What do you think?
Rate this book
Kay Scarpetta #23
Depraved Heart
Patricia Cornwell delivers the newest engrossing thriller in her high-stakes series starring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta.
Depraved “Void of social duty and fatally bent on mischief.”
—Mayes v. People, 806 III. 306 (1883)
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is working a suspicious death scene in Cambridge, Massachusetts when an emergency alert sounds on her phone. A video link lands in her text messages and seems to be from her computer genius niece Lucy. But how can it be? It’s clearly a surveillance film of Lucy taken almost twenty years ago.
As Scarpetta watches she begins to learn frightening secrets about her niece, whom she has loved and raised like a daughter. That film clip and then others sent soon after raise dangerous legal implications that increasingly isolate Scarpetta and leave her confused, worried, and not knowing where to turn. She doesn’t know whom she can tell—not her FBI husband Benton Wesley or her investigative partner Pete Marino. Not even Lucy.
In this new novel, Cornwell launches these unforgettable characters on an intensely psychological odyssey that includes the mysterious death of a Hollywood mogul’s daughter, aircraft wreckage on the bottom of the sea in the Bermuda Triangle, a grisly gift left in the back of a crime scene truck, and videos from the past that threaten to destroy Scarpetta’s entire world and everyone she loves. The diabolical presence behind what unfolds seems obvious—but strangely, not to the FBI. Certainly that’s the message they send when they raid Lucy’s estate and begin building a case that could send her to prison for the rest of her life.
In the latest novel in her bestselling series featuring chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Cornwell will captivate readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and cutting-edge forensic detail that she is famous for, proving yet again why she’s the world’s #1 bestselling crime writer.
Depraved “Void of social duty and fatally bent on mischief.”
—Mayes v. People, 806 III. 306 (1883)
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is working a suspicious death scene in Cambridge, Massachusetts when an emergency alert sounds on her phone. A video link lands in her text messages and seems to be from her computer genius niece Lucy. But how can it be? It’s clearly a surveillance film of Lucy taken almost twenty years ago.
As Scarpetta watches she begins to learn frightening secrets about her niece, whom she has loved and raised like a daughter. That film clip and then others sent soon after raise dangerous legal implications that increasingly isolate Scarpetta and leave her confused, worried, and not knowing where to turn. She doesn’t know whom she can tell—not her FBI husband Benton Wesley or her investigative partner Pete Marino. Not even Lucy.
In this new novel, Cornwell launches these unforgettable characters on an intensely psychological odyssey that includes the mysterious death of a Hollywood mogul’s daughter, aircraft wreckage on the bottom of the sea in the Bermuda Triangle, a grisly gift left in the back of a crime scene truck, and videos from the past that threaten to destroy Scarpetta’s entire world and everyone she loves. The diabolical presence behind what unfolds seems obvious—but strangely, not to the FBI. Certainly that’s the message they send when they raid Lucy’s estate and begin building a case that could send her to prison for the rest of her life.
In the latest novel in her bestselling series featuring chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Cornwell will captivate readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and cutting-edge forensic detail that she is famous for, proving yet again why she’s the world’s #1 bestselling crime writer.
481 pages, ebook
First published October 22, 2015
4117 people are currently reading
17622 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Cornwell
195 books19.7k followersPatricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, in 1990 while working as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. Postmortem, was the first bona fide forensic thriller. It paved the way for an explosion of entertainment featuring in all things forensic across film, television and literature.
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,980 reviews
October 28, 2015
Ponderous. Difficult to get through and engage with. I have read every Scarpetta and somewhere along the way, the tone and the approach has become indirect, negative, and overly focused on the internal voice of Kay Scarpetta, a character that is so controlled it is difficult to like and empathise with her.
November 15, 2015
Gone are the days when Kay Scarpetta actually conducted autopsies. Now she spends most of her time paranoid, obsessed, and convinced that everything in her life is being contrived to harm her and the ones she "loves". I put "love" in quotation marks because, once again, Kay seems more robot than human, perpetually detached from her family. Time and time again Kay chooses to keep information secret, because of her own paranoid fears that they will experience legal ramifications or perhaps just a selfish desire to be the only one who knows. Lucy and Benton are just as secretive and dishonest. This cheap plot device has been used in the last few books to give the illusion of intrigue but it does nothing but undermine the supposed relationships between characters. Having characters ultimately unite over a meal over pasta and wine does nothing to compensate for months of dishonesty and recurring distrust.
I wrote this review to remind myself not to read the next instalment because its clear Patricia Cornwell has plans to continue with her favourite "psychopath is obsessed with Kay" style of plot.
I wrote this review to remind myself not to read the next instalment because its clear Patricia Cornwell has plans to continue with her favourite "psychopath is obsessed with Kay" style of plot.
December 30, 2015
I agree with some of the other reviewers about this book. There is too much vagueness and you never seem to get what the heck is going on. This whole book, except for the last chapter, takes place in less than a 12 hour period! Almost 480 pages of Scarpetta using doublespeak, has a lot of inner conversations, and we are supposed to try to read between the lines as to what the heck is actually going on.
The character of Benton, who I used to like, has become annoying with all of his, "it's FBI stuff and I can't say much more" crap. Lucy has just become a loose cannon and all of them together are starting to give me a headache.
I wish the author would go back to the way she wrote of them in the beginning when I really loved this series. I am giving it 3 stars though, because at least one of the vile villains is back and hopefully she will make things more interesting again.
The character of Benton, who I used to like, has become annoying with all of his, "it's FBI stuff and I can't say much more" crap. Lucy has just become a loose cannon and all of them together are starting to give me a headache.
I wish the author would go back to the way she wrote of them in the beginning when I really loved this series. I am giving it 3 stars though, because at least one of the vile villains is back and hopefully she will make things more interesting again.
January 19, 2020
Depraved Heart is the 23rd novel in the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell. It is also the middle novel in a three-book arc focusing on a common villain who's resurfaced from the past. To be honest, I don't recall whether we read about Carrie Grethen in one of the very early novels, but I believe she was mentioned at some point given the books began in 1990 and the time period referenced was 1995 thru 1997 when the criminal interacted with the main characters. Sorry! After this many books read and this long of a period passing by, my mind isn't 100% certain on everything I read (without a refresher); and I'm too lazy today to verify. Ha!
Depraved Heart was a strong book for me, although others didn't love it as much. It's hard to keep momentum in a series, especially when they are technical and detailed. Most of the plot of this book takes place over a 24-hour period when we focus on the legal aspects of what the FBI can and can't do to Lucy based on a tip they've received and an inkling they have about what really happened in the last book in Florida. While we do have a body and an autopsy, Kay isn't doing it herself, and she only comments on what she's seen or heard from others. We're not even certain who killed the woman as it could be a couple of people, but we'll be sure in the next book when the arc concludes.
Overall, this was the kind of book where I couldn't stop flipping pages to see what the key characters would learn about Carrie Grethen, the criminal FBI mastermind who's been stalking them for years in the background. She's a formidable villain and can hold Scarpetta AND Lucy at bay for their actions in the past and currently. We see very little of Benton in this book, and Lucy is only there for a few conversations. We're almost entirely witnessing a few hours of time between Kay and Marino as they investigate a potential homicide, receive a video about Carrie and Lucy's former friendship, and realize the crime is connected to the past.
