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Andy Brazil #1
Hornet's Nest
Deputy Chief Virginia West likes and respects her boss, Hammer, but with an increasing number of visiting businessmen being murdered in her city by a maniac with a penchant for painting his victims bright orange, she finds it hard to accept Hammer's edict that a rookie reporter should ride on patrol with her to better relations with their citizens. Her worst fears are confirmed when the reporter, Brazil, presses the button to activate the boot-release rather than the siren on their first outing. He's not the only blight on her life right now: her cat's angsty, her hormones are misbehaving, her opposite number in the uniformed division is behaving like a jackass, the radio despatcher is determined to trip her up, the D.A. is in the middle of a hot battle with the trial schedule. And orange coloured corpses keep turning up on her patch.
369 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 13, 1997
688 people are currently reading
5774 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 605 reviews
January 19, 2015
I'm sure I've read a book that is worse than this one, but I can't think of it at the moment. From the stereotypes, to the extraneous details, to the adolescent situations, this book has all the hallmarks of an amateur author's first draft. It could be used--and probably is--as a Writing 101 example of what not to do. For example, the author wants her main character, Andy Brazil, to be an intrepid reporter/volunteer cop who is irresistible to men and women alike. But the Andy she shows us is a petulant, whining adolescent whose favorite lament is, "It's not fair!" The two female leads, Police Chief Judy Hammer and Deputy Chief Virginia West, are not quite as annoying as Brazil, but they are wish-fulfillment characters--smart, driven, and almost god-like in their abilities. Too bad for them that in Cornwell's world, strong capable women are surrounded by weak, envious men who can't deal with their authority. In fact, aside from Brazil there is not a male character in the novel who is not secretly working to sabotage the police chief and her deputy. Indeed, not many of the female characters are on their side either because Ms. Cornwell apparently believes there are only two kinds of women: strong capable executives or "spineless, spiteful women" who only exist for the men they have leached onto.
The mystery, such as it is, is forgotten for long stretches of the novel while we focus on West's cat, Niles, and what he is thinking and planning. No, really--we get the cat's POV for long stretches of time. In fact, the cat is able to figure out some of the mystery and convey the information to his owner via feline charades…with props. No, really. But that is no lamer than the way the mystery is actually solved: the police reporter approaches ONE person on the street, asks who is committing the murders, and instantly finds out the serial killer's identity. Too bad the police didn't do that before five men were brutally murdered.
The book is riddled with offensive stereotypes--such as a southerner named Bubba who drives his King Cab to the convenience store for Red Man, PBRs, and Playboy--and the author substitutes phrases like "NRA redneck" and "ruthless Republican" for actual character development. The world of Charlotte she portrays bears little resemblance to reality, and the portrayal of the bank president who controls the town is particularly absurd. All in all, this dreadful book--my first by Patricia Cornwell--will also be my last.
The mystery, such as it is, is forgotten for long stretches of the novel while we focus on West's cat, Niles, and what he is thinking and planning. No, really--we get the cat's POV for long stretches of time. In fact, the cat is able to figure out some of the mystery and convey the information to his owner via feline charades…with props. No, really. But that is no lamer than the way the mystery is actually solved: the police reporter approaches ONE person on the street, asks who is committing the murders, and instantly finds out the serial killer's identity. Too bad the police didn't do that before five men were brutally murdered.
The book is riddled with offensive stereotypes--such as a southerner named Bubba who drives his King Cab to the convenience store for Red Man, PBRs, and Playboy--and the author substitutes phrases like "NRA redneck" and "ruthless Republican" for actual character development. The world of Charlotte she portrays bears little resemblance to reality, and the portrayal of the bank president who controls the town is particularly absurd. All in all, this dreadful book--my first by Patricia Cornwell--will also be my last.
January 30, 2023
2.5 stars. An older book (1997) that started a new series. I tried so hard to like these new characters, but despite them being on the right side of things I could not warm up to them. Perhaps in subsequent books? I have to say that the main character of Andy Brazil, a smart eager beaver reporter for the Charlotte Observer and volunteer cop, was especially annoying and surprisingly immature. I also found that many of the male characters could not see the two strong female characters beyond various sexual fantasies. Disappointing and one-dimensional.
Nothing wrong with the storyline of a serial murderer that brings everyone together. But not enough tension which is why the book was more of a slog than a page-turner.
