Window on the World
I am a wife and mom of two grown children (who can't seem to move out) and two furbabies. I write about my family life, as well as causes that are dear to my heart, with recipes every Wednesday and book reviews every Friday. My favorite genre is historical fiction.
To date, I have read 17 of Patricia Cornwell's novels, the majority of which all had the same heroine: Dr. Kay Scarpetta. So reading Trace (A Scarpetta Novel) was much like going home. It was (for me) a warm, cozy comforting read.
But be forewarned; if you haven't read Cornwell's Scarpetta novels before, these are not warm, cozy books. Kay Scarpetta is passionate about her family, her friends, her food and her job. She can also come across as cold-hearted to those who don't know her well. She is probably my all-time favorite female character.
One of my favorite parts of Scarpetta novels, which was missing from Trace, is the cooking scenes. Cornwell describes the food in such loving and intimate detail that it borders on food porn. Her vivid narratives of the sights, smells and tastes; of prepping and cooking, border on food porn.
Trace focuses on following the trace evidence. I did not make the connection to the actual killer until it was pointed out to me in the book. But once I read the connection, it all made sense. Just as it should.
I don't want to give too much away (although if you are a Scarpetta fan, you are probably way ahead of me since this book was published back in 2004). Suffice it to say that if you love mysteries and strong, semi-dysfunctional female characters, you will love this book!!
