Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell Paperback Book

Details

Rent Book of the Dead

Author: Patricia Cornwell

Format: Mass Market Paperback, Abridged-CD, Unabridged-CD

Publisher: Berkley

Published: Sep 2008

Genre: Fiction - Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths

Retail Price: $9.99

Pages: 528

Synopsis

The 'book of the dead' is the morgue log, a ledger in which all cases are entered by hand. For Kay Scarpetta, however, it is about to take on a new meaning. Fresh from her bruising battle with a psychopath in Florida, Scarpetta decides it's time for a change of pace, not only personally and professionally but geographically. Moving to the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina, she opens a unique private forensic pathology practice, one in which she and her colleagues-including Pete Marino and her niece, Lucy-offer expert crime-scene investigation and autopsy services to communities lacking local access to modern, competent death investigation technology.

It seems like an ideal situation, until the new battles start-with local politicians, with entrenched interests, with someone whose covert attempts at sabotage are clearly meant to run Scarpetta out of town. And that's before the murders and other violent deaths even begin.

A young man from a well-known family jumps off a water tower. A woman is found ritualistically murdered in her multimillion-dollar beach home. The body of an abused young boy is discovered dumped in a desolate marsh. Meanwhile, in distant New England, problems with a prominent patient at a Harvard-affiliated psychiatric hospital begin to hint at interconnections that are as hard to imagine as they are horrible.

Kay Scarpetta has dealt with many brutal and unusual crimes before, but never a string of them as baffling, or as terrifying, as the ones confronting her now. Before she is through, that book of the dead will contain many names-and the pen may be poised to write in her own.

The first name in forensics. The last name in suspense. Once again, Patricia Cornwell proves her exceptional ability to entertain and enthrall.

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Reviews

BookLender review by Rex on 2007-11-06 08:13:05

I 'm glad I didn't buy this book. If you make it past the first 4 cd's then the book gets some better. At times the books is hard to follow because the charactors talk about some one and just he or she. Cornwell repeats her self many times in the book, It's like she is trying to generate words.Cornwell never says why the tennis was killed. and the big thing is she never says what became of pet.

BookLender review by CC on 2008-01-24 17:49:48

I have enjoyed all of the Cornwell books that have had Dr. Kay Scarpetta in them, but this one was something else. It was very disjointed. It did not follow well. The book skipped around from one scene to the next. I thought once I must have the wrong CD in becuase it skipped from someone being attacked to Kay getting someone out of jail just like that. It also doesn't finish up and tell you what becomes of one of the main characters in the book. If you are a follower of the series it would be worth listening it to it so with the hopes that the next one will be better. If the next one isn't better I will probably be done with this series. Maybe it is time she moves on to other characters, but please tell us what happens to Marino.

BookLender review by Elizabeth on 2008-10-13 22:08:00

I have been a fan of Patricia Cornwell for years, but this one was lacking in several areas. Too many plotlines in the story were just abruptly wrapped up without really explaining how issues were resolved or why things happened. I think she tried to put too much into the story so she had to wrap everything up far too quickly. Then, we are left hanging at the end as to what happens to Marino! I'm glad I rented this one instead of buying it.

BookLender review by SARAH on 2009-09-22 16:13:24

I love Patricia Cornwell and her series on Dr. Kay. I can't wait to get in my car to turn it on to see what's going to happen next. Getting to the end to find out who done it is breathless! Great book on tape!!