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Kay Scarpetta #20
The Bone Bed
A woman has vanished while digging a dinosaur bone bed in the remote wilderness of Canada. Somehow, the only evidence has made its way to the inbox of Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, over two thousand miles away in Boston. She has no idea why. But as events unfold with alarming speed, Scarpetta begins to suspect that the paleontologist’s disappearance is connected to a series of crimes much closer to home: a gruesome murder, inexplicable tortures, and trace evidence from the last living creatures of the dinosaur age.
When she turns to those around her, Scarpetta finds that the danger and suspicion have penetrated even her closest circles. Her niece Lucy speaks in riddles. Her lead investigator, Pete Marino, and FBI forensic psychologist and husband, Benton Wesley, have secrets of their own. Feeling alone and betrayed, Scarpetta is tempted by someone from her past as she tracks a killer both cunning and cruel.
This is Kay Scarpetta as you have never seen her before. The Bone Bed is a must read for any fan of this series, or an ideal starting point for new readers.
When she turns to those around her, Scarpetta finds that the danger and suspicion have penetrated even her closest circles. Her niece Lucy speaks in riddles. Her lead investigator, Pete Marino, and FBI forensic psychologist and husband, Benton Wesley, have secrets of their own. Feeling alone and betrayed, Scarpetta is tempted by someone from her past as she tracks a killer both cunning and cruel.
This is Kay Scarpetta as you have never seen her before. The Bone Bed is a must read for any fan of this series, or an ideal starting point for new readers.
Paperback
First published October 16, 2012
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About the author
Patricia Cornwell
197 books19.8k 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 2,134 reviews
October 25, 2012
Dear Patricia Cornwell,
I swear this is the last book of yours I will read. You had 463 pages of which you filled too much with your petty disagreements with your husband, niece and chief investigator. If these people are making your life as miserable as they are mine, divorce/fire/tell them to go to hell!
I got mad years ago when I felt like you were just "phoning" it in. Now you take a good plot and just clutter it up with too much stuff that isn't germane to the story. If you weren't a best selling award winning author you couldn't get away with that crap. Your first six books were so good. What is wrong? Do you think we'll just lap it up? That we aren't discriminating readers?
I will give you this, you create an atmosphere where the anxiety is so palpable that it makes me jittery. But that anxiety doesn't come from the main plot but from petty jealousies, suspected betrayals and paranoia that is unnecessary to advance this story.
You must quit recycling plots lines. Yes, I know your character's work will always be about murders but it doesn't always have to involve staff who betray, someone going after your husband, it doesn't always have to be about you. Yes, Kay's great but she's getting increasingly self-centered and at the same time insecure.
I will be happy to edit your next manuscript or even go back and show you how you could have made this a tight 300 page forensic medical thriller. I will remove all the unnecessary filler and coax you to spend more time in developing this story. You just cannot decide on page 449 to reveal a character who has only been mentioned in passing! A character who's perhaps had only a few lines of dialog! These are rules of writing. You're violating them and you're pissing us off.
I swear this is the last book of yours I will read. You had 463 pages of which you filled too much with your petty disagreements with your husband, niece and chief investigator. If these people are making your life as miserable as they are mine, divorce/fire/tell them to go to hell!
I got mad years ago when I felt like you were just "phoning" it in. Now you take a good plot and just clutter it up with too much stuff that isn't germane to the story. If you weren't a best selling award winning author you couldn't get away with that crap. Your first six books were so good. What is wrong? Do you think we'll just lap it up? That we aren't discriminating readers?
I will give you this, you create an atmosphere where the anxiety is so palpable that it makes me jittery. But that anxiety doesn't come from the main plot but from petty jealousies, suspected betrayals and paranoia that is unnecessary to advance this story.
You must quit recycling plots lines. Yes, I know your character's work will always be about murders but it doesn't always have to involve staff who betray, someone going after your husband, it doesn't always have to be about you. Yes, Kay's great but she's getting increasingly self-centered and at the same time insecure.
I will be happy to edit your next manuscript or even go back and show you how you could have made this a tight 300 page forensic medical thriller. I will remove all the unnecessary filler and coax you to spend more time in developing this story. You just cannot decide on page 449 to reveal a character who has only been mentioned in passing! A character who's perhaps had only a few lines of dialog! These are rules of writing. You're violating them and you're pissing us off.
September 10, 2016
What can I say about Scarpetta number twenty? I didn't dislike the book, but in my opinion, Cornwell has yet to produce a follow-up book that is in anyway comparable to the quality of her first six to eight books. This review does contain a few mild spoilers!
Before I air my complaints, I will give credit where credit is due. Bone Bed reintroduces readers to the Kay Scarpetta they met in Virginia. For the first time in I don't know how many books, Scarpetta is back in her diving gear and working the crime scenes like she used too. That is the one thing I really appreciated about this book. Kay is sharp. I had forgotten what an impressive investigator she could be. As she goes through a crime scene, very little escapes her attention. Her intelligence, ambition, and compassion are magnetic. I can't speak for everyone, but that is the character that captured my attention and held my interest in 90s.
With that said, I found her supporting characters highly annoying and redundant. Marino and Benton are still stuck in a downward spiral of regret and resentment. I know that real life issues (you know, your average faked death and attempted rape) don't go away over night, but I think Cornwell has taken it to a level that is entirely unnecessary. I for one, am very tired of hearing the sad song that refuses to end. Benton played dead; Mario got drunk and tried to play hooky. Naturally, these flaws in character will keep the two of them from being best friends and undoubtably leave some skeletons in the closet, but Cornwell has strung it out to the degree that she has allowed it to monopolize the chemistry that made the characters so captivating in the beginning.
Another issue I had with this book is that I felt like I had read it already. Scarpetta and her team discover links between several different homicides and find themselves chasing a deranged serial killer. As they close in, the lunatic loses control and ends up going after ... Wait, I don't want to spoil your fun, I'll let you guess, but I'm betting you'll get it right without even having to buy a vowel!! Any of that sound familiar? It's almost as if Cornwell follows a formula. She changes the locations, characters, and modus operandi, but the big picture remains the same. While this formula may be making her millions, it has flattened her series and turned into average and predictable. She has sold Scarpetta out and it's a d*** shame.
Before I air my complaints, I will give credit where credit is due. Bone Bed reintroduces readers to the Kay Scarpetta they met in Virginia. For the first time in I don't know how many books, Scarpetta is back in her diving gear and working the crime scenes like she used too. That is the one thing I really appreciated about this book. Kay is sharp. I had forgotten what an impressive investigator she could be. As she goes through a crime scene, very little escapes her attention. Her intelligence, ambition, and compassion are magnetic. I can't speak for everyone, but that is the character that captured my attention and held my interest in 90s.
With that said, I found her supporting characters highly annoying and redundant. Marino and Benton are still stuck in a downward spiral of regret and resentment. I know that real life issues (you know, your average faked death and attempted rape) don't go away over night, but I think Cornwell has taken it to a level that is entirely unnecessary. I for one, am very tired of hearing the sad song that refuses to end. Benton played dead; Mario got drunk and tried to play hooky. Naturally, these flaws in character will keep the two of them from being best friends and undoubtably leave some skeletons in the closet, but Cornwell has strung it out to the degree that she has allowed it to monopolize the chemistry that made the characters so captivating in the beginning.
Another issue I had with this book is that I felt like I had read it already. Scarpetta and her team discover links between several different homicides and find themselves chasing a deranged serial killer. As they close in, the lunatic loses control and ends up going after ... Wait, I don't want to spoil your fun, I'll let you guess, but I'm betting you'll get it right without even having to buy a vowel!! Any of that sound familiar? It's almost as if Cornwell follows a formula. She changes the locations, characters, and modus operandi, but the big picture remains the same. While this formula may be making her millions, it has flattened her series and turned into average and predictable. She has sold Scarpetta out and it's a d*** shame.
