Rating: 
Summary: The Last One
Review: I have listened to all the other Cornwell books. I am in cassette four of this one and doubt I will bother to finish. It is not entertaining; it does not hold my interest, my mind wanders. Too bad.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Long
Review: I found this recent work by Patricia Cornwell tedious reading. I am found of her chief character Dr. Kay Scarpetta, but either Ms. Cornwell is losing her touch or I'm reading too much.
Rating: 
Summary: How does Patricia Cornwell do this?
Review: In The Last Precinct, she has written a book that is a complete mess. The plot manages to be both incomprehensible and predictable -- quite an accomplishment, if you think about it. Many of the characters are one-dimensional, practically none of them are likeable, and their motivations are obscure or unbelievable. For all that, the book is very readable, and I actually enjoyed it. Go figure.
Rating: 
Summary: out of this world
Review: This book is amazing. I have read all of Cornwell's books and this one was just like all the rest - out of this world. It starts out a little slow - but once the train is full steam ahead there is no stopping it! I couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible on so many different levels
Review: I usually enjoy Cornwell as a quick, mindless, entertaining read, however I am unable to finish "The Last Precinct". I am half way though and loath the thought that I may pick it up out of morbid curiosity to see how it ends.The writing is choppy and unclean. A 12-year-old could have written the first two chapters due to their simple sentences and syntax. Later in the book there are huge chunks that read as if they were hastily added filler. When writing a sequel an author needs to walk the fine line between boring readers of the first novel and alienating new readers. Cornwell does not do this well at all in "The Last Precinct". I glossed over whole pages of badly written background information that was clumsily inserted throughout the book. Worse than the hack writing, are the characters who have become characatures of themselves. Marino is gruffer and even less PC than usual, Lucy is still a precocious yet absentee niece (and yes, Cornwell fears that lest we forget, she is still a lesbian), Kay is wallowing in self-absorption. The whole tone of Kay's monologue (yes, that's what this book is - "Kay's whinging monologue") is maudlin. This is exacerbated by her interactions with Anna, her friend the shrink, who's only raison d'être so far is to give Kay a sounding board for the regurgitation of her woes. Three books ago I would never have thought that I would one day hate these people and want them to go away. Someone needs to tell Patricia Cornwell about character development. "The Last Precinct" reads as if Cornwell had written under duress to fulfill a contract. It would seem that she is as tired of her characters and the story as I am. Time to hang it up?
Rating:
Summary: Too much angst
Review: Dr. Scarpetta absolutely wallows in her misery. I find this tendency, which seems to increase with each book, to lessen the plot. I want to tell her to quit whining and get on with it!
Rating: 
Summary: Cornwell Back Up to Par
Review: Hip-Hip-Hooray! Patricia Cornwell is definitely back up to snuff with her latest, The Last Precinct. From beginning to end I was totally engrossed. Wrapping up some unfinished business with finality and opening up new horizons for Kay Scarpetta made this an especially tantalizing treat. I look forward to what now lies in store for Kay, her niece, Lucy, and yes - even Marino. Will he retire??? Is Lucy involved with her former boss, Teun??? Stay tuned...only Patricia Cornwell knows.
Rating:
Summary: A trip to the Dentist
Review: Reading this book was as painful as a trip to the dentist. By the time I had managed to work my way through the first 100 pages, I had come to the conclusion that for all concerned it would of been less painful if Chandonne had killed Scarpetta and ended this series that has gone downhill so fast. That being said, I probably will buy the next book just hoping that Patricia Cornwell can find the magic she had in earlier books in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Kay and characters have lost their spark
Review: While I read and enjoyed Patrica Cronwell's other books, this one left me cold. Kay has become so paranoid and self-involved that her life is no longer interesting, nor or the characters that surround her. I couldn't bring myself to finish it -- I found it so bad -- and was sorry I bought it hard cover. It's my last Patricia Cronwell purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Mixed Feelings
Review: I had given up buying my own copies of Cornwall's books after years of waiting with bated breath for her books to come out. I now can wait for them from the library. The last couple of books, especially "Black Notice", left me flat and seriously considering not to read any more of this author's works. However, being 'faithful' to my authors, I did read "The Last Precinct" and enjoyed the fact that everything that seemed to be left 'dangling' in Black Notice seemed to be clarified. I read Last Precinct in a few days; however, I still feel that she is portraying her characters as being very shallow. Just when I think I am going to get "into" Marino or Lucy, Cornwall quickly pushes them out of my grasp. I'd like to see her go 'beyond' calling Marino on his cell, beyond 'hoping' Lucy will be there for her....get some "umph" in her writing. Frankly, it doesn't bother me that I won't see another Cornwall book for the next 2 years. Pity!
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