Book Nerds Across America: patricia cornwell

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Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Book Review: Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell

Goodreads Overview:

Dr Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner and consulting pathologist for the federal law enforcement agency ATF, is called out to a farmhouse in Virginia which has been destroyed by fire. In the ruins of the house she finds a body which tells a story of a violent and grisly murder.

The fire has come at the same time as another even more incendiary horror: Carrie Grethen, a killer who nearly destroyed the lives of Scarpetta and those closest to her, has escaped from a forensic psychiatric hospital. Her whereabouts is unknown, but her ultimate destination is not, for Carrie has begun to communicate with Scarpetta, conveying her deadly - if cryptic - plans for revenge.

Chillingly mesmeric in tone, labyrinthine in structure, Point of Origin is Patricia Cornwell at her most dazzling.

Jacque's Review:

I am still plugging away with the Kay Scarpetta series. This is the 9th book in the series, but there are currently 25 books, so I have a long way to go. At the rate Cornwell is going, I don't think I will ever catch up. I do enjoy the series and was shocked by what took place at the end of this novel.

This time around Kay is investigating an arson that took place on a horse farm. It appears to be an isolated case, but she soon connects it to some other cases. Besides the fact that a roaring fire consumes the houses with way more fuel than there should have been based upon the contents and structure, there doesn't appear to be a connection. The victims are not linked and they can't determine how the fires are getting so large. Gasoline or other traceable fuel sources aren't detected, but in each case the fire appears to be concealing evidence related to a murder.

Carrie Grethen is a returning character who wreaked havoc previously in this series. She was finally locked up in a psychiatric facility awaiting trial, but manages to escape. Now that she is on the loose, Kay and her niece Lucy are not going to be safe until she is recaptured. Carrie is toying with them throughout the novel and has a huge part in the ending.

Benton and Kay are now essentially living together, but their relationship is a bit strained. She can't seem to get away from the job and is constantly putting her personal life on the back burner. They were supposed to get away for a vacation, but this case hits too close to home and she once again can't pull herself away.

I will not give anything away, but the ending was CRAZY. Kay, Marino, Lucy and the rest of the team get to the bottom of this case, but I don't think they will ever be the same after this. On the plus side, we should be finished with Carrie once and for all. I do not really care for how Cornwell continues to rely on previous cases to propel this series forward. I prefer more of the structure of the Women's Murder Club or Stephanie Plum novels that are independent stories with evolving characters and personal relationships. I do not want to relive the previous cases over and over again. Hopefully after this installment we can finally move on to something fresh.

Friday, October 30, 2020

Book Review: Unnatural Exposure by Patricia Cornwell

Jacque's Review:

Unnatural Exposure is the eighth book in the Kay Scarpetta series. There are currently 25 books in the series, so it is a major undertaking if you plan on reading them all. I started this series several years ago along with the Stephanie Plum and Women's Murder Club series because I can't resist a good murder mystery, but I have never felt compelled to sit down and read them all straight through. You can read one or two books a year from these series and easily pick up where you left off. There is some character development and personal relationships evolve, but each case or story is independent. I read them in order, but I don't think it is completely necessary.

In this installment Kay, Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner, is investigating some cases that appear to be connected to five serial murders that took place in Ireland several years ago. When an additional body turns up with similar, but several strikingly different characteristics, she believes they are now dealing with a copycat.

In addition, the most recent body is covered with what appears to be a smallpox like infection. After further investigation, it isn't quite smallpox, but a variation of the disease that we do not have a vaccination for. When the copycat killer stats contacting Kay directly via email and eventually in a chat room, Kay is determined to lure the perpetrator into making a mistake that allows the FBI to trace the connection and find the killer.

Kay's niece Lucy, who works as an IT expert for the FBI, is once again instrumental in solving the case. I always find these books amusing because of the archaic computer technology, which was state of the art at the time. In this case the book was published in 1997, which isn't THAT long ago in my opinion, but light years away in terms of technological advancements. AOL with a dial up connection, pagers, and car phones, are just a few of the high tech gadgets mentioned in this book. I remember when these things were a big deal, but kids today wouldn't have the first clue as to what she is talking about. My son even refers to when I was growing up as "the olden days," because in his eyes we lived in the stone age compared to kids today.

