Books by Patricia Cornwell

Book SynopsisThe 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 TimesA 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 . . .If you''re a fan of Patricia Cornwell''s ground-breaking Kay Scarpetta series, don''t forget to order he

Read more less

Book SynopsisNO ONE IS SAFE FROM THE SERIAL KILLERNOT 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 . . .

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE THRILLING NEW KAY SCARPETTA MYSTERY FROM THE WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER''Iconic. Bold. Brilliant. Identity Unknown is hauntingly original, impossibly clever and devilishly daring. This series is one of the all-time greats'' CHRIS WHITAKER, author of ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARKSummoned to an unnerving, abandoned theme park to retrieve a body, Dr Kay Scarpetta is devastated to learn that the victim is Sal Giordano, an acclaimed astrophysicist - and a man Scarpetta once loved.The murder scene is bizarre, with a crop circle of petals around the body. Scarpetta''s niece Lucy believes Giordano was dropped from an unidentified flying craft. Scarpetta knows autopsies can reveal the dead''s secrets, but she is shocked to find her friend seems to have deliberately left her a clue.As the investigators are torn between suspicions of otherworldly forces, and of Giordano himself, Scarpetta detects an explanation closer to home that, in her mind, is far more evil . . .''Nerve-jangling . . . A thriller that''s out of this world'' THE TIMES''Heart-stopping'' SUNDAY POST''Cornwell on vintage form'' FINANCIAL TIMES

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE THRILLING NEW KAY SCARPETTA MYSTERY FROM THE #1 GLOBAL BESTSELLER''I''M STILL SEEING STARS . . . KAY SCARPETTA IS THE SAME GRUMPY, WONDERFUL, RIVETING PERSONALITY SHE''S ALWAYS BEEN AND SHE''S ONLY GETTING BETTER WITH TIME'' JAMES PATTERSONMurder and mayhem. Scarpetta is back, and she''s racing against the clock . . .Chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta is the reluctant star witness in a sensational murder trial when she receives shocking news. The judge''s sister has been found dead. At first glance, it appears to be a home invasion, but then why was nothing stolen, and why is the garden strewn with dead plants and insects?Although there is no apparent cause of death, Scarpetta recognizes tell-tale signs of the unthinkable, and she knows the worst is yet to come. The forensic pathologist finds herself pitted against a powerful force that returns her to the past, and her time to catch the killer is running out . . .Trade ReviewI'm still seeing stars. A great thriller. One of the hardest things as a series writer is keeping your famous heroes fresh year after year. Kay Scarpetta is not only still fresh, she's the same grumpy, wonderful, riveting personality she's always been - a full-on human being - and she's only getting better with time. I love catching up with her every year -- JAMES PATTERSONCornwell's on blistering form and this absorbing thriller will keep you hooked * SUN *Riveting * THE TIMES *Cornwell knows how to craft a mean page-turner and Livid is no exception * TELEGRAPH *More than thirty years and twenty-six Scarpetta books later, Cornwell is still knocking it out of the park * LOVEREADING *Gripping . . . Sound the klaxon, Patricia Cornwell's brilliant chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta is back * HEAT *Post-mortem scenes that [will] make fans of this long-running series salivate . . . Something to look forward to * KIRKUS *This is Scarpetta's 26th outing and the plotting remains every bit as fresh as when we were introduced to her * BELFAST TELEGRAPH *PRAISE FOR PATRICIA CORNWELL * - *One of the best crime writers writing today * GUARDIAN *Astonishing . . . Thirty years on, there's still no other crime writer like her * SUNDAY TIMES *The top gun in this field * DAILY TELEGRAPH *America's most stimulating and chilling writer of crime fiction * THE TIMES *Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns * MIRROR *A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller -- BBCThe Agatha Christie of the DNA age * EXPRESS *The queen of the forensic thriller * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Cutting-edge * SUN *When it comes to forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW *Slick, fast-paced and brilliant * HEAT *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE THRILLING NEW KAY SCARPETTA MYSTERY FROM THE WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER''Iconic. Bold. Brilliant. Identity Unknown is hauntingly original, impossibly clever and devilishly daring. Scalpel-sharp storytelling, trademark twists and characters that feel like family, this series is one of the all-time greats'' CHRIS WHITAKER, author of Sunday Times bestseller All the Colours of the DarkSummoned to an unnerving, abandoned theme park to retrieve a body, Dr Kay Scarpetta is devastated to learn that the victim is a man she once loved. While teaching in Rome during the early days of her career, Scarpetta had a love affair with acclaimed astrophysicist Sal Giordano that led to a lifelong friendship.The murder scene is bizarre, with a crop circle of petals around the body, and Giordano''s skin is strangely red. Scarpetta''s niece Lucy believes he was dropped from an unidentified flying craft. Scarpetta knows an autopsy can reveal the

