Category: C

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: The Last Precinct by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

The Last Precinct
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 2000
Pages: 468
Rating: 3/5
Read: July 27-31, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010; Finish That Series
Yearly Count: 38

First Line: The cold dusk gives up its bruised color to complete darkness, and I am grateful that the draperies in my bedroom are heavy enough to absorb even the faintest hint of my silhouette as I move about packing my bags.

After survivng an attack by a suspected serial killer, Virginia’s Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, is put in a spotlight she has never experienced before. She is under suspicion of murder – something that she works with every day of her working life; something that she would never have anything to do with. She has to try and proceed with life as if nothing was different. But when a female assistant district attorney from New York comes to town trying to make the connection between her case in New York and the so-called Werewolf mruders in Richmond. But Kay will be tested in every way imaginable and she will be confused as to who she can trust in this awful time of her life.

This is the 11th book in the Kay Scarpetta series and I have to admit, that at first I didn’t really like it. After about the 100 page mark, I really wanted to throw in the towel and be done with this book, but I kept with it. Overall, I’m glad that I finished this book, but it didn’t end in any truly surprising way. There were a few twists and turns along the way that were interesting, but overall I was not all that impressed with this instsallment. However, that’s not to say that I don’t want to continue on with this series and see where Ms. Cornwell takes Kay, because I’m interested to know where she goes from here, but I hope that theese books get better, not worse like I’ve heard from some people.

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Dirk Pitt, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: Pacific Vortex! by Clive Cussler

Tara

Pacific Vortex!
by Clive Cussler

Copyright: 1982
Pages: 270
Rating: 3/5
Read: July 11-14, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Celebrate the Author Challenge 2010; Random Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 35

First Line: Every ocean takes its toll of men and ships, yet none devours them with the voracious appetite of the Pacific.

Dirk Pitt, deep-sea expert, is put to the ultimate test when he has to plunge into the Pacific Vortex, a fog-shrouded sea zone where dozens of ships have gone missing without a trace. The latest victim is the Navy submarine Starbuck. An awesome super-sub with a nuclear arsenal, the Navy must find the Starbuck before the Russians do. Pitt has to find it and salvage it. The job sounds easy, but his time is limited. He will encounter a beautiful and dangerous woman and will find an ancient sunken island along the way, but it will end up being a race against time to make it out of the sea alive.

This is the first in the Dirk Pitt series. I have read another Cussler book in the past few years and really enjoyed it. This one was not as good in my opinion. The storyline was really strange, with an almost sci-fi-ish slant to it. Very strange, indeed. Overall it was just an okay book for me. I will probably continue on with this series, but this book will not stand out in my mind by any means.    

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

Black Notice
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1999
Pages: 441
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 17-23, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 32

First Line: The late morning blazed with blue skies and the colors of fall, but none of it was for me.

When the body of an unidentified man is found in a cargo ship in Richmond, cause of death and an identification is nearly impossible. But Dr. Kay Scarpetta is able to make out an odd tattoo on the decomposing flesh. It will be that tattoo that will lead Kay to Interpol, over in France. But she also has to deal with a lot of stuff on the homefront. There seems to be someone out to get her and Marino: someone wants both of them out of their jobs. In order to figure out this latest puzzle, Kay will have to try and protect her career while also trying to get to the truth at the same time.

This is the 10th book the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series. I personally felt like it was another good installment in this series. However, I did have a few complaints: first, I got really tired of Kay and Marino constantly fighting in this book. I understood that emotions were still raw from what happened in the previous book, and I also understood that they were both having to deal with some changes in their jobs, but seriously? It was a little annoying after a while – I mean, their characters have always kind of gotten on each other’s nerves, but it was really obnoxious in this book. I also had some issues with Lucy’s attitude in this book. I hope that the characters straighten their attitudes out in the next installment of this book. Overall, I’m still enjoying this series and I did enjoy this book, but it wasn’t as good as some of the earlier books in the series.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010

REVIEW: Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

Point of Origin
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1998
Pages: 356
Rating: 4/5
Read: May13-19, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010;  RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 24

First Line: Benton Wesley was taking off his running shoes in my kitchen when I ran to him, my heart tripping over fear and hate and remembered horror.

