Black Notice

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, could not put it down.
Review: Patricia Cornwall does it again! A terrific fast-paced thriller, with multiple sub-story lines that keep the reader riveted. When reading each of her "Kay Scarpetta" novels, it is important to understand that these are not sequential. Therefore, one needs to mentally "place" each novel in the sequence of the others. This Kay Scarpetta "chapter" answers many questions one had with previous "chapters" of the saga...about various core characters and the one-year-plus grieving process Kay has undergone. One tends to forget that characters in a book, if they are to reflect reality, do not resolve grief in a day. In addition, it introduced new characters and gave modern scientific insight into an ancient terror (werewolves), plus what I believe continues to be the finest literary description of the ethical issues and techniques of modern medical science. For all these reasons, I found it to be very enjoyable reading.

Rating:
Summary: A very disappointed Cornwell fan!! Unorganized and dry!!!
Review: I have been a big fan and avid "Skarpetta" fan since Cornwell's very first book. For a long time I have been to the point of not even reading her reviews, the bookcover panels, etc., I just KNEW her book would be well worth it. I was so disappointed with Black Notice. For starters, it is so unlikely that she would meet the perfect man and even care while her career lays in ruin, her neice is in danger, Moreno's job is on the line, her computer system is being broken into and she has dead bodies all over the place. But she has time to find the "second" Mr Right and dump him all in one setting??? Very not like Kay Skarpetta. Also, all of the loose ends are just that, loose. And at this point, I could care less if Lucy dies, if Skarpetta loses her job, and I am kinda rooting for "Chuckie". But, as usual, I will probably calm down just in time for her next one.

Rating:
Summary: Leftovers
Review: This is the worst of the lot - close to Hornet's Nest. Have been a fan and read all of the books twice, but this one screamed with angry characters and predictable plot. Much of the plot seemed to come from past stories. Maybe this one was just for therapy - Kay's, Pete's, Lucy's & Pat's.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty Typical!
Review: If you like Kay Scarpetta's adventures, this is more of same. Same Kay, same Lucy, same Merino, only more so. I think some new blood is indicated for this series, the new love interest sounds like he may not last but if Kay ever perks up she may enjoy herself. I wish we could find out more about Marino's mysterious son. Anyway, I enjoyed this book even though it's similar to all the others, though I felt the villain was ludicrous and the ending was so abrupt she may as well have written "end of part I" for a closing sentence. One thing I didn't like - I know you have to be a tough specimen to be a police woman, not to mention Detective or Chief, but did Bray and Anderson HAVE to be portrayed as such repellent, evil, slimey, perverted SERPENTS? They were one step above the loup garrou, if you ask me. I enjoyed "Black Notice" but will be disappointed il future stories follow the same ol' same ol' angst of our three heroes.

Rating:
Summary: Tiresome
Review: Lucy is angry. Marino is angry. Kay is angry. I've read and enjoyed every one of the Kay Scarpetta novels up until now, but the characters have become as predictable as taxes. Even those who made their debut in this one -- Diane Bray, Jay Talley, Det. Anderson -- are cardboard. To add insult to injury, the dialogue was often inane and we learned virtually nothing about the killer other than bizarre surface facts. Looks like Patricia Cornwell phoned this one in.

Rating:
Summary: Good book, but not up to Conrwell's usual standards
Review: I, like everyone else who reviewed this book, have been an avid Cornwell fan. I enjoyed this book and finished it in two days, but was not left with the "I'm dying for another one" feeling I usually have after her books. The love/sex encounter seemed totally ridiculous and out of place to me. I was ashamed of and embarrassed for Kay. I usually enjoy Lucy's character and don't mind her being "difficult", but in this book she was worse than a thirteen year old pubescent. Grow up! I was also very let down at the end not to learn more about the killer and his life. We were tempted throughout the book about his affliction and backround and then left hanging. I enjoy all of the autopsy and medical detail she puts in her books and was glad to see plenty of that still there. As others have stated, I also became bored with Kay's "grief". It got very old. I will continue to read her books, but hope she gets back to her usual style of writing.

Rating:
Summary: A "fast read" with an interesting storyline.
Review: Dr. Scarpetta shows some emotion over Benton's loss, and it affects her relationships with Lucy & Marino. This is a "fast read" book that takes the reader from Va. to Paris. It's just gory enough to be fun and not too gory for sensitive tastes. Kay's search for the killer of an unidentified foreigner & a local convenience store clerk pits her against the new police boss and a cartel. Interpol steps in and affects her search for truth while placing her in jeopardy.

Rating:
Summary: her best book yet!!!!
Review: I have read all of Patricia Cornwell's books. I wasn't sure if this one would be good or where she would go with Kay Scarpetta since her beloved Benton was dead, but she has done it again!!! This is a page turner just like all the rest of them.

Rating:
Summary: I could not put it down until I knew.
Review: Glad to be back with Kay and all her trials and tribulations. There are parts where it is just impossible to put it down until you find out what happens, even when you know you will suffer at work the next day. You can promise yourself all day that you will make up the sleep tonight but until it is done you might as well forget it.

Rating:
Summary: Par for the course with Patricia Cornwell.
Review: Patricia Cornwell researches all of her books so well, including this one. Her medical and legal background is very sound. The character development and overall plot to this novel is excellent. My only problem lies with the sense that she is getting lazy. In her most recent books the endings are all the same, and she tends to wrap them up awful quickly. She will spend 200 pages developing the plot and in 15 conclude it, but all in all, Black Notice is a good read as are all of Cornwell's books.