I recently finished The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell. I have long been a follower of the Kay Scarpetta series. I suppose I have read her books for 20 years. (Guess I moved on to the adult Nancy Drew version). I'm not sure when it happened but somewhere in the last 5 to 7 years something has changed with her books. The Scarpetta Factor was really no exception.
I really enjoyed her earlier books; The Body Farm, Cruel & Unusual, All That Remains. They were all intense and interesting. I liked the main characters a lot. I have images of them in my head as I read. (Marino looks a lot like Sipowicz from NYPD Blue) I love Kay's house in Richmond. I could imagine myself there eating one of her famous big Italian meals.
Somewhere in the last few years, I think it's really ever since she (Kay Scarpetta) left Richmond that I have found the books lacking. It's almost as if someone else is writing them, Kay has lost her voice and the other characters, such as Lucy and Marino, have become so dark.
For those of you who don't follow the series Kay Scarpetta is a powerful forensic psychologist. (not to mention a Chief Medical Examiner) She is a strong female character that the feminist in me admires. She is single, successful, came from humble beginnings & she (almost) always gets her man!
Somewhere over the last few years I've stopped admiring her and I positively hate what has happened to Marino. I would really love it if Ms. Cornwell would go back to the old Kay & write something gritty & a little less whiny.
All in all The Scarpetta Factor was a quick easy read. Time spent with familiar people. The story line jumps around a lot and I think she tried to tie too many things together. It ended up being a little predictable. There is nothing really wrong with the book other than it leaves me feeling nastalgic. I miss the old gang.
2 1/2 out of 5 stars
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