Overall, this was another excellent addition to the series. If you enjoy murder mysteries, I would recommend giving this series a try. Just be aware that they are somewhat graphic and may not be for everyone.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Book Review: Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell

Goodreads Overview;

It is New Year's Eve, the last day of Virginia's bloodiest year since the Civil War. Dr. Kay Scarpetta plunges into the murky depths of a ship graveyard to recover the very human remains of Ted Eddings, an investigative reporter. What kind of story was Eddings chasing below the icy surface of the Elizabeth River? And why did Scarpetta receive a phone call from someone reporting the death before the police were notified? She soon discovers that Eddings' murder is merely the first layer of something much deeper --- a labyrinthine conspiracy that will put all of her criminal and forensic knowledge to the test like never before. For Scarpetta, the real challenge won't be cataloging the growing number of dead bodies, but preventing herself and those she loves from becoming the next victims.

Jacque's Review:

This is the 7th book in the Kay Scarpetta series. While all of the books involve independent cases that can be read and enjoyed on their own, I would recommend reading the series in order if you plan on reading more than just a few of them. The characters and their relationships with others in the series evolve from one book to the next. It would be rather confusing in that aspect if you decide to skip around.

In this installment, Kay is investigating the murder of a reporter that worked relatively closely with her office. Her assistant medical examiner in another distract, who should be the one handling this case, had a death in the family and had to return to England for the funeral. He offered to let Kay stay at his house while he is gone, which she accepted. When people start prowling around his house, she begins to question her own safety and why her assistant is really out of town.

Another member of her staff is impacted by the investigation and an unusual event takes place at her office. Someone really doesn't want the results of this investigation to get out. The closer Kay and her team get to the truth, the more dangerous things become.

Now that Kay's niece, Lucy, has graduated from the FBI Academy, she is an actual member of Benton Wesley's team. He is a profiler for the FBI and heads up a number of investigations in this series. Kay is one of his consultants and doesn't have a second thought about putting herself in danger, but she does not want Lucy on the front lines. Lucy is a computer genius, which should allow her to work behind the scenes, but that is not the role Lucy wants and Benton is not about to hold her back. She is a valuable member of his team and he takes full advantage of her skills in this book.

Overall, this was enjoyable murder mystery. There are currently 25 books in the series, so it is a daunting undertaking if you plan on reading the entire series. I have been reading these books since 2011. This isn't the type of series you have to continue reading for fear of forgetting some of the content, so I pick one up whenever I am looking for a good murder mystery. I enjoy the characters and both the police and medical aspects of the investigations. I do find it humorous to read about some of the technology now that these books are almost 25 years old. What was high tech and advanced back then is archaic now.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Book Review: The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell

Goodreads Overview:

The Body Farm - a research institute that tests the decomposition of corpses. Black Mountain, North Carolina: a sleepy little town where the local police deal with one homicide a year, if they're unlucky, and where people are still getting used to the idea of locking their doors at night. But violent death is no respecter of venue, and the discovery of the corpse of an 11-year-old girl sends shock waves through the community. Dr Kay Scarpetta, Chief medical Examiner on a similar case in Virginia, is called in to apply her forensic skills to this latest atrocity, but the apparent simplicity of the case proves something of a poisoned chalice - until Scarpetta finds enlightenment through the curious pathologists' playground known as the Body Farm.

Jacque's Review:

The Body Farm is the fifth book in the Kay Scarpetta murder mystery series. The murder has a striking resemblance to a case solved in one of the prior books, so Kay and her colleagues from the FBI are called in to investigate. When an additional body is found in a rather peculiar situation, they aren't so sure their original assumptions are correct. The more evidence that turns up the more confusing the case becomes.

In addition, Kay's niece, Lucy, is caught up in an FBI investigation that could ruin her chances of joining the FBI full time upon graduation. She is exceptionally gifted with computers and is working on a top secret software that could greatly improve information sharing among law enforcement around the world, but someone else must want access to the information for sinister reasons.

This is an older series that I started reading at least 20 years ago. I would definitely recommend reading the books in order since the personal relationships between the characters develop throughout the series and some of the knowledge gained from the cases are referenced in later books. There are currently 25 books in the series, but you do not need to read all of them back to back in order to remember what is going on. I read one every now and then when I am looking for a good mystery and haven't had any trouble remembering the basics needed to fully appreciate each story. Each case is independent, so the majority of the information acts as a stand alone novel.

I thought I had this mystery all figured out about 75% of the way through, but as always there was a twist I didn't see coming until closer to 85 %. By that point, I had it figured out and just needed to see how all of the loose ends would get tied up.