January 31, 2019
After a five-year absence, I decided to catch up on the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell. I read the 19th book last month and now I've just finished the 20th book, The Bone Bed. If this were a standalone book, I'd be totally thrilled... but after finishing two within a month, I know why I slowed down a bit. It can be a little much at times, and having a year in between is a good thing. I still plan to read the last few in the next couple of months so I'm fully caught up, but then it'll be nice to keep them spaced out... assuming Cornwell keeps writing more. We're over the 25 mark already... The Bone Bed is less of a technical thriller and more of a medical thriller. By getting back to the basics, I found myself more interested in the actual murders and autopsies. It's amusing that I go from reading a light cozy mystery to a hardcore gruesome thriller, but I like to keep the balance in my life as tight as possible. Perhaps I'm a little too wound up...
A body is found at sea attached to a reptilian-dinosaur-turtle creature. A man is on trial for killing his wife but the body hasn't been found. An archaeologist is missing in Canada. What do they all have in common? A few interesting things and perhaps the same serial killer. But why is (s)he doing it? Kay must find out except as things start to come together, people close to her begin hiding things from her. Then she's called to testify at a trial only to see it's a completely orchestrated game where she's the intended victim. Her entire scene when she's performing an autopsy then rushing to the courthouse for the trial is absolutely stunning. It's about 5 to 6 chapters (~100 pages, 25% of the book) and it's one of the most thrilling and immersive things I ever read. It bounces all over the place but I am completely mesmerized by its power over me. For that, I wanted to give it 5 stars. I was so angry at the judge and the attorney who were treating Kay horribly when she did the right thing no matter if it meant she was late to court. OMG, I wanted to kill them. Luckily my other half, who is an attorney, is not a trial lawyer. Or we'd have a problem!!!
Anyways... the rest of the book was strong, but there were some let-downs which prevented a higher rating. For one thing, we lost a major supporting character in the last book, and this person wasn't at all mentioned in this book. WHAT? Then, we find out Marino did some stupid things again, and we never see him and Kay have it out. That's not that kind of thing to leave for the next book. We needed recovery in this one from his antics. And the fine Kay pays for being late to court... I want justice against that judge and opposing council. I also don't think we should've waited til the future for it (I'm making a big leap assuming it will happen in the next book). So... I was let down enough to drop 1 star. I also felt Benton and Kay's relationship was a tad weak in this book... and Lucy's sudden new relationship was a surprise but should've been more prominent. Lastly, in the final chapter, the man on trial might possibly still be guilty of coercing someone into killing his wife even if he didn't do it and we know who really did. Are readers supposed to guess from the coy dialog? I wanted it to be firm, not vague. Otherwise, it's a fantastic read... some frustrating moments but definitely improved by STELLAR courtroom scenes and vivid ME actions.
A body is found at sea attached to a reptilian-dinosaur-turtle creature. A man is on trial for killing his wife but the body hasn't been found. An archaeologist is missing in Canada. What do they all have in common? A few interesting things and perhaps the same serial killer. But why is (s)he doing it? Kay must find out except as things start to come together, people close to her begin hiding things from her. Then she's called to testify at a trial only to see it's a completely orchestrated game where she's the intended victim. Her entire scene when she's performing an autopsy then rushing to the courthouse for the trial is absolutely stunning. It's about 5 to 6 chapters (~100 pages, 25% of the book) and it's one of the most thrilling and immersive things I ever read. It bounces all over the place but I am completely mesmerized by its power over me. For that, I wanted to give it 5 stars. I was so angry at the judge and the attorney who were treating Kay horribly when she did the right thing no matter if it meant she was late to court. OMG, I wanted to kill them. Luckily my other half, who is an attorney, is not a trial lawyer. Or we'd have a problem!!!
Anyways... the rest of the book was strong, but there were some let-downs which prevented a higher rating. For one thing, we lost a major supporting character in the last book, and this person wasn't at all mentioned in this book. WHAT? Then, we find out Marino did some stupid things again, and we never see him and Kay have it out. That's not that kind of thing to leave for the next book. We needed recovery in this one from his antics. And the fine Kay pays for being late to court... I want justice against that judge and opposing council. I also don't think we should've waited til the future for it (I'm making a big leap assuming it will happen in the next book). So... I was let down enough to drop 1 star. I also felt Benton and Kay's relationship was a tad weak in this book... and Lucy's sudden new relationship was a surprise but should've been more prominent. Lastly, in the final chapter, the man on trial might possibly still be guilty of coercing someone into killing his wife even if he didn't do it and we know who really did. Are readers supposed to guess from the coy dialog? I wanted it to be firm, not vague. Otherwise, it's a fantastic read... some frustrating moments but definitely improved by STELLAR courtroom scenes and vivid ME actions.
January 3, 2013
Cornwell used to write interesting stories; she was one of my favourite authors. But about 10 novels ago, she decided to expand on her character's personalities. This would be fine, except she can’t seem to shut up about it. I get it that Scarpetta's partner (Marino) is a uncontrollable, unreliable slob who's in unrequited love with her. I also understand her husband (Benton) is an uncontrollable, unreliable narcissistic jerk. And I know her niece (Lucy) is unreliable, uncontrollable, gay and has a death wish. How do I know these things? Cornwell harps on and on about it. Every novel lately, you'll get those messages in the first 10 pages. And then again and again throughout the book. No unreliability there, I assure you.
It seems impossible to follow the story; you're always being sidetracked back to one of the above messages. And then, rather than going back to the story, segueing into one of the other above messages.
I usually make an attempt to finish each book I start. 5 of the last Cornwell books, I've given up. I won't bother starting another Cornwell book; she's killed me off as a reader. This book was a great... waste of paper.
It seems impossible to follow the story; you're always being sidetracked back to one of the above messages. And then, rather than going back to the story, segueing into one of the other above messages.
I usually make an attempt to finish each book I start. 5 of the last Cornwell books, I've given up. I won't bother starting another Cornwell book; she's killed me off as a reader. This book was a great... waste of paper.
October 25, 2012
Whyyyy do I keep reading these. It's like a sickness.
May 4, 2024
Re Read May 2024
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Kate Reading
3.75 stars**
Another intriguing Kay Scarpetta installment that enjoyed! I can’t believe I’ve been reading this series for so long it sure has come along way, especially the relationship between the MC. So this series has been pretty much the same MO with chief medical examiner Dr. Scarpetta investigating the disappearance of two random women and the murder of a widow and trying to figure out if there is a connection. With the help of detective and long time friend Marino, her profile FBI agent husband, Benton, and her computer genius/hacker niece, Lucy. If you’ve read any books on this series you know Ms. Cornwell takes the long way to reveal the mystery in her books. I actually enjoyed that part I really get in the zone when I’m in the forensic world of Dr. Scarpetta. But I have to say with this one I was thrown off by what was Dr. Scarpetta’s is going through in her personal life, not just with Benton, but with Marino, it makes me nervous. These characters have come such a long way, gone through so much, but somehow have always found their way to each other. I hope that bond doesn’t break even if their relationship isn’t quiet normal in a way they’re kinda messed up but it makes sense for them.
Looking forward to catching up to the final book in this series and see what other cases Dr. Scarpetta solves.♥️
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Kate Reading
3.75 stars**
Another intriguing Kay Scarpetta installment that enjoyed! I can’t believe I’ve been reading this series for so long it sure has come along way, especially the relationship between the MC. So this series has been pretty much the same MO with chief medical examiner Dr. Scarpetta investigating the disappearance of two random women and the murder of a widow and trying to figure out if there is a connection. With the help of detective and long time friend Marino, her profile FBI agent husband, Benton, and her computer genius/hacker niece, Lucy. If you’ve read any books on this series you know Ms. Cornwell takes the long way to reveal the mystery in her books. I actually enjoyed that part I really get in the zone when I’m in the forensic world of Dr. Scarpetta. But I have to say with this one I was thrown off by what was Dr. Scarpetta’s is going through in her personal life, not just with Benton, but with Marino, it makes me nervous. These characters have come such a long way, gone through so much, but somehow have always found their way to each other. I hope that bond doesn’t break even if their relationship isn’t quiet normal in a way they’re kinda messed up but it makes sense for them.