For suspense and thrills, it's top notch but not in terms of a chase. It's a methodical look at how Carrie could pull off such actions from the dive 'accident' in Florida to the copper-mining to the murder of the starlet's daughter in the initial crime that we think is unrelated. Watching the drama unfold was fantastic, but I like this sort of novel. If you're looking for detailed medical procedures and analysis, this book strays from the norm. If you like connecting prior events we've seen bits and pieces of to something current and crazy, you should love it.
Depraved Heart was a strong book for me, although others didn't love it as much. It's hard to keep momentum in a series, especially when they are technical and detailed. Most of the plot of this book takes place over a 24-hour period when we focus on the legal aspects of what the FBI can and can't do to Lucy based on a tip they've received and an inkling they have about what really happened in the last book in Florida. While we do have a body and an autopsy, Kay isn't doing it herself, and she only comments on what she's seen or heard from others. We're not even certain who killed the woman as it could be a couple of people, but we'll be sure in the next book when the arc concludes.
Overall, this was the kind of book where I couldn't stop flipping pages to see what the key characters would learn about Carrie Grethen, the criminal FBI mastermind who's been stalking them for years in the background. She's a formidable villain and can hold Scarpetta AND Lucy at bay for their actions in the past and currently. We see very little of Benton in this book, and Lucy is only there for a few conversations. We're almost entirely witnessing a few hours of time between Kay and Marino as they investigate a potential homicide, receive a video about Carrie and Lucy's former friendship, and realize the crime is connected to the past.
For suspense and thrills, it's top notch but not in terms of a chase. It's a methodical look at how Carrie could pull off such actions from the dive 'accident' in Florida to the copper-mining to the murder of the starlet's daughter in the initial crime that we think is unrelated. Watching the drama unfold was fantastic, but I like this sort of novel. If you're looking for detailed medical procedures and analysis, this book strays from the norm. If you like connecting prior events we've seen bits and pieces of to something current and crazy, you should love it.
Read
January 4, 201623rd installment of the everybody hates Lucy series. I have found the last 4 or 5 of these books to be less crime thrillers more the life and times of Lucy. And more and more exaggerated they get with each passing book. Bring back the old Kay Scarpetta Medical Examiner please Ms Cornwell.
November 13, 2015
Enough of Carrie Grethen already !
30% of the e-book was spent rehashing the previous book...Unfortunately very little mystery or actual detection takes place in the this book Just a lot of soliloquy from Kay and far too much whiz bang technology....
30% of the e-book was spent rehashing the previous book...Unfortunately very little mystery or actual detection takes place in the this book Just a lot of soliloquy from Kay and far too much whiz bang technology....
January 29, 2025
This is the 23rd book in the 'Kay Scarpetta' series and - though you don't need to be familiar with all the previous books to understand what's going on - you should read at least a few. To give you some background, I'll provide a brief synopsis of the main characters:
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is a medical examiner who's so notorious that she's in the sights of many criminals, especially the satanic Carrie Grethen - a psychopath who seems impossible to kill. Kay also appears to be on the outs with the FBI, but the reason isn't totally clear (to me).
Kay's niece, Lucy Farinelli, is a genius and former FBI agent who was dismissed from the agency some time ago. While Lucy was with the FBI, evil Carrie Grethen was her mentor - and their ongoing 'relationship' has caused no end of trouble.
Lucy now runs a high tech security company and is VERY savvy about weapons, computers, and every kind of technology. Lucy used her smarts to become immensely wealthy and she and her girlfriend Janet now live in a mansion/fortress filled with expensive art and furnishings. Lucy also owns and flies planes and helicopters, and has an arsenal of weapons that would be the envy of a small country.
Kay's husband, Benton Wesley, is a top profiler for the FBI. Kay and Benton have a complex history that's detailed in previous books. Benton is tall, silver-haired (by now), and handsome - and he has to tiptoe around Kay's fractious relationship with the FBI. How these two stay married is a wonder to me. LOL
Pete Marino is a cop whom Kay has known - and worked with - for many years. Pete is a big coarse, loudmouth who's at least half in love with Kay - which has caused BIG problems in the past. I've often wished Pete would fall off the face of the earth, but he's toned down in this book, so I'm giving him another chance. (Ha ha ha)
**********
As the story opens Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the Chief Medical Examiner in Cambridge, Massachusetts - and cop Pete Marino - are at the scene of a suspicious death. While Kay is doing her job she receives an enigmatic video clip on her phone. In the video, made 20 years ago, Carrie Grethen is saying that Lucy Farinelli possessed an illegal weapon while she was a student at the FBI Academy. Kay jumps to the conclusion that Carrie - who 'died' in a helicopter crash some time ago - is still alive.....and about to cause trouble for Lucy.
Kay is unnerved by the video clip. So, without completing her analysis of the crime scene, she orders the body of the deceased girl - Chanel Gilbert - to be taken to the medical examiner's office. Kay then leaves the site and rushes over to Lucy's house with Pete Marino.
When Kay and Pete arrive at Lucy's house, the FBI is there - armed with warrants. The FBI agents, one of whom 'has it in' for Lucy, are grabbing ALL of Lucy's weapons and going through her estate with a fine tooth comb.....clearly looking for something.
Kay thinks the FBI is looking for a video taken two months ago. At that time Kay was scuba diving to observe a dead body when she was wounded in the leg with a harpoon. Kay claims that Carrie Grethen shot her, but the dive camera has disappeared, so she can't prove it. The FBI thinks Carrie is dead, and suspects Kay is deluded or lying.
In Kay's mind, the FBI is trying to make it look like Lucy harpooned her. This seems nuts on the face of it, since Kay raised Lucy from childhood and the two women are as close as as two sardines in a tin. However, Kay is convinced the FBI will do ANYTHING to take Lucy down.
At one point Kay finds out that her husband, Benton, knew in advance that the FBI would raid Lucy's compound, but - of course - kept mum because of his job with the agency. Kay isn't too thrilled with her husband's 'perfidy' - but Benton hints that he's got everything under control. Thus we're led to believe he has an end game in mind.
In any case, Kay goes back to the Chanel Gilbert death scene, and it's clear someone has tampered with the house: clocks have been wound, scented candles have been put out, the victim's car is gone, and a noise like a slamming door sounds periodically - though no one can identify the source. In addtion, an arrow contaminated with human tissue mysteriously appears in the locked medical examiner van. Kay is sure Carrie Grethen is responsible for all this - and that it's been done to somehow harm herself and Lucy.
All the action in the story takes place in a single day, during which Kay learns how Chanel Gilbert died; what Gilbert's secret occupation was; and secrets about Gilbert's house. Kay also discovers more about the harpooning incident - things that she apparently misremembered. In addition, Kay receives more enigmatic video clips on her phone. To Kay's dismay, a lot of this looks bad for Lucy, who might be arrested before long.
There's a lot of additional blather in the book about Carrie Grethen: her serious blood disorder; her fear of aging; medicines and salves she uses; and her severe mental illness - which no one quite understands. There's also talk about Carrie's sky-high IQ, which is in the super-genius realm (over 200). Apparently this makes Carrie almost superhuman, since - in this story - she kidnaps and kills trained cops and FBI agents right under the noses of their armed colleagues. There's also a graphic depiction of Carrie's sadism, which is quite disturbing.
