On 2009-10-27 Alta Dethlefsen, Chicago, IL United States wrote: I love forensic science mysteries and used to be a big fan of this series. I hadn´t read a Scarpetta novel in a while since the last few I read weren´t as good as the earlier books in the series. I found this book at the inn where I was staying on vacation, and all I can say after reading it is that I want my money back, even though I didn´t even pay for the book.
I can´t help but wonder what is going on in Ms. Cornwell´s life that would lead her to write such a depressing book. The formerly interesting characters are all interwound in their mopey passive-agressive codependent behavior. None of them talk to one another and instead they spend most of their time reflecting on how miserable they are. Not a fun read.
But I could overlook that if the mystery was interesting. Other than a few interesting technical explanations, the mystery is practically an afterthought. And the ending of the book dispatches the resolution of the mystery offscreen while also leaving many plot points unfinished.
Ms. Cornwell´s readers, editor and publisher should demand better. There are plenty of hungry authors out there who would love to have her audience. I for one will be searching for my reading entertainment elsewhere.. And summed up by saying A very unhappy book. Currently Trace (Kay Scarpetta) has an overall rating of 4 over 10.
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Penguin Audio claimed Since POSTMORTEM garnered critical acclaim and a record-breaking five awards for a first crime novel, the Scarpetta novels have often been imitated, but never bettered. Against her own judgement and the advice of Benton Wesley and her niece, Lucy, Scarpetta agrees to return to Virginia as a consultant pathologist on a case involving the death of a fourteen-year-old girl. Accompanied by Pete Marino she finds the once familiar territory of her morgue and her department much changed, and the new Chief Medical Examiner treats her with disdain despite the obvious fact that he is in desperate need of her expertise. But professional as ever, she re- examines the evidence and proves the girl was murdered. She also finds trace evidence which matches that found on an accident victim and at the scene where one of Lucy´s operatives was attacked. It is not only a forensic puzzle, but opens up the probability that someone is after those closest to Scarpetta.
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