One of the best....**UPDATE** (Patricia Cornwell in general)

Member Name: sunbeam

Product:	Patricia Cornwell in general
Date:	06/09/00 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interesting and gets you hooked!

Disadvantages: I read them quicker than she can write them!

I eagerly await each one of Patricia Cornwells novels and she doesn’t write quick enough for me!

Reader: So what does she write about?

She mainly concentrates on a series about a Chief Medical Examiner called Dr Kay Scarpetta, which are my personal favourites. Her stories are of the thriller genre but Patricia has written books other than the Scarpetta series, including two about the police called “Hornet’s Nest” and “Southern Cross” which I personally could never get into. And although they’re popular, Patricia seems to want to stick with the Scarpetta series.

Reader: So what else has she written?

She has also written a book called “Scarpetta’s Winter Table” which I’m still waiting to get hold of and a non-fiction entitled “Ruth, A Portrait: The Story of Ruth Bell Graham”.

Reader: So could you tell me a bit about the author herself?

Well she splits her time between Virginia, Richmond and New York. Virginia is where her Scarpetta novels are centred around. Her first Scarpetta novel “Postmortem” won five international awards (not surprising!) making her an international bestseller!

Reader: You keep mentioning Dr Kay Scarpetta, so who is she?

She is the Chief medical examiner of Virginia and was first introduced in the novel “Postmortem”. Kay is a reserved woman who likes to keep her private life just that…private. The only relative she is close to is her niece Lucy, who Kay looks upon as a daughter. I can’t reveal too much about her background, as it’s an essential thread through the series. One of her close friends is Captain Pete Marino who helps her on her cases and is also very protective of her. A lot of Dr Kay Scarpettas life unfolds as you read through the series.

Reader: As she does postmortems, does that make the books gory?

No not in my
opinion, but they are detailed. You will inevitably get to “see” the postmortems close up which I found made it more of an educational thing than gory, very interesting actually!

Reader: So what makes her novels so gripping?

It’s all in the way she twists and turns the plot. Just when you think you’ve figured it all out, she’ll leave you amazed with another twist. I’ve never taken longer than a few days to read her novels.
I’ve also mastered the art of cooking one handed, and no sooner have I opened the first page, then I’m turning the last.

Reader: So do I have to read them in order?

Not at all! Each book holds itself on its own and I myself started in the middle somewhere. But I do recommend that you read from the beginning because if you like them (which I’m almost sure you will) you’ll want the “full” story. Her personal life does link through, but the decision is yours.

Reader: Maybe I should take a look then, what are the titles?

I’ve drawn up a list for you, so you can go hunting:

The Dr Kay Scarpetta series:

* Postmortem (1990)
* Body Of Evidence (1991)
* All That Remains (1992)
* Cruel And Unusual (1993)
* The Body Farm (1994)
* From Potters Field (1995)
* Cause Of Death (1996)
* Unnatural Exposure(1997)
* Point Of Origin (1998)
* Black Notice (1999)
* The Last Precinct (2000)

Other Fiction:

* Hornet’s Nest
* Southern Cross

Short Fiction:

* Kay Scarpetta’s Winter Table

Non-Fiction:

* Ruth, A Portrait: The Story of Ruth Bell Graham

Reader: I’m impressed! No wonder you’ve had to wait so long…one a year!

Yep…I get each one as a Christmas present without fail…and then I’ve finished it by the time the New Year bells ring twelve!
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br><br>It's a true talent when an author can get you to care about her characters so much so that you wonder what is happening to them almost as soon as you turn that last page. Well this is one of those authors.

Reader: Thanks for the insight into Patricia Cornwell...maybe I’ll check her out!

Well if you’re interested there is a web site called www.patricia-cornwell.com
I also aim to review each of her books and as you read this, I’m in the process of writing one!

Enjoy!

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