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Postmortem
Paperback - 2004
Discover the "dazzling...fascinating" ( Los Angeles Times ) novel that launched the New York Times bestselling Kay Scarpetta series from #1 bestselling crime writer Patricia Cornwell.
Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerring eye, she calls on the latest advances in forensic research to unmask the madman. But this investigation will test Kay like no other, because it's being sabotaged from within--and someone wants her dead.
Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerring eye, she calls on the latest advances in forensic research to unmask the madman. But this investigation will test Kay like no other, because it's being sabotaged from within--and someone wants her dead.
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Publisher:
New York : Pocket, 2004
ISBN:
9781439148129
1439148120
9780743477154
0743477154
1439148120
9780743477154
0743477154
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If you like Postmortem
Young women with little in common are being tortured and strangled in Richmond, Virginia. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta is at the center of the perplexing case, struggling to find the killer, recover vital information stolen from her office computer, and deal with the cops' growing conviction that her lover might just be the murderer. Postmortem If the serial killer in Postmortem kept you… (more)
From Library Staff
Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerring eye... Read More »
Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a human monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerri... Read More »
Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a human monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerri... Read More »
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Add a CommentThis is the first Kay Scarpetta novel and though I read it when originally published, I still find it to be one of her best books. Excellent character development and more interesting to me than the later books involving the FBI and conspiracies. Kristi & Abby Tabby
Never stopped being entertaining. I can't imagine the series continuing at this high level.
Patricia Cornwell is a big player in the medical mystery field. Her Kay Scarpetta series,
of which 'Postmortem' is the first, features a female medical examiner who investigates murders from a scientific/forensic perspective. Cornwell has deftly blended the tension of a mystery novel with modern scientific forensic technique, to create an intriguing and nail-biting series. Her mysteries are highly suspenseful and complexly plotted, the writing richly detailed and informative. Her books contain serial murder and, as the title suggests, autopsy- so not for the queasy or faint of heart. Fans of CSI should enjoy.
Dr. Scarpetta has had a hard personal life and does an extremely difficult job, but, for those reasons, she is condescending, humorless, and, thus, difficult to like. Cornwell's narrative just plods along. I read to page 45 and just gave up; it was boring.
This author may have won numerous awards for her writing, but in my opinion, she is boring, with a capital B. This book is far from a "who done it ", not a page turner, has very little suspense. The most interesting character is a 10 year old girl...I'll try the next book in the Scarpetta series...I hope it is better.
A recommendation from a friend, and a good one! I really enjoyed it - mystery enough that it was possible to figure it out but not totally obvious.
Apparently, this is the first in her Kay Scarpetta series. Well-written, but predictable to an extent, if you're familiar with the genre. Still a good read.
I enjoy most of Cornwell's writing. This one was just so so. 5 or 10 for me.
The first in a series invoving Kay Scarpetta the medical examiner. The author won several prizes for this book: Edgar, Creasey, Anthony etc. and it is well worth a read.