Rating: 
Summary: entertaining, but little heart
Review: the usual blood-letting and psychological agony for scarpetta. But, in this novel, i never felt her pain, despite the mountains of it cornwell piles on her, lucy and benton. i bleeped through many of the "I'm suffering all alone in the limited space of my brilliant mind" paragraphs to get back to the story, which wasn't her best (but possibly her weirdest). cornwell certainly does a tremendous amount of homework, but the emotional plot points didn't hit me where it hurts. i missed that.
Rating:
Summary: entertaining, but little heart
Review: the usual blood-letting and psychological agony forscarpetta. But, in this novel, i never felt her pain, despite the mountains of it cornwell piles on her, lucy and benton. i bleeped through many of the "I'm suffering all alone in the limited space of my brilliant mind" paragraphs to get back to the story, which wasn't her best (but possibly her weirdest). cornwell certainly does a tremendous amount of homework, but the emotional plot points didn't hit me where it hurts. i missed that.
Rating: 
Summary: A hysterical facist horror-thriller disguised as a mystery
Review: What we have here is a page-turner out of the Stephen Kingmold- something you can't believe for a second but want to find out how it ends anyway. The plot would embarass a Batman comic book, the victims are merely excuses for the authors hyperbole, and its all built on an earlier work. It delivers less than this promises.Cornwall had some talent as a storyteller but no insight into human emotions, medical examiners, cops or FBI agents. Or realistic criminals. Her hysterical hero gets no pleasure out of detecting, holes the size of Mack trucks litter the plot, and in the on-tape version at least, there's no thanks for anyone who helped the author with research. She knows the victims pain too well to bother explaining it, she probably doesn't need help with the modest medical details. There is no realistic procedural content, ala McBain or Hammett, etc. NO comparison to real medical examiner stories (Nogouchi or Rouche for example) or competent female detectives, Warshaski or Milhone (Grafton). You'd be better off re-reading a book you know and like.
Rating:
Summary: A hysterical facist horror-thriller disguised as a mystery
Review: What we have here is a page-turner out of the Stephen King mold- something you can't believe for a second but want to find out how it ends anyway. The plot would embarass a Batman comic book, the victims are merely excuses for the authors hyperbole, and its all built on an earlier work. It delivers less than this promises. Cornwall had some talent as a storyteller but no insight into human emotions, medical examiners, cops or FBI agents. Or realistic criminals. Her hysterical hero gets no pleasure out of detecting, holes the size of Mack trucks litter the plot, and in the on-tape version at least, there's no thanks for anyone who helped the author with research. She knows the victims pain too well to bother explaining it, she probably doesn't need help with the modest medical details. There is no realistic procedural content, ala McBain or Hammett, etc. NO comparison to real medical examiner stories (Nogouchi or Rouche for example) or competent female detectives, Warshaski or Milhone (Grafton). You'd be better off re-reading a book you know and like.
Rating:
Summary: Good plot - psychology too lengthy.
Review: This is the first Scarpetta novel that I have read. The plot is well constructed and the book has the character of a good horror novel: You could even compare it to "The Silence of the Lambs". But the narrator indulges too much in self-reflection and an almost paranoid view of her surroundings. This is not conceivable in a person of her position. When she reflects about herself for pages, she takes the speed from a very good story. Such reflective passages are certainly necessary, but here they seem a bit exaggerated. Nevertheless, I will try another of the Scarpetta novels.
Rating:
Summary: Good plot - psychology too lengthy.
Review: This is the first Scarpetta novel that I have read. The plot iswell constructed and the book has the character of a good horror novel: You could even compare it to "The Silence of the Lambs". But the narrator indulges too much in self-reflection and an almost paranoid view of her surroundings. This is not conceivable in a person of her position. When she reflects about herself for pages, she takes the speed from a very good story. Such reflective passages are certainly necessary, but here they seem a bit exaggerated. Nevertheless, I will try another of the Scarpetta novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Loved it! No disapointments here, Patricia has once again weaved us thru the labrinth of murder and mystery. Scarpetta is a fantastic character, Lucy is great! Marino is great! and very very sad about Benton, she brings you so close to her characters that you feel like you've honestly shared their entire lives. If you haven't read this book, I would definitely recommend it, and her newest book "Black Notice" is even better.
Rating:
Summary: Enough with Lucy
Review: Patricia Cornwell is a very capable writer who has provided us with many enjoyable reads but the repetitive angst over niece Lucy gets too much for this reader. This time Dr. Scarpetta is too much in touch with her feelings.
Rating:
Summary: Enough with Lucy
Review: Patricia Cornwell is a very capable writer who has provided uswith many enjoyable reads but the repetitive angst over niece Lucy gets too much for this reader. This time Dr. Scarpetta is too much in touch with her feelings.
Rating:
Summary: Dumb Ending...
Review: After getting tired of plodding though Stephen King I decided to try someone else. Why not try a female author? I read Southern Cross four weeks ago and since that time I've read Body of Evidence, Cause of Death, From Potter's Field, Body Farm, Hornet's Nest,Unnatural Exposure, and Point of Origin (lots of time to read at work). Although the books are rather interesting, I've found that the finale is rushed. In Point of Origin, for example, there is this cheesy James Bond style ending. Cornwell's male characters are mostly jerks or underlings. I enjoy reading the tales of Scarpetta. Please don't bump off Pete Marino.
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