Rating: 
Summary: Well, it's better than her non-Scarpetta fiction...
Review: I agree with many of the other reviews already posted: Cornwell is at her best when Kay is investigating crimes. Since there were only a few pages of her investigating in this novel, the book was less interesting than Cornwell's earlier books. Much of it felt like filler. I put it down after reading each (very short) chapter. About 2/3 of the way through, the action seemed to pick up. But the end was very dissatisfying; we just hear most of what happens from Benton. And while he and Kay have their reunion, she leaves the scared little boy alone in his room?!?! We can expect another book with "Le Loup-Garou"in it, to be sure.I disagree that the book was that poorly written. I've read a lot worse-and I didn't see many editing mistakes, either. If you've read her non-Scarpetta mysteries, you'll be relieved that, while Cornwell does use multiple points of view, she doesn't sink to telling us what first a cat and then God think as she did in one of her books! Still, don't waste your money; if you must read it, patronize your library!
Rating:
Summary: Better than a Greyhound Bus ride...
Review: I read "Blow Fly" on a 15 hour Greyhound Bus ride, which is probably why I didn't mind it so much. It kept me entertaining, provided excellent protection from my freakish fellow passengers, and reunited me with (some semblance) of formerly interesting characters that I had previously grown to love. The virtues of the book--of which there are considerably fewer than its vices--include its short chapters, atmospheric scenes (esp in the Bayou), and zippy pace. Its formidable failures, however, are another story. In brief, they are: 1) the recycled plot lines (how many more times will Cornwall rewrite Scarpetta history? How many more times will she delve into past books and "mine" their plots for "unrevealed" secrets, rather than coming up with new and interesting plots?); (2) an abrupt shift in narrative (first to third person), which results from the hole she wrote herself in following the scattering of the major characters in the last novel; (3) a complete lack of forensic detail--isn't this the core of the series???; (4) disrespectful dampening of vitality in all of the major characters, esp. Scarpetta; & (5) a hastily-written, anticlimactic ending that stank like a decomposing first draft...
I will read the next Scarpetta novel, if only because I view this as an interlude and necessary evil (born out of the structural shortcomings of the Last Precinct) that will hopefully give rise to a renewed and revitalized series. Hopefully!
Rating: 
Summary: The Dark Side of the Force
Review: This is just amazingly bad. Cornwell has spent way too long gazing at the Dark Side of the Force. The improbable Jean-Baptist Chandonne and his absurd family of criminal masterminds have taken over the novels. What made the Scarpetta series interesting was the forensics, and maybe with CSI This and That all over TV, Cornwell thought she should d something different, not realizing that the serial killer is a truly overworked genre. Everyone in this series is angry and out of control, not just the criminals; it's depressing, for in reality things just don't work that way. There are always sane, focused individuals who make the world work, despite the angry dysfunctionals. Cornwell has lost sight of that and of the drama in the confrontation of the competent and the others. Avoid.
Rating:
Summary: Sad excuse for writing
Review: My husband and I really agreed that it is one of the worst books we have ever read. He did not even finish it it was so porrly written. The last 40 pages or so, she just gave up and wrote a pathetic ending. So much was a stretch and made no sense. I would not recommend this to anyone, no matter how desperate you are for something to read.
Rating: 
Summary: A nice follow-on to the Wolfman saga
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it tied all of the characters together. I am glad that I didn't let the negative reviews keep me from reading it. It's not heavy into the forensics as the past novels were but I didn't really miss it because I got wrapped up in the human aspect of the characters. Do yourself a favor and read it. I am looking forward to reading the next Scapetta novel.
Rating:
Summary: Now its offical
Review: Friends of mine have been saying for a bit now that the Scarpeta serise is done. I didn't want to belive them than I read Blowfly. Patrica Cornwell has fallen victim to "established Author Syndrom". I didn't think it could ever happen to her but I shouldn't be surprised considering how often it has happenned to others. Just to name a few Tom Clancy, Ann Rice, Stepen king and Robert Jordon. It is indeed a sad day. Overall-Not bad, just the same old same old forulmatic and predictable.
Rating:
Summary: Blow, blew, BLOWN
Review: Ugly, ugly, UGLY! A sorry apology for the cracking good writer Ms Cornwell used to be. Graphic descriptions of low butchery, shot'em-all-on-the-spot show downs and improbable resurrections are not the stuff I like to find in a good thriller. Besides, I feel I'm quite fed up with serial killers. Why do they kill? Because they're mad, of course. Wow! Shocking! I'd rather have your old fashioned butler any time... And what the hell happened to spunky, self assured, self reliant, rational Doctor Kay Scarpetta? Who is this pathetic looser stumbling around with no rational purpose, this pale wraith of her former robust self?
And why on earth should a brilliant, beautiful, smart girl like Lucy waste her life away ad a dumb gunwoman? And what is this fascination with self made judgement and execution on the spot?
Get yourself together, Ms Cornwall. I used to love your novels, but now I feel very disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Cornwell gets paid for this?????
Review: This is my first Cornwell book, and so, as an unbiased observer, I can honestly say that this is one of the worst books I have ever read. I don't know if the other books are written in the present tense or not, but the effect was incredibly affected and annoying. The characters are thin, unbelievable, and totally unworthy of a reader's interest. It is easy to say that a character is tough or smart or whatever, but when the characters do nothing but piss and moan about how hurt and damaged they are, the story gets old pretty quick. To say the plot was sloppy would be generous. As for the use of Louisiana as a setting, this author seems incapable of capturing any of the depth of the place not able to be found with a google search or an atlas. She used a couple of accurate place names, but just completely missed the atmosphere and feel of Louisiana in general and Baton Rouge in particular. Also, was Jean-Baptiste blind or not? Sometimes he is described as blind (the event of his blinding is, in fact, described in some detail), and other times he is described as seeing things (cars in the prison parking lot, another prisoner doing push-ups, etc.). Another example of Cornwell's sloppiness and narrative laziness. This was simply awful, from start to finish. It amazes me that an author whose other work is fairly well reviewed, here and elsewhere, could have laid such an egg.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed - Again
Review: I have been a big Scarpetta fan since the very first book and always looked forward eagerly to each installment. Unfortunately the inconsistencies in this book when comparing back to earlier works are mind boggling! How can she have not explained away Scarpetta seeing Bentons face in the freezer after he was killed? If you are going to bring a character back to life you really do need to tie up all the loose ends! It was insulting, as though she didn't expect readers to remember what had gone before! The ending was just plain annoying, I actually turned the page, only to find that there was no more! To just tell us that Jay Talley had died, without any other information, no description of the chase etc, was plain pathetic. It was as though Ms Cornwell was bored with the story and decided to wrap it up as quickly as possible. Not to mention the total implausability of a child happily confiding his reasons for self mutilating to a total stranger! I still believe that Isle of Dogs was the worst book ever, but this is running a very close second. I am glad someone gave this to me as a gift and I have therefore wasted no money on it. I'd join with others in recommending paperback or garage sales, leave the hardcover on the shelf!
Rating:
Summary: Time's up...you have 2 pages to end the book
Review: I have read every one of Cornwell's novels and like many, have looked forward to Kay's cleverness and medical sleuthing. Although I did enjoy the twists and turns as the novel progressed, the ending was so amateurish, clipped, and unsatisfying that one has to wonder whether there was a reason for the shabby and uncreative way the author ties up all the loose ends. Did the publisher give her an ultimatum for a deadline and she had to somehow finish the book in a few days? How can the author deny the reader that inevitable confrontation between the good and evil forces? Extremely poor job done writing the climax. Viagra anyone?
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