Patricia Cornwell's FLESH AND BLOOD is a twisting, suspenseful novel featuring the usual cast of characters: Dr. Kay Scarpetta; her husband, Benton Wesley; her niece, Lucy; her policeman friend, Pete Marino; and her staff at the lab, where she does autopsies while involved in other important deeds as played out in the unfolding story.

In this latest installment, the group is up against a staggering number of murders, and they can only wonder if they are all connected. This is part of the major conundrum they must get clear and determine. The first murders occurred in New Jersey, then the killings moved to Massachusetts where Kay and her allies live and work. One morning, Kay and Benton are getting ready for a Florida birthday vacation when she notices seven pennies shining on the stone wall in the back of their house. The change is polished, each has the same date (Lucy's birth year), and they are all facing the same direction. Obviously someone has sneaked onto their property and left a clue that the couple cannot ignore.

"[R]eaders can presumably look forward to Kay Scarpetta and the gang in thrillers yet to come. If they are as stunningly suspenseful and pull the reader in immediately upon the first page as FLESH AND BLOOD does, then Cornwell will continue to have fans who snatch up her books as soon as they go on sale."

As soon as this happens, Pete calls to report that a teacher has been shot and killed bringing groceries home from the market. He and his wife were moving out of their home, thus it is quite absurd that his guitars are back in their stands...with one instrument missing. Did the killer take the instrument, or did the teacher sell it?

This is only one of several murders that take place from New Jersey to Massachusetts to the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There are no witnesses, and the scenes seem to be pristine, with no clues being found. But the team does not give up, and they gather whatever miniscule fragments of anything they can find and bring them back to the lab. But there’s still no help. How will they solve these killings with nothing to go on? This is one of the many questions raised in FLESH AND BLOOD.

Another is what is going on with Lucy and her partner, Janet. Lucy is no longer wearing the ring Janet gave her and is not communicating with her Aunt Kay. Janet's sister is dying of cancer and plans to adopt her nephew with or without Lucy's consent...or the continuation of their love affair. But when Kay and Benton open their luxurious condominium to Kay's relatives, Lucy seems to get along very well with the boy.

The reason that the family is staying in Florida is because of what happened underwater. Kay meets her nemesis and is badly wounded. Not used to being catered to or off her feet to recover from something, she is not the friendliest patient. But with her family and Benton there to meet her needs, she is healing well and will be okay for the next adventure Cornwell has in store for her.

The ending is "left open," so readers can presumably look forward to Kay Scarpetta and the gang in thrillers yet to come. If they are as stunningly suspenseful and pull the reader in immediately upon the first page as FLESH AND BLOOD does, then Cornwell will continue to have fans who snatch up her books as soon as they go on sale.