Spring Reads: Book Two {Blow Fly}

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

You Guys! I gave this book two stars on Goodreads. And I couldn't figure out why until I went back and read the description of this book and my tiny comments I added to it when I rated it. I forgot just how much this one disappointed me! There will probably be some spoiler's ahead, so proceed with caution. Just a warning.

So, in this installment in the Kay Scarpetta series, Cornwell brings to a conclusion a plot that has arched over the last few books. There's a bad guy, Jean-Baptiste Chandonne, who has been plaguing Scarpetta for a while now. He's awful - attacks and kills women in awful, awful ways - and he's a modern day warewolf (he has a genetic defect that causes hair to grow over all of his body, perhaps a disorder that started the warewolf mythology). But, he's in prison because (in the last book) he attacked Scarpetta in her home and was caught. Nevertheless, he's still causing her trouble and asking her to come see him in prison before his execution. He has information on his family as well as other murders, but he'll only tell Scarpetta.

Meanwhile, Scarpetta has resigned from her job as the ME for Virginia and relocates to Florida to work as a private forensic consultant. She's trying to put some order back into her life but is still grieving over Benton's death and dealing with the reckless actions of her niece Lucy. However, she's not given much time to cope as she's called into a case in Louisiana dealing with a woman found dead in a hotel room.

Together with the rest of the usual characters, Scarpetta has to cope with Chandonne's requests, solv a series of murders, and try and put her life back together.

And boy was I disappointed. 

First, this book was told revolving more around the rest of the characters than Scarpetta. Which left her looking weak, uninteresting, and helpless. Which we all know she's not.

Then, she resurrects Benton. Which, while I love him, is cheating. Do you hear me? CHEATING.

And so Benton comes back into her life after solving everything on his own. And the worst part is that then we only  get to see the resolution which has been building over the course of a number of books with Benton saying (basically) "Yeah, they're dead. I got you covered. Everything is fine now."

I feel like I got cheated out of so much with this book. I wanted resolution to a very terrifying storyline. I was in complete and utter disbelief when I put down the book. Was I missing pages? Did Cornwell forget something? Did that really just happen?

And don't get me started on Lucy. That last bit of hers in the book? Awful. And we all know there is going to be no resolution to that or mention of it in a future book.

Sigh.

I wanted so much out of this book and got next to nothing.

Title: Blow Fly (Kay Scarpetta #12)
Author: Patricia Cornwell
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Medium: Paperback
Pages: 480
Date Read: 28 January 2012
Source: Purchased
First Line: Dr. Kay Scarpetta moves the tiny glass vial close to candlelight, illuminating a maggot drifting in a poisonous bath of ethanol. 
Recommended: Eh. Not really. Maybe, if you're looking for a quick and easy read and are okay with books disappointing you. 
Recommended For: People already invested in Kay Scarpetta (particularly looking for some [awful] closure from the past few books!); crime readers who are looking for a new perspective - ME versus detective/cop/etc; 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you all so much for your comments! I'm only happy when I have comments. Really. You are contributing to my future happiness right now! XOXO