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe twenty-first book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell.''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The Times After working on one of the worst mass killings in US history, Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta returns home to recover, but an unsettling call drives her straight back to work. The body of a young woman has been discovered inside the sheltered gates of MIT, draped in an unusual cloth and posed in a way that is too deliberate to be the killer''s first strike. A preliminary examination reveals that the body is covered in a fine dust that under ultra-violet light fluoresces blood-red, emerald-green and sapphire-blue, and physical evidence links this to another series of disturbing homicides in Washington, DC. As she pieces together the fragments of evidence, Scarpetta discovers that the cases connect, yet also seem to conflict, drawing herself and her team deeper iTrade ReviewPraise for Patricia Cornwell * - *One of the best crime writers writing today * Guardian *Devilishly clever * Sunday Times *The top gun in this field * Daily Telegraph *A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller -- BBCCornwell's books run on a cocktail of adrenaline and fear * The Times *When it comes to forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell * New York Times Book Review *Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns * Mirror *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe twelfth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. ''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesAfter her resignation as Virginia''s Chief Medical Examiner and the horrifying events which threatened her life in The Last Precinct, Kay Scarpetta has abandoned her elegant home in Richmond and is quietly living in Florida, beginning to get some balance back in her life and slowly establishing herself as a private forensic consultant. But her past won''t let her rest, and her grief for Benton Wesley continues to grow, not diminish, as does the rage within Lucy, her niece. Then the architect of her changed fortunes contacts her from his cell on death row: deformed, blinded by Scarpetta''s own actions, incarcerated in Texas strongest prison, Jean-Baptiste Chardonne still has the ability to terrify. But, unknown to Scarpetta, there are other forces behind

