Hornet's Nest

Publisher's Summary

In this first title of a new mystery series, Cornwell introduces us to a dynamic trio of crime solvers in Charlotte, North Carolina: Andy Brazil, an eager young reporter; Judy Hammer, the city's police chief; and Virginia West, Hammer's deputy and a genuine head turner. They're after a serial killer who pulls male out-of-towners from their rental cars and then mutilates, spray paints, and shoots them, in that order. What the trio uncovers jolts them like the sting of the hornet - Charlotte's symbol.

©1996 Cornwell Enterpises, Inc. (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers

Not Up To Usual Cornwell Standards

I was excited to listen to a different series from Patricia Cornwell, but instead I was very disappointed. The characters were under developed, the story line made very little sense, especially when little glimpses of the supernatural were tossed in without any attachment to the storyline.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good plot. To many characters switches

Going from one character to another in same paragraph within same thought. Even from cats perspective. Ridiculous. Plot and story interesting

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

CORNWELL HAS LOST IT

Over the past few years, Patricia Cornwell has changed from an exciting writer who used her knowledge of forensic medical examination of crime victims to weave interesting and suspenseful plots. Her characters (a long-time cop-associate, her niece who is a computer expert and her husband, a profiler) used to work as a team, and each contributed in his own field of knowledge to solve the crime.

Cornwell now has morphed into to the worst type of gossip-writer. The entire book is very negative, with all the principal characters fighting and resenting one another. Gone is any spirit of cooperation. They all seem to hate one another - why they are still associated is anyone's guess. So little time is spent on the plot and so much on all the over-the-back-fence gossip and negativity that the plotline becomes totally lost and is subservient to all the negative sorority talk.

I stopped this book after the first 2 hours, disgusted that Cornwell places emphasis on nothing but fractured relationships among the characters instead of on a real plot.

And the narrator uses a montone voice that sounds as pointless as the plot.

No more Cornwell for me - she's totally LOST IT.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Don’t bother

This was not the best writing. I am a big Scarpetta fan and was hugely disappointed in this book. The main characters had no substance and are whiny- the most exciting the last 5 minutes- don’t waste your credits

Not her best work

I had a hard time following along, found it very boring after having listened to the full Scarpetta series.

Great

All I need is to be able to access it on my darn tablet !

nest

This book was exceptional good except for the the slams about personal guns. Not appropriate

The authors detail in her story telling is amazing

This is the second time I have enjoyed this book, once before I moved to Charlotte and more recently after living here for more than 10 years. In the middle of the road trip a friend hits the pause button and says “ Can we just take a minute to approximate the detail that the author puts in to her description of the city”. Patricia Cornwall is this detailed in every one of her books, this detail dream the reader into the story so completely.

I really liked this book.

Would you listen to Hornet's Nest again? Why?

I really like Cornwell's writing style and characters and she did not disappoint in this serious. Strong honest women and a young man trying to find himself. It was refreshing and a good story line. I'm looking forward to reading next in series!

Undecided

This was a shocker from what I was used to with her other books. It took me awhile to finish this It just seemed so silly at first with the accents. Really didn't like the ending at all. Left like unfinished sorry if I had heard this first I would have never tried the scarpetta series.