Fiction #7 in 2009 – Scarpetta (Scarpetta Book 16) by Patrician Cornwell

Scarpetta (Scarpetta Book 16) by Patrician Cornwell

From Publishers Weekly (amazon.com):

At the start of bestseller Cornwell’s plodding 16th thriller to feature Dr. Kay Scarpetta (after Book of the Dead), the forensic pathologist—who recently relocated to Belmont, Mass., with her forensic psychologist husband—is called to Manhattan’s Bellevue Hospital for reasons that don’t become clear until she gets there. Oscar Bane, who voluntarily committed himself to Bellevue while denying he brutally murdered his girlfriend, refuses to speak to anyone except the high-profile Scarpetta. Bane, Scarpetta discovers, is obsessed with her. Meanwhile, someone masquerading as Scarpetta is lurking in cyberspace and supplying an online gossip site with dirty secrets about the doctor. For help on the murder case, Scarpetta turns to her computer whiz niece and a macho former colleague whose shocking actions in Book of the Dead severely damaged his relationship with Scarpetta. With a plot full of holes and frustrating red herrings, this entry falls short of the high standard set by earlier volumes in this iconic series.

My thoughts:

• I’ve always enjoyed the Kay Scarpetta’s series with all the forensic detials. In fact, that was a quote that Scarpetta wrote about herself that I really idenfy with (but I don’t remember the exact quote now, probably in a diary somewhere). I love reading murder/mystery books, especially those with a forensic focus.

• Having said that, I’ve been disappointed to read the last few books in the series – it was more about drama than who dunnit. Some reviews said this book is better, so I thought I’d give it a try.

• I was disappointed. I prob must have missed a book too cause I really don’t recall some of the details, and don’t feel the need to go read the one I missed. It’s still more about drama. I missed the chemistry the characters used to have with each other. The plot wasn’t that great either (I think I guessed the killer before it was revealed… I don’t really remember anymore, it’s that memorable.)

• Would I read the next book? I dunno. Probably, just to see if the old friends are back, but probably would still be disappointed since it’s been a few disappointing books already. I’d still recommend the early books.