Postmortem
The first in the ground-breaking, globally bestselling Kay Scarpetta series
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4.1 • 222 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The first book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. Scarpetta is coming to the screen soon, starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis.
'America's most chilling writer of crime fiction' The Times
A serial killer is on the loose in Richmond, Virginia. Three women have died, brutalised and strangled in their own bedroom. There is no pattern: the killer appears to strike at random - but always early on Saturday mornings.
So when Dr Kay Scarpetta, chief medical officer, is awakened at 2.33 am, she knows the news is bad: there is a fourth victim. And she fears now for those that will follow unless she can dig up new forensic evidence to aid the police.
But not everyone is pleased to see a woman in this powerful job. Someone may even want to ruin her career and reputation . . .
The next book in the Scarpetta series is Body of Evidence. And the brand-new instalment, Sharp Force, is available now!
DISCOVER THE SERIES THAT SHAPED THE WORLD OF CRIME FICTION
'One of the best crime writers writing today' Guardian
'Devilishly clever' Sunday Times
'The top gun in this field' Daily Telegraph
'Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns' Mirror
'The Agatha Christie of the DNA age' Express
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The novel that introduced Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell’s 1990 crime classic kicked off a series that now encompasses two dozen books. The series revolves around Kay, a driven perfectionist immersed in her work as Virginia’s Chief Medical Examiner. Postmortem sees her hunting a serial killer she calls Mr. Nobody, who has been sexually and physically assaulting women around the city of Richmond. As she races to discover what might link his victims, the examiner must also juggle her visiting 10-year-old niece, a strange case of professional sabotage and other distractions. Told with a clipped directness and anchored by fully developed characters, this tightly wound procedural expertly sets up further adventures starring its tenacious heroine.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Cornwell, a former reporter who has worked in a medical examiner's office, sets her first mystery in Richmond, Va. Chief medical officer for the commonwealth of Virginia, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the narrator, dwells on her efforts to identify ``Mr. Nobody,'' the strangler of young women. The doctor devotes days and nights to gathering computer data and forensic clues to the killer, although she's hampered by male officials anxious to prove themselves superior to a woman. Predictably, Scarpetta's toil pays off, but not before the strangler attacks her; a reformed male chauvinist, conveniently nearby, saves her. Although readers may be naturally disposed to admire Scarpetta and find the novel's scientific aspect interesting, they are likely to be put off by her self-aggrandizement and interminable complaints, annoying flaws in an otherwise promising debut.
Customer Reviews
Postmortem
The first in a new series for me. It was quite an enjoyable read with an engaging storyline. The characters are reasonably developed although not as strong as I usually like. Still, all said, a good read that I would recommend & I will read the next in the series
Good read
I liked the plot and the style of writing but the ending was a bit too rushed for my liking. I wanted to learn more about the serial killer’s background and Doc’s lover whose story was simply unfinished.
Excellent
Moves right along with plenty of suspicions and twists.