4.0 out of 5 stars - Dr. Kay Scarpetta is on the trail of a serial sniper who kills targets from incredible distance. She and her husband, FBI profiler Benton Wesley, join Pete Marino and Kay's niece, Lucy, to find this killer in a difficult case that has them perplexed. None of the victims are connected and there's not much evidence at the scene -- except for some copper fragments.
Since 1990, after I'd read her first book -- POSTMORTEM -- I've been a fan of Kay Scarpetta. I must say that the author has had her hits and misses as the series evolved over time and this one, #22, still has the science and forensic investigation that I've come to appreciate through the years. To me, Patricia Cornwell represents the genre -- well before I "knew" Temperance Brennan (BONES), I was in thrall to this type of crime fiction. I wanted to BE Kay and live her life. Then came all the personal drama, much of which I could have done without, because truly I don't really like all that -- I just want the crime(s), the science, and the closure of the case! I don't care about Benton or Lucy (sick to death of Lucy) or all their secretiveness -- just get on with whodunit and why. I like the medical details and all the interesting facts that Cornwell describes (sometimes too much information) in each book. I get impatient with all the relationship and personal issues. I don't care about what Kay is cooking. I understand that facts don't necessarily make a "story" but all Kay's dithering and self examination don't necessarily ramp up the suspense. Her books are full of action, and Kay definitely has lots of talent and skill in MANY areas, and I still tremendously enjoy the descriptions of the job of medical examiner.
I'll keep reading this series as long as Cornwell writes it. I hope future books will focus less on Kay and her messed up personal life and more on the cases. I did hate that this one ended in a cliffhanger...
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