Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9412020014
SECTION: BOOKS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: REVIEWED BY JILL BOWENK
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Patricia Cornwell's fifth book in the Kay Scarpetta series lives up to the high standard set by her previous novels.
Several characters from those earlier books also appear in "The Body Farm," including Kay's niece Lucy, who now seems to owe some of her characterization to Jodie Foster's role of the FBI agent in "The Silence of the Lambs." In this story, Scarpetta has moved from her junk-food addict cop friend Marino into an affair with her married FBI contact agent, much to the dismay and chagrin of the jealous Marino.
The novel's atmosphere isn't so much ghoulish as forensic; not surprising as Dr. Kay Scarpetta is chief medical officer for the state in Richmond. In her latest case, Scarpetta is asked by the FBI to help in the investigation of a particularly brutal slaying of an 11-year-old girl. The forensic details are remarkably accurate and show an up-to-date knowledge of the latest technologies in forensic medicine.
"The Body Farm" which gives its name to the title is the University of Tennessee's decay research facility. On any given day in its wooded acres, dozens of bodies are in various stages of decomposition. The data collected from such research enables Scarpetta to judge the time of death of the victim.
It is thought that the child may be another victim of Temple Gault, a demented serial killer who has so far defeated all efforts to track him down. In actuality the girl's death is more horrifying and bizarre than could ever be imagined.
The writing is masterful with good background detail and three-dimensional characters. A touch of welcome humor is added by the constant squabbling between Scarpetta and her sister, Lucy's mother, a neurotic egocentric divorcee. "The Body Farm" deserves a place in every mystery collection.
Jill Bowen is a veterinarian in Blacksburg.
by CNB