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Kay Scarpetta #9.5
Scarpetta's Winter Table
Virginia's chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Pete Marino, and Lucy Farinelli come together as they celebrate the week between Christmas and New Year's. A special novella for the author's many fans that includes Christmas recipes and photographs.
81 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
21 people are currently reading
4,272 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Cornwell
333Ìýbooks18.9kÌýfollowersPatricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, in 1990 while working as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. Postmortem, was the first bona fide forensic thriller. It paved the way for an explosion of entertainment featuring in all things forensic across film, television and literature.
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize � the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia � a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.�
Social and Digital Outlets
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize � the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia � a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.�
Social and Digital Outlets
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
April 29, 2023
Book Review
After 9 books in the "Kay Scarpetta" thriller and mystery series, gives a Christmas present to her fans with a unique edition called . In this book, there's no real mystery... it's just an in depth look at what's going on the lives of the key characters in the novels... from Lucy to Pete to Kay... you learn more about their home life, family relationships and every day happenings... without wondering what crazy killer is on the loose. It's a fun way to read about each of your faves without getting bogged down in the drama of the mystery hunt. A fun read... something to keep you interested in the series. All authors should do this in a series! 3+ of 5 stars.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
After 9 books in the "Kay Scarpetta" thriller and mystery series, gives a Christmas present to her fans with a unique edition called . In this book, there's no real mystery... it's just an in depth look at what's going on the lives of the key characters in the novels... from Lucy to Pete to Kay... you learn more about their home life, family relationships and every day happenings... without wondering what crazy killer is on the loose. It's a fun way to read about each of your faves without getting bogged down in the drama of the mystery hunt. A fun read... something to keep you interested in the series. All authors should do this in a series! 3+ of 5 stars.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
February 7, 2022
Patricia Cornwell abounds in bargain bins. I joined her fictionally in the year 1990 and sighed at our familiar, ongoing dial-up internet limitations rurally. Our PC is larger and faster but I know internet history well enough to giggle at what the F.B.I. were using in these early novels. These are among the few thrillers I read because my life is about joy and violence is kept out. The key characters formed a family that I like to revisit and I will enjoy seeing improvements in computer use when these cases pass the year 2000. Novel #9.5 welcomes us to Kay Scarpetta’s home at Christmastime in 1998.
My friends know I like modern non-crime mysteries and positive adult stories without strife, which thankfully do exist. I do not look to thriller series for happy excursions, therefore you can imagine my pleasure at finding a happy tableau in �Scarpetta’s Winter Table�! I cannot credit Patricia fictionally or factually for any vegetarian menus but folks like me adapt recipes. I loved this little hardcover story, in which Kay visits her Mom in Florida and Pete cheers up a local family, which culminates in a New Year’s supper in Virginia, USA.
Two criticisms are that I am tired of books containing numerous scenes of alcohol. No one needs it at every meal. It grows stale after you have witnessed the toll alcoholism takes on a home life. Secondly, readers do not need reminder after reminder that Kay does not have a smooth relationship with her Mom. She is lucky to have her Mom in her 50s.
Another delightful feature is the recipes woven into the drama free story, comprising every meal that Kay, Lucy, and Pete made. This is the first time I have given five stars to any of Patricia Cornwell’s books.
My friends know I like modern non-crime mysteries and positive adult stories without strife, which thankfully do exist. I do not look to thriller series for happy excursions, therefore you can imagine my pleasure at finding a happy tableau in �Scarpetta’s Winter Table�! I cannot credit Patricia fictionally or factually for any vegetarian menus but folks like me adapt recipes. I loved this little hardcover story, in which Kay visits her Mom in Florida and Pete cheers up a local family, which culminates in a New Year’s supper in Virginia, USA.
Two criticisms are that I am tired of books containing numerous scenes of alcohol. No one needs it at every meal. It grows stale after you have witnessed the toll alcoholism takes on a home life. Secondly, readers do not need reminder after reminder that Kay does not have a smooth relationship with her Mom. She is lucky to have her Mom in her 50s.