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe legendary, No. 1 bestelling series following Dr. Kay ScarpettaSnapThe sound of a bullet hitting fleshDr. Kay Scarpetta is in pursuit of a sniper who leaves no trace except copper fragments. The impossible shots cause instant death.SnapThe target is closer than you thinkThe victims have nothing in common, and there is no indication where the killer will strike next.SnapYou won't hear it you're already deadScarpetta tracks the sniper across the country to the Florida coast. Here she uncovers shocking evidence implicating her niece, Lucy Scarpetta's very own flesh and blood.Trade Review‘A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller’ BBC ‘With plenty of the forensic detail that Cornwell fans have come to expect from her works this is a fast-paced and exciting read. Cornwell certainly lives up to her title of America's most chilling modern writer' Express and Star ‘She is a brilliant writer and I was absolutely gripped’ Mail on Sunday PRAISE FOR PATRICIA CORNWELL & THE KAY SCARPETTA NOVELS: ‘Cornwell’s books run on high octane fuel, a cocktail of adrenalin and fear’ The Times ‘Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns’ Mirror ‘Few writers match Patricia Cornwell when it comes to writing crime and her latest Scarpetta novel is one of her best’ Daily Express ‘When it comes to the forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell’ New York Times Book Review ‘Cornwell has created a character so real, so compelling, so driven that this reader has to remind herself regularly that Scarpetta is just a product of an author’s imagination’ USA Today ‘Dazzling… After reading Cornwell’s thriller, most others will pale in comparison’ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ‘Magnificent plotting, masterful writing, and marvelous suspense’ Booklist ‘Cornwell’s instincts are dead-on.’ Chicago Sun-Times ‘Cornwell remains a master of the genre, instilling in readers an appetite that only she can satisfy’ Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell delivers the twenty-fourth engrossing thriller in her high-stakes series starring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta.Someone is following youOne summer evening in New England, two young girls stumble upon a body. Forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta arrives at the scene to find a young woman has been attacked with almost superhuman force.Someone is taunting youMeanwhile, people close to Scarpetta start receiving suspicious calls. Could they be linked to Scarpetta's anonymous cyber stalker, Tailend Charlie?Someone wants to destroy youA second death shocks Scarpetta to her core. Because analysis of the body shows a material that doesn't exist on earth. And it's clear that someone, or something, is coming for her, and is hell-bent on creating chaosTrade ReviewPraise for Chaos: ‘Slick, fast-paced and brilliant’ Heat Praise for Patricia Cornwell & the Kay Scarpetta novels: ‘Cutting-edge’ Sun ‘A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller’ BBC ‘America’s most stimulating and chilling writer of crime fiction’ The Times ‘Devilishly clever’ Sunday Times ‘She is a brilliant writer and I was absolutely gripped’ Mail on Sunday ‘The top gun in this field’ Daily Telegraph ‘Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns’ Mirror ‘The Agatha Christie of the DNA age’ Express ‘One of the best crime writers writing today’ Guardian ‘Few writers match Patricia Cornwell when it comes to writing crime and her latest Scarpetta novel is one of her best’ Daily Express ‘When it comes to the forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell’ New York Times Book Review ‘Dazzling… After reading Cornwell’s thriller, most others will pale in comparison’ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe seventh book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. ''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesAn investigative reporter is found dead in Virginia''s icy waters . . .New Year''s Eve and the final murder scene of Virginia''s bloodiest year takes Scarpetta thirty feet below the Elizabeth River''s icy surface. A diver, Ted Eddings, is dead, an investigative reporter who was a favourite at the Medical Examiner''s office. Was Eddings probing the frigid depths of the Inactive Shipyard for a story, or simply diving for sunken trinkets? And why did Scarpetta receive a phone call from someone reporting the death before the police were notified?The case envelops Scarpetta, her niece Lucy, and police captain Pete Marino in a world where both cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned detective work are critical offensive weapons. Together they follow the trail of death to a well of violence as dark and forbidding as water that swirled over Ted Eddings.The next book in the Scarpetta series is Unnatural Exposure. And the brand-new instalment, Identity Unknown, 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