By the end of the book some things are resolved - like who killed Chanel Gilbert.....but loose ends remain. I suppose these will be addressed in the next book.
My favorite Kay Scarpetta books have the medical examiner doing a forensic examination of a body (or bodies), then trying to identify and capture the perp - who's usually a weird and fascinating freak. Marino, Lucy, and Benton generally assist with the investigation, and frequently have side stories of their own. The 'Kay crew' generally find themselves in serious danger from criminals with nefarious plans, and it's all exciting and compelling.
"Depraved Heart" is a completely different book, and I didn't like it much. Kay just frets and worries through the entire story, and her paranoia and suspicion are over the top. Kay is certain the FBI is her mortal enemy, trying to destroy Lucy and herself. Kay figures the FBI's 'Plan A' is to set Lucy up for assassination by confiscating her weapons. Their 'Plan B' is to frame Lucy for a crime and send her to prison.
To me, it's UNBELIEVABLE the FBI would waste time and resources messing with Kay and Lucy. And for a woman as brilliant as Kay to succumb to this notion is ludicrous. Of course Lucy believes this too, but she's always been narcissistic and egocentric - thinking everyone revolves around her - so that doesn't count. Maybe I've watched too many seasons of 'Criminal Minds' but I don't think of the FBI as chock full of people with nasty personal agendas.
In my opinion, Patricia Cornwell has gone completely off the rails with this addition to the series. If Kay Scarpetta doesn't get back on track - solving crimes and catching murderers - I'm done with these books.
I can't recommend this book but - in all fairness - I have to note that the reviews are all over the place, and many people LOVE 'Depraved Heart.' Thus, if you're a fan of the series you should probably read the book and decide for yourself.
You can follow my reviews at: https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
November 5, 2015
At last….after being so disappointed in the last couple of books in Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta Series, along comes the latest and 23rd novel in one of the series that I really like…..and I just found out that this year marks the 25th year of Kay Scarpetta’s world!! Incredible.
Depraved Heart features once again Dr Kay Scarpetta, the fascinating and dedicated forensic pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner……. Dr. Kay Scarpetta, fussy and exacting, doesn’t mind gore.
“A select few of us,” she says, “come into this world not bothered by gruesomeness. In fact we’re drawn to it, fascinated, intrigued, and it’s a good thing.”
The story takes off two months after the previous book, Flesh and Blood.
Kay, still suffering from the injuries from her previous case, is suddenly thrown into a cat and mouse chase, after receiving some very disturbing and frightening videos on her mobile about her niece, Lucy.
Worried that these videos may implicate Lucy, she doesn’t know who she can trust with the information.
Running against time to finding the killer of the woman murdered that is somehow connected to Lucy, Kay and Marino will have to use all their wits if they are to save Lucy from being arrested by the FBI for something that she’s being framed for.
Gritty, tense, suspenseful, diabolical characters, unexpected twists and turns, red herrings…….it’s a fast paced ride over a period of 24hrs that leaves you breathless until the end. Aah, the end!!!! What a TWIST!!!! It’s a page-turner all the way!!!
I loved Kay’s take on technology…which by the way, there’s a lot of!!! Beware of Big Brother…..
“Technology made everything better for a while and now it seems life is circling back around to the dark ages… I miss paper and pen. I miss face-to-face conversations.”
I was so happy being back in Kay Scarpetta’s world!!
November 7, 2015
When a TV crime show starts a story arc where the main characters are in jeopardy from a manic super serial killer, you know the show should have been canceled probably a year before. The show has "jumped the shark".
The Scarpetta series jumped the shark about 3 books ago. We've got us a serial killer - or do we? - who has bad things planned for Kay, Benton, and Lucy. At least Kay thinks that's what's happening. For twelve or so tedious hours, we join her in ruminating on this possibility.
The book is several hundred pages of Kay's navel gazing, of flashbacks, of Lucy (whom I think of as the Wesley Crusher of the Scarpetta series) and her problems, of Pete Marino's tedious behavior issues and Benton's - well, Benton needs to show an emotion or two and get the stick......
I don't know why I keep reading these books. I keep hoping for the good old days for a story like The Body Farm.
The Scarpetta series jumped the shark about 3 books ago. We've got us a serial killer - or do we? - who has bad things planned for Kay, Benton, and Lucy. At least Kay thinks that's what's happening. For twelve or so tedious hours, we join her in ruminating on this possibility.
The book is several hundred pages of Kay's navel gazing, of flashbacks, of Lucy (whom I think of as the Wesley Crusher of the Scarpetta series) and her problems, of Pete Marino's tedious behavior issues and Benton's - well, Benton needs to show an emotion or two and get the stick......
I don't know why I keep reading these books. I keep hoping for the good old days for a story like The Body Farm.
November 9, 2015
I have been a faithful fan of the Kay Scarpetta series...until now. This book was actually painful to finish. I found myself skipping ahead hoping for something interesting to keep my interest.
I'm left feeling like Benton is an unfeeling, narcissistic ass. Why is she with him?
Lucy has become a spoiled brat and I actually roll my eyes when she is the focus of the plot.
The entire book was so vague and unbelievable that I had to make an effort to finish it.
If you haven't read the series, do. Start at book one and end at 22. Save your money on this one.
I'm left feeling like Benton is an unfeeling, narcissistic ass. Why is she with him?
Lucy has become a spoiled brat and I actually roll my eyes when she is the focus of the plot.
The entire book was so vague and unbelievable that I had to make an effort to finish it.
If you haven't read the series, do. Start at book one and end at 22. Save your money on this one.
February 10, 2017
Gone are the days when Dr. Kay Scarpetta actually conducted autopsies, and helped solve crimes in Massachusetts. Now she spends most of her time paranoid, obsessed, and convinced that everything in her life is being manipulated to harm her or her loved ones. Even loyal readers are now sick of the Lucy Farinelli/Carrie Gretchen relationship; this newest book is close to 500 pages long because at least 25% is retelling/recasting what happened in the last book, where Kay almost died. The mysterious death of a wealthy Cambridge homeowner is barely a plotline, and the perpetrator is way too obvious. We want mysteries presented and solved (likes the books of old), not a singular focus on the craziness of her main characters. Maybe Cornwell needs to take a break from this series?
November 13, 2015
I just finished listening to the audiobook. What a ponderous disaster. To think I used to love these books- I've read them all- but the last few have really dragged . As another reviewer wrote, Scarpetta used to be a character to admire, but, especially in this book, she's become a shadow of her former self.
The worst thing about Depraved Heart is that there was no action and no suspense. 90% was dialogue, either between Kay and another character or inside her mind. It became dull, confusing a convoluted very quickly. Honestly, if it weren't for Pete Marino I would've given up on this series long ago because not one of the other major characters is likable at all any more. Lucy is spoiled, self-centered and annoying, Benton is a closed up prig with a stick up his butt, and Kay is a nervous wreck all the time,second guessing herself to the point where I wonder where the brilliant woman from the first several novels went. Only Marino has stayed interesting, but that be because development of his character has simply stopped.
A word for audiobook listeners: you know you're in trouble when the reader says "viligant." How did no one spot this??
She's a grade Z narrator.