Another delightful feature is the recipes woven into the drama free story, comprising every meal that Kay, Lucy, and Pete made. This is the first time I have given five stars to any of Patricia Cornwell’s books.
July 21, 2018
I am reading the Kay Scarpetta series and this is listed as one of the books in the series. If you are doing what I am doing skip this one. It is a short recipe book without actual recipes. Kay, Marino and Lucy have various things going on during the Christmas season which are discussed along with descriptions of the food they are eating. A complete waste of your time unless you want to hear about Lucy's run, Kay visiting her mom or Marino dealing with a kid chucking snowballs at his home.
December 31, 2021
Read: August 2016
This is a lovely, cosy, Christmas themed novella/recipe book. In the main series Kay is well known for being an excellent cook with a particular love of Italian food due to her Italian heritage. Kay, Lucy and Marino have personal recipes showcased here.
The recipes are worked into the plot, with Cornwell occasionally addressing the reader directly. The plot is simple; it is Christmas time and Lucy and Kay are spending the holidays together while down the road Marino befriends a young boy whose mother has to work over the Christmas period.
The recipes included are:
Marino’s Cause of death� Eggnog
Scarpetta’s Holiday Pizza
Scarpetta’s Childhood Key Lime Pie
Lucy’s Bloody Mary’s
Lucy’s Friendly Grill
Scarpetta’s wholesome Chicken Soup
Scarpetta’s Bad Mood Pasta Primavera
Marino’s last minute Chilli
Lucy’s felonious Cookies
Marino’s New Jersey Omlette
Scarpetta’s famous Stew
This is a lovely, cosy, Christmas themed novella/recipe book. In the main series Kay is well known for being an excellent cook with a particular love of Italian food due to her Italian heritage. Kay, Lucy and Marino have personal recipes showcased here.
The recipes are worked into the plot, with Cornwell occasionally addressing the reader directly. The plot is simple; it is Christmas time and Lucy and Kay are spending the holidays together while down the road Marino befriends a young boy whose mother has to work over the Christmas period.
The recipes included are:
Marino’s Cause of death� Eggnog
Scarpetta’s Holiday Pizza
Scarpetta’s Childhood Key Lime Pie
Lucy’s Bloody Mary’s
Lucy’s Friendly Grill
Scarpetta’s wholesome Chicken Soup
Scarpetta’s Bad Mood Pasta Primavera
Marino’s last minute Chilli
Lucy’s felonious Cookies
Marino’s New Jersey Omlette
Scarpetta’s famous Stew
December 14, 2022
This is my first Christmas read for the year and it's a book I tried to get my hands on years ago so I could read it in series order. I haven't read a Scarpetta novel for awhile but I'm up to book #22 in the series so a lot has changed in the series since this hard covered novella (Book #9.5) was written. It was nice to revisit the characters but was strange to read a Scarpetta novel that wasn't gruesome and creepy!
June 7, 2018
on the lighter side...
p6: lucy secured her sig saur 9mm pistol inside a butt pack, buckling the strap snugly around her waist.
p7: he began with a dozen eggs, cracking each with violence. yokes went into the blender and whites went into a stainless steel mixing bowl. he blended the yokes and folded in a pound of powdered sugar.
p6: lucy secured her sig saur 9mm pistol inside a butt pack, buckling the strap snugly around her waist.
p7: he began with a dozen eggs, cracking each with violence. yokes went into the blender and whites went into a stainless steel mixing bowl. he blended the yokes and folded in a pound of powdered sugar.
May 10, 2012
When I found this book at our library's book sale, I thought it might be a cookbook related to the Kay Scarpetta series that I love reading so much. I finally sat down to look through the book and found that it was really more of a short story focused on Kay, Pete, and Lucy from the novel series. Yes, it also focused on food and there were some almost recipes that didn't give measurements or defined ingredients lists, but rather were more like someone telling how they made a certain food and leaving it open-ended for personal interpretation. I did enjoy the story quite a bit and if the recipes would have been in a more traditional format, I might have tried some of them, because the meals did sound pretty good.
