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Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. HTML:#1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell returns to the chilling world of gutsy medical examiner Kay Scarpetta in this classic forensic thriller. Little Emily Steiner left a church meeting late one afternoon and strolled toward home along a lakeside path; a week later, her nude body was discovered, bound in blaze-orange duct tape. Called by the North Carolina authorities, forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta recognizes similarities to the gruesome work of a serial killer who has long eluded the FBI But as she tries to make sense of the evidence, she is left with questions that lead her to the Body Farm, a little known research facility in Tennessee where, with the help of some grisly experiments, she might discover the answer. It is Scarpetta alone who can interpret the forensic hieroglyphics that eventually reveal a solution to the case as staggering as it is horrifying. But she must also endeavor to help her niece, Lucy, who is embroiled in controversy at Quantico. And Scarpetta, too, is vulnerable, as she opens herself to the first physical and emotional bond she has felt in far too long a time. Tenacious and brilliant, tender and gentle, this is Scarpetta even more realized and poignant than we've seen her before�??in a stunning achievement from a bestselling author at the peak of her powe… (more)
User reviews
"The Body Farm" is the first Patricia Cornwell book I've read and may be the last. The location for which the book was named--the place at the University of Tennessee where dead humans are studied
I will concede that I might have enjoyed the book a little more had I read previous Scarpetta books as there were obviously recurring characters. But as I'm basically introduced to them here, I found most of them, like Marino and Lucy, to be flat and quite unlikable.
The story centers around a little girl who's brutally killed near her home. The local police are overwhelmed and bring in state's bureau, who, because the crime is similar to a serial killer's mode of operation, bring in the FBI. There's a bunch of little clues along the way, but it seems basic police work wasn't done as some of the players aren't even suspects. And throwing in the Temple Gault character (the serial killer who obviously played a role in previous novels) seemed forced and just an excuse for a red herring.
The subplot with Scarpetta's niece Lucy seemed rather unbelievable. I was simply disappointed with the book, especially given how popular Cornwell's books are.
I liked the book, and I may seek out more in the series. My only odd thought about the book is the title. Yes, it's catchy, but it has almost nothing to do with the book. Just one low-key scene takes place at the body farm, and that is late in the book.
I really enjoy the medical and scientific aspects of this book and it's nice to see an
This was the first Patricia Cornwell novel I have read and it was an odd place to start, but I did enjoy it. The Body Farm is a fast paced read with relatively accurate depictions of forensic science. Cornwell doesn't beat the reader over the head with back story so it was nice to pick up on character relationships from context rather than drudging through history that would've interrupted the pacing of the book. Although I was expecting more of the story to take place at the fictionalized version of Knoxville's Research Facility, I was still drawn in by the suspense of the story and appreciated that it was a well written book.
This is not your typical murder-of-the-week type book. The characterizations and relationships between the characters continue to grow deeper throughout the series. I'm not really a fan of Kay's new relationship, but it's realistic, and obviously character-directed, not a sop for the audience who expects a romantic subplot. I always really enjoy the technical details of forensic experiements, but the "Body Farm" of the title, an area where bodies are decomposing in contrived circumstances in order to better understand time of death, was a little nauseating to read about. Particularly because I was eating lunch at the time I happened to come upon that part of the book.
My biggest nitpick continues to be how this ME is always in a position to come into violent conflict with the villain at the end of the novel. It's unlikely to happen even once in the life of any other non-fictional ME and for it to keep happening to Kay is ridiculous. I know there needs to be a suspenseful, cathartic ending, but it's completely unrealistic. In such a series, where the author is very well informed about forensic devices and details, and the time lines are more realistic than other murder/detective novels (i.e. the crime is not solved in the space of a week, but rather months), it bothers me that this very critical point is so improbable.
Overall, though, a decent book, which kept me interested and desirous of more about Kay Scarpetta.
When an eleven-year-old girl is found murdered, Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Virginia, gets another chance at stopping one of the most heartless and horrifying serial killers of her career: the demented Temple Gault.
Even though I had some complaints about the plot, the book was still a fun read. The personal relationship between Kay and Wesley seemed to move forward a lot. A little fast for me. I felt like I must have missed a few books because of all the relationship changes, but I know I haven't. Parts of the book were too predictable, while others were too confusing.
Given this book’s title, I expected the Body Farm to play a larger role in the book than it did. Dr. Scarpetta spent very little time in Knoxville or with Dr. Shade. There were a couple of bloopers that continue to nag at me. First of all, the novel opens on October 16, and the child was last seen alive on October 1. She had already been buried and had a headstone by the time Scarpetta got to Black Mountain a day or two later. Anyone who has ever buried a loved one knows that you can’t get a headstone erected that quickly. Secondly, Dr. Scarpetta visited Knoxville on homecoming Saturday and stayed at the Hyatt. How did she manage to get a room there at the last minute? All of the local hotels would have been fully booked for months, especially a hotel that close to Neyland Stadium.
I think I would tire out on this series if I read the books too close together. It’s the type of book that makes good airplane reading, so I might revisit Dr. Scarpetta’s world on some future trip.
I had
As the novel opens, Dr Scarpetta is at Quantico, FBI headquarters, having just commenced a role as a consultant to the Bureau, working alongside the suave, sophisticated Special Agent Benton Wesley and the significantly less polished Police Captain Pete Marino as part of the ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Programme). They meet for a case conference to discuss the discovery of the body of a young girl, from whose body strips of flesh have been removed. This is reminiscent of a recent case that the three of them had worked in which the perpetrator was identified, but not arrested. They believe that he may have struck again. The investigation proceeds, with leads being inconclusive.
Meanwhile, Dr Scarpetta’s niece, Lucy Farinelli, who has emerged through the earlier books as a technological wizard, has been inducted into formal training at Quantico, and is working on certain classified projects. However, while Scarpetta and Co are away investigating this latest murder, Lucy’s behaviour becomes erratic, and various allegations are made against her, leading to her suspension.
I felt that Cornwell failed to make the various threads of this hydra-headed plot cohere, and the behaviour of the main protagonists degenerates into the frankly unbelievable. That was my judgement when I first read this book, and it remains the same now.