Carrie Grethen is back in this installment in the Kay Scarpetta series. This time she has escaped from the mental institution where she was being held while awaiting her trial. When Kay receives a letter from Carrie, it just brings all the horrors that Carrie has caused to Kay and her closest family and friends. She must put Carrie out of her mind when she is called to the scene of a horrific house fire. But what she never expected was to find a link between the house fire and Carrie. The amount of hatred that Carrie has toward Kay and everyone close to her is sometimes unbelievable and Carrie will do everything in her power to break the famous Dr. Scarpetta.

This is another good one in this series. I know that a lot of people have complained that as the series went on it went a little south in terms of quality. Maybe I haven’t reached that point, or maybe I just really like this series. But I will say that this one had a few slow parts for me. Overall I enjoyed it, but there was a little bit of what I would consider padding (you know, useless info/words that just add to the page count). There was a surprising turn of events in this book, however, and that really kept things going near the end of the book. I was sad to see how it turned out, but I’m anxious to see where Ms. Cornwell takes Dr. Scarpetta in the next installment!

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: Unnatural Exposure by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

Unnatural Exposure
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1997
Pages: 338
Rating: 4/5
Read: Apr. 18-21, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 19

First Line: Night fell clean and cold in Dublin, and wind moaned beyond my room as if a million pipes played the air.

While doing a series of lectures in Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Kay Scarpetta gets a chance to investigate some unsolved cases that appear to be related to some similar unsolved crimes back at home. Five dismembered and beheaded bodies were found in Ireland years ago, now four have been found in the States. When the fifth one is found in Virginia, Dr. Scarpetta isn’t convinced that it is related to the others. Her suspicions are confirmed when she realizes that there is something even worse with this case: the killer is armed with smallpox.

This is the eighth book in the Kay Scarpetta series. Overall it was a pretty decent book, but I felt like the storyline was a little weak in spots and it felt a little far-reaching. I felt as if the story was moving along quite well and then out of left field came the smallpox angle. I personally didn’t get why that aspect was even in the book. I’m still into this series, but I really didn’t think that this was the best book by any means.

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010

REVIEW: Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

Cause of Death
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1996
Pages: 332
Rating: 3/5
Read: Apr. 1-8, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 16

First Line: On the last morning of Virginia’s bloodiest year since the Civil War, I built a fire and sat facing a window of darkness where at sunrise I knew I would find the sea.

.On New Year’s Eve, Dr. Kay Scarpetta finds herself diving in a ship graveyard to see firsthand the scene where the body of Ted Eddings, an investigative reporter, has been found. What kind of story was Eddings chasing that would result in his untimely watery death? But what Dr. Scarpetta really finds out about this story is more unbelievable and far-reaching than she could have ever imagined.

This is the seventh book in this series and I have to say this was not my favorite book in this series. I don’t think I really liked the storyline, to be honest. To me, it had a really slow start and then it reached the climax and that was it. It didn’t feel as well put together as the other books in this series.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: From Potter’s Field by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

From Potter’s Field
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1995
Pages: 352
Rating: 4/5
Read: Mar. 23-26, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 13

First Line: Christmas Eve was cold and treacherous with black ice, and crime crackling on scanners.

As Dr. Kay Scarpetta knows, holidays don’t stop criminals from wreaking havoc among the innocent. So why should this particular Christmas be any different for Kay? Unforunately, it’s not. This Christmas finds her in New York City dealing with what appears to be another murder by Temple Gault. By this point, Scarpetta just wants to end this nightmare that Gault has brought upon her life. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she is at the center of Gault’s obsession; it is Kay Scarpetta that Gault intends to destroy -by taking everything away from her. No longer safe in her own home or office, she has to rely on her FBI and police counterparts even though she knows that it will be her alone who will have to face Gault in the end if any of them want this nightmare to end.

