Product Description
During Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Louis Cataldie remained in New Orleans in dangerous and often unbearable conditions to attend to the sick, the injured-and the dead. As chief coroner of Baton Rouge, tending to the dead is Cataldie's job. A little town with big-city problems, Baton Rouge means "Red Stick"-and lives up to its bloody name. Cataldie has faced unusual and disturbing cases, from tracking three serial killers on the loose simultaneously while working the scene of a Malvo/ Muhammad Beltway Sniper shooting, to helping apprehend Baton Rouge serial killer Derrick Todd Lee in a controversial case that was featured in an ABC Primetime Live special with Diane Sawyer and Patricia Cornwell.

Cataldie's maverick ways have made him a favorite target of the media, but he offers no apologies, and speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. Graphic and frank, this is his unique, up-close look at his life spent stalking death in the Deep South. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Very Interesting
I thought it was morbid of me towant to read this book...maybe it still is but very interesting!

Intriguing
Just got this interesting book.I am thoroughly enjoying it. One of those books that when you put it down you look forward to coming back to it.

A Moving & In-Depth Look at Forensics with a Southern Twist
I loved forensics and true-life coroner stories long before CSI graced our television screens, so I was no novice to the genre when I first picked up this book a couple of years ago.That it still resonates with me today - enough to pen a review - should speak volumes to its quality as a biography of a forensic investigator and coroner; it is still one of my top five favorites.

Of them all, however, I have to say that "Coroner's Journal" holds a special place in my heart as it takes place in southern Louisiana - where I was born, raised, and am currently living.Nearly all of the locations Cataldie discusses were familiar to me, as were some of the cases.Others I had never heard, but were fascinated to learn had happened here at home; some of those have stayed with me even two years after first reading this book.

Having this connection made the work come even more alive for me.I was able to visualize a lot of what Cataldie was relaying because of it, but don't let that make you feel you will be missing out by not hailing from the byways and bayous of the Deep South; Cataldie's brilliant, and often touching, work will thrill any fan of coroner work or crime scene investigation.

He also shares previously unpublished and firsthand accounts of working a case on the famous Baton Rouge serial killer (the scourge we all now know as Derrick Todd Lee) and shares his recounting of Lee's most famous and brutal killing.As well, he takes you to some hurricane-ravaged areas in different parts of Louisiana to collect and identify the many dead after the devastation; a monumental and seemingly daunting task.Cataldie is an excellent storyteller, retelling his life's work with a masterful pen while retaining a very personable and compassionate connection to the victims and, also, the reader.I hope someday to meet this amazing, brilliant man and thank him for all he has done to not only make this state safer, but for his work in refining our previously-lacking forensics and crime scene investigation agencies.

All in all, this book was engaging and personable as well as provocative and left nothing wanting for a true fan of this genre.

Detailed Picture
I love the state of Louisiana and the city of Baton Rouge (red stick) therefore, this book is not only about a subject that interests me but also set in a location that I am familiar with.

At over 300 pages and 15 chapters, it is a very informative and compelling read.Some of the cases presented were thrilling to follow.Others, not so much.However as a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can recommend it to others.

I was especially pleased to note the doctor's opinion of TV versus reality.You have to know that the professionals in the real world get so frustrated with the one-hour mindset of the general public.

I also enjoyed Dr. Bill Bass's book Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales

I hope you find my opinion helpful.

Michael L. Gooch
Author of Wingtips with Spurs

Great Book!
This was a very very interesting book. As someone who has lived and worked in and around the neighborhoods where some of the murders written about in this book, it makes me think twice about wanting to know about everything that goes on in the city. It provides very detailed accounts of various death, suicides and murders that took place during Dr. Louis Cataldie's tenure as Coroner of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. The book also covers many instances where there was or is presumed to be murders by serial killers that lurk about. Great book! Cheap too! ... Read more

Product Description
Fans of Patricia Cornwell, the number one megastar who virtually invented the forensic thriller, will rejoice to see her first two novels, Postmortem and Body of Evidence, united in this much-anticipated omnibus volume. Hugely successful when they were first published, these are the two novels that brought Virginia Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta to the book-reading world. They are presented here complete and unabridged.

Postmortem

A serial killer is on the loose in Richmond, Virginia. Three women have died, brutalized and strangled in their own bedrooms. There is little pattern: the killer appears to strike at random -- but always early on Saturday mornings.

When Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta is awakened at 2:33 A.M., she knows the news is bad: there is a fourth victim, and she fears now for those who may follow unless she finds the forensic evidence that can break the case.

But not everyone wants her help. Not everyone is pleased to see a woman in this powerful job. Someone may even want to ruin her career and reputation before she can find the killer.

Body of Evidence

A reclusive writer is dead, and her final manuscript has disappeared...

Someone is stalking Beryl Madison. Someone who spies on her and makes threatening, obscene phone calls. Terrified, Beryl flees to Key West -- but eventually she must return to her Richmond home. The very night she arrives, Beryl inexplicably invites her killer inside.

Thus begins for Dr. Kay Scarpetta the investigation of a crime that is as convoluted as it is bizarre. Why would Beryl open the door to someone who would brutally slash and then neatly decapitate her? Did she know her killer? Adding to the intrigue is Beryl's enigmatic relationship with a prizewinning author and the disappearance of her own manuscript.

As Scarpetta retraces Beryl's footsteps, an investigation that begins in the laboratory with microscopes and lasers leads her deep into a nightmare that soon becomes her own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Scarpetta on the case
I really thought Scarpetta was going to find out her niece was responsible for hacking into the office computer system, so it was a surprise to find out who really did it.My first time listening to one of her books instead of reading it.I think I like reading them better.

Mystery book
The books were a gift so I actually never saw them but the person I sent them to seems to like the books.

Great book - great author
My husband is reading through all of her books... he liked the multiple novels in one place.

Changing technolgy
A long-standing fan of Patricia Cornwell, I have a complete collection of Kay Scarpatta and other works, but many are on audiotape.When I travel by car or plane, my audiobooks make the miles tolerable.I am beginning to replace the tapes with CDs.If I were not technolgically challenged, I should be downloading the books.

Cornwell
I love Patricia Cornwell. I have all her books in hardback. I did not enjoy this cd at all due to the female orator. She showed no kind of emotion while reading. It was very flat and very boring. I certainly would never pick her to read a book of anyones. I actually threw it away and money doesn't grow on trees here. ... Read more

Product Description
The eleventh Scarpetta novel, in which the Chief Medical Examiner is under a Grand Jury investigation for murder. She knows she's being framed and she no longer knows who she can trust...Physically and psychologically bruised by her encounter with the killer Chandonne, Dr Kay Scarpetta has to leave her home in the hands of the police team investigating the attack. She finds shelter with an old friend, Anna Zenner, but it is not the haven of security she needs when she discovers that Anna has been sub-poenaed to appear before a Grand Jury which is investigating Scarpetta for murder. Kay knows she is being framed and she also knows she can trust no-one.Meanwhile it appears that Chandonne killed a woman in New York before his murderous spree in Virginia, but when Scarpetta looks more closely into that case with the NY prosecutor Jaime Berger, proof of his guilt is far from certain -- in fact she begins to believe that he may not be the perpetrator of any of the crimes he is accused of. As she follows the forensic trail to the real killer she gradually realises that someone has been spinning a web for years with the aim of entrapping her.Who is it, and why are they so desperate to be rid of her?Amazon.com Review
Patricia Cornwell's legendary crime fiction creation, Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, has logged a host of fans among mystery readers and, within the bounds of her fictional world, an equally impressive tally of individuals intent on causing her grievous physical or psychological harm.

The 11th Scarpetta novel, The Last Precinct, doesn't add any new names to the second roster. Instead, in a sweeping narrative gesture toward retrospection (less-than-fervent fans might whisper "or stagnation"), the novel depends largely on ground already covered in its predecessors, Black Notice and, to a lesser extent, Point of Origin. All the familiar faces--friend and foe--are here: police captain Marino, Kay's niece Lucy, the so-called Werewolf murderer, and (in memoriam) Kay's lover Benton Wesley and his killer, Carrie Grethen. Kay, who nearly killed the Werewolf in self-defense as Black Notice came to a close, now finds herself the target of a corrupt police investigation that will dredge her darkest secrets from the deepest corners of her past.

