Rating: Summary: Manipulative and disgusting Review: The villains of this piece, the Chandonnes, are as appalling as they are impossible to believe. I guess this shouldn't be a surprise, since the title is taken from a maggot. Cornwell is far more fascinated by the Chandonnes than I ever have been. The manipulative part was far more infuritating. These characters seem to come from a different series. Scarpetta is so remote she seems comatose. Lucy's sexuality slides up and down the continuum -- difficult to accept from such an out and proud lesbian. Marino is his old self, confronting his feelings for Kay (at least internally) with uncommon candor. He's the only one that feels familiar. And THE plot twist (I won't give it away) is so manipulative that I feel as though I've been played like a violin. In all, an unpleasant experience. I agree with the previous reviewer who encourages the talented Ms. Cornwell to just move on, get past the Chandonnes, and give us a credible story we will actually care about.
Rating: Summary: Who wrote this book? Review: I could have lived with the narrative switch to 3rd person for Cornwell's protagonist, Kay Scarpetta, and I could have lived with the resurrection of Benton Wesley if his actions in this book had been the least bit believable. But I can't find any redeeming value in the absolutely ridiculous "plot" that results in the escape of the Wolfman. There is nothing remotely believable in Blow Fly.This book makes me wonder if Patricia Cornwall died and some totally untalented writer tried to cash in by cobbling together a rehash of her previous novels. Don't waste your money or your time on this one.
Rating: Summary: Please!!! Review: This book is awful! I found myself wondering if it had been ghost written by someone who hadn't bothered reading the other books in the series. The characters are caricatures of themselves, and the story line and "ending" are ridiculous. I have never written a review before, but I was moved to do so by the sheer awfulness of this book. Patricia Cornwell can, and should, do better. She owes more to her readers.
Rating: Summary: a big fan of the "Scarpetta" series. Review: I give the new "Scarpetta" novel five stars just becuase i love the way that Patricia Cornwell writes. She writes with such depth that you actually become attached to the characters as if you know them in real life. I for one will never forget the first time I started reading these wonderful novels. My high school english teacher persuaded me to try them. I was not a big reader and decided that I would give the books a chance. After reading postmortem, It had such an impact on me and how she actually reached my attention and sucked me into the bottomless pit of reading. Now i'm a scarpetta junkie and can't wait till she comes out with the next novel. Im curious to see what happens with Scarpetta and her lover (if you have read the books before hand you know who im talking about) if you havn't read the books i suggest you do so. The book is spine chilling, and to think that Lucy is actually capable of doing something so malicious, oh well, good bye to rocco!! the book is awsome
Rating: Summary: I waited three years for this? Review: I was a big fan of PC, but sadly she was all over the map with this story line. The ending was abrupt and left far to many unanswered questions. It seemed as if PC was getting tired of her own story toward the end and just pulled the plug. PC is more talented than what was projected in this book. If this was my first time reading a Scarpetta novel, it would have been my last. I loved her work in the past and will give her one more chance, but that's it.
Rating: Summary: Flawed, but Readable Review: Although terribly flawed, Blow Fly is not the disaster many have described. Patricia Cornwell is still a terrific writer and sustains a very interesting story-line. Yes, the plot is fragmented with a series of disjointed and off the wall sub-plots surrounding an often ridiculous thread. The middle of the book seems to move through a series of unrelated scenes. An unitiated Cornwell reader will be confused and many even find the book unreadable. Nevertheless, for veteran readers of the series, the episodes that comprise the novel are interesting and move toward an anticipated crescendo that will tie many loose threads, place the characters in terrifying peril, and then decisively stifle evil. I believe that the worst failing of the book is the abrupt ending (this is a common failing of in the mystery/thriller genre) that leaves much unresolved and unexplained and the reader feeling betrayed. So much could have happened at the end of Blow Fly only to have it conclude with a sigh. Patricia Cornnwell has tremendous writing skills which probably saved Blow Fly from being a total disaster. 2 1/2 stars would actually be an appropriate rating. Perhaps the widespread criticism of this book is due to high expectations being unmet. For Cornwell devotees this one is definitely worth the time, but one should either borrow a copy or wait until it comes out in paperback.
Rating: Summary: Where is the ending? Review: This book was very disjointed, more so than her past books. It has been three years since we read of Scarpetta, and yet we are supposed to remember everything. Up until the last few pages I would have rated it a lot better but Where is the ending? I have never seen a worst end to a book. There should have been mucho chapters to go. I guess we will have to wait another THREE YEARS to hear from Scarpetta and of course we all know the plot line. Get a grip and write like you used to, PC. And drop the other series, it stinks even worse than this one. I swore I was not going to read her anymore. I should have kept my promise!
Rating: Summary: Blow Fly Review: I was really disappointed in this latest Scarpetta novel. The plot was all over the place and there was not enough about Scarpetta. The ending was rushed. Why bring Benton back? MOVE ON.......
Rating: Summary: Get a Day Job... Review: The absolute worst piece of trash I've ever read!! I should have had a clue when I had to keep stopping to ask "Is there a PLOT here?" The rambling, self-important tone of the abysmal writing is appalling. PC has been slipping in recent novels, especially the "other" series in the Carolinas and she has completely gone over the tasteless, amature edge. I don't care how much research she's done, when she puts in endless minutiae about guns and ammo that serves no purpose in the plot, it just seems like grandstanding. "Look at me! See how smart I am!" Get a day job Patricia.
Rating: Summary: Not That BAD Review: Wow -- a lot of negativity for this book. While certainly not her finest, I'm surprised at the feedback this book has drawn so far. Any fan of the series should know her days of forensic medicine in the books are over. Kay isn't even a medical examiner anymore so what did you people really expect? In fact, I think this book took a turn for the better in the fact that the characters were not all about to commit suicide because they were so miserable. Things are actually looking up for these characters and, I assume, we might be able to get back at some point in the series, to other murders besides this particular serial killer. Did it have some loose ends? Sure! But I think a lot of things will get wrapped up for us in the next book. We've stuck with these characters for how long now? I think we know things will become more clear with future books. I'm just glad her characters are out of their ruts and, it seems, she will keep most of them out of there as she explains to us why they have all been cranky for several books now. Not the best offering to the series, but not the worse either.
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