UG... I'm honestly thinking I should just quit the Scarpetta series... They're getting worse and worse. I think part of the reason is how much time it was between when I read Flesh and Blood (Over a year between them!) and I have the same opinion about this book as I did #22. Scattered thoughts, stunted conversations, things that you have remember from long ago, it just doesn't flow and while things for the most part get wrapped up in the end (IE: what was making the sound, the missing, now dead cop, what happened to Troy, who exactly was Chanel), it just took WAY too long. 500+ pages was absolutely unnecessary. And the absolute lack of Forensic Science (for pete's sake, Scarpetta didn't even do the freaking autopsy!)... This is probably one of Cornwall's worst novel's to date. I want to to give this book 2 stars but it's more like 1.5. I wanted to like it I did but just couldn't.