BOOK OF THE DEAD, by Patricia Cornwell.

Kay Scarpetta, who makes her 15th appearance in Patricia Cornwell’s BOOK OF THE DEAD, is settled in Charleston, South Carolina, where she decides to open a private pathology practice. Her mission is to help local municipalities that don’t have access to the technology she and her colleagues offer. She continues to work with Benton Wesley, her lover/colleague; Lucy, her brilliant niece; Pete Marino, a former cop, a longtime friend and her investigator; and Ruth, the loyal secretary who has always followed Scarpetta wherever she moved.When the story opens, Scarpetta and Wesley are “[i]nside the virtual-reality theater [with] twelve of Italy’s most powerful law enforcers and politicians, whose names, in the main, forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta…and forensic psychologist Benton Wesley both…the only non-Italians” [in the room]. Both are…consultants for the International Investigative Response (IIR), a special branch of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI). They are there because the Italian government is in a very delicate position. Drew Martin, a 16-year-old American tennis player who was on her way to win the U.S. Open, has been found naked and mutilated “in the heart of Piazza Navona…the heart of Rome’s historic district.” As it happens she is not the only woman whose body has been torn apart in recent days. The bizarre murders cause outrage all over the world. Dr. Scarpetta, ever strong in her opinions and observations, goes head to head with Captain Ottorino Poma, a medico legale in the Arma dei Carabineri, the military police heading the investigation. He will argue with her about her observations and findings throughout the investigation. What Scarpetta and Wesley don’t know at first is that behind the scenes, psychiatrist Dr. Marilyn Self, who hates Scarpetta, is demonically manipulating every aspect of this case. Dr. Self is determined to take revenge on Scarpetta, even making sure she dies, because Scarpetta testified against her in a court case that Self lost. Scarpetta has become her main target, but Self has no boundaries even when she is responsible for the deaths of others. Ironically Self has a very popular TV show where she is free to mess with her guests’ heads while keeping her own dark secrets locked away in some dungeon where she nurtures her psychoses. Back in America, Scarpetta’s niece, a true genius, is following everyone’s movements as she gracefully hacks into all of the computers the players are using. She is especially interested in Self’s email conversation with someone who calls himself “Sandman.” She and Scarpetta are worried about Marino who is out of control. A young woman picked him up at a bar and quickly takes over his life. Marino is a lonely, unhappy man who is very vulnerable, and this hussy knows it. She gets under his skin and begins a campaign to break him down for the purpose of undermining his relationship with Scarpetta. Does she have a personal agenda? Why in the world does she care about the friendship between Marino and Scarpetta? As the forensic team works against time, they start to concede that one killer is responsible for the actual deaths but may not be working alone. His “signature” is strange and grotesque. Scarpetta has always depended on her intuition when working a case. She is able to see what is “under” the surface of a crime. This “gift” emerges in full force after the body of a young boy is found face down in the mud; he had been starved and beaten to death. This murder can’t help but humanize the team. Automatically, comparisons are made to the other victims and adds to the theory that one killer is committing all of the crimes. Scarpetta is notorious for never closing a case until she is satisfied that every rock has been overturned to find the detritus underneath.While all of this is unfolding, personal problems cast a pall over the already troubling situation. Scarpetta is trying to understand what has come between her and Wesley; she is furious with Marino but doesn’t want to lose him; and suddenly, her indefatigable secretary, Rose, is acting strangely. Scarpetta is disturbed and distracted by the events in her personal life, yet she manages to keep her priorities in order by relying on her skills and common sense. Fans expect no less from the indomitable Kay Scarpetta. Although Patricia Cornwell began with a very interesting idea, BOOK OF THE DEAD does not reach the high standards of her previous works. While the beginning of the novel is engrossing, it has gaping holes and/or too much unnecessary information. She also brings characters on stage without giving them some kind of background, which leaves readers wondering what they are doing there. A good portion of the narrative is devoted to technical details, replete with confusing acronyms that don’t move the plot along in any significant way. Cornwell’s reputation rests on strong plot lines, well-limned characters and harrowing intrigue. Hopefully in Scarpetta’s next appearance, her creator will do a bit more editing to bring forth the strength of her earlier books.