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Kay Scarpetta #19
Red Mist
With high-tension suspense and cutting-edge technology, Patricia Cornwell—the world’s #1 bestselling crime writer—once again proves her exceptional ability to entertain and enthrall in this remarkable novel featuring chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta. On her quest to find out exactly what happened to her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, murdered six months before, Scarpetta drives to the Georgia Prison for Women to meet a convicted sex offender and the mother of a vicious and diabolically brilliant killer. Against the advice of her FBI criminal intelligence agent husband, Benton Wesley, Scarpetta is determined to hear this woman out. Scarpetta has both personal and professional reasons to learn more about a string of grisly the murder of a Savannah family years earlier, a young woman on death row, and then other inexplicable deaths that begin to occur at a breathtaking pace. Driven by inner forces, Scarpetta discovers connections that compel her to conclude that what she thought ended with Fielding’s death and an attempt on her own life is only the beginning of something far more a terrifying terrain of conspiracy and potential terrorism on an international scale. And she is the only one who can stop it.
544 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2011
2430 people are currently reading
15433 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Cornwell
194 books19.7k followersPatricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, in 1990 while working as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. Postmortem, was the first bona fide forensic thriller. It paved the way for an explosion of entertainment featuring in all things forensic across film, television and literature.
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,003 reviews
December 22, 2018
After reading dozens of cozy mysteries, I had a craving to get back to the hardcore suspense thrillers I used to enjoy. I flipped through my To Be Read (TBR) pile and was reminded of the fantastic 'Kay Scarpetta' series by Patricia Cornwell. I read 18 of the books in the earlier part of this decade but stopped when they were getting a bit repetitious. Nearly 5 years later, I ordered the next in the series, Red Mist, and eagerly dove into it. I'm so glad I picked now to start up the series again as it was a fantastic book and supercharged my desire to read the last 5 so I'm fully caught up in the series...
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is a renowned medical examiner, doctor, professor, special investigator, government contractor, et al. The list could go on forever. Everyone wants her to be on their unique and puzzling cases, but there are also many who want to see her ridden from the world. She's tough. She's stubborn. She's been nearly killed a few times. And she loves tracking down serial killers. In this latest edition, Kay is determined to find out what happened to her former right-hand man in the ME's office. Fielding worked for her, disappeared, worked for her again, disappeared, then was killed in a previous book. The killer came after Kay, too, but failed. We know it was Fielding's secret daughter (begotten while he was sexually abused by a psychologist when he was 12 years old). What we don't know is all the things that happened since that point. Kay visits the psychologist in a Georgia prison. She's been jailed for other crimes in recent years but has hopes for early release. Kay chats with her, learns some secrets, and is then shocked to discover connections with other national cases where people have been murdered in the last few years. How does it all connect?
Ten pages into this book, I knew I'd waited too long to pick up the series again. I missed Kay despite how ornery she can be. It's almost the reason I love her so much. Cornwell is a great writer. Strip away the medical jargon, frequent technology drops to seem current, or the science terminology, and you're left with brilliant writing. She strings along phrases and images that pop and draw you in tightly. That said, sometimes the other parts are so over the top, I find myself skimming some paragraphs if it's a topic I'm not interested in. For example, when there are a few pages about how all the security cameras work, I'm like... 'hmmm... three sentences, yeah, cool... three hundred, no, I'll push forward a few pages.' But then she'll go into details about DNA and I'm all aboard for the minutia. It's a matter of taste. I'm willing to ignore some of the jargon because no author can appeal 100% with this stuff to 100% of their audience. It doesn't affect my rating either, as it's surface stuff.
I've given this one a 4 for a few reasons. Apart from the stellar story and gifted writing, there are a few niggles (to borrow a friend, Shalini's favorite word). I feel like the plot twist / culprit connection has been partially done before, possibly by Cornwell in previous books. It's a good one, but it could have used a slightly different arc to make it even more vivid. I also thought the book didn't explore her relationships with the supporting characters as much as it should have. She connected with Lucy in a big way, which was fantastic. Yet her time with Benton and Marino was lackluster compared to previous installments. On the flip side, Cornwell's choice to kill off a semi-major character was shocking and saddening for me. All in all, I'm glad she did it, as I think it moves the story forward.
Based on this one, I'm psyched to push thru the rest of the series and am ordering the next one tonight so that I can read it right after the new year. Anyone else a fan?
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is a renowned medical examiner, doctor, professor, special investigator, government contractor, et al. The list could go on forever. Everyone wants her to be on their unique and puzzling cases, but there are also many who want to see her ridden from the world. She's tough. She's stubborn. She's been nearly killed a few times. And she loves tracking down serial killers. In this latest edition, Kay is determined to find out what happened to her former right-hand man in the ME's office. Fielding worked for her, disappeared, worked for her again, disappeared, then was killed in a previous book. The killer came after Kay, too, but failed. We know it was Fielding's secret daughter (begotten while he was sexually abused by a psychologist when he was 12 years old). What we don't know is all the things that happened since that point. Kay visits the psychologist in a Georgia prison. She's been jailed for other crimes in recent years but has hopes for early release. Kay chats with her, learns some secrets, and is then shocked to discover connections with other national cases where people have been murdered in the last few years. How does it all connect?
Ten pages into this book, I knew I'd waited too long to pick up the series again. I missed Kay despite how ornery she can be. It's almost the reason I love her so much. Cornwell is a great writer. Strip away the medical jargon, frequent technology drops to seem current, or the science terminology, and you're left with brilliant writing. She strings along phrases and images that pop and draw you in tightly. That said, sometimes the other parts are so over the top, I find myself skimming some paragraphs if it's a topic I'm not interested in. For example, when there are a few pages about how all the security cameras work, I'm like... 'hmmm... three sentences, yeah, cool... three hundred, no, I'll push forward a few pages.' But then she'll go into details about DNA and I'm all aboard for the minutia. It's a matter of taste. I'm willing to ignore some of the jargon because no author can appeal 100% with this stuff to 100% of their audience. It doesn't affect my rating either, as it's surface stuff.
