The Last Precinct

Written by Patricia Cornwell

Narrated by Kate Reading

The eleventh Scarpetta novel, in which the Chief Medical Examiner is under a Grand Jury investigation for murder. She knows she’s being framed and she no longer knows who she can trust…

Physically and psychologically bruised by her encounter with the killer Chandonne, Dr Kay Scarpetta has to leave her home in the hands of the police team investigating the attack. She finds shelter with an old friend, Anna Zenner, but it is not the haven of security she needs when she discovers that Anna has been subpoenaed to appear before a Grand Jury which is investigating Scarpetta for murder. Kay knows she is being framed and she also knows she can trust no-one.

Meanwhile it appears that Chandonne killed a woman in New York before his murderous spree in Virginia, but when Scarpetta looks more closely into that case with the NY prosecutor Jaime Berger, proof of his guilt is far from certain–in fact she begins to believe that he may not be the perpetrator of any of the crimes he is accused of. As she follows the forensic trail to the real killer she gradually realizes that someone has been spinning a web for years with the aim of entrapping her. Who is it, and why are they so desperate to be rid of her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Mar 17, 2015
• ISBN: 9780062376190

Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell is recognized as one of the world’s top bestselling crime writers and the author of the Scarpetta series. Her novels have been translated into thirty-six languages in more than 120 countries and won numerous prestigious awards, including the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, Macavity, and the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize. Cornwell, a licensed helicopter pilot and scuba diver, actively researches the cutting-edge forensic technologies that inform her work.

Reviews for The Last Precinct

[Hope Ranch AFH · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As always, Patricia Cornwell rocked another Scarpetta book! I read these books when they first came out, but now (25+ years later), I find I barely remember anything! The audiobook experience is amazing and catapults the reading experience into a whole new stratosphere!

I feel like Kay is my BFF in this fictional world and I want to reach out and hug her sometimes! As for Marino, I know we’d get along just fine! This is how captivating and well-written Cornwell’s books are! Kay Scarpetta and gang are the best! I’m already on to the next book!


Patricia Cornwell can never let the “Last Precinct” die!

[buffalogr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not exactly your normal Scarpetta--she's trying to save her career and her livelihood. Assisted by her niece and her trusty sidekick cop, several new characters emerge and Scarpetta's character expands more fully as the plot gets thicker. Nice job Patricia Cornwell.

[unrequitedlibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tone of language: Grimly psychologicalCharacters: Deeply emotionally woundedPlot twists: Puzzling links between seemingly unrelated murdersPace: Slow, painstaking analysis of crimesValues: The importance of relationships founded on trustBackground research: ForensicsSexuality: Female murder victims engaged in consensual intercourse firstEnding: Family comes firstOffensive to any group: Unattractive peopleTarget audience: WomenFlaw: The author doesn't explain how the mastermind of a known crime family could fool the authorities and become a high-ranking international police agent.

[pier50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bit of a slow start, but the story picks up around the middle and is a fairly complicated plot involving undercover agents, the police and some rather gruesome murders.

[raizel_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read the much of this series and certainly not the previous book. This book starts with the killer caught and Kay saved from him and what seems like a tidy ending. Instead, many complications arise and Kay spends a lot of time angry about what her friends and colleagues may be hiding from her. After about 400 pages, there is some resolution, but still unanswered questions and baddies on the loose. And some upsetting images that have nothing to do with the case.

[writestuff_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoy Patricia Cornwell's stories. They are well drawn out and accurate in their forensic details. Cornwell's MC, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, is a character who is likeable while still demonstrating her human weaknesses. This novel picks up where the last (Black Notice) left off...and it doesn't disappoint. Fast paced, it kept my interest...and answered questions the author left hanging inBlack Notice.

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Patricia Cornwell delves into a story, and leaves no stone uncovered. In this installment, Kay Scarpetta deals with the lingering paranoia from the attack by Jean-Baptiste Chandonne. A New York attorney, Jaime Berger, ties Chandonne with a brutal murder in New York. Just when Kay thinks she may rebuild her life, a grand jury investigates Kay's involvement into the death of Diane Bray, believing that Kay committed the murder. As many of Cornwell's novels, this is set during the Christmas season when Virginia is covered with snow and bad weather. Kay must fight for her professional integrity and sanity in this chilling story. More people are killed and the trail leads to Chandonne and his family, and Kay must decide which people are friends or foes. An interesting study in the secrets that each person carries.

