Rating: 
Summary: Fire your editor
Review: I have read and enjoyed PC's previous books, though felt that the quality was trending down. The Hornet's Nest was a particular disappointment. There were glimmers of good writing but the plot was meandering and far-fetched. Some of the characters had realistic and interesting roles, others were flat and unnecessary. This novel lacked direction, tightness and most of all, good editing. Patricia, your editor should be doing better by you! If you are being pushed to publish tell them to back off! We will wait. So, please, take a vacation, refresh yourself and keep writing!
Rating: 
Summary: Forget characterization -- concentrate on the *writing*
Review: Forget Kay Scarpetta. Forget Cornwell's dark plots and intricate characterizations. In this book, Cornwell is having fun! She uses words to make your head spin and to make you burst out laughing. A judge whose robes cover her "massive body of law." A revenge-bent redneck who "massages his big ideas." Yes, the characters are unfocused and inconsistent, but that's not the point of this book. It has the requisite gory murders committed by depraved ghouls, and also the typical Cornwell autopsy scenes. But all (except the victims, for whom the author continues to show great compassion) are viewed with tongue firmly in cheek. Lighten up! Have a laugh at Bubba's expense! It's a great book for those who love the language!
Rating:
Summary: Big waste of Time!
Review: Not only did this book have a very weak plot, but the writing was horrendous. I expected much more out of Cromwell. The characters lacked believability and I felt no connection to any of them. Sorry to see Cromwell join the ranks of Crighton, Grisham, Koontz and King.
Rating: 
Summary: Not what I expected.
Review: Even though I was aware of the reviews of Hornet's Nest--most of the reviews characterized this novel as "dull" or "boring"--I bought it. Why, you ask? Because it was written by PC. The next time I'll listen to the reviewers. I, like many other of her fans, have been spoiled by the Scarpetta series of books; each book being the epitome of what I would call a "page-turner."</P> However, Hornet's Nest has merit...not as a page turner, but as a satsifactory attempt at character development--albeit somewhat stereotypical characters. As a former police officer and newspaper editor, I found that the situations which Hammer, West, and Brazil encountered were very realistic and believeable. The supporting cast of officers, coroners, and politicians were believable in their actions and attitudes.</P> Thoroughout the whole novel I kept getting the idea Cornwell had developed these characters in other situations such as creative writing classes, workshops, etc., and then pulled them together around the storyline of the serial killer that she had developed elsewhere as well.</P> Would I recommend this book to another? Not to a diehard Scarpetta lover, without warning them first. Nor would I recommend this book to someone looking for a "quick read"--it reads slowly and at times arduosly.</P> Nevertheless, this book does allow us to see that Cornwell is indeed a well-rounded craftsperson. Writers-to-be would be well served to use this book to see a good author paints a scene with words and the senses, and develops characters in relation to the other characters in a story, in the midst of each character's intrapsychic struggles.</P>
Rating:
Summary: More than a disappointment
Review: I have been a loyal reader of Patricia Cornwell's books and I have never been more disappointed in a favored author. Patricia's tight writing style and well-rounded characters are simply nowhere to be found in Hornet's Nest. I am hoping this was a momentary abandonment by her muse and not the disintegration of a previously excellent writer. For those of you who read Hornet's Nest but have not read PC's previous novels, I implore you to read her other books. You will find wonderful characters that you grow to care about, or at the very least, wish to come across again. Unfortunately, the most interesting character in Hornet's Nest was Niles, the cat, although he apparently over-indulged in the catnip near the end of the book. Sorry Patricia.
Rating:
Summary: Was this a draft??
Review: I agree with the general drift here of Cornwell's Hornet's Nest. It pales next to her well-developed Kay Scarpetta novels. The novel has a rough-edged, unfinished quality to it -- not to mention that the plot is all over the place -- and I wonder if her publisher insisted on getting this book to print way before Cornwell was ready. I respect her effort to try something new, but in the future I hope she sticks to her guns and doesn't publish before she is ready. She can do much much better than this, as Cornwell fans are well aware.
Rating:
Summary: If I couldv'e rated this book a 0 I would have
Review: I cannot believe how horrible this book was. I kept waiting for it to get better and it only got worse. I wouldn't waste my money on this-I wouldn't even take it if someone gave it to me for free! I have always enjoyed Patricia's books in the past and she needs to stick to Kay Scarpetta!!! The Dr. Scarpetta books I don't want to put down-Hornet's Nest I didn't even want to pick up! The only reason this book was on the best seller's list was because of Patricia Cornwells past performances-not because this was a great book!
Rating:
Summary: Use it to start a fire!
Review: This was my first -- and last -- Patricia Cornwell book. I kept reading it thinking she would develop the characters further, but nothing ever happens. Even the motives of the killer aren't delved into. This could probably be an excellent book with some further character and plot development, but in my opinion she needed to fulfill her book contract and chose to do it with this piece of junk. Not worth the paper it's written on. Too bad, too, because the *potential* is there for an excellent story. Don't waste your money.
Rating:
Summary: What happened to her writing??
Review: I got lost after the first 20 pages, too many characters that meant nothing. Her other books were so much better that this. What a disappointment!! Hope her future books are not like this one. Please!
Rating:
Summary: put this one in the litter box!
Review: Since getting hooked on Patricia Cornwell by accident while traveling, I can barely wait until she publishes another book. I would have preferred to wait longer, and get something better. There's not flow to the book, I didn't feel anything for any of the characters, and though I read the entire book, there was no resolution. I'm annoyed that I wasted my time and my money on this one, as are all the people I've spoken to. I especially hated the focus on the cat - how ridiculous can this get? I don't know what Patricia Cornwell was trying to accomplish here, but I hope it doesn't happen again.
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