The opening of the novel highlights the setting of Charlotte, NC and provides a bit of history in regard to how the hornet became the city's mascot. I had no idea.
Nothing wrong with the storyline of a serial murderer that brings everyone together. But not enough tension which is why the book was more of a slog than a page-turner.
The opening of the novel highlights the setting of Charlotte, NC and provides a bit of history in regard to how the hornet became the city's mascot. I had no idea.
November 13, 2025
Didn't get on with this book at all. 100% snooze fest.
I don't think I'd read this author again despite how popular she is.
One star.
I don't think I'd read this author again despite how popular she is.
One star.
September 2, 2016
Low feedback is okay, *with respectful explanations*. Reviewers have no truck declaring something isn't worth reading! The first thing I observe is writing. Any story, plain or bizarre, can carry you away if the writing draws you in. I love Patricia Cornwell's creative description! Fleeting instances that non-writers clearly miss. Another attitude I can't abide is bleating that a novel "Isn't like her usual series". Of course not: it's another series! If Patricia's famous premise is superior, I am in for a treat. I did not have "Postmortem" until recently and enjoyed "Hornet's Nest" as my introduction.
I wasn't keen on all threads and characters, especially the redneck wanting to kill Victoria and Andy for defending themselves. How preposterous to harass them at a shooting range and be offended that they deflected him. Its especially dubious that anyone would pursue police. I wasn't interested in Andy's alcoholic parent but it gave him humanity, after being portrayed as asexual or robotic. When he discussed his policeman Father and comforted a shaken officer, I liked him better. Humour arrived when it was needed, like a parade and funeral challenging a detour!
The gift with words I admired came in the first pages, when Victoria eats junk in Judy's office. Her crinkling aluminium-foil sandwich was described as "Something the health-conscious Judy would never raise to her lips"; a titillating little image stated with surprising eloquence. There was a complex, grizzly murder to solve and strong-willed Judy and Victoria couldn't have made better department heads. I especially appreciated how these managerial women showed in a pinch, that they were still police professionals to the core. I own hardcovers of this brief series and love the humanity and whimsy alleviating sobering topics. I am late to the Patricia Cornwell party but am glad to arrive!
I wasn't keen on all threads and characters, especially the redneck wanting to kill Victoria and Andy for defending themselves. How preposterous to harass them at a shooting range and be offended that they deflected him. Its especially dubious that anyone would pursue police. I wasn't interested in Andy's alcoholic parent but it gave him humanity, after being portrayed as asexual or robotic. When he discussed his policeman Father and comforted a shaken officer, I liked him better. Humour arrived when it was needed, like a parade and funeral challenging a detour!
The gift with words I admired came in the first pages, when Victoria eats junk in Judy's office. Her crinkling aluminium-foil sandwich was described as "Something the health-conscious Judy would never raise to her lips"; a titillating little image stated with surprising eloquence. There was a complex, grizzly murder to solve and strong-willed Judy and Victoria couldn't have made better department heads. I especially appreciated how these managerial women showed in a pinch, that they were still police professionals to the core. I own hardcovers of this brief series and love the humanity and whimsy alleviating sobering topics. I am late to the Patricia Cornwell party but am glad to arrive!
September 9, 2013
Fun, fast paced, filled with likeable characters. As I listened to this book, I found myself falling in love with the idealistic young reporter, Andy Brazil. Pulling himself from the mire of an alcoholic mother, Andy works very hard as both a reporter and a volunteer policeman. Still viewing the world as mostly filled with good people, and completely oblivious to the more sinister and jaded aspects of life, Andy approaches every story and crime scene with an eagerness to help people and to make the world better.
Completely surrounding this young man are women of incredible strengths and at times it is comical watching him try to navigate this new and foreign realm of femininity. The murder mystery part is good, spooky at times, but a good storyline nonetheless. However, it is the characters that make this book great.
Completely surrounding this young man are women of incredible strengths and at times it is comical watching him try to navigate this new and foreign realm of femininity. The murder mystery part is good, spooky at times, but a good storyline nonetheless. However, it is the characters that make this book great.
September 14, 2017
I'm not sure how I feel about these characters. And why does what I thought to be the Crux of the biscuit keep being pushed to the side for emotional development?
Good lord is EVERYONE sexually frustrated???
Well I just don't know what to say about all that
Good lord is EVERYONE sexually frustrated???
