Cornwell shifts her Scarpetta series away from the balmy clime of south Florida to the enchanting streets of Charleston, South Carolina. Bringing Pete Marino with her, Scarpetta sets up shop in the South in hopes of turning her abilities into a full-fledged consultant, cognizant of her long-time friendship with the former cop and his less than kosher investigative style. When she is called to consult with Italian officials on a slain tennis star who was recently in Charleston, Scarpetta comes across an elusive killer, The Sandman, whose kills seem fueled by some personal vendetta.. Plagued by a television psychiatrist that caused her headaches while still in Florida and a Marino who continues to lose touch with reality and comes perilously close to losing it all, Scarpetta musters enough strength to keep herself busy. With Benton living and working in Boston, their relationship takes another strain, one that they try to mend by taking a major leap. When the body of a child surfaces in a backwater lagoon, Scarpetta begins trying to piece the larger picture together, while those around her continue to unravel and leave her to pick up the pieces. Can Scarpetta make sense of the evidence and catch this killer or is it all slipping away, like sands in the hourglass?

Cornwell’s continual reinvention of her main character has its moments of success and yet also creates a weaker foundation. It is as though Cornwell has been told to shake up the snow globe that is the series and make new connections and destroy old storylines with whom avid readers have become tired. While it is hard to keep things fresh this far into a series, the continual change and pitfalls makes it a little harder to rein in, especially for readers who consider themselves great fans, as I do. I seek some stability, while Cornwell seeks to keep things unstable and on thin ice, in hopes that major change will produce new and exciting paths down which Scarpetta can travel. So far, I’m lukewarm to it all.

Kudos, Madam Cornwell on another great book, though I am eager to see where you are taking the reader on this ever-evolving trip.

I have loved the Kay Scarpetta series since its inception but have been disappointed in the last three and this one I am adding to that list. Her change in narrative style that began at that point in 'Blow Fly' seems to have been the down-turning point.

Despite a strong start, tracking down the murderer seemed to take a back seat to the constant misery of the main characters. I never warmed to the brattish Lucy who is now even more insufferable given her extreme wealth. Pete Marino has been badly served by his creator and even Kay these days just seems difficult, much of her former light suppressed by anger and neurosis.

The ending was something of a damp squib and it isn't the first time I have felt this from Cornwell's recent Scarpetta novels. I still hope for a return to form but from now on I shall wait and not buy in the first flush of excitment about the arrival of a new Scarpetta novel unless highly reviewed.

Cornwell's campaign to get her ratings on Amazon and Barnes & Noble higher haven't impressed me either.

Ok, I just read this one and I'm confused. Was there a book that I missed that had a Dr. Marilyn Self character in it?
If anyone knows, please send me a note. Thx, Ellen