I've given this one a 4 for a few reasons. Apart from the stellar story and gifted writing, there are a few niggles (to borrow a friend, Shalini's favorite word). I feel like the plot twist / culprit connection has been partially done before, possibly by Cornwell in previous books. It's a good one, but it could have used a slightly different arc to make it even more vivid. I also thought the book didn't explore her relationships with the supporting characters as much as it should have. She connected with Lucy in a big way, which was fantastic. Yet her time with Benton and Marino was lackluster compared to previous installments. On the flip side, Cornwell's choice to kill off a semi-major character was shocking and saddening for me. All in all, I'm glad she did it, as I think it moves the story forward.
Based on this one, I'm psyched to push thru the rest of the series and am ordering the next one tonight so that I can read it right after the new year. Anyone else a fan?
December 4, 2013
I have been a longtime fan of Patricia Cornwell's work, particularly her heroine Kay Scarpetta. The series depicted her as a strong, capable, confident, and committed to a work few people would be willing to do. Her commitment was admirable. However, in this book, this characterization has begun to unravel at the seams.
For some reason I cannot quite understand, Cornwell has changed Scarpetta from a focused scientist to a self-absorbed, unconfident, vindictive and paranoid character who is extremely difficult to enjoy. Even worse, Lucy's character has become a rogue "hacker" who does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, regardless of the law or who it might hurt. Marino has been reduced into a self-doubting former cop experiencing a mid-life crisis. Benton, when he appears is simply a prop for Scarpetta which Cornwell uses liberally to wax poetic about various topics to the reader.
The antagonists in the books are barely seen or considered. Usually you have a clear dislike for the bad guys but in this novel the bad guys are so convoluted it's hard to know which ones to hate so you end up simply feeling sorry for Scarpetta.
That being said, there are some redeeming qualities for the book. If you are a big fan of the characters you'll likely be satisfied by the story. There is some intrigue and suspense as Scarpetta works to solve three murders.
Not a significant amount of forensic science in this book but a heavier dose of mystery and detective work. The science seems forced and throws around industry terms and new technology without any substance behind it.
All in all, I have given this a generous three stars mainly because die hard fan will enjoy this addition to the series, it was entertaining on a basic level, and I don't regret reading it. I was disappointed that the story wasn't better but it was mildly satisfying.
For some reason I cannot quite understand, Cornwell has changed Scarpetta from a focused scientist to a self-absorbed, unconfident, vindictive and paranoid character who is extremely difficult to enjoy. Even worse, Lucy's character has become a rogue "hacker" who does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, regardless of the law or who it might hurt. Marino has been reduced into a self-doubting former cop experiencing a mid-life crisis. Benton, when he appears is simply a prop for Scarpetta which Cornwell uses liberally to wax poetic about various topics to the reader.
The antagonists in the books are barely seen or considered. Usually you have a clear dislike for the bad guys but in this novel the bad guys are so convoluted it's hard to know which ones to hate so you end up simply feeling sorry for Scarpetta.
That being said, there are some redeeming qualities for the book. If you are a big fan of the characters you'll likely be satisfied by the story. There is some intrigue and suspense as Scarpetta works to solve three murders.
Not a significant amount of forensic science in this book but a heavier dose of mystery and detective work. The science seems forced and throws around industry terms and new technology without any substance behind it.
All in all, I have given this a generous three stars mainly because die hard fan will enjoy this addition to the series, it was entertaining on a basic level, and I don't regret reading it. I was disappointed that the story wasn't better but it was mildly satisfying.
July 20, 2012
I've been a Cornwell fan since the beginning. But the last 4 or 5 novels have been headed in a direction that results in this, the weakest effort yet. Somewhere along the line, Cornwell lost a good editor and/or gained a bad one, because what used to be sharp, taut writing now goes on and on and ON. The meeting between Scarpetta and Berger that lays out the plot of the book took over 100 pages. It could have easily been done in 30. Or less. The entire novel is filled with over-long, over-emotional scenes like that, not to mention that the dialogue is hard to even read, much less imagine someone actually speaking it.
Even that would be semi-OK if the characters were drawn better. There was not a single likable character in this entire novel, and that list leads off with Dr. Scarpetta herself. She's always had her flaws,but they made her more real. Now they just make her, frankly, more of a self absorbed bitch.
The story itself was ho-hum, and I had to force myself to finish. There are too many good mystery writers out there for me to waste more time on this series. Unless I get definitive reports that the old Kay Scarpetta has returned, this is goodbye.
Even that would be semi-OK if the characters were drawn better. There was not a single likable character in this entire novel, and that list leads off with Dr. Scarpetta herself. She's always had her flaws,but they made her more real. Now they just make her, frankly, more of a self absorbed bitch.
The story itself was ho-hum, and I had to force myself to finish. There are too many good mystery writers out there for me to waste more time on this series. Unless I get definitive reports that the old Kay Scarpetta has returned, this is goodbye.
December 31, 2015
1,5 stars
I've been reading Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta Series since the 1st book, Postmortem was published, which was a brilliant start to the series, which continued with some really amazing books, until it reached #10……from then onwards, something happened to the series. And not a good something. Somewhere along the line, the magic of Kay Scarpetta’s world wasn’t there for me.
Instead of looking forward to a new arrival, I gave it a miss for a while. But I couldn’t give up on KS….hoping that maybe the next one would bring back the magic.
Well, Red Mist, #19 in the series did not ignite the old or new magic!!!
Nothing happens….from the opening where Kay is interviewing a woman who is connected to Kay’s former assistant, who had been viciously murdered by his daughter, whose mother was the woman in jail that Kay was visiting….it goes on and on for loads and loads of pages of the conversation between Kay and the prisoner….and never going anywhere.
Kay continues internalizing and internalizing and more internalizing…..giving us information and more information that after a while makes no sense to me……and leading somewhere I don’t know where.
Lucy continues to be weird ….i can’t get a hook on this character. Do I like her or don’t I like her? What is she all about??? Apart from her high IQ, hacking skills, loads of money, her own helicopter, supercars……
And Marino, Kay’s partner who has been with her since the beginning….continues being weird and weirder…..their interaction is beyond bizarre. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that he’s still in love with Kay and she not…..would he be different if the two ever got it together, I wonder.
Benton, Kay’s husband. Another character I can’t figure out. He’s so remote most of the times. I would love to see a bit more romance between him and Kay. But he makes these fleeting appearances here and there…..and then disappears.