Well I just don't know what to say about all that
October 6, 2018
I remember picking this up, as I’d read a few Scarpetta books by then and obviously thought I’d enjoy this. Well I didn’t like it at all. Couldn’t get into it much and didn’t care at all for the central character.
August 2, 2007
This is not part of the Scarpetta series. This book is hilarious. I had no idea Ms. Cornwell had such a great sense of humor!
October 17, 2013
I have lived in the Charlotte area for 40 years, and you have no idea how much I wanted to like this book. At first it was entertaining to read where the characters were, but by one hundred pages in, Charlotte stopped being interesting as a character in and of itself (read the book, and see what I mean) and became merely annoying. Mysteries set in New York do not feel obligated to have the characters mention the Statue of Liberty every three pages to give you the flavor of the mise-en-scene; not a page of Hornet's Nest goes by without Cornwell dragging a local reference into it.
The mystery itself is an afterthought, to put it mildly. Characters behave incredibly on virtually every page, and the low point is reached when we suddenly switch to the point of view of one of the character's cats. I am not kidding you. The cat tries to give its owner important clues that it is receiving from flashing lights atop a skyscraper in Uptown. I am not kidding you. I like hommages to Rita Mae Brown as much as the next guy (which is to say not at all), but at least the cat is a major character in the series. Matters are not helped by the dozens of unimportant characters who float throughout the novel and get detailed descriptions and attention, never to be heard of again. This isn't Dickens. None of them are interesting enough to do anything but divert whatever narrative tension there is into dead-ends.
There is also a murky sexuality that runs through the book that is merely distracting. No one is getting any, to put it bluntly, and everyone is pretty damn frustrated by that. On the other hand, when it comes to simple frustration, they got nuthin' on the reader of Hornet's Nest.
The mystery itself is an afterthought, to put it mildly. Characters behave incredibly on virtually every page, and the low point is reached when we suddenly switch to the point of view of one of the character's cats. I am not kidding you. The cat tries to give its owner important clues that it is receiving from flashing lights atop a skyscraper in Uptown. I am not kidding you. I like hommages to Rita Mae Brown as much as the next guy (which is to say not at all), but at least the cat is a major character in the series. Matters are not helped by the dozens of unimportant characters who float throughout the novel and get detailed descriptions and attention, never to be heard of again. This isn't Dickens. None of them are interesting enough to do anything but divert whatever narrative tension there is into dead-ends.
There is also a murky sexuality that runs through the book that is merely distracting. No one is getting any, to put it bluntly, and everyone is pretty damn frustrated by that. On the other hand, when it comes to simple frustration, they got nuthin' on the reader of Hornet's Nest.
May 10, 2007
Don't know where Cornwell went wrong but this story line just isn't anywhere as good as the Kay Scarpetta storyline. The characters are not as interesting and the story telling is just crappy.
August 11, 2018
Audiobook that sustained me while weeding in the yard. Been seeing Cornwell's name for decades so I downloaded this from my library. Also downloaded "Southern Cross" so I'll give one more try.
September 12, 2009
Boy, this is crap.
I picked it up because it was in the "free" box of books at school when I ran out of book to read during office hours and had no work along with me.
I am never getting that two hours back.
I picked it up because it was in the "free" box of books at school when I ran out of book to read during office hours and had no work along with me.
I am never getting that two hours back.
September 19, 2022
3,75 sterren- Nederlandse hardcover
May 2, 2023
Good story, but omg. Brazil reminds me of a child when it comes to his emotions. I don't know if it's because of his background, but maybe that's why.
July 10, 2010
Since reading my first Cornwell book "Postmortem",I have been a Kay Scarpetta fan - reading every book as soon as it comes out. I knew Hornet's Nest was not a Scarpetta novel, but I thought some new characters might not be bad. I liked West and Hammer and was amused with cutie boy Andy. The plot did seem to wander a bit.( Now I'm not really sure what the plot was.) I did like the idea of some humor thrown in though and I am sure Cornwell is going to pursue these characters in Southern Cross which I just purchased. You know, I have a feeling PC is trying to let Kay get over the death of her lover, Benton, and also letting their fans get over it too with the introduction of these new characters. So I'll keep reading all of PC's books and hope for a frantic page turner next time.
