And the humour runs all the way through.Ĭornwell’s handling of detail is worth looking at. It might have come across as research but in fact it places you at the scene. The characters of the two men come out very well in this chapter, and though there is a lot detail concerning vehicles and vehicle repair, it works well. He knows that Bubba, as usual, has made matters worse by trying to effect a repair himself. Muskrat has the measure of Bubba and doesn’t try to conceal it. One example of many is Chapter Five, where Bubba, having a problem with his vehicle, takes it to Muskrat’s garage to have it repaired. Reading the Scarpetta books you would not suspect that the author had a sense of humour, but here it is deployed to such effect you have to wonder why she hasn’t given us more of it. Theses books are still well plotted, it is just that their plots do not depend on forensics.īut what is most amazing about Southern Cross is the humour. The interest lies in the interaction of the characters. Smoke happens to discover this when he overhears a conversation at a garage and later steals the entire collection.Īlthough Patricia Cornwell is famous for her handle on forensic pathology – sometimes in extreme detail – there is almost none of that in Hornets nest and Southern Cross. Smoke has recruited Weed into his gang, though Weed – who has both artistic and musical tendencies – is reluctant.Īnother important character is Bubba, who is into all things DIY which, unfortunately, includes firearms. The scene is now Richmond, Virginia, and the ‘low life’ elements of that city are well represented, including Smoke and his gang, the Pikes. The plot involves a planned mass shooting by a character named Smoke, and the efforts of the police to prevent it. It features the same three main characters, Chief Hammer, Deputy Chief Virginia West and Andy Brazil, now a fully qualified police officer. Hornet’s nest is good, but Southern Cross is better. But if you don’t want read both, Southern Cross makes sense on its own and would be the one to go for. This book is a sequel to Hornet’s Nest and it would be best to read them in order of publication. The plot is well thought out and presented and should provide plenty of entertainment to new and established Cornwell readers, although those expecting to find a Kay Scarpetta type thriller may well be disappointed. This book has a delightful comedy style in one way and yet contains its fair share of murder and violence. Cleverly, the paths of all these characters including our 3 police officers, become crossed in the final few chapters as the story reaches its climax. However, this is a crime book and a sad tale of young no-hoper gang members, middle aged "simple" characters who enjoy nothing more than huntin', fishin' and guns, and middle class citizens of Richmond whose characters are all delightfully painted by Cornwell. Going back to 1607 we hear about British explorers, local Indians, African slaves, Thomas Jefferson, tobacco and the American Civil War to name just a few. One of the charms of this book is the easy-to-read and fascinating historical backdrop of the city of Richmond and the state of Virginia. Try Half Shell, Tree Buster, Niles and Popeye. Plenty of animals featue in this book too with almost more-human names than some of the actual humans. The story also includes a raft of criminals and border line crims with endearing names such as Bubba, Fluck, Muskrat, Divinity, Smoke, Beeper, Sick, Dog, Pigeon, Weed and Weed's late brother Twister. Set in Richmond Virginia, "Southern Cross" is Patricia Cornwell's sequel to "Hornet's Nest" and features the three main characters of that novel, Police Chief Judy Hammer, Deputy Chief Virginia West and Officer Andy Brazil. In an incredibly fast-moving police procedural Patricia Cornwell takes her readers on a roller-coaster ride of action and emotion. Then a computer virus crashes the police computer, freezing their screens with a design of blue fish, and the same blue fish appears on the statue of Jefferson Davis, which a graffiti artist has turned into a black basketball player and a gang called the Pikes claim it is their symbol, which also has links to the robberies. They also meet resentment from the established police force and over-high expectations from the city's institutions. They find a lot of things they are all too familiar with - teenage gangs, a rash of robberies at cash dispensers, street corner drug-dealing, racial tensions, too many people with too many guns and a cardiac inducing lack of parking spaces. She brings with her Deputy Chief Virginia West and Andy Brazil, now a full-time police officer. Judy Hammer has accepted the challenge of Richmond, Virginia's police department to try and reverse the escalating crime statistics in the city.
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