Sharp Force

It’s Christmas time in Virginia, but this killer isn’t leaving any presents.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta investigates a serial killer known as the Phantom Slasher. The psychopath uses advanced technology and hologram ghost apparitions to stalk the victims before viciously murdering them at night in their homes. The targets are savagely attacked with a knife and also sustain deep bite wounds. There are no clues until the latest death is discovered on Christmas Day with a twist — there’s a survivor. This woman, however, is connected to Kay’s family and to a psychiatric facility on Mercy Island.

I really enjoyed this with both Kay and Benton involved in the investigation and work side by side looking at scenes and show more examining evidence. Of course the rest of the gang is also involved, Lucy, Tron, and Marino doing their thing. Kay’s sister Dorothy gets on my last nerve every single time. I love the forensic and medial details and descriptions, but all of the technology and AI is almost as interesting. I was surprised, however, with how the huge build up and collection of evidence, etc. let to an abrupt denouement and quick conclusion. All of a sudden it was over. Case closed. The side plots all connected in a fell swoop. I did appreciate that most of the focus in the story was on the case but, as always, too much digression into the family relationships which I could do without. I’ve read every book in this series and always eager for the next one. Glad Kay is back working as a medical examiner and in Virginia.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, January LaVoy, is brilliant with voices. She does a good job for both male and female characters and each has a distinctive accent and expression that sets them apart. The tone and emotion matches the story and creates an enjoyable immersive experience. This production definitely enhanced my appreciation of the book and I recommend a listen. show less

Sharp Force by Patricia Cornwell is a very highly recommended investigative thriller. This is the 29th book featuring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta but enough backstory is in the plot to allow readers to enjoy it as a standalone thriller.

On Christmas Eve Virginia’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, is finishing up the autopsy on Rowdy O’Leary hoping to give the family closure. Then she learns that celebrity TV reporter Dana Diletti has had the red-eyed ghost hologram from the serial killer given the moniker of the Slasher float through her home. The Slasher sends the hologram through the homes of women he is targeting. There have been three murders, all women, all alone, and all occurring on holidays. Diletti has the show more hologram on video floating through her house and Pete Marino, head of investigations for the medical examiner’s office, accompanies the responding officers to check it out.

Scarpetta and her husband, Benton Wesley, a Secret Service forensic psychologist, have planned a two week European vacation but are woken up early on Christmas with a call informing them that the Slasher has struck again. The victim is psychiatrist Georgine Duvall, who is living on Mercy Island, the site of a notorious psychiatric hospital. This time there is also someone who survived. Graduate student Zain Willard, who was staying at the house, was stabbed, but survived. He is also a White House intern and nephew of presidential candidate Sen. Calvin Willard, making the investigation potentially contentious.

I am very pleased to say that this time it felt like Scarpetti is back. I closely followed the series for years until the novels took a turn for the worse and became very uneven, as far as how much I liked them. Sharp Force was exactly what I wanted, interesting cases and investigations and an unpredictable final denouement. There were a few moments where descriptions of Scarpetti's home, became a bit too much, but overall I was quite satisfied.

The plot flowed smoothly, it was well-written, interesting, and all the recurring characters were around, for good or worse. There was real tension, suspense, and a threatening sense of danger. The hologram used was intriguing, and there is even a robot dog. Cons are Janet's AI avatar. My highest recommendation may involve some hope and nostalgia.

Sharp Forces is a great choice for those who enjoy medical investigative thrillers and those who know the series. Thanks to Grand Central for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion. show less

The Phantom Slasher, a serial killer who uses advanced technology to terrorize before killing his victims, has claimed another casualty, someone Dr. Kay Scarpetta knew years ago. Kay and her Secret Service husband, Benton, cancel their Christmas trip to Europe to investigate.

Although this is the 29th in the series featuring Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta and her supporting cast, it would work as a standalone. The atmospheric settings create a spooky backdrop for the story. A fast, engrossing read, it is very scary in terms of what AI and advanced technology might hold for us in the future. I did find the ending a bit rushed.

I get upset when professionals violate ethical standards in a story and was disappointed when Benton and Kay show more crossed a line by invading someone’s privacy. I lost a bit of respect for them and do wonder if there will be repercussions in future installments of this series.

Fans of this series will welcome this new addition. Others new to it are in for a thrilling ride.

Thanks to @NetGalley and #Grandcentralpublishing for the DRC. show less

We've reached #29 in Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series, and each new volume is a pleasure. Sharp Force is no exception. The characters are in top form, and we continue to learn more about them, even after all this time. The mystery is complex, with the mix of violent crime and political skullduggery that we count on from Cornwell.

Cornwell continues to explore the ways technology can be used both to commit and to fight crime. The usual interpersonal tensions are there, but Kay and Benton are doing well and working together effectively.

Even at 400 pages, Sharp Force is a quick read. Cornwell has a gift for for crafting engaging, fast-paced prose. Her books are almost certain to lead to a just-one-more-chapter experience, which can show more result in a bit of sleep deprivation, but losing sleep to race through a satisfying mystery is no hardship.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own. show less

Having read a few of Patricia Cornwell’s books before, Sharp Force was my first experience with the renowned Kay Scarpetta series. The story opens on Christmas Eve as Scarpetta performs an autopsy that soon connects to a disturbing case involving a serial killer called the "Phantom Slasher"

I actually found the high-tech and AI elements really interesting, Cornwell’s modern twist on forensic crime feels timely and clever. However, the pacing didn’t quite work for me, I had trouble staying fully engaged as the narrative often drifted into long, overly detailed reflections and side thoughts rather than focusing on the investigation itself... It wasn’t the medical details I minded (those were great and Scarpetta is a forensic show more pathologist) but rather the tangents that slowed the momentum.

On the positive side, the audiobook narrator was excellent !! Delivering a clear, engaging performance that suited the investigative tone perfectly. Longtime fans will likely enjoy seeing Scarpetta and her very involved family on a new case, but as a newcomer to the series, the story didn’t fully capture the tension I expected.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio & Grand Central Publishing for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review ! show less

Sharp Force - Patricia Cornwell

I love this long running series from Patricia Cornwell. I was thrilled to see a new entry called Sharp Force.

It's Christmas Day but there’s no rest for chief medical examiner, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, and her team. There is another group and they’re working just as hard to push their own agenda. I don't know how Kay says nothing! Well, she's got a great voice in her brain.

I absolutely am amazed at how the crimes are solved with a body left to tell the tale.

The fire is stoked up when three people are attacked by a ghost. Which is not probable - is it?

I like how Cornwell moves the lives of her characters forward. I’ll be interested to see how Al is used in the next few books. This one caught me off guard so show more much more than I thought.

Well written, addictive and just a great read! Watch for this! SCARPETTA soon to be a streaming series starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis. show less

3.5 Stars

With a strong and eerie start that boded well for this novel, we get to the middle, which seemed repetitive and a bit boring. Oh, there were some exciting parts, but not enough of them. This book dealt mainly with personal issues and not the crime.

We don't really have more than one suspect for these murders, and in the end, we get a big surprise with another suspect being pulled out of thin air.

One thing that bothered me is that when an author is going to use initials for something, they should make sure that the meaning is in the Kindle Dictionary. I hate having to pull myself out of the story to go to a computer to look something up. Not everyone knows what these acronyms mean.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Grand Central show more Publishing/Hachette Book Group, the author, and NetGalley. show less