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Cruel and Unusual Audiobook
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(4.00) - 42,720 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When an executed murderer's fingerprints turn up at a new crime scene, Kay Scarpetta investigates. Prepare for the kind of riveting suspense this best-selling author delivers so well.
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"I'd rate this one more like a 3.75. It was still great, the ending was eye-opening as usual. But the Scarpetta stories are all kinda sounding the same. Might take a break from her for a while, although this one ended as a cliffhanger, so I just might have to get on to the next one right away!"
— Tammy (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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No one doew authenticity better than Cornwell.
— -- The Philadelphia Inquirer
Awards
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Winner of the 1993 CWA Gold Dagger for Fiction
Cruel and Unusual Listener Reviews
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BJS, 10/14/2021
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Stanley Merjan, 7/12/2015
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" riveting.. full of suspense! love how Dr. Scarpetta described how the examination was done to the dead.. GOOD BOOK! "
— Marvin, 2/19/2014 -
" I enjoy Patricia Cornwell's books. I like her characters, flaws and all, and she has a lot of good suspense and twists and turns in her stories. I will definitely pick up her next one when I'm ready for another thriller. "
— Heidi, 2/18/2014 -
" The beginning of the Temple Gault thread. Love it! It's just getting good! "
— Annika, 2/17/2014 -
" I was disappointed with the ending. Not one of my fav's. "
— Amber, 2/7/2014 -
" Excellent read, love this author! :-) "
— Donna, 1/18/2014 -
" It has an unfinished ending! There were to many aspects left to explain! "
— Filipa, 1/14/2014 -
" Read Almost all of her books "
— Dina, 1/8/2014 -
" Fun! Solid! Entertaining! Will be reading more of her. OH YES "
— Trev, 1/8/2014 -
" Scarpetta is another favorite character of mine. "
— Patricia, 1/1/2014 -
" The premise is intriguing: fingerprints from an executed man show up at a new crime scene. Then you have Cornwell's whole cast of characters, who I've come to love over years of reading them in assorted books. And then there's all that detail. Great book. "
— Susan, 12/8/2013 -
" Written in first person, Dr. Kay Scarpetta escapes prosecution in this tale of many murders linked to the switching of finger prints? Continue to learn more of forensic science. "
— Clifford, 12/2/2013 -
" I liked this book. I did feel like it dragged on and was missing some suspense. But Cornwell's eye for detailed description does help you get into the book. "
— JJ, 11/18/2013 -
" This book was just okay for me. There's a slight twists of the story, but I didn't like the case in this story and I definitely didn't like the ending to it. I've always been a fan of Patricia Cornwell and the Kay Scarpetta series, but this one is definitely not my favorite one "
— Rosabelle, 11/5/2013 -
" I love Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Kind of like Quincy, she solves murders because she is an intelligent and insightful Medical Examiner. This book is not as gruesomely detailed as some, so it may appeal to more timid readers. "
— Marilyn, 4/9/2013 -
" I find the form of writing unusual and interesting for it is always fun to get hit with the unexpected. On the other hand, even though I have run ambulance and worked in a funeral home, or perhaps because of that, I struggle with her hardball style. "
— jimmy, 1/18/2013 -
" 4th "Kay Scarpetta series" - this is an early Patricia Cornwell book that I missed, and it's better than later ones. "
— Salsadancer, 12/5/2012 -
" I enjoy the Scarpetta mysteries very much. Scarpetta can be a bit hard and ornery at times. I like Lt Pete Marino. I think he could be played nicely by Michael Hogan, Commander Tighe of Battlestar Gallactica fame. "
— Bill, 9/18/2012 -
" Not my cup of tea. A little far fetched. "
— Jim, 1/10/2012 -
" This book was a bit dark for my taste. "
— Cary, 8/25/2011 -
" I had a hard time getting into the book in the beginning of the book but it picked up and I couldn't put it down. I didn't see the ending coming an I like how it ended, different from the previous books. "
— Jessica, 4/20/2011 -
" Patricia Cornwell is my favourite crime/thriller writer and this is one of my favs. Can never tire of Scarpetta! "
— Laurenwilder, 3/21/2011 -
" This is one of my favorite books in the series. "
— Lyndsaygrace, 3/4/2011 -
" I enjoy this character quite a bit. I had to get used to the style of writing and the way Patricia Cornwell ends every book. "
— Shawna, 1/26/2011 -
" Even though I got busy and it took me awhile to read the book, it kept me on the edge of my seat. "
— Lorraine, 1/22/2011 -
" I find the form of writing unusual and interesting for it is always fun to get hit with the unexpected. On the other hand, even though I have run ambulance and worked in a funeral home, or perhaps because of that, I struggle with her hardball style. "
— Jimmy, 1/20/2011 -
" 4th "Kay Scarpetta series" - this is an early Patricia Cornwell book that I missed, and it's better than later ones. "
— Salsadancer, 1/19/2011 -
" Got one of the Scarpetta books I didnt have for Christmas. When I finally have them all, I'm going back and reading them in chronological order. Love that this is the one where we are introduced to Temple Gault and where Kay is not yet involved with Benton. "
— Katherine, 1/16/2011 -
" Still very much hooked by the series and a great page turner. Full on intrigue on a lot of levels. "
— Trak, 1/12/2011 -
" Good, this one has a cliffhanger ending...launches you right into the next book...feel like the rest of the series will be more like this than the first three were...those stories were "solved" and this one is not :-) "
— Beth, 1/11/2011
About Patricia Cornwell
Patricia Cornwell is recognized as one of the world’s top bestselling crime authors with many New York Times bestselling novels. She wrote her debut, Postmortem, while working at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia, and it went on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards, as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventures—the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. Beyond the Kay Scarpetta series, she has written a definitive book about Jack the Ripper, a biography, and three more fiction series, among others.
About C. J. Critt
C. J. Critt is a veteran of Broadway, regional theater, poetry slams, and solo shows. Hailed “Spoken Word Queen” by the Dallas Observer, Critt is a produced writer-director, an Audie nominee, and a CableACE Award winner.