Postmortem

The inspiration for the upcoming Prime Video series Scarpetta--starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis!

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Cornwell comes Postmortem, the groundbreaking thriller that introduced Dr. Kay Scarpetta and redefined the crime genre.

A killer is stalking the streets of Richmond, Virginia. When the bodies begin to mount, Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta is pulled into a chilling investigation that blends high-stakes forensics with psychological warfare. Armed with cutting-edge science and unflinching resolve, Scarpetta must navigate hostile forces both inside and outside the investigation--because someone isn't just trying to hide the truth. They're trying to kill her.

Cornwell's gift for combining expert-level criminology with bone-chilling suspense makes this book a true modern classic. Relentlessly paced and shockingly prescient, Postmortem is the electrifying first chapter in the Scarpetta series--still as razor-sharp and relevant as ever.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Scribner Book Company
Published: 02/17/2026
ISBN: 9781668229637
Pages: 400
Weight: 0.62lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.25w x 1.00d
Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 25860 / Postmortem (English)
Reading Level: 5.6 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 15