#UnnaturalDeath #NetGalley I have been with the Kay Scarpetta books right from the start and I love them and the characters. When you are at book 24 in the series it is hard to keep things fresh and interesting but Patricia Cornwall still manages to unlock new and current storylines and she is a master at twists and turns! There were two issues with this book that made me not enjoy it as much as others. The first will hopefully be resolved - I received an advance copy via #NetGalley for review - despite downloading it three or four times the formatting was terrible with random numbers scattered throughout words and sentences. Whilst I tried not to let it affect my opinions of the content of the book, it did make it extremely difficult to read as it did not flow properly. Secondly, I found the book a bit slow to get going and it did get a bit bogged down with descriptions - particularly with the mechanics of the helicopter. I prefer more action and when this did come it was fast and furious and almost a little too rushed. I also felt that the complexities of this case needed a longer timeline than two days to do it justice. Would any of this deter me from reading the next installment? Not in the slightest!! I love Kay, Benton, Pete and Lucy and can't wait to hear what they get up to next!!

The Scarpetta series has always been a favourite of mine and I had read the first 21 before reading this installment (#27). The series has definitely grown in a number of ways. From Scarpetta's job status to the connections that she has and the company that she keeps.

I enjoy the mystery and crime element of the series and I feel that this book has grown in such a way that there isn't too much investigating going on anymore. The book covers a span of a few days while flashing back to moments months and years before to fill in the readers. (A good job of being able to be read before the other books in the series) In those few days, a lot of the story and almost half the book is set in one day. The beginning being exceptionally slow. The ending by comparison is almost a rush job and I had to make sure I read carefully to not miss anything that was said. All in all, being set over a couple of days, there wasn't much investigating done, just things happening to her that led to her working out who was behind the happenings and why. For someone who reads a mystery to try and solve it alongside the detective/protagonist, this style of writing really doesn't allow any of that. It was revealed bit by bit for us and in a way where we couldn't be active participants.

Kay has gone from being skilled at her smallish job to now having clearances and roles that can't get much higher on the importance scale. She is almost Bond-like in her connections and the tech involved with this book compared to the earlier books, which contained a lot more mystery, investigation and characterisation. This series has definitely evolved.

I did enjoy the book and the plot covered a lot. It was a slow read for me until I got halfway and then with things happening at lightning speed, I found I didn't want to put it down as easily as the first half. I'm glad to see that the characters stayed true to what I remembered of them and that the ending wasn't a pet peeve of a cliffhanger but definitely left in a way that spoke of sequels. I was fascinated by the technology discussed and the way that real life recent events were written in. It was an intelligent look at the way current US tensions are and what may happen in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

We are back with Dr Scarpetta and her team. There are two dead people in the wilderness of Virginia and they’ve been under surveillance including by Kay’s niece, Lucy. Their deaths are not pleasant and even recovery is difficult. Ms Cornwell sure knows how to tell a story and this is no exception. There is a lot going on here. It takes a wee while to get going with loads about helicopters and office politics but it does fair zip along.

The author tackles the current zeitgeist with careful handling and makes sure we go along with her. Lucy and Marino are nipping at each other, Benton is as lovely as ever, and Maggie …. Ooo Maggie… oh what I’d like to do to her. And I’m a pacifist. But I read on hoping that there will be comeuppance and conclusions. I might not get everything but I’m not disappointed.

The series keeps going and it is as strong, if not stronger, than ever. I love the little side stories and the relationships and catching up with all the characters. This is a tough, clever plot and the foe is frightening. I look forward to #28.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

We're back with Dr Scarpetta for another thriller. Out in the middle of nowhere a couple is found, deceased but there are alot of questions that need to be answered, along with some characters I thought we d gotten rid of.
The story moved a little slowly at first but then it really gets going. It feels like no time really passes from the first to last page but so much happens.
Whilst you could pick it up and read as a standalone book for those new to the Scarpetta world it's worth starting at the beginning.

