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Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. HTML: New York Times Bestseller In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders. Forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia, the state where she launched her storied career, as the chief medical examiner. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she's inherited both an overbearing secretary and a legacy of neglect and potential corruption. She and her husband, Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria, where she's headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that's been torn apart by civil and political unrest. After just weeks on the job, she's called to a scene by railroad tracks�??a woman's body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine�??and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood. At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top secret laboratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she remotely works the first potential crime scene in space, an apparent serial killer strikes again very close to home. This latest novel in the groundbreaking Kay Scarpetta series captivates readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and forensic detail that Patricia Cornwell is famous for, proving once again why she's the world's #1 bestselling crime writ… (more)
User reviews
If you will notice from the Amazon recap and the publishers' website, this is a relaunch of the series.
There are enough twists and turns to keep any mystery lover happy, a lot of inner angsting that will make most readers unhappy (although some of the best dialogue comes about in this manner), enough red herrings to keep you on your toes and for the pièce de résistance, we even have an encounter in space that needs Kays special talents!
My one problem, and I'm not sure if she had done this in her previous novels, is that Ms. Cornwell gives the ending short shrift. Although this could be considered a mini-cliff hanger, we shall see.
I'm already ready for the next book and I am going to go read the entire series even if the tech in some of them is dated!
*ARC is supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley. Many thanks.
Now, I must admit, somewhere around the 20th book, I threw the towel on this series.
"In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders. Forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia as the chief medical examiner, the state where she launched her storied career."
And you know what? I really enjoyed it and am back on board with this series.
The same cast of characters is present, Kay, her Secret Service forensic psychologist husband Benton, her niece Lucy and my personal favorite - Pete Marino. The relationship between Kay and Marino was contentious in the beginning of the series, but I'm happy with where Cornwell has taken Marino in this latest. He's a valuable resource instead of being portrayed as a thorn in her side. However there is a new thorn in the side character. Kay has inherited a secretary who is loyal to her old boss and quite resentful of Kay. Kay has the same analytical mind. Cornwell keeps the characters moving forward in real time, with the successes and sadness that living life brings.
The 'back to basics' has Kay investigating the death of a young woman found on the railroad tracks. This crime very much reminded me of the earlier books. Political machinations and corruption abounds at a number of levels in this latest, stretching as far as outer space! Kay is called in to examine a remote site. There's yet another thread that I'll let you discover.
I chose to listen to this latest. The reader was award winning narrator Susan Ericksen. She has read previous Scarpetta books, so the continuity is nice. Her voice is perfect for the mental image I've created for Scarpetta. Her diction is clear, easy to understand, well enunciated and pleasant. The speed of speaking was a bit slow for me, so I sped things up two notches, using the speed adjuster on my device. She provides different voices for the characters, each easily identifiable. Ericksen conveys the emotions of the characters and the action and suspense of the plot with her voice. A great performance.
I did find the ending a bit rushed and a slightly too pat, but I quite enjoyed this 'relaunch' of this series. The door has been left open for number 26 - and I for one will be picking it up.
Thanks to the author and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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DDC/MDS
813.54 |