Sub-category: Murder/detective
The plot: Slowly starting
to piece her life back together after Benton's death, Scarpetta
is soon embroiled in unravelling the clues to extrememly
viscious killings starting with a body found in a ship container.
As the clues start to fall into place, Scarpetta realises
the links put herself, Detective Marino and her neice, Lucy
at risk as well.
Comment: One gets the feeling
that maybe Cornwell listened to the (plentiful) critics
of her last Scarpetta novel and has attempted in this novel
to return to her grittier roots with more detailed, sordid
descriptions of murder scenes, autopsy procedures and forensic
details. She succeeds. Black Notice is a credible
return to the style of the earlier Scarpetta novels with
plenty to keep you turning the pages - and enough to make
you think twice about going anywhere or living alone!
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 |
POINT
OF ORIGIN (1998) |
Sub-category:
Murder/detective
The plot: A viscous hate
letter arrives for Scarpetta from her arch nemesis, Carrie
Grethen. However, as Scarpetta prepares to go to Hamilton
Head on vacation with her companion, Benton, she gets called
out to investigate the arson of a well-known media magnate.
Before the burnt remains have been combed through, another
arson occurs just after Carrie walks out of the Psychiatric
hospital she is being held in. Scarpetta feels the noose
tightening around her neck and fears for her life and those
around her.
Comment: Compared to all
the previous novels by Cornwell, this one feels like she
is getting tired of her star, Scarpetta. The novel starts
off very slow, despite the fire, and drags on for quite
a bit with climax really reached in the middle of the novel.
The rest of the novel is devoted to filling in the missing
pieces and bit of a cop-out for a ending - although if this
story was ever to have been made into a film, it would have
been quite dramatic...
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|
POSTMORTEM
(1990) |
Sub-category: Murder/detective
The plot: Dr. Kay Scarpetta
receives a phone call in the early hours of the morning. 'Mr.
Nobody' has struck again, terrorising and brutally murdering
another woman. Scarpetta, the newly appointed Chief Medical
Examiner for the state of Virginia, has to battle on many
fronts, accumulating forensic evidence from the body and cajoling
the police into action as they subtly discriminate against
her.
Comment: This is an excellent
first novel setting the scene for many more excellent novels
by Cornwell, involving the heroine, Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Cornwell
uses her own background to produce excellent descriptions
of the forensics (her benchmark) involved in tracking down
serial killers in America. Start this book, and you won't
finish until you have read all of Cornwell's books.
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