Looking forward to catching up to the final book in this series and see what other cases Dr. Scarpetta solves.♥️
November 2, 2012
i haven't finished yet but I should really just stop buying these books. I was convinced that (at least 5?) some books ago she changed her writing style and it totally turned me off. Then I felt like a few books ago (2?) she changed back to normal. Yet, I feel her characters have just gone off the deep end. I can't stand any of them anymore. Marino turns worse every book, Lucy becomes almost total background and into such a superwoman that she's just completely unbelievable anymore. Now, in this book I have to constantly listen to her inner turmoil over Benton. Ugh, just shut up already!!
October 21, 2012
I feel obligated to keep reading Scarpetta because I've been with her since the beginning. The first 6-8 books were fabulous and then it was all downhill from there. Scarpetta isn't likable anymore. I get annoyed reading how every man wants her and every woman is jealous of her. We know. We know. Scarpetta is the most beautiful, smartest, best cook, toughest female medical examiner on the planet. It's getting to be a little much. Every book someone is in love with her, in which Benton whines and gets jealous. On the other hand, there is usually a woman who is also obsessed with the equally perfect Benton.
I also feel like her books are 75% explaining procedures in detail (look how smart I am!) and 25% explaining all of the acronyms she uses. The actual plot is always scarce and the character development is almost nil.
I used to be a huge fan of these books but I've become increasingly disappointment in them.
I also feel like her books are 75% explaining procedures in detail (look how smart I am!) and 25% explaining all of the acronyms she uses. The actual plot is always scarce and the character development is almost nil.
I used to be a huge fan of these books but I've become increasingly disappointment in them.
March 13, 2013
Very sad to say but I think I will at last have to give up on the hope that Patricia Cornwell is ever going to return to brilliance again with her Scarpetta series. I have made my way through the last few books hoping each time that they will be as enjoyable as her earlier efforts. Its just not happening folks. I read "The Body Farm" way back in my late teens and it was this novel that started me on my love of crime fiction,and indeed a new Patricia Cornwell novel was a treat I looked forward to for many a year.
Now I really don't understand the direction she is taking. WHY is there ALWAYS a "conspiracy" in play against Dr Scarpetta? Every novel these days is filled with her feelings of mistrust towards those closest to her. From being a strong, independant, successful woman she has become a whiny paranoid shadow of her former self. Extremely unlikeable nowadays, its hard to find even a tiny bit of sympathy for the character or to dredge up even a minor interest in what happens to her next.
The rest of the characters are just as bad. Marino has no redeeming features anymore, Lucy is stuck forever being a petulant teenager, Benton is at least an adult but hardly makes an appearance. Because of this I had little to zero interest in the mystery they were trying to solve.
I would recommend you read her early Scarpetta novels, up to and including Black Notice. After that honestly don't bother. I certainly will not be bothering again.
Now I really don't understand the direction she is taking. WHY is there ALWAYS a "conspiracy" in play against Dr Scarpetta? Every novel these days is filled with her feelings of mistrust towards those closest to her. From being a strong, independant, successful woman she has become a whiny paranoid shadow of her former self. Extremely unlikeable nowadays, its hard to find even a tiny bit of sympathy for the character or to dredge up even a minor interest in what happens to her next.
The rest of the characters are just as bad. Marino has no redeeming features anymore, Lucy is stuck forever being a petulant teenager, Benton is at least an adult but hardly makes an appearance. Because of this I had little to zero interest in the mystery they were trying to solve.
I would recommend you read her early Scarpetta novels, up to and including Black Notice. After that honestly don't bother. I certainly will not be bothering again.
January 4, 2013
Kay tracks serial killer. Kay worries about Lucy. Kate worries about Marino. Kate worries about Benton the morose. Kay cooks something with lots of fresh herbs and garlic.
October 20, 2012
I have been with this series since the beginning. It was exciting and interesting, considering this was well before CSI. I hate to say I have fallen into the habit of reading these novels just because I've read the others.
In the previous two books Dr. scarpetta seemed to be getting back on track, getting back to the case with just the right amount of personal life and also handling those problems was more like earlier novels. I started to like them again, putting her books on the "must get when it comes out" list.
This book was tedious to read. A lot of sitting around discussing and speculating. The plot was jumbled, muddying the water by adding more and more aspects to the original case. With no clear reason why things were supposed to be connected. Kay's internal dialog was very distracting. Her relationships a mess with absolutely no resolution. The ending was so abrupt that it happened before I even realized what was what. It almost seemed like the author just got sick of writing and decided t just be done.
I suppose if your like me you will read this for yourself because you must know what happens to Dr. Kay Scarpetta. And like me probably become annoyed after reading it. I can't say I will stop reading what Patricia Cornwell writes but I will think twice about grabbing it right away.
March 14, 2015
This book was painfully boring. I had no idea who the victims were, who the bad guy was, why the crimes were committed and I didn’t even care in the end. The forensic science in this book was not interesting as in past books. I didn’t care for Kay’s annoying inner dialogue, her food choices, her new cat and her trip to the pet store to buy supplies. Scarpetta is so full of herself. It drives me nuts. Every man wants her. I may be wrong, but it seems the Marino attack on Scarpetta has been discussed in every book since. Okay, yes, we get it. Poor drunken Marino tried to rape the always desirable Dr. Kay Scarpetta and for some reason she still loves the big guy. Can Benton and Kay fight about something unique? Lucy is still a drag, Benton is a sap, Marino is pathetic, and Kay is just way to into herself. If Cornwell ever decides to end this series, I'll read the last book. If Cornwell would just kill one of them off or bring in new characters who are not trying to destroy Kay or fall in love with her, the series would have a future for me. Bring in Benton’s forgotten kids, his ex-wife, or Lucy’s mother. Anything to shake it up!
December 31, 2015
Why do I continue with this series???? Since book #10, it’s been downhill for me!!! Yet I keep hoping that just maybe the next one will be a great return.
The Bone Bed, the 20th novel in Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta Series was one of the most disappointing books in the series. Is it just me that finds the author’s writing style in the latest books different from the first ones? I don’t like the writing in this book at all!!!
I had no idea what was going on from page 1 to the end. What began with something that happened in Canada was soon left behind as other things and dead bodies happened in Kay’s hometown of Boston. There were so many characters and subplots that made no sense to me. I struggled to find any connections between Kay’s court appearance, recovering bodies from the river, etc etc etc.
In between, Lucy makes a very fast and short appearance…after a blink of my eye…she was gone again. Marino continues being a total weirdo …..always making disparaging remarks about Kay and Benton…moaning and whining……he’s like a different character from the one I first met in book #1.
Info on causes of death, people out to get Kay and Marino, it seems!! Benton….another quickie appearance and still as remote……….
Hell, these secondary characters which I had come to like seem more cardboard now than ever. Kay’s inner dialogue and monologues take up more pages than anything else. What is going on with one of my favorite characters???
I lost interest …..forgot who was killed, or was the killer, who was doing what. In fact, when the villain/killer is finally revealed…yes, in the last few pages….I couldn’t remember who he/she was and if he/she had made an appearance in the story before.
I am not exactly going to give up on this series but I am so wishing something exciting will come next.
The Bone Bed, the 20th novel in Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta Series was one of the most disappointing books in the series. Is it just me that finds the author’s writing style in the latest books different from the first ones? I don’t like the writing in this book at all!!!
I had no idea what was going on from page 1 to the end. What began with something that happened in Canada was soon left behind as other things and dead bodies happened in Kay’s hometown of Boston. There were so many characters and subplots that made no sense to me. I struggled to find any connections between Kay’s court appearance, recovering bodies from the river, etc etc etc.
In between, Lucy makes a very fast and short appearance…after a blink of my eye…she was gone again. Marino continues being a total weirdo …..always making disparaging remarks about Kay and Benton…moaning and whining……he’s like a different character from the one I first met in book #1.
Info on causes of death, people out to get Kay and Marino, it seems!! Benton….another quickie appearance and still as remote……….
Hell, these secondary characters which I had come to like seem more cardboard now than ever. Kay’s inner dialogue and monologues take up more pages than anything else. What is going on with one of my favorite characters???
