In this provocative thriller, forensic expert Kay Scarpetta is surrounded by familiar faces, yet traveling down the unfamiliar road of fame….It is the week before Christmas. A tanking economy has prompted Dr. Kay Scarpetta—despite her busy schedule and her continuing work as the senior forensic analyst for CNN—to offer her services pro bono to New York City’s Office of the Chief Medical … Chief Medical Examiner. In no time at all, her increased visibility seems to precipitate a string of unexpected and unsettling events, culminating in an ominous package—possibly a bomb—showing up at the front desk of the apartment building where she and her husband, Benton, live. Soon the apparent threat on Scarpetta’s life finds her embroiled in a surreal plot that includes a famous actor accused of an unthinkable sex crime and the disappearance of a beautiful millionaire with whom her niece, Lucy, seems to have shared a secret past.
Scarpetta’s CNN producer wants her to launch a TV show called The Scarpetta Factor. Given the bizarre events already in play, she fears that her growing fame will generate the illusion that she has a “special factor,” a mythical ability to solve all her cases. She wonders if she will end up like other TV personalities: her own stereotype.
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4 of 5 stars to The Scarpetta Factor, the 17th book in the Kay Scarpetta mystery and thriller series, written by Patricia Cornwell and published in 2009. Many readers had mixed reactions to this book when it was released, thinking Cornwell finally got back on track with the character of Dr. Kay Scarpetta; however, some felt it was still going downhill. I enjoyed the book, mostly because of the focus of the story. It took Scarpetta to Hollywood (so to speak), embroiled in a scandal and possible serial killer over a famous actress, to NYC where she helped work on the crimes and cases (and that’s where I live!), and she had an on-air radio show which kept things feeling different. The content was very sexual in this book, given the victims who died and the way in which it happened. It’s not one of the lighter books, but then again, I do like reading stuff that pushes the limit without just being silly and vulgar. It’s a fine line here, but I enjoyed it. I think it was a good installment in the series, but not the best… gives me hope the series may be back on track.
All of Ms. Cornwall books are good reads