December 1, 2019
The plot of this book is essentially a reporter, Andy Brazil, accompanying the police as a volunteer and writing about his experiences. At times it reads as more of a selection of several short stories rather than a novel. There are many characters with many different backgrounds. The serial killer theme, which I expected to be the main theme of the story, just seems to play out more in the background. A very strange book.
February 6, 2010
My second attempt at reading Cornwell. I was giving this book by a neighbor promising me that this would be the book to turn me on the Cornwell's writings. I am sorry to say but she does not meet up to my expectations. Her endings are as weak as those of Robin Cook.
January 29, 2019
2.5* One that has been on my shelf for years, so I got an audio copy from my library as I couldn't see myself getting around to it otherwise. I am a fan of the Scarpetta books not so much this one though. The murders seem to be incidental to the stories of the three main characters and maybe the narrator didn't really do it for me either. A few amusing moments but more rolling of the eyes variety.
June 23, 2012
I picked this up thinking it would be a Kay Scarpetta mystery, and it took me a couple of chapters to figure it out. I enjoyed meeting new characters and found this book to be a refreshing change from the Scarpetta series. The characters were very complex. The budding relationship between Virginia West and Andy Brazil was fun to watch develop. But by the end of the book, I was tired of the constant miscommunications and misunderstandings between them. I get that they are both emotionally damaged individuals, but do they have to keep thinking the other one was using them and/or ignoring them? I also didn't like the way the author kept saying that others thought the main characters were gay, when neither of the were. Is this a particular pet peeve of the author? Still, I really enjoyed this book, and want to read the next in the series. I want to find out what happens to Brazil and West.
May 7, 2015
This was decent - it was a nice break in everything else I've been reading. I liked the main three characters, but like other reviewers, I did find there to be a plethora of side characters. Some helped the story line, and some I felt could be omitted.
I might have to go find the next in the series just to find out what happens to Andy next. I want to know if he becomes a cop, stays a reporter or some other combination!
I might have to go find the next in the series just to find out what happens to Andy next. I want to know if he becomes a cop, stays a reporter or some other combination!
July 12, 2016
This was a rousing audio book that I enjoyed on my travels to the Albany area and later it entertained during my errands around town. The story was about a serial killer who targeted men, killed and then spray painted an orange hour glass pattern, on their private parts. Andy Brazil is a newspaper reporter/ride-a-long guest deputy who helps two fiesty lady cops, in these murders. It was fast paced and exciting. The action kept going until the dramatic end.
October 7, 2023
Thanks I Hate It. Considering Patricia Cornwell has shown her prowess in writing proper crime thrillers (at least earlier in her career) I have no idea what was going on in her mind when she wrote this. No point reading if you're a serial killer fan or if transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, sexism and racism aren't things you want in a story. Terrible characters, badly written. The best thing in it was the stream of narrative from a cat.
January 11, 2009
What is up with this new series? It's stupid! The characters are ludicrous - simple minded and stupid.
September 10, 2025
Je n'ai pas fini. J'avais déjà remarqué dans un précédent livre de la même autrice qu'elle avait tendance à truffer ses livres de remarques sur le physique ou la manière de s'habiller des personnages (notamment féminins) et déjà ça m'énervait.
Mais alors là c'est le pompon. L'un des personnages reste charmant (je cite) "malgré ses quarante ans", une autre (je cite encore) "n'avait-elle pas encore grossi? A force, il allait lui falloir deux voies sur l'autoroute" (ce qui ne veut rien dire si vous voulez mon avis, mais bon) et une troisième (je cite toujours) "ne portait que des jupes courtes et attendait tranquillement l'occasion d'intenter un procès pour harcèlement sexuel".
Après avoir lu ça, j'ai refermé rageusement le bouquin et utilisé un qualificatif bien peu sympathique pour l'autrice. Pas besoin de vieux mâles blancs quand on a des femmes pareilles.
Mon conjoint me demandait si peut-être c'était censer refléter l'avis du personnage dont on a le subjectif, et peut-être bien, mais là il s'agit de 3 occurrences, chacune selon le subjectif d'un des 3 personnages principaux, respectivement. Ça fait beaucoup de personnages principaux jeunistes, grossophobes et sexistes pour être honnête. Et je n'en suis qu'au quart du livre!
