Flesh and Blood

A Scarpetta Novel, Book 22

By: Patricia Cornwell

Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Number one New York Times best-selling author Patricia Cornwell delivers the next enthralling thriller in her high-stakes series starring Kay Scarpetta - a complex tale involving a serial sniper who strikes chillingly close to the forensic sleuth herself.

It's Dr. Kay Scarpetta's birthday, and she's about to head to Miami for a vacation with Benton Wesley, her FBI profiler husband, when she notices seven pennies on a wall behind their Cambridge house. Is this a kids' game? If so, why are all of the coins dated 1981 and so shiny they could be newly minted? Her cellphone rings, and Detective Pete Marino tells her there's been a homicide five minutes away. A high school music teacher has been shot with uncanny precision as he unloaded groceries from his car. No one has heard or seen a thing.

In this twenty-second Scarpetta novel, the master forensic sleuth finds herself in the unsettling pursuit of a serial sniper who leaves no incriminating evidence except fragments of copper. The shots seem impossible, yet they are so perfect they cause instant death. The victims appear to have had nothing in common, and there is no pattern to indicate where the killer will strike next. First New Jersey, then Massachusetts, and then the murky depths off the coast of South Florida, where Scarpetta investigates a shipwreck, looking for answers that only she can discover and analyze. And it is there that she comes face to face with shocking evidence that implicates her techno genius niece, Lucy, Scarpetta's own flesh and blood.

©2014 Cornwell Entertainment, Inc. (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

Outstanding!

I loved this novel! Of course I love all of her novels however, this one was certainly great!

Wrong Narrator

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is better than the last, though still the main characters are a little too tortured.

What didn’t you like about Lorelei King’s performance?

Everything. I hated her voice for this book. She sounded like a peppy junior high girl. This is exactly wrong for Scarpetta and Lucy, two strong, not-overly girlish women. Ugh. It was really hard to listen to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Good intimate/personal time with Scarpetta and Benson, which is rare.

So disappointing.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It's a good thing that I listen to audio books while doing chores and things at home, b/c then I at least accomplished something.

If you’ve listened to books by Patricia Cornwell before, how does this one compare?

Worst ever.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Lorelei King?

The previous narrator. This one has the sound and cadance of Siri. She really sounds computerized.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Too much of it is internal. No.

Any additional comments?

Cornwell has GOT to stop having Scarpetta whine about everyone in her head and do nothing about it. She complains about all of her staff yet never verbalizes anything. It is so passive-aggressive. And the narrator just adds to it, because her tone of voice is snotty and condescending and unfeeling.

Back to the roots

Scarpetta & Marino are back in their right roles. Lucy is her moody, brilliant self. Benton is the secretive FBI guy.

I hesitated purchasing this book because I didn't like the last two Cornwell offerings. I think she heard the reviews and made some changes back to the old ways.
Scarpetta's descriptions of herself still seem sort of stilted, a bit over the top, but the book is enjoyable, has great Scarpetta twists and ends with a cliffhanger.

Cornwell does it again....

Any additional comments?

I don't know how she does it, but this was yet another Scarpetta novel with a unique story and plot. Kept me guessing right up til the end - again.

Enter Lorelie King

Lorelie King did a great job with the narration. Kate Reading always made Dr. Scalers sound insane, it's amazing the difference.

Getting back to good story telling.

Reader though is the same one as the Stephanie Plum books and was hard to take serious. Review requires another word.

Perfect Scarpetta,

What did you love best about Flesh and Blood?

It's a great book even without the ties from the original series.

What did you like best about this story?

It keeps you guessing and going in different directions

What three words best describe Lorelei King’s voice?

Slow, Slow, Slow,

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not one moment, but I love how Patricia throws in so many different things and then later they all come together. Outstanding!

Any additional comments?

Bump up you speed to 1.25 or 1.5 and it's bearable. At original speed she reads too slow.

Kept me interested

Enjoyed it and didn't want to stop listening. I'm an avid fan of Ms Cornwall. Keep them coming, can't wait.

Scarpetta Fans

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

We love Kay, Lucy, Benton, Marino and their foibles. The books are a little predictable, but nonetheless they make a long drive pass quickly. The ending left us with a "what the..." feeling, so we can't wait for the next installment.

Would you recommend Flesh and Blood to your friends? Why or why not?

Sure if you like mystery novels.

Did Flesh and Blood inspire you to do anything?

Order the next one.