Torn between a desire to clear her name and the instinct of a wounded animal to turn against even its would-be rescuers, Kay sifts through the forensic evidence that seems to link Chandonne to other horrific events in her past, up to and including Wesley's murder. Physical analysis, however, will not be enough to right her up-ended world. Instead, Kay must rely on the strategic support of her niece, cofounder of the Last Precinct (an odd, ill-defined organization that is, in the words of its motto, "where you go when there is nowhere left"), and on her willingness to examine her own fears, misconceptions, and anything-but-altruistic motives. The most important setting in this novel is not the morgue--it's the living room where Kay's therapist forces her to address (you guessed it) "unresolved issues."

The novel's focus on Kay's emotional evolution does not, unfortunately, mask the leaps of illogic that pepper the plot's murky stew. More disturbing than these occasional lapses, however, is the feeling that Cornwell has written herself into a corner. The Scarpetta of The Last Precinct is a far cry from the irritably independent woman of previous books. Her often over-inflated musings are more tiresome than tantalizing. Cornwell's impressive track record makes this excursion a bit disappointing, but that same record means that loyal fans will race to acquire the book anyway and that the odds of her returning to her usual stellar form next time are (hurrah!) favorable. --Kelly Flynn ... Read more

Customer Reviews (397)

The Last Precinct
The book arrived promptly and was in excellent condition. It was also inexpensive. I was quite satisfied with the transaction.

The last precinct - Patricia Cornwell
Excellent customer service and attention. The book was in better condition that I expected even after reading their description.

Forced and ham-fisted attempt at a "reboot"
It's been obvious from the last couple of books that Cornwell was determined to make some significant changes to the long-running Scarpetta series. Signs of the characters' unhappiness and frustration with their lot were telegraphed as far back as 'Point Of Origin', and were woven thickly into the narrative of 'Black Notice'. So it wasn't a surprise to me that 'The Last Precinct' seems designed as a complete re-boot of the series. Okay, I thought, this is the book where all the loose ends from previous books will be tied up, and some fascinating plot and character revelations will drive the series forward into new and exciting territory. Fair enough.

Except, it doesn't do any of these things. At least, it doesn't do them well.

'The Last Precinct' is terribly forced and clunky novel. While it does try to clear the decks and start the series afresh, it's done in a very jarring, ham-fisted way. Major plot and character twists are suddenly flung at you out of nowhere. Oh by the way, Lucy created some IT gizmos years ago and is now a millionaire gun-for-hire who's set up an independent law facility with her old ATF boss. You know what, Scarpetta decides she really doesn't love her job anymore and wants to resign. Did we forget to mention, yeah everything you thought you knew from 'Black Notice' was a lie or a mistake. And do you realise that nearly every event since 'The Body Farm' was actually part of giant years-long intertwined conspiracy? Yeah, well it was. I'm not exaggerating, this really is how events play out. If there was even a hint of these plot elements in earlier books, it might not have been so bad, but having all these "Facts" thrown together in one book just makes it seem convoluted and unconvincing.

Ditto the character development, with Scarpetta turning into a flaky, paranoid shell of the woman she once was, for no apparent reason. Scarpetta has previously had her home invaded ('Postmortem', 'Body Of Evidence'), been put on trial on flimsy evidence ('Cruel And Unusual'), and had corrupt politicians and police trying to do her over (nearly every book). Her solution has always been to stay strong and focussed, and battle her way through knowing that truth was on her side. Seeing her fall to pieces, jumping at shadows and distrusting everyone she knows, is grossly out of character for her. And the way she basically "gives up" by resigning and walking away....that's not the Kay Scarpetta we know.

The book also suffers from its long-winded rehashing of 'Black Notice'. Cornwell uses the investigation into Scarpetta as an excuse to have Kay, her psychoanalyst friend Anna, and prosecuter Jaime regurgitate nearly everything from 'Black Notice' in great detail. Most dedicated fans would have read this book, so why the need to repeat everything at such great length? Even more frustratingly, despite its long convoluted build-up, the book ends very abruptly, with many issues left unresolved. So despite its length, there's not much that actually happens in the book. And despite being designed as a re-boot, it leaves all these new plot and character devices hanging, with no resolution.

Really, there's not much positive to say about this book, and Cornwell makes a real mess of what could have been the key novel in the entire series. Unfortunately, if you're a dedicated fan of the series and want to see the plot points of 'Black Notice' dealt with, you pretty much have no choice but to read this whether you like it or not. The Scarpetta series apparently goes downhill big time after this; with 'The Last Precinct', it looks like the rot has already set in.

Two stars.

Boring and too detailed
I found this book very difficult to read.It was hard to find the plot as it seemed to be bouncing all over.I was half way through it when it finally started to make some sense.Even though I have read many of her books in the past, I will probably not read another.

Mystery of Death
Cornwell uses death as the theme throughout her mystery. She does this through her main character, who is a medical examiner. Dealing with death on a dally basis in her work does not prepare her for her own loses.
She shows that the manner in which people handle the loss of a human life whether a friend, enemy or family member can vary radically from person to the next, but that in the end it is still death and the last precinct. A tightly knit and well developed story...a good entertaining read.
... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Patricia Cornwell has said that if she hadn't written her KayScarpetta thrillers--the classic first three are collected in thisvolume--she might find them too scary to read. After all, she is therare crime writer who knows what she's talking about: she worked onthe newspaper crime beat and at the Scotland Yard-like medicalexaminer's office in Richmond, Virginia, at a time when a serialkiller was murdering women just like her. (Cornwell sleeps with a .38within reach.)

Postmortemintroduces Dr. Scarpetta, who knows the smell of bone dust from askullcap saw and how to read a body for clues via lasers, DNA, andcomputers. As Scarpetta slowly closes in on a killer known asMr. Nobody, she gets the creepy, well-informed feeling that the killeris closing in on her. Cornwell's debut swept the mystery-writingawards and made her somebody.

In Body ofEvidence, Scarpetta investigates the murder of a Southernwriter who mysteriously opened the door for her killer. In All That Remains,she hunts a serial killer of young lovers--including the daughter ofthe president's drug czar, which complicates the forensic chase withpolitical intrigue.

Besides suspenseful cat-and-mouse games between sleuth and killer (andwriter and reader), Cornwell creates a rich cast of screwed-upcharacters, chiefly Scarpetta's scruffy confrere, Detective PeteMarino. Scarpetta's character is a magnetic combination of pride,drive, brains, extreme skill at cooking, and a pervasive sadnessexpressed with tightly wound eloquence.With these books, Cornwell (adescendant of HarrietBeecher Stowe) increased her book deal from $6,000 to $24million. She earned it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Very pleased.
The website said that the product was in "used" condition, but when I received the product, I could not see any sign that the product was used.The product was in new condition and I received the product very quickly.I am very pleased.

On time and good condition.
I expected the book to be in better condition but overall for a used book it is in pretty good condition.

Blow Fly
Blow Fly follows on from where we last left Scarpetta, visibly breaking up as she, Lucy and Marino struggled to come to terms with the brutal death of Benton Wesley, FBI profiler.Now however,it turns out that all was not as it seemed to be in Last Precinct, that things are happening behind the scenes of which Scarpetta has no knowledge and more importantly, no control over.The notorious Chandonne cartel is still seemingly omnipresent, with the fact that he is on death row not standing in the way of the Wolfman, Jean Baptiste, in the slightest.The book, written in the third person narrative is, at times, slow, as though Cornwell needs to remind the readers of the plot after such a long time away from them, but generally it is a necessary tool which keeps things moving along coherently, and ties together everything at the end, so the story is conluded as far as possible. An absolute gem of a read.

