Another murder story but with a strong humour thread to it, with some quirky imaginative passages that gave it a lighter tone than if they had been missing. ( )

In this third book in the series, Judy Hammer is now the Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, where Andy Brazil works as a State Trooper. Like the first two books, the satire marches on with characters named Major Trader, Trooper Truth, Unique First, and Windy Brees…well, you can see where this is going. The author plays with words, i.e., a stitch in the hand is worth two in the butt, to tell the hilarious story of the quirky residents of Tangier Island fighting an imagined war against the Governor's office while the Troopers try to figure out what's going on but don't have a clue. Dr. Kay Scarpetta appears as an M.E. with proof of spontaneous human combustion. Who has the last laugh? It's hard to tell. ( )

I desperately tried to like this book. However, it just wasn't for me. Honestly, I didn't finish reading it. I guess talking crabs and her attempt at humor were just not for me. I'm not from Virginia, and have never had the opportunity to visit this state. However, I can only assume any Virginian would take great offense as to how the characters in this book were portrayed.

Maybe if I were stuck at home in a blizzard and this was the only book I had to read, I might have finished it. Fortunately, the snow has melted, the sun is shining, and there are more books to read! ( )

A quietly, darkly humorous take on the usual Dr. Kay Scarpetta investigative murder mysteries. And while most of the humor is not the "laugh out loud" variety (until Trip, the seeing-eye mini-horse comes on the scene), this book and its characters throw out many humorous instances even in the dark parts.

As is usual with Cornwall's books, there are several threads going around: a string of unsolved murders and mayhem; a psychopath or several; a woman at the top of the Police Department; and a political player who works every angle to secure his position.

Add to this the arrangement of a young police/investigative officer who has gone on an extended leave of absence in order to research subjects for a proposed "Trooper Truth" website (as was common in the early days of the internet), a nearly blind governor whose intestines are riddled with discomfort, and the independently-minded folk of the Island of Tangiers, right off the Virginia coast, and you have ingredients for a wry look at mayhem and the impossible happening just the way we always hope it would. ( )

Ugh... I finialy finished this one. Definitely not my favorite Patricia Cornwell book. I have read other of her off wall writing style and enjoyed them more than this one. This one was just a little too unrealistic for my taste. ( )