This is the 27th installment of Patricia Cornwell’s #1 bestselling Scarpetta series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta finds herself in a Northern Virginia wilderness examining the remains of two campers who’ve been under long term surveillance from federal law enforcement.. The victims have been murdered and their bodies desecrated and there’s a possibility that there’s a Sasquatch lurking nearby. Once again Kay and Marino are on the case but what they weren’t expecting was the rise of one of the most evil individuals they have come across, someone they believed was dead. If Kay wasn’t dealing with enough, her disloyal staff are causing problems for her and her agent niece Lucy and then a snow storm hits. What could possibly go wrong.
As terrifying as domestic terrorism is and the ongoing threat of cyber attacks Patricia Cornwell handles the topics without being sensationalist. The writing and familiarity of the characters all serve to make this an incredibly thrilling read that, as usual, had me reading this in a day.
Cannot wait for the next instalment.

Unable to read due to poor formatting in the ARC..
I did contact publisher.
I have ordered the book and will add a review when I have read it.

It's always enjoyable to become reacquainted with the Scarpetta team - Lucy, Marino and Benson and Unnatural Death was no exception.

As ever Marino is in top abrasive form - don't ask about Yetis, and the squabbles between him and Lucy are humerous.
The concept of bodies discovered in a remote location and Kays secret mission to retrieve them and conduct her PM whilst the entire operation is shrouded in secrecy is compelling.
Although I enjoyed it, it lacked the pace of her earlier books and the build up to the sciency stuff - which I particularly enjoy was slow.
Still an enjoyable 3* read

Chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta finds herself in a Northern Virginia wilderness examining the remains of the Masons two campers wanted by federal law enforcement. The victims have been savaged beyond recognition, and other evidence is terrifying and baffling, including a larger-than-life footprint. After one of the most frightening body retrievals of her career, Scarpetta must discover who would commit murders this brutal, and why.
Another very good addition to this long running series it started slowly but throughout the tension built, I was on the edge of my seat a few times & found it very hard to put down. The twists caught me by surprise. The characters have lovely depth, I love the regulars especially Kay & Marino.
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is not your average Kay Scarpetta book. The book essentially takes place over one day, focusing between a crime scene, the lab and Kay's home. There are some flashback type scenes interspersed, showing how these potential murders are linked to other recent murders.

Lucy and the Secret Service are very much in charge of this murder scene and Kay and Marino are very much the mushrooms in the dark. They are fed information as and when they need it - they're never the ones leading the investigation. I did really feel for Kay and Marino when some big revelations were made. Just like them I'd have hated being kept in the dark too!

There may be a lot of techno-speak for some folk but my technophobic self made it through unscathed and feeling rather proud of myself for not having to have to google stuff! There are politics, technological threats and plain old human treachery afoot in Virginia.

This really brought me back to the Scarpetta books of old. I did stop reading the series for a while as I felt the books kind of went away from their roots of a good old suspenseful thriller but Kay and Marino are now back in much more familiar territory for me! I did enjoy getting a glimpse behind Pete's cryptid hunting hobby. It softens out some of his still ragged edges. He's always been one of the harder series characters to love but he has grown over the series - even though he's still a man out of his time and his mouth will always run ahead of his brain and heart!

Family had always played a big part of the Scarpetta World - biological and found family and this is true in this book too. Family may always love you but they don't always like you or tell you everything you'd want to know. Dorothy continues to be one of my least favourite characters - I just cannot warm up to that woman!

The enmity between Kay and Marino and Eddy and Cutbush continues and levels up another notch or two. But the biggest reveal was the "big bad" - I did not see that coming - at all! Looking forward to the next adventure!

I’d like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Unnatural Death’, book 27 in the Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta series written by Patricia Cornwell, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

‘Unnatural Death’ has undoubtedly been written by a first-class crime writer and I’m sure it’s a gripping thriller – or it would be if I was able to read without the dreadful formatting of numbers on each and every page. There are numbers between sentences, even in the middle of words, for example ‘as we complete a second orbit of the farm thudding over 23 it low and slow 24…’. I like to get involved in a thriller and trying to read around the numbers breaks my concentration so that I get no enjoyment from it. I’ve had it downloaded to my Kindle twice and each has the same faults and while I appreciate that I’ve been sent uncorrected page proofs I do expect to be able to read the book so that I can give an honest review. I’ve read as much as I can before being beaten by the numbers so can only apologise for not having read any further.