Reviews

Trace by Patricia Cornwell

sinimini's review

informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Having read most of the Scarpetta novels, I think, I have got the formula down. Scarpetta gets into a case where somebody she knows gets hurt and somebody else she knows stabs her in the back. At the end, all her friends and/or family help her solve the mystery and case is closed.

juliethebookcat's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

sistaharlem's review against another edition

challenging informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

azaria74's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

whaney's review against another edition

1.0

I have always loved the Kay Scarpetta books, but this one left a lot to be desired. It was tough to get finished.

alexispitzer's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.25

lilac93's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

arthur_pendrgn's review against another edition

4.0

Cornwell's books are strange experiences for me. Her writing gets in my head. She creates very distinct characters that don't change but always develop. She has a fine balance between the case and the interpersonal relationships, yet they always intermingle. She expresses the heaviness of the politics and the squabbling, yet it doesn't weigh down the book. As much as I like these characters, the books exhaust me.

The most affecting scene is Marino and Scarpetta after Marino's rape. His agony of indecision is haunting--his physical pain v his painful fears of her reaction and the loss of his dream. Shame from a whole different angle.

Nice balancing act in this as well, although it is difficult to wait for Rudy to connect the dots between cases. The politics, which seem prominent at one point, are dropped. I don't remember it they are resolved in the next book.

I read Livid and realized I had missed a few. No way do I want to deal with my grief over Kay and Benton's "separation." I wanted to start from their reunion--this is the book after their reunion. I remember thinking the first time I read it that Kay wasn't pissed enough or long enough. I still stand by that. But I want them to reunite, so I'm glad Cornwell didn't drag it out.

rhondai's review against another edition

3.0

I came back to this series after ~10 years. I don’t remember it the author having such a choppy story line and using so many redundant phrases and words. “Ring” was used five times in the same sentence. She was at the doorbell. Got it.

“I don’t want to talk about this.” Also repeated five times. Really too bad.

cookiemonster1234's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0