The worst thing about Depraved Heart is that there was no action and no suspense. 90% was dialogue, either between Kay and another character or inside her mind. It became dull, confusing a convoluted very quickly. Honestly, if it weren't for Pete Marino I would've given up on this series long ago because not one of the other major characters is likable at all any more. Lucy is spoiled, self-centered and annoying, Benton is a closed up prig with a stick up his butt, and Kay is a nervous wreck all the time,second guessing herself to the point where I wonder where the brilliant woman from the first several novels went. Only Marino has stayed interesting, but that be because development of his character has simply stopped.
A word for audiobook listeners: you know you're in trouble when the reader says "viligant." How did no one spot this??
She's a grade Z narrator.
October 10, 2015
I've come to realize that Benton & Lucy don't love Kay and Kay just needs to leave their sorry @$$es and retire to the beach. All their conversations are 1/2 conversations with a read between the lines, can't tell you everything because of my job feel to it.
We start the story with Kay working a death. The daughter of a famous a producer is found dead in her home, the victim of an apparent fall off a ladder.
Is our favorite forensic pathologist back??? Are we back to working murder cases? Done with conspiracies against Lucy? ?
nope
After pg 45, the poor dead girl has been forgotten and we're back to everybody hates Lucy. I'm almost 200 pgs in & thffffbt. Nothing has happened other thsn a lot of "supposedly, maybe, I'm not saying....but what if".
I think the Scarpetta series is finished. Cornwell has become bored with forensic investigating & interesting cases.
We start the story with Kay working a death. The daughter of a famous a producer is found dead in her home, the victim of an apparent fall off a ladder.
Is our favorite forensic pathologist back??? Are we back to working murder cases? Done with conspiracies against Lucy? ?
nope
After pg 45, the poor dead girl has been forgotten and we're back to everybody hates Lucy. I'm almost 200 pgs in & thffffbt. Nothing has happened other thsn a lot of "supposedly, maybe, I'm not saying....but what if".
I think the Scarpetta series is finished. Cornwell has become bored with forensic investigating & interesting cases.
![Profile Image for [ J o ].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1673171874i%2F4639825._UY200_CR4%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
March 5, 2019
The first thing I want to say about this is that if you've never read any of Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels then please do not begin with this one. Start nearer the beginning-number one isn't actually all too bad. The other thing I want to say is that I've definitely up-voted this purely because I like Patricia Cornwell and I still think that her writing is very good and quite hard to beat.
This is a super quick, very fast-paced instalment in the series, and it seems to also be part of a mini-series within the series. The characters have already been fully developed throughout the series so we're not really learning much more here, but I think Kay Scarpetta is still getting a little annoying. I mean, people have tried to kill her before, but it's getting a bit old. The other characters are same-old same-old but still fresh. Like an old friend you see every week is still old. You like them, I like these guys.
There was a severe lack of science, though. Kay didn't even get in to her lab. She just shone her torch everywhere for a bit. That was my biggest gripe with this book. Again, if I hadn't been a fan I would have just left it for dead.
As I said before, it's wonderfully written, but that isn't enough to get around the fact that this book is basically just a filler. It's a bridge between the last book and (hopefully) the culmination of all this Carrie business in the next book. It's a good storyline: I'll say again that I like the writing and I like the characters (soft spot for Benton anyone?) and I'll say again that I've been generous with my rating. It's not perfect-far from it-and it certainly isn't all that great, but for fans it's definitely a must. It's pretty much what you get from all other crime thrillers out there, but with much better understanding of the English language and science.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Shop | Etsy
This is a super quick, very fast-paced instalment in the series, and it seems to also be part of a mini-series within the series. The characters have already been fully developed throughout the series so we're not really learning much more here, but I think Kay Scarpetta is still getting a little annoying. I mean, people have tried to kill her before, but it's getting a bit old. The other characters are same-old same-old but still fresh. Like an old friend you see every week is still old. You like them, I like these guys.
There was a severe lack of science, though. Kay didn't even get in to her lab. She just shone her torch everywhere for a bit. That was my biggest gripe with this book. Again, if I hadn't been a fan I would have just left it for dead.
As I said before, it's wonderfully written, but that isn't enough to get around the fact that this book is basically just a filler. It's a bridge between the last book and (hopefully) the culmination of all this Carrie business in the next book. It's a good storyline: I'll say again that I like the writing and I like the characters (soft spot for Benton anyone?) and I'll say again that I've been generous with my rating. It's not perfect-far from it-and it certainly isn't all that great, but for fans it's definitely a must. It's pretty much what you get from all other crime thrillers out there, but with much better understanding of the English language and science.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Shop | Etsy
November 7, 2015
This is the second book that follows the same convoluted plot with still no real solution in sight. It was a difficult read, rambling as if to fill up pages with boring details. I will not be reading the next one whenever it is published. I can read several good books in the time it took me to plod through this one. Needless to say I was quite disappointed in this book although I've enjoyed her earlier ones.
November 21, 2015
Somewhere in this story, there's a story. But trying to excavate it from all the repetition of the dear Dr. Kay Scarpetta's fractured psyche is like swimming through mud with a shovel.
Cornwell has devolved in her writing, where previously she focused on a plot supported by characters, versus characters that are delusionally recalling a trauma. Her characters have also become so personally secretive with their motives that there is rarely a truth to be found. There is little medical drama, just Kay's dysfunctional psyche. (Cornwell missed a great opportunity to explore PTSD.) I'm sick of Lucy and her irrational behavior. Unfortunately, the way this one wraps it looks like the next in the series will be more of the same.
I can't take any more circular repetition of Kay's first-person misfortune. Goodbye, Scarpetta.
Cornwell has devolved in her writing, where previously she focused on a plot supported by characters, versus characters that are delusionally recalling a trauma. Her characters have also become so personally secretive with their motives that there is rarely a truth to be found. There is little medical drama, just Kay's dysfunctional psyche. (Cornwell missed a great opportunity to explore PTSD.) I'm sick of Lucy and her irrational behavior. Unfortunately, the way this one wraps it looks like the next in the series will be more of the same.
I can't take any more circular repetition of Kay's first-person misfortune. Goodbye, Scarpetta.
September 5, 2017
Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell was a solid, steady crime novel.
This is the 23rd book in this series, and of course it's the first one I read. Believe me, that doesn't help AT ALL. Not knowing a lot of the background about these characters and their situations didn't help my understanding of the relationships between these characters when reading this book through. While it didn't ruin the entire book for me, I think it somewhat ruined the experience. Why is the bad guy, well, the bad guy? Why do certain people not like each other? Patricia tries her very best to give as much background as possible in short bits, but it just wasn't enough.
Besides that issue, this book was really good! I love a good crime thriller - like Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell has her own style and it's fantastic! It's a splash of mystery, some R rated scenes, and some solid character development along the way.
This book seems like it spans a long time, but in reality I think it's only a day or two. I don't even think it goes into the night! So this entire plot involving a dead body and "finding" the killer happened in under 24 hours?! It might not be believable, but it somehow worked. I didn't even notice it was only one day until I looked back over the story and some of the other reviews. I would like to see that expanded on - maybe make the books over a couple days, at the very least? But that's just my opinion.
Overall, I liked this book. I definitely would like to start from the beginning and work through all 23+ books, but I doubt I'll be able to find them all (or find the time. My goodness, summer is already over when I wrote this review?!). Gritty crime stories like these always make my days more interesting - some days I love an ooey, gooey, guilty pleasure romance and other days I want an R rated crime/thriller or horror to take up my time.
