Dust

I used to enjoy PC's work ("Body Farm" for example), but this will be my last. I'm 140 pages in and have no idea what's going on. Since I didn't read the previous few stories (I don't need to read fictional accounts of school shootings, thank you very much), I don't know why Marino's situation is changed (or what it's changed into) ... why Scarpetta now reports to Marino ... why she has become so arrogant, condescending and, oddly, religious ... why smartie Benton is discredited ... why, why, why. And since much is constantly made of the back-story on almost every page -- without ANY of these apparently pivotal details -- the book is incomprehensible. (It feels like I'm the only one on the outside of an inside joke.) Many writers do a fine job of creating stand-alone books in a series (e.g., both Kellermans). Cornwell has fallen out of those ranks. Someone got whacked with the ego stick! P.S. At the point I stopped reading this poorly executed work, an agent is stomping around someone else's fresh crime scene -- without permission, comment or interference. Not happening.