I lost interest …..forgot who was killed, or was the killer, who was doing what. In fact, when the villain/killer is finally revealed…yes, in the last few pages….I couldn’t remember who he/she was and if he/she had made an appearance in the story before.
I am not exactly going to give up on this series but I am so wishing something exciting will come next.
February 11, 2013
I was able to stomach this one better than the previous 6 or 7 in the series. Oh, Patricia Cornwell, what happened? I used to look forward to my yearly visits with Kay Scarpetta, but you have made her so arrogant, Marina so pathetic, Lucy so angry, and Benton so haughty that I find them all insufferable and must force myself to continue to read the books, hoping that you will redeem the characters. I find it tedious that men fawn over Kay, and women become feral in their lust for Benton. All of Cornwell's characters are static; they have not grown, and I have tired of them. I am quite angry that Cornwell holds me hostage with this series because despite my not wanting to read another one of Kay's sagas, I crack open the pages cautiously, hoping that I will find the characters and plots which once made these books fun to read. The plots of these recent stories fade into the background against the negativity of the characters. The good thing about this book is that it was shorter than most. I read Cornwell's Jack the Ripper book years ago and watched her TV special on the topic as well. She was quite haughty in her presentation for both mediums. Perhaps she has mistakenly made art imitate life too much in her Scarpetta series.
November 26, 2013
CONCLUSION: This book should have been subtitled “When Reading A Book Becomes A Chore/Bore”
SUMMARY: The men in Dr. Scarpetta’s life are making it complicated. Benton won’t let go of the incident that night where Marino had too much too much drink and could’ve “had his way” with Kay. Meanwhile, Kay isn’t fond of one of Benton’s colleagues, a female FBI agent named Douglas, who tries to sleep with Benton. One of Kay’s staff is leaking information to the defense attorney in a case Kay is unnecessarily called upon to testify.
PROS: Quick read…if you can keep focused.
CONS: Throughout the book, it’s difficult to keep focused, even though I made a long list of characters. And then it turns out a character that was introduced almost 3/4ths of the way into the book is actually the killer. Not until page 420 (out of 436 pages) does it start to get really interesting. Then on page 450 we get introduced to another character.
SUMMARY: The men in Dr. Scarpetta’s life are making it complicated. Benton won’t let go of the incident that night where Marino had too much too much drink and could’ve “had his way” with Kay. Meanwhile, Kay isn’t fond of one of Benton’s colleagues, a female FBI agent named Douglas, who tries to sleep with Benton. One of Kay’s staff is leaking information to the defense attorney in a case Kay is unnecessarily called upon to testify.
PROS: Quick read…if you can keep focused.
CONS: Throughout the book, it’s difficult to keep focused, even though I made a long list of characters. And then it turns out a character that was introduced almost 3/4ths of the way into the book is actually the killer. Not until page 420 (out of 436 pages) does it start to get really interesting. Then on page 450 we get introduced to another character.
October 21, 2012
I am coming to the realization that I need to remove Scarpetta books from my must buy list.
How do I loathe these let me count the ways.
1] All these smart people are neurotic morons.
2] Several of them should be in jail or at least a secure psychiatric facility
3] The technophobe Marino is played out and over used.
4] Twitter as an example of 'freaky internet technology'
The book feels like the second half was written as an almost complete book and then it was discovered it was too short so the first 200 pages were added as a filler.
I don't personally know any police, medical examiners or FBI agents but if in real life their ranks are as full of crazies, killers and psychos as in Dr. Scarpettas's world we should be very afraid.
How do I loathe these let me count the ways.
1] All these smart people are neurotic morons.
2] Several of them should be in jail or at least a secure psychiatric facility
3] The technophobe Marino is played out and over used.
4] Twitter as an example of 'freaky internet technology'
The book feels like the second half was written as an almost complete book and then it was discovered it was too short so the first 200 pages were added as a filler.
I don't personally know any police, medical examiners or FBI agents but if in real life their ranks are as full of crazies, killers and psychos as in Dr. Scarpettas's world we should be very afraid.
November 12, 2012
On the plus side: at least Kay Scarpetta didn't shower for several chapters this time. Or cook too much.
And there was a bit of actual detecting (which in retrospect was totally irrelevant to the denoument...)
On the minus side: tedious whining yet again re relationships that I have stopped caring about several books ago. Irritating admiration yet again of Lucy's hot body and general perfect awesomeness. Disjointedness of plot. Non-engaging plot. Plot taking half the book to get going.
For the last few years I still have a flicker of hope every time a new Kay Scarpetta is published. A hope that is, alas, quickly extinguished as I realise the old magic is still absent.
A moment of silence to mourn the passing of a once great author's talent.
And there was a bit of actual detecting (which in retrospect was totally irrelevant to the denoument...)
On the minus side: tedious whining yet again re relationships that I have stopped caring about several books ago. Irritating admiration yet again of Lucy's hot body and general perfect awesomeness. Disjointedness of plot. Non-engaging plot. Plot taking half the book to get going.
For the last few years I still have a flicker of hope every time a new Kay Scarpetta is published. A hope that is, alas, quickly extinguished as I realise the old magic is still absent.
A moment of silence to mourn the passing of a once great author's talent.
October 22, 2012
The Bone Bed had me captured for 18 consecutive hours of almost unbroken reading. Still based at the Cambridge Forensic Center, all of the usual characters are present. Her FBI Profiler husband, Benton Wesley, her niece Lucy and the ever present Marino. Lucy is still ensconced in electronic data, but she is keeping secrets from her aunt. Like wear did that heavy gold ring she is wearing come from. Marino seems to be drinking again and collecting miniature Skull Head vodka bottles and making ornaments from them. Benton, well Benton has a new partner, and he is a bit muddy with Kay about the relationship there.
With the arrival of a very disturbing email and the death of a palaeontologist in Alberta, Canada, closely followed by a body found in the Charles River, attached by nets and a number of things to a leatherback turtle, and another seemingly unrelated murder, the book picks up pace quickly. I wouldn't suggest starting it at bedtime and planning on reading a chapter or two because you will have problems putting the book down.
Probably what I did enjoy most about The Bone Bed as well as it's predecessor, Red Mist, is the return of Patricia Cornwell's writing style. Back again is the Scarpetta who is strong and sensitive and the intelligent woman that we had all known. After the writing of her Jack the Ripper book, Ms Cornwell couldn't seem to pull together a cohesive writing style. The story lines and Kay Scarpetta suffered for it. We saw Scarpetta second guessing herself and seeming to need others to make a simple decision. Thankfully that is sorted and we once again have gotten Patricia Cornwell and Kay Scarpetta back at their best.
With the arrival of a very disturbing email and the death of a palaeontologist in Alberta, Canada, closely followed by a body found in the Charles River, attached by nets and a number of things to a leatherback turtle, and another seemingly unrelated murder, the book picks up pace quickly. I wouldn't suggest starting it at bedtime and planning on reading a chapter or two because you will have problems putting the book down.
Probably what I did enjoy most about The Bone Bed as well as it's predecessor, Red Mist, is the return of Patricia Cornwell's writing style. Back again is the Scarpetta who is strong and sensitive and the intelligent woman that we had all known. After the writing of her Jack the Ripper book, Ms Cornwell couldn't seem to pull together a cohesive writing style. The story lines and Kay Scarpetta suffered for it. We saw Scarpetta second guessing herself and seeming to need others to make a simple decision. Thankfully that is sorted and we once again have gotten Patricia Cornwell and Kay Scarpetta back at their best.
March 30, 2017
Because I love forensic thrillers, I thought I'd give Cornwell another try. I gave up on her books a while back. This one was better than the last few I'd read, but there continues to be so much negative introspection on Kay Scarpetta's part. When she's working forensics to solve a crime, that's what we want to read about. But instead the narrative gets slowed down by Scarpetta's depressing thoughts, her endless relationship problems with the people in her life, and her lust over a colleague as a married woman. These all make for good subplots, but in their proper place and time. Not in the middle of her autopsy of a murder victim or while she's fishing a victim out of the water. As far as the forensics goes, interesting as always, but the motive for the crime itself felt ill-explained and the ending was blah.
