Sharp Force
NO ONE IS SAFE FROM THE SERIAL KILLER
NOT EVEN SCARPETTA...
During the early hours of Christmas morning, chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta receives a chilling call. The Phantom Slasher has struck again.
The serial killer has terrorized Northern Virginia for months. His pattern is to stalk with a sophisticated technology that enables him to invade his victims' homes and watch their every move. They wake up to a ghost-like hologram before being murdered in their beds.
Scarpetta is summoned to Mercy Island, the site of a notorious psychiatric hospital where two people have been brutalized, one of them from Scarpetta's past. It soon becomes apparent that she could be next . . .
Patricia Cornwell
Patricia Cornwell is one of the most captivating voices in the world of crime fiction, known for her razor-sharp precision in blending medical science, forensic investigation, and high-stakes suspense. With her protagonist, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Cornwell revolutionized the thriller genre, crafting a world where the line between the living and the dead is often a thin, bloody thread.
Born in Miami, Florida, in 1956, Patricia grew up in a turbulent environment, a backdrop that would later inform the darkness and complexity of her writing. She studied English at King College in Tennessee before diving into the world of writing and forensic science. Early in her career, Cornwell worked as a reporter, and her investigative background laid the perfect foundation for her debut novel, Postmortem (1990), which introduced readers to Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner who quickly became one of the most iconic characters in crime fiction. The novel not only won the prestigious Edgar Award but also established Cornwell as a force to be reckoned with in the literary world.
Kay Scarpetta
The Kay Scarpetta series, crafted by Patricia Cornwell, immerses readers in a gripping world where science and crime collide. At the center of this dark, intricate universe is Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a brilliant forensic pathologist who works tirelessly to uncover the truth hidden within the dead. With every case she takes on, Scarpetta faces chilling mysteries, from gruesome murders to cases that test the limits of forensic science. Her unparalleled expertise is put to the test in a world where the answers aren’t always as clear-cut as they seem.
Kay Scarpetta consists of twenty-eight books — series is set to expand with the upcoming release of two more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.