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

Series badly needs to change focus

There are so many things about the novel I do not like, I hardly know where to start. The novel starts with seven pennies against a wall and a shooting -- so far so good. But Cornwell does the same, tired thing, she make this whole novel about her inner circle casting doubt on those close to her. With so much intelligence and abilities in her, Benton, Lucy, and Marino, your would like that she could conjure up a plot line that doesn't have one of her own family suspected of stuff (I won't spoil). You see her laying some groundwork for future additions to the series which is okay. She really needs to get out of this self-doubt kick with Scarpetta and get everyone sharing information with each other taking a nasty as hell crime with intricacies like she has done in the past. A little more depth on supporting cast will do and it would be nice to see the character grow a bit -- okay maybe there was a little in this novel, but we need to see more. This plot is tired -- time for a change.

I love Lorelie King -- but NOT in the Scapetta series. For those of you who know, she narrates the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie is a ditzy comic character. Her voice makes Scapetta sound like Plum and Benton like Joe Morelli -- not a compliment. Go back to having Kate Reading do the narration -- no disrespect to Lorelie King.

Overall, this story is a meh. Try not to be too disappointed, it's worth the credit but I wouldn't rush to listen to it like I did.

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.

Who thought this was a good narrator?

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Wow, I'm only about an hour into the book and I don't know if I'm going to make it. The narrator is horrible. Why? One reason, she talks in a sing song.

Would you be willing to try another book from Patricia Cornwell? Why or why not?

I've read a ton of Patricia Cornwell and overall, her stories are very good. She was a pioneer in the forensic pathology field and shows her knowledge of the field well. She also keeps up with the latest technology in each book to show how the field has grown. The mysteries are well thought out and enjoyable.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She was horrible. When doing the character voices, she seemed fine. But whenever doing the voiceover or internal dialogue of Kay Scarpetta, her sentences were spoken in sing song. And once you notice that, you can't un-notice it.

Any additional comments?

I'm probably going to listen to the rest of the book since I like Patricia Cornwell and I'm one of those people who have to finish a book once started, but definitely sample listen beforehand to see if you can stand the narrator's performance.

My least fave

I'm not sure if it was the narrator or the actual story, but this is my least fave in the scarpetta series. I'm usually a huge fan, but I found myself distracted with the narrator. Further, she made Lucy sound meek, instead of powerful.

FLAT. ORDINARY. AVERAGE. POOR NARRATOR

One of the biggest problems I found with this book is "here comes the Lucy drama, AGAIN."
On and on about is she in trouble again? Has she gone off the range? Is she keeping secrets from Kay with Benton and/or Marino? Her sexuality. Her relationships. It's old. Stale. Unimaginative. Predictable. Can we please just get back to some good old crime solving and pathology!? And the narrator just made it drag worse. Actually had hard time finishing. Seriously considered returning for credit.

Narrator

Like the narrator and the difference of male and female voices. Enjoyed Patricia Cornwell
Talking about how she gets ideas, research's her books

Always exceptional.

Love Ms. Kings performance. And I enjoyed hearing Ms. Cornwell talk about the book and character s at the end of the story.

Good book, terrible choice of narrator

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I'd suggest anyone interested should read the book, not listen to the audio version. Lorelei King is an awful choice to narrate this series. She's wonderful in many other books or series, but NOT this. Kate Reading, Kate Burton, or even C.J. Critt would have been so much better (as proven by listening to earlier books in the series).

Would you be willing to try another one of Lorelei King’s performances?

Absolutely, I really enjoy her work. However I won't download another Scarpetta novel narrated by Ms. King

Any additional comments?

Please, please, PLEASE go back to one of the earlier narrators.

Can't Get Past The Reader

Would you try another book from Patricia Cornwell and/or Lorelei King?

I love Lorelei King but I cannot get used to her reading this book All I hear is Stephanie, Lula and Morelli what happened to Kate Reading????? Don't get me wrong I love Lorelei you are the best but not has Kay, Moreno and Benton.

What could Patricia Cornwell have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Keep the same reader I have read all her books and I enjoy them very much but not with a different reader. I will not purchase another one Scarpetta novel not read by Kate Reading.

Would you be willing to try another one of Lorelei King’s performances?

Yes I love Lorelei King!!!!!!

Any additional comments?

Do not continue the series if you cannot keep the same reader