Autopsy - Kay Scarpetta

New York Times Bestseller
In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia, the state where she launched her storied career, as the chief medical examiner. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she's inherited both an overbearing secretary and a legacy of neglect and potential corruption.
She and her husband, Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria, where she's headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that's been torn apart by civil and political unrest. After just weeks on the job, she's called to a scene by railroad tracks-a woman's body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine-and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.
At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top secret laboratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she remotely works the first potential crime scene in space, an apparent serial killer strikes again very close to home.
This latest novel in the groundbreaking Kay Scarpetta series captivates readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and forensic detail that Patricia Cornwell is famous for, proving once again why she's the world's #1 bestselling crime writer.

About the author

Patricia Cornwell is recognized as one of the world’s top bestselling crime authors with novels translated into thirty-six languages in more than 120 countries. Her novels have won numerous prestigious awards including the Edgar, the Creasey, the Anthony, the Macavity, and the Prix du Roman d’Aventure. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Patricia has written a definitive book about Jack the Ripper, a biography, and three more fiction series among others. Cornwell, a licensed helicopter pilot and scuba diver, actively researches the forensic technologies that inform her work. She was born in Miami, grew up in Montreat, North Carolina, and now lives and works in Boston. 

Summary

New York Times Bestseller
In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders. 
Forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia, the state where she launched her storied career, as the chief medical examiner. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she’s inherited both an overbearing secretary and a legacy of neglect and potential corruption.
She and her husband, Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria, where she’s headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that’s been torn apart by civil and political unrest. After just weeks on the job, she’s called to a scene by railroad tracks—a woman’s body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine—and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.
 At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top secret labo­ratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she remotely works the first potential crime scene in space, an apparent serial killer strikes again very close to home.
This latest novel in the groundbreaking Kay Scarpetta series captivates readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and forensic detail that Patricia Cornwell is famous for, proving once again why she’s the world’s #1 bestselling crime writer.
 

Additional text

“Cornwell’s books run on high octane fuel, a cocktail of adrenalin and fear”

Report

"Cornwell's books run on high octane fuel, a cocktail of adrenalin and fear" - The Times (London)
"Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns." - Mirror (London)
"Lots of cutting-edge forensic detail and some revelatory character moments." - Publishers Weekly on Chaos
"Patricia Cornwell has created characters with real emotions and life experiences, and she provides them with more than enough danger to make things interesting. Dr. Scarpetta has become a good friend." - MysteryPlayground.net on Chaos
"While Scarpetta's character has flaws, she is still a powerful female protagonist and she offers the reader an amazing calculating approach to investigation. I am always amazed at the passion that she has for her position. . . . A fast engaging read." - Dad of Divas Reviews on Chaos
"There is a quiet intensity to Ms. Cornwell's writing that compels you to read, then the eeriness sets in. . . . With Chaos, once again Patricia Cornwell mesmerizes with her astounding scientific knowledge, her keen ear for dialogue and the human psyche, all woven together flawlessly." - FreshFiction.com on Chaos
"Autopsy is... the best book Cornwell has written in years, a tale penned from the heart as well as the mind. A seminal forensics thriller that reminds us that this is a sub-genre she basically invented. The last must-read book of 2021 is not to be missed." - Booktrib.com
"To have Scarpetta return-and engaged in a hunt for a possible serial killer-is simply terrific... The dead woman's trail seems to be leading to a dangerous serial killer but Scarpetta isn't convinced. The science, as readers know, will tell... [This is] gold-star Scarpetta at work... I loved it." - Globe and Mail (Toronto)
"Scarpetta is back at her former job as chief medical examiner for the state of Virginia. She has a lot of cleaning up to do... [Cornwell] pulls it off nicely. In fact, she pulls off the whole book nicely. Scarpetta's return to her Virginia roots feels just right." - Booklist
"Autopsy revitalizes this venerable series and its beloved cast of characters... As always, forensics is at the forefront-but it is balanced by the themes of family, friendship, and food... Whether you're revisiting the indomitable Scarpetta or meeting her for the very first time, this is an ideal (re)entry point." - Criminal Element
"Propulsive...the tension is sustained to the last page...Dr. Kay Scarpetta is back and with her is a cast of well-drawn characters and intersecting plot lines...Thriller lovers and Cornwell's many fans will enjoy riding along with Scarpetta as she navigates dark waters on a personal and professional level, on Earth and in space." - Jacksonville Times-Union
"Autopsy strides comfortably back into the dark and dangerous work of the complicated medical examiner. Long-time readers of this series will enjoy the gritty crime details, puzzling clues, and familiar characters." - Manhattan Book Review
"[Scarpetta] slips easily and naturally into past tense when filling us in on background details-all of which seems to give her slightly sharper edges; her doubts and also her impatience are especially vivid and warm in that mode." - Sullivan County Democrat
"Dark and cleverly plotted." - Booklist on Depraved Heart
"In Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell has a character as strong as any in popular fiction." - Wall Street Journal
"Scarpetta is one of the most believable characters in crime fiction." - Vancouver Sun

Product details

• Authors: Patricia Cornwell
• Publisher: William Morrow
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.11.2021
• EAN: 9780063112230
• ISBN: 978-0-06-311223-0
• No. of pages: 416
• Dimensions: 150 mm x 230 mm x 30 mm
• Series: Kay Scarpetta; Kay Scarpetta (English)
• Subjects: Fiction > Suspense; Science Fiction, Medical Thriller, Political / legal thriller, Psychological thriller, Crime and mystery: women sleuths, Espionage and spy thriller, Crime and mystery: private investigator / amateur detectives, FICTION: Thrillers / Crime, FICTION: Thrillers / Legal, FICTION: Thrillers / Espionage, FICTION: Science Fiction / General, FICTION: Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths, FICTION: Crime, FICTION: Mystery & Detective / Amateur Sleuth, FICTION: Thrillers / Terrorism, FICTION: Thrillers / Psychological, FICTION: Thrillers / Medical, Thriller: terrorism