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Title: Dark, depressing, bitter and below par
Review: I've enjoyed nearly all of the Scarpetta books since Body Farm, which was the first I read. But what a letdown this book was! It is dark, brooding, angry, bitter and -- just in case you still think you'll like it -- boring. After Cornwell became disillusioned with the FBI (in Point of Origin) she lost her focus. Worse, she seems to have lost the enjoyment of writing, and passes that mood on to her readers. None of the characters seems true to form. Marino is angry, Lucy is spoiled and selfish, and even Scarpetta's colleagues seem to be tiring of the good doctor. Never mind the plot ... you know you're in trouble when Cornwell has to resolve the mystery by having the prime suspect literally walk up to Scarpetta's front door. (Don't worry, I haven't given anything away -- you'll see this coming from 50 pages away). If you're a dedicated Scarpetta fan, you may find this book too gloomy. If you're new to the series, start with one of the earlier books.
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