Rating: 
Summary: worst book i've read
Review: I think Patricia Cornwell should go back to her regular characters. This book is a disaster. Very, very disappointed
Rating: 
Summary: Finally I Have Grown To Like Cornwell's Alternate Series
Review: In the first diversion which Patricia Cornwell took from my favorite Kay Scarpetta, I was too angry that Cornwell was changing characters that I couldn't be fair about the new characters of Hammer, West and Brazil.Ultimately, in reflecting for some time on the change, it occurs to me that it's not fair to expect a writer to remain creative if locked into one particular character. I was asking the writer in Patrica Cornwell to lock herself into Scarpetta and get them out to me as fast as I could read them. I realize this is an truly unfair expectation. Having sorted through this I approached Southern Cross with a very different attitude. This time I was open to the change. I think the book is a truly excellent one. Unlike the standard formula for a typical suspence/mystery novel, Cornwell has three very strong characters, yet because of the town of Charlotte's closemindedness about "outsiders coming in to run their police department," they are really placed in a no-win situation. Withoout Cornwell pulling some spectacular changes in Charlotte's police force, the story and the characters of Hammer, West and Brazil prove themselves to be highly professional but none is an absolute heroine or hero. This story is really about crime, people's closeminded attitude toward change and outsiders and most importantly -- it is a brilliant story which captures the the plight of marginalized youth in our society. We all need to belong! Abraham Maslow places it on his order of needs toward self actualization just above the very basic of the basics -- essentially right after the need to eat and have our other physical needs met. In adolescence, particurly those who fall outside the standard "groups" of acceptable groups, those less popular kids will go to great lengths to belong to something/anything. As a result, they are extremely vulnerable to "outlaw" groups. In Southern Cross, a vulnerable artistic and intelligent kid isn't particularly attractive or a part of a group. He is preyed upon by a small group of lowlifes who consider themselves a gang. They offer him membership -- belongiing. Yet, their intention is one which is not to increase their enrollmeht but to use him in their schemes, thieving and eventually turning to killing. The young man while desperately wanting belong is intelligent enough to realize that belonging comes at too high a price. It costs him his ability to express himself artistically, to attend school where art classes are extremely important to him and where participation in the matching band is a true souce of self esteem for him. While he goes along for a while, Andy Brazil catches wise to his possible membership in the gang. In addition to his gang membership, artistic and musical avenues are important to self esteem. He is also a hidden computer wizard who manages to break into the police web site and lock up the data base all over the world. His only intention was to give local police some help in locating where there is gang trouble. The boy eventually is able to choose the avenues he believes are in his best interest -- his art and music. He comes to understand the fact that belonging's not worth the loss of what is far more productive. If there is a main protagonist, it is this young man -- not Hammer, West and Brazil which would a traditional route (and a safe route for another writer to take so to write on the "safe side".) Cornwell's storytelling abilites are masterful. The reader experiences highly successful police leaders from Richmond become frustrated and humbled by the "no outsiders wanted" passive aggressive behavior they experience in Carlotte. Yet they keep at it, humbly but notq defeated. The grand change them envisioned is completely unrealitc. Having worked with hard core delinquent adolescents for five years, I know that not enough is written about why adolescents become involved in "belonging through crimal avenues." As we see crime rates, particularly among kids rise throughout the ountry and conservative policies and financial restraints moving away from "treatment" toward "punishment,"this story is particularly timely. In Cornwell's story, there are many issues to consider. Ultimately, I believe the unexpected progtagonist makes the righ choices and he comes away as a more confident, highly moral young man. Cornwell has taken a challenging topic with deep social im excellent yet different than usual and tried and true suspense mystery.Yet despite deep thought, social justice iessues, a sensitivity is apparent and a jam-packed social policy issues jammped through the story. Get job Patricia! Keep Hammer, West and Brazil coming. Just don't forget about Kay. She has lots to do yet too!
Rating: 
Summary: SOUTHERN CROSS(OVER)
Review: Being a long time Patricia Cornwell fan, former Richmonder and MCV Trauma Nurse, I was disappointed not to find our beloved Kay. In an attempt to "crossover" her not so remarkable characters from HORNET"S NEST, P.C. falls below her audiences expectations with lack of character definition and plot but not humor. An enjoyable read if your not expecting the dynamics of Kay, Marino and Lucy.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed!!!
Review: I'd like to start this by saying that I'm a fan and am there to buy her books the minute they're available, and I was really looking forward to getting to know more about these new characters.. had enjoyed their arrival in her last book... but WAS SO DISAPPOINTED... it was never really developed and kind of "I don't know" what was she going for???... couldn't get into her story...did she read this before going to print and was she really satisfied with the completed work???
Rating:
Summary: PC at her best!!!
Review: I was pleasantly surprised by "Southern Cross" because I wasn't real fond of "Hornet's Nest". The characters were more real in SC than in HN. Excellent work PC!!! Can't wait to read "Black Notice".
Rating:
Summary: Missed the mark
Review: Perhaps I've been spoiled by the Scarpetta novels, but I found Southern Cross to be greatly lacking. Under most circumstances, I read a Cornwell novel in one evening -- but not this time. However, it was a completely different type of novel and had it been written by any author other than Cornwell, I probably would not have bought it. From now on, I'll just wait for the next Scarpetta novel.
Rating:
Summary: Second disappointment
Review: I was disappointed in Hornets Nest and vowed not to read another non-Scarpetta novel. But, I ordered Southern Cross because I decided to give Ms. Cornwell another chance. I was so disappointed. The characters lacked the intensity found in the Scarpetta books and the plot was very weak, to say the least. I hope Patricia is busy writing her next book but if it has Hammer, Brazil and West, I won't be reading it. Please, stick to a formula that really works-SCARPETTA!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great character development
Review: Patricia Cornwell's non-Scarpetta novels are fun reads for the times when I put down her murder mysteries or my New Yorker magazine. It's hard to find an author that puts people's lives on paper in just the way that Cornwell does. I feel like I really know her characters. In this deep-South novel, the characters are a great melange that range from the total white-trash Bubba (license plate BUB-HA) to ever sophistocated Chief Hammer. Her details about Bubba's life as a member of the working class are truly incredible. I wonder where she picked up such accurate and deep information. The description of Bubba's house alone is better than any photograh. Although the ending is quite abrupt (as are all of Cornwell's) I feel it pulled the plot together into a nice bow and wrapped it all up for me. I can't wait to read the next one. When's it coming?
Rating: 
Summary: Do we have reason to follow this story-line Patricia?
Review: Only with ample reason should anyone read this recent release, if Hornet's Nest didn't satisfy you're P.Cornell fix, this will be a complete waste. I'm wandering if this story-line is going somewhere, is she trying to find another identity other than Scarpetta?
Rating:
Summary: If you want to continue to like PC - don't read this book!
Review: I used to take pride in the fact that I was a PC fan, but I'm about to jump off the PC band wagon. I was devasted by southern cross. I wish this book would never have been published. To PC: You win some and you lose some. Count your loses and move on.
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