The first Dr Kay Scarpetta Mystery, which won five international awards when it was first published.

The 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 Times

A 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 her brand-new Scarpetta thriller, Unnatural Death.

Praise for the groundbreaking series:
'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