A collection like no other
Over the past thirteen years, Patricia Cornwell has established herself as the world's leading crime writer. With this collection, we are introduced to Kay Scarpetta, crime fiction's most fascinating protaganist. Three of Cornwell's grittiest and most terrifying novels are rolled into one superior anthology.

Her debut novel, Postmortem, deals with an elusive serial killer who is holding the city of Richmond, Virginia hostage with his nightly endeavors -- breaking into young women's bedrooms, sexually assaulting them, and then strangling them.

Cornwell's follow-up, Body Of Evidence, has a lot to live up to, but doesn't disappoint. A young woman, a struggling writer, is being stalked. One rainy evening, she seemingly invites her killer inside her home.It is up to Scarpetta to put the pieces together as she follows a trail of bread crumbs from the Richmond crime scene to the young author's secret hideaway in Key West. However, it soon becomes glaringly apparent that said killer has set Scarpetta herself in his scopes...

All That Remains, the final volume in this collection, details Scarpetta's frustrating pursuit of a viscious serial killer dubbed "The Couple Killer" by the press because his modus operandi is to slay young couples in isolated, woodland areas. When the most recent victim turns out to be the daughter of a powerful political drug activist, things get personal as Kay discovers that the CIA may be witholding evidence...

Whether you've never read a Scarpetta novel or are a longtime fan interested in adding to your Cornwell collection, this set of enthralling novels is a definite must!

Ah, Scarpetta... truly the best.
I'd have to admit I'm one of those people who buys each new Patricia Cornwell as soon as it comes out, and here are three of the best.If you've read any crime novel featuring a female detective written in the last ten years, you've read a novel that's been influenced by the fabulous Scarpetta.Kay Scarpetta is a forensic pathologist with a genius for solving crime, and Patricia Cornwell is a writer with a genius for bringing the morgue to life. Cornwell's writing is superb when it comes to gory and technical forensic details, and her enviable skill with suspense will leave you checking that you've locked your doors and seriously considering purchasing some kind of semi-automatic weapon.

Scarpetta purists may hold that Postmortem is the best of the bunch, but there's plenty in each of these novels to keep crime fans happy for some time to come.I don't know anyone who's read a Scarpetta novel and hasn't been converted.Postmortem features a seriously scary serial killer and rapist, who's tracked down by a mixture of forensic work, medical knowledge and psychology; in Body of Evidence, Scarpetta is forced to retrace the final days of a murdered writer in the hope of uncovering the truth about her death; and in All That Remains Scarpetta has to deal with political pressure as she attempts to discover the identity of a serial killer who stalks and murders courting couples.

Scarpetta is certainly flawed - difficult, demanding and with an unfortunate proclivity for men who treat her badly, or die horribly, or sometimes both - but this is precisely why she is so endearing.If you're after a great thriller with plenty of forensic detail, go no further than Patricia Cornwell. ... Read more

Product Description
Now updated with new material that brings the killer's picture into clearer focus ... Read more

Customer Reviews (623)

A great new look at a famous cold case
Of course, the "Jack the Ripper" murders are probably the most famous of cold cases. In "Portrait of a Killer ..." Ms. Cornwell takes a new look at many facets of the Ripper murders and makes an excellent case for her prime suspect. The book is gripping and eye-opening. Ms. Cornwell paints a fascinating picture of London of the Victorian era and fills it in with details connecting the murders to one, very specific person. And goes on to give us a complet picture of him as well.

If you're interested in the Ripper murders or you're just a "fan" of unsolved crimes, this book is a must-read. Ms. Cornwell's book is compelling and convincing. I loved it and have read it twice now.

Cornwell & the Ripper
I began this book being highly skeptical of Patricia Cornwell's claims that she had solved the Jack the Ripper murders.Although I am an avid fan of Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series, the many negative reviews I read regarding "Portrait of a Killer" led me to believe that Cornwell was on a complete ego trip and virtually obsessed with Jack the Ripper.After finishing the book and reflecting upon it, I find this is not the case.

Cornwell presents a body of evidence that gives great credence to her belief that artist Walter Sicker was in fact responsible for the White Chapel murders.Critics bash Cornwell for using circumstantial evidence such as Ripper letters written using a paint brush, Sickert's gladstone bag, and Sickert paintings which give clues to his crimes.However, when investigating a 100+ year old case circumstantial evidence is about all you have.I'd like to see any of her detractors build a more compelling case against other Ripper suspects.True, by themselves each piece of evidence can be easily explained, but by putting all of the pieces of the Ripper puzzle together, you begin to see some disturbing connections between Sickert and the Ripper.

I've researched Jack the Ripper extensively and read a great deal of the criticism written about Cornwell.I find just as many holes in the theories of her critics as they do in hers.Letters written by Sickert's wife and mother indicate he was in France at the time of the murders.However, friends of Sickert living in France make no mention of seeing him during August, September, or October in their own letters which I find strange.Furthermore, Sickert's own mother claimed that her son often visited and left France at the drop of the hat and ferry transportation between England and France was abundant.

Another argument critics make is that Sickert did not have a sexual defect and one man claims to be Sickert's son.With no DNA tests to prove this, the evidence is just as much circumstantial as Cornwell's.Furthermore, there had to have been something wrong with Sickert's genitalia for his parent's to put him through three invasive surgeries.

In my opinion, Patricia Cornwell has solved this case.Perhaps not 100%, I don't think anyone could solve the case 100%, but I do believe that Walter Sickert was Jack the Ripper.The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because of poor editing.I felt that the book could have been better organized, but the facts Cornwell provides are truly amazing.I highly recommend this book to both Cornwell fans and those interested in learning who Jack the Ripper really was.

BORING!
I read this book thinking the subject was interesting and expecting the quality of writing Cornwell demonstrated in the earlier Scarpetta novels. Alas, this book was so boring I couldn't even finish it - and I usually finish anything I read. The writing drags and I didn't find the theory very compelling either. Whether you're a fan of Cornwell or interested in The Ripper, you'll be disappointed.

Puh-leeese!!Could this be more ludicrous??
It would be unfair to describe Ms Cornwell's Jack the Ripper theory as being the most ridiculous to date. In Ripper & the Royalsby Melvin Fairclough, it is claimed that the Ripper murders were committed to cover up the marriage of Prince Albert Victor, grandson of Queen Victoria, to a catholic commoner. This notion, which also forms the premise of the movie 'From Hell' starring Johnny Depp, is, in my estimation, the stupidest 'solution' suggested so far, but Patricia Cornwalls effort in this book runs a very close second.

The title of the book informs us unequivocally (and, some might say rather arrogantly) that the Jack the Ripper case is now closed and the inference is quite clear that Ms Cornwell is the lone sleuth who investigated all the evidence and was thus led to the ultimate conclusion that Walter Sickert was the murderer. Unfortunately, notwithstanding all the media hype following the publication of the book that suggested that Ms Cornwell's theory was ground-breaking, the fact remains that Walter Sickert has already been offered up as a suspect in Sickert and the Ripper Crimes by Jean Overton Fuller. Clearly, this is a case where Ms Cornwell has become aware of a theory, become enamoured with it, and then made the all too common error of stretching and straining the facts in order to fit with her preconceptions rather than objectively analyizing the evidence to see what conclusions may be drawn. Several other reviewers have discussed the errors and weaknesses of her 'investigation', such as the feeble nature of the DNA evidence and her questionable assumptions concerning the provenance of the Ripper letters. I won't reiterate those arguments here, but I would note that anyone with more than a passing knowledge of the Ripper murders won't have to read very far into the book to have serious doubts about it given Ms Cornwall's unquestioned assumptions about just who it the Ripper is supposed to have killed.

The actual number of Ripper victims is the subject of considerable disagreement, ranging from 3 to a dozen or more. Sir Melville Macnaughten, who became Chief Constable at Scotland Yard after the Ripper murders, left a memorandum in which he stated quite definitively that there 5, and *only* five, Ripper victims, naming them as:

Mary Ann (Polly) Nichols;
Annie Chapman;
Elizabth (Long Liz) Stride;
Catherine Eddowes; and,
Marie Jeanette Kelly.