July 20, 2013
This novel gives some interesting insight to the characters in this series. It’s Christmastime, and during the holiday season, thoughts turn away from work, and friends and relatives gather together. And they cook. Kay Scarpetta, Pete Marino, and Lucy Farinelli all have their favorite dishes, and they prepare them with care and love. Though exact recipes are not given, the ingredients and preparations are described. The personalities of the characters � how they view the world, how they feel about their careers, how they care for people � comes through loud and clear. This is a novel that is sure to touch your heart, reminding you of your own special dishes, and the times you’ve shared with family and friends.
December 19, 2023
Come si fa una pizza perfetta o in eggdog...
July 28, 2013
Food and friendship go together in Patricia Cornwell's book Scarpetta's Winter Table. In this story, we see Scarpetta with her friends and family as they come together for Christmas, but the events unfold in the context of food. We get into Scarpetta's head, for example, as she prepares a meal for her coworker and her niece. In another chapter, animosity disappears as a troubled child and a curmudgeony police officer bond over homemade chili. I've never another book that took this approach, and I think it's a fine idea, and well used here.
That said, I didn't really care for this book. For all its well-crafted prose and unique premise, I didn't like the main character, Kay Scarpetta, and it's very difficult to like a book when you don't like the main character. I understand that this book is part of a series, and I have never read the other books; I am sure that those books shed more light on Scarpetta's personality. Certainly many other people reading this book will begin it with a clear picture of her already in mind, and I'm sure that helps their enjoyment of this story. It may be that this book only doesn't function as a standalone.
But since this book is my only impression of Scarpetta, I don't really have anything else to go by. The result is a main character who comes off as cold, distant, fussy, judgmental, and vaguely hypocritical. In the first chapter, for example, when she is preparing food for two close friends, she doesn't seem happy, or even sad. She doesn't seem like she feels anything: neither pleasure (nor even annoyance) at the work she does preparing the food, not enjoyment when she eats it. She isn't even all that warm to her guests. She's very particularly about the way she makes the food, and she only uses high-quality ingredients, but she never seems to have a sense of pride in food well prepared. It was like she was just going through the motions.
In a different chapter, Scarpetta tries to convince her niece to come with her to visit the rest of the family. She tells Lucy that it's a good thing to do, that she might someday regret not coming. But after making such a big deal about the importance of family and holiday get-togethers, Scarpetta is irritable and rude to her mother. She gets very angry at her mother over something really trivial, and then she almost seems to blame her mother for putting her in a bad mood. She has good health habits (which is great), but she seems to look down on, even judge, her family for not being healthy. She inflicts her own dietary tastes onto them, going shopping by herself, buying only what she wants, even ignoring her mother's specific request for certain items. She's a guest, for the love of Pete. Who died and made her supreme dictator? And what really gets me is the borderline-hypocrisy of it all. After making such a big deal about family, she treats her own mother coldly. When congratulating herself on a healthy lifestyle, she conveniently forgets that she drinks a lot. She pours wine for herself, and the rest of the bottle goes into the soup. Then she gets another bottle, pours more for herself, more for the soup. The soup is specifically designed to use whatever ingredients are available, but Scarpetta's soup MUST have wine. I've no idea why. I have heard of some dishes that called for wine, but none of them was soup. And don't get me started on her well-stocked house. Or her friend, whom she invited to bring the spiked eggnog. I mean, I give her credit for not driving after so much alcohol consupmtion, and she doesn't let her guests drive either. But then, later on, to play the I'm-health-conscious-and-you're-not card? She was way out of line.
This book was very enjoyable in places, and it certainly had some very sweet moments. But my favorite chapters in the book were the ones without Scarpetta, and that makes me sad.
That said, I didn't really care for this book. For all its well-crafted prose and unique premise, I didn't like the main character, Kay Scarpetta, and it's very difficult to like a book when you don't like the main character. I understand that this book is part of a series, and I have never read the other books; I am sure that those books shed more light on Scarpetta's personality. Certainly many other people reading this book will begin it with a clear picture of her already in mind, and I'm sure that helps their enjoyment of this story. It may be that this book only doesn't function as a standalone.
