Black Notice

Rating:
Summary: Not her best, but well worth reading
Review: I received this book in the mail and finished it the same evening. I loved how Cornwell portrayed Kay's feelings and thoughts about Benton. I felt myself wishing that her hopes were correct, that he was still out there. I wasn't a big fan of the romantic liasion, but in the story, it fit. The story was very interesting, but I feel there were some loose ends that Cornwell failed to tie up. Nevertheless, I still look forward to the next Scarpetta novel.

Rating:
Summary: Bring back Benton Wesley!!!
Review: I've just recently become a fan of this series about Kay Scarpetta and I have read in just the last two months all the previous books with her as the central character. I felt the interaction between Scarpetta and Pete Marino and Benton Wesley was the key to why I so enjoyed reading this series. I read fiction to be entertained and, hopefully, feel good after I've finished the book, but that's not the case with Point of Origin and Black Notice. If I want to be depressed, I can read the newspaper! I don't care what has to be done in the way of plot contrivance -- just bring back Benton Wesley and make Scarpetta the decent woman she once was.

Rating:
Summary: paranoid....tired characters....too much worn out angst
Review: I was a huge fan at the beginning of this series. I have now gotten weary of Kay's grief over a man she never seemed to have time for when he was alive and which seems entirely insincere and shallow now. Lucy's continued angst over her sexuality and inability to be anything but a neurotic, violent brat has also gotten tiresome and boring. Marino is the only character I still have any sympathy for but how much blustering and overeating can one character do and continue to be believable. The trend for these folks to be put in more and more untenable political situations in their work has also been overdone. Are we to believe that the state of Virginia only hires unscrupulous, self-serving criminals in everyone of their senior positions, except for the righteous Kay of course. I am sorry to say this is the end of the line for me....I will not buy or read any more in this series.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best but ranks right up there...
Review: Love all the Kay Scarpetta books, this one isn't my favorite - Kay's too depressed, Lucy's a bit weird and Pete is being a pig! However, enjoyed the story but need to cheer Kay up a bit in the next one! Any chance these will be movies??

Rating:
Summary: Great! I like Scarpetta/Cornwell... Maybe a bit too sad.
Review: Great story well researched. Read it in a day. I know that grief does take a while to sort out. I've been there. But its time for Kay and Lucy to lighten up and have a dish of Lady Godiva Ice Cream... I'm looking forward to the next one. I hope it comes soon.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but definitely not her best
Review: Like other reviewers, I found the love interest (Talley) and the ending of the story to be "tacked on", uncharacteristic, and unsatisfying. Other than that, the story was exciting ... but, I do think Cornwell needs to broaden her ideas on plot. Not to make them implausible, but just more varied ... and having the same characters (other than Kay and Marino) involved over and over starts to grate. What about using some of the "sideliners" like Marino's son, Dr. Fielding, or Rose?

Rating:
Summary: How Many Times Can People Be Out for Kay
Review: I really liked the beginning of this book -- with the letter from Benton. However, as I read along I felt like I've read this story before. Kay being depressed, Lucy being angry, Marino on the verge of a heart attack. Kay takes a new lover to bed but are we really supposed to believe that one night of sex justifies "Don't fall in love with me"? Come on. These books are starting to read more like a bad Romance stories, not a medical thriller. Hope the next book explains more about the serial killer in this story as we only got to learn about his afliction, not what makes him tick.

Rating:
Summary: Riveting, page turner, hard to put down!
Review: I felt that this was one of Patricia's best reads. It kept me wanting for more. I was disappointed when I was finished. Excellent book.

Rating:
Summary: Kay becomes more human - More - more- more!
Review: Ms. Cornwell has outdone herself with "Black Notice". Kay Scarpetti has become more human and suffers over the loss of Benton. Marino has his usual grittiness and loyalty but needs to find his own woman. Deputy Chief Bray is an ugly reminder of some I've met that are just like her. Kay needs another Benton - maybe Marino is right and he's still alive somewhere. Way to go Patricia! Hurry up with the next one. Too long between books.

Rating:
Summary: What has happened to Kay Scarpetta?
Review: I am an avid Patricia Cornwell reader but my interest dims with each new book. True fans will be very disappointed by this latest Kay Scarpetta installment. This book is poorly written, the dialogue is wooden and trite, the characters don't have nearly the depth she usually provides, and the new love interest is a total fraud, not Kay's type at all (what the heck was wrong with Benton? That was a great storyline!). I also could have done without the romance novel scenes, and Ms. Cornwell shouldn't try to write them - not her forte! Even her villains are boring and predictable now, and her forensic pathology research and descriptions are weak. "Black Notice" was clearly written to satisfy a book contract and doesn't even come close to the quality of her early work. Ms. Cornwell should re-read "Postmortem" and revisit the writer she used to be before she attempts the next one.