This is the sixth book in the Kay Scarpetta series and another great one! It had a slightly slow start, but once it picked up, it was really a great and fast read. I felt like this one was written a little bit better quality wise than the past two books were. It was like it flowed a little bit better honestly. Kay’s character seemed to get over herself a little more than she showed herself to be in The Body Farm. Overall I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to diving right into the seventh book 🙂

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

The Body Farm
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1994
Pages: 338
Rating: 4/5
Read: Mar. 19-23, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 12

First Line: On the sixteenth of October, shadowy deer crept to the edge of dark woods beyond my window as the sun peeked over the cover of the night.

Kay Scarpetta is back and she’s started in her new position as a consulting forensic pathologist for the FBI. When she gets the call about the murder of an eleven-year-old girl in a small town, she fears the worst. She has a really bad feeling that the killer is Gault – a man that got away during her last big case. While dealing with that, her niece Lucy finds herself in trouble with the FBI. An intern for the Bureau, she is accused of a very serious security violation. Although Kay is trying her hardest to come to terms with Lucy’s predicament, the theory that she finally arrives at in regards to her murder case will surprise her more than she ever could have imagined.

This is the fifth book in the Kay Scarpetta series. This one wasn’t necessarily my favorite, but it was still good. Personally I felt as though Kay was a little over-reaching in places. It’s kind of hard to explain what I really thought of this book. Overall it was good, bu I felt as if it could have been better in places. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing on with this series!

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: Cruel and Unusual by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

Cruel and Unusual
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1993
Pages: 409
Rating: 4/5
Read: Mar. 15-17, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 11

First Line: The Monday I carried Ronnie Joe Waddell’s meditation in my pocketbook, I never saw the sun.

“Killing me won’t kill the beast” were some of the last words that rapist-murderer Ronnie Joe Waddell wrote before his execution. The words didn’t mean much until Dr. Kay Scarpetta found Waddell’s fingerprint at a crime scene after his execution. Something strange is going on and it’s going to be up to Kay to figure out what is going on before her career and life as she knows it is completely wrecked.

This is the fourth of the Kay Scarpetta series. It was another great book. But I did have some reservations about it. The main thing that I have noticed (and this applies to the 2nd and 3rd books as well) is that when the next book in the series begins it seems as if the reader has missed something. Not to give anything big away but when this book started there was a pretty big revelation that came pretty much out of nowhere. I was confused and it took a while before the whole thing came together. Something similar to this happened in the beginning of the third book as well. I guess I expect the books to pick up where they left off a little bit more than these have seemed to do. Another gripe that I have (which again applies to the 3rd book as well) is that the lead-up to the overall climax is really wonderful and then the killer is revealed and the end result kind of falls flat. Maybe I expect too much, I don’t know. But overall I really enjoyed this book and am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: All That Remains by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

All That Remains
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1992
Pages: 382
Rating: 5/5
Read: Mar. 11-14, 2010
Challenge:  2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010; Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 10

First Line: Saturday, the last day of August, I started work before dawn.

Dr. Kay Scarpetta is up against a serial killer who is targeting young couples. Four couples have disappeared already, with their bodies to turn up in the woods months later. When the fifth couple goes missing the tables seem to turn – for the girl that was taken is the daughter of a very powerful woman in Washington – the new “Drug Czar.” Feeling the pressure from above, Kay is determined to finally catch this elusive killer once and for all.

This is the third installment of the Kay Scarpetta series and another great one in my opinion. It was very fast paced and action packed. I also liked the character development involved – I really got to know Marino. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing on with this series and I’m kicking myself for just now starting to read these books (they’ve only been on my shelves forever!!!)