2016 Book Review #4: Depraved Heart

Wow. When I saw this in our town library a couple of weeks ago, I was very excited because I really enjoy the Kay Scarpetta series. This author is one of my faves and her Scarpetta series are always page-turners. 

This one did not disappoint although I don't think it is one of her very best. 

STORY SUMMARY

 The story opens up about 2 months after the last book. Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the chief medical examiner for Boston is at the very prestigious and historic home of a young woman named Chanel Gilbert. The home is located in Cambridge.  Chanel has been found dead by the housekeeper. But was it really a fall from the ladder that is in the foyer, or was this a homicide? Only time and intense investigation will tell. While Kay is examing the body, she receives a text alert on her phone. A video link brings her to a very disturbing scene...and it appears it's from her niece Lucy. But....how can it be? It is actually a surveillance film from 20 years ago when Lucy was only 19 and a student at the FBI Academy! 

Soon, more videos arrive to her phone and she is confused, scared, and quite alarmed. These seem to implicate that her precious niece has commited a crime! Whom can she tell about the videos that disappear as soon as she views them? She can't tell her FBI profiler husband Benton, nor her friend and investigative partner Pete Marino. She certainly can't question Lucy! The person in the videos is a known psychopath and mass murderer named Carrie Grethan whom everyone, including the FBI, thought had died when her helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean some years ago. But...she didn't die. She is alive and two months ago had almost speared Kay to death during a scuba diving rescue mission. It is now Kay against Carrie. 

Why is the FBI at Lucy's very private home she shares with her partner Janet and their little boy Desi who just lost his mother to cancer? What does Lucy have to do with these videos and more importantly how are they connected to the death of this young wealthy woman?? Is Carrie, who used to be Lucy's romantic partner, trying to kill them all?? 

MY THOUGHTS

As usual I was on the edge of my seat at the beginning of this book. The story takes place in one day and although it is exciting and fast paced, it did get bogged down in the middle for me. I began to get bored and kept thinking this should be resolved by now...it has been years since Scarpetta and Benton have been trying to nab Carrie. Yes, it makes for an exciting twist to these characters and their lives and they do apprar in every book in the Scarpetta series. But this one started to drag for me and seemed to be too vague.

The ending finally arrived and again, too vague!!! Did the FBI, Kay, and Benton finally get her?? I don't want to write anymore about the details of the last 1/4 of the book because I don't want to spoil it for you. It was very good...brilliant really....because we have to come up with our own conclusions.

Is Carrie Grethen finally gone???

I doubt it.

But you never know! 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older due to content.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9.