Rating: 
Summary: Poor Aunt Kay
Review: As an avide Scarpetta fan I was thrilled to find out Ms. Cornwell had written another. I truly enjoyed Point of Origin, and each that led up to it, and was eager to find out what was to come next for our characters. Unfortunately, this new one fell a little short on my Scarpetta meter! Just when you think we're going down a new road, with infinite possiblities, the road comes to a dead end. I will not be specific because I don't want to ruin the book for other Scarpetta fans. If you truely are, the book is still worth your time just don't get your hopes up that it will be like the earlier ones. I hope the next one, and please Ms. Cornwell write more, will leave us with more answers rather than questions like this one did. P.S. Lucy needs a serious attitude adjustment - perhaps therapy next time!
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Summary: Loved the book ... NOT the language
Review: I have always been a Patricia Cornwell fan. I wait anxiously for her next book to come out and am one of the first in line to purchase either the book or the audio tape. After reading or listening to her books I pass them on to my mother ... for she too is a big fan of Patricia's books. I puchased the audio tape and had it in my tape player before I even started the car for home. I was appaled at the language used in this book. The context of the storyline (which I truly enjoyed) would not have been altered a bit if the profound language would have been left out. I have not. nor will I. pass this on to my mother and I have told her why. I have read everyone of Patricia's books but will think twice before purchasing her next one. Many of my friends and co-workers who are big fans of hers feel the same way. A little profanity is acceptable but this was way way out of line.
Rating: 
Summary: Black Notice An Affront to Loyal Readers
Review: Black Notice is an affront to P. Cornwell's loyal readers! It quite possibly is the worst book ever written, with the most tired ending ever. The problems: overuse of hardcore profanity; confusing time frame/sense of time; Kay's men friends are always being unnecessarily killed off; the graphic, coincidental murder of Diane Bray--just rewards for disliking Kay?; obvious typos in the last chapters; Lucy is an insufferable bore; Marino should start taking better care of himself--if he loves his job so much, how hard can it be for him to want to take care of himself so he'll be around to do it and so people won't be hot to fire him?; and lastly, the main problem: I know it's fiction, and I know the stories are supposed to be about Kay Scarpetta, the main character, but must she always become a target of every killer in every book? This plot device is TIRED! It's just not plausible that a MEDICAL EXAMINER is always in harm's way of the killer. For once I'd like to see Kay help the police solve a mystery using only her expertise and knowledge. It would be quite refreshing.
Rating: 
Summary: Back on track, Ms. Cornwell !
Review: I just finished reading "Black Notice" and I was surprised how well I liked it. It's prequel "Point of Origin" was very moody and depressing and while "Black Notice" starts out like that as well, it gets interesting soon enough. Part of the action takes place in France and in my mind shows some similarities with Poe or Leroux as if the writing had changed with the territory. Eerie ! Lucy does not play a large part in this book (a good idea probably), Kay still misses Benton (as do I) and Marino still manages to alienate everyone everywhere. Granted, "Black Notice" is not as good as the early Scarpetta books, but it's a big improvement from "Point of Origin" where I was worried that all the lead characters would commit suicide before the book was finished. I am now looking forward to the next book and to those who gave up on Kay after "Point of Origin" : This one is worth checking out ! One thing I noticed though : Aren't you supposed to open body bags before taking pictures of the body ? :-)
Rating: 
Summary: Anywhere she is....
Review: Patricia Cornwell may take you to a city street in Virginia or to a country across the ocean, but the fact is that Patricia takes you where ever she goes. You cannot resist the tug of her pen as she writes her story all around you. Before you know it, you are not sure if you should put on a pot of coffee for Marino or a neglige for Benton. Thanks Patricia, we can all use a break from our own lives now and then!
