Rating: 
Summary: What's with all the poor ratings?
Review: As I read all the terrible reviews of this book, I wonder why? I too felt like the ending was too rushed and that the book needed more development in some areas and less in others, but...The majority of those doing the complaining are the ones that demanded another Kay Scarpetta book and no more Judy Hammer. Personally, I agree with Ms. Cornwell and her attempt to introduce a new series of book. Look at the television shows that can't make it past a couple of years because they have done all that they can with the characters without making them totally unbelievable. Give her a break! Let her develop Police Chief Judy Hammer so that when she does decide to return to Kay Scarpetta it is because she truly wants to, not because she is trying to pacify her fans. This was still a good book and I spent my Sunday morning reading this book and was done by noon which to me means that it was a good book. It kept me wondering "whodunit" until the final page. I would like to see her return to her previous style of writing with more villain involvement instead of just springing the villain at us in the final pages of the book. This to me was a great disappointment because I had no idea and didn't even suspect this person. I usually enjoy trying to solve the mystery as I read.
Rating: 
Summary: More about characters than story
Review: If you're a fan of the Kay Scarpetta series, it's hard not to be disappointed going to Hornet's Nest. The writing in the beginning of the book hit me strange, almost non-cornwell. There is very strong character development here, and while the overall story is just okay, there are parts that do shine. Enjoyable but I'd probably steer a friend toward other Cornwell books.
Rating: 
Summary: did cornwell really write this book??
Review: i'm skeptical that patricia cornwell actually wrote this book. i think Putnam hired a third-rate ghost writer OR published a manuscript she wrote when she was 6. okay, so i didn't read the dust jacket to learn this book introduces a new cast of characters in charlotte, VA so it was a bit of a shock to meet some reporter dude named Andy Brazil, who's playing side-kick to deputy chief Virginia West. i don't mind my train derailed by a new characters, but the writing in this book is simply awful. granted, i read only 50 pages, so perhaps something magical happened on page 60, but i found the plot a flimsy backdrop for an inevitable sexual tangle between andy and virginia, who're both preternaturally attractive, according to their descriptions. i'm no prude or PC advocate, but i was disturbed by peeks of thinly-veiled homophobia -- and indeed the whole tone of the book (or the first 50 pages) seemed mean and rough, with little accompanying graces. again, thank god for the library, cos this book SUCKED and i experienced no qualms of regret giving up on it.
Rating:
Summary: Mixed bag
Review: This book obviously didn't have Kay Scarpetta as the main character and based on many of the previous reviews I guess some people had difficulty adjusting. The main characters in this book were Police Chief Judy Hammer, Deputy Chief Virginia West, and Andy Brazil the volunteer cop/newspaper reporter. I DID NOT LIKE the parts of the story where the cat's ESP led to solving part of the puzzle... stupid, unrealistic, oh really now! Also didn't see the reason for inclusion of Bubba in the story. It only seemed that PC wanted to add him as a red herring but wasn't successful in this regard so to me he was a waste of space (pages) in the book. Although the plot and characters were a bit of a stretch I thought they were interesting. And who's to say big business doesn't have control over most things in this world now. This was entertaining (with the exceptions noted above) and with the specific references to brands such as Izod, etc. you get a real feel for the characters in the book. Some feel the references were an unnecessary stress on product placement but I felt it added to the setting of city and era, and character development including economic and social status. If you're looking for light reading for the commute to work or for a lazy, rainy weekend, go ahead and buy this. If you're looking for a serious and technical, believable mystery, forget it! Hope this helps....
Rating: 
Summary: Great book, what's the problem?
