Isle of Dogs

Rating:
Summary: Silliness is not Satire
Review: Cornwell's attempt at comedy has gone awry. A nicely tangled plot of various mystery strands developing throughout the novel seem to promise the straightforward thrill of suspense that readers associate with Cornwell's books. In Isle of Dogs, the effect is marred by an ill-advised comical overlay of faux-native Virginian characters with repulsively stilted dialects. The author mistakes exaggeration and silliness for wit. The book is hard to slog through, the tape is nauseating to listen to. Cornwell, stick to hard-nose crime! Readers, stick to traditional Cornwell!

Rating:
Summary: It's not Scarpetta - but it's still excellent
Review: If you are expecting the standard Cornwell offering - Kay Scarpetta & Co. solving murders and fearing for their personal safety... then put this book down. If you are looking for a more humorous view of crime with a dash of political satire and social commentary, you are in the right place. Isle of Dogs is an excellent read and is an interesting departure from the usual Scarpetta plot. Follow Judy Hammer and Andy Brazil as they resolve some unusual problems plaguing the Commonwealth of Virginia. Even with the humor there are still some tense moments to keep you on edge. Just requires an open mind - not everything Cornwell writes has to revolve around multiple Y incisions!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the Worst!
Review: I was, and I emphasize the word was, a big fan of Patricia Cornwell until this book came along. I bought the audio version of this book on Ebay and am at least grateful that the full price wasn't paid. This book is absolutely the worst book I have ever read (listened to). I kept holding out hope that somehow this book would get better (or perhaps less stupid), but it never happened. I felt like a prisoner in my own car as I listened to this horrible, horrible, horrible book. I couldn't wait to get rid of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Who Wrote This, & What Have You Done w/Patricia Cornwell??
Review: I have always been of the opinion that, if Patricia Cornwell published a phone book, it would be an instant best-seller. However, "Isle of Dogs" fared much worse than the proverbial phone book.

Ms. Cornwell is an artful writer of the crime novel genre; her attempts at comedy in this novel fall flat (where did she get the character names??? Windi Brees, Trish Thrash, Ima Clot - uggh!). I love Dr. Scarpetta's novels but the Judy Hammer series seems to not quite get off the ground with the thrust and power that the Scarpetta novels command.

Being a voracious reader, I can zip through Patrica Cornwell's books in 2 -3 three easy sittings. It took me nearly a month to plod through "Isle of Dogs". Maybe it's because I'm a Virginian (and a Richmonder to boot!)that I have come to expect more accurate portrayals of the Commonwealth's residents. But in this particular book, I think she overstated her rendition of what a Tangierian or an African-American resident of Virginia sounds like(yes, she tries to write in the vernacular and with an accent, which never came off quite right in print).

I was happy to finish, put it down and move on to "Blowfly", calling at me invitingly from my nightstand. I just hope that, in it, Ms. Cornwell recovered from whatever was ailing her when she wrote "Isle of Dogs".

Rating:
Summary: Not worth even the used book price!
Review: This book has many of the same characters that appeared in Hornet's Nest and Southern Cross, but they have different personalities and pasts than they did in the previous books.

Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey have proved that Florida is funny, and Janet Evanovich has proved that New Jersey is funny. Patricia Cornwell's Virginia, however, is not funny. The "humor" in this mixed-up book is less over the top than off the mark. Potty humor and cold-blooded killing and vapid historical insights - sigh. I just did NOT get it.

Rating:
Summary: This book was a dog!!!!
Review: I have read and listened to several Cromwell novels. They in general are very entertaining. This book is a significant departure. It appears the overall intent of the book was to make fun of every aspect of governmental and political life.

The characters in this book are totally unbelievable. Character development is lacking. There does not appear to be any focus on a particular storyline.

Should the Governor be removed for incompetence?
Should Brazil give up as a police officer? He definitely can't write.
Should Hammer continue working as the Chief of Police when she can't meet with the Governor in over a year?
Should the people of Tangier give up because they are inbred?

This book does not carry any suspense. The small amount of comedy is severely strained.

Cromwell should go back to writing mysteries and leave the dark comedy genre to the experts such as Elmore Leonard or Carl Hiassan.

Rating:
Summary: This book stinks!
Review: I would recommend not waisting your time with this book. It was juvenile and poorly written. The dialog is truely stupid. I couldn't believe it when the author actually had fish and crabs with conversation and actions. The plot was weak and completely unbelievable. I think my 6th grader could have written a much more amusing storyline. I think I have purchased my last Patricia Cornwell novel! Just my luck, I paid extra and got it on CD.

Rating:
Summary: How dissapointing!
Review: I was a huge fan of Patricia Cornwell. Having read everything she has written, I could not wait to read this. Although I prefer her Scarpetta novels, I was not ready for this much of a let down. I could not make it through the first 100 pages. I would not recomend this book to anyone. I will definitely not run out to buy her next book without reading the reviews first.

Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointed by this Hammer/Brazil book.
Review: Let me say, I am a new Cornwell reader. I have read a few of her Scarpetta Novels and the two previos books in this series. I was very disappointed by this entry.

It lacks what made the first two books of this series interesting, The intertwining of the three main characters. As a matter of fact, Deputy West is not in the book and is only mentioned once. Cornwell forces the humor in this book when in the previous two, the humor was more subtle. The minor characters are too over the top and in this book unbelieveable. And finally, while these books are not on the same level with the KS novels, the main thing that made them work for me is lacking. As I said before the interplay between the three main characters is missing.

If you do want to read the books of this "side" series, stay away from this one. Hornet's Nest and Southern Cross are better.

Rating:
Summary: As painful to read as "Showgirls" was to watch
Review: If it's supposed to be funny, shouldn't the reader laugh...at least once? I did cringe several times.

My favorite part is when flatulent ole Crimm is convinced that his wife Maude (described as 70-years-old and looking clown-like having had too many cosmetic procedures) is having affairs with hot, young men. See, he thinks she is hiding men in the linen closet but she's REALLY hiding trivets that she's buying over the internet (she's not supposed to be wasting money on trivets, you see). Ha! Ha! What a zany mix-up!

Am I really amused or is that just "backward talk?"

You decide.

I have a crooked table leg to fix...