[scriberscouse · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The weakest of the Scarpetta series and the last novel of Cornwell's that I bought. This follows on directly from Black Notice and features the reappearance of the werewolf killer of that novel. No sparkle to this one whatsoever; the great shame being that the characters do deserve so much more, thanks to lacklustre plotting no-one really cares if Scarpetta plans to set up a private consultancy with annoying uber genious neice Lucy and loveable cop Pete Marino.

[skinglist · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I started reading this mid-September and it took me weeks to get through the 1st 150 pages - and then I spent a few nights staying up way too late to read it. Was surprised by Talley - and while I like that her books have continuity, I feel as if the Chandonne arc needs closure. I hope it comes. I feel as if the writing for Lucy has gone down hill - she's become much less of a character, same wth Marino.

[debavp · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What the hell is going on--the downhill slide of this character's development is really showing.

[msbeautiful · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Feels like Cornwell is trying to finish up old plot points and start new ones, I got bogged down and didn't enjoy this "transitional" book

[panathanikamacos · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While this isn't up to the usual v high standard if you have read the previous books then this is essential reading and kept me gripped from page 1.

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The storyline is much the same as in previous books, despite Cornwell's assertion that this is the first time we see Kay in professional jeopardy. There's a bad guy, Kay gets personally involved, Lucy goes off on some weird tangent, Kay's professional judgement is called into question..the bare bones of this story are the same as the others.

What bothered me most about this book was the extremely sudden and startling change in the way we see Kay, and through her, all the other characters. She suddenly analyzes every thought, every emotion; we see all of the characters in a new light, and it is almost without exception, unflattering. Suddenly we are literally forced to consider Kay's sexual orientation, Marino's weird attraction to her; even the deceased Benton is re-examined and somehow comes off looking the worse for it.

Cornwell said in an interviews I saw that she doesn't model Kay after herself, but there are several aspects of this book that almost feel voyeuristic. The forensic and investigational parts of the book almost seem like an afterthought. The main purpose of this entry in the Scarpetta series seems mainly to explore her psyche; at the end of it all, I've lost my respect for the character.

I had a hard time deciding how many stars to give this book. Taken alone, simply judging this book's writing style, plot and character development, I would have given it 4 stars; as part of the Scarpetta series, comparing it to past books, I would have rated this one a 2, so I split the difference and gave it a 3.

[elkehannover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inhaltsangabe:Gerade erst hat sie den Tötungsversuch des Serienkillers Chandonnes abgewehrt, da wird sie selbst als Tatverdächtige behandelt. Noch können hochrangige Politiker und Beamte zu ihr halten, allen voran ihr guter Freund und Detective Pete Morino und ihre Nichte Lucy.Aber es verschwinden wichtige Beweise und schließlich geschehen neue Morde, die auf dem ersten Blick so gar nichts mit Chandonne zu tun hat. Aber Kay ist sich bald sicher, dass es Verbindungen zum Kartell nach Frankreich gibt. Und dann ist da noch Staatsanwältin Berger aus New York, die Kay ziemlich ordentlich in die Mangel nimmt. Ist sie Freundin oder Feindin?Außerdem erzählt Lucy ihrer Tante von einer neuen Organisation genannt „Das letzte Revier“, die sich ebenfalls mit mysteriösen Mordfällen beschäftigt. Auch der verstorbene Benton schien offenbar davon zu wissen. Kay wird eingeladen, dort doch mitzuwirken.Kay steht mit dem Rücken zur Wand und sie weiß, dass sie nicht nur um die Existenz als Gerichtsmedizinerin kämpft.Mein Fazit:Nun habe ich schon den 11.ten Teil dieser Reihe gelesen. Und obwohl ich dem nicht immer positiv gegenüber stehe, so sind mir die meisten Figuren inzwischen vertraut und ihre Handlungen und Denkweisen für mich nachvollziehbar!So überraschte es mich doch sehr, mit welch’ dichter Atmosphäre diese Geschichte beginnt, die nahtlos an dem letzten Teil weitergeht. Denn Kay kann wegen den Ermittlungen nicht mehr in ihrem Haus bleiben und kommt daher bei ihrer Freundin Anna unter. Anna ist Psychiaterin und gewährt ihr nicht nur Obdach für unbestimmte Zeit, sondern nimmt sich ihrer auch an. Zum ersten Mal beginnt Kay über ihre Trauer um Benton zu sprechen, ihre Affäre zu Jay und das schwierige Verhältnis zu Lucy und Marino sind ebenfalls Thema. Auch wenn man sich vieles schon zusammen reimen konnte in den vorherigen Bänden, so war es für mich hoch interessant, dieses Kammerspiel zu lesen, dass eine ganz andere Kay zu Tage brachte: verletzlich, einsam und nervlich am Boden zerstört und sie gab auch sich selbst gegenüber auch mal zu.Und dann kommt da noch die Staatsanwältin aus New York. Kay kann sie sehr schwer einschätzen, bemerkt aber einige Dinge, die sie aus ihrer juristischen Ausbildung kennt. Sie ist hin- und hergerissen zwischen Vertrauen und Misstrauen. Was führt sie ihm Schilde? Wird Berger sie an die Staatsanwaltschaft ausliefern und anklagen?Leider flacht die Geschichte etwa ab einem drittel etwas ab, weil wieder mal unfähige Ermittler zwei neue Morde untersuchen, die auf dem ersten Blick gar nichts miteinander gemeinsam haben. Doch Kays eigene Ermittlungen bringen viele Geheimnisse zu Tage und schließlich ist nichts, wie es scheint. Die Ermittlungen empfand ich oftmals als etwas in die Länge gezogen. Es gehörte zwar zum Kern der Geschichte, aber ich fragte mich manchmal, wann denn alles überstanden ist. Die Auflösung, die ich nicht vorhersehen konnte, ist einfach und genial, aber wie ich finde am Ende dann wieder ein bisschen kurz beschrieben.Für den starken Anfang und die überraschende Lösung der Fälle gibt es vier Sterne, aber zwischendrin gab es einige Hänger. Dennoch werde ich die Serie weiter lesen, dafür sind sie mir schon alle sehr vertraut.Veröffentlicht am 11.10.16!