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe legendary Patricia Cornwell is back with her No.1 bestselling, groundbreaking series following Kay ScarpettaKay Scarpetta is back, and this time she's right in the path of dangerWorld-renowned forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta and her husband Benton, a psychologist with the US Secret Service, have returned to Virginia. They are headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that's been torn by civil and political unrest.Just weeks into the job, Scarpetta is called to a railway track where a woman's body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine. But the trail of clues will lead Scarpetta back to her own neighbourhood.At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top-secret lab in outer space, endangering the scientists aboard. Scarpetta is summoned to the White House to find out what happened. As she starts the new investigation, an apparent serial killer strikes again, this time dangerously close to home.Praise for Patricia CornwellA pioneTrade Review‘Astonishing…there’s no other crime writer like her’ The Times ‘Accomplished’ Financial Times, Books of the Year Praise for Patricia Cornwell & the Kay Scarpetta novels: ‘Slick, fast-paced and brilliant’ Heat ‘Cutting-edge’ Sun ‘A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller’ BBC ‘America’s most stimulating and chilling writer of crime fiction’ The Times ‘Devilishly clever’ Sunday Times ‘She is a brilliant writer and I was absolutely gripped’ Mail on Sunday ‘The top gun in this field’ Daily Telegraph ‘Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns’ Mirror ‘The Agatha Christie of the DNA age’ Express ‘One of the best crime writers writing today’ Guardian ‘Few writers match Patricia Cornwell when it comes to writing crime and her latest Scarpetta novel is one of her best’ Daily Express ‘When it comes to the forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell’ New York Times Book Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE BREATHTAKING NEW KAY SCARPETTA THRILLER FROM THE 120-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLERTwo mauled bodies in the woods. Two top secret autopsies. The most chilling case of Scarpetta''s career . . .In this thrilling new instalment of the #1 bestselling series, chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta finds herself in a Northern Virginia wilderness examining the remains of two campers wanted by federal law enforcement.The victims have been savaged beyond recognition, and other evidence is terrifying and baffling, including a larger-than-life footprint.After one of the most frightening body retrievals of her career, Scarpetta must discover who would commit murders this brutal, and why.''A sinister mystery from one of the all-time greats of the genre''SUN''A chilling, thrilling, macabre masterpiece. Unnatural Death is Patricia Cornwell at her mesmerising finest. The best just got better'' CHRTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR UNNATURAL DEATH * - *This case is one of her most striking . . . an edge-of-the-seat mystery, packed with twists * DAILY MAIL *A chilling, thrilling, macabre masterpiece. Unnatural Death is Patricia Cornwell at her mesmerising finest. The best just got better -- CHRIS WHITAKERA sinister mystery from one of the all-time greats of this genre * SUN *Sinister, surprising and utterly unputdownable. Cornwell at her brilliant best -- M. J. ARLIDGEClassic Cornwell with an up-to-the-minute twenty-first-century plot - an intoxicating blend that proves Scarpetta is still queen of the autopsy and Cornwell is still queen of crime fiction. An utterly thrilling roller coaster ride -- ANDREA MARACornwell really is in a league of her own -- BOOK OF THE WEEK * HEAT *In this macabre and consuming novel, Cornwell proves once again why she is a crime writer still at the top of her game * WOMAN'S WEEKLY *An especially good entry in the series * BOOKLIST *A gripping crime thriller with delightfully unexpected twists . . . Both fans of the Scarpetta novels and newcomers to the series alike will find much to enjoy * HOT PRESS *With plot twists you won't see coming, this is a frightening, timely thriller * FABULOUS *Another clever-crafted chiller from the queen of the forensic thriller * BEST *Thrilling * TAKE A BREAK *Terrifying * CRIME MONTHLY *A tale so terrifying you'll be afraid to go into the woods this Hallowe'en * SUNDAY POST DUNDEE *PRAISE FOR PATRICIA CORNWELL * - *One of the best crime writers writing today * GUARDIAN *Astonishing . . . Thirty years on, there's still no other crime writer like her * SUNDAY TIMES *The top gun in this field * DAILY TELEGRAPH *America's most stimulating and chilling writer of crime fiction * THE TIMES *Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns * MIRROR *A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller * BBC *The Agatha Christie of the DNA age * EXPRESS *The queen of the forensic thriller * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Cutting-edge * SUN *When it comes to forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW *Slick, fast-paced and brilliant * HEAT *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA ''one-off'' from the best-selling creator of the Dr Kay Scarpetta series, based on the serialisation in the New York Times.Moving between the chill of Cambridge, Massachusetts and the sultry humidity of Knoxville, Tennessee, Winston Garano, a police investigator, is instructed to look into a twenty-year-old murder case. Although Win reckons there are many more pressing current cases which should have higher priority, he gets on with the task, unaware of the can of worms he will prise open. With her hallmark qualities of deft characterisation, perfect research and tense story-telling, Patricia Cornwell has created a novel which entertains, intrigues and satisfies.Trade ReviewThis sparky novella-length work... is read with aplomb by Kate Reading. There are two great characters, crackling with suppressed chemistry * Sunday Times *Kate Reading's telling of AT RISK keeps the listener hooked from the start * Waterstone’s Books Quarterly *The pace is cracking. * DAILY MIRROR *This book is just as exciting as one of the author's Scarpetta thrillers and is thrilling from start to finish. * THE LADY *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Front is the second book in the Winston Garano series, from bestselling author Patricia Cornwell.Massachusetts State Investigator Win Garano is given one of his most challenging cases yet when he is asked to investigate the death of a young British woman murdered more than forty years ago. Assumed to be a victim of the Boston Strangler, blind Janie Brolin was raped and left for dead in 1962. With no DNA and sketchy police records, this is a case that will test Garano to his limits. It will take him on a journey through the archives, into the latest innovations in forensic technology, and into partnership with senior officers at London''s New Scotland Yard.And as Garano unearths deadly secrets from the past, his hard-nosed boss Monique Lamont is putting both their lives in jeopardy with her lust for power and success. With past and present colliding, the tension mounts with every page...Trade ReviewOffers a diverting blend of psychological suspense and the spiky politics of law enforcement. - The Age In her latest thriller, At Risk, [Cornwell] has returned to what she does best... - Independent Few...can compare to Patricia Cornwell' - Sunday Business PostFor Book of the Dead: 'Patricia Cornwell is the queen of gritty, grisly, crime fiction writing' - Heat