The series is a bit graphic, so it isn't for everyone. I am definitely enjoying it and look forward to seeing what is in story for Kay, Lucy, and the rest of the team in the next installment.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Book Review: Cruel & Unusual by Patricia Cornwell

Cruel and Unusual is the fourth book in the Kay Scarpetta series. Kay is the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia and assists the police and FBI with solving murders that make their way through her office. In this case, the killer sets Kay up to take the fall. She needs to work to clear her professional reputation as well as prove her innocence in all of the crimes.

The story begins with the execution of a death row inmate named Ronnie Waddell. Kay completes the autopsy while her assistant Susan has to excuse herself for some strange reason. Susan's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, which she blames on her pregnancy.

When Waddell's fingerprints turn up at a number of crime scenes after his murder Kay is at a complete loss. She tries to find Waddell's fingerprints within her files, but discovers they are nowhere to be found. Someone hacked into her computer system and even her administrative and HR files have been tampered with.

Kay calls in her niece Lucy, who is a 17-year-old college student with a genius level IQ in computer science. She sets out to find out who logged into Kay's computer and what was altered. I obviously have no idea what will happen later in this series, but I have a feeling Lucy will eventually work for the FBI and help Kay solve future cases.

Overall this was an excellent murder mystery. I started this series at least 15 years ago and really enjoyed the first couple of books. I think I lost some of my motivation because there are so many books in the series. As of this post there are 24 novels, so I still have 20 to read if I'm going to catch up.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Sunday Mystery Corner: Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell

Mary's Review

I am a huge fan of of mysteries and thrillers. I think that I love the "puzzle" of figuring out who did it, why they did it, and how they "almost" got away with it. It is always interesting and enjoyable.

I heard about this series through Twitter and other friends. They all say the same thing "great series" and etc etc. So, of course I had to read it.

In my opinion, this series was not what I thought it was. To me it did not hold me like a thriller/mystery should. Dr. Kay Scarpetta was a good character but she just could not hold my attention. Detective Marino is the lead of the case but he and Kay do not see eye to eye. They are investigating, Mr. Nobody, a serial killer of several woman in the Richmond area.

The storyline was very predictable and I had figured out the killer almost half way through the book. I like a storyline that would at least keep me guessing for a little bit longer than just that. I thought Cornwell did a great job of descriptive writing and I did realize that this was an older series and there were not many new "advances".

Overall, I will not continue this series.

Jacque's Review:

I started out reading a couple of the Kay Scarpetta books that were further along in the series and really enjoyed them. After determining that the main characters develop throughout the series, I decided to start reading from the beginning.

Kay Scarpetta is the newly appointed Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. Throughout this book, we learn some of her personal history as well as that of her family. We can see how things operate politically within her office and the various departments she interacts with. As the medical examiner, she is involved in the crime scene investigations, autopsies, and assists the detectives in analyzing the evidence associated with a series of murders committed in Richmond. Not only is she working to help solve these serial murders, but she has to contend with someone from the inside that is sabotaging the investigation.

Unlike Mary, I was not able to determine who the killer was until shortly before he was apprehended. We eventually can determine the suspect's occupation and how the seemingly unrelated victims are connected, but we were not officially introduced to him until the very end of the book. While the graphic details of the murders may not appeal to everyone, I plan on continuing to work my way through the rest of the series.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

June Read-a-Longs

Can you believe it's already June??!?!

Anyway, you know what that means! It's time for 3 great new read-a-longs with the Book Nerds! So, if you care to join us for one or 2 or all 3 -- and we'd love it if you would! -- here's what to get:

Our June Read-A-Long is.....

Entwined by Heather Dixon!

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Our Friday Movie/Book Read is...

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith!

When Abraham Lincoln was nine years old, his mother died from an ailment called the "milk sickness." Only later did he learn that his mother's deadly affliction was actually the work of a local vampire, seeking to collect on Abe's father's unfortunate debts.

When the truth became known to the young Abraham Lincoln, he wrote in his journal: henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become learned in all things—a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose."While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for reuniting the North with the South and abolishing slavery from our country, no one has ever understood his valiant fight for what it really was. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time—all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War, and uncovering the massive role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

Our Sunday Mystery Corner is...

Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell!

Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a human monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerring eye, she calls on the latest advances in forensic research to unmask the madman. But this investigation will test Kay like no other, because it's being sabotaged from within and someone wants her dead.

All summaries from Goodreads.

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