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Title: 2/3 of a great book, then... blah
Review: I listened to the audio version of "Cruel & Unusual" on a recent trip to New Jersey and back. The first 2/3 of the book kept me on the edge of my seat, then... the whole thing collapsed in a heap at the end. Would have been much better if the author had stuck to writing a taut thriller instead of trying to drag in everything from evil Republican office holders to Nazi war criminals, all dumped into the mix at the last possible moment. After all the buildup, the "who" of the whodunnit ends up being... nobody in particular. And the fate of the evildoer? Nothin' much. Disappointing. Won't bother with Dr. Scarpetta or Ms. Cornwall again.I'm a little baffled by all the reviews that say, "great book, bad ending..." and still give it 3 stars or more. Isn't a mystery DEFINED by the ending, by how the author ties up all the loose ends and red herrings?
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