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe eighteenth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. ''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesKay Scarpetta has been training at the Dover Port Mortuary, mastering the art of ''virtual autopsy'' - a groundbreaking procedure that could soon revolutionise forensic science. And it is not too long before these new skills urgently need to be put into practice. A young man drops dead, apparently from a heart condition, eerily close to Scarpetta''s home. But when his body is examined the next morning, there are stunning indications that he may have been alive when he was zipped inside a pouch and locked in the cooler.When the revolutionary 3D radiology scans reveal more shocking details about internal injuries unlike any Scarpetta has ever seen, she realizes that this is a case of murder - and that she is fighting a cunning and uniquely cruel enemy. Now it isTrade Review'A thrilling read * Best *Long, terse and brilliant...Cornwell, who has already won more prizes than you can shake a stick at, seems to be getting better and better * City AM *A gripping read made more chilling by Cornwell's note that the sci-fi technology she's describing actually exists * Metro *A bountiful offering from one of crime fiction's most celebrated authors...arguably her most accessible book in more than a decade * Hartford Books Examiner *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe eleventh book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. ''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesPhysically and psychologically bruised by her encounter with the killer Chandonne, Dr Kay Scarpetta has to leave her home in the hands of the police team investigating the attack. She finds shelter with an old friend, Anna Zenner, but it is not the haven of security she needs when she discovers that Anna has been sub-poenaed to appear before a Grand Jury which is investigating Scarpetta for murder. Kay knows she is being framed and she also knows she can trust no-one. Meanwhile it appears that Chandonne killed a woman in New York before his murderous spree in Virginia, but when Scarpetta looks more closely into that case with the NY prosecutor Jaime Berger, proof of his guilt is far from certain - in fact she begins to believe that he may not be the perpetrat

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe sixteenth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. ''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesLeaving behind her forensic pathology practice in South Carolina, Kay Scarpetta takes up an assignment in New York City, where the NYPD has asked her to examine an injured patient in a psychiatric ward.The handcuffed and chained patient, Oscar Bane, has specifically asked for her, and when she literally has her gloved hands on him, he begins to talk - and the story he has to tell turns out to be one of the most bizarre she has ever heard.He says his injuries were sustained in the course of a murder . . . that he did not commit. Is Bane a criminally insane stalker who has fixed on Scarpetta? Or is his paranoid tale true, and it is he who is being spied on, followed and stalked by the actual killer? The only thing Scarpetta knows for certain is that a wom

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe seventeenth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from the No. 1 bestselling author''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesIt is the week before Christmas. The effects of the credit crunch have prompted Dr Kay Scarpetta to offer her services pro bono to New York City''s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. But in no time at all, her increased visibility seems to precipitate a string of dramatic and unsettling events. She is asked live on the air about the sensational case of Hannah Starr, who has vanished and is presumed dead. Moments later during the same broadcast, she receives a startling call-in from a former psychiatric patient of Benton Wesley''s. When she returns after the show to the apartment where she and Benton live, she finds a suspicious package - possibly a bomb - waiting for her at the front desk. Soon the apparent threat on Scarpetta''s life finds her embroiled in a deadly plot that includes a fTrade ReviewCornwell has never written better Evening Standard The Scarpetta Factor is a novel that has clearly engaged Cornwell in the same fashion as her vintage work Independent The Cornwell phenomenon goes on Daily Mail