But since this book is my only impression of Scarpetta, I don't really have anything else to go by. The result is a main character who comes off as cold, distant, fussy, judgmental, and vaguely hypocritical. In the first chapter, for example, when she is preparing food for two close friends, she doesn't seem happy, or even sad. She doesn't seem like she feels anything: neither pleasure (nor even annoyance) at the work she does preparing the food, not enjoyment when she eats it. She isn't even all that warm to her guests. She's very particularly about the way she makes the food, and she only uses high-quality ingredients, but she never seems to have a sense of pride in food well prepared. It was like she was just going through the motions.
In a different chapter, Scarpetta tries to convince her niece to come with her to visit the rest of the family. She tells Lucy that it's a good thing to do, that she might someday regret not coming. But after making such a big deal about the importance of family and holiday get-togethers, Scarpetta is irritable and rude to her mother. She gets very angry at her mother over something really trivial, and then she almost seems to blame her mother for putting her in a bad mood. She has good health habits (which is great), but she seems to look down on, even judge, her family for not being healthy. She inflicts her own dietary tastes onto them, going shopping by herself, buying only what she wants, even ignoring her mother's specific request for certain items. She's a guest, for the love of Pete. Who died and made her supreme dictator? And what really gets me is the borderline-hypocrisy of it all. After making such a big deal about family, she treats her own mother coldly. When congratulating herself on a healthy lifestyle, she conveniently forgets that she drinks a lot. She pours wine for herself, and the rest of the bottle goes into the soup. Then she gets another bottle, pours more for herself, more for the soup. The soup is specifically designed to use whatever ingredients are available, but Scarpetta's soup MUST have wine. I've no idea why. I have heard of some dishes that called for wine, but none of them was soup. And don't get me started on her well-stocked house. Or her friend, whom she invited to bring the spiked eggnog. I mean, I give her credit for not driving after so much alcohol consupmtion, and she doesn't let her guests drive either. But then, later on, to play the I'm-health-conscious-and-you're-not card? She was way out of line.
This book was very enjoyable in places, and it certainly had some very sweet moments. But my favorite chapters in the book were the ones without Scarpetta, and that makes me sad.
December 21, 2012
You favorite action/adventure hero, or sleuth, or star defense attorney, or medical miracle-worker, or ... they're not "on" 24/7 (with the possible exception of that guy Keifer Sutherland plays on TV). There's downtime - they sleep, they eat, they interact ... without the next dead victim, or wrongly accused dude, or psychopath, or whatever necessarily looming in the wings.
Patricia Cornwell recognizes this fact, and gives us a few days in the life of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, her niece Lucy, and friend/colleage Pete Marino, in "Scarpetta's Winter Table". SO ... why wasn't I entirely happy with this work? Do I HAVE to have a hero and a villian for me to enjoy reading? No. I think it's probably because we never seemed to have a conflict, and therefore never had a conflict to resolve. We jumped in to a day in the life of our favorite characters - as they went back to their own lives we joined each, until they got back together again at the end. This felt more like the answer to "How was your day, dear?" than "What happened?", and the latter contributes to story structure more than the former.
Yes, the interactions were well done. And it WAS nice to see these individuals out of action for a change. Further, there was an emphasis on food. What sort of dishes bring out the unique personality traits of each of these characters? The lessons I got from this are similar to those I heard about from a New Orleans chef whose name escapes me ... (1) Cook with the materials at hand, but having a larder of better and more varied materials will give you more options when the burner gets turned on. (2) The better the ingredients, the better the dish, BUT if your taste requirements are simple, "better" is a relative term. (3) Develop an eye for measurements and then ballpark while you work; the variations in each preparation of a recipe will render each memorable, and (4) Enjoy it - the preparation and the consumption, and the company as well. BUT since I'd already had this lesson drummed into me, I really didn't need to re-learn it; others may benefit greatly from these realizations.
A pleasant, short read - but one that my life would not have changed one iota for the better or worse had I not cracked open the cover.