These five women are often referred to as the 'canonical victims' because, for decades, Macnaughten's pronouncement was accepted more or less at face value. Book after book on the Ripper case has discussed the case on the assumption that all five women were murdered by the same hand and it is only in the last couple of decades or so that this assumption has been widely criticised. Many 'Ripperologists' now believe that Elizabeth Stride was not, in fact, a Ripper victim at all, and a smaller, but increasing number of theorists, including myself, also believe that Marie Jeannete Kelly was not killed by the same person who killed Nichols, Chapman or Eddowes. Ms Cornwell has clearly read enough to be familiar with the canonical five, but not enough to be familiar with the controversies as to their status as Ripper victims. Surely, in a proper, objective and full examination, one would expect this important aspect of the case to be addressed, or mentioned at the very least. Ms Cornwell, however, appears to have swallowed the canon whole without being aware of the significant objections to the conclusions. Even apart from all the investigating deficiencies noted by others, this glaring weakness in the book will immediately signal knowledgeable Ripper theorists that Ms Cornwell is signally less informed than she and her publishers would have us believe.

I could go on but I would like to close by offering advice to Ripper 'newbies' to steer clear of this book, at least until you have a few more reputable works under your belt. I gave the book two stars because I finished it and because I believe that it is a volume the hard-core Ripperologists will wish to have read and have in their collections. However, if you are new to the case and wish to get familiar with the facts, you might be wiser to stick to something a little more objective. Personally, I would recommend Jack the Ripper: The Complete Casebook by Donald Rumbelow. It is a well-balanced book that looks at the general facts of the case and also provides some very interesting background material.

C. John Thompson

The book "From Hell"

I've generally enjoyed Cornwell's novels which, though inevitably formulaic, are tightly composed, full of information, and of a length suitable for finishing on a cross-country flight. Were it not for Patricia Cornwell, Michael Conelly, and John Sandford I would dread air travel.

Portrait of a Killer, on the other hand, falls into no ready category. I would describe it as a combination of Freud's "Psychopathology of Everyday Life", "Finnegan's Wake", and the Minneapolis white pages.

The topic should be a sure-fire hit -- everybody loves this case except the shade of poor Fred Abberline, who is remembered only for his failure to nail the Whitechapel killer. But somehow, Portrait of a Killer veers off into an eccentric orbit of uncorrelated facts, impressions, and observations, unreferenced and apparently without chronological structure and innocent of any framework to bring before a grand jury.

The book is about Walter Richard Sickert, a known creep protected by his art like an Edwardian Roman Polanski; but the life and times of one unsavory sociopath are of little interest to those who bought the book without the parallel development of the Whitechapel murders. In this case, anyone trying to understand the crimes will be hopelessly confused. The core murders -- Nichols, Chapman, Stride, Eddows, and Kelly -- are listed only incidentally and without a clear chronology, and are interspersed with later events that may or may not be part of the Ripper's corpus of art. To confuse readers further, sketches from Sickert's life are inserted almost randomly into the Ripper narrative, sometimes with connection and sometimes (apparently) just to insert text. The only real forensic result -- a tantalizing but indeterminate DNA result -- is buried in text early in the book. The graphological clues and doodlings of the murdered (?) and Sickert are similarly pursued to nowhere because no organized case summary is ever presented. I could make one by reading the book page by page and entering points on a legal pad (and doodling in frustration), but that should not be the reader's task.

I am not a Ripper buff. I've read one book other than this one and sat through quite a few films hoping to find enlightenment. There are still no answers after Portrait of a Killer. And perhaps it is better that way. As few of us wanted Lee Harvey Oswald to have acted alone, so we would be disappointed to learn at the end of all the speculations that Saucy Jack was not an eccentric artist, a Freemason, or part of a Royal conspiracy, but finally just one or more illiterate thugs acting out their brutal psychopathic lives in the alleys of London's East End.


... Read more

Product Description
Robbery, murder, incompetence and not enough parking spaces - just another day in the life of a big city's police department. Judy Hammer investigates as a virus crashes the police computer, freezing screens with a design of blue fish - the same one a gang called the Pikes claim is their symbol.Amazon.com Review
In their first appearance (Hornet's Nest, 1997),Chief Judy Hammer, Deputy Virginia West, andreporter-turned-rookie-cop Andy Brazil battled a serial killer inCharlotte, North Carolina. Now, in Patricia Cornwell's SouthernCross, the trio are dispatched to Richmond, Virginia--via an NIJ(National Institute of Justice) grant--to quell the growing gangproblem and modernize the beleaguered Richmond PD.They bring withthem a sophisticated computer program for tracking criminal activityand a tried-and-true methodology for reforming Richmond's men andwomen in blue. Unfortunately, Hammer, Brazil, and West could not havebeen prepared for the resentment they would confront... or the bizarrecast of characters they would find upon their arrival: LeliaEhrhart--wealthy (and nosey) chair of the Blue Ribbon CrimeCommission--whose heavy European accent renders her Englishdangerously hilarious; Butner "Bubba" Flunk IV--tobacco industryworker, gun collector, and UFO aficionado; Smoke--the sociopathicleader of the Pikes gang; and Weed Gardener--14-year-old painterturned master graffiti artist.

Unlike Cornwell's usual fare, Southern Cross is driven almostexclusively by an interest in these strange personalities and theirsurreal hometown, rather than in fast-paced thrills. The novel becomesa satire on city politics, Southern culture, the ever-tenserelationship between the police and the public, and the struggles ofthe average man and woman with computer technology. Cornwell does falldown in a few places. First, her description of the computer virusthat somehow infects police department Web sites from Richmond to NewYork seems a bit far-fetched. Also, her narrative, divided among threemajor characters, loses its focus and sags at several points. In theend, though, Southern Cross is redeemed by Cornwell'sinimitable renderings of police work and the quotidian life ofRichmond's many odd denizens. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (527)

Absolutely awful
This was a truly awful read!I have read several Scarpetta books, and hoped this would make a good mystery. No such luck.I would sum up the book as: bizarre, boring, disjointed, coincidental.None of the three or four separate stories going on the book was interesting.One of them had a sympathetic character (Weed) but that was not enough to carry the novel. There was no suspense or thrills in this book. I felt like I was plodding through it the whole way.

I also found the inclusion of "animals with thoughts" to be very irritating.The "rap" that appears at the end of one chapter was truly awful. I think Cornwell should stay away from writing rap music in the future!

Yes, it's just as bad as they say
How can a Patricia Cornwell book be this bad? I couldn't believe it, and then I decided I DIDN'T believe it. I should have believed it. Reading "Southern Cross" is like watching a psychopathic version of Hee Haw, with bodies and car chases sprinkled among the dumb hick humor. I never even got to the point where Scarpetta shows up, and I listened to a good three cd's.

Now, I don't mind if Scarpetta never showed up at all, except that all of the characters Cornwell drew were so incredibly tedious and long-winded I wished somebody would come along and lynch them just to pep up the story a little. I just didn't care about any of them. Much of this book is dumb hick shuck and jive with nothing at all happening; and the rest is squad room doofus cops yucking it up or complaining about office politics.

Truly horrendous.

Narrated capably by Christine McMurdo-Wallis, poor thing. I hope she was paid well.

I review only audiobooks. Check out my other reviews, then download, plug in, and never be bored again.

Forget the Comparisons to Cornwell's Previous Books
This novel is just plain weak.Patricia Cornwell's editor should have been braver! I did manage to get through this novel, so it rates two stars instead of one.However, so much of the novel feels inauthentic, with poorly attempted humor. Teenagers come across as having the intellectual and emotional capacity of five-year-olds.A woman with English as her second language jumbles words and mixes metaphors so horribly that maybe, at first, it might be mildly humorous.But the joke goes on way too long.Paragraph after paragraph after paragraph of this minor character's mangled speech becomes excruciating to read. Lastly, getting into the point of view of household pets nearly works but feels utterly out of context.