Read more less

Book SynopsisHornet''s Nest is the first book in the Andy Brazil series, from bestselling author Patricia Cornwell.Deputy Chief Virginia West likes and respects her boss, Hammer, but with an increasing number of visiting businessmen being murdered in her city by a maniac with a penchant for painting his victims bright orange, she finds it hard to accept Hammer''s edict that a rookie reporter should ride on patrol with her to better relations with their citizens. Her worst fears are confirmed when the reporter, Brazil, presses the button to activate the boot-release rather than the siren on their first outing. He''s not the only blight on her life right now: her cat''s angsty, her hormones are misbehaving, her opposite number in the uniformed division is behaving like a jackass, the radio despatcher is determined to trip her up, the D.A. is in the middle of a hot battle with the trial schedule. And orange coloured corpses keep turning up on her patch.A reaTrade ReviewVintage Cornwell: gripping plot, great characters and ironic humour. * COSMOPOLITAN *Cornwell's portrait of a bustling small city with a growing crime problem is believable and incisive. * THE TIMES *riveting, stay-up-all-night chiller...hugely enjoyable. * ELLE *Gripping stuff. * WOMAN AND HOME *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA USA Today bestseller. Captain Calli Chase races against time to thwart a plot that leaves the fate of humanity hanging in the balance in this new thriller from international bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. In the aftermath of a NASA rocket launch gone terribly wrong, Captain Calli Chase comes face-to-face with her missing twin sister—as well as the startling truth of who they really are. Now, a top secret program put in motion years ago has spun out of control, and only Calli can redirect its course. Aided by cutting-edge technologies, the NASA investigator and scientist turned Space Force pilot sets out on a frantic search for the missing link between the sabotaged rocket launch and her predetermined destiny…a search that someone else seems very interested in stopping. From NASA to the Chase family farm, to the White House to distant orbits of space, Calli plays a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek with a cunning and ruthless adversary. One wrong move will unleash cataclysmic consequences reaching far beyond the boundaries of Earth. This heart-pounding Captain Chase thriller from Patricia Cornwell will leave readers desperate for more.Trade ReviewA Harrogate International Festivals Book of the Month Selection “Move over, Bourne and Bond—the espionage game has a new player and Calli Chase is here to finally bring the genre into the twenty-first century.” —Mystery & Suspense Magazine Praise for the Captain Chase series “The creator of Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta peers into space and finds just as much skullduggery there…[introducing] an equally strong, even more tormented heroine…[in] federal special agent Capt. Calli Chase.” —Kirkus Reviews “Move over, Doctor Kay Scarpetta…Quantum inaugurates a new series with a confident new heroine…” —The Telegraph “Brilliantly crafted, gripping, and smart…” —Post Register “Buckle up for a race to the finish that does not disappoint.” —Bookreporter “As always, Cornwell establishes time, place, and mood by expertly crafting each scene to make you feel as if you’re in it.” —New York Journal of Books

Read more less

Book SynopsisA USA Today bestseller. Captain Calli Chase races against time to thwart a plot that leaves the fate of humanity hanging in the balance in this new thriller from international bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. In the aftermath of a NASA rocket launch gone terribly wrong, Captain Calli Chase comes face-to-face with her missing twin sister—as well as the startling truth of who they really are. Now, a top secret program put in motion years ago has spun out of control, and only Calli can redirect its course. Aided by cutting-edge technologies, the NASA investigator and scientist turned Space Force pilot sets out on a frantic search for the missing link between the sabotaged rocket launch and her predetermined destiny…a search that someone else seems very interested in stopping. From NASA to the Chase family farm, to the White House to distant orbits of space, Calli plays a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek with a cunning and ruthless adversary. One wrong move will unleash cataclysmic consequences reaching far beyond the boundaries of Earth. This heart-pounding Captain Chase thriller from Patricia Cornwell will leave readers desperate for more.Trade ReviewA Harrogate International Festivals Book of the Month Selection “Move over, Bourne and Bond—the espionage game has a new player and Calli Chase is here to finally bring the genre into the twenty-first century.” —Mystery & Suspense Magazine Praise for the Captain Chase series “The creator of Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta peers into space and finds just as much skullduggery there…[introducing] an equally strong, even more tormented heroine…[in] federal special agent Capt. Calli Chase.” —Kirkus Reviews “Move over, Doctor Kay Scarpetta…Quantum inaugurates a new series with a confident new heroine…” —The Telegraph “Brilliantly crafted, gripping, and smart…” —Post Register “Buckle up for a race to the finish that does not disappoint.” —Bookreporter “As always, Cornwell establishes time, place, and mood by expertly crafting each scene to make you feel as if you’re in it.” —New York Journal of Books