I skimmed over a lot of pages and when the true villain and the reason for the crimes are revealed I was somewhat disappointed. I never really understood how the conclusion came about.
I am so sad that the magic of Kay Scarpetta is still missing for me.
I've been reading Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta Series since the 1st book, Postmortem was published, which was a brilliant start to the series, which continued with some really amazing books, until it reached #10……from then onwards, something happened to the series. And not a good something. Somewhere along the line, the magic of Kay Scarpetta’s world wasn’t there for me.
Instead of looking forward to a new arrival, I gave it a miss for a while. But I couldn’t give up on KS….hoping that maybe the next one would bring back the magic.
Well, Red Mist, #19 in the series did not ignite the old or new magic!!!
Nothing happens….from the opening where Kay is interviewing a woman who is connected to Kay’s former assistant, who had been viciously murdered by his daughter, whose mother was the woman in jail that Kay was visiting….it goes on and on for loads and loads of pages of the conversation between Kay and the prisoner….and never going anywhere.
Kay continues internalizing and internalizing and more internalizing…..giving us information and more information that after a while makes no sense to me……and leading somewhere I don’t know where.
Lucy continues to be weird ….i can’t get a hook on this character. Do I like her or don’t I like her? What is she all about??? Apart from her high IQ, hacking skills, loads of money, her own helicopter, supercars……
And Marino, Kay’s partner who has been with her since the beginning….continues being weird and weirder…..their interaction is beyond bizarre. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that he’s still in love with Kay and she not…..would he be different if the two ever got it together, I wonder.
Benton, Kay’s husband. Another character I can’t figure out. He’s so remote most of the times. I would love to see a bit more romance between him and Kay. But he makes these fleeting appearances here and there…..and then disappears.
I skimmed over a lot of pages and when the true villain and the reason for the crimes are revealed I was somewhat disappointed. I never really understood how the conclusion came about.
I am so sad that the magic of Kay Scarpetta is still missing for me.
December 6, 2011
Red Mist is another strong entry in the Scarpetta Series. In some ways I liked it more than last year’s Port Mortuary because the action is more consistent throughout. In Port Mortuary there was a lot of Scarpetta sitting around thinking and being paranoid. In Red Mist Scarpetta is on the move in Savannah, Georgia. She's not on her own turf, doesn't have the trappings of her power base, and isn't in charge. She's also gone to Georgia against the advice of her FBI profiler husband, Benton, and others. So there’s much more action. However, Scarpetta being who she is, there's still a lot of paranoia. From the get-go nothing is going right for Scarpetta. The car she rented wasn't available and she finds herself driving a smelly old van to the Georgia Prison for Women where she's to meet with one of the inmates.
The issue of manipulation is set up early in this novel. When we first see the warden she's re-shelving a book about manipulation, Kathleen, the prisoner Scarpetta visists, is a compulsive manipulator, and Jamie Berger’s manipulation of other people’s egos for her own purposes is duly noted. In contrast, Scarpetta is blunt and honest, but the manipulation, both subtle and blatant, converges to put her pre-disposition to paranoia into overdrive.
Red Mist starts on June 30th and ends on July 4th. Scarpetta is going to visit Kathleen, the mother of Dawn Kincaid. Dawn is the woman who tried to kill Scarpetta in Port Mortuary. Kathleen is the woman who sexually abused Cornwell's long-time employee Jack Fielding when he was underage. Dawn Kincaid, we learned in Port Mortuary, is actually the child of Kathleen and Jack.
Scarpetta's meeting with the warden is weird, the meeting with Kathleen is weird, and then Scarpetta unexpectedly meets with Jamie Berger. Berger, Cornwell fans know, is a high powered New York City DA and Scarpetta's niece Lucy’s former lover. Marino is in the picture, of course, and eventually Benton and Lucy join the fray as well.
People start dying. A major character among them. An old case is re-opened and Scarpetta finds herself embroiled in a mess created by several other women. There's some good "old fashioned" forensic investigative work in this novel. The final scene at the house I thought was a little too quick and neat, but otherwise this was a satisfying read.
As usual Cornwell slips in some helpful medical/health advice. Did you know that menthol in throat lozenges actually causes temporary loss of vocal cord functioning? You’re better off finding some slippery elm throat lozenges which are all natural and have no menthol.
I know a few people who were fans of Cornwell's earlier novels that stopped reading the series. They've asked me if I think the series has gone down hill. I do think that Cornwell went through a bit of a slump of some kind, but the last three books seem to be getting the series back on track. For some readers I've wondered if they just got tired of Scarpetta because she's a strong, but deeply flawed character and Cornwell seems to be trying to explore those flaws. Or did Cornwell's move away from first person narration distance early readers? (Note: She is back to first person narration.) I stopped reading the series for a few years but then went back to it because I enjoy the characters even if I don't always like what Cornwell does with them. I took a break from the series because I got dismayed by the cruelty, inhumanity, and terror Cornwell was exploring through the perspective of the serial killers and their victims. Now, however, she's back to focusing on Scarpetta's perspective and I much prefer that. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Scarpetta and her crew.
Cornwell revamped her website to coincide with the release of Red Mist: http://www.patriciacornwell.com/
Disclosure: I read a pre-publication edition of Red Mist that I requested from the publisher.
The issue of manipulation is set up early in this novel. When we first see the warden she's re-shelving a book about manipulation, Kathleen, the prisoner Scarpetta visists, is a compulsive manipulator, and Jamie Berger’s manipulation of other people’s egos for her own purposes is duly noted. In contrast, Scarpetta is blunt and honest, but the manipulation, both subtle and blatant, converges to put her pre-disposition to paranoia into overdrive.
Red Mist starts on June 30th and ends on July 4th. Scarpetta is going to visit Kathleen, the mother of Dawn Kincaid. Dawn is the woman who tried to kill Scarpetta in Port Mortuary. Kathleen is the woman who sexually abused Cornwell's long-time employee Jack Fielding when he was underage. Dawn Kincaid, we learned in Port Mortuary, is actually the child of Kathleen and Jack.
Scarpetta's meeting with the warden is weird, the meeting with Kathleen is weird, and then Scarpetta unexpectedly meets with Jamie Berger. Berger, Cornwell fans know, is a high powered New York City DA and Scarpetta's niece Lucy’s former lover. Marino is in the picture, of course, and eventually Benton and Lucy join the fray as well.