Murder on the Rise
Cornwell weaves her story of corruption that escalates to murder. Hammer is brought in to clean up the police department.Hammer finds that they do not like her stirring-up trouble. All of this is played out in front of the public. There are to many sub characters that take away from the story.By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above the River"

The Humorous side of Cornwell!
What is up with all these horrible review's with this book???? I am glad that I listened to my gut feeling instead of the 1 star reviewer's This is a change from super woman Scarpetta, and change is good! I think Ms. Cornwell has a humor side to her that we don't get to see often. It is fun when she brings this part of herself out, and I was skeptical at first. I am so gald I read it, and man did I ever enjoy it. Why is it so hard for people to figure out this book was intented to be humorous. Again laughter is a good medicine for the soul. It doesn't have to be all about Scarpetta, Benton, Lucy and Marino all the time. Lets have some fun once in a while. Way to go Cornwell!!! ... Read more

Product Description
International publishing sensation Patricia Cornwell's legion of readers will welcome this omnibus edition of her third and fourth megabestselling Kay Scarpetta novels, All That Remains and Cruel & Unusual. These two novels, presented here complete and unabridged, helped to confirm Patricia Cornwell's status as queen of the forensic thriller and one of the world's top bestselling authors.

All That Remains

A killer is stalking young lovers. Taking their lives and leaving just a tantalizing clue.

When the bodies of young couples start turning up in remote woodland areas, Dr. Kay Scarpetta's task as Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner is made more difficult by the effects of the elements. Eight times she must write that the cause of death is undetermined.

But when the latest young woman to go missing is the daughter of one of America's most powerful women, Kay also finds herself prey to political pressure and press harassment. The killings must stop. Now.

Scarpetta soon discovers that someone is withholding vital evidence, or even faking it.Meanwhile, a cunning sadistic killer is still at large.

Cruel & Unusual

At 11:05 one December evening in Richmond, Virginia, convicted murderer Ronnie Joe Waddell is pronounced dead in the electric chair. At the morgue, Dr. Kay Scarpetta has been waiting for Waddell's body. Preparing to perform a postmortem before the subject is dead is a strange feeling for Scarpetta, but she has been here before. And Waddell's death is not the only newsworthy event on this freezing night: the grotesquely wounded body of a young boy is found propped against a garbage Dumpster. To Scarpetta, the two cases seem unrelated, until she recalls that the body of Waddell's victim had been arranged in a strikingly similar position.

Was Waddell innocent? Is someone else out there, who may attack again? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Scarpetta rules!
Another great one by Particia Cornwell.
Read them ALL, in order if you can. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Excellent service
The book was in excellent, almost new, condition.It was shipped ahead of the time advised.

Did she write this just becasue she had to?
I am a big Cornwell fan...have read almost all her books...this one was very disppointing! Felt as if she didnt really put much thought into the book and just wrote it to get another one on the shelves.

Chills, thrills, and good writing!

Ok, I admit I am not a big fan of female authors, but Pat Cornwell is an exception. This is another chilling Kay Scarpetta thriller, which should please her fans. Scarpetta is back in Florida but with no time to enjoy the sand and sun. The sexually abused body of a female is found in Boston. The woman has been tortured and brutally murdered, and tattooed with hand prints. Scarpetta's niece, Lucy is spending too much time trolling the pickup bars for casual relationships, but Lucy notices the same tattoo hand prints on one of her pick-ups? At the same time Kay is investigating a missing Florida family, called in by a neighbor, but she finds the neighbor is dead and the call had been made by someone else! It is soon obvious that someone is playing a game with her, setting her up, she is the prey and he is the predator! I loved the way the suspense built in this one with the villain cleverly toying with Scarpetta, leading her down

Not her best work
I love Ms Cornwell's work but this left me wanting more. It was still a good read but not her best.

Should be a zero star rating
Usually enjoy Cornwell's books but this is awful.I put it down, half read and went to another one.Picked it back up and wondered why.What was Cornwell thinking?It gets zero stars in my opinion ... Read more

Product Description
The millions of fans who read Patricia Cornwell's bestsellers know that her popular character, Kay Scarpetta, loves to unwind in the kitchen. Book after book finds her tapping into her Italian heritage to create delicious meals for herself and her friends.

Brimming with full-color photographs and inspired by dozens of food scenes in Kay's kitchen and favorite restaurants, Food to Die For is a cookbook tailor-made for Scarpetta fans. Among the criminally good recipes:

€ Miami-Style Chili with Beer (All That Remains)
€ Grilled Grouper with Butter and Key Lime Juice (Cruel and Unusual)
€ Jack Daniel's Chocolate Pecan Pie (The Body Farm)
€ Lasagna with Marinara Sauce and Porcini Mushrooms (Cause of Death)
€ Bev's Lump Crab Cakes (Unnatural Exposure)
€ Kay's Grilled Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni, and Three Cheeses (Black Notice) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Food to Die For Recipes
My daughter is deep into the Patricia Cornwell mystery series.Apparently the author talks a lot about cooking in her books and my daughter wanted this book.I was not able to find it anywhere other than Amazon.The service was great - got the book in time for Christmas and my daughter was thrilled.

Food to Die For
Loved this book. It reads like a novel and the recipes, so far, are fabulous. Have already made the Pollo al Limon and the country braided bread. Directions were simple to follow and very complete. I like that she includes the gourmet ingredients but gives you eveyday options and quick tips if you are pressed for time or money!!

Food To Die For
I really enjoy making the recipes in this book!It is an excellent choice for anyone who likes Italian food.

Fun Book
I love Cornwell's books, and Kay Scarpetta!When you know the characters, this is a fun way to cook!I'm just sorry there are not more recipes.

cooking
I love Kay Scarpetta and this just gives it another twist because you can cook like her ...... ... Read more

Product Description
When Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the intrepid chief medical examiner of Virginia, isn't busy solving crimes, she is concocting delicious dishes in her kitchen. In Scarpetta's Winter Table, Patricia Cornwell takes her readers behind the scenes for intimate glimpses of her three major characters as they come together to celebrate the week between December 26, "the biggest letdown day of the year," and New Year's.On the day after Christmas, Scarpetta make her special pizza pie and Detective Pete Marino creates his "cause-of-death eggnog" (he uses corn liquor), while Lucy Farinelli (a special agent with ATF and Scarpetta's only niece) goes on a long run in the snowy suburbs of Richmond, Virginia. The next day, Scarpetta flies to Miami to spend a few days with her querulous mother and Sindbad, her Siamese cat. In Richmond, Lucy entertains her friends, all from various federal law enforcement agencies; and Marino first apprehends and then befriends Jimmy Simpson, a ten-year-old boy who had been snowballing his house. In the final scene of the novelette, all the characters (including Jimmy's mother, who seems to catch Marino's eye) gather in Scarpetta's warm house on a cold night to enjoy her famous stew.This book--a special "gift" from Cornwell to her readers--is perfect for the Christmas-present buyer, and gives the reader insights into her best-known characters that cannot be found in any other work. It is illustrated with photographs that suggest the locales and activities of her characters, and it includes the ingredients for all the dishes described in the story.Amazon.com Review
Not intended for serious cooks, but ideal for fastidious fansof Ms.Cornwell, Scarpetta's Winter Table is perfect for thethrillerphile who has everything. This offbeat, 81-page novella takesyou behind the scenes to Dr. Kay Scarpetta's kitchen, where you'lllearn how to make her "Bad Mood Pasta Primavera," "Holiday Pizza," and"Childhood Key Lime Pie"--just to name a few. Along for the culinaryfestivities are the doctor's trusty cohorts, Pete Marino, captain ofthe Richmond police department, and Scarpetta's niece, Lucy. Both addtheir favorite concoctions, such as Marino's "Cause-of-Death Eggnog"and Lucy's "Friendly Grill." Those who have read Cornwell's Point of Originwill find a double delight in Winter Table, as it's amplystuffed with references from the bestselling thriller. However, recipereaders be warned: there are no measurements, exact lists ofingredients, or detailed cooking instructions.It reads like a shortstory, with vague descriptions of what each dish contains--the intentbeing that each person will make a slightly different version. Thismay be frustrating for a by-the-book cook, but flexible, freestylechefs may find it's just what the doctor ordered. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Yummy for the tummy!
This book was fabulous, and has great recipes. Oh, by the way very good pizza, and the Key Lime Pie is my favorite of all favorite's. This was a great way for the character's to come together and be fun and share recipes together. Great job Cornwell!