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE THRILLING NEW KAY SCARPETTA MYSTERY FROM THE #1 GLOBAL BESTSELLER. SCARPETTA IS COMING TO THE SCREEN SOON, STARRING NICOLE KIDMAN AND JAMIE LEE CURTIS''I''M STILL SEEING STARS . . . KAY SCARPETTA IS THE SAME GRUMPY, WONDERFUL, RIVETING PERSONALITY SHE''S ALWAYS BEEN AND SHE''S ONLY GETTING BETTER WITH TIME'' JAMES PATTERSONMurder and mayhem. Scarpetta is back, and she''s racing against the clock . . .Chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta is the reluctant star witness in a sensational murder trial when she receives shocking news. The judge''s sister has been found dead. At first glance, it appears to be a home invasion, but then why was nothing stolen, and why is the garden strewn with dead plants and insects?Although there is no apparent cause of death, Scarpetta recognizes tell-tale signs of the unthinkable, and she knows the worst is yet to come. The forensic pathologist finds herself pitted against a powerful forTrade ReviewI'm still seeing stars. A great thriller. One of the hardest things as a series writer is keeping your famous heroes fresh year after year. Kay Scarpetta is not only still fresh, she's the same grumpy, wonderful, riveting personality she's always been - a full-on human being - and she's only getting better with time. I love catching up with her every year -- JAMES PATTERSONCornwell's on blistering form and this absorbing thriller will keep you hooked * SUN *Riveting * THE TIMES *Cornwell knows how to craft a mean page-turner and Livid is no exception * TELEGRAPH *More than thirty years and twenty-six Scarpetta books later, Cornwell is still knocking it out of the park * LOVEREADING *Gripping . . . Sound the klaxon, Patricia Cornwell's brilliant chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta is back * HEAT *Post-mortem scenes that [will] make fans of this long-running series salivate . . . Something to look forward to * KIRKUS *This is Scarpetta's 26th outing and the plotting remains every bit as fresh as when we were introduced to her * BELFAST TELEGRAPH *PRAISE FOR PATRICIA CORNWELL * - *One of the best crime writers writing today * GUARDIAN *Astonishing . . . Thirty years on, there's still no other crime writer like her * SUNDAY TIMES *The top gun in this field * DAILY TELEGRAPH *America's most stimulating and chilling writer of crime fiction * THE TIMES *Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns * MIRROR *A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller -- BBCThe Agatha Christie of the DNA age * EXPRESS *The queen of the forensic thriller * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Cutting-edge * SUN *When it comes to forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW *Slick, fast-paced and brilliant * HEAT *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe second book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell. ''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesA reclusive writer is dead. And her final manuscript has disappeared . . .Someone is stalking Beryl Madison. Someone who spies on her and makes threatening, obscene phone-calls. Terrified, Beryl flees to Key West - but eventually she must return to her Richmond home. The very night she arrives, Beryl inexplicably invites her killer in . . .Thus begins for Dr Kay Scarpetta the investigation of a crime that is as convoluted as it is bizarre. Why would Beryl open the door to someone who brutally slashed and then nearly decapitated her? Did she know her killer? Adding to the intrigue is Beryl''s enigmatic relationship with a prize-winning author and the disappearance of her own manuscript. As Scarpetta retraces Beryl''s footsteps, an investigation that begins