December 10, 2012
I used to love Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Feisty, brilliant, unorthodox - her cases were challenging and her life adventurous. She was, fundamentally, the kind of woman detective we'd all love to have been. Toss in the uber-fascinating landscape of forensics and I was hooked from the first chapter of Post Mortem.
Unfortunately, that was many years, and many Scarpetta books, ago. The latest outing, The Bone Bed, failed to grasp me in any way and I struggled through it, missing the original woman who had so much to offer.
Yes, Kay has grown - something I consider very important to anyone in a long-lived series. But instead of becoming more intense, more involved and more interesting, Kay seems to be succumbing to an overwhelming case of self-centered paranoia. It was noticeable in Port Mortuary, but here it's become full-blown.
These books are written in first-person present tense - a challenge to almost all writers. It works if the protagonist is given to clear thinking, the plot is complex but well crafted, and the situations not completely unfamiliar. In the past, it has worked for Scarpetta, although not always in the easiest way. Here, in my opinion, it has created something close to an epic fail.
From the outset, Kay seems nervous about everyone around her and looks for trouble. Never actually coming out and asking, she worries about her husband. About her partner Marino. About Lucy. About just about everyone. And she worries to the point where i wanted to give her a good shaking and tell her to just do the job and forget all that crap for a while because it was a) boring, b) irrelevant and c) distracting. If you're in a character's head for the entire book, it had damn well better be a fascinating head. Sorry to say this wasn't. Her inner dialogue was so muddlingly scattershot that - when the final pages were reached and the villain unmasked - I had to go back through the chapters to double check on who the hell it was.
This could have been one heck of a detective story. It was a solid and deviously twisted plot, with a truly horrible killer. So please, Ms. Cornwell. Do what you do so well - give us THAT kind of story in future and leave Kay's inner turmoil just where it is. Inside Kay. I don't want to know about it anymore. I have my own turmoil, thanks. What I don't have is an encyclopedic knowledge of Forensics and an intriguing group of crime fighters at my side. Let's get back to the basics so my next outing with Kay Scarpetta will leave me with more than a bit of a headache and a feeling of disappointment.
Unfortunately, that was many years, and many Scarpetta books, ago. The latest outing, The Bone Bed, failed to grasp me in any way and I struggled through it, missing the original woman who had so much to offer.
Yes, Kay has grown - something I consider very important to anyone in a long-lived series. But instead of becoming more intense, more involved and more interesting, Kay seems to be succumbing to an overwhelming case of self-centered paranoia. It was noticeable in Port Mortuary, but here it's become full-blown.
These books are written in first-person present tense - a challenge to almost all writers. It works if the protagonist is given to clear thinking, the plot is complex but well crafted, and the situations not completely unfamiliar. In the past, it has worked for Scarpetta, although not always in the easiest way. Here, in my opinion, it has created something close to an epic fail.
From the outset, Kay seems nervous about everyone around her and looks for trouble. Never actually coming out and asking, she worries about her husband. About her partner Marino. About Lucy. About just about everyone. And she worries to the point where i wanted to give her a good shaking and tell her to just do the job and forget all that crap for a while because it was a) boring, b) irrelevant and c) distracting. If you're in a character's head for the entire book, it had damn well better be a fascinating head. Sorry to say this wasn't. Her inner dialogue was so muddlingly scattershot that - when the final pages were reached and the villain unmasked - I had to go back through the chapters to double check on who the hell it was.
This could have been one heck of a detective story. It was a solid and deviously twisted plot, with a truly horrible killer. So please, Ms. Cornwell. Do what you do so well - give us THAT kind of story in future and leave Kay's inner turmoil just where it is. Inside Kay. I don't want to know about it anymore. I have my own turmoil, thanks. What I don't have is an encyclopedic knowledge of Forensics and an intriguing group of crime fighters at my side. Let's get back to the basics so my next outing with Kay Scarpetta will leave me with more than a bit of a headache and a feeling of disappointment.
October 28, 2012
Is it just me, or is Patricia Cornwell getting mentally ill?
I think back to her first Scarpetta novel and I compare it to her recent books and there is a total disconnect. There is so much dysfunction within the personal relationships that never seem to get resolved, even after, like 15 books by now. There is no heroism or triumph- there is hopelessness and darkness. I really feel like I'm reading the transcript of a therapy sesson with every new Scarpetta episode.
I will keep reading her, because, well, she is Patricia Cornwell; but I'm not happy about the direction of the books. Too much unresolved tension and I honestly don't know why Benton is still with her- maybe because Scarpetta is a great cook? She treats him like garbage most of the time.
I think each charachter is a splinter of Patricia's personality; which is why I think she's going crazy.
I think back to her first Scarpetta novel and I compare it to her recent books and there is a total disconnect. There is so much dysfunction within the personal relationships that never seem to get resolved, even after, like 15 books by now. There is no heroism or triumph- there is hopelessness and darkness. I really feel like I'm reading the transcript of a therapy sesson with every new Scarpetta episode.
I will keep reading her, because, well, she is Patricia Cornwell; but I'm not happy about the direction of the books. Too much unresolved tension and I honestly don't know why Benton is still with her- maybe because Scarpetta is a great cook? She treats him like garbage most of the time.
I think each charachter is a splinter of Patricia's personality; which is why I think she's going crazy.
maybe-read-sometime
October 1, 2012I should stop trying to read this series but ... I don't know. Somehow I can't resist?
December 19, 2012
Twentieth in the Kay Scarpetta forensic suspense series. This one is based in Boston.
I really want to give this a "3", but when I try to figure out my reasons for that...it doesn't cut it. Cornwell has made me angry, uncomfortable, and worried. And that's not a good reason to drop it a point. Sure, there are some loose threads and some really lazy issues in this story, but she's mostly kept the pace and the excitement of the forensic sleuthing. And...I guess I should appreciate that Cornwell is willing to dig into uncomfortable emotional territory that easily reflects real life.
My Take
This one was irritating. Oh, it has all the usual suspense and fascinating forensic detail, but it seems as though Cornwell is deliberately creating drama for the sake of it. I don't know about the rest of her readers, but I still look forward to hearing about her next case. The next bit of suspense. I don't need this jealousy crap thrown in to make it exciting.
Yeah, I know, the author is supposed to create tension and drama. However, there's an artificiality to this one that bugs me. Suddenly Kay is feeling defensive and guilty. She's whining.
There's a Supreme Court ruling that Kay keeps going on about, and it's just plain scary that law enforcement has to be so incredibly careful that they're more willing to avoid being involved. Isn't that supposed to be their job? To serve and protect? Doesn't that require being involved? It's frustrating when I can understand both sides. When someone can so easily be framed for something they didn't do, and a lazy cop isn't interested in doing the work to unravel the truth (although, we'd probably have fewer interesting stories). Then there's the other side of it in which cops are doing their best to catch the crooks, but the system keeps providing all these stupid loopholes. Ya can't win for trying!
The whole harbor-body recovery scene seems stretched out. Kay is whining on and on about how careful they need to be and how difficult it is and, oh my god, she may be lost. It took Scarpetta forever to get to where I got much earlier. I was gittin' irritated and bored!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, so Lott's been in jail for months. So, what? He's got enough money he could hire anyone to take out anyone he's pissed at. Er-duh. I'm kind of wondering why Kay is putting up with Marino. He's so obnoxious in this story.
What? Cornwell couldn't figure out an easier way to dangle the hints in front of Kay and Benton than to have Lott show up at the morgue?
I'm missing something. Kay Scarpetta has been performing an exemplary job as a forensic pathologist for how long? And everyone around her is questioning her judgements, her decisions? WTF? I sure wish Kay had had a recorder on while undergoing that particular interrogation.
Wow, this demonstrates a scary use of Twitter with an inside look at hacking someone's data.
Eventually, Cornwell starts to hook things up. Make the connections with the stray bits she's been casually setting down so far. And it all makes a scary sense. A rather terrifying use of "evidence" if you haven't the funds to investigate it OR the knowledge that such things are possible!