People start dying. A major character among them. An old case is re-opened and Scarpetta finds herself embroiled in a mess created by several other women. There's some good "old fashioned" forensic investigative work in this novel. The final scene at the house I thought was a little too quick and neat, but otherwise this was a satisfying read.
As usual Cornwell slips in some helpful medical/health advice. Did you know that menthol in throat lozenges actually causes temporary loss of vocal cord functioning? You’re better off finding some slippery elm throat lozenges which are all natural and have no menthol.
I know a few people who were fans of Cornwell's earlier novels that stopped reading the series. They've asked me if I think the series has gone down hill. I do think that Cornwell went through a bit of a slump of some kind, but the last three books seem to be getting the series back on track. For some readers I've wondered if they just got tired of Scarpetta because she's a strong, but deeply flawed character and Cornwell seems to be trying to explore those flaws. Or did Cornwell's move away from first person narration distance early readers? (Note: She is back to first person narration.) I stopped reading the series for a few years but then went back to it because I enjoy the characters even if I don't always like what Cornwell does with them. I took a break from the series because I got dismayed by the cruelty, inhumanity, and terror Cornwell was exploring through the perspective of the serial killers and their victims. Now, however, she's back to focusing on Scarpetta's perspective and I much prefer that. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Scarpetta and her crew.
Cornwell revamped her website to coincide with the release of Red Mist: http://www.patriciacornwell.com/
Disclosure: I read a pre-publication edition of Red Mist that I requested from the publisher.
July 5, 2012
I've been reading Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta books for years. The first 8 or 9 novels in the series are some of the finest forensic crime fiction ever written and many writers before and since have yet to beat the high quality of these books - Cornwell included. The last couple of years her books have gone rapidly downhill in regard to quality.
I very rarely give up on reading a book before the end (I've only done this perhaps 5 times in the past 10 years) but Red Mist is so incredibly boring that I got to the 50% mark and then deleted it from my Kindle in frustration of my wasted time. The content in that 50% (roughly 250 pages) consists of just 2 (yes, you read that correctly) long conversations and not a lot else. As well as treading over the same subject again and again (and again) in these conversations, boring me to tears, the story itself is very uninteresting anyway. Scarpetta is more arrogant and unlikeable than ever (which is saying something!) and her opinions of Marino and Lucy (how could Jamie possibly not love her!?) are sickeningly getting worse in each book.
It's fair to say I didn't like this book. And as a fan of the series generally - especially the earlier books - I am genuinely disappointed with Cornwell and her deteriorating and (now) unlikeable writing style. When her next book comes out I am going to wait to see if it has mainly favourable reviews before I buy it and if it doesn't then Cornwell has lost a longtime fan.
I very rarely give up on reading a book before the end (I've only done this perhaps 5 times in the past 10 years) but Red Mist is so incredibly boring that I got to the 50% mark and then deleted it from my Kindle in frustration of my wasted time. The content in that 50% (roughly 250 pages) consists of just 2 (yes, you read that correctly) long conversations and not a lot else. As well as treading over the same subject again and again (and again) in these conversations, boring me to tears, the story itself is very uninteresting anyway. Scarpetta is more arrogant and unlikeable than ever (which is saying something!) and her opinions of Marino and Lucy (how could Jamie possibly not love her!?) are sickeningly getting worse in each book.
It's fair to say I didn't like this book. And as a fan of the series generally - especially the earlier books - I am genuinely disappointed with Cornwell and her deteriorating and (now) unlikeable writing style. When her next book comes out I am going to wait to see if it has mainly favourable reviews before I buy it and if it doesn't then Cornwell has lost a longtime fan.
March 5, 2012
I used to really enjoy the Kay Scarpetta series, but books 14 - 16 were so disappointing (and somewhat awful)that I was ready to stop reading them. Because I had invested so much time into the books, I felt I needed to keep reading them. Thankfully, 17 and 18 redeemed themselves for me, so I expected 19 to be satisfying as well. Alas, I'm tired of whiny Lucy who is always going to be a miserably angry person, pathetic Pete Marino who falls for the wrong woman every time because he loves Kay, and meek Benton who is so politically correct that he's incredibly bland. As for Kay, she is so self righteous and pompous that she alienates herself from the reader. She faults others for the same flaws she has.
The plot of the book is actually interesting, and the pace is good as well, but the characters have become so deplorably irritating that I have to force myself to read them. This makes me incredibly sad because I used to look forward to reading the new Scarpetta book each year. Why Cornwell has chosen to make these four characters so difficult to connect to and care about is beyond me.
The plot of the book is actually interesting, and the pace is good as well, but the characters have become so deplorably irritating that I have to force myself to read them. This makes me incredibly sad because I used to look forward to reading the new Scarpetta book each year. Why Cornwell has chosen to make these four characters so difficult to connect to and care about is beyond me.
April 25, 2024
Re Read April 2024
Story 4 stars**
Audio 3.5 stars**
Narrator Kate Burton
Story 4 stars**
Audio 3.5 stars**
Narrator Kate Burton
December 3, 2011
I want to love each book that Cornwell puts out. And I notice a trend that she's gone back to the good ol' days of first person storytelling, which can work for or against her, depending on the interest in the novel. Unfortunately I felt that this one was a little too talky and not enough on the action front to keep readers interested. Secondary characters like Marino, Benton, and Lucy have all taken a back seat to Scarpetta's stream of consciousness monologues, which are lengthy and overdone throughout the book. I just didn't find the plot of this book strong enough to warrant these monologues. I feel a little ripped off as well, that she two-parted the story from the last novel. When it was a little edgy and shocking in that novel, here it begins to be predictable and boring.
You can pretty much anticipate each "twist" as it comes, and to me that tells me that Cornwell got a little lazy with this book, as she usually includes a little bit of an element of surprise with her novels.
I will keep my fingers crossed for the next book, as I'm not prepared to give up on her yet. But if she drags this plot line out for one more book I might have to reconsider.
You can pretty much anticipate each "twist" as it comes, and to me that tells me that Cornwell got a little lazy with this book, as she usually includes a little bit of an element of surprise with her novels.
I will keep my fingers crossed for the next book, as I'm not prepared to give up on her yet. But if she drags this plot line out for one more book I might have to reconsider.