A nice change of pace
I found this to be a very enjoyable read.All of the main characters are present & instead of the crazy fast paced lives we as Cornwell readers are normally exposed to, during the course of this book, we become privy to a little behind the scenes of Scarpetta's life away from the hustle & bustle of her job.

short and sweet
a lovely treat to read at one sitting. can't wait to try the recipes!!

it is a fun read but not much substance..
... If I had to spend [money]to get this book, I would be quite disappointed because it is so short.It seems to me the author put this together in a hurry to make some money.It is not bad but not much in there.I enjoyed reading it but the plot was a bit [stale.]

Great book!
As a Patricia Cornwell fan, I was dubious about buying a spin-off book and possibly destroying my image of Dr. Scarpetta. However, my curiosity (and stomach) finally overcame my reservations. This book is absolutely wonderful! Dishes are written in a narrative form and are simple to figure out, leaving just enough room for imagination and a personal touch, as recipes ought to be.The story is more in-depth than I would have thought for a book like this, which was a nice surprise.I've never seen a book like this and think PC deserves credit for breaking new ground by introducing a book that gives recipes as well as a story to compliment them.Or should I say, a new story with recipes to compliment it! Basically, it describes a Kay Scarpetta feast made with love for two of her favorite people, in detail and uninterrupted by crime.These feasts are one of my favorite parts of these novels, and this one reads just like the novels, although just a little more in depth (and of course with recipes!)I suspect you need to be a fan to really enjoy this book, but I entertain often and our guests haved raved over every dish we've made from this book (as well as from the other PC recipe book Food To Die For, which I also love dearly). This Winter Table story pairs with its recipes better than a fine wine, and gives the reader not only a recipe but the heart and soul and inspiration to warm your heart as well as your tummy. :) ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

ONLY FOR THE MOST DIE HARD CORWELL FANS
I read things about Cornwell and Ive read all of her books, lord help me...and frankly, there was nothing in this book I had not heard or read elsewhere and I'm hardly an expert on Cornwell.One piece of advice..if you have not read a certain book DONT read the synopsis of it in this book, it will ruin it for you, it's a real spoiler, eventhough ive read all the books, ive forgotten some of them and even I dont want to have the whole book explained to me.Really, I dont get the reason for this book, is it really necessary to have all the books broken down and a quick index of the characters, I mean if you've read her books, you know who all these people are and you know what the books are about, and Cornwell it not interesting at all, she's notoriously mysterious and prickly.

When and how does Benton Wesley come back to life?
I have read all of the books in the Scarpetta series, but the last 5 before the first nine. Could someone tell me in which one
Benton reappears? I remember it but can't remember the exact details, and after just finishing Point of Origin, I can't imagine how he didn't really die.

HELP!!!

Good for Hard Core Fans, a Pass for the Mildly Interested
This book does well what it does, which isn't much.I received it as a Christmas 2003 gift, and while I'm happy to have it, I will admit quite readily to its limitations.

That is, for those like me (avid readers and fans of Cornwell BOOKS -- with maybe a vague curiosity in the author of the work), do we really need a companion book that's 50% summaries of books we've already read and 50% information that we've already seen or read in the media?Not really.

However, for someone who's insatiably interested in authors as people, in tracking the progress of popular writers from obscurity to surpassing success, or requiring (for whatever reason) a nutshell expression of the literary and public interface of Patricia Cornwell, then this book is the ideal.

The thing is, the book is really detailed in its provision of information... there are glossaries of terms Cornwell uses in her books, reviews of the books, published interviews with Cornwell, and the aforementioned summaries of all of her novels through Jack the Ripper: Case Closed.I learned a little more about her as a person, but mostly, the book asserts what I already knew.She is reclusive -- even shy -- by nature, passionate about helping others, and intrinsically private.

Frankly, there's an awful lot of Cornwell in her novels, and perhaps it's through them that it's most possible to get to know her.

Companion is hardly reader friendly
Author companions are often considered essential reading by die-hard fans, providing a unique insight into the author's private life and literary world.

And, for readers who are also writers, companions promise a peak under the curtain by revealing the inspiration and inner workings of the author's craft.

That's what I gained many years ago when I read 'The Stephen King Companion' by George Beahm. And that's what I expected to read with his latest unauthorized tome on the life and times of Patricia Cornwell, bestselling author of 11 medical thrillers featuring forensic pathologist Dr Kay Scarpetta.

Sadly, 'The Unofficial Patricia Cornwell Companion' is not up to Beahm's previous work.

On the surface, it has all of the ingredients for a successful companion book ~ biographical information, author interviews and an examination of her works ~ but it is missing a few less tangible but equally vital elements ~ passion, enthusiasm and depth.

Beahm has gathered information from a variety of sources, including Cornwell's own web site as well as third party interviews and articles. But there doesn't appear to be a lot of original work beyond the guide to her books (including plot synopses, research and critical reviews) and a glossary of forensic terminology which command the lion's share of the book.

The most sought-after component of the companion is missing ~ an original interview with the reclusive author.

Beahm explains in the introduction:

"Unlike (Stephen) King and (Anne) Rice, who have been covered exhaustively in the media at large and in books studying their work, Cornwell has kept a low profile: no book-length works had been published about her or her work, and because she zealously guards her time and personal access, especially with the media, only a handful of profile pieces had been published to date, few of them flattering."

He concedes later:

"Much of what is in this book is common knowledge, collected for the first time under one set of covers. Drawing from public sources, this book strikes a balance between what her readers would like to know and the privacy to which Cornwell is entitled."

Given that this is the first Patricia Cornwell biography, it does, of course, shed some light on the writer's life ~ whetting the appetite for an authorised version hopefully some time soon.

For fellow writers wishing to gain an insight into her literary life, the companion offers a handful of quotable quotes from the scribe:

Cornwell on literary production:

"The best I did was write 200 pages in 10 days. Next morning I woke up, my left hand was paralyzed for four months. Radial-nerve damage. But I wasn't unbalanced. I was just manic like an artist gets manic."

Cornwell on characters:

"It's important to me to live in the world I write about. If I want a character to do or know something, I try to do or know the same thing."

Cornwell on inspiration:

"I think the most important thing is that you have to believe in what you're doing. It can't just be cranking out another book ~ it's your mission."

Cornwell on writing:

"I don't do it as a job. I don't write an outline or plot everything out. My office looks like a bomb hit it, totally unstructured. I do all the research first, and none of the writing, then I sit in front of what I've gathered and go to work. I take notes all the time, can't turn off, use spare moments to jot things down. Then I go into seclusion; I go under, and I write a book."

And a passing shot at critics:

"When you've had really big success, critics are just looking for a chance to blast you out of the water. I think my characters are colourful, and I think my fans agree. They wouldn't keep buying my books if they didn't."

The Bottom Line

'The Unofficial Patricia Cornwell Companion' goes some way to documenting the literary life of Patricia Cornwell. But for those fans who want more than a skin-deep examination of the author's world, you'll have to wait for a companion to this book.

-- Michael Meanwell, author of the critically-acclaimed 'The Enterprising Writer' and 'Writers on Writing'. For more book reviews and prescriptive articles for writers, visit www.enterprisingwriter.com

Patricia Cornwell, a Portrait
Not since Beahm's Stephen King Companion has a book made a writer so accessible.Much like the earlier title, the Patricia Cornwell Companion is an equally fascinating read for folks just getting into Ms. Cornwell's work as well as for experts.Each chapter goes into depth about each book in Cornwell's canon, presenting a breakdown, listing each edition and awards won, reprinting reviews and interviews, and (my favorite) presenting an "A to Z" glossary of each book.The best feature of this book, though, are the Appendices, discussing the facts and details of the life of real-life forensic investigators.

