What is the main conflict in The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston?

The Cabinet of Curiosities is another novel by the bestselling team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. In this novel, Nora Kelly and Bill Smithback make another appearance, along with Special Agent Pendergast, the curious FBI agent from New Orleans. Pendergast enlists Nora's help in investigating the discovery of a collection of murder victims in the coal cellar of what was once Shottum's Cabinet of Natural Productions and Curiosities. These murder victims, thirty-six in all, could possibly be the victims of the most prolific serial killer in American history. However, greed and political corruption keep Nora and Pendergast from investigating the site to the extent they would like. Fortunately, archives and a paper trail lead them to a name and a location, placing Pendergast, Nora, and Bill in a horrific situation that will take a great deal of skill and luck to escape. The Cabinet of Curiosities is a historical mystery that keeps the reader guessing to the final word.