literaryhobbylobby's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
musingsfromamandalyn's review
5.0
What a scary killer! A chance encounter leading to stalking and eventual murder. And then another murder to cover it up. Then a suicide. Then Scarpetta is put in the stalker/murderer's crosshairs. It definitely kept me at the edge of my seat. I did miss more interactions with Lucy but I am still impressed by how identifiable Scarpetta is. I think all of us have had an experience with someone like Mark. Letting a past image cloud the current one. I know I have. Although not with the same ending. I wonder if he will continue to be a character or if long distance is too hard for them. I also believe that anyone would have been fooled by the lost luggage ruse. I am glad she was able to save herself.
mjreutman's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ak97x's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
a_mae13's review
2.5
“The older I got, the more I was of the opinion that love can be experienced in many different ways. There is no right or wrong way to love, only in how it is expressed.”
While I loved Postmortem, Body of Evidence wasn't as intriguing for me. The plot focuses around a stalked romance author who is met with a deranged killer. Her manuscript suddenly goes missing, causing further trouble for Dr. Scarpetta. As a stand-alone novel, it would be phenomenal; however, it followed her first novel in the series, which was an excellent mystery woven together with principles of forensic pathology.
Body of Evidence has a very similar plot set up to Postmortem, where Lt. Marino requests Dr. Scarpetta to a crime scene. Beryl Madison, an author, was brutally stabbed to death in her home. The mystery is, there is no sign of forced entry, suggesting that she knew the killer. Dr. Scarpetta is overly preoccupied with the Madison murder until she gets a phone call from her ex, Mark James. She hadn't heard from him in almost 15 years and now he is wrapped up in the Madison murder, too. Following his own leads, Lt. Marino turns up an odd character, Al Hunt, who fits the killer's profile but leads them to other discoveries.
Beryl's estranged mentor, Cary Harper, is found brutally murdered, and his eccentric, bitter sister, Sterling, dies suddenly while Kay is marooned in the house by a snowstorm and dead car. Learning that Sterling has cancer and has remained in touch with Beryl over her brother's objections, Kay traces down additional leads. Al Hunt provides enigmatic clues that are resolved only after Al hangs himself and Kay visits the mental institution in which Al and Frankie once live. Everything points to Frankie as the killer.
Spoiler
When Frankie stalks Kay by phone as he had Beryl—and blows up Pete's car—Kay flees to Key West, FL, where Beryl had fled in identical circumstances. There, Kay manages to obtain Beryl's manuscript and meets up with Mark, who turns out to be an undercover FBI agent working to prove Sparacino is a mobster. Kay flies back to Richmond, refusing to be a victim, and when her lost luggage is delivered by a courier, nearly perishes, but suddenly realizes the ploy and manages to evade and kill Frankie in self defensetimewornpages's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
laurashavers's review
3.0
I used to read thrillers all of the time and it was my favorite genre of books. I've gravitated away from this genre but I had this in a box of books that I have either won from giveaways on here or have been given and haven't gotten to yet. I am holding myself hostage from going to the library until I get through these books!
I've always loved Kay Scarpetta. You can definitely tell that times have changed though based off of the wording used in the book i.e. Marino throwing "fag" around with so much ease.
A popular author, Beryl, has been stalked by an unknown person. She had run away from Richmond to Key West for a time and then returned. Upon her return home, she was slaughtered. It was assumed possibly her mentor did it, who then also turned up dead.
This book definitely took quite a few turns and this is why I've always loved Patricia Cornwell. You can't really predict where it is going to go.
I've always loved Kay Scarpetta. You can definitely tell that times have changed though based off of the wording used in the book i.e. Marino throwing "fag" around with so much ease.
A popular author, Beryl, has been stalked by an unknown person. She had run away from Richmond to Key West for a time and then returned. Upon her return home, she was slaughtered. It was assumed possibly her mentor did it, who then also turned up dead.
This book definitely took quite a few turns and this is why I've always loved Patricia Cornwell. You can't really predict where it is going to go.
xhekap30's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0