topic Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL in Book Club

BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

Oznell — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 22:32:07 GMT

Ha! I didn't think I would return to reading these forensic mysteries, but on last library trip picked up "Dust" which I'm just starting, and "Autopsy". Recently read "Chaos" which started EXTREMELY slowly, then picked up.

Years ago in this forum, some of us discussed frustrations with the Scarpetta series, which is uneven, in my opinion.

Yet, the early books were so fascinating, and Kay Scarpetta, as a super-competent medical examiner and forensics expert, gave a glimpse into such a different, layered world.

I want to know-- anyone here who reads them? I still have objections-- the piling on of excruciating detail, the occasional scenes of brutality, Kay's sometimes humorless intensity. Wish Patricia Cornwell had kept more of Kay's cooking in the stories -- her food descriptions were great!

When the books are good, they can be page-turners. But, characters can be annoying. Someone complained that Scarpetta's husband, FBI guy Benton, has changed since emerging from the witness protection program.

Lucy doesn't seem to have grown much as a character, or am I missing that. I usually skim over her sub-plots, unless she's dive bombing her helicopter or hacking into top secret computers inaccessible to others...

And good grief, Pete Marino's conflicts, and his obsession with, and jealousy of Kay, are wearing! I do like that he brings the police perspective.

I would love to hear from those who are very familiar with the series, and any impressions, and/ or theories, good and bad.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

kaydee50 — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 22:45:06 GMT

I read a couple of the books, don't remember which ones but started to not like the direction they were going in. Too many other authors I like to try her again.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

spumoni99 — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 23:33:43 GMT

I use to read lots of her books, I have probably read most of her Kay Scarpetta books, really use to enjoy them, it seems like the last time I read one it wasn't as good. I will have to give her another try I do really like her writing, I agree I use to like to read about her cooking.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

shoesnbags — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 23:45:49 GMT

@Oznell Years ago I was really hooked on the Kay Scarpetta books. I read them as fast as they came out. But then it seemed as if the last few I read just weren't that enjoyable and I stopped. That was quite a while back. Now I'm hooked on the Will Trent books by Karin Slaughter. Working my way through the series.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

rissajaneen — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 02:13:17 GMT

Last year I read all of the Kay Scarpetta books in order. (I had all of them. I picked up the entire series that someone had donated to the thrift store.) The early ones are so good. Somewhere around book 10 it went completely downhill. I listened to Autopsy and Livid as audiobooks from my library. Autopsy had an odd storyline about space. Livid in particular was a huge let down because the story was this futuristic killer weapon/made no sense storyline instead of a normal murder to be solved. I remember that one of the later books had a killer robot. Patricia Cornwell just got so out there. The storylines about Marino and Dorothy, Lucy, Kay and Benton all felt so unbelievable. The books drag on in too much detail. If there are more books in the series I have decided that I will not be reading them or listening to the audiobook or caring at all.

I wasted too much time on this series. I would not recommend it to anyone else.

Does anyone know if the Bones series by Kathy Reichs is still any good?

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

avid shopper — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 10:12:08 GMT

@Oznell

I totally agree with your assessment of the Scarpetta series and I stopped reading a couple of summers ago.

I moved on to Daniel Silva and loved his first novel and just kept going. I am now on his 16th novel and haven't gotten bored yet.

However, I have been thinking...should I give Scarpetta another try and see if I feel differently.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

jlkz — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:24:58 GMT

@Oznell

You nailed it all...accurate assessment. Read most of her books and won't continue.

The poster who mentioned Da Silva is right on track: his books keep you interested and they move along quite nicely !

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

Oznell — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:15:58 GMT

Hey, @kaydee50 , @spumoni99 , @shoesnbags , @rissajaneen , @avid shopper , @jlkz --

Thanks so much for responding -- you are confirming my impressions upon "returning" to the series!

@avid shopper and @jlkz -- I've long heard such good things about Daniel Silva from discerning readers. In the library last time, I actually had one of his books in my hand. Then thought, oh, I'm too loaded up already, next time...

@shoesnbags , and @rissajaneen , making note of Karin Slaughter and Kathy Reichs to check out.

I'll probably finish "Dust" to see what I think about P.C.'s more current output. This is one where Kay's living in Boston and there's been a murder at MIT.

Patricia Cornwell was so clever (and MASSIVELY researched) when she began. I almost feel compelled to reward that kind of attention to detail and diligence, ha.

But it's always disappointing to see any perceived drop-off in quality in a series, as you all note. My two all-time faves for top quality all the way through, are Sue Grafton's "Kinsey Millhone" series, and of course the brilliant P.D. James' "Adam Dalgliesh" of Scotland Yard series.