Review: I don't understand what the problem is with this book. Everyone hates it, for some strange reason. This is a wonderful book. It doesn't have the grainy details of the so-so Kay Scarpetta novels. It is light, and very enjoyable. You don't have to squint in intense concentration as Cornwell describes every little detail of every single thing that her heroine Kay Scarpetta does. You enjoy learning about a bright young "kid" that is a volunter cop and a reporter for the Charlotte Observer. You like hearing about Virginia West, a deputy chief of investiagtions for the police dept. Andy Brazil, the "kid", and West don't exactly hit it off when West is assigned to take Brazil around one night to respond to calls. Brazil screws up big time, popping the trunk while groping for the siren switch. He makes mistakes, and West's readily apparent bitchiness does nothing to help. You despise West for the way she treats Brazil in the beginning, but she grows on you. ! This is a superb novel, Cornwell does a great job with Andy Brazil and Virginia West. The way they slowly begin to have a friendship, and the slowly growing heat between them is well done. I think Cornwell should continue with Brazil and West, the ending sort of left you hanging; the possibility of a sequel readily apparent. So far, that has not happened. Maybe it will, maybe not. Regardless, this is a book to enjoy, and is a very light read compared to her other books. A nice break from the normal, Patricia Cornwell! Good job! Tyler Robbins, 14, from Tacoma, Washington
Rating:
Summary: VERY ENJOYABLE
Review: I nearly didn't buy this book because of the reviews,well I loved it.No it is not like the Kay Scarpetta series which I also am enjoying.I however soon warmed to Virginia West & Judy Hammer and have bought the two follow up novels;please write more in this series Patricia please.
WHY OH WHY do people assume that because they like one series of books by a author that they can expect to like everything they write,and then then slate them because of it.
Rating:
Summary: A Major Cornwell Fan is a Little Disappointed
Review: Deputy Chief Virginia West of the Charlotte Police Department is ordered to oversee Andy Brazil, a young reporter who has been assigned to the department as part of a community awareness program. While West and Brazil cruise the streets of Charlotte a serial killer is at work and you can guess the rest. Well maybe you can't, because this is not like the Cornwell books you've come to know and love. PC puts us in the head of too many people, the story is confusing and, for me at least, never really seems to take off. I'm a huge PC fan and really, really wish I could give this book more than three stars, but I can't. Anybody else and I might have scored this book with a lesser rating. Reviewed by Vesta Irene
Rating:
Summary: Still pondering.
Review: I was warned about this but I couldn't remember which title until I was about four pages into the book. It was a great (big)departure from the Scarpetta series that I had gotten used to. The characters were great in and of themselves. They interacted well. The story was alright but not terrific. I found it lacking coming from Cornwell but I have to remember that it was NOT a Scarpetta story. As much as it pains me as a woman to say this, it kept creeping into my mind that Cornwell was having the same hot flashes that West had throughout the book. The beginning to about 3/5 in was overtly sexual in tone, all the descriptions of persons for one and most characters being either wildly homosexual or homophobic, then it leapt to kooky when she began telling parts of the story from the point of view of characters who mattered little and do I have to mention the cat? Then it was back to the heavy sexual tones and interlaced with kooky feline perspective that was rather distracting and detracted from the main story. The book is not great. Like I said, I can imagine this being written under the Change or a menacing deadline, maybe even as an exercise to vent gone weirdly awry. While not told in a very Scarpetta way, it was okay. If anyone paid attention to the beginning of the novel and the explanation about the Hornet's nest and takes that into the account through the rest of the book, it makes an insane sort of sense. I was not thrilled with the ending and would have thrown the book had I not feared harming someone else in the room. I don't recommend buying the book. Check it out from a library if you're curious. Or, if you have to buy it, make sure you have the address where you can sell it back. It will help pass the time of two days, I guess I read it rather quickly, and lend to some interesting psychological profiles but other than that... I can't say the book would do much for diehard Scarpetta fans.
Rating:
Summary: Pointless
Review: This has to be the worst of Cornwell's novels. I love the Scarpetta series, but I will never buy anything that has the name "Hammer" in it.
Rating:
Summary: suprisingly enjoyable
Review: I first received this book years ago and, because of the bad reviews, I let my girlfriend read it first. She told me that it was just okay for a Cornwell novel, so I just let it sit on my bookcase until just recently. I read it in just a few days and I really enjoyed it. I believe that people are looking at this book and expecting your typical Kay format. I believe that Ms. Cornwell developed her characters extremely well with some great baggage to haul with them from chapter to chapter. If the reader just scans the book without taking the time to see the big picture, they are likely to agree with many other reviews. I highly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading Southern Cross to take me to the next step in these character's lives.
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