Patricia Cornwell recognizes this fact, and gives us a few days in the life of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, her niece Lucy, and friend/colleage Pete Marino, in "Scarpetta's Winter Table". SO ... why wasn't I entirely happy with this work? Do I HAVE to have a hero and a villian for me to enjoy reading? No. I think it's probably because we never seemed to have a conflict, and therefore never had a conflict to resolve. We jumped in to a day in the life of our favorite characters - as they went back to their own lives we joined each, until they got back together again at the end. This felt more like the answer to "How was your day, dear?" than "What happened?", and the latter contributes to story structure more than the former.
Yes, the interactions were well done. And it WAS nice to see these individuals out of action for a change. Further, there was an emphasis on food. What sort of dishes bring out the unique personality traits of each of these characters? The lessons I got from this are similar to those I heard about from a New Orleans chef whose name escapes me ... (1) Cook with the materials at hand, but having a larder of better and more varied materials will give you more options when the burner gets turned on. (2) The better the ingredients, the better the dish, BUT if your taste requirements are simple, "better" is a relative term. (3) Develop an eye for measurements and then ballpark while you work; the variations in each preparation of a recipe will render each memorable, and (4) Enjoy it - the preparation and the consumption, and the company as well. BUT since I'd already had this lesson drummed into me, I really didn't need to re-learn it; others may benefit greatly from these realizations.
A pleasant, short read - but one that my life would not have changed one iota for the better or worse had I not cracked open the cover.
December 30, 2016
PLOT OR PREMISE:
A cookbook disguised as a novel.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Nothing
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
It was ADVERTISED as a combination of a cookbook with stories about Dr. Kay Scarpetta, and in that light, it fails on all counts. There IS no story, and nothing happening in the non-story -- and worse still, none of the characters act like they do in the novels. The recipes are interesting, but basically this book was issued for one reason and one reason only -- to milk some money out of the fans and to give them almost nothing in return.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
A cookbook disguised as a novel.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Nothing
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
It was ADVERTISED as a combination of a cookbook with stories about Dr. Kay Scarpetta, and in that light, it fails on all counts. There IS no story, and nothing happening in the non-story -- and worse still, none of the characters act like they do in the novels. The recipes are interesting, but basically this book was issued for one reason and one reason only -- to milk some money out of the fans and to give them almost nothing in return.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
March 13, 2020
This little book is supposedly a short story and recipie book at the same time. It first really qualify as either. It is a slice of life story with very title plot showing the main characters during down time, but not really acting the way they should. During the book each character makes one or two items without any !measurements. It is like sitting in the kitchen with Grandma while she talks you through a recipie. How much sugar? Enough.
No real plot; no real recipes. This just a feel good nibble for fans hungry for something between the authors mysteries.
No real plot; no real recipes. This just a feel good nibble for fans hungry for something between the authors mysteries.
February 12, 2009
I Cornwell's series of Kay Scarpetta, the main character is an Italian woman who often turns to cooking as a way to decompress for the stresses in her life. The meals she makes are a somewhat big part in each of the books.
This is a companion cookbook resulting from the series.
I love to read cookbooks, but I found the recipes a little to complicated for my cooking interest. But it was fun to see the recipes laid out!
This is a companion cookbook resulting from the series.
I love to read cookbooks, but I found the recipes a little to complicated for my cooking interest. But it was fun to see the recipes laid out!
June 4, 2012
Carina l'idea. Inconsistente la storia. Però signora Cornwell, lei mi fa tenerezza: se queste sono le ricette che ritiene il caso di elargire a fans e posteri, vuol dire che è abituata a mangiare malino assai. Venga a farci visita in Romagna che le prepariamo noi qualcosa di buono :-)
May 28, 2021
This is a short tale about Scarpetta, Marino, and Lucy and how they celebrate Christmas and New Year's. The book includes recipes for Marino's Eggnog, Scarpetta's Pizza, and Lucy's Christmas Cookies. Really enjoyed this book.
December 16, 2017
A Christmas story, a cookbook of sorts. Wonderfully descriptive with a few mouth-watering recipes calling out to be made.