June 29, 2022
I read lot of glowing reviews about Patricia Cornwell. I guess I picked up the wrong book to start with. I didn't like it and this will be my last book by Cornwell.
The writing is so bad, I am sure I will remember this book for a long time. The narration in the first person was irritating, there was lot of talking and very less action. She actually describes in so many words, how she is securing samples from the trash can as if the other person she is talking to (Chang) is not in the same room. She says "it goes in one bag, which I'll wrap around and tape into a tight little package, then that goes into a second bag, and I'll do exactly the same thing, and finally a third bag, again the same thing".
She was supposed to be a smart detective, but I found her judgmental - she was always quick to jump into conclusions. I have no clue how she linked all the murders to a terrorist plot and got the military involved. No, that was not a spoiler, the killer was someone else.
The most disturbing part was when she goes for elaborate shopping for grocery and kitchen pots and pans just after coming from 2 death scenes and starts cooking without even taking a shower! I don't think it was implied as the author goes to great lengths describing mundane things like the grocery shopping, I am sure if Kay had taken a shower, she would have described that too.
Adding to my growing list of annoying heroines - Kay Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell, Carol Jordan by Val McDermid, Maura Isles by Tess Geritsen, Erika Foster by Robert Bryndza, Temperance Brennan by Kathy Reichs, Claire Randall by Diana Gabaldon.
The writing is so bad, I am sure I will remember this book for a long time. The narration in the first person was irritating, there was lot of talking and very less action. She actually describes in so many words, how she is securing samples from the trash can as if the other person she is talking to (Chang) is not in the same room. She says "it goes in one bag, which I'll wrap around and tape into a tight little package, then that goes into a second bag, and I'll do exactly the same thing, and finally a third bag, again the same thing".
She was supposed to be a smart detective, but I found her judgmental - she was always quick to jump into conclusions. I have no clue how she linked all the murders to a terrorist plot and got the military involved. No, that was not a spoiler, the killer was someone else.
The most disturbing part was when she goes for elaborate shopping for grocery and kitchen pots and pans just after coming from 2 death scenes and starts cooking without even taking a shower! I don't think it was implied as the author goes to great lengths describing mundane things like the grocery shopping, I am sure if Kay had taken a shower, she would have described that too.
Adding to my growing list of annoying heroines - Kay Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell, Carol Jordan by Val McDermid, Maura Isles by Tess Geritsen, Erika Foster by Robert Bryndza, Temperance Brennan by Kathy Reichs, Claire Randall by Diana Gabaldon.
January 5, 2012
I've been a big fan of Patricia Cornwells from the beginning and I usually find her books quite easy to read since I really like the characters and the story seem to flow easily.
Unfortunately I felt that this book made myself ask over and over again "do people really ramble on to themselves like Scarpetta did in this book"? I've always thought that Marino was the most realistic character in the Scarpetta series, and I felt as if his character was pushed aside somewhat in this book and left some unanswered questions.
Now with all the negatives out of the way, I do have have to say I liked the storyline and definitely the unexpected ending, most will never see that coming!
Unfortunately I felt that this book made myself ask over and over again "do people really ramble on to themselves like Scarpetta did in this book"? I've always thought that Marino was the most realistic character in the Scarpetta series, and I felt as if his character was pushed aside somewhat in this book and left some unanswered questions.
Now with all the negatives out of the way, I do have have to say I liked the storyline and definitely the unexpected ending, most will never see that coming!
December 18, 2011
Very disappointing. Most of this book was repeating the same things over and over again. Every time a new character entered the story Kay had to go through and revise all her theories again and they were all written out every time. I really don't like how the last few books in this series have been all about people conspiring to murder Kay and her loved ones, even if it is paranoia on her part most of the time. I used to love reading this series, but the last few books have been huge disappointments. This isn't the book that will make readers new to Scarpetta novels loyal fans.
December 26, 2016
Patricia Cornwall is back on her game with Red Mist. She seemed to have backed away from the very thing that made her books so interesting, forensic pathology, to delve into relationship issues. Kay Scarpetta is an excellent pathologist, but she doesn't always do as well in her personal life as she does in her professional life and I felt many of the recent books built around Scarpetta were lacking. Red Mist takes Kay back to the things she does best: finding clues in bodies, solving mysteries, drinking whiskey and cooking. All the old gang is back including Marino, Benton, and Lucy, but only Marino and Kay play major roles here. I'm glad to have Cornwell back on my reading list.
December 17, 2011
Just like with James Patterson's Alex Cross series these started out strong and have become jokes. And yet I still read them. I am totally part of the problem.
Kay Scarpetta is a paranoid, self-centered, miserable, awful human being. I wonder if Patricia Cornwell is too? This book is dull and contains the most hackneyed ending imaginable. I keep saying I'm not going to read these any more and this one may be it for me. Plus, TONS of typos. Bleh.
Kay Scarpetta is a paranoid, self-centered, miserable, awful human being. I wonder if Patricia Cornwell is too? This book is dull and contains the most hackneyed ending imaginable. I keep saying I'm not going to read these any more and this one may be it for me. Plus, TONS of typos. Bleh.
October 25, 2012
This book confused me. Where are the strong, self-possessed women characters? Why does it feel like the author is bored with what she's created? If this was a first reading of Cornwell's work I wouldn't be coming back.
February 8, 2018
Second Read: Dr. Kay Scarpetta opens, she is driving through Savannah's low country, on her way to the Georgia Prison for Women. She has agreed to meet with an inmate there, a convicted sex offender and the mother of a diabolically brilliant killer. Against the advice of her FBI criminal intelligence agent husband, Benton Wesley, Scarpetta is determined to hear this woman out, and to continue on her quest to find out exactly what happened to her former deputy chief Jack Fielding, murdered six months before.
The quest is personal, but it is also professional. As the director of the new Cambridge Forensic Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and with her connection to the Department of Defense, Scarpetta has urgent reasons to learn more about a string of killings that she feels are somehow linked to Fielding's death and an attempt on her own is only the beginning of something far more destructive: a terrifying terrain of conspiracy and potential terrorism on an international scale. And she is he only one who can stop it.