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe No. 1 bestselling series starring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta.You are being watchedThe death of a Hollywood mogul's daughter has the police convinced it's an accident. But Dr. Kay Scarpetta knows better. It's almost as if someone is leaving evidence only she would spot.They are always three steps aheadScarpetta is sidetracked when she receives a video clip revealing disturbing secrets about her niece, Lucy. But before she can react, the FBI raid Lucy's estate.Time is running outScarpetta suspects one person is behind it all: the murder, the videos, the FBI. She needs to stop them before it''s too late and everyone she loves is destroyed.Trade ReviewPraise for Patricia Cornwell & the Kay Scarpetta Novels: ‘Cutting-edge’ Sun ‘A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller’ BBC ‘America’s most stimulating and chilling writer of crime fiction’ The Times ‘Devilishly clever’ Sunday Times ‘She is a brilliant writer and I was absolutely gripped’ Mail on Sunday ‘The top gun in this field’ Daily Telegraph ‘Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns’ Mirror ‘The Agatha Christie of the DNA age’ Express ‘One of the best crime writers writing today’ Guardian ‘Few writers match Patricia Cornwell when it comes to writing crime and her latest Scarpetta novel is one of her best’ Daily Express ‘When it comes to the forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell’ New York Times Book Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe nineteenth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell.''America''s most chilling writer of crime fiction'' The TimesKay Scarpetta has arranged to meet an inmate at the high-security Georgia Prison for Women. The prisoner is a convicted sex offender and the mother of a vicious and diabolically brilliant killer.Against advice, Scarpetta is determined to hear this woman out - she believes she may hold some answers to the murder of her former deputy. But soon she finds connections to a string of grisly killings.As she learns more, Scarpetta is compelled to conclude that this is only the beginning of a terrifying terrain of conspiracy on an international scale. And she is the only one who can stop it . . .Praise for the groundbreaking series: ''One of the best crime writers writing today'' Guardian ''Devilishly cleverTrade ReviewPraise for Patricia Cornwell * - *One of the best crime writers writing today * Guardian *Devilishly clever * Sunday Times *The top gun in this field * Daily Telegraph *A pioneer of the genre of forensic psychological thriller -- BBCCornwell's books run on a cocktail of adrenaline and fear * The Times *When it comes to forensic sciences, nobody can touch Cornwell * New York Times Book Review *Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns * Mirror *A knife-edged thriller based on the exploits of the toughest female pathologist ever to conduct an autopsy...If you like your fiction fast-paced with a scientific twist, Cornwell delivers once again, and if you are new to Scarpetta, you are sure to be hooked by the end of the first chapter * Irish Examiner *The iconic forensic consultant is as brittle as ever, and the body count is as high as Cornwell fans have come to expect. Cornwell hasn't sold 100 million novels for no good reason * Independent on Sunday *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom one of the world’s number top selling crime writers comes the extraordinary twentieth Kay Scarpetta novel.A woman has vanished while digging a dinosaur bone bed in the remote wilderness of Canada. Somehow, the only evidence has made its way to the inbox of Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, over two thousand miles away in Boston. She has no idea why.   But as events unfold with alarming speed, Scarpetta begins to suspect that the paleontologist’s disappearance is connected to a series of crimes much closer to home: a gruesome murder, inexplicable tortures, and trace evidence from the last living creatures of the dinosaur age.   When she turns to those around her, Scarpetta finds that the danger and suspicion have penetrated even her closest circles. Her niece Lucy speaks in riddles. Her lead investigator, Pete Marino, and FBI forensic psychologist and husband, Benton Wesley, have secrets of their own. Feeling alone and betray

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith unparalleled high-tension suspense and the latest in forensic technology, Patricia Cornwell once again proves her exceptional ability to surprise—and to thrill—in this electrifying Kay Scarpetta novel.A body, oddly draped in an unusual cloth, has just been discovered inside the sheltered gates of MIT, and it’s suspected the identity is that of missing computer engineering grad student Gail Shipton, last seen the night before at a trendy Cambridge bar. It appears she’s been murdered, mere weeks before the trial in her $100 million lawsuit against her former financial manager, and Massachusetts Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta doubts it’s a coincidence. She also fears the case may have a connection with her computer genius niece, Lucy.In Dust, Scarpetta and her colleagues are up against a force far more sinister than a sexual predator who fits the criminal classification of a “spectacle killer.” The murder o

Read more less

Book SynopsisJudy Hammer has accepted the challenge of Richmond, Virginia''s police department to try and reverse the escalating crime statistics in the city. She brings with her Deputy Chief Virginia West and Andy Brazil, now a full-time police officer. They find a lot of things they are all too familiar with - teenage gangs, a rash of robberies at cash dispensers, street corner drug-dealing, racial tensions, too many people with too many guns and a cardiac inducing lack of parking spaces. They also meet resentment from the established police force and over-high expectations from the city''s institutions. Then a computer virus crashes the police computer, freezing their screens with a design of blue fish, and the same blue fish appears on the statue of Jefferson Davis, which a graffiti artist has turned into a black basketball player and a gang called the Pikes claim it is their symbol, which also has links to the robberies. In an incredibly fast-moving police procedural Patricia Cornwell taTrade ReviewCornwell peels off every layer of this taut society in a careering crime drama that is full of suspense and excitement and has a shaft of humanity beneath the tough talk and the wisecracks. * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *some very fine comic scenes. * DAILY TELEGRAPH *this highly entertaining confection shows Cornwell clearly has more than one string to her bow. * IRELAND ON SUNDAY *Always a winner. * NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE CHRONICLE *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less