En plus l'histoire était pourrie, trèèès lente à se mettre en place, avec plein d'à-côtés pas très intéressants, des relations entre les personnages auxquelles je ne crois pas un instant. Bref, on oublie. Et on oublie l'autrice aussi. Dommage, je ne détestais pas ses enquêtes avant, mais je lui ai consacré suffisamment de mon temps.
Mais alors là c'est le pompon. L'un des personnages reste charmant (je cite) "malgré ses quarante ans", une autre (je cite encore) "n'avait-elle pas encore grossi? A force, il allait lui falloir deux voies sur l'autoroute" (ce qui ne veut rien dire si vous voulez mon avis, mais bon) et une troisième (je cite toujours) "ne portait que des jupes courtes et attendait tranquillement l'occasion d'intenter un procès pour harcèlement sexuel".
Après avoir lu ça, j'ai refermé rageusement le bouquin et utilisé un qualificatif bien peu sympathique pour l'autrice. Pas besoin de vieux mâles blancs quand on a des femmes pareilles.
Mon conjoint me demandait si peut-être c'était censer refléter l'avis du personnage dont on a le subjectif, et peut-être bien, mais là il s'agit de 3 occurrences, chacune selon le subjectif d'un des 3 personnages principaux, respectivement. Ça fait beaucoup de personnages principaux jeunistes, grossophobes et sexistes pour être honnête. Et je n'en suis qu'au quart du livre!
En plus l'histoire était pourrie, trèèès lente à se mettre en place, avec plein d'à-côtés pas très intéressants, des relations entre les personnages auxquelles je ne crois pas un instant. Bref, on oublie. Et on oublie l'autrice aussi. Dommage, je ne détestais pas ses enquêtes avant, mais je lui ai consacré suffisamment de mon temps.
December 14, 2021
What an awful mess of a book. Almost seems like Cornwell uses the fact she is quite successful to go back and publish something she wrote as a teenager or something. It's less focussed and more overtly right wing than the Scarpetta series (which it took me a while to work out why I wasn't loving).
Andy Brazil is a male Mary Sue. He is attractive to everyone, throws tantrums, recklessly endangers his life and is rescued by big strong women (one of whom he acts as a creepy stalker to and the other he has weird mummy-issues with). He was at his best in a scene reminiscent of Home Alone (yep the kid who fights of bad guys in a slapstick movie that was frankly not a favourite with me).
The plot is cluttered with all sorts of stuff, unlikeable characters galore, fatphobia and covert racism. Too many bits of stories going every which way, bad writing. The word "hateful" is overused and used imprecisely. The characters are 2 dimensional with clutter serving as a substitute for complexity (lots of unnecessary backstory but they still behave randomly). There's a "good banker" whose wellbeing protects the money of everyone. We know who the criminal is from very early on and there are some bad sex workers.
Apparently this is the first of a series and the series centres not on Hammer and West (who started off cool but degenerated) but on the man-child Brazil. A lot of people seem to like this. They can keep it.
Andy Brazil is a male Mary Sue. He is attractive to everyone, throws tantrums, recklessly endangers his life and is rescued by big strong women (one of whom he acts as a creepy stalker to and the other he has weird mummy-issues with). He was at his best in a scene reminiscent of Home Alone (yep the kid who fights of bad guys in a slapstick movie that was frankly not a favourite with me).
The plot is cluttered with all sorts of stuff, unlikeable characters galore, fatphobia and covert racism. Too many bits of stories going every which way, bad writing. The word "hateful" is overused and used imprecisely. The characters are 2 dimensional with clutter serving as a substitute for complexity (lots of unnecessary backstory but they still behave randomly). There's a "good banker" whose wellbeing protects the money of everyone. We know who the criminal is from very early on and there are some bad sex workers.
Apparently this is the first of a series and the series centres not on Hammer and West (who started off cool but degenerated) but on the man-child Brazil. A lot of people seem to like this. They can keep it.
January 14, 2025
I tried to like this, my first by this author. But struggled.
November 3, 2019
I'm not sure a summary would do much here because this was kinda outside of a typical plot formula that you might think of. But I'll try. You've got Deputy Chief Virginia West, a bad ass cop who has worked her way to the top and doesn't go in for mushy emotions or sympathy. She's saddled with Andy Brazil, an up and coming reporter who yearns to be a writer, but is obsessed with all things cop - so he wants to write for the cop beat and arranges to do ride-alongs with West. She's not happy because she's a Deputy Chief and should not have to be babysitting a reporter. We've got Chief Judy Hammer who is loosely connected to their goings on, but is primarily struggling with her passive aggressive, depressed husband and politics of power in the cop world. Then there's the Black Widow Killer who's killing businessmen and graffiti-ing their genitals with neon orange spray paint which is the primary case that West, Hammer and Brazil or dealing with, but this definitely does not take center stage to all the other happenings among these characters.
