To begin with, I have kept up with all the Kay Scarpetta books, having been intrigued with her from the beginning. After about the fifth book, I began to tire of the complicated and unsatisfying relationships she fosters, and to wonder how a character like this could maintain my interest. She couldn't. I kept reading, just because I feel like a know her a little bit, even though I began to hate her for being such a tiresome "Eeyore." Nothing ever seemed to bring her happiness or joy. She never laughed or chuckled, teased or flirted. Way too serious. I like Marino the best, the big, fat, coarse, boor that he is. He, at least, has some personality and passion. I've known people like Kay Scarpetta, and you can't be friends with them. They take themselves too seriously. They're the kind that stand to the side with their arms tucked around their midsections, protecting their guts, with a slight frown at the corners of their mouths. Cornwell keeps telling us how beautiful Kay is, but I'm not buying it anymore.

So, after getting really frustrated with Trace I took a break. Predator made it seem like I missed a book or two. But I know I did not miss any. I am all for non-linear fiction when I am reading to be challenged. However, when I read to enjoy or turn off my brain (like Cornwell, Patterson, Kellerman, etc.) I don't want to have to read the author's mind. I should know how Scarpetta got to Florida in Predator.

Now, with Book of the Dead she's moved to South Carolina and the reader's world of Scapetta is upside down. The beauty of serialized mystery is you know what to expect from the characters and you can page turn with glee. With this one, not so much. It would be as if James Patterson decided Nana Mama from the Alex Cross books became a docile sweet old lady. What if Milo in Kellerman's books showed up married (to a woman) with two or three kids of his own. We'd all scratch our heads and wonder what the heck happened.

It almost seems like someone else wrote this book.

I won't get into any plot details, you can find them elsewhere. I will only say that for continuity's sake, go ahead and read it - used or from the library.

I used to love the Scarpetta novels. But one thing that really irritates me is when an author injects current day political views into the mix. Aside from that, I really am tired of the Marino is scum, Lucy is uberwoman, Kay is hurt consistently by one and all scenarios. One of the things that made me fall in love with the character of Kay was her strength. Now she has fallen into self-pity and it is really annoying me. The last few books have left me feeling this way and I don't know if I will buy the next one.

Forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta has embarked upon a new career in this book--starting over in the city of Charleston, South Carolina with a unique private practice. There are many bizarre scenes, not the least of them involving a pompous radio psychologist and gruesome murders. I've been a fan of this series for quite a while, and although I don't always like lots of gory detail, this author knows her way around the morgue. This time, maybe a little too much detail.

For followers of the series, there is a point where her boyfriend, Wesley Benton, and the sometimes emotionless doctor seriously consider what the future holds for them as a couple. Sometimes Kay Scarpetta reminds me of Bones--surrounded by so much death that her own emotions are hard to get in touch with. Her niece Lucy is involved in a series of somewhat unbelievable incidents and her old standby Pete Moreno appears to be headed into a complete meltdown. I had somewhat mixed emotions, so I decided to check out the Amazon reviews on this book, and in the process post this one. What I found was very interesting. Either you loved it or you hated it. Relatively little in-between.

When I looked at and read many of the reviews I was surprised to find that there were 300 five stars and 216 one stars with a minor amount of 2, 3, and 4. Generally the ratings are weighted in the middle, so that tells me that while there were more favorable than hate it reviews, the middle of the road crowd appeared to strongly take one side or the other. It was an interesting read, certainly not her best and several things did bother me, but it's still a decent read.

The beautiful city of Charleston ought to be a great place to set up a new practice, but for Kay, nothing seems to be working out the way she'd hoped and planned. She's received plenty of referrals, but family and staff have never been in such disarray. As Kay develops her phenomenal forensic skills, emotionally she's frozen solid. But at least she's functioning as brilliantly as ever, professionally. It's a different story for her friends and relations. Marino, the ever faithful, chafes under her authority, and has evolved into a version of the Incredible Hulk. Talented, techno-wiz niece Lucy now behaves as a version of Wonder Woman. The love of Kay's life, Wesley Benton, is as distant, physically and emotionally, as ever, in spite of the heirloom engagement ring he's just presented to Kay. And her beloved personal assistant, Rose, seems ominously ill.

These personal disasters are given equal prominence with the horrific serial murder case that Kay and company are attacking, a complex, multi-tentacled situation that involves celebrities, the military, and long-buried family secrets. In Book/Dead, Cornwell made the choice to emphasize character over plot, and while her characters are indeed vivid, the plot suffers from fragmentation and reliance upon a set of implausible linkages. Still, the murders are compelling, and this is a story worth finishing. Loose ends left dangling in the final chapter will no doubt be picked up in the next Scarpetta entry.