First Read: This was one of the better Scarpetta books because it had a good ending, and it was set largely in the Savannah, Georgia area. All the usual characters are there -- Benton, Lucy, Marino. She was a very good protagonist for this book, and I enjoyed it better than some of the others. A lot of the story is set in a women's prison, so there were disturbing details as that depressing way they live was shown. Also, the legal system has it's flaws.
"Victims have no rights while they're being victimized and few rights during the slow, tedious grind of the criminal justice process. The injuries don't heal but continue to be inflicted by lawyers, by the media, by jurors, by witnesses who testify that someone like me (Scarpetta) had it coming or caused it."
The quest is personal, but it is also professional. As the director of the new Cambridge Forensic Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and with her connection to the Department of Defense, Scarpetta has urgent reasons to learn more about a string of killings that she feels are somehow linked to Fielding's death and an attempt on her own is only the beginning of something far more destructive: a terrifying terrain of conspiracy and potential terrorism on an international scale. And she is he only one who can stop it.
First Read: This was one of the better Scarpetta books because it had a good ending, and it was set largely in the Savannah, Georgia area. All the usual characters are there -- Benton, Lucy, Marino. She was a very good protagonist for this book, and I enjoyed it better than some of the others. A lot of the story is set in a women's prison, so there were disturbing details as that depressing way they live was shown. Also, the legal system has it's flaws.
"Victims have no rights while they're being victimized and few rights during the slow, tedious grind of the criminal justice process. The injuries don't heal but continue to be inflicted by lawyers, by the media, by jurors, by witnesses who testify that someone like me (Scarpetta) had it coming or caused it."
December 28, 2011
It must be difficult to be a successful, established writer. There must be pressure to meet or exceed your previous accomplishments. On the other hand, it may inspire overconfidence. Whatever the case, I say the same thing I said after reading this book's predecessor. This novel could easily have been edited down by about a third of it's length, and suffered no loss. I'm very close to not caring whether or not I read her next book.
November 2, 2013
Entre análisis de DNA, muestras de sangre y estudios psicológicos de comportamiento en el penal d mujeres de Giorgia, Cornwell una vez más deleita a los amantes del género.
Personalmente encuentro un singular placer al leer las obras de Cornwell, porque encuentro en ellas un marcado feminismo plasmado en sus mujeres protagonistas que resultan ser las más malas, las más fuertes, y por sobre todo, ellas son las que llevan las de ganar, siempre.
"Niebla Roja" la versión en español de la obra de Patricia Cornwell: Red Mist, publicada en el año 2011 y siguiendo la saga de la Doctora Kay Scarpetta, vamos por la entrega 19.
En esta entrega, nuestro personaje, la doctora hemato-patóloga forense Scarpetta nos lleva a la Savannah (Georgia, Estados Unidos), en donde intentará resolver un antiguo caso juzgado con pena de muerte en la cárcel de mujeres del condado.
Una vez más su sobrina Lucy, experta informática que actualmente trabaja en el FBI se verá involucrada de manera personal con el caso.
Personalmente encuentro un singular placer al leer las obras de Cornwell, porque encuentro en ellas un marcado feminismo plasmado en sus mujeres protagonistas que resultan ser las más malas, las más fuertes, y por sobre todo, ellas son las que llevan las de ganar, siempre.
"Niebla Roja" la versión en español de la obra de Patricia Cornwell: Red Mist, publicada en el año 2011 y siguiendo la saga de la Doctora Kay Scarpetta, vamos por la entrega 19.
En esta entrega, nuestro personaje, la doctora hemato-patóloga forense Scarpetta nos lleva a la Savannah (Georgia, Estados Unidos), en donde intentará resolver un antiguo caso juzgado con pena de muerte en la cárcel de mujeres del condado.
Una vez más su sobrina Lucy, experta informática que actualmente trabaja en el FBI se verá involucrada de manera personal con el caso.
December 31, 2011
I have come to realize that I keep reading Kay Scarpetta novels-- and I always will-- is the same reason that these are no longer amazing procedural mysteries. Oh, they *were* back when the series started; they were excellent genre mysteries about an embattled medical examiner solving crimes. Now they're a soap opera. You read them to find out what is going through the mind of the main character and the supporting characters. The murders are really a MacGuffin. They must be-- Cornwell spends nearly a hundred pages on the characters before anything in particular happens in this book. And yet because I like these characters, I love reading the latest entry.
Sometimes I wish Cornwell would start a second series of the same characters in non-connected, genre procedurals, the way Marvel comics creates multiple series of the same characters, some episodic, some soapy. But Cornwell has chosen to write a long soap opera, and for me, that's okay.
Sometimes I wish Cornwell would start a second series of the same characters in non-connected, genre procedurals, the way Marvel comics creates multiple series of the same characters, some episodic, some soapy. But Cornwell has chosen to write a long soap opera, and for me, that's okay.
December 13, 2011
Well only got to p65 before the self-obsessed paranoia kicked-in. Why has Patricia Cornwell gone downhill so fast? In her last few novels her herione Kay Scarpetta (and perhaps Patricia herself?) has become obsessed that everything is about her and everyone is out to get her. Get over it - go back to the fantatsic thrillers that were your earlier work. I'm going to continue reading, but I'm going to be disappointed as usual.
Okay I've finished and it wasn't as bad as the last couple, in fact she had a reason to be paranoid. There was a clear storyline and suspects and multiple murders to keep me happy. But when she really had good reason to be paranoid she wasn't and didn't even notice..sorry can't say more without giving the story away. I felt it ended too suddenly as well - here's the culprit - wasn't looking but here he/she is?!
Okay I've finished and it wasn't as bad as the last couple, in fact she had a reason to be paranoid. There was a clear storyline and suspects and multiple murders to keep me happy. But when she really had good reason to be paranoid she wasn't and didn't even notice..sorry can't say more without giving the story away. I felt it ended too suddenly as well - here's the culprit - wasn't looking but here he/she is?!
December 18, 2011
I gave this two stars which I think is kind of generous, but it's not as awful as the last in the series, Port Mortuary. That was so bad. I keep waiting for two things to happen in this series; for the annoying "friend" Marino to stroke out and for the niece to finally just go over the edge and get into a shootout and die. Since Cornwell has been integrating those two characters more and more into the plotlines the books have gone downhill. They're the least likable characters in the series and yet she keeps pulling them more and more into the books. Lucy was barely in this book, thank goodness, maybe that's why I liked it more than the last. And seriously Ms. Cornwell, please please please please let your people say haven't, no one say's things like "I've not noticed..." "I've not felt...". It's so noticable to me that I lose track of what I'm reading.