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This is the 23rd book in this series, and of course it's the first one I read. Believe me, that doesn't help AT ALL. Not knowing a lot of the background about these characters and their situations didn't help my understanding of the relationships between these characters when reading this book through. While it didn't ruin the entire book for me, I think it somewhat ruined the experience. Why is the bad guy, well, the bad guy? Why do certain people not like each other? Patricia tries her very best to give as much background as possible in short bits, but it just wasn't enough.
Besides that issue, this book was really good! I love a good crime thriller - like Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell has her own style and it's fantastic! It's a splash of mystery, some R rated scenes, and some solid character development along the way.
This book seems like it spans a long time, but in reality I think it's only a day or two. I don't even think it goes into the night! So this entire plot involving a dead body and "finding" the killer happened in under 24 hours?! It might not be believable, but it somehow worked. I didn't even notice it was only one day until I looked back over the story and some of the other reviews. I would like to see that expanded on - maybe make the books over a couple days, at the very least? But that's just my opinion.
Overall, I liked this book. I definitely would like to start from the beginning and work through all 23+ books, but I doubt I'll be able to find them all (or find the time. My goodness, summer is already over when I wrote this review?!). Gritty crime stories like these always make my days more interesting - some days I love an ooey, gooey, guilty pleasure romance and other days I want an R rated crime/thriller or horror to take up my time.
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
December 6, 2015
The 23rd book and each time I say this is the last one. But she sucks me in again with the unfulfilled ending. I actually found this book a little boring and skimmed many pages. I still don't know what the heck happened!! The ending was so rushed, tunnel, Troy, dead bodies, no Carrie again. Please , please finish her off in the next book and go back to solving murders. Seriously, have no idea what Benton and Janet knew or did. This book was just so confusing. Too much extraneous exposition about things she researched and wanted to put out there. So as you may have guessed, I did not enjoy reading this book!
November 10, 2015
A disappointing read. It is slow to start, then the tension builds, only to fall completely flat in the final chapter. I keep coming back in hopes of discovering vintage Cornwell to no .
A disappointing read. It is slow to start, then the tension builds, only to fall completely flat in the final chapter. I keep coming back in hopes of discovering vintage Cornwell to no avail. Either the author was tired of writing or just wanted to ensure more sales of the next book.
A disappointing read. It is slow to start, then the tension builds, only to fall completely flat in the final chapter. I keep coming back in hopes of discovering vintage Cornwell to no avail. Either the author was tired of writing or just wanted to ensure more sales of the next book.
November 4, 2015
I have to agree with some other reviews, It is time for Doctor Scarpetta to retire.
This book shows just how smart Scarpetta can be with the dead, but then have absolutely no common sense. It is the same old family problems. Married to a FBI profiler who keeps secrets and a super-genius niece who has no respect for authority (and has not evolved as a character in 18 books) and keeps secrets of her own. No one in Scarpetta's family can talk to each other because they are all working some case that must be kept confidential. It really gets too ridiculous.
I have read all the books in the Scarpetta series. The earlier ones are the best. The more recent are stale with absolutely no character development. This one revisits an old nemesis and sets it up for their return in what I hope will be the book that either gives new life to the series or lets the troubled Dr. Scarpetta go off into the sunset with Benton.
This book shows just how smart Scarpetta can be with the dead, but then have absolutely no common sense. It is the same old family problems. Married to a FBI profiler who keeps secrets and a super-genius niece who has no respect for authority (and has not evolved as a character in 18 books) and keeps secrets of her own. No one in Scarpetta's family can talk to each other because they are all working some case that must be kept confidential. It really gets too ridiculous.
I have read all the books in the Scarpetta series. The earlier ones are the best. The more recent are stale with absolutely no character development. This one revisits an old nemesis and sets it up for their return in what I hope will be the book that either gives new life to the series or lets the troubled Dr. Scarpetta go off into the sunset with Benton.
July 28, 2016
I've been a fan of Cornwell's "Scarpetta Series" since 1994. Needless to say, I am truly invested in her characters. However, I am very objective when it comes to her novels and some definitely surpass others. My anticipation for "Depraved Heart" was heavy in my chest. After the ending of "Flesh and Blood," readers were left wondering what happened. It was a long year waiting and, well, we still never really get the answer.
This book picks up two months after "Flesh and Blood" ends. Scarpetta is working a possible accidental death when she gets a urgent message from Lucy. A video lands in her box and Scarpetta is confused. This is clearly a video from almost twenty years ago. The implications of the video make Scarpetta worry greatly about Lucy, hence leaving a possible crime scene in a hurry and making her way out to Lucy's larger than life estate.
The book is full of twists and turns in every single direction. You find yourself wondering what's going to happen next and who's good and who's bad. It's a gripping read and a good one. Depending on where your loyalties lie, you may or may not like the book. I'm still out on what I really think of it.
I do praise Cornwell for the research that she puts into her novels. She absolutely goes above and beyond. However, as a long time reader, what I find extremely irritating is her complete inconsistencies between books. There are so many holes, so many gaps, so many impossibilities that the end of the book almost feels ridiculous. It's almost as if she wants her readers to forget what she's written before. The problem for me is that I remember everything and I know when something she's writing is terribly inaccurate and goes against what was previously said. Maybe it's me being picky...but it will be interesting to see what long time fans really think.
Speaking of long time fans, this book is definitely not a good one to just randomly pick up and read. If you're not a follower of the series, you may be confused. While she does give some backstory, there's really not enough for a new reader to appreciate the story line. If you're new to Scarpetta, definitely start at the beginning.
The one other thing that Cornwell keeps doing is making her books take place in a twenty-four hour time frame. It feels rushed and rather improbable. Cornwell has been releasing a book a year for quite some time now. I think maybe she needs to take a break and let Scarpetta and crew breathe. Develop some new story lines, decide where she really wants these characters to go. By no means am I saying that "Depraved Heart" wasn't a good book, I'm just saying that it could have been so much better.
A full critique of this book can be found on my website, but please be aware that the critique does contain major spoilers and a lot of griping :)
http://www.lucyfarinelli.net/#!deprav...
This book picks up two months after "Flesh and Blood" ends. Scarpetta is working a possible accidental death when she gets a urgent message from Lucy. A video lands in her box and Scarpetta is confused. This is clearly a video from almost twenty years ago. The implications of the video make Scarpetta worry greatly about Lucy, hence leaving a possible crime scene in a hurry and making her way out to Lucy's larger than life estate.
The book is full of twists and turns in every single direction. You find yourself wondering what's going to happen next and who's good and who's bad. It's a gripping read and a good one. Depending on where your loyalties lie, you may or may not like the book. I'm still out on what I really think of it.
I do praise Cornwell for the research that she puts into her novels. She absolutely goes above and beyond. However, as a long time reader, what I find extremely irritating is her complete inconsistencies between books. There are so many holes, so many gaps, so many impossibilities that the end of the book almost feels ridiculous. It's almost as if she wants her readers to forget what she's written before. The problem for me is that I remember everything and I know when something she's writing is terribly inaccurate and goes against what was previously said. Maybe it's me being picky...but it will be interesting to see what long time fans really think.
Speaking of long time fans, this book is definitely not a good one to just randomly pick up and read. If you're not a follower of the series, you may be confused. While she does give some backstory, there's really not enough for a new reader to appreciate the story line. If you're new to Scarpetta, definitely start at the beginning.