But few can match those two legendary masters of detective fiction.

A lot of the most current practitioners, that get a lot of fanfare, I don't particularly care for. Most recent disappointment-- Elly Griffiths, whose detective-protagonist is a British archeologist based in Norfolk. Sounded promising, but... Although her writing is good, the characters and plotting only fair. And too much tired social commentary, and little hits of fashionable anti-Americanism. If an author is REALLY good, I can tolerate a lot, but otherwise, no.

I was pleasantly surprised at liking Joel Rosenberg's international thrillers, since they are more spy-oriented and far more tech-y and full of derring-do, than I normally go for. But he kept me guessing.

If anyone else has other suggestions of clever forensics-type mysteries, similar to the first few Cornwell books, do keep them coming!

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

Group 5 minus 1 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:22:57 GMT

Don't care for those AT ALL.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

Group 5 minus 1 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:24:58 GMT

Really enjoyed her "Portrait of a Killer". It's about Jack the Ripper.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

kaydee50 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:39:11 GMT

@avid shopper Thanks for the suggestion of Daniel Silva. I'm off to the library today and will check out his books. Sounds interesting.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

cindyNC — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:46:44 GMT

I really enjoyed the earlier books in the series, but the new ones not so much.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

Oznell — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:43:48 GMT

@Group 5 minus 1 , the "Jack the Ripper" book certainly was an ambitious project of hers. What a fascinating topic. Apparently her research on that one was massive. In the end, did you find her assertion that the Ripper was the artist Walter Sickert convincing?

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

jlkz — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:51:17 GMT

@Oznell

With the e caption of Crime is My Beat, the Michael Connelly mysteries are excellent. ( They were read almost nos-stop during the dark days of DH's heart problems....he is fine now. )

Books by Tess Gerritsen, except for Thief of Hearts, is another author I look forward to

Books by Lisa Gardner will not disappoint.

The mystery books ( not romances ) by Tami Hoag are page turners.

While not true mysteries, the books by Anne Rivers Siddons are a nice escape to the Low Country in the Carolinas. She passed away about 2 or 3 years ago.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

Oznell — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:56:19 GMT

@jlkz , I've heard of some of those, and not of others. Thanks so much for taking the time to give me heads-up. Taking careful note of them! Glad your husband is recovered. It's amazing how at times like that, absorbing books can really help, at least with momentary distraction.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

icezeus — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:39:16 GMT

@shoesnbags wrote:
@Oznell Years ago I was really hooked on the Kay Scarpetta books. I read them as fast as they came out. But then it seemed as if the last few I read just weren't that enjoyable and I stopped. That was quite a while back. Now I'm hooked on the Will Trent books by Karin Slaughter. Working my way through the series.

@shoesnbags

Will Trent is also a television series based off the Karin Slaughter books. I enjoy the TV show.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

icezeus — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 15:28:37 GMT

@rissajaneen

I started this series either last year or this year. I just finished book four, which I really enjoyed. Kathy Reichs tends to get bogged down with a lot of medical terminology, and the Quebec references when she is working in Canada. The french words, streets, phrases, and buildings. This sometimes slows down my reading enjoyment.

I do plan on continuing to read the series.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

icezeus — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 04:31:23 GMT

Like others have mentioned I really enjoyed the earlier Kay Scarpetta books. I rarely read them anymore. Marino, turned creepy crazy and I was not thrilled with the direction that she went with Kay's niece Lucy.

@Oznell

I am a fan of Michael Connelly love his "Harry Bosch", Lincoln Lawyer, and Ballard series. I even belong to his FB group.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

shoesnbags — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 01:05:55 GMT

@icezeus wrote:
@shoesnbags wrote:
@Oznell Years ago I was really hooked on the Kay Scarpetta books. I read them as fast as they came out. But then it seemed as if the last few I read just weren't that enjoyable and I stopped. That was quite a while back. Now I'm hooked on the Will Trent books by Karin Slaughter. Working my way through the series.
@shoesnbags

Will Trent is also a television series based off the Karin Slaughter books. I enjoy the TV show.

@icezeus

Yes, that's what made me go back to the Karin Slaughter books. I had read some of her Grant County books and one of the Will Trent books. When I started to watch the TV show, I really got hooked and decided to go back and read the books over the summer while there was no TV show.

Re: BACK TO THE "KAY SCARPETTA" SERIES BY PATRICIA CORNWELL

Oznell — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 02:40:08 GMT

@icezeus , now that you and @jlkz have mentioned Michael Connelly, it rings a bell and I know I've heard positive things about him before-- now I'll have more motivation to look him up...