The Scarpetta Factor

Audiobook. Okay where's the Scarpetta I fell in love with a few years ago? Is this even the same author? It seemed so full of anger and bitterness seething through all of the characters. I miss the medical forensics from Kay doing autopsies. This seemed much more into psychology and technology. I got curious halfway through and read other reviews to see if it was just me feeling this way, but apparently a lot of people who've read the series get turned off by this one. I'm thinking it may need to be a few years before I forget how downhill the series went before I pick up the next one. Shame too, because I used to love these books. ( )

the latest in the scarpetta series. you know i read alot and i love to grab a scarpetta book for the escape and pure pleasure of the adventure. if i read anything for the pleasure it would be this series. i don't know why it sticks to you like it does but you're there and you endear most of the characters. just lovely. ( )

Scarpetta investigates the murder of a jogger found in Central Park in New York City.
The plot is well blended together is this book. Although I have been reading this series from the beginning and don't need most of the back story Cornwell does a good job of explaining back story for the new reader. It's very long though which is why it loses a star. ( )

The Scarpetta Factor is Patricia Cornwell’s 17th Scarpetta novel. The Scarpetta novels have had a chequered history: they started out consistently good and then went downhill for a while. This one is quite an improvement on those of 5 or 6 years ago. While it’s a bit slow-moving in places, on the whole, it has something like the quality of the first novels. A lot of the subject matter is topical, the CSI bits are better than ever, and the characters have finally matured somewhat: they have gone from acting like self-indulgent and irritating juveniles to reasonably responsible adults, although Lucy could probably do with anger management classes. With regard to the plot, it helps if you can remember what happened around the time of Benton Wesley’s disappearance, but it’s not essential. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading the next Scarpetta, Port Mortuary. ( )

This book ties up some issues from earlier novels. The Wolfman reappears into the life of Kay. Kay seems to be working nonstop as an analyst for CNN, a consultant for the New York Police Department, and a medical examiner in Massachusetts. In this novel many issues are introduced: financial scams, medical secrecy between doctor and patient, secrets kept by Lucy and Benton, and fraud. As earlier noted, many factors from prior novels are resolved in this novel such as Jean-Baptiste and Warner Agee, a colleague of Benton. I like the sense of hope of the end of the novel. All the characters are flawed and constantly making errors, but they are trying. As usual, Cornwell seems fixated on the Christmas season. ( )