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Summary: Last book I'll buy pre-publication
Review: When Amazon.com notified me that Patricia Cornwell had written a new book starring Kay Scarpetta, I ordered it immediately. Bad decision! Kay is permanently pms-ing. Marino is hopelessly destroying himself. Lucy needs to go away (far away!). The story line is sappy - not scary or mysterious. I continued to read the book because I felt that Ms. Cornwell was setting us up for the return of Wesley. I expected at any time that he was killed-off to go undercover to hunt down this were-wolf out of the Paris office, and that when Kay got to Paris and went to the Interpol building, there to meet her would be Wesley. At least, I thought, that would make her quit moping around, finding fault with everyone and everything. No such luck. Kay Scarpetta needs to take another job. Maybe a new city, new co-workers, new police department, and new crime scenes would put some of the old umph back into her mysteries. Come on, Patricia Cornwell, WAKE UP! Your readers aren't fools. This one made the best seller's list on your reputation. Don't push it!
Rating:
Summary: Finally finished with Cornwell
Review: "All That Remains" and "The Body Farm" were classic contemporary mysteries, but Ms. Cornwell's best days are plainly behind her. In "Black Notice," an absurd X-Files werewolf-chase, we learn that the wonderful Scarpetta is not only an adulteress but now a bimbo who sleeps with men half her age the same day she meets them. The insufferable spoiled-brat Lucy continues her insufferability, while the best character in the series, the once acutely-drawn Pete Marino, is humiliatingly reduced to a one-dimensional buffoon. I gave up on this one about 70 pages before the end. It is disgusting. Ms. Cornwell's incessant promotion of homosexuality and adultery is growing profoundly tedious, and the thrilling page-turner, can't-put-it-down quality of the earlier novels is completely missing. Perhaps Ms. Cornwell would be better off writing "true crime" books. My mother passed away a year ago. She loved Patricia Cornwell's writing, and while I mourn Mom's passing, I'm glad she's not here to have to suffer through this rambling, artless trash. This is certainly the last time I will pick up a Cornwell novel. John Sandford is now undisputably alone as the best writer in the genre.
Rating: 
Summary: enough is enough
Review: I devoured the first Scarpetta books, but ever since Cause of Death, reading her books is continually disappointing. I mean come on a killer with excessive body hair, a warewolf? This is more like an X-File episode, and don't misunderstand me I love the X-Files. However, Scarpetta and Marino aren't Scully and Mulder! Also, like other reviewers have written I am little sick of the Lucy storyline. Quite honestly I think the best of Scarpetta is in the past. I am now on a new series by Dennis Lehane and it is absolutely fantastic! Try him instead.
Rating:
Summary: Black Notice
Review: Hi Im new to the subject of READING altogether, having never read a book since I was in primary school, because I hated it soooooooo much, I discovered Patricia Cornwell's books in the supermarket one day. Black Notice was the first book I have ever read of hers, and being employed in a Pathology unit myself, found I could easily relate to the story. I think I qualify as a NON READER, 30years between books is a long time. So after reading Black Notice in just two days, I went and brought the other 9 books in the series, and Im almost finished all of them. I say Patricia Cornwell gets a mighty big 10 out of 10 for being able to keep my interest, and for opening my eyes to the wonderful world of READING. Now I know what I've been missing out on all these years. Patricia's Books have had no trouble keeping me awake at night reading till sometimes 3am, and so far I've only had to sleep with the lights on a couple of times after spooking myself with the books :) I highly recommend Patricia Cornwell's books to anyone who is interested in the subject FORENSIC PATHOLOGY, and murder mystery, you wont be disappointed........only disappointment for me is I'm almost caught up with Patricia's abilty to write them faster than I can read them :) If you haven't read a Patricia Cornwell novel yet, your missing out BIGTIME!
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Summary: A tale of too many story lines
Review: As an avid Scarpetta reader, I was disappointed with Black Notice. There were too many subplots with the characters, and I found that the main plot of the book (i.e., trailing the "werewolf") was virtually put aside until the midpoint of the book. The climax of the book was anticlimatic, and ill-contrived. Please bring back the strong, tough Scarpetta that we all love!
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