Rating: 
Summary: Pitiful effort
Review: I was so excited that there was finally a new Kay Scarpetta book by Patricia Cornwell, but after reading it the only word that comes to mind is "pitiful". What a waste of talent. This book was leaden. The well-known and normally well-drawn characters were twisted and contorted beyond recongnition. The new characters got no development, and therefore I could not have cared less if they lived or died. And the "surprise" was stupid and ill-conceived. So sad, so bad.
Rating:
Summary: The worst Cornwell ever
Review: I, too, am a long time Scarpetta fan who was terribly disappointed in this book. The build up was fine, and I was expecting a great showdown between Scarpetta, and Jean-Baptiste, with the aid of Lucy, Marino, Nic & Rudy, and the final twist being the revelation that Benton is alive.Instead, the Jean-Baptiste escape went nowhere except to leave open the possibility of a sequel. Scarpetta's discovery of Benton was so bland as to be ridiculous. The showdown with Lucy, Marino & the others was a complete letdown. I too feel as if Cornwell just got tired of the book and decided to quit writing. I had read that this book was bad, so I borrowed it from the library. As I read, I started to feel that it wasn't so bad, but then the ending just completely ruined it. I felt duped! I wasted so much time reading the build up, and the climax was non-existent.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible
Review: With 20 pages to go in the book, I was sick to think that this must just be part one of a long, confusing, annoying 2-book sequence. Then, boom,
it was over. The auhor must have hit her editor's deadline or she, too,
was so sick of the book that she just wanted to end it as quickly as possible. All action takes place "off screen". 9 out of 10 plot twists lead nowhere. WAY too much time is spent finding out what a psychopath is thinking. This was the WORST book I have read in years. I cannot convey how bad this one is. Avoid... Or, just read the last 10 pages - the first 400 don't have anything to do with them anyway.
Rating: 
Summary: WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!
Review: WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! The resurrection of Benton Wesley was never very well explained (and if you didn't read the book where he "died", you would be totally lost), there were several things alluded to that didn't come to fruition (e.g., what seemed to be a relationship that MIGHT develop between Lucy and Nic), but, worst of all, after chapter 118 (page 443)the author just seems to say "I'm tired of writing so I'm quitting after a few more pages." Everything was sort of wrapped up with few, if any, explanations and Jean-Baptist Chandonne was left out there roaming the Louisiana bayous. WHAT A CHEAP TRICK TO BRING ABOUT A SEQUEL. Well, guess what! I won't buy it or read it. Another disappointment was the fact that Kay Scarpetta wasn't much of a heroine in the book. Her former exploits were alluded to frequently but I felt as though she was crippled or retired or both. Patricia Cornwell seems to have lost her touch. YUCK!
Rating:
Summary: Worst Book by Patricia Cornwell
Review: This has to be the worst book Ms. Cornwell has ever written. Much of the plot doesn't even make sense. Just a few examples: Why does Lucy feel compelled to kill Rocco after she receives a strange letter (supposedly) from a death row inmate? She already knew he was a bad guy who had probably killed a lot of people. And why doesn't she tell Kay about the letter? Why exactly is Benton in witness protection? Why does he care if Marino knows where he is? And why is he running around calling people with tape recorders? Huh? Beyond the serious holes in the plot, the book is also indescribably gross. The details surrounding Jay Talley and his serial killing, as well as his sexual tendencies, are unnecessarily specific. The same goes for Jean Baptiste and his death row musings. Even the blow fly details are just too much. This book belongs on the same shelf with the "bodice rippers" in the bookstore: it's as if Cornwell wanted to write a book with a weak plot, no character depth, and lots of horror and sex.
Rating:
Summary: Another Disappointment
Review: I have been disappointed in her last few books to the point where I can't even finish reading them. I did get through this one, but it was a struggle. Never again! At least I learned from my last mistake and got this one at the library. I still keep hoping she will return to her old form, but this seems to be par for the course now.
Rating:
Summary: next book - the heroine is revealed to be a space alien
Review: Obvious, overblown, silly. Big plot points that make no sense. (e.g. - Lucy, the heroic lesbian (now sort-of-bisexual when under pressure), keeps as a partner the man who tried to rape her and they are both forced to resign the FBI after he admits to the assault.) Filler chapters that don't contribute to the plot. I gave up on this not even halfway through, knowing there was no way it would get better. Ms Cornwall is fortunate that there is no option for No Stars in the ranking scheme. The only saving grace it that the book came from the library and I didn't buy it.
Rating:
Summary: a big let down
Review: This novel was written so different than her other Scarpetta novels. A big dissapointment. Too many story lines going on. Too much , too fast, even too little. I have all the novels and was so excited to get my hands on this one, but due to tight finances, waited until I could find it in a thrift store, which I did, for $1.99, and I am so glad I didn't pay full price! I would have wanted a refund! Patricia, don't make the same mistake on the next one, if there is a next one!
Rating: 
Summary: Patricia STILL has it!!
Review: After reading all of the reviews on this page, I was nervous. However, After listening to the unabridged book on tape I was not disappointed. This book is not a first read for the Scarpetta Series. I was SOOOOO happy with the surprise in the novel. I felt all of the emotions in a good Scarpetta story. If you loved all of Patricia's books, you'll like this one too. Just think of this as a continuation of a story line from the Last Precinct, Black Notice, and Point of Origin. Keep going with the Story!!! I can't wait to see what happens next.
Rating: 
Summary: Action, Forensics and Dead People Make a Fun Read
Review: Kay Scarpetta is now in private practice in Florida. Her old foes, the maliciously evil Chandonne brothers, are still around. Jean-Baptiste, the horribly ugly "Wolfman," is on Death Row in Texas. Jean-Paul, his beautiful twin now known as Jay Talley, is busy murdering women in an unspeakable fashion in the Louisiana bayou. Unknown to Scarpetta, her ex-lover, Benton, who she thought had been dead for several books now, is still working undercover on the Chandonne case, as is niece Lucy. The action zips along between locals in this story that I think many Scarpetta fans will love, but for me bringing Benton back the way Cornwell did was a little much. However she tied up all the loose ends pretty neatly and I'm sure I'll be first in line at my local book story when the next Scarpetta novel comes out. Sophie Cacique Gaul
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