pendergast, except that he seems to be allowed a great deal of leeway when it comes to investigating crimes. Pendergast appears to have a great deal of money that is illustrated by his lush apartment in the famous Dakota building and a Rolls Royce in which he has driven all over New York City. Pendergast has been featured in a previous Preston-Child book in which he worked with Bill Smithback in tracking a killer at work in the Museum of Natural History in New York City.