[northern_light-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This follows directly on from the previous book and you really do need to have read it first. This time Kay finds things are too close to home when she is forced to flee from her home when her life is in danger.The tension builds up and she doesn't know who she can trust. At times I found that I was so engrossed that it was hard to stop reading as I so needed to know what was going to happen.If you're a fan of these books don't miss out this one.

[abbottthomas · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Long ago I read an early Scarpetta story and, as far as I can recall, enjoyed it. The Last Precinct is a horse of a different colour. The reader is flung in to the plot at the deep end, unless he or she has read the preceding episodes. Who is this lanugo-covered dog-faced French serial killer? Why does Scarpetta hate his last victim? What happened to her late lover? This is an infelicitous start.I get irritated by product placement: Cornwell is a dab hand at this with, for instance, unnecessarily detailed descriptions of the whisky offered to the stressed Scarpetta (Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish single malt) and the olive oil she needs for her marinara sauce (Mission Olives Supremo extra virgin olive oil Italian integrate style). Surely she is a sufficiently successful author not to need extra handouts from advertisers?I am not a fan of the 'with a single bound she was free' type of solution to a character's difficulties. Another cast member new to me is Scarpetta's gay and apparently trigger-happy niece. She clearly has major employment issues which are instantly solved by her announcement that she is now a dot-com multi-millionaire - what a surprise for auntie!My chief complaint, however, and the reason for casting the book aside after eighty pages or so is Cornwell's use of gratuitously disgusting and brutal crimes. Serial killers cutting the faces from their victims - while still alive as that seems to give a better aesthetic effect - has been done before ( maybe Lecter used his teeth rather than a knife) and doesn't, for me at any rate, improve the story. Cornwell gets herself into a difficult place by having Scarpetta describe an illustrated lecture from her forensic student days where the audience is shown pictures of a screaming woman, breasts tied up with rope, having needles stuck into her nipple. She remarks that many of the watchers, all men apart from her, are obviously sexually aroused by what they have seen and sees this as a feminist issue. I can only see this sort of writing as exploitative, relying on just the sort of attitudes which she condemns.

[bibliophilebubba · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book was the one that convinced me to stop buying Patricia Cornwell's books. Her first half dozen were world class suspense/detective fiction, but the subsequent books have gone steadily downhill, and now they just feel like cyncial rip-offs.

[karenherndon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Continuing Scarpetta saga- just as good as previous novels and, again, hard to put down!

[gaturbev_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Possibly better than a 2, but I think maybe I'm getting burned out on Cornwell. Also, though I was current years ago, I have fallen way behind and am also a little "out of order."Basically, I like the characters and I like that I know about the characters. But I'm tired of hearing about the former (dead) characters (Benton, Grethen, Gault, etc.) and the running threads. I rather have the current group of heroes (Kay, Lucy, and Marino) solving crimes that are unrelated to previous books.