Point of Origin (Unabridged)

Rating:
Summary: I would hate to work for Kay Scarpetta
Review: Each book seems to make Dr. Scarpetta a more egotistical, self-centered, difficult person---I would hate to work for the coroner. I found this book rather dull----the crimes lacked pizzazz, characters were left dangling, and it did not hold my interest in the least.

Rating:
Summary: Another Great One!!!
Review: PC has done it again. I loved the book and am anxiously looking forward to the next in the series. I think the interpersonal dynamics are as powerful as the science and I personally think PC is a genious. I hope the hints about Kay's next love interest come to fruition -- what fun!!

Rating:
Summary: Better than the last few, but still hit-or-miss
Review: The writing is definitely stronger here, but the plot has some gaping holes that are never really addressed. Scarpetta doesn't spend much time solving the mystery; mostly, she's running around and fussing about Lucy, reacting to events instead of affecting them. Most disappointing was the "climax" which was outlandish and a rip-off, never giving readers the long awaited face-to-face showdown between Scarpetta and Carrie, or even between Lucy and Carrie. Carrie remains a shadow villain to the end: felt, but never seen or heard. Very unsatisfying in that respect. On the other hand, Cornwell's exploration of Kay's psyche contains some of the best writing since her early Scarpetta novels. The final chapter on the beach is simple, direct and moving, as Kay asks herself the inevitable questions of regret. What's next? Who knows, but I hope the focus returns to Scarpetta and her work, instead of Lucy's various upheavals.

Rating:
Summary: Cornwell's winning style comes through again!
Review: I always hate it when the book ends! Scarpetta finds herself in an unusual situation once again, and manages to keep your attention right up to the last pages. Keep up the good work and keep those novels coming!

Rating:
Summary: A faint image of Scarpetta's earlier tales, commercial plot
Review: A long time fan of Cornwell and Scarpetta, I found myself wondering why I'd not waited for the paperback. Kay is at her best in the autopsy suite or at the scene; too little of that here. Her personal life was always a nice subplot, but was front and center in this work. I found myself occasionally disliking the herione, who seems too good to be true. Lots of political side taking against the FBI; too much of the author's personal history taking over. It is so out of character with previous works, that it seems inconsistant and not plausable. It was a quick read, but not nearly as engrossing as earlier work. I hope Dr. Kay comes back more true to form in the next book, with a more intreging plot, with a few more unexpected twists and turns.

Rating:
Summary: Oh, my, Kay, hates her job...again....
Review: And, argues with Benton and regrets it, again...and whatever Lucy says to her wounds her, again....and Marino is still fat, smoking and drinking and she is worried about him dying, again. This is what happens in this new novel. More of the same old same old. This was not a page turner. I only wanted to finish it because I wanted to see what character Cornwell was going to kill off. But, I actually cheated and read the last chapter. That was it for me. The part about Benton being kidnapped was so sketchy and incomplete. Truthfully, the whole book was sketchy and incomplete. I guess you can tell I DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK. Cornwell has said she is going to give Kay a rest and work on other projects. Good. Give us a rest. Maybe Kay willl come back as a human being.

Rating:
Summary: Time for a new focus
Review: I have always loved Patricia Cornwell's books. However, her last 2 books have really been disappointing. Lucy needs to take a job overseas and reappear sometime in the distant future, and Marino needs to get a life. The characters are not new and fresh, but the same ones we are seeing in all of her books. I, for one, did not object to the romance (if you can call it that) with Benton, but this was not allowed to develop.I am really tired of hearing how independent she is so therefore she can't share her life with anyone. Bring Kay back, but definitely give her a new attitude.

Rating:
Summary: Cornwell is a superb writer.
Review: This is more in the nature of a "customer comment" than a review(there are plenty of reviews already). I finished this book at 1 a.m. today and had nightmares the rest of the night. I thought it was extremely well written and one of PC's best efforts. I just read all the customer comments and now, upon reflection, it is obvious that she left some things out. How the fires started is never explained and admittedly, that is a big hole; but the quality of the writing is far superior to most books of this genre. It is hard to believe PC actually wrote Hornet's Nest which I found unreadable. Writing a series is obviously difficult, and she keeps up the quality better than most other authors do. i will recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sophisticated, intellectually challenging read and doesn't mind the dark and sinister atmosphere.

Rating:
Summary: Nothing new here
Review: I've devoured all the other Cornwells. This is the worse for several reasons: Cornwell can't even come up with a new vilain, and instead takes us back to the usual stuff. The amount of 'fire' details is overdone - as much as I enjoy the forensic stuff, this is way overdone. When characters explain technical data, it doesn't read like speech, but something from a text book. The ending is dissapointing - Kay does nothing with her intelligence to solve the crime - too much fluke and chance. Read it if you're a fan, otherwise wait for next year's -(rumours has it it might be set in Paris, France).

Rating:
Summary: I loved it - I hated for the story to end.
Review: Out of all the Kay Scarpetta books, I enjoyed this one the most. Although I felt that Cornwell evaded Scarpetta's feelings for Benton too much. The story line was great - her "who done it" intriguing. Cornwell seems to always find new ways to draw you in with the different ways characters die in her books, and the tools she must use to find the murderer. Again, I loved the book!