A terrific book by a consistantly terrific writer, The Patricia Cornwell companion is a worthy addition to anyone's Cornwell collection.

-Kevin Quigley
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

TRACE
Product was fine, shipping time 11 days. Item purchased same day came in 3 days.

Tracing the evidence
An absolutly enjoyable read/listen. Great entertainment! Hard to put down because you want to keep going!

always entertaining but not as good as some.
Cornwell's Scarpetta mysteries are always enjoyable entertainment. This just wasn't as good as some.

Not her best.
I usually enjoy Patricia Cornwell but I found Trace long-winded and boring.

difficult to listen
this book is very hard to listen to.lots and lots of profanity.it's read by a woman who then tries to disquise her voice as a man's.just doesn't sound right.why not have a man read for a man's part and a woman read for a woman's part?did not continue after the first chapter.this is a great author and the audio book is a sad way to 'read' one of her books. ... Read more

Product Description
From the number-one bestselling author of Cause of Death, a knowing andwry novel of big-city police, big-city crime, and the ironic intersections of everyday lives.

It's a city of ambition and pride, a city long ago dubbed "the hornet's nest ofAmerica." A swarming symbol dominates the badge of the police department that protectsit--the image of a darting, restless fighter: the whirling dervish of a hornet. Like theviolence that swirls around Charlotte during a long, hot summer, the hornet traces a dark,angry path, touching down unexpectedly, bringing stings of surprise wherever it lands.

Patricia Cornwell's brilliant new novel carries its own surprises. The creator of KayScarpetta, the most fascinating character in contemporary crime fiction, now cunninglyreveals the heart and soul of a metropolitan police department. With Charlotte as hersimmering background, she propels us into the core of the force through the lives of adynamic trio of heroes: Andy Brazil, an ambitious young reporter for The CharlotteObserver and an eager--sometimes too eager--volunteer cop; Police Chief JudyHammer, the professionally strong yet personally troubled guardian of Charlotte's law andorder; and her deputy chief, Virginia West, a genuine head-turner who is married to herjob. To walk the beat with Hammer, West, and Brazil is to learn the inner secrets of policework--the tensions and the tedium, the hilarity and the heartbreak, the unexpected pumpof adrenaline and the rush of courage that can lead to heroics...or death.

Like no one else before, Patricia Cornwell strips away the facade of the badge to laybare the lives and motives of ordinary mortals in extraordinary circumstances.Hornet's Nest is as real as tonight's police blotter and as page-turning asCornwell can be.

Also Available on Putnam Berkley Audio!Amazon.com Review
Patricia Cornwell turns from forensics to police procedures in herlatest novel, Hornet's Nest.This book is less a thriller thana character study of the main characters: Judy Hammer, chief of policein Charlotte, North Carolina; Hammer's deputy, Virginia West; and AndyBrazil, a young reporter assigned to ride with the police as they goabout their jobs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (387)

He's a police reporter who doesn't play by the rules...
I'm sure I've read a book that is worse than this one, but I can't think of it at the moment. From the lazy stereotypes, to the extraneous details, to the adolescent situations, this book has all the hallmarks of an amateur author's first draft. It could be used--and probably is--as a Writing 101 example of how not to write. For example, the author wants her main character, Andy Brazil, to come across as an intrepid police reporter/volunteer cop who is irresistible to men and women alike. But the Andy she shows us is a petulant, whining adolescent whose favorite lament is, "It's not fair!" The two female leads, Police Chief Judy Hammer and Deputy Chief Virginia West, are not quite as annoying as Brazil, but they are one-dimensional wish-fulfillment characters--smart, driven, and almost god-like in their abilities. Too bad for them that in Cornwell's world, strong capable women are surrounded by weak, envious men who can't deal with their authority. In fact, aside from Brazil there is not a male character in the novel who is not secretly working to sabotage the police chief and her deputy. Indeed, not many of the female characters are on their side either because Ms. Cornwell apparently believes there are only two kinds of women: strong capable executives or "spineless, spiteful women" who only exist for the men they have leached onto.

The mystery, such as it is, is forgotten for long stretches of the novel while we focus on ridiculous subplots like West's cat, Niles, and what he is thinking and planning. No, really--we get the cat's POV for long stretches of time. In fact, the cat is able to figure out some of the mystery and convey the information to his owner via feline charades...with props. No, really. But that is no lamer than the way the mystery is actually solved: the police reporter approaches ONE person on the street, asks him who is committing the murders, and instantly finds out the serial killer's identity. Too bad the police didn't think to ask around before five men were brutally murdered.

The book is riddled with offensive stereotypes--such as a southerner named Bubba who drives his King Cab to the convenience store for Red Man, PBRs, and Playboy--and the author uses phrases like "NRA redneck" and "ruthless Republican" in place of actual character development. The world of Charlotte she portrays bears little resemblance to reality, and the portrayal of the bank president who controls the town is particularly absurd. All in all, this dreadful book--my first by Patricia Cornwell--will also be my last

Blackwidow
Cornwell over whelmed me with all of the new characters that she has woven into her story. Her plot is a serial killer, the Black Widow, who focuses on out-of-town businessmen. Cornwell became side tracked with all of the political discord. You wonder when Scarpetta has the time to do her other autopsies. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above the River."

Scarpetta is finally getting her much needed rest!
So sad, so very sad to see all the 1 star's. Not every book has to be totally about Kay Scarpetta. You also don't need to be so serious in every book that is writen. It is good to laugh and this was a book that I got several good chuckles out of. I think we get stuck in ruts and use to one certain thing and change is good for the soul. I love Kay Scarpetta as good as the next one and all the gory and creepy details in her book's, but I like to laugh too. This book was funny, and laughter is a good medicine for the soul. Thanks Cornwell for a fantastic book!

Don't bother
I have been a huge fan of Patricia Cornwall. This book, however, seems to have been written by an entirely different person. Filled with annoying, unrelated, wandering detail, it's the worst kind of writing you'd expect to find in a sophmore english class. The characters are cartoonish, the plot simplistic and utterly incredible. It goes on and on in agonizing mediocrity, with no hint of redeeming prose, for 377 pages.

I've heard myths of publishers pasting the names of established authors onto manuscripts of lesser scribes. Now I believe it.

Save your money and your time--if you have nothing else to read, RE-read a Scarpetta novel and should you have the misfortune of acquiring THIS book, save others like me from the dismal fate of exposure; compost it.

really intriguing character study . . .
Hornet's Nest is a really wonderful novel--just because it's not like the Scarpetta novels doesn't make it bad--it's just different! Cornwell tries something new and adventurous, and pisses off genre fiction fans. Well, genre fiction is great, but Cornwell is a talented writer and this novel is a blast to read, with really interesting characters and a very intriguing narrative structure. I liked it a lot. ... Read more

Product Description
The electrifying follow-up to Hornet's Nest and Southern Cross. The men and women in blue -- as you've never seen them before.Amazon.com Review
Be aware: this is not your typical Patricia Cornwell novel. Not only is there no Kay Scarpetta, but Isle of Dogs is a comic romp, a real departure for this author. It does center around a couple of characters from past books--police chief Judy Hammer and reporter-turned-cop Andy Brazil of Hornet's Nest and Southern Cross. But the plot, style, and tone will remind you more of Carl Hiaasen's dark comedies.

The madcap doings get underway when the addled, nearly blind governor of Virginia confusedly launches a speed-trap program on isolated Tangier Island, whose prickly, eccentric residents promptly attempt secession. Cornwell adeptly interweaves other crisscrossing plot lines involving a gang of street-stupid thugs gunning for Hammer and Brazil, an angel-faced serial killer, a kidnapped dog, and more. She does miss a few beats: the pacing sags during certain episodes, and at times the writing strains so hard for laughs that instead it draws winces. Nonetheless, Isle of Dogs is for the most part a funny, diverting read and a refreshing departure for Cornwell. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (750)

Worst book ever published?
I've read Cornwells' other books...some anyway.They aren't bad.Pretty entertaining pulp fiction that is not great but not bad either.Basically, a good escape.That can't be said for this book.I am 100% sure that if this book were submitted by an unknown author the publishers would not have made it past the first 10 pages before trashing it.What were they thinking?What was Cornwell thinking?If it were possible to bill her for the time I spent reading it I would have.Why did I keep reading?I really don't know.I think at first I couldn't believe it could be so bad so I kept reading to see when the cat was going to be let out of the bag.Then I kept reading because I couldn't believe this was Cornwells' pen.Finally I think I finished it because it had become a challenge so that I could say I actually read the whole thing and that "no there is no redeeming quality that jumps out at the end".Don't bother with this one, please.

