Then you'll probably like this story.My wife and I read books together and I'd sworn off Cornwell after Hornet's Nest (which on TV Cornwell admitted was some warmed over college material - and it showed horribly). The Scarpetta character (in some books) is unbelievably emotionally ultra-hyper (going from confident to terrified every time Marino knocks on the door).In this book she was mercifully level headed almost ALL the time! What a relief. And there was a real story. I'm not really a fan of her work over the last 10 years but there's almost enough lab details here to satisfy. Sure wish she (Scarpetta) would learn to delegate - imagine the top lab expert for her state and she has to go to every crime scene and move bodies herself!Anyway don't start here with the Scarpetta series - but if you already like the character, this one is a B+. Compared to other crime novels in general, it's still a C- in my estimation.