The one other thing that Cornwell keeps doing is making her books take place in a twenty-four hour time frame. It feels rushed and rather improbable. Cornwell has been releasing a book a year for quite some time now. I think maybe she needs to take a break and let Scarpetta and crew breathe. Develop some new story lines, decide where she really wants these characters to go. By no means am I saying that "Depraved Heart" wasn't a good book, I'm just saying that it could have been so much better.
A full critique of this book can be found on my website, but please be aware that the critique does contain major spoilers and a lot of griping :)
http://www.lucyfarinelli.net/#!deprav...
January 4, 2016
I admire Cornwell's professionalism and have rated many of her earlier books 5 stars. I found this one too interior (focused on Scarpetta's thoughts and feelings). I prefer the findings of the autopsy suite rather than the legalistic constraints of what can be said to whom. The writing felt forced, although kudos to Cornwell for fitting the action into just a few days' span. Also, although there are national and international references this is really a regional crime novel, so anything outside of the Boston--sea diving nexus seemed patched on.
As proof of the difficulty of copy editors' jobs, a wrong homonym slipped past everyone in production, surprising me. Other readers, let me know if you find it.
I do continue to recommend most books in this series.
As proof of the difficulty of copy editors' jobs, a wrong homonym slipped past everyone in production, surprising me. Other readers, let me know if you find it.
I do continue to recommend most books in this series.
February 11, 2016
I may be a bit warped, depraved even, but I actually liked Patricia Cornwell’s latest Kay Scarpetta thriller, Depraved Heart. Is it as good as her early books? No. I miss the good old days, certainly, where Dr. Scarpetta got down and dirty in the morgue and actually performed autopsies, using her brain and her medical knowledge to solve cases. Like many other readers, I have grown weary of the family dynamics among the players – Kay, FBI husband Benton Wesley, Scarpetta’s niece Lucy, Lucy’s partner Janet, and the ever-present investigator, Pete Marino. There are too many secrets, half-truths, lies, and don’t ask-don’t tell because I have to do my job kinds of issues. It’s amazing that there is any stability or connection remaining in their relationships at all.
Lucy is still Lucy. She’s petulant, spoiled, combative, and extremely bright. Her Aunt Kay loves her dearly, but she is fully aware of what Lucy might be capable of, and that worries her. Would Kay do anything in the world to protect Lucy? She says not.
The biggest change I saw from the last several books was in Marino. For some reason, he seemed much less grating. Scarpetta seems more able to tune him out, and it’s only when Benton arrives much later in the book that he becomes his obnoxious self. Benton, for that matter, came across to me as a total ass. I found myself wondering why Kay is still with him. Mr. FBI is much too businesslike and professional in this one. Conflict of interest! How is he even involved in this case? I know, it happens all the time in this series – because it’s fiction!
The key words in this novel are “data fiction.” This phenomenon fascinated me, and Scarpetta and her cohorts see evidence of it repeatedly. There is little doubt from the beginning who has orchestrated the murder of the daughter of a Hollywood VIP or that there is a connection between her death and the onslaught of FBI agents upon Lucy’s property. The mind games are boggling, and even though Kay is states or thinks (because much of the “action” happens inside her head) that she is aware that this is what Carrie wants her to do, she chooses to do whatever it is anyway. Is she paranoid, or is she really being watched? By whom? Is it Carrie Grethen, her longtime nemesis? Or is it the FBI? What does Benton know? What would he be hiding? Why would he lie? What is Lucy’s involvement? And who was Chanel Gilbert?
I had problems at first with all the references to the previous book, Flesh and Blood, but there was enough information scattered throughout this one as Kay pieces together memories of her encounter with the person she believed was Grethen that it came back to me as well. In other reviews I’ve read, it seems that others are feeling battle fatigue and are ready to say a final farewell to this evil woman. With some loose ends left at the end of Depraved Heart, I don’t think that will happen yet.
Why, then, did I like this book? I won’t summarize the plot; you can read the blurb for yourself. The entire course of events is packed into a day. Mother Nature isn’t the only one who has a storm brewing in this story. The psychological tempest stirred up by the pinging of Scarpetta’s phone that announces the arrival of a video entitled “Depraved Heart” had me twisting every which way on almost every page. I strongly suspected that there would be no final resolution, and I anticipated being let down by the finale. Surprisingly, I wasn’t. The ending exceeded my expectations. That’s not saying that everything was wrapped up in a tidy package with all questions explained and answered. Cornwell is an old pro at stringing us along for the next installment. The question is, will I continue to be depraved, or will I choose to be deprived?
4.5 stars
Lucy is still Lucy. She’s petulant, spoiled, combative, and extremely bright. Her Aunt Kay loves her dearly, but she is fully aware of what Lucy might be capable of, and that worries her. Would Kay do anything in the world to protect Lucy? She says not.
The biggest change I saw from the last several books was in Marino. For some reason, he seemed much less grating. Scarpetta seems more able to tune him out, and it’s only when Benton arrives much later in the book that he becomes his obnoxious self. Benton, for that matter, came across to me as a total ass. I found myself wondering why Kay is still with him. Mr. FBI is much too businesslike and professional in this one. Conflict of interest! How is he even involved in this case? I know, it happens all the time in this series – because it’s fiction!
The key words in this novel are “data fiction.” This phenomenon fascinated me, and Scarpetta and her cohorts see evidence of it repeatedly. There is little doubt from the beginning who has orchestrated the murder of the daughter of a Hollywood VIP or that there is a connection between her death and the onslaught of FBI agents upon Lucy’s property. The mind games are boggling, and even though Kay is states or thinks (because much of the “action” happens inside her head) that she is aware that this is what Carrie wants her to do, she chooses to do whatever it is anyway. Is she paranoid, or is she really being watched? By whom? Is it Carrie Grethen, her longtime nemesis? Or is it the FBI? What does Benton know? What would he be hiding? Why would he lie? What is Lucy’s involvement? And who was Chanel Gilbert?
I had problems at first with all the references to the previous book, Flesh and Blood, but there was enough information scattered throughout this one as Kay pieces together memories of her encounter with the person she believed was Grethen that it came back to me as well. In other reviews I’ve read, it seems that others are feeling battle fatigue and are ready to say a final farewell to this evil woman. With some loose ends left at the end of Depraved Heart, I don’t think that will happen yet.
Why, then, did I like this book? I won’t summarize the plot; you can read the blurb for yourself. The entire course of events is packed into a day. Mother Nature isn’t the only one who has a storm brewing in this story. The psychological tempest stirred up by the pinging of Scarpetta’s phone that announces the arrival of a video entitled “Depraved Heart” had me twisting every which way on almost every page. I strongly suspected that there would be no final resolution, and I anticipated being let down by the finale. Surprisingly, I wasn’t. The ending exceeded my expectations. That’s not saying that everything was wrapped up in a tidy package with all questions explained and answered. Cornwell is an old pro at stringing us along for the next installment. The question is, will I continue to be depraved, or will I choose to be deprived?
4.5 stars
November 11, 2015
Arrrgggghhhh. All about Lucy - again - and her deranged, former lover (Carrie Grethen) who is out to get her and her extended family, out to get them all... I'm getting the the point of hoping they all self-destruct together - the whole dysfunctional lot of them.
