There weren't enough unusual elements in this Prendergast novel to keep me happy. This one reads like a straightforward murder mystery without the scientific details that are prevalent in most of their other books. The idea of Prendergast's twin brother doesn't exactly thrill me. It's not that he's a poorly developed character, but both of them are too much alike in thought and action. So you've got two almost identical people running around in the same book. Still a pretty good read, but if you are new to the series I'd try [b:The Cabinet of Curiousities] first.