I just finished the novel Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell I'm currently reading Blow Fly. I skipped The Last Precinct because I don't own it, but I'll get around to it one day. I read All That Remains and Unnatural Exposure last year. I just wanted to see what you guys thought of her work.
I love Patritia Cornwell, I've only read her first novel, Postmortem and am currently reading her second book, Body of Evidence. I think they're really good!
I've read all of her Kay Scarpetta novels, just finished "Predator" which is her latest in the series. Absolutely adore her work, but i prefer the earlier novels, right up to The Last Precinct because in the last 3 novels (Blowfly, Trace and Predator) the format has totally changed. What I loved about the books (and don't get me wrong, I really liked the new ones too) was that it all came from Scarpetta's perspective. It was written in the first person, which meant you got insight into her perception of things, her internal musings and worries and you found out about things as she discovered them. The recent three books are in the third person and the readers attention is divided between Kay and Lucy and Marino and the killers, etc, so IMHO, they sort of lack focus and they're missing something that drew me to the earlier works... I've said as much as I can without going into specific plot points, cuz I don't want to spoil anyone who's just started reading the series. One final thing I'll say is read the series in order because a lot of it is connected... Of her other books, I enjoyed "Hornet's Nest" and "Southern Cross" (although they didn't engage me like the Scarpetta Novels did) but I didn't think much of the third in that series, "Isle of Dogs". And with her Non-Fiction, I haven't managed to read her biography of Ruth Bell Graham yet, but "Portrait of a Killer", about who Jack the Ripper really was, is an absolutely facinating read and anyone who's interested in true Crime should definitely read it. Yep, I'm a BIG fan, in case you couldn't tell... :lol:
I too have read all of Kay Scrappetta series except for Predator which I hope to buy after Christmas. She's an awesome writer, she manages to connect all of the books with some plots. Which I like a lot. IMO, the last books are quite good but as forensicsgirl has stated that we don't get to see her observations through her eyes. We just read things for as it is. Whoch is not that good. I feel that in her other books e.g Southern Cross or the Hornet's nest, I had such high expectations and I feel that made me not like the books so much because I was expecting a similar character to Kay - there was one but not that similar- but still very well written nonetheless.
Noooooooooo! grissoms_gurl, don't read Trace yet!!! Seriously, you'll regret it later. Get your hands on a copy of "All That Remains" and read the series in order. You'll spoil an awful lot of the books for yourself if you read Trace now.
I've read all the Scarpetta books except her new one Predator. I'm hoping to buy that one after Christmas. The first book of hers that I read was The Last Precinct. Then I started buying her other books. After reading The Last Precinct I found out it's best if you read the Scarpetta series in order starting with Postmortem. I love Patricia Cornwell's work and although the character of Scarpetta is great, Pete Marino's my favorite.
I am addicted to her books. I probably finish one book a week on average. So far in the Scarpetta series I've read: Postmortem Body of Evidence All that Remains Creul & Unusual The Body Farm From Potters Field Cause of Death Unnatural Expoure Black Notice The Last Precint My one complaint about the Scarpetta series. I think that Kay and Lucy are too perfect. Kay it seems either knows everything, or if she doesn't know she has a friend who is an expert on that subject. Lucy it seems as though her only problem is hiding her and her gay lover's affairs. I'm not anti-gay/lesbian, if how I wrote that came off as rude or offensive, I apolgize that wasn't my intent. Personally I think Marino is the most underappricated and realistic charcter. He actually has human faults, and you can almost see him trying to stay in check, while dealing with personal demons. In the Andy Brazil series, I suffered through: Southern Cross Started Isle of Dogs, but couldn't finish.
I keep wanting to check her books out but haven't yet. Maybe when I finish the current Kathy Reichs books. Cornwell sure does have a lot of books in her series. Reichs hasn't been writing as long but she's getting there. She has Deja Dead Death du Jour Deadly Decisions Fatal Voyage Grave Secrets Bare Bones Monday Mourning Cross Bones and in July she releases Break no Bones. I've read all but the last two plus the TV series book. Tempe and Kay should get together lol...they're only a state apart. Kathy Reich has been compared to Patricia Cornwell on the bookjackets.
I am hooked on Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series. I have only read a few, and have started to read them in order, and am up to Cruel and Unusual, which I just picked up last night! I also recommend reading them in order, I started with The Body Farm and when I read Postmortem- on through All that Remains, I was in for a few surprises :lol:
I have just heard about these books by Patricia Cornwell and I really want to read one. Are they any good? What do they talk about?
WolfeSanders, you should definitely read the first book "Postmortem". The books are about the chief medical examiner in Virginia, so it has a good mix between forensics and policework.
Ohhh.... you have me totally wanting to read that book now! Would they have it at a public library? Forensics and Policework in one book is like a match made in heaven for me.
The books are amaziiiiiiiiiiing. I'm reading them in order, so I've read: Postmortem Body of Evidence All That Remains Cruel and Unusual The Body Farm From Potter's Field Cause of Death Unnatural Exposure Point of Origin Black Notice The Last Precinct Holy crap! I didn't realize there were so many! I'm starting Blowfly tomorrow, but I'm kind of apprehensive because I know the format changes to 3rd person. I like it first-person from Kay's POV. But I'm sure I'll love it just the same. After that, I need to read Trace and then Predator and then...re-read 'til the next one (assuming there is a next one?!)! I LOVE her work. I'd pick a favorite, but they're all my favorites. And they hold a special place in my heart because I live in Virginia On second thought, I might have favorites. I really liked All That Remains and the one with the virus and the island town...Unnatural Exposure I think? Hell, they're all amazing.