It's been a while since I read the previous book in this series, but the next one was at the library so why not. It's solidly moved into the mystery rather than thriller genre in this particular volume, I think, and that's fine with me. Why a medical examiner would get into shoot-outs if she can possibly avoid has seemed a little incredible, albeit I'm not reading these for realism in anything but science. Even then, the part that most interested me here was the feather analysis; I'm not much into computer programming so that side of it left me cold.

What I liked best was how much politics was seeping into this. I'd like to think that scientists are left to get on with their jobs without interference, but I'm not that gullible. Scarpetta has received the body of an executed man, and it becomes clear his death is at the centre of politically-motivated cover-ups and conspiracies. There's a lot of people dodgy things and trying to hide it, and the investigation gets hampered - and Scarpetta blamed - because of this. I like that it's all so tangled, and that there are so few trustworthy people. It makes for a tense story, although I do think the end wrapped up far too quickly. I would have liked to see the supporting criminals rounded up and exposed, but no dice. I suspect that major suspect is going to return in later books, however.

I still enjoy the characters, although Lucy is beginning to irritate. She's a teen with a chip on her shoulder so it's not at all surprising, but even so. No wonder she's got no friends.