October 24, 2016
I have so much time invested in this series, I can't quit now. But they seem to be getting worse the farther along I get. I don't have the heart to give any of them less than 3*s but this one was more along the lines of 2*s. Lucy becomes more and more irritating and I expect Kay to snap any minute. Please, please, please, let The Bone Bed be better. I've switched to the audio books because if I tried to read them, I'd probably never finish them. I love you Kay Scarpetta and friends, or I definitely wouldn't be doing this.
September 1, 2012
Not the best in the Kay Scarpetta series by far, but certainly not the worst. Parts of this story were really intriguing, but I couldn't get past the fact that the savvy Dr. Scarpetta who deftly handled such potential foes as wily prison warden Tara Grimm, delusional convict Kathleen Lawler whose amoral choices resulted in the destruction of Kay's former employee Jack Fielding (among others), the highly manipulative tactics of former NYC attorney (and sometimes alter-ego) Jaime Berger, and a host of others in this outing would insert herself in a series of situations in which she knew herself to be compromising the case and/or knowingly sidestepping best practices.
At times, I felt that Kay was as self-delusional as several characters who appear in this novel. Moreover, her unstated conviction that somehow only she can see all the evidence in the proper light borders on the dangerously monomaniacal path followed to such ill effect by Jaime Berger. In other words, for someone who has lived by her instincts and unusually high personal and professional standards so successfully for so long, Kay's instincts and moral self-compass seem to be desperately in need of calibration. As such, when Kay reflects on Marino's foibles and insists--toward novel's end--that she knows what's best for him, the reader is caught short by her own seeming hypocrisy and lack of self-reflection. The big(gish) plot twist toward story's end is well-telegraphed, and that character deserved a great deal more development in my estimation. All told, the characters readers have invested in so heavily over the course of this series--most notably Kay herself, Lucy, Marino, and Benton--all felt far too two-dimensional and out of their elements here.
I'll certainly continue to read the series, however, it's been so hit-or-miss of late that it doesn't make it to the top of the "must-read" list any longer. I wish that weren't the case, but Red Mist did nothing to change that scenario for the better.
At times, I felt that Kay was as self-delusional as several characters who appear in this novel. Moreover, her unstated conviction that somehow only she can see all the evidence in the proper light borders on the dangerously monomaniacal path followed to such ill effect by Jaime Berger. In other words, for someone who has lived by her instincts and unusually high personal and professional standards so successfully for so long, Kay's instincts and moral self-compass seem to be desperately in need of calibration. As such, when Kay reflects on Marino's foibles and insists--toward novel's end--that she knows what's best for him, the reader is caught short by her own seeming hypocrisy and lack of self-reflection. The big(gish) plot twist toward story's end is well-telegraphed, and that character deserved a great deal more development in my estimation. All told, the characters readers have invested in so heavily over the course of this series--most notably Kay herself, Lucy, Marino, and Benton--all felt far too two-dimensional and out of their elements here.
I'll certainly continue to read the series, however, it's been so hit-or-miss of late that it doesn't make it to the top of the "must-read" list any longer. I wish that weren't the case, but Red Mist did nothing to change that scenario for the better.
March 3, 2012
There are no more questions when people already have the answers.’
This is the nineteenth Kay Scarpetta novel so far published. In this novel, Kay Scarpetta travels to a prison near Savannah, Georgia because of a letter from an inmate. The inmate is Kathleen Lawler, a convicted sex offender who some 30 years previously had been sent to prison for seducing a 12-year-old boy called Jack Fielding. Jack Fielding, as readers of this series will know, was once Scarpetta's deputy chief medical officer in Boston.
Jack Fielding was murdered, shot in the head by his and Kathleen Lawler's daughter, Dawn Kincaid, and Scarpetta hopes that by meeting with Lawler she can find some answers to his aberrant behaviour and try to assuage her own guilt over his death.
But nothing goes to plan, and nothing is as it seems. When Scarpetta meets with Lawler, she is passed a piece of paper with a mobile phone number. And when she calls, she’s shocked to find herself talking to Ms Jaime Berger: high profile New York District Attorney, and her niece Lucy’s estranged lover. Somehow, Pete Marino is also involved and then the death of Kathleen Lawler results in its own investigation, which involves both Kay Scarpetta’s husband and niece. When will the killings stop, and who is behind them?
I enjoyed this series far better when Kay Scarpetta was helping solve the crimes, not caught up in the centre of them. It’s all too convoluted, soap opera-ish and angsty for me, and I think I’ll stop my Scarpetta journey here. So long, and thanks for the memories.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This is the nineteenth Kay Scarpetta novel so far published. In this novel, Kay Scarpetta travels to a prison near Savannah, Georgia because of a letter from an inmate. The inmate is Kathleen Lawler, a convicted sex offender who some 30 years previously had been sent to prison for seducing a 12-year-old boy called Jack Fielding. Jack Fielding, as readers of this series will know, was once Scarpetta's deputy chief medical officer in Boston.
Jack Fielding was murdered, shot in the head by his and Kathleen Lawler's daughter, Dawn Kincaid, and Scarpetta hopes that by meeting with Lawler she can find some answers to his aberrant behaviour and try to assuage her own guilt over his death.
But nothing goes to plan, and nothing is as it seems. When Scarpetta meets with Lawler, she is passed a piece of paper with a mobile phone number. And when she calls, she’s shocked to find herself talking to Ms Jaime Berger: high profile New York District Attorney, and her niece Lucy’s estranged lover. Somehow, Pete Marino is also involved and then the death of Kathleen Lawler results in its own investigation, which involves both Kay Scarpetta’s husband and niece. When will the killings stop, and who is behind them?
