Cruel and Unusual

A compelling and captivating thriller in Patricia Cornwall's fourth novel. Personally, I've been addicted since reading the first one “Postmortem” and they are impossible to put down. While going through a devastating loss of a friend and at one time, a love interest, Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Kay Scarpetta is finding with some difficulty of keeping her mind on her work. But right now, thinking of Mark James, isn't going to get her through with the next autopsy of Ronnie Joe Waddell who not too long ago was executed by the state of Virginia. From the start, this was going to turn out to be a huge mystery in Kay's eyes. First, why was he bleeding? Second, why did he have abrasions under his arms? Third, no stomach contents, why? No last meal? Even Kay's friend and homicide Det. Pete Marino agrees with her that some things do not add up even though he knows that Waddell was guilty as hell for the murder of the former Miss Virginia ten years earlier. Now, at another crime scene, Waddell's fingerprints show up. How can that be? He was just electrocuted! On top of everything else, Kay learns that one of her assistants never took Waddell's prints when he was brought into the morgue. Why? Slowly she learns that her offices are corrupt, her computers have been hacked and once again, her enemies are waiting for her to fall flat on her face. Suddenly if things couldn't get anymore worse, her assistant Susan has been murdered. Why? Again, working by the side of her dear friend and colleague, FBI Profiler Benton Wesley, they will begin a quest by asking one huge question “who did they execute and who is responsible for the murders that are happening now”? And why is this murderer trying to implicate Kay? Are these three cases in any way related? Who paid Susan off not to print Waddell in the morgue? Before Kay can see any light to the end of the tunnel, she will also have to face a current of obstacles too. With the help of Lucy, Benton, and Marino, all details come to light but nothing will prepare any of them when they actually learn about the one responsible. Even Benton, especially him, coming across one of the most cunning, devious, intelligent, evil killer of all time. Just when they thought it couldn't get worse........I thought this novel of Miss Cornwall's was excellent...I am a true fan!...

ugh. So many things that Kay does make me want to shake her. For someone who is so smart she seems to be clueless when it comes to thinking ahead! I still don't buy that Cornwell is a good storyteller. I think she has good ideas about what the plot should be, but when it comes to executing that plot she fails slightly. I always tend to feel as if I'm missing something. Some things she explains too much (computer processes seem to be her favorite) and other times you feel like you should go back and read the page before because you're sure she left something out!