Scarpetta's Winter Table

I have been searching for this book for years. So happy to find it here.

As a Patricia Cornwell fan, I was dubious about buying a spin-off book and possibly destroying my image of Dr. Scarpetta. However, my curiosity (and stomach) finally overcame my reservations. This book is absolutely wonderful! Dishes are written in a narrative form and are simple to figure out, leaving just enough room for imagination and a personal touch, as recipes ought to be. The story is more in-depth than I would have thought for a book like this, which was a nice surprise. I've never seen a book like this and think PC deserves credit for breaking new ground by introducing a book that gives recipes as well as a story to compliment them. Or should I say, a new story with recipes to compliment it! Basically, it describes a Kay Scarpetta feast made with love for two of her favorite people, in detail and uninterrupted by crime. These feasts are one of my favorite parts of these novels, and this one reads just like the novels, although just a little more in depth (and of course with recipes!) I suspect you need to be a fan to really enjoy this book, but I entertain often and our guests haved raved over every dish we've made from this book (as well as from the other PC recipe book Food To Die For, which I also love dearly). This Winter Table story pairs with its recipes better than a fine wine, and gives the reader not only a recipe but the heart and soul and inspiration to warm your heart as well as your tummy. :)

Why are people so venemous when an author tries something different from their normal genre? I really enjoyed this book, although it made me very hungry to read it. It inspired me to make a wonderful pizza, although I must admit that I didn't go to my local bagel shop to ask if I could buy some of their flour!. It was a heartwarming story, and if it had written by anyone else, I think everyone would have loved it. I love the tenderness and compassion Marino shows, in his own way,that little boy.

This was a gift for my Mom who is a serious Kay Scarpetta fan. She wrote and told me that if I had asked her if she wanted a Patrica Cornwell book for Christmas, she would have said she had them all...however, she told me she had never heard of this book before and was loving every minute she read it....what helped me decide to purchase this book for her was one of the online reviews that said if someone was a serious Patricia Cornwell fan then they would enjoy this book...it's true...she does! Thank you so much...

I read Scarpetta's Winter Table in about one hour --immediately went shopping and last night had the marvelous Holiday pizza for dinner and today made Lucy's Felonious cookies--yum--both were a great hit and believe me you don't need to have exact amounts to make them. This book was great and I can see each one of the character's as they indulged in their cooking--My favoite part of the novelette, though, was Marino and the little boy--Jimmy--Thanks--Patricia for another great book---By the way as my pizza crust rose I started Black Notice.

I can't believe all of the other comments. I absoutely love Kay Scarpetta and the others. I've read all her books. I found Winter Table in the library and was thrilled to see it. I went home, read it in an hour and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fresh and fun. I called a fellow Cornwell fan and recommended it highly to her. Can't you others take a moment and just relax? Kay's stories are great...but they do get a little grizzly once in a while. This sweet book showed Marino to be human; Lucy's "friends" as you're all so concerned about are co-workers who risk their lives every day and had some time off and were "chilling" together. Not necessarily life long friends...just people who are in the same line of work who needed someone to spend the holidays with. If they have the same lifestyle as Lucy, they may have "lost" their families and need someone they can be real with. Lighten up everyone. It was a great book!!!