Journal Entry 1 by OdesLee from Apex, North Carolina USA on Friday, February 27, 2004

Found this book at Mr. Toad's in Cary, North Carolina unregistered.
I will register, possibly read, and release.
 

Journal Entry 2 by OdesLee from Apex, North Carolina USA on Monday, April 26, 2004

This is my first "Scarpetta Novel", and it may be my last.
There is a lot of divient behavior, graphic violence, and just strange people.

 

Journal Entry 3 by OdesLee at Mr Toad's Coffee House- 976 High House Rd in Cary, North Carolina USA on Monday, April 26, 2004

Released on Monday, April 26, 2004 at Mr Toad's Coffee House in Cary, North Carolina USA.

Back to the bookshelf in Mr. Toad's Coffee House.
 

Journal Entry 4 by llama-mama205 from Pittsboro, North Carolina USA on Friday, June 18, 2004

Caught at Mr Toads... the best OBCZ in town!

Very intense book full of twists and turns.

Offering as a bookray...
Participants are:
beckerbuns(CA)
grace4truth (MI)
GrammarBroad (LA)
vsimeone (OH)(skip for now)
grover3d (WV)
Lise46 (IL)

Last person on list to release. 

Journal Entry 5 by AnonymousFinder on Monday, June 28, 2004

Arrived in the mail for a bookray. Can't wait to read it -- I'm a big Scarpetta fan!

CAUGHT IN SAN JOSE CA USA 

Journal Entry 6 by beckerbuns from San Jose, California USA on Monday, June 28, 2004

Oops. Accidentally logged anonymously. Anyway, as said I am going to read this book as part of a bookray from llama-mama. 

Journal Entry 7 by beckerbuns from San Jose, California USA on Tuesday, July 20, 2004

I'm sorry to say that I really didn't like this book. The Scarpetta books have gotten more and more tangled and conspiratorial as time has gone on and this one is no exception. I will admit I only got about a third of the way through before giving it up. Maybe others will like it more than I did... In any case I am glad I had the opportunity to read it, so thank you for that! I mailed it to the next person yesterday. 

Journal Entry 8 by twiga92 from Troy, Michigan USA on Thursday, July 29, 2004

Rec'd as part of bookring. Will read and pass along ASAP. 

Journal Entry 9 by twiga92 from Troy, Michigan USA on Friday, July 30, 2004

Decided since I haven't read any of the Scarpetta novels yet, that I better wait to read this book. I'd like to read them in order.
Mailing on to next person in bookray. 

Journal Entry 10 by GrammarBroad from Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA on Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Spooky. I was sitting here listening to the news that the serial killer was just convicted of the first murder he has been tried on. And DH walks in with this package for me!

Cannot WAIT to read it! OK. I won't...off to read.

Thanks! 

Journal Entry 11 by GrammarBroad from Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA on Sunday, August 22, 2004

It took longer than I thought it would to read this one. I just read The Body Farm and flew through it. Of course I was on vacation, and now I'm back at school and finding time to read is harder.

But I did enjoy reading it since it was set in Baton Rouge. That part was fun. The rest was okay. I had heard about Patricia Cornwell for years and just never got around to reading any of her books. They interviewed her when she was here researching Blow Fly and I remember them talking about The Body Farm, so I chose to read it first so I would have something to compare Blow Fly to, one way or the other, especially since Blow Fly hasn't had such great reviews.

Local TV news script: 10/14/03

"A fictional book about a south Louisiana serial killer is now on store shelves. Crime writer Patricia Cornwell’s book BLOW FLY is dedicated to former coroner, Dr. Louis Cataldie. In the book, Cataldi is loosely represented by a character named 'Dr. Sam Lanier.' The book's main character travels to south Louisiana to investigate serial murders in Baton Rouge. Police chief Pat Englade criticized the new book as an effort to profit on other people's tragedy."

And another point of view:

"BLOW FLY brings the various players from the last three books together allowing the audience to see what is happening to each of them. Patricia Cornwell has written a brilliant crime thriller starring a vulnerable Scarpetta, a person who has endured heartache, legal troubles, a violent attack and near death by a violent sociopath. She is nowhere near healed and when she discovers the secret those closest to her have been keeping, she will feel betrayed and anger. Ms. Cornwell is at the top of her game with her latest novel. It keeps readers on the edge of their seats absorbing one shock after another."

My curiosity was piqued first because the serial killers in Baton Rouge have been on the news here daily for years. Then when Ms. Cornwell came to town to research BLOW FLY, there was controversy, and I just wanted to see for myself.

It's always a fun thing to read about one's hometown in a text that is going to be read internationally. It doesn't present a flattering view of Baton Rouge, but that is not to say that it isn't accurate. But even people who are only passing through usually say more about the food. Ms. Corwell only made the most obligatory of references to the food. She doesn't understand Baton Rouge if she doesn't understand that the food is a main character here. Just as big as the crooked pols.

And it's "the" Caterie, not just Caterie - pronounced "thuh" not "thee" as we say it here. The definite article is required, and it is thrown in a lot more frequently around here than we normally use in English. Perhaps because of the French influence - transliteration of terms from the French where the definite article is required, as in "the" Highland Road or "the" Airline Highway.

I never heard people around here talk about "pulled pork" - and I don't think they really eat it much. In a random, unscientific poll I conducted the day after I read the reference to pulled pork, I couldn't find anyone who knew the term at all. I'm not a native, though. In Tennessee where my family is originally from, we just call it "barbecue" and it means hickory-smoked pork, smoked in a pit at least overnight so that it becomes so tender it falls off the bone. In Tennessee the boneless meat is sold with dark brown (not red) barbecue sauce, and coleslaw on the side. In a sandwich on a "hamburger" bun, the barbecue sauce and coleslaw are served on the sandwich (with a few drops of Tabasco optional). I'm going to have to investigate that "pulled pork" comment further!

(Told you we take food seriously!)

The book is ready to be sent on along the ray. Skipping vsimeone by request. On to grover 3d. Enjoy!

#620

 

Journal Entry 12 by grover3d from Charleston, West Virginia USA on Wednesday, September 08, 2004

It's here! I have a few ray/ring books in front of it, but I'll get to ASAP. Thanks! 

Journal Entry 13 by grover3d from Charleston, West Virginia USA on Sunday, September 12, 2004

These books are going from bad to worse. This one was poorly plotted (and the plot twists that are here are annoying) and the ending was terrible. Oh, Scarpetta, we hardly knew ye!

DC# - 0302 0980 0001 2032 1773 

Journal Entry 14 by Lise46 from Northbrook, Illinois USA on Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Looking forward to this (although the previous journals worry me...). From me, forward to either someone wishing for it or wild release....