The author seems to have written this mid-range book after waking from an unpleasant fever dream. The characters are cartoonish or wooden. Marino in particular has devolved from the paunchy ignorant balding cop of earlier to a raging testosterone-filled investigator constantly on the edge of sexually assaulting Scarpetta. Benton is over the top jealous, and Lucy has become an angry creeper. The serial killer and his creator are deeply repugnant. I’ve read less than a third of the Scarpetta series but in this one she seems to be trying out a more free-form tone. She’s writing in present tense and most chapters open with a fragmented phrase, like the caption of a photo or a journal entry. On a positive note, Cornwall has toned down her embarrassing “colloquial” dialogue that she used to attach to uneducated cops and persons of color. Ugh to this entry in the Scarpetta universe.

Just when I thought I was seeing some of the old Patricia Cornwell, the book ends leaving me hanging, which I’m certain the purpose is to make sure the next book picks up where this one left off to insure the purchase of the next book. I feel exploited so it’s not likely I’ll continue to follow her.

I used to read Cornwell's books. Stopped about a decade ago when the writing became disjointed and didn't flow well. I only got this one because it was free. Good thing I didn't pay for it. I didn't even get halfway through before I removed it from my collection. The story line is good, but the writing is awful.