November 11, 2015
At first blush, it was same old, same old: Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta's colleagues don't respect her. Her investigative partner Pete Marino doesn't trust her. Her techno-wizard, filthy rich niece Lucy doesn't believe her. Her FBI profiler husband Benton Wesley won't confide in her. And a psychopathic liar, murderer and Lucy's one-time love interest is out to kill her.
Or so the good doctor, whose mind has moved disturbingly toward the paranoid in recent books, is convinced. This time, though, she's right on the money with that last one. After nearly killing Scarpetta with an underwater spear gun somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle a couple of months earlier, it's a pretty sure bet old nemesis Carrie Grethen wants Scarpetta - and maybe Wesley, Marino, Lucy and her now-partner Janet - at the very least discredited professionally and at worst dead.
As she investigates a death scene in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Scarpetta gets a text message, apparently from Lucy's secret phone line, with a video link to a film of Lucy, taken a couple of decades ago when she was an FBI rookie. Soon thereafter, Lucy's highly secured estate becomes the target of an intrusive search and seizure presumably designed to collect enough evidence to send her to prison. That's followed by the murder of the daughter of a Hollywood heavyweight in her own home. Wedged in and around all that are murdered cops, more revealing and incriminating old-time videos of Lucy, and, of course, lots more Scarpetta angst.
This time, though, the story is so intriguing that Scarpetta's fretting over not being the center of everyone's universe really didn't bother me much. As the plot thickened, I was far more worried about what was happening - and about to happen - to the others. More often than not, nothing is as it seems; just trying to keep all the head games straight in my own mind was a challenge, and hanging over it all was the fear that this time, someone might not live to see another book. All in all, it's an exciting book and, IMHO, one of the best in the series of late.
Or so the good doctor, whose mind has moved disturbingly toward the paranoid in recent books, is convinced. This time, though, she's right on the money with that last one. After nearly killing Scarpetta with an underwater spear gun somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle a couple of months earlier, it's a pretty sure bet old nemesis Carrie Grethen wants Scarpetta - and maybe Wesley, Marino, Lucy and her now-partner Janet - at the very least discredited professionally and at worst dead.
As she investigates a death scene in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Scarpetta gets a text message, apparently from Lucy's secret phone line, with a video link to a film of Lucy, taken a couple of decades ago when she was an FBI rookie. Soon thereafter, Lucy's highly secured estate becomes the target of an intrusive search and seizure presumably designed to collect enough evidence to send her to prison. That's followed by the murder of the daughter of a Hollywood heavyweight in her own home. Wedged in and around all that are murdered cops, more revealing and incriminating old-time videos of Lucy, and, of course, lots more Scarpetta angst.
This time, though, the story is so intriguing that Scarpetta's fretting over not being the center of everyone's universe really didn't bother me much. As the plot thickened, I was far more worried about what was happening - and about to happen - to the others. More often than not, nothing is as it seems; just trying to keep all the head games straight in my own mind was a challenge, and hanging over it all was the fear that this time, someone might not live to see another book. All in all, it's an exciting book and, IMHO, one of the best in the series of late.
May 30, 2024
Re Read May 2024
Story 4 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Susan Ericksen
Story 4 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Susan Ericksen
November 15, 2015
Straddling the fence at 3.5 stars
As Cornwell builds on her highly successful Dr. Kay Scarpetta series, the reader is pulled deep into a psychological thriller that will not let go until the closing chapter. While investigating a mysterious death in Cambridge, Scarpetta is alerted to a message seemingly sent by her niece, Lucy. This message, a link to a surveillance video from almost two decades earlier, shows a vulnerable Lucy with secrets she's told no one, all of which could implicate her in some highly illegal activities. Scarpetta is unsure what to do or whom to tell, and with no ability to pause or save the clips, she becomes engrossed with her phone and forgets the body before her. What begins as a simple curiosity soon becomes the next round of stalking by Scarpetta's long-time nemesis, Carrie Grethen, whose past relationship with Lucy is only the tip of the iceberg. How does this video and the body laying before her tie into an attack Scarpetta faced months earlier while diving? And once the FBI raids Lucy's property, there seems to be nothing that Scarpetta can do to protect her quasi-daughter from a lifetime behind bars. Has Grethen finally found a way to outmanoeuvre Scarpetta and have the last laugh? Will she rise yet again from the ashes and ruin the calm life that Scarpetta has tried to put in place? Cornwell weaves a wonderful story and utilises some of her key characters in this latest instalment, which keeps the reader begging for more.
As with any novel in the Scarpetta series, the reader is presented with wonderful nuances in the medical field, as well as highly detailed technological developments. However, this new approach, an apparent 'call from the grave' collection of videos adds a new and somewhat curious perk to an already jam-packed series. With interesting developments unfolding from their content and the surrounding scene during which they were taken, Cornwell takes the reader back in time to remember key scenes from early novels in the series. While touted as a highly psychological thriller and complete with crumbs of foreboding throughout, I felt the story lagged at times and focussed too much on a slow dénouement while most other novels, whose central focus is the body being examined, seem to zip from A to Z while gaining momentum. However, by the twenty-third instalment, one can expect the need to tackle similar situations with an entirely new approach, leaving Cornwell a little leeway to do so.
Kudos, Madam Cornwell for another great piece of writing. What will you bring us next and how do the crumbs left play into the next thriller?
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
As Cornwell builds on her highly successful Dr. Kay Scarpetta series, the reader is pulled deep into a psychological thriller that will not let go until the closing chapter. While investigating a mysterious death in Cambridge, Scarpetta is alerted to a message seemingly sent by her niece, Lucy. This message, a link to a surveillance video from almost two decades earlier, shows a vulnerable Lucy with secrets she's told no one, all of which could implicate her in some highly illegal activities. Scarpetta is unsure what to do or whom to tell, and with no ability to pause or save the clips, she becomes engrossed with her phone and forgets the body before her. What begins as a simple curiosity soon becomes the next round of stalking by Scarpetta's long-time nemesis, Carrie Grethen, whose past relationship with Lucy is only the tip of the iceberg. How does this video and the body laying before her tie into an attack Scarpetta faced months earlier while diving? And once the FBI raids Lucy's property, there seems to be nothing that Scarpetta can do to protect her quasi-daughter from a lifetime behind bars. Has Grethen finally found a way to outmanoeuvre Scarpetta and have the last laugh? Will she rise yet again from the ashes and ruin the calm life that Scarpetta has tried to put in place? Cornwell weaves a wonderful story and utilises some of her key characters in this latest instalment, which keeps the reader begging for more.
As with any novel in the Scarpetta series, the reader is presented with wonderful nuances in the medical field, as well as highly detailed technological developments. However, this new approach, an apparent 'call from the grave' collection of videos adds a new and somewhat curious perk to an already jam-packed series. With interesting developments unfolding from their content and the surrounding scene during which they were taken, Cornwell takes the reader back in time to remember key scenes from early novels in the series. While touted as a highly psychological thriller and complete with crumbs of foreboding throughout, I felt the story lagged at times and focussed too much on a slow dénouement while most other novels, whose central focus is the body being examined, seem to zip from A to Z while gaining momentum. However, by the twenty-third instalment, one can expect the need to tackle similar situations with an entirely new approach, leaving Cornwell a little leeway to do so.