March 10, 2019
This was a cute short story! I loved seeing the different recipes and getting a glimpse of each of them during their holiday!
April 7, 2019
A sweet holiday tale of the what, who and how of true family and giving.
December 26, 2018
È una lettura che consiglio solo agli affezionati lettori di Kay Scarpetta (ed infatti l’edizione, del 1999, si presenta come un elegante regalo natalizio): chi, come me, non ha ancora fatto la sua conoscenza troverebbe infatti il libro inutile ed inconsistente, un vuoto tentativo di omaggiare il Natale con le ricette romanzate della Cornwell. Chi invece già ama questo personaggio letterario può solo venire a conoscenza di qualche dettaglio in più della sua vita.
Oltre a non avere alcuna trama interessante (in pratica seguiamo i tre protagonisti nel loro “nonfarenulla� durante le festività natalizie�), non è neppure un libro di ricette (infatti non vengono riportate dosi e tempi di preparazione e cottura) ma di consigli culinari basati sui gusti, peraltro molto personali, del medico legale Kay Scarpetta, del capo della polizia Pete Marino e della nipote Lucy Farinelli. Risulta una cucina ricca, molto saporita, e multietnica� ma attenti alla pizza, non è propriamente intesa “all’italiana�.
Oltre a non avere alcuna trama interessante (in pratica seguiamo i tre protagonisti nel loro “nonfarenulla� durante le festività natalizie�), non è neppure un libro di ricette (infatti non vengono riportate dosi e tempi di preparazione e cottura) ma di consigli culinari basati sui gusti, peraltro molto personali, del medico legale Kay Scarpetta, del capo della polizia Pete Marino e della nipote Lucy Farinelli. Risulta una cucina ricca, molto saporita, e multietnica� ma attenti alla pizza, non è propriamente intesa “all’italiana�.
May 24, 2023
This is a very quick read with recipes sort of included Kay leaves to visit her Mother and Sister in Miami and Lucy and some of her friends crash the house for a good time over the Christmas break. Marino has a house guest when the boy's mother can't get home because of bad weather and all three of them end up at Kay's house as well when she comes home from her trip....Kay makes 2 huge pots of stew and warm and friendship are all around extended to everyone including the gate guard Roy on a snowy blustery night 81 pages of feel good read :)
December 30, 2016
a book recommended by someone you just met - patricia cornwell was recommended to me by a friend's mom and this was the only one they had at the library. i should have picked a different one. it was ok, but mostly recipes which was weird. and apparently it was supposed to be fit into a series so to read it on its own made it weird. i'll have to read a different one.
October 4, 2021
I am not sure what the point of this story is. It is more a recipe book (but the recipes are just vague enough that you can't try them) than a thriller. It doesn't inform on the characters anything we didn't already know. It was fine but not really necessary if you are reading this series in order like I am. Still, I didn't hate it either. It was fine.
March 26, 2018
A novella in the Scarpetta series, this title is really just a place holder to provide the reader/fan some insight into the lives of the series main characters. Like other books in the series, this one ends rather abruptly, but was an enjoyable quick, read.
January 26, 2021
I can almost smell the sauce cooking! It made me wish there were at least proportions given for the cookie recipe, because it sounds delicious, but "some" is not good enough for baking! The framing story reminded me of my own visits to unbearable relatives.
October 29, 2023
This is just a fun, simple story of Dr. Scarpetta and friends and family during the holiday season. No murders or chases, only togetherness. The book is a nice break from the normal thrills and chills of Ms Cornwell's novels
May 15, 2024
I didn't realize this was about characters in her books until I read some reviews. This was a slow books compared to the mysteries I read all the time. But it was refreshing! Now I want to read more of her other books!
April 5, 2025
Boring and a waste of paper in my opinion. This was just a description of what Kay, Lucy and Joe ate for dinner. It sounded like the book would maybe have some recipes but it was really just a description of how they liked their food to be made.
March 13, 2018
It was good.. not great.. but good..
June 18, 2018
A very short novella about Scarpetta, Lucy, and Marino's cooking at the holidays.
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