Rating: 
Summary: Great, one of her best in a long time
Review: I really enjoyed Point of Origin. There is no sentimentality, Scarpetta still cannot enjoy a happy love life and i enjoyed this realism. It was great to see Lucy back and i look forward to when Lucy can start to take on her own cases.
Rating: 
Summary: Who's left to kill?
Review: Cornwell has become the new Anne Rice, as far as I'm concerned. You can't help wanting to read her because she grabbed you in the past, but what she's offering us is such a diluted form of what she used to write that it doesn't make sense to continue the habit. I didn't read Hornet's Nest because others told me it wasn't worth the paper it was printed on -- but I didn't want to believe that another Kay Scarpetta novel would follow suit. Patricia, it's time to rethink your plots and characters!!! Habit only lasts so long before it becomes a form of compulsion. Since I'm not a compulsive person, Cornwell, I fear, has lost me.
Rating: 
Summary: More disappointing than the last
Review: I'm not sure if it's because Cornwell has written (and I've read) everything there is to know about Kay Scarpetta, or if Cornwell has fallen a victim to her own success, but she's lost me as a reader.I miss the tight writing and real tension of the past. This book is overwritten, full of stupid phrases, and Kay Scarpetta has become a laughable caricature of her former self. And in typical "I'm out of good ideas" behavior, Cornwell resorts to bringing back a tired villan to try and spice things up. It doesn't work. Yawn.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Hornets Nest, but not her best
Review: I just finished Point of Origin and have to admit that it was darker than most of her others. I hated Hornets Nest, so I figured Ms Cornwell could only improve with this one. Like another reader, I would have liked to learn more about how the fires started, burned so hot, etc. Her technical stuff was top notch, as always. I think Ms. Cornwell needs to lighten up a bit, though. Look forward to her next Scarpetta novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Waited too long for a climax that was weak and lacked detail
Review: As a Corwell addict, I too rushed to grab her latest effort,Point of Origin. At first the new MO of fire appealed to me. I wasdetermined to devour this book as I had all the previous ones. I felt a bit let down by Point. All started out well, sharing developments in the personal lives of Benton, Lucy, etc. What followed was a long chasm of non-activity through the middle of the book. Still having faith, I hung in there, waiting for another strong climactic ending like From Potter's Field. The ending came very late, and lacked strong build up, and certainly details. Quite frankly, it was so open ended that it reminded me of a soap opera. Also, there were several doors left open for future developments and some new characters, which would breathe much needed life into the series. I do! ! recommend reading the books in order, as well as Hornet's Nest. Reading HN just before Point was fun. Quite frankly, I could see a series developing from HN. Would be time away from Kay and Co. to approach crime from a new angle.
Rating:
Summary: A weak and repeative plot line - wouldn't recommend it
Review: I was thoroughly disappointed in Cornwell's latest effort. The plot is a recycled one as are the characters. Cornwell didn't even tie up the loose ends in the technical explanations of the fires' fuel sources. The ending reminded me of a bad soap opera,where without a body to identify one knows that the character will return..... Enough already... I thoroughly enjoyed her first books. However the last three seemed to have been "phoned in". "Point of Origin" reminded me of a screenplay for a "Summer Blockbuster" gone bad complete with one dimensional characters and lots of fire and explosions! Given the high quality of Cornwell's early works, this effort deserves less than one star.
Rating:
Summary: A very good summer read
Review: This is probably not the best Cornwell, but she has constructed a story packed with interesting, intimate technical information and insights of a coroner's office and on pyrography. The story builds well and, for the most part, is engrossing -- only occasionally enmired in minutia (and even that can be overlooked). Crusty old Detective Marino, Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta and her brilliant niece Lucy are back and up to their good deeds. Point of Origin is both entertaining and intelligent, although the ending is too fast and more contrived than should be acceptable in a story such as this. Otherwise, certainly worth the time.
Rating: 
Summary: Nonstop reading like her previous novels
Review: Can't really discuss certain things of how I felt without giving away certain things. It was a wonderful book and as usual you can't put it down. Once you open the book to the last page you are riveted to your seat.
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful
Review: Congratulations to Cornwell on her latest work! I was grabbed from the beginning and couldn't put it down. The investigations are, as always, surprisingly accurate and edge of the seat suspense while you're thinking "What will turn up next."
Rating:
Summary: Scarpetta needs a break
Review: I enjoy the novels of Patricia Cornwell. When one comes out, I rush to buy it. After this one, I am not so sure that I will be in such a hurry next time. I feel sorry for Kay Scarpetta. She has no husband, no children, and an all-consuming job that no one in their right mind would want. After this novel, I feel even sorrier for her. She should have gone to Hilton Head. That was her first mistake. She should get some psychiatric help after this book. She is always putting down Marino, but that guy, at least, knows how to enjoy himself. Kay needs a life, a new man/woman, and a new career (teaching college or something). She's burning out.
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