Book of the Dead (Scarpetta Novels) [Kindle Edition]

Having read circa 80 crime novels in last two years there are three that stand head and shoulders above the rest as utter dross. Welcome to one of the three.

This has to be one of the dullest, most interminable books I have ever read. Others have covered the reasons why this is tripe in their reviews but I also felt strongly enough to simply record my disapproval. How anyone can rate this at more than one star defies belief.

Do not buy this, do not touch it with a barge-pole.

I have just finished reading this drivel after it taking me 3 months and a stop gap in between. I used to be able to read a Scarpetta book in a matter of hours but this one was sheer pain to read. The characters are all horrible. There isn't a single redeeming feature about any of them. Kay is as miserable as we've ever seen her, Benton is useless. What does he do exactly? Lucy is vile, a big headed, opinionated, aggressive character who seems to hate everyone except her beloved Aunt Kay and Benton. Lucy can't even seem to hold a civil conversation with anyone without making out shes God's gift to the security world.And Marino, well what to say about him. Thank God he's disappeared.
The whole Scarpetta series has turned into a ridiculous farce, its so unbelievable. The paranoia experienced in the last few books is so far fetched and unneccessary and Patricia Cornwell should have left Benton dead. For me that was the turning point into the riduculous. Up until then the books all had a sense of authority and truth to them and given what Patricia does for a living, I would have expected nothing less.
The Book of the Dead is a difficult read, the story doesn't follow, I thought pages had been missed as the conversations taking place didn't follow on. I had no idea what was going on for most of the book.The ending was very poor and I still have no idea who killed who? Why they were killed and more to the point, do I even care anymore?
As a fan of the Scarpetta series I have been greatly disappointed in this last effort and I certainly won't be wasting any more money buying Patricia Cornwell books. Shame on you, Patricia.

I remember (in my youth) reading Patricia Cornwell novels at two or three in the morning and not wanting to put the book down. This latest offering has quite the opposite effect, and is a lazy effort, lacking any credible attempt to create suspense and atmosphere. The book relies too heavily of the reader already knowing the main characters and, more to the point having read the previous couple of books. The writing is not sharp and the characterisation is very flat. I had no empathy for any of the characters - without exception, and I found the plot wearying - instead of moving the action forward in a purposeful manner it lurched from contrivance to contrivance. I struggled to finish it, and really only did out of past loyalty. This book is a sad disappointment, and I cannot recommend it to anyone - even die hard Patricia Cornwell fans should steer clear.