Disappointing
I love Cornwell's female protagonist, Kay Scarpetta, so I was hesitant to read Hornet's Nest. Could Cornwell create new characters as likeable and intriguing as Scarpetta et al? Hornet's Nest was interesting, a good read, but Southern Cross goes just a bit too far -- I found myself wondering if I was reading a serious crime novel or a spoof of a crime novel. The plot is a bit of a stretch, and overall, the book lacks a certain edge that Cornwell has consistently demonstrated in her Scarpetta novels.