Rating: 
Summary: Not the Author We Know
Review: Blow Fly, the latest in the Kay Scarpetta series is a huge disappointment.Billed as "A Scarpetta Novel," rather than the more familar "A Kay Scarpetta Novel" may seem like a small thing, but it is indicative of the entire tone of the book it heralds. Miss Cornwell seems to have either lost her touch or decided to change her writing style completely. Either way, it is a sad thing for her long-term fans, and this new, dry style won't gain her any new ones. Three years have passed since "The Last Precint," and life has changed for many of the characters. The potential for a facinating story is never met. Instead of the familar first-person narrative of Kay Scarpetta herself, the reader is treated to dry and stilted writing that inspires no of the feelings her previous books have. The characters when presented this way are flat and impossible to care about. They act in ways that are completely foreign to what the reader has come to expect form them. While each individual thread of the story woven in the book again has potential to be thrilling, presented all together in one book it is too much, done by too many, for reasons that are completely unbelievable to the readers who have come to know them. And indeed, there are no full explanations as to what has happened to them in the three years since we have last seen them. The ending adds new definition to word "anticlimatic." I can only hope that Miss Cornwell will go back to her original style in her next book. And she can only hope that her readers still care enough to buy that next book and find out.
Rating: 
Summary: Grave disappointment
Review: Having read all the Scarpetta novels, I was looking forward to another, but disliked Cornwell's approach from the get-go. I never rekindled any like for any of the characters, and felt she muddled her way through a half-baked idea. Very little held together, the characters were all on the verge of or within nervous breakdowns, and just when things would get suspenseful or interesting, the novel would break down. It's a pity that once good novelists like Cornwell or Clancy really make it, they rest on their laurels and dispense with the aid of a good editor. The more recent efforts from these authors are not good (I didn't even finish Clancy's, it was so bad, which is in shocking contrast to his older books.)
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: Patricia must of been ill when she wrote this one. This is the worst out of the Scarpetta series!
Rating: 
Summary: Scarpetta's on her way back!!!
Review: I've been a fan of Cornwell's Scarpetta series from the beginning. While the last couple of books have been a detour from the norm for this series, I think this book is the foundation for getting our beloved Scarpetta back on track and doing what she does best! I've read some reviews that are pretty negative and complain that Scarpetta seemed to be a secondary character...I disagree. With the last book in the series, I think all of the characters had reached a turning point, and Blow Fly is partially about turning that corner and, I hope, getting us back to the heart of the series. (I know I couldn't put it down!) I certainly hope this is a new beginning for Scarpetta and pals, and not the beginning of the end of the series. Keep 'em coming Patricia!!!
Rating:
Summary: this novel is a travesty
Review: Patricia cornwell has gone round the bend or is just trying to get a big paycheck at her fan's expense. This not a novel but is more reminiscent of a 1930's serial. There is no focus and makes little sense. We are left waiting at the end for the next novel which should have a warning of "to be continued." I will never waste money on another of her books but still consider her novels such as All That Remains as one of the finest examples of contemporary mystery. She needs to get back to her form of ten years ago.
Rating:
Summary: Really Disappointed
Review: I have enjoyed Ms. Cornwell's previous books, that when I saw that she had written a New Scarpetta novel I immediately bought it. The book was a terrible disspointment. The story line, if you can call it that was never really established. It was nothing morning than snipits of various charters lines which really went nowhere. New potentially interesting characters were introduced but they were never really connected to the story line in any meaningful way. The chapters were two pages long and resembled notes for ideas which were never put together or developed. Ms. Cronwell's writings have evolved into dark tales of the seriously mentally ill rather than on Ms. Scarpetta's talents as a forensic pathologist. Too bad I was really looking forward to a good read, this book was not.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointment
Review: I recently waited a very long time at my library,to obtain this latest book in the Scarpetta series.I also recomended her to a friend.After reading this novel, I wrote my friend and told her to try another novel and not to bother with her latest.
Patricia Cornwell obviously has lost her touch with this novel.It was everything I could do to finish.Her build up to the climax was faulty and her use of the third person for her characters was very distracting and diffinately left me wanting to do a rewrite myself.
I wonder at her editors, was this the end product for them?Or did they try and fail at any changes.
As another reviewer observed, there was very little of the forensic information that has captivated myself and others who bought her books.At the end, it left so many unanswered questions and a diffinate bad taste.If she is planning to continue with this character, then she should reconsider. I would not buy or even go to the trouble of trying to read any more of her books.This was a very big disapointment.
Rating:
Summary: Blow Fly
Review: While eagerly anticipating this release, I was edgy about the lengthy span between Scarpetta novels. After borrowing the book from my area library, I was disappointed in the fragmentation of the story. A new residence for Kay and Rose, continuation of the malignant evil of the Chandonne twins, a potential new friend for Lucy...none held my interest. I wanted the forensic leads, the puzzling threads of evidence, Kay cooking when she is stressed. I would go back to reading the first five Scarpetta novels before I would bother with Blow Fly. Jean Baptiste is out there, perhaps intent on eradicating Benton for real the next time. I hope this storyline is put to rest in the next installment.
Rating:
Summary: Can't believe I bothered to finish the book...
Review: I kept thinking it would get better and I gave her the benefit of the doubt, because I enjoyed previous books by Cornwell. But I agree with others that are also tired of the wolf man character, and I missed the forensic science piece that always made her books so compelling. A huge disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Don't bother . . . .
Review: Either Cornwell has lost her touch, or is off her meds. This Scarpetta novel is as bad as Hornet's Nest and Southern Cross. The ever-changing inner perspective of the characters (Kay, Lucy, Marino, Benton, Jean Baptiste) was just annoying. I am surprised we didn't get a chapter from the dog's point of view. The plot didn't seem to going anywhere, then all the loose ends were hastily tied up in the last 20 pages. A lot of the plot devices were just plain stupid (the kid and crooked US attorney "just happen" to be on the plane with Kay - yeah right!) Someone do a post-mortem - because the Kay Scarpetta we loved is dead. She's been killed off by her egotistical creator. This boodk at the top of the bestseller lists, but that is due to Cornwell's past reputation and shouldn't be taken as a indication that one should waste time reading this piece of tripe.
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