Port Mortuary discussion

According to Amazon customers rating this book looks like a very bad option

I know they are not like the earlier books and that's a shame, but I have not checked out Amazon about Cornwell's books lately. I will have to check it out. I always read the Scarpetta novels no matter what, the characters are getting up there in years and she will have to end this series sonner or later.

Wow, a lot of 1 star reviews. Cornwell has been turning her characters very dark the last few years. They are getting rather depressing actually. I will give this new one Red Mist a shot and then determine if that's the last one. I posted a Red Mist product description from Amazon.

On the other hand, I'm a relative "newbie" to the series. I kind of liked the dark overtones. However, the character does come out as pretty unlikeable and paranoid in the beginning. Readers are left afloat on the promise of an intrigueing plot, while the elements: character, alternative theories of the events, new clues, are slowly developed. I think a lot depends on the expectations the reader has already built up about the series.

Early Patricia Cornwell of the Scarpetta novels is on point; but her characters seem to be the most depressed and miserable human beings ever. Doctor G, is one of the most positive people on discovery channel and appreciates life the better because of her profession; whereas this character has no appreciation or is just depressed and loves to wallow in it. By the 6th scarpetta novel, i was hating all of the main characters. so sad, because the premise is so good.

I started Port Mortuary, put it down by page 30, and never picked it up again. This book is nothing like her earlier books. She used to be my favorite author, but not anymore. I'm looking for someone knew to fall in love with. Heather Graham is a contender.

Gave up on Heather Graham a while back. She turns them out like I die my roots. Lol, every three weeks or so! This last book was much better than some previous in the series. Was not happy with Port either.

Probably somebody else is writing for her, she reviews it makes corrections, and then gives the ok, thing is the helper has neither the talents nor the skill of the original author

Harlow wrote: "I started Port Mortuary, put it down by page 30, and never picked it up again. This book is nothing like her earlier books. She used to be my favorite author, but not anymore. I'm looking for so..."

This was the first Scarpetta novel I read. While I found it to be an entertaining story, it did not compel me to pick up another Cornwell novel. At least, not yet, and it's been 4 months.

I have really enjoyed the Scarpetta series, but after reading this one, I think it's time to retire her. Compared to the earlier books, this one is the pits... though the last few before this one are bad too.

I've become so tired of Kay and Marino and all their hangups. I just don't feel like trying the newest book at all.

I got to page 136 and stopped reading.

While I have to agree that the whole Kay/Marino saga is wearing thin, the book itself was really good. To me, and this is just my opinion, it seems as though Cornwell is gearing up for something big within the characters. I don't know what, but that is the feeling I got. I can't even really type out the feelings I got while reading this book. I typed and retyped my response to this a dozen times lol. I just got a bad feeling when reading it, that things are going to come together soon, and not how I thought it was going to. Either way, I'm a big Patricia Cornwell fan and the next book on my shelf is Red Mist.

You'll have to let me know how you like Red Mist. It's in our library but I'm avoiding it.!

Will do! :)

Red Mist was an actual improvement. I really liked it. Not as well as one of the first books in the series, but a much needed improvement. It's not bad!!

Glad to hear it! I'm gonna finish up the Dragon Tattoo trilogy and if I don't go and buy the next 2 books for Hunger Games ( I have to say my resolves is weakening by the day) I will be reading Red Mist by next week. Hell even if I do go get the other 2 Hunger Games books, those will be read in like...3 days! So, yeah :)

I don't like how the characters don't age properly in the books. Nit picky, probably but it bugs me.

I loved the earlier Scarpetta novels. For the first six or so PC wrote from Scarpetta's point of view and you really go to know and empathize with the character. Suddenly the pov switched to third person. I know the reasons for this. She simply had too much going on and too much to explain to stay with the first person pov but the books didn't have the same feel as her earlier works. However the storylines were still intriguing and kept me going back. Port Mortuary was the first switch back to the Scarpetta pov and it didn't feel right after all that time. Kay came across as paranoid, selfish and nowhere near as likeable as in Point of Origin or other earlier works. I'm going to give Red Mist a try but will probably give up after that.

My disappointment grows with each new Cornwell novel i read, Port Mortuary was especially disappointing, I struggled to make it to the end and even found myself skipping pages.... compare this to the page turners of her earlier work.... books that made you take time off work because you couldn't put them down... what happened??? I wish Scarpetta would call it a day for Kay... I have lost all respect for Scarpetta... I'm done.

Alondra wrote: "Early Patricia Cornwell of the Scarpetta novels is on point; but her characters seem to be the most depressed and miserable human beings ever. Doctor G, is one of the most positive people on discov..." Agreed. I was thinking about her last night when I was watching "The Voice" and the song "I'd take a grenade for you" sung by Michelle Chamuel. Reminds me how she thinks her treatment of her lead investigator is acceptable.

I have read almost all of the Kay Scarpetta books and this one was my least favorite. It almost seems like Patricia has lost a bit of enthusiasm. This is the only book in which I struggled to maintain interest.

Thom wrote: "I have read almost all of the Kay Scarpetta books and this one was my least favorite. It almost seems like Patricia has lost a bit of enthusiasm. This is the only book in which I struggled to maint...". Agree