AIBU to have written to the publisher of Patricia Cornwell's new novel "Dust" (warning trigger SiDs)

[Cuddlydragon]

One of her characters who is a forensic scientist makes the remark over a suffocation death that she's always thought a soft blanket and a mother with PND could explain some SiDs cases. It was such a shock out of the context of the story and so bloody stupid. I know it won't make any difference but it is so bloody reckless.

That's awful. I had PND with both of my dcs and I never considered smothering them. Even at my lowest point.
I understand I don't speak for all cases of PND. But that is a horrible generalisation. :(

I had severe PND and agree with the forensic scientist.

I don't find it reckless or stupid, just possibly and sadly true. We just don't know do we?

She does have a facebook page and answers on there sometimes. x

Patricia Cornwell is a very strange woman. Have you read the Kay Scarpetta novels with the niece, Lucy? Lucy is portrayed as a wunderkind. Apparently PC based the character on herself.

Kay Scarpetta is a narcissist, in my opinion.

Surely an autopsy would the difference between a smothered baby and a bab who died of SIDS.

Surely a forensic scientist should be saying, that lots of cases of sids and pnd, are related to formula feeding %, being too high,

Mmmbacon - WTAF ??

Mmm ?

Mmmmbacon - why would a forensic scientist say that?

Used to love Cornwell's first few books. Now just ridiculous.

wtf mmmm?

PC isn't a forensic scientist, she used to work in the IT dept. of one iirc so a lot of what she says is probably not what a forensic scientist would say! Agree that the first few books were good and then went weird with some bizarre personal relationships. Can't read them now.

It maybe the forensic scientist is proven to be unreliable later in the book?

As in I mean it could be setting up for a bad characterisation, iykwim?

Also, she prefixes it with "I've always thought" which is her opinion, she's not stating it as fact.

It's a bloody novel.

I think what MmmBacon is saying is that one theory about some incidents of SIDs is that the formula/water ratio used is wrong.

When I was very young I used to make up bottles for my baby brothers and I can remember losing count and adding extra scoops. I also remember doing "one for the pot" as I'd noticed my parents do this with tea. Awful to think this could have resulted in them dying.

What Lazyjaney says. FFS.

A bit of a generalisation maybe, my PND manifested with being over protective and obsessed with worrying Bout harm coming to my kids.

PC novels used to be great but I gave up on them about 5 years ago when they became utterly ridiculous.

You do realise that not all the characters in novels are meant (a) to be omniscient, (b) to be nice people and (c) to express the views of the author. That's why novels are found in the fiction section of bookshops, not the medical science/ childcare/ factual reportage sections.

I'm sorry, but you are being unreasonable. It's fiction. It might not be 'good' fiction I don't know. But novelists can and should represent people for what they are flawed, mistaken, saying stupid things, saying irresponsible things, etc.

The Kay Scarpetta novels went downhill after she killed off Benton Wesley. And then brought him back. And Lucy was lovely, till she became completely unhinged. And Marino trying to sexually assault Scarpetta was bollocks too.

She started off with reasonable plots, motivations and characters, then it all became nonsensical.

It's a character in a book. The character can say whatever the author wants them to. If Patricia Cornwall said it herself you might have grounds to complain, but, it's a character in a book. I take it you're not upset about the brutal murders in her fiction?

It's a novel.
Much as though I would like, I haven't written to Mark Haddon, nor for that matter Margaret Attwood for their abominable portrayal of people with Asperger Syndrome. Why? Well, I don't believe in censorship and although I would prefer than writers write with a little more responsibility, that isn't in fact their job.
I agree it's awful, but it's not worth getting in a tizz about.

If it were a national newspaper, then yes. But novels, no.