Rating: 
Summary: If you must read it, try the library!
Review: Ok, first let me say that I truly enjoyed some of Patricia Cornwell's early books. Now for the hard part.....this was absolutely horrible. I am a book-a-holic, and barely finished this book. I wouldn't have at all if it weren't for the fact that I bought it at the airport for 26 dollars.....learned my lesson there....!
Anyway, the book is somewhat disorganized, the plot totally outlandish, and is so poorly written that your mind will wander while reading it. There are so many plot lines going that you just don't know where you are going. Missing kidnapped dogs, serial killers, insane governors, plotting servants, and web columnists, any of these might have been an ok story line on its own, but put together it makes for a childish plot. If you want a good Cornwall book, check out some of her early stuff. If you insist on reading this, check it out at the library. And Ms. Cornwell, if you read this, I'm sorry, but stick to your earlier style!
Rating: 
Summary: Nice try, but. . .
Review: I am probably one of the few people who was not thrilled with this book, but finished it, nonetheless. I have been a long-time Patricia Cornwell fan, so I thought that I should give it the benefit of the doubt.Unfortunately, "noir" comedy is not always my cup of tea to start out with. However, ISLE OF DOGS, is not just dark comedy but one that continuously slips into slapstick, childish humor. To top it off, the characters are caricatures, each one less sympathetic than the other. I would accuse Ms. Cornwell of portraying the minorities in a racist manner, except that she portrays the whites as badly as the rest . . . so I guess there is no discrimination there. This attempt at dark humor is just not what we expect from Ms. Cornwell, and she does not pull it off. Sorry, but I love the taught, intellectually stimulating Dr. Karpetta novels. I am willing to forgive and forget this "slip" . . . but will not continue to follow her if future books have the same tone and lack of intellect.
Rating: 
Summary: relax and enjoy
Review: I have just finished reading this book and at times I laughed so hard tears were streaming down my face. This must have been a really fun book for Patricia Cromwell to write. Normally she has to be so intense and intent on keeping characters, events, and evidence in perspective and maintaining a high state of suspense. How great it must have been to let her silly side take over and just go for light and satirical humor. I found the speech patters of the Islanders particularly interesting, many were familiar to me from my childhood, and yes people really do talk like that. So as you do with the Harry Potter books, suspend belief, lighten up and have a good read
Rating: 
Summary: Which author am I reading?
Review: I purchased both Patricia Cornwell's and Carl Hiassen's new books on the same day. After about the first 100 pages of Cornwell's I honestly had to check the author to see if I hadn't started Hiassen's first. Patricia shows a side of her that has not been seen in previous novels. Who ever knew she had such a sense of humor? The terms "dark comedy," "quirky characters," and "hysterical situations" come to mind. While some other
favorite authors change their style or content with disappointing
results, this is not the case with "Isle of Dogs." I thoroughly
enjoyed the laughs, the island inhabitants' unusual dialect, and
the plight of the governor who had to resort to using a seeing-eye horse. Each character evokes sympathy, amusement,
or dread. Trooper Truth is my new hero. With his on-line newsletter, he shares historical information mixed with a community call to activism. Kay Scarpetta was getting a little weak in plot. This novel breathes new life for Patricia Cornwell. Give me another like this and I will be very happy.
Rating:
Summary: Isle of the Bored
Review: Without any debate this is a departure from her normal work and a very weak effort. It is hard to read, hard to follow, hard to understand and hard to figure out why Patricia thought this would be a good story. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!
Rating:
Summary: Isle of Dogs
Review: I have all of P Cornwell's books. This books is not indicative of what she can write. I thought the book very boring, with no real pattern, except to keep the reader lost. I was very disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Beware of Dog
Review: If you're looking for a good mystery story - this isn't it. The biggest mystery here is how this book ever made it to print. Having read all of Patricia Cornwell's books over the years, I was anxiously awaiting this new release. As usual, I started it as soon as it arrived, but soon found myself having to re-read the first chapter after having realized that it wasn't a dream sequence or being narrated by some psychopath. After I had endured nearly half of the book, a morbid sense of curiosity as to how bad it could get, compelled me to finish it. Believe me, this curiosity was not disappointed. The plot actually was not that bad, unfortunately it was the lack of support by the characters, situations, dialogue, etc. that ruined this story. In closing, if you enjoy finishing a book with the desire to read the next in the series, not the desire to send the author a bill for time ill spent, stay off the "Ilse of Dogs". MDS
Rating: 
Summary: Actually funny!
Review: Hornet's Nest, with character Judy Hammer, left me wondering...I'll just leave it at that. Isle of Dogs left me laughing. This novel was a truly comic surprise, far from the grim, but interesting, Scarpetta books.
Rating:
Summary: Not her first book
Review: It's a good thing "Isle of Dogs" was not Patricia Cornwell's first book, because there likely would never have been a second, and the mystery genre would be infinitely poorer without Kay Scarpetta and Judy Hammer. I suppose you have to admire Cornwell for going out on a limb and trying a completely new style. Unfortunately, her try at a Dave Berry-style farcical romp fails miserably. A good comic writer can make a preposterous situation hilarious. Unfortunately, Cornwell only makes preposterous situations embarrasingly impossible. You can squirm through the first hundred or so pages, like I did, until you're convinced that it's only going to get worse. If you do, though, I recommend you handle the book carefully so it shows no visible signs of use, and you can return it to Costco and get your [money] back.
Rating:
Summary: Isle of Dogs-don't
Review: What was she thinking? I am a huge Patricia Cornwell fan. That is becoming a thing of the past. This book is stupid. The characters are unbelieveable, alomost cartoonish. I wasted my money. Plese, Please someone get her back on the right track. Don't waste your time (even if you get the book free).
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