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![Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta Book 1) by [Patricia Cornwell]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41A37L7IgkL._SY346_.jpg)
Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta Book 1) Kindle Edition
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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.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherScribner
- Publication dateNovember 26, 2009
- File size2585 KB
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From Publishers Weekly
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Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
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Product details
- ASIN : B002YPORR6
- Publisher : Scribner; Reprint edition (November 26, 2009)
- Publication date : November 26, 2009
- Language : English
- File size : 2585 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 449 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #22,295 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #23 in Medical Thrillers (Kindle Store)
- #25 in Medical Thrillers (Books)
- #737 in Women Sleuths (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

In 1990, Patricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, while working at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. An auspicious debut, it went on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity Awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize—the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. Growing into an international phenomenon, the Scarpetta series won Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Today, Cornwell’s novels and iconic characters are known around the world. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Cornwell has written the definitive nonfiction account of Jack the Ripper’s identity, cookbooks, a children’s book, a biography of Ruth Graham, and two other fictional series based on the characters Win Garano and Andy Brazil. While writing Quantum, Cornwell spent two years researching space, technology, and robotics at Captain Calli Chase’s home base, NASA’s Langley Research Center, and studied cutting-edge law enforcement and security techniques with the Secret Service, the US Air Force, NASA Protective Services, Scotland Yard, and Interpol.
Cornwell was born in Miami. She grew up in Montreat, North Carolina, and now lives and works in Boston and Los Angeles.
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There were times the novel seemed to proceed somewhat slowly. However it picked up momentum and by the end I was very interested and it became a page turner. I did not “solve” this mystery as I read it, however some of the storyline was predictable. I still liked the novel.
In that this is a debut mystery novel with a female medical examiner as a protagonist, this novel called to mind “Deja Dead” by Kathy Reichs. I feel these two novels present an interesting opportunity to compare and contrast two debut mystery novels by modern American female authors with some similar story structure. If it matters, I liked both novels approximately the same.
In summary I liked this novel and felt it was definitely above average. I fully intend to read more novels by this author. It is relatively easily followed and as such is a candidate for a good audiobook. Thank You for taking the time to read this review.
The killer is never exposed until at least the last quarter of the book. She shows us all the possible suspects and why they’re not viable.
In this story one of the ‘good’ guys turns out to be a really ‘bad’ guy. This book is really a 4.5.
Top reviews from other countries

Postmortem was written in 1990 but don’t let that put you off. Okay, so it features some generic double density IBM compatible diskettes (floppies) and operating a computer from the C: Prompt with typed commands! But back in 1990 that is how things were.
The Kay Scarpetta series now runs to 25 novels and I thought I would start at the beginning. And boy, what a start it was! Oh, the old adage of write about what you know. Patricia Cornwell’s day job is a forensic pathologist, so yes, you’ve guessed it Kay Scarpetta is a female medical examiner in Virginia!
Kay Scarpetta has to help catch the serial killer of 4 women who have nothing in common. Will her forensic pathology skills bring justice to the victims?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Postmortem and simply loved the forensic detail that was explained to the reader. Character development was spot on and this was not just solve the crimes but the daily lives of everyone involved. Postmortem is a fully fleshed novel with lots of interesting content thrown into the mix. Even British readers were included when Patricia writes…
I couldn’t stand it, not tonight. I could be Maggie Thatcher and my mother would persist in treating me like a five-year-old who doesn’t have sense enough to come out of the rain.
… I loved how Kay Scarpetta kept an open mind and considered all forensic possibilities. This made a thrilling read as you wondered if each new discovery would solve the 4 murders.
I thought the writing was first class and I could find nothing wrong with this book. I am glad I took advantage of the cut-price deal and bought other books in this series. Her writing is very similar to books written by Kathy Reich that I have enjoyed in the past.
I found Postmortem an OUTSTANDING 5 star read and look forward to reading other books in this series.

I'm not sure it's going to be worth the effort.
In this book, we see the introduction of all the Scarpetta regulars (FBI analyst Benton Wesley, redneck cop Pete Marino, and, in this book, child genius Lucy Farinelli), as Scarpetta investigates a Richmond VA serial killer.
The book is... of its time. Everyone smokes in the offices (including Scarpetta, who berates an uncomfortably described technician about the idea that smokers will soon have to go outside to smoke). The offices are 1980s governmental/industrial concrete (it's set in 1991). The minorities talk different. Gay men are effeminate, lesbians are overly envious of their ex's who have moved on, and cross-dressers are... not fully understood. Oh, and the basis of Scarpetta's holier than thou attitude is there (despite the smoking inside, the assumptions above race, and the dubious views on the LGBT community).
In short, this book IS moderately different to the later books, but not in a wholly positive way.
The one problem is you'll struggle to work out whodunit, as this book is more of a character study of the future Cornwell leads, who are introduced here. The one thing I HAD forgotten was how competent a detective Pete Marino was. He still rednecks, but does investigations well enough for me to wonder why Scarpetta dislikes him so much.

If you are a 1st time reader you have to remember that this was 1st published 29/30 years ago. The forensics, a far cry from what we are used to reading and watching today were true for the time and very well described.
I was also taken aback by the misogynistic undertones from colleagues that Kay Scarpetta has to battle against yet deals with in her stride. Something some of us will remember having to deal with back in the day!
Patricia certainly had me wrapped up in the storyline once more, I loved every page.
She certainly set the standard for female protagonists in this genre. We have a lot to thank her for!

Ultimately, however, Scarpetta is not an especially likeable character here and she's basically impotent. I could see exactly which cliché ending was coming from about the first page. That would not be so bad if various plot threads dangled the possibility that I was wrong. But no. Maybe the trope wasn't so common back when this book was written, but now just about every book or TV series with a female lead has done this to death. Like I said, it's aged badly.

However, I will continue to slog on because I’m curious enough to know who did it. I don’t think I’ll get any more in this series.