I enjoyed this series far better when Kay Scarpetta was helping solve the crimes, not caught up in the centre of them. It’s all too convoluted, soap opera-ish and angsty for me, and I think I’ll stop my Scarpetta journey here. So long, and thanks for the memories.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
February 1, 2014
Cornwell blows the Scarpetta series out of the water in this explosive thriller. When Scarpetta heads down to Georgia to piece together the rationale behind the murder of a colleague, she comes face to face with the mother of this crazed psychopath. Scarpetta soon discovers that her presence in the Deep South is part of a larger plan, one that sees her pushed to her limits and in the crosshairs of this psychopath. When death row inmates begin dying, Scarpetta cannot help but agree to assist with the investigation, even while she is faced with her own legal issues back in Massachusetts. The full cast of characters surface in Georgia under ominous circumstances that forces Scarpetta to address the emotional issues she and Lucy have shelved for years. Devastating news all but destroys Scarpetta, who is left to wonder who is playing the role of puppet master in her life and how each pull of the string will affect those she loves.
Cornwell uses her old-style blindsiding technique to keep readers involved in the series from the outset. Using the usually calm Scarpetta and manipulating all those around her leads to character chemistry not seen in the last dozen novels, The plot is more than solving the crime found within, but can be extrapolated to the larger arc of character development and inter-personal relationships. Powerful and jarring at the same time, while full of technical language and theories that give credence to the topics on offer.
Kudos Madam Cornwell for a jaw-dropping, intense novel. What could you do next to surprise the reader?
Cornwell uses her old-style blindsiding technique to keep readers involved in the series from the outset. Using the usually calm Scarpetta and manipulating all those around her leads to character chemistry not seen in the last dozen novels, The plot is more than solving the crime found within, but can be extrapolated to the larger arc of character development and inter-personal relationships. Powerful and jarring at the same time, while full of technical language and theories that give credence to the topics on offer.
Kudos Madam Cornwell for a jaw-dropping, intense novel. What could you do next to surprise the reader?
January 28, 2012
I used to like Patricia Cornwell, in her early books. Then, she began to deteriorate. Blow Fly was the one that turned me off completely. It gave the strong impression that she got to the point where the publisher said "Submit it!", and she stopped writing and closed it down, without regard to whether it made sense. I hated it.
I just tried to read this one, one of her latest. I got a little more than 1/3 the way through, and didn't have the patience to continue. The writing was turgid, and the plot didn't seem to be going anywhere -- at least, other than at a glacial pace. I got sufficiently annoyed that I just closed the book and said "That's enough!"
I have experienced many writers who have had great success, and then went wrong. Mostly, it seems that they become so successful that no one can tell them that they need a copy editor influential enough to get them to shorten their text and make it much better. This book is a good example of where an editor with a strong influence on economy of writing would have made a really good improvement. In this case, after wading through a little more than 1/3 of the way through, I lost interest. The writing was so long-winded and lacking in focus, that I had no interest left in what might happen.
It's a pity; she used to have so much promise. Now, she's just relying on past name recognition.
I just tried to read this one, one of her latest. I got a little more than 1/3 the way through, and didn't have the patience to continue. The writing was turgid, and the plot didn't seem to be going anywhere -- at least, other than at a glacial pace. I got sufficiently annoyed that I just closed the book and said "That's enough!"
I have experienced many writers who have had great success, and then went wrong. Mostly, it seems that they become so successful that no one can tell them that they need a copy editor influential enough to get them to shorten their text and make it much better. This book is a good example of where an editor with a strong influence on economy of writing would have made a really good improvement. In this case, after wading through a little more than 1/3 of the way through, I lost interest. The writing was so long-winded and lacking in focus, that I had no interest left in what might happen.
It's a pity; she used to have so much promise. Now, she's just relying on past name recognition.
January 9, 2012
This one took forever to get started - I was 200 pages in before things really started to happen. There's so much detail of every little thing Kay thinks and does; it's as though someone is describing a movie to you and telling you even the tiniest movement that every person makes. It gets boring.
The book begins with Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner, getting involved against her will in an effort to prove the innocence of a woman on death-row in Georgia. There are all sorts of personal entanglements and past history with a number of the characters, all of which contribute to red herrings. The last half of the book is fairly fast-paced and full of action as events unfold in short order. I haven't read any of Cornwell's other books to compare to this one , so I'm not sure if all her books are slow-starting or if it's just this one.
The book begins with Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner, getting involved against her will in an effort to prove the innocence of a woman on death-row in Georgia. There are all sorts of personal entanglements and past history with a number of the characters, all of which contribute to red herrings. The last half of the book is fairly fast-paced and full of action as events unfold in short order. I haven't read any of Cornwell's other books to compare to this one , so I'm not sure if all her books are slow-starting or if it's just this one.
March 10, 2020
Questo libro mi infastidisce. 😤
February 13, 2012
This one confused me. I had to check it out from the library twice with a gap in between but as I started it I was pretty excited that this seemed like it was going to be a great Scarpetta book. I used to really love this series but it just seemed to veer off track somewhere and I no longer buy the books.
I think this turned in to an okay Scarpetta book. Good but I'll honestly probably forget the plot within a month. This one is basically a continuation of the last book, where all sorts of murders were happening and Jack Fielding, someone Kay was mentoring for years, turned into a very strange, dead man. That book confused me too.
Anyways, this started out with a lot of potential but almost 200 pages in I was still waiting for something to happen. It finally did, with a somewhat main character being killed off, and a 9 year old murder case being brought back into the fold. But....I'm not sure, this just felt a little slapped together at the end. It's possible I'm thinking back to the earlier stuff like The Body Farm and my expectations are too high, but I wasn't happy nor was I unhappy. It just was.
I've never really paid attention, I guess, but it seems like Kay talks A LOT. Constantly. And it seemed odd as well.
I think this turned in to an okay Scarpetta book. Good but I'll honestly probably forget the plot within a month. This one is basically a continuation of the last book, where all sorts of murders were happening and Jack Fielding, someone Kay was mentoring for years, turned into a very strange, dead man. That book confused me too.
Anyways, this started out with a lot of potential but almost 200 pages in I was still waiting for something to happen. It finally did, with a somewhat main character being killed off, and a 9 year old murder case being brought back into the fold. But....I'm not sure, this just felt a little slapped together at the end. It's possible I'm thinking back to the earlier stuff like The Body Farm and my expectations are too high, but I wasn't happy nor was I unhappy. It just was.
I've never really paid attention, I guess, but it seems like Kay talks A LOT. Constantly. And it seemed odd as well.
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