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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
DNF on page 132/370
So this is the first book that I DNF in 2018. I just couldn't put myself through this book anymore, which is disappointing because I did really enjoy the first 5 books in the Dr Kay Scarpetta series. But from book 6 I've been disappointed and I won't be continuing on with the series. This book put me into a reading slump, and I didn't think that this book would be worth me reading it until the end.
So the plot of this book is that a 10th dismembered body is found in a landfill in Richmond, but it's the work of a copy cat killer. I got 1/3rd of the way into this book and the characters had pretty much just found the body. There was some taunting from the killer, but honestly the set up was too slow for the thriller/mystery/crime genre for me. Then the victim is supposed to have small pox (which 1/3 through I had not found out yet but it was on the blurb), and I honestly feel like that is a step too far. That it is not needed if you already have the set up for an international serial killer. It would completely change the set up of the book AGAIN. I had an idea of who the killer was going to be, so I turned to the back to find out the killer was. I was underwhelmed, so I decided that the revelation of the mystery and the motives was not worth me reading the entirety of the book. I would have had to force myself to finish this book and I would not have enjoyed it.
In terms of the characters, nothing had changed in this book from the previous books to be honest. The same points are being used over and over again in each of the books, with no real development or change. It's almost gotten to the point where I no longer really care about the characters that I have read and finished 7 whole books about...
Overall, I would really recommend the first book in the series. I really loved it, and I have reread it. It was one of the few mystery/thriller/crime books that I have reread and enjoyed. But I wouldn't recommend continuing past book 5 in the series. The plots have gotten worse, to the point of nonsensical. I can no longer believe that these mysteries could be happening on the streets of Richmond. Maybe in a Hollywood TV show but not in real life, and that's whats really put me off this series.
So this is the first book that I DNF in 2018. I just couldn't put myself through this book anymore, which is disappointing because I did really enjoy the first 5 books in the Dr Kay Scarpetta series. But from book 6 I've been disappointed and I won't be continuing on with the series. This book put me into a reading slump, and I didn't think that this book would be worth me reading it until the end.
So the plot of this book is that a 10th dismembered body is found in a landfill in Richmond, but it's the work of a copy cat killer. I got 1/3rd of the way into this book and the characters had pretty much just found the body. There was some taunting from the killer, but honestly the set up was too slow for the thriller/mystery/crime genre for me. Then the victim is supposed to have small pox (which 1/3 through I had not found out yet but it was on the blurb), and I honestly feel like that is a step too far. That it is not needed if you already have the set up for an international serial killer. It would completely change the set up of the book AGAIN. I had an idea of who the killer was going to be, so I turned to the back to find out the killer was. I was underwhelmed, so I decided that the revelation of the mystery and the motives was not worth me reading the entirety of the book. I would have had to force myself to finish this book and I would not have enjoyed it.
In terms of the characters, nothing had changed in this book from the previous books to be honest. The same points are being used over and over again in each of the books, with no real development or change. It's almost gotten to the point where I no longer really care about the characters that I have read and finished 7 whole books about...
Overall, I would really recommend the first book in the series. I really loved it, and I have reread it. It was one of the few mystery/thriller/crime books that I have reread and enjoyed. But I wouldn't recommend continuing past book 5 in the series. The plots have gotten worse, to the point of nonsensical. I can no longer believe that these mysteries could be happening on the streets of Richmond. Maybe in a Hollywood TV show but not in real life, and that's whats really put me off this series.
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
These are always a toss up for me. Kay Scarpetta is supposed to be this super smart woman, but I swear a lot of stuff she does is reckless and irresponsible. You’re telling me a woman, who’s a chief medical examiner, that’s been exposed to what’s assumed to be smallpox, is let out of quarantine and not even one day later starts to get sick (fever, coughing, etc) and STILL gets on a commercial plane full of people, gets in a taxi, and exposes so many people but thinks it’s nbd because she doesn’t think it’s the smallpox, even though just a few days before she had never been more terrified to possibly be exposed but because she was “so bored” in quarantine it makes her forget how worried she was??? Nah. It’s not unbelievable that people do that (hello, that’s how COVID has run rampant for years), but it’s unbelievable that I’m supposed to believe Kay is an intelligent woman after this.
And I get she’s protective of Lucy but c’mon, it’s a little over the top considering Lucy has gotten herself into the HRT team in the FBI; I think she can handle her own.
Since I thrifted many of the books in this series after reading one of the only decent books in this series, I’ll continue on since some of the murders have been interesting; and part of me is curious to see if there will be any growth for Kay’s character or if she will always be the narcissist.
And I get she’s protective of Lucy but c’mon, it’s a little over the top considering Lucy has gotten herself into the HRT team in the FBI; I think she can handle her own.
Since I thrifted many of the books in this series after reading one of the only decent books in this series, I’ll continue on since some of the murders have been interesting; and part of me is curious to see if there will be any growth for Kay’s character or if she will always be the narcissist.
fast-paced
Trigger warning: situation similar to covid when a mutated germ is being used as a bioweapon.
The plot is fine for 1997 when we were worried that parts of the Soviet stock of smallpox had been sold or stolen. The writing is typical. Marino seems back to his detective self and no longer used as a foil to show for Kay's righteousness. Minimal Lucy, who is not my favorite character.
What earns the 1 star is the flagrant disregard for isolation protocol by the medicos and Kay. Having been exposed twice to an unknown disease, Kay--at her insistence--is released from quarantine early. Then, actively ill, Kay not only does not isolate at home, she heads in to work! She could have consulted another doc or test herself to see if she had the flu. Hard to believe that Kay, who presumably cares about her staff, would choose to expose them to whatever she has.
Yet she later mourns Wingo. Her hypocrisy is hard to take.
Even in 1997, docs would have followed protocol. Kay's sense of superiority and being above the rules has apparently overwhelmed her good sense and compassion for her staff. Marino's attitude is obviously correct for once.
Then, in the very last chapter, I wonder if that is the moment Cornwell conceived Benton's story arc. Was she foreshadowing Benton or, later, did she remember Kay's query and utilize it? In those moments I feel sorry for Kay. Her question is a legitimate one.
The plot is fine for 1997 when we were worried that parts of the Soviet stock of smallpox had been sold or stolen. The writing is typical. Marino seems back to his detective self and no longer used as a foil to show for Kay's righteousness. Minimal Lucy, who is not my favorite character.
What earns the 1 star is the flagrant disregard for isolation protocol by the medicos and Kay. Having been exposed twice to an unknown disease, Kay--at her insistence--is released from quarantine early. Then, actively ill, Kay not only does not isolate at home, she heads in to work! She could have consulted another doc or test herself to see if she had the flu. Hard to believe that Kay, who presumably cares about her staff, would choose to expose them to whatever she has.
Yet she later mourns Wingo. Her hypocrisy is hard to take.
Even in 1997, docs would have followed protocol. Kay's sense of superiority and being above the rules has apparently overwhelmed her good sense and compassion for her staff. Marino's attitude is obviously correct for once.
Then, in the very last chapter, I wonder if that is the moment Cornwell conceived Benton's story arc. Was she foreshadowing Benton or, later, did she remember Kay's query and utilize it? In those moments I feel sorry for Kay. Her question is a legitimate one.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No