Kudos, Madam Cornwell for another great piece of writing. What will you bring us next and how do the crumbs left play into the next thriller?
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
September 10, 2015
This is the first book I have read by Cornwell and the first book I have read in this series. With that being said this is the 23rd book and I was a little lost. Although each book has its own story I got the feeling I should've at least read the book prior to this one so I was at least caught up.
Scarpetta is a medical examiner and while she is on a call she gets a video that Lucy her niece sent but it's from the 90s when her niece was at the FBI academy. Some weird things go on and Scarpetta is determined to get to the bottom of things.
I liked Lucy and how smart she was. I also enjoyed learning about her time at the FBI which is a huge part of this story. Scarpetta was another favorite character of mine. She is fierce and loyal to her family and her close friends. She digs deep and won't stop until she gets the answers she is looking for.
I thought this book was different then other thrillers I have read. I liked that Scarpetta is a medical examiner and is not a detective but she is smart like one since she knows what to look for. From the beginning you know who the killer/ stalker is which was unique. It gives you the feel of how did this person do things to manipulate all these characters that are intertwined together.
I enjoyed Cornwells voice and I thought this story was very put together. I was quickly involved and trying to put the pieces together on my own.
Did this story meet all my expectations? Yes. Will I read more from this author? Yes. Will I eventually start this series from the beginning? Absolutely! I want to experience these characters from the beginning and get caught up in the journey they all go on in each book.
I recommend this book if you are into mysteries and trying to solve puzzles. This was a good one!
Scarpetta is a medical examiner and while she is on a call she gets a video that Lucy her niece sent but it's from the 90s when her niece was at the FBI academy. Some weird things go on and Scarpetta is determined to get to the bottom of things.
I liked Lucy and how smart she was. I also enjoyed learning about her time at the FBI which is a huge part of this story. Scarpetta was another favorite character of mine. She is fierce and loyal to her family and her close friends. She digs deep and won't stop until she gets the answers she is looking for.
I thought this book was different then other thrillers I have read. I liked that Scarpetta is a medical examiner and is not a detective but she is smart like one since she knows what to look for. From the beginning you know who the killer/ stalker is which was unique. It gives you the feel of how did this person do things to manipulate all these characters that are intertwined together.
I enjoyed Cornwells voice and I thought this story was very put together. I was quickly involved and trying to put the pieces together on my own.
Did this story meet all my expectations? Yes. Will I read more from this author? Yes. Will I eventually start this series from the beginning? Absolutely! I want to experience these characters from the beginning and get caught up in the journey they all go on in each book.
I recommend this book if you are into mysteries and trying to solve puzzles. This was a good one!
January 8, 2016
Quick review:
Cover: Okay
Rating: R
Thumbs Up: 2.5
Overall: Worst book I've read by this author
Characters: Bad
Plot: A day in the life of Scarpetta
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Benton
SUMMARY (150 words or less)
I love this series, but it was the worst book in the series. I read the reviews which is why I waited to read, but they were right. This book spans a day, which should have been fine for a seasoned writer such as this author. But we were stuck in Scarpetta's head and her thoughts were on constant repeat and it made for a painful read.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
COMING SOON
Audio Review
Susan Ericksen is a wonderful narrator. Unfortunately, she didn't have the right material in this book to even overcome the bad story.
Cover: Okay
Rating: R
Thumbs Up: 2.5
Overall: Worst book I've read by this author
Characters: Bad
Plot: A day in the life of Scarpetta
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Benton
SUMMARY (150 words or less)
I love this series, but it was the worst book in the series. I read the reviews which is why I waited to read, but they were right. This book spans a day, which should have been fine for a seasoned writer such as this author. But we were stuck in Scarpetta's head and her thoughts were on constant repeat and it made for a painful read.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
COMING SOON
Audio Review
Susan Ericksen is a wonderful narrator. Unfortunately, she didn't have the right material in this book to even overcome the bad story.
December 22, 2015
I received an advanced review copy of this book in my goodie bag at Bouchercon in October. Many years ago, I read Cornwell's Body of Evidence and found it sort of interesting, back before there was such a thing as CSI.
Depraved Heart starts out with Kay Scarpetta investigating the murder of a movie star's daughter, whose naked, decomposing body was found in the floor of her rented mansion. But then Kay gets a text from her darling niece Lucy's In Case of Emergency number and sees a disturbing video taken by the evil serial killer Carrie Grethen.
Worried sick about her niece, Kay leaves the crime scene and heads for Lucy's compound. Oh yeah, Lucy is stinking rich and has more stuff than anyone could possibly imagine. (At one point, her lawyer asks "What car were you driving?" and she says "I think it was my Ferrari FF." Don't you just hate it when you can't remember which of your expensive, high powered sports cars you were using on a given day?)
And then the FBI shows up, with Lucy's compound under siege.
At this point, I kept on reading to find out what happened with the naked body at the beginning, but page after page was Kay railing against the overreach of the FBI--"What are they looking for? Why are they after my precious niece? What can we do to stop them?" -- with the occasional video sent by Carrie Grethen. popping up. I gave up about halfway through.
I didn't like any of the characters. They all came off as two dimensional cardboard cutouts, with no character to speak of. Cornwell describes her niece as determined and brilliant and rebellious, but Lucy never felt like a real person to me. Kay makes it clear that Lucy is super special and she'd do anything for her. Which got really annoying after a while as I didn't care what happened to Lucy. All I wanted to know was who killed the movie star's daughter.
So I stopped, skipped ahead to find out if Kay ever gets around to finding out who killed the victim at the beginning (she does, and wouldn't you know, it's related to this Carrie Grethen thing). Then I made a promise to myself that I will never ever read another Patricia Cornwell/Kay Scarpetta novel.
Depraved Heart starts out with Kay Scarpetta investigating the murder of a movie star's daughter, whose naked, decomposing body was found in the floor of her rented mansion. But then Kay gets a text from her darling niece Lucy's In Case of Emergency number and sees a disturbing video taken by the evil serial killer Carrie Grethen.
Worried sick about her niece, Kay leaves the crime scene and heads for Lucy's compound. Oh yeah, Lucy is stinking rich and has more stuff than anyone could possibly imagine. (At one point, her lawyer asks "What car were you driving?" and she says "I think it was my Ferrari FF." Don't you just hate it when you can't remember which of your expensive, high powered sports cars you were using on a given day?)
And then the FBI shows up, with Lucy's compound under siege.
At this point, I kept on reading to find out what happened with the naked body at the beginning, but page after page was Kay railing against the overreach of the FBI--"What are they looking for? Why are they after my precious niece? What can we do to stop them?" -- with the occasional video sent by Carrie Grethen. popping up. I gave up about halfway through.
I didn't like any of the characters. They all came off as two dimensional cardboard cutouts, with no character to speak of. Cornwell describes her niece as determined and brilliant and rebellious, but Lucy never felt like a real person to me. Kay makes it clear that Lucy is super special and she'd do anything for her. Which got really annoying after a while as I didn't care what happened to Lucy. All I wanted to know was who killed the movie star's daughter.
So I stopped, skipped ahead to find out if Kay ever gets around to finding out who killed the victim at the beginning (she does, and wouldn't you know, it's related to this Carrie Grethen thing). Then I made a promise to myself that I will never ever read another Patricia Cornwell/Kay Scarpetta novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,980 reviews