This is a character driven story more so than a police procedural (though there are minor aspects of that) and more than a suspense (because I don't know that there was that much suspense. This definitely had elements of snark and humor too. But I say it's character driven because even though none of these characters were all that likeable in personality, the author does a damn good job of making them sympathetic enough to actually be likeable. And so after the 30% mark or so, I really liked Andy and even West... Andy has this innocence and drive to him, but he's annoying as crap in his naivety, which is what irks West so much. And they spend so much time snarking at each other that their friendship kind of creeps up on them (and me). I really like how the author pulled that off. On another note though, much of these characters remains a mystery and despite their "friendship" of sorts, Andy and West don't really communicate with each other. And plenty of their issues remain unresolved at the end of the story.
I will say, as much as I liked Niles the cat and his realistic portrayal (at least for the first part of the story), his USBC worship and actually receiving his POV as he tries to communicate to West was a bit OTT weird.
This is a character driven story more so than a police procedural (though there are minor aspects of that) and more than a suspense (because I don't know that there was that much suspense. This definitely had elements of snark and humor too. But I say it's character driven because even though none of these characters were all that likeable in personality, the author does a damn good job of making them sympathetic enough to actually be likeable. And so after the 30% mark or so, I really liked Andy and even West... Andy has this innocence and drive to him, but he's annoying as crap in his naivety, which is what irks West so much. And they spend so much time snarking at each other that their friendship kind of creeps up on them (and me). I really like how the author pulled that off. On another note though, much of these characters remains a mystery and despite their "friendship" of sorts, Andy and West don't really communicate with each other. And plenty of their issues remain unresolved at the end of the story.
I will say, as much as I liked Niles the cat and his realistic portrayal (at least for the first part of the story), his USBC worship and actually receiving his POV as he tries to communicate to West was a bit OTT weird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2009
Charlotte, North Carolina is Gotham City reinvented--a place of murder, intrigue, and villains so foul they go by outrageous nicknames. Chief of Police Judy Hammer and her deputy Virginia West are two tough, sexy ladies for whom evildoers are no match. Andy Brazil is a hot young reporter desperate to get the scoop.
While I enjoyed the exciting story, I don't think Patricia Cornwell is a great writer. She used a lot of incomplete sentences and had some odd phrasing. What's more, she struck me as sort of a misanthrope. Almost everyone except her heroes are miserable, petty and unattractive.
And finally, I did not understand the villains motivations for committing such perverse acts. In the end he was just an angry, violent pimp on the streets, nothing more than a petty criminal. He reminded me of a cartoon villain, the kind that sit around, twirling their mustaches, reveling in their badness. In my experience, people are rarely like that. And when they are, it's not that interesting. Also, as an advocate of transgender people, I did not appreciate the author referring to the criminal as "it" rather than he or she.
All in all, I'd say Cornwell has a gift for creating a gripping story that moves along at a snappy pace. However, the story is more like a movie than a great piece of literature.
While I enjoyed the exciting story, I don't think Patricia Cornwell is a great writer. She used a lot of incomplete sentences and had some odd phrasing. What's more, she struck me as sort of a misanthrope. Almost everyone except her heroes are miserable, petty and unattractive.
And finally, I did not understand the villains motivations for committing such perverse acts. In the end he was just an angry, violent pimp on the streets, nothing more than a petty criminal. He reminded me of a cartoon villain, the kind that sit around, twirling their mustaches, reveling in their badness. In my experience, people are rarely like that. And when they are, it's not that interesting. Also, as an advocate of transgender people, I did not appreciate the author referring to the criminal as "it" rather than he or she.
All in all, I'd say Cornwell has a gift for creating a gripping story that moves along at a snappy pace. However, the story is more like a movie than a great piece of literature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2009
Love Patricia Cornwell but hated this book.
August 7, 2012
Why didn't this one start "Once upon a time ..."? Everything clicked together too smoothly and characters were mostly stereotypes and paperthin.
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