Loose Threads
Oh my god, loose threads abound in this! I don't know if Cornwell is saving them up for a future story or just didn't care. The judge's excessive antagonism. The purpose for the clothes Pretty Please is wearing.
Why does Shubert get involved? How stupid is Cornwell insisting Kay be? The silver SUV that's been following her happens to be parked right next to her vehicle, and she already has a good idea of how the murderer is taking these women? W. T. F. Cornwell's gettin' lazy.
Hmmm, maybe it should be a "3"...
The Story
It's a gruesome find in Boston Harbor, all thanks to the ten-foot-or-more long leatherback turtle that got caught up in some fishing lines. Without him, well, that body may not have survived.
It's when Kay and Marino get back from the disastrous day in court that everything comes unraveled. Benton has done an end run around Kay and talked her assistant into opening up their latest victim when Kay has specifically told them not to start without her. And it just gets worse from there.
Someone is trying to frame Marino. Benton is angry and jealous. Kay is even angrier with his team. It's a set-up of monumental proportions all the way around.
The Characters
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is the chief medical examiner and the head of the Cambridge Forensic Center (CFC). She's also a reservist colonel and part of the Armed Forces Medical Examiners (AFME). Special Agent Benton Wesley is an FBI criminal intelligence analyst, a.k.a., a profiler, and he's married to Kay. Sock is their rescue brindle greyhound.
Pete Marino is a former cop and is now Kay's head of investigations at CFC. He's an ornery, blustering guy with a long history with Kay. Detective Sil Machado, a.k.a., the Portuguese Man of War, is with the Cambridge PD, and he's friends and neighbors with Marino. General John Briggs is chief of the AFME.
Lucy Farinelli is Kay's gay niece, a helicopter pilot, proficient with most weapons, a computer hacker extraordinaire, and quite wealthy from her inventions. She has no compunctions about using her skills or her wealth to find out anything she wants. Janet is former FBI and now a lawyer specializing in environmental law.
Kay's staff at the Cambridge Forensic Center
Bryce Clark is her chief of staff and a regular motormouth. He keeps her dressed and tidied up. Ethan is his life partner and they have a cat, Indy Anna. Dr. Luke Zenner is her assistant chief medical examiner whom Benton and Marino hate. He's also Dr. Anna Zenner's nephew. Ron appears to be a very loyal security guard and a former MP. There are six investigators on staff including Toby, Sherry, Marino, and Barbara. Anne is a technologist. Dr. Ned Adams is one of the area dentists certified in odontology.
FBI
Special Agent Douglas Burke is Benton's partner. And, man, does she have a hard-on for Kay! Val Han is with the cyber squad. Special Agent-in-Charge Jim Demar is with the Boston Field Office.
Peggy Lynn Stanton, a.k.a., her Twitter handle, Pretty Please, isn't a conundrum for long. Howard Roth is a black, disabled vet and now an alcoholic who gets by with his disability checks, recycling cans and bottles, and the occasional odd job. Emma Shubert is a missing paleontologist in Alberta, Canada.
Mildred Lott is the missing socialite wife of billionaire Channing Lott, who has been accused of her murder and is being held pending trial. Shelly Duke is his chief financial officer; Albert Galbraith is his chief of operations. Jill Donoghue is the pit bull of a defense lawyer whom I just want to carve up. Dan Steward is the prosecutor whom Kay suspects of setting her up. Judge Joseph Conry, presiding over Lott's trial (the one to which Kay is so incredibly late), is one major jerkwad! What is his problem??? It's not like he doesn't know why she's late, and, being a judge, he must have some clue as to the urgency of running tests!
Out in the harbor
Dr. Pamela Quick is a marine biologist with the New England Aquarium with a humongous chip on her shoulder. Lieutenant Bud Klemens commands a marine unit, and Kay seems to be attracted to him. And not. It's very confusing whatever Cornwell is trying to imply.
The Cover
The cover reminds me of fall with its colors---oranges and red, but closer examination makes me think of Shubert's dig up in Canada with the black background and the fossilized blots of brown. It's the fill for the title that reflects the story with the warm, yet stony textures inside the first two words and ending in a blood red with the last word.
The title is true enough for there is The Bone Bed, but I have no idea how this tangent weighs in on the Boston-area victims.
I really want to give this a "3", but when I try to figure out my reasons for that...it doesn't cut it. Cornwell has made me angry, uncomfortable, and worried. And that's not a good reason to drop it a point. Sure, there are some loose threads and some really lazy issues in this story, but she's mostly kept the pace and the excitement of the forensic sleuthing. And...I guess I should appreciate that Cornwell is willing to dig into uncomfortable emotional territory that easily reflects real life.
My Take
This one was irritating. Oh, it has all the usual suspense and fascinating forensic detail, but it seems as though Cornwell is deliberately creating drama for the sake of it. I don't know about the rest of her readers, but I still look forward to hearing about her next case. The next bit of suspense. I don't need this jealousy crap thrown in to make it exciting.
Yeah, I know, the author is supposed to create tension and drama. However, there's an artificiality to this one that bugs me. Suddenly Kay is feeling defensive and guilty. She's whining.
There's a Supreme Court ruling that Kay keeps going on about, and it's just plain scary that law enforcement has to be so incredibly careful that they're more willing to avoid being involved. Isn't that supposed to be their job? To serve and protect? Doesn't that require being involved? It's frustrating when I can understand both sides. When someone can so easily be framed for something they didn't do, and a lazy cop isn't interested in doing the work to unravel the truth (although, we'd probably have fewer interesting stories). Then there's the other side of it in which cops are doing their best to catch the crooks, but the system keeps providing all these stupid loopholes. Ya can't win for trying!
The whole harbor-body recovery scene seems stretched out. Kay is whining on and on about how careful they need to be and how difficult it is and, oh my god, she may be lost. It took Scarpetta forever to get to where I got much earlier. I was gittin' irritated and bored!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, so Lott's been in jail for months. So, what? He's got enough money he could hire anyone to take out anyone he's pissed at. Er-duh. I'm kind of wondering why Kay is putting up with Marino. He's so obnoxious in this story.
I didn't know onions or garlic can be toxic to dogs and cats! I guess I'm one of the few pet owners who doesn't know this...
What? Cornwell couldn't figure out an easier way to dangle the hints in front of Kay and Benton than to have Lott show up at the morgue?
I'm missing something. Kay Scarpetta has been performing an exemplary job as a forensic pathologist for how long? And everyone around her is questioning her judgements, her decisions? WTF? I sure wish Kay had had a recorder on while undergoing that particular interrogation.
Thank god Marino is fictional! The way he rants on about Penny wearing antique buttons on her jacket, and then I think about the vintage buttons I use on my own clothes. Eeek! What is with Marino anyway?
Wow, this demonstrates a scary use of Twitter with an inside look at hacking someone's data.
Eventually, Cornwell starts to hook things up. Make the connections with the stray bits she's been casually setting down so far. And it all makes a scary sense. A rather terrifying use of "evidence" if you haven't the funds to investigate it OR the knowledge that such things are possible!
Loose Threads
Oh my god, loose threads abound in this! I don't know if Cornwell is saving them up for a future story or just didn't care. The judge's excessive antagonism. The purpose for the clothes Pretty Please is wearing.
Why does Shubert get involved? How stupid is Cornwell insisting Kay be? The silver SUV that's been following her happens to be parked right next to her vehicle, and she already has a good idea of how the murderer is taking these women? W. T. F. Cornwell's gettin' lazy.
Hmmm, maybe it should be a "3"...
The Story
It's a gruesome find in Boston Harbor, all thanks to the ten-foot-or-more long leatherback turtle that got caught up in some fishing lines. Without him, well, that body may not have survived.
It's when Kay and Marino get back from the disastrous day in court that everything comes unraveled. Benton has done an end run around Kay and talked her assistant into opening up their latest victim when Kay has specifically told them not to start without her. And it just gets worse from there.
Someone is trying to frame Marino. Benton is angry and jealous. Kay is even angrier with his team. It's a set-up of monumental proportions all the way around.
