I have read, no devoured, the entire Kay Scarpetta series over the past year. I have enjoyed Kay as a character who is smart, caring, assertive, honest - possesses all the qualities that every woman could want. Here, with what could possibly be the end of the series, I struggled through overlong, overly repititous story, as depressed as Kay - because I was so disappointed in her. Thankfully, the last few chapters just wrapped everything up and sent her off in Lucy's helicopter. What a sad ending to a great series and a truly great fictional character.