This was better than I expected (I'd read some bad reviews), but not nearly as good as earlier Scarpetta works. In some places it felt very forced, to be honest. It's worth reading to keep up with the series if you're a fan. If you're not a huge fan though, it probably wouldn't be worth your time.

I haven't enjoyed Cornweill's Kay Scarpetta books as well since she began freelancing. I never got excited about this one,"disconnected."
If you are diehard Cornwell fan you will like it.

I have read other books by this author, and while not great literature, they've been engrossing and a quick read. I found this one over-stuffed with characters, confusing and just a complete jumble. I kept reading hoping things would all tie together, but it just didn't deliver. I felt as if the ending was rushed because a deadline was looming large. Can't recommend this one.

This one tends to drag on but a must read if you like to keep up with Kay, Benton, Lucy and Marino. A very interesting look into the mind of a serial killer.

Patricia Cornwell is getting a bid grim and gory for my taste.

This book was OK, but it did drag some in parts, at least it did for me. It didn't keep me up late at night to turn the next page. There could have been more meat to the book, but it just sort of dropped off where you thought it might get interesting.

Pretty good book. Not as good as the others but def. worth the read. Scarpetta still has it!

I wanted to love this book. I've always enjoyed the stories of Kay Scarpetta, Marino, Benton Wesley, and Lucy. Even the premise of PREDATOR intrigued me-- Benton is heading a new program where he studies the brains of volunteer test subjects, mostly convicted felons of heinous crimes. He hopes to find a scientific and physical reason for why people do the things they do, and sets out to find if the molecular make-up or abnormalities of the brain cause people to commit vicious crimes against each other. Sounds good, right?

It could have been a great story. There's a plot, of course, where people are dying, strange events are taking place with related murders that seem random, and where an inmate might hold the key to solving the deaths.

The problem is I wanted to shoot almost each and every character that I've grown to love over the years. Benton Wesley is his same, staid self, and I don't have too many complaints about his behavior in PREDATOR. After all, the guy is back from the dead, and I'm happy about that. Kay Scarpetta, on the other hand, has turned into an alternately brooding/bi**y whiner. Marino is a bad-boy-wannabe who now talks in monosyllables such as "mmm" and "mmm-hmm". And Lucy. Sigh. What the HECK has happened to Lucy? As if it wasn't bad enough that in Cornwell's last book, TRACE, Lucy was involved with a psycho-woman, in PREDATOR she's doing all the stupid things she did last time, except this time her involvement with a physcho-woman might get her killed.

What has happened to my favorite characters? I was eagerly anticipating the release of PREDATOR, only to be so let down that I've decided to wait and rent each new Patricia Cornwell release from the library.

I gave the book three stars for the basic plot, which was interesting. If I had to rate the behavior of the characters, it would be in the negatives.

Like many of the reviewers I've read here, I'm a big fan of the Scarpetta novels. I found some of the later KS books to be more action/thriller-like than mystery-like. Predator has a different tone, the story is told from a broader perspective, vs. the KS-centered earlier novels; the shifting perspectives of the narrative were interesting to me, and kept me guessing. The book does have some pretty violent/gruesome themes, but there was some interesting psychological play - as in, the story plays some games on the reader, and packs some surprises.

Cornwell does a great job with most of her books. This is a great read if
you have been following her characters, Scarpetta and her niece.

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Totally agree with GeniusJen's review! I, too, have been a long time KS fan. I hate the direction Cornwell has taken Marino and Lucy. Haven't read another Cornwell book since this one.

I don't read a whole lot of Patricia Cornwell, but the few of the Scarpetta series that I have read have been completely awesome books. I'm very much in to the whole CSI thing, and Cornwell is very meticulous with her details in her stories. This particular book was really good. Though not for the faint of heart, if you enjoy fast paced, gory, white knuckle crime stories, this is an excellent choice. All in all a great book.

Kay Scarpeta and her team do a great job of solving another bunch of crimes, but not before a lot of blood. There is a lot of detail and cool info. Another scary read.

Creepy good!

I have read the entire Scarpetta series and have loved them all. This one is no exception.

This book changed my life.

Love the Dr. Kay Scarpetta books.

Great Book!

Part of the Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner of VA, series. Several of the CSI episodes on TV are based on this series. I say, start at the beginning... check patriciacornwell.com for a list of all the books in the series.

Another great Cornwell read!!

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