Patricia Cornwell The Scarpetta Collection: Volume 1

Only in the last 2-3 chapters did the story start coming together and the rest of the book felt irrelavent, concentrating on the characters conversations. It was just boring and dissapointing.

I must admit that i was unaware that there were other books previous to this one and maybe that could be a contributing factor.

The Scarpetta Collection: Volume 1

Patricia Cornwell

Scribner, Oct 2003, $26.95

ISBN: 0743255801

"Postmortem". In Richmond, Virginia, Chief Medical Examiner for the commonwealth of Virginia, Dr. Kay Scarpetta struggles with stopping the serial killer, "Mr. Nobody", who strangles young women. Her seemingly 24/7 tireless efforts, searching databases and seeking forensic clues, are taking its toll on the ME, while a bitter chauvinistic male tries everything to insure this high powered female fails, even if it means more women dying. This is Scarpetta's terrific debut tale filled with intriguing forensic science woven into the serial killer plot, while an irritable heroine struggles with testosterone officialdom as much as with finding the culprit.

"Body of Evidence". In Richmond, Virginia someone brutally slashes to death historical romance writer Beryl Madison in the woman's home. The crime scene evidence points towards the victim knowing her killer, as no forced entry appears. State medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta also investigates other seemingly related deaths; that of writer Cary Harper and the suicide of his sister. Meanwhile, the FBI looks into the activities of Madison's lawyer, though Scarpetta cannot see the link to her case. As she follows the forensic clues in Virginia and Florida, someone threatens to kill Scarpetta. This second Scarpetta thriller is one of the best forensic tales written in the past decade or two, as the heroine works a difficult case with intelligence and aplomb, while the readers obtain deep insight into the working of a medical examiner.

Both terrific thrillers hold-up well, though published in 1990 and 1991 respectively as they showcase the early Scarpetta using forensic science to investigate homicides. Worth the price to fans and anyone who wants to read Scarpetta's roots.