Ouch, Amazon wouldn't let me give it a 0 which is what I wanted to do.Sorry.

Pure torture
I hadn't read any Patricia Cornwell for a while but used to be a fan of the Scarpetta series, so when I saw this one in the book exchange at my company I grabbed it.Boy, am I glad I didn't pay for it, because instead of being disappointed and irritated I'd have been downright angry.What a waste of time.It's rare that I don't stick with even a marginal book until the end because most of the time there's something worthwhile, but I was done with this one 100 pages in.Yes, the plot is thin and convoluted, the humor forced, unfunny and jarring when overlaid with the subplot of brutal murder, but what did me in was the effort required to follow the dialect of the Tangier Islanders.I get it--they talk funny--but after about the 432nd example of it I lost patience with the effort required to know what the hell was going on and decided I really didn't care anyway.

The cover blurb mentions this in the same breath as Carl Hiaasen...ummm, no, unless you're willing to do the same with Kenny G and John Coltrane.It also notes that it's a #1 best seller--good thing that's based on sales, not on finishing the book.I wonder how much damage was done to the Scarpetta franchise as a result of this?

What happened?
I am an avid Patricia Cornwell fan, have read every Scarpetta novel and absolutely loved first two Andy Brazil novels, but what the heck? I have been trying to read this book for over two months and have had to make myself sit down and read just the first half. I am only half way through the book and am wondering what happened to Virginia West? The only reason I am going to finish the book is to see if her absence is explained. I hope that when I get to the end of the book, I won't feel like I have just wasted two days of my life.

Disappointing
As an avid Patricia Cornwell reader I could not believe this book was written by her.It was horrible, I failed to find the humor in it (guess if you like very dark humor you could find it) and the characters were poorly described and the plot very fragmented.I put the book down after reading half of it, I just wasn't motivated to finish. Picked it up several months later, and finishing it was something I regretted wasting my time on.

I think this book is a great read!
As a CA native, I wasn't aware of the history of the islands in the Chesapeake Bay area. I found this book hilarious! I laughed out loud often and couldn't control my giggles with the"submarine" issues and what the wife would collect and hide in the hall closets (blanking on what they are for the moment - it will hit me after I post; as it always does).
I loved this book! I got it at a yard sale (along with 4 boxes of books for 20 bucks) and found this little gem.
This is a good read! But in reading some of the negative posts; maybe you have to have a certain sense of humour. I personally enjoy sarcastic humour; so perhaps that is why it I enjoyed it so.
Personally; this was a great read and I would read it again (which, as an avid book reader, speaks volumes).
Enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
CAUSE OF DEATH - New year's Eve & the final murder scene of Virginia's bloodiest year takes Scarpetta 30 feet below the icy surface of the Elizabeth River. A diver is dead, an investigative reporter, a favourite at the Medical Examiner's office, but was he on the scent of a story or merely diving for sunken trinkets? And why did Scarpetta receive a phone call from someone reporting the death before the police were notified? UNNATURAL EXPOSURE - Scarpetta is on the trail of a serial killer, but the discovery of a 10th corpse shows vital discrepancies & make her wonder if this is a copycat killing. Ghoulish, but not unusual. Then the eleventh body broadcasts a clear and horrifying message: the killer is armed with the most lethal weapon on Earth - smallpox. POINT OF ORIGIN - Scarpetta is called to a burned-out farmhouse where someone has been viciously murdered, but she has another more incendiary horror to face - Carrie Grethen, the killer who nearly destroyed her, has escaped from a secure hospital. Her whereabouts are unknown, but her ultimate destination is not, because she has already told Scarpetta of her deadly plans for revenge. ... Read more

Product Description
In the three novels that comprise this second omnibus, Dr Kay Scarpetta's skills are sorely tested as she investigates murders taking place in locations as far apart as North Carolina and New York City. The book incorporates the third, fourth and fifth Scarpetta novels. ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling novelist Patricia Cornwell imagines an extraordinary and beautiful land with all the appeal of a Garden of Eden in her first book for children. In a compelling fable, she explores the temptations and pitfalls that accompany freedom and choice in all our lives.

Jarrod lives far away in a land where children climb trees and soar without fear of falling, and sunlight keeps out dark shadows.

As happy as Jarrod is living with his mother and his sister, he is also curious and daring. He wonders about the mysterious pond, the one place his mother wants him to stay away from. How deep is it? Why can't he go into the water? Why is his mother so afraid for him?

One day he cannot resist going to the pond. And there he encounters the fierce, green-as-slime "god of the pond," who lives deep down in the abyss. He tantalizes Jarrod with whispered promises of giving him anything he wants if only he will come into the water. How Jarrod answers those whispers changes life not only for himself but for all the creatures who live in the pond.

The books of award-winning novelist Patricia Cornwell have received critical acclaim and become national and international bestsellers. Cornwell is the recipient of the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards, as well as the French Prix du Roman d'Aventura and England's coveted Gold Dagger.

This, Cornwell's first children's book, came about because of a visit to a second-grade classroom in Los Angeles. After reading their stories, Patricia Cornwell was asked by the class if she had written any stories for children. That started her thinking, and on the flight home, she opened up her laptop. Life's Little Fable is the happy outcome.

A portion of the royalties for this book is being donated to the Virginia Literacy Foundation and Reading Is Fundamental(R)(RIF(R)), the nation's oldest and largest children's literacy organization. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Children's Book
Wonderful book for children, I enjoyed it myself. The picture's are beautiful, and I think adults enjoy it as much as the children do. Could you do some more childrens book's?

Full of Charm
Life`s Little Fables is a charming ,engaging book .written for children but I love it and the pictures I think are little works of art.I enjoy it over and over again. it is happy and colourful and uplifting.Joan Blacklock/uk

Life's Little Fable
I bought this book quite a while back for my little boys, purely because I am such a huge fan of Patricia Cornwell's books and I wanted him to read and enjoy her books aswell.When I found out that she had wrote a childrens book I ordered it straight away and it was one of the best things I did.Rhys loves it, has included it in his top ten all time favourite books, and reads it all the time.We both love the story, the fact that it is actually a poem, the way it almost sings to you and that Jarrord realises that things are OK where he is and doesn't need to know what is on the other side or anything else.Truly a wonderful, delightful and enchanting sotry.By the way my little boy is now eight years old and as I said, still loves the book.So come on Patricia write some more - Please.

Too Vague to Follow
I am very well-versed in Children's Literature and find this book a huge disappointment.While the art work is lovely, the story line is so vague and abstract, an adult can barely follow what the meaning of it is, letalone children.There is really no understanding of what takes place, thepurpose of the crocodile, or the pond for that matter, or what the wholepoint of the story is.The meaning of all the implications in the storynever come through.Cornwell is outstanding with her Scarpetta stories andI can't get enough of them!But to be so unclear in a children's bookmeans that children don't get anything from the story, and that's a shame.

Too Vague to Follow
I am very well-versed in Children's Literature and find this book a huge disappointment.While the art work is lovely, the story line is so vague and abstract, an adult can barely follow what the meaning of it is, let alone children.There is really no understanding of what takes place, thepurpose of the crocodile, or the pond for that matter, or what the wholepoint of the story is.The meaning of all the implications in the storynever come through.Cornwell is outstanding with her Scarpetta stories andI can't get enough of them!But to be so unclear in a children's bookmeans that children don't get anything from the story, and that's a shame. ... Read more