All That Remains

A Scarpetta Novel

By: Patricia Cornwell

Narrated by: C. J. Critt

Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

A serial killer is stalking Virginia’s young lovers, taking their lives and taunting police with a single clue: a jack of hearts. For two years, the meaning of this card has eluded FBI investigators. But as Scarpetta begins searching the victims’ remains for microscopic clues, she begins to suspect that someone in the FBI knows more about the murderer.

Flesh and bone: investigate more of Kay Scarpetta's forensic cases.

©1992 Patricia D. Cornwell (P)1995 Recorded Books, LLC

Good early one...

It's good to remember how good these early Scarpetta books are, before the dreadful Lucy co-opted the series with her myriad of woes. "All That Remains" has Scarpetta at her best -- dedicated to her job, interesting with her cooking skills, open and friendly -- and most of all, being nice to Marino -- as compared to latter books, where she openly makes fun of him. I suppose Patricia Cornwell took a lot of heat from her feminist friends, for her early books like this that had Marino as a "good' character, in spite of his rough exterior. Too bad Cornwell caved in. I like Marino, always have. And in this book, you can see why.

Interesting, too, to hear this book read -- first time for me, although I've probably read it twice, maybe more. For Scarpetta fans, we know that Benton Wesley continues to play a major role throughout this series. In print, he seems like an okay-enough guy, maybe as good a counterpart for Kay as any man could be. But hearing how narrator C. J. Critt renders him, the voice she gives him, he comes across as a total loser as a human, friend or certainly love interest -- he sounds cold, nasty and self-absorbed. No criticism of Miz Critt intended -- her interpretation is just as valid as mine. It was just interesting to see this character in a very different way.

Good listen. I enjoyed it.

Glad I didn't skip this one!

Would you consider the audio edition of All That Remains to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version.

What was one of the most memorable moments of All That Remains?

Serious character development of peripheral characters- some cute Moreno moments.

What does C. J. Critt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I enjoy her reading if Moreno and his New York accent.

Any additional comments?

I'm so glad I didn't let other reviews sway me from purchasing this book. I'm going through the Scarpetta series for the first time and other readers had me worried. I have no idea what they were talking about! This story is smart, twisty, and dark like the pervious Kay novels.

Abby Turnbull returns. Additionally, we learn a lot more about Moreno and Wesley in this installment.I enjoyed the whole story and it definitely kept me listening, waiting to see whodunit.

For anyone reading the whole series, I can't imagine not including this book in the lineup! Worth the listen.

Story was slow, anti-climatic - Critts destroys it

Would you try another book from Patricia Cornwell and/or C. J. Critt?

Cornwell - yes. Critt - NO

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Boring, predictable.

How could the performance have been better?

It could have been read by someone else. Critt takes pauses that are so long, I have checked numerous times to see if my device has died. Her voice for Benton is absurd - some snarky, angry-at-the-world jerk that snaps every word he says. Not Benton at all. And for god's sake, does she have the mic shoved in her mouth or does she breathe abnormally loud? Disgusting.

SCARPETTA BOOK AT IT'S BEST

This book was very good, but then all the Scarpetta novels are good. They all have such twists and turns. Sometimes I do wonder though, about how all these weirdos get to her! ;o)

I always enjoy Kay Scarpetta and this no exception

What did you love best about All That Remains?

This was one of the earlier of the Kay series and it was one that I had not read so I enjoyed how the story developed and I felt like an observer watching the development of not only solving the case, but in the shifting each character's personal life.

What did you like best about this story?

The strategy and the plot and development of the case

Have you listened to any of C. J. Critt’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first time listening to C.J. , it took me about ten minutes into the story and then I was used to her voice and it seem to fit very well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There was a lot of emotion in this book, not enough humor, but not sure if it was needed. I was guessing throughout trying to figure the case and the life of the characters and the ending left me wanting to go to the next book.

Any additional comments?

I always enjoy Patrica Cornwell's books, she is complicated but yet puts it all so simple and smooth. I even like the way she takes the time to describe the scenery, the weather, the color of hair, clothes, all the small but important details that bring the story to life.

My first Patricia Cornwell with Kay Scarpetta novel

If you like medical and crime mysteries you will love this… I am in intensive care unit registered nurse who has recently gone blind and trying to get used to reading books via audio instead of the old fashion way and it has taken some getting used to, but I will say that this performance level with this narrator was awesome and the flexibility with which she was able to change her voices and characters… what is beautiful… It is an art that can best be described as amazing… This book was very intricately woven and very detailed and I had to go back over and reread parts because I found myself getting a little bit lost, but that is not hard for me to do and so I would not say that that is the authors fault, but that you just have to stay on point with your Reading and listening… Going on to read my second Patricia Cornwell novel from here and I recommend this author highly… Thank you for your work to both the novelist and the narrator!

Good Read

Fun read...Kay Scarpetta, our heroine, hangs in there against entrenched bureaucracy and Washington DC favorite political appointees. But, her relationships go nowhere. Nobody reviews Pete Marino; in this book, she remakes him into a decent human being from a slob. One wonders if Cornwell knows somebody like that and does a virtual redo. Page turner that does not lag or sag. Show me the next book!

An early Kay Scarpetta novel

Scarpetta Book 3 was written before Patricia Cornwell started becoming repetitive. I highly recommend this and other earlier novels in the Kay Scarpetta series.

Typical mystery

Pretty standard fare, nice listening. Dragged in spots, you could skip sections and still be happy.

Great series

Great series. Wonderfully detailed. Love the the Narrator. Very easy to imagine you are a witnessing the story unfold.