The Characters
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is the chief medical examiner and the head of the Cambridge Forensic Center (CFC). She's also a reservist colonel and part of the Armed Forces Medical Examiners (AFME). Special Agent Benton Wesley is an FBI criminal intelligence analyst, a.k.a., a profiler, and he's married to Kay. Sock is their rescue brindle greyhound.
Pete Marino is a former cop and is now Kay's head of investigations at CFC. He's an ornery, blustering guy with a long history with Kay. Detective Sil Machado, a.k.a., the Portuguese Man of War, is with the Cambridge PD, and he's friends and neighbors with Marino. General John Briggs is chief of the AFME.
Lucy Farinelli is Kay's gay niece, a helicopter pilot, proficient with most weapons, a computer hacker extraordinaire, and quite wealthy from her inventions. She has no compunctions about using her skills or her wealth to find out anything she wants. Janet is former FBI and now a lawyer specializing in environmental law.
Kay's staff at the Cambridge Forensic Center
Bryce Clark is her chief of staff and a regular motormouth. He keeps her dressed and tidied up. Ethan is his life partner and they have a cat, Indy Anna. Dr. Luke Zenner is her assistant chief medical examiner whom Benton and Marino hate. He's also Dr. Anna Zenner's nephew. Ron appears to be a very loyal security guard and a former MP. There are six investigators on staff including Toby, Sherry, Marino, and Barbara. Anne is a technologist. Dr. Ned Adams is one of the area dentists certified in odontology.
FBI
Special Agent Douglas Burke is Benton's partner. And, man, does she have a hard-on for Kay! Val Han is with the cyber squad. Special Agent-in-Charge Jim Demar is with the Boston Field Office.
Peggy Lynn Stanton, a.k.a., her Twitter handle, Pretty Please, isn't a conundrum for long. Howard Roth is a black, disabled vet and now an alcoholic who gets by with his disability checks, recycling cans and bottles, and the occasional odd job. Emma Shubert is a missing paleontologist in Alberta, Canada.
Mildred Lott is the missing socialite wife of billionaire Channing Lott, who has been accused of her murder and is being held pending trial. Shelly Duke is his chief financial officer; Albert Galbraith is his chief of operations. Jill Donoghue is the pit bull of a defense lawyer whom I just want to carve up. Dan Steward is the prosecutor whom Kay suspects of setting her up. Judge Joseph Conry, presiding over Lott's trial (the one to which Kay is so incredibly late), is one major jerkwad! What is his problem??? It's not like he doesn't know why she's late, and, being a judge, he must have some clue as to the urgency of running tests!
Out in the harbor
Dr. Pamela Quick is a marine biologist with the New England Aquarium with a humongous chip on her shoulder. Lieutenant Bud Klemens commands a marine unit, and Kay seems to be attracted to him. And not. It's very confusing whatever Cornwell is trying to imply.
The Cover
The cover reminds me of fall with its colors---oranges and red, but closer examination makes me think of Shubert's dig up in Canada with the black background and the fossilized blots of brown. It's the fill for the title that reflects the story with the warm, yet stony textures inside the first two words and ending in a blood red with the last word.
The title is true enough for there is The Bone Bed, but I have no idea how this tangent weighs in on the Boston-area victims.
February 17, 2013
I don't find Marino, Lucy, or Benton at the cause of Kay's problems. I find Kay at the center of Kay's problems. She seems to want to control her personal life like she controls her work life. Down to a microscopic detail.
I have read all of the Kay Scarpetta books and I have to agree with most of the people here. At first I was hooked. Then, the books just turned into a soap opera most of the time. I like Marino, Lucy, and Benton just as they are, but Patricia Cornwell seems to be turning them uglier in each book. That's just sad.
The story in this book is good, but as with all Cornwell's books, you go cross-eyed in the details. And just when you think you can skip a page..... no you can't. Her stories are so tightly woven, they are like a spider web. There is a reason for all the detail. Sometimes I have to go back and re-read places to understand what's going on three or four chapters past.
This time there is a killer loose, of course. But, there is lots of bodies turning up and they don't seem connected at first. Then little things start adding up. Then there is a new FBI agent, working with Benton. A woman who can't seem to keep her hands off, or keep her head in reality. Mean and nasty. Then there is the new guy working with Kay. Bright, young, good looking, and infatuated with Kay. Will Kay or Benton cheat? You'll have to read the book to find out! My favorite characters in these books are Marino and Lucy. You don't see much of Marino in this book, and Lucy is just brought in to "save the day", as happens in these books. She's like a super hero anymore. Cornwell fooled me again, as to who the killer is, which is always nice. I hate reading a book that I figure out half way through! I would love to see Marino find some happiness. And Lucy too. Can you do that Ms. Cornwell? Let them grow up and become part of the team?
One other thing. The book is called the Bone Bed, but the only thing you hear of it is that a woman at the dig sight, in Canada, goes missing. Most of the story is wrapped around Scarpetta and Cambridge Massachusetts. Unlike others here, I will be reading the next book, because I love this series and I am hoping someone finds happiness and I want to be there to read that.
I have read all of the Kay Scarpetta books and I have to agree with most of the people here. At first I was hooked. Then, the books just turned into a soap opera most of the time. I like Marino, Lucy, and Benton just as they are, but Patricia Cornwell seems to be turning them uglier in each book. That's just sad.
The story in this book is good, but as with all Cornwell's books, you go cross-eyed in the details. And just when you think you can skip a page..... no you can't. Her stories are so tightly woven, they are like a spider web. There is a reason for all the detail. Sometimes I have to go back and re-read places to understand what's going on three or four chapters past.
This time there is a killer loose, of course. But, there is lots of bodies turning up and they don't seem connected at first. Then little things start adding up. Then there is a new FBI agent, working with Benton. A woman who can't seem to keep her hands off, or keep her head in reality. Mean and nasty. Then there is the new guy working with Kay. Bright, young, good looking, and infatuated with Kay. Will Kay or Benton cheat? You'll have to read the book to find out! My favorite characters in these books are Marino and Lucy. You don't see much of Marino in this book, and Lucy is just brought in to "save the day", as happens in these books. She's like a super hero anymore. Cornwell fooled me again, as to who the killer is, which is always nice. I hate reading a book that I figure out half way through! I would love to see Marino find some happiness. And Lucy too. Can you do that Ms. Cornwell? Let them grow up and become part of the team?
One other thing. The book is called the Bone Bed, but the only thing you hear of it is that a woman at the dig sight, in Canada, goes missing. Most of the story is wrapped around Scarpetta and Cambridge Massachusetts. Unlike others here, I will be reading the next book, because I love this series and I am hoping someone finds happiness and I want to be there to read that.
October 12, 2022
Read: Sept-Oct 2022
Rating: 5/5 stars, best of 2022
I loved The Bone Bed, it is the best Kay Scarpetta novel since Point of Origin in my opinion. At the start of this novel, Kay is dealing with three separate cases; a video sent to her personally which appears to depict a severed ear – possibly belonging to a missing scientist named Emma Schubert; the body of a woman named Peggy Lynn Stanton recovered from a river; and the murder trial of Channing Lott, who stands accused of killing his wife, Mildred, though her body was never found.
The story itself is very detailed, with the whole 500 page plot taking place over the course of two days, but somehow Cornwell manages to keep the pace moving and keep it interesting. I definitely prefer Kay being written in first person, and her worries about aging and how it affects her personal and professional life felt very real and showed a more vulnerable side to such a competent, professional character. Lucy and Benton have strong roles in the story, with Marino being forced to take a backseat . I also liked the contrast between Douglas Burke and Kay as they clashed several times over the course of the two-investigation.
My only issue is one that has been pointed out by other reviewers; there was no real chance to ‘play detective’ and try to figure out the killer.
Despite this issue, I think is the best Scarpetta book I’ve read for a long time, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Dust.
