|
Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, No. 15) | 
| Author: Patricia Cornwell
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
Buy Used: $0.85
You Save: $26.10 (97%)
New (103) Used (171) Collectible (14) from $0.85
Avg. Customer Rating:  606 reviews
Sales Rank: 2237
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.4
ISBN: 0399153934
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780399153938
ASIN: 0399153934
Publication Date: October 23, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: book bent Buy from the best: 4,000,000 items shipped to delighted customers. We have 1,000,000 unique items ready to ship today!
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
From America's # 1 bestselling crime writer comes the extraordinary new Dr. Kay Scarpetta novel.
The "book of the dead" is the morgue log, a ledger in which all cases are entered by hand. For Kay Scarpetta, however, it is about to take on a new meaning. Fresh from her bruising battle with a psychopath in Florida, Scarpetta decides it's time for a change of pace, not only personally and professionally but geographically. Moving to the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina, she opens a unique private forensic pathology practice, one in which she and her colleagues-including Pete Marino and her niece, Lucy-offer expert crime-scene investigation and autopsy services to communities lacking local access to modern, competent death investigation technology.
It seems like an ideal situation, until the new battles start-with local politicians, with entrenched interests, with someone whose covert attempts at sabotage are clearly meant to run Scarpetta out of town. And that's before the murders and other violent deaths even begin.
A young man from a well-known family jumps off a water tower. A woman is found ritualistically murdered in her multimillion-dollar beach home. The body of an abused young boy is discovered dumped in a desolate marsh. Meanwhile, in distant New England, problems with a prominent patient at a Harvard-affiliated psychiatric hospital begin to hint at interconnections that are as hard to imagine as they are horrible.
Kay Scarpetta has dealt with many brutal and unusual crimes before, but never a string of them as baffling, or as terrifying, as the ones confronting her now. Before she is through, that book of the dead will contain many names-and the pen may be poised to write in her own.
The first name in forensics. The last name in suspense. Once again, Patricia Cornwell proves her exceptional ability to entertain and enthrall.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 601 more reviews...
 oh dear, oh dear. July 23, 2008
Dear Patricia Cornwell,
I wrote you a letter back in 2005 after you released Trace. I was, quite frankly, worried about the direction that you were taking poor Kay Scarpetta. And I must say that The Book of the Dead has not done anything to set my worries to rest.
I'll start with the things that I liked. I read once that you should always open a critique with things that you like. I liked that you let Scarpetta finally make fun of herself for some of the conspiracies which she imagines are aimed in her direction. It beggared the imagination that absolutely everybody was out to get the poor woman. In this book, many people were *not* out to get her. And that was a refreshing change. And for that I give you an extra star.
But, oh dear, the rest of the book...
First of all, shock schlock is one of the most virulent diseases of modern airplane novels. The world doesn't need another entry in the race to find The Most Sadistic Serial Killer Ever. Just say no. Please work with a nice straightforward killing, and solve it! I realize that this sounds terribly retro. However, I am tired of seeing writers burn their creativity in an effort to imagine a string of ever more icky things to do with eye sockets and bath tubs.
Second, you failed to get my disbelief to suspend. Too many coincidences. Too many links between all the characters and killings. Too much. Way too much. My disbelief actually didn't even levitate, let alone suspend. Honestly, I think that you ought to have a serious chat with your editor on this point. That is the person who should get paid to warn you that you have broken your plot. And you should listen to them if they do make warnings like that.
Last but not least, Dr. Self. Drop her. Drop this thread. Drop this character. I repeat the "oh dear, oh dear" when it comes to Dr. Self. She is not readable. She is not interesting. She is not anything. Let poor Kay settle down in Charleston without any more outside fuss than her already tangled relationships provide.
Actually, that brings me to a suggestion. Once upon a time, detective novels did this quaint thing where the world around them featured as a character in the work. The novelists used the local color and the detective became a vehicle through which the reader could explore the world. You seemed as though you kind of were starting to get at this with Bull. That was good, but then you got distracted. You wandered off and forgot about him. It was sad. Why don't you try that the next time?
I keep reading your books, largely because I still have a strong affection for Kay from back in the day. I also kind of like that you are one of the few mystery writers who allows your character change, and doesn't keep them encased in a plot-like amber. Please don't make me regret liking you for that, okay?
Thanks for your time.
Sincerely,
the frumious bandersnatch.
 Sorry I spent the money! July 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Several years ago, I quit reading Patricia Cornwell's novels because they actually became boring and the characters unlikeable. In the past 5 or 6 years I passed up several at both the library and bookstore. This past week, I decided to give her another try. After all, I thought perhaps I had just tired of the genre and maybe they really hadn't been that bad. Or I thought perhaps sometime through the intervening years Cornwell had recaptured the magic and excitement of her first few novels. Alas, it was not to be! This novel is worse than any that I remember, and although I didn't (or couldn't stand to) finish it, I read enough to conclude that the characters were obnoxious, the storyline disjointed, and the dialogue absolutely absurd. I really think this book may have been produced by a very disordered mind, and how it got into print baffles me. If Cornwell is not able to get it together . . . and she probably would have by now if she could . . . she should call her career as an author "Done" and move on to something else.
The last Kay Scarpetta Book I will ever read! July 14, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I don't normally write online reviews, but I am taking the time to write this one in the hopes that I can save someone from spending their hard-earned money on this book.
I have been reading Patricia Cornwell since the beginning. I have always loved her characters and looked forward to new Scarpetta novels, even though they have been less frequent in past years.
The last Scarpetta book, "Predator", was tough to get through...and "Book of the Dead" takes it to a new low. It seems as though everything is over-written. Just get to the point, already! Cornwell spends too much time over-describing and not enough time telling the story. It's almost painful to read. At times, I just wanted to put the book down, which is sad. The main characters, once enjoyable, are now conflicted and unpleasant. The story was disjointed and hard to follow, and once the killer was uncovered/caught, Cornwell did a poor job of wrapping up the story and bringing closure to the reader.
If possible, I would give this book 0 stars. Shame on Patricia Cornwell and her editors for bringing this book to market and subjecting loyal fans to such a terrible piece of fiction.
The New Danielle Steel July 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"Yuck" is the most appropriate word I can think of to describe this truly awful book. It is boring... It is silly... It is implausible... Worse than that, it is blatantly contemptuous of the readers who buy her books. Check out the description on page 301 of the hardcover for an example of what goes through Ms. Cornwell's mind when she thinks about the hoi polloi. I bought this book at a yard sale for $1.00. I think that was a very fair price considering its quality.
Book of the Dead July 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Patricia Cornwell should pay me to read this novel. My first impression after reading the book was complete and utter disappointment. No developing of the characters, no indepth plot. I read this in under 2 hours. I usually can't wait to read on of her novel about Kay Scarpetta and her group. I will wait for reviews of any future writings of hers before I purchase any other Cornwell books.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
