Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead is the morgue log, the ledger in which all cases are entered by hand. For Kay Scarpetta, however, it is about to acquire a new meaning.
Starting over with a unique private forensic pathology practice in the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina, seems like the ideal situation for Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her colleagues, Pete Marino and her niece, Lucy. But then come the deaths . . .
A sixteen-year-old tennis star, fresh from a tournament win in Charleston, is found nude and mutilated near Piazza Navona in Rome. The body of an abused young boy is dumped in a desolate marsh. A woman is ritualistically murdered in her multimillion-dollar beach home. Meanwhile, in New England, problems with a prominent patient at a Harvard-affiliated psychiatric hospital begin to hint at interconnections among the deaths that are as hard to imagine as they are horrible.
Scarpetta has dealt with many brutal and unusual crimes before, but never has she seen anything like what she’s facing now. Before she is through, that book of the dead will contain many names—and the pen may be poised to write her own. . . .
Readers also enjoyed
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-nine books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