Rating: 5/5 stars, best of 2022
I loved The Bone Bed, it is the best Kay Scarpetta novel since Point of Origin in my opinion. At the start of this novel, Kay is dealing with three separate cases; a video sent to her personally which appears to depict a severed ear – possibly belonging to a missing scientist named Emma Schubert; the body of a woman named Peggy Lynn Stanton recovered from a river; and the murder trial of Channing Lott, who stands accused of killing his wife, Mildred, though her body was never found.
The story itself is very detailed, with the whole 500 page plot taking place over the course of two days, but somehow Cornwell manages to keep the pace moving and keep it interesting. I definitely prefer Kay being written in first person, and her worries about aging and how it affects her personal and professional life felt very real and showed a more vulnerable side to such a competent, professional character. Lucy and Benton have strong roles in the story, with Marino being forced to take a backseat . I also liked the contrast between Douglas Burke and Kay as they clashed several times over the course of the two-investigation.
My only issue is one that has been pointed out by other reviewers; there was no real chance to ‘play detective’ and try to figure out the killer.
Despite this issue, I think is the best Scarpetta book I’ve read for a long time, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Dust.
February 5, 2014
Scarpetta pen a great novel with a Canadian (Alberta) component to it to keep her fans on their toes. When a collection of bones is discovered around Grande Prairie, Scarpetta is drawn into the case through an odd and mysterious clue. Meanwhile, she prepares to testify in court during a highly-publicised case of a rich tycoon and his missing wife. Distracted by a Leather back turtle and its human cargo, Scarpetta's plate soon fills with mysterious bodies. All fingers point at someone close to Scarpetta as the murderer, but can it really be the case? While Scarpetta opens a thorough investigation into this body, she faces new strains to her relationship, emanating from a sly and manipulative woman. Scarpetta races against the clock to piece the mystery together and keep her personal life from sliding down the drain.
One of the better Scarpetta novels I've read, in which Cornwell seeks to education as well as entertain the reader. The ongoing struggle between medicine and technology emerges anew, as does some great information on the eco-life within Massachusetts. With great development and character building, Cornwell sets things up nicely for the next (and most recent) novel in the series.
Kudos Madam Cornwell on a wonderful addition to the Scarpetta series!
One of the better Scarpetta novels I've read, in which Cornwell seeks to education as well as entertain the reader. The ongoing struggle between medicine and technology emerges anew, as does some great information on the eco-life within Massachusetts. With great development and character building, Cornwell sets things up nicely for the next (and most recent) novel in the series.
Kudos Madam Cornwell on a wonderful addition to the Scarpetta series!
December 10, 2012
When Patricia Cornwell first started writing, I loved her books featuring forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta. But, slowly but surely the love affair ended and I stopped following this series. Well, recently I needed something to listen to, so I decided, what the heck, I'll give her another shot. So I picked up her latest book - The Bone Bed.
Scarpetta is now the medical examiner for the state of Massachusetts. Her niece Lucy, a talented tech wizard and investigator Pete Marino also work with/for her. Kay's husband Benton, an FBI profiler, also often works with Kay.
Scarpetta receives an email which documents a crime committed against an American paleontologist working in Alberta and now missing. Lucy finds evidence that the clip may be connected to a murder on U.S. soil. So, a good premise and I was intrigued.
But....although I enjoy personal story lines in addition to the main plot, I quickly grew tired of listening to what seemed to be the same old, same old. Benton and Kay are having relationship problems, Lucy is being secretive, Kay's staff are betraying her, Marino is in trouble again. Sound familiar? Cornwell fills out the story with endless detail - which refrigerator is the parmigiana in - number one or two? "I check my oversized titanium watch on its rubber strap and reach for my coffee—black, no sweetener—as distant footsteps sound in the corridor of my bullet-shaped building on the eastern border of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s campus. It isn’t light out yet this third Monday of October." First lines of chapter one.
The reader was Kate Reading. I have to admit she's not one of my favourite narrators. I find her habit of dwelling on final consonants and drawing out words slightly annoying. But her tone does seem to fit the character of Kay, who seems to see herself as somewhat superior and whom I find supercilious.
The ending and the 'culprit' were such a letdown. And confirmed why I will be saying goodbye again to Patricia Cornwell. If you're so inclined - read an excerpt of The Bone Bed.
(The title The Bone Bed refers to the dinosaur bone deposits in Alberta, Canada. Although they are featured in the opening scene, they truly didn't have a lot to do with the story. It almost felt like Cornwell was copying Kathy Reich's penchant for using the word bone in many of her titles that also feature a forensic pathologist.)
Scarpetta is now the medical examiner for the state of Massachusetts. Her niece Lucy, a talented tech wizard and investigator Pete Marino also work with/for her. Kay's husband Benton, an FBI profiler, also often works with Kay.
Scarpetta receives an email which documents a crime committed against an American paleontologist working in Alberta and now missing. Lucy finds evidence that the clip may be connected to a murder on U.S. soil. So, a good premise and I was intrigued.
But....although I enjoy personal story lines in addition to the main plot, I quickly grew tired of listening to what seemed to be the same old, same old. Benton and Kay are having relationship problems, Lucy is being secretive, Kay's staff are betraying her, Marino is in trouble again. Sound familiar? Cornwell fills out the story with endless detail - which refrigerator is the parmigiana in - number one or two? "I check my oversized titanium watch on its rubber strap and reach for my coffee—black, no sweetener—as distant footsteps sound in the corridor of my bullet-shaped building on the eastern border of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s campus. It isn’t light out yet this third Monday of October." First lines of chapter one.
The reader was Kate Reading. I have to admit she's not one of my favourite narrators. I find her habit of dwelling on final consonants and drawing out words slightly annoying. But her tone does seem to fit the character of Kay, who seems to see herself as somewhat superior and whom I find supercilious.
The ending and the 'culprit' were such a letdown. And confirmed why I will be saying goodbye again to Patricia Cornwell. If you're so inclined - read an excerpt of The Bone Bed.
(The title The Bone Bed refers to the dinosaur bone deposits in Alberta, Canada. Although they are featured in the opening scene, they truly didn't have a lot to do with the story. It almost felt like Cornwell was copying Kathy Reich's penchant for using the word bone in many of her titles that also feature a forensic pathologist.)
Read
June 25, 2013This is undoubtably the worst book I have ever read. I've never read a Cornwell before but it is clear she is the kind if writer who churns out books year after year with no care or love for her craft.
The writing is utterly appalling. Characters make pretty clear statements and the author then precedes to explain it to the reader thus duplicating what was already a mundane point. And the dialogue was already pretty endless. Pages and pages of mindless chatter. Where is the action? Where is the intriguing CSI style investigating I was promised? The first section involving retrieving the body from the turtle was INTERMINABLE and utterly tedious. And the central character is wholly unlikeable. Arrogant beyond measure and thoroughly self absorbed. How other readers have manages to get through 20 books of this character and this author's lazy, cliche style is beyond me. I must presume that earlier works were of a much higher standard.
I'm on page 278 and frankly I can go no further. This book is unreadable and not fit for the charity shop. It's going in the bin.
The writing is utterly appalling. Characters make pretty clear statements and the author then precedes to explain it to the reader thus duplicating what was already a mundane point. And the dialogue was already pretty endless. Pages and pages of mindless chatter. Where is the action? Where is the intriguing CSI style investigating I was promised? The first section involving retrieving the body from the turtle was INTERMINABLE and utterly tedious. And the central character is wholly unlikeable. Arrogant beyond measure and thoroughly self absorbed. How other readers have manages to get through 20 books of this character and this author's lazy, cliche style is beyond me. I must presume that earlier works were of a much higher standard.
I'm on page 278 and frankly I can go no further. This book is unreadable and not fit for the charity shop. It's going in the bin.
Want to read
October 16, 2012If this Scarpetta book is as great as Cormwell's other 19 books, it will be a hit with me! Not yet read.
UPDATE: I read the book last week, and found it to be up to Cornwell's usual standard. Enjoyed and think others will also.
UPDATE: I read the book last week, and found it to be up to Cornwell's usual standard. Enjoyed and think others will also.
November 8, 2016
Finally! Much better than the last one. Fingers crossed that Dust is just as good or better.
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