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. ...
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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 ...
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Add this copy of Post-Mortem to cart. $1.12, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Avon Books.
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Book is in good condition and may contain underlining or highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include library labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and fast customer support.
Add this copy of Postmortem to cart. $1.54, good condition, Sold by Jenson Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Logan, UT, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Pocket Books.
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This item shows signs of wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact, but may have aesthetic issues such as small tears, bends, scratches, and scuffs. Spine may also show signs of wear. Pages may include some notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Add this copy of Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta) to cart. $1.61, good condition, Sold by Jenson Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Logan, UT, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Pocket Books.
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This item shows signs of wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact, but may have aesthetic issues such as small tears, bends, scratches, and scuffs. Spine may also show signs of wear. Pages may include some notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Add this copy of Postmortem (1) (Kay Scarpetta) to cart. $1.62, good condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Pocket Books.
Add this copy of Postmortem (1) (Kay Scarpetta) to cart. $1.70, good condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Pocket Books.
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Good. Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. Could have library markings. Ships promptly!
Add this copy of Postmortem to cart. $1.78, fair condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Pocket.
Add this copy of Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta) to cart. $1.88, good condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Pocket Books.
Add this copy of Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta) to cart. $1.88, fair condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Pocket Books.
Add this copy of Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta) to cart. $1.97, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill of Colorado rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Time Warner Paperbacks.
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Fair. This item is in overall acceptable condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have heavy wear including creases, bends, edge wear, curled corners or minor tears as well as stickers or sticker-residue. Pages are intact but may have minor curls, bends or moderate to considerable highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have heavy wear. A well-read copy overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
Add this copy of Post-Mortem to cart. $1.99, fair condition, Sold by Once Upon A Time Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tontitown, AR, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Avon Books.
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Fair. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket.
I am a bookworm I guess you could say. Patricia Cornwell writes books that keep you guessing, and interested. I can usually sit and read one in one sitting. I work in the medical field and these books are right down my alley. I have all of her books in this series and hope there are more to come.
Ktkeith
Mar 12, 2009
OK "Non-procedural"
An interesting book with some compelling figures, but it fits somewhat strangely into the genre.
The main character is Kate Scarpetta, the Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Virginia (think "Quincy"). A driven, brilliant MD/JD, she coordinates with the crude, slovenly, but surprisingly smart local homicide detective and the slick, icy FBI agent who always seems to get involved in her cases, to untangle complicated webs of intrigue while juggling a duplicitous ex-lover, a conniving investigative reporter, her 10-year-old computer-whiz niece, her devoted and motherly office assistant . . . you get the picture.
The characters are somewhat clicheic, but still interesting. The cases are complicated enough to be engaging. But still, I was left with a disjointed feeling after reading several volumes in the series.
First of all, though Scarpetta is a forensic pathologist, she spends almost no time in the lab, and the cases hinge only minimally on the technicalities of forensic science. So if you're wanting a modern techno-procedural, these don't seem to be the books for you. Second, she spends large amounts of time driving around interviewing witnesses, retrieving documents, cajoling reluctant hermits to part with their secrets, and, inevitably, getting into gunfights. Needless to say, this is nothing like what medical examiners actually do - but that raises the question why Scarpetta needs to be an ME, since her actual job seems to have so little to do with the plots of the stories. (She could more convincingly be just a regular detective, with the forensic stuff - as little as it is - provided by a supporting character as necessary.) The technical details of the books, involving both medical science and computers, are often self-consciously displayed but slightly incorrect, which jars. And, finally, the complicated plots are often resolved in a somewhat perfunctory manner, which again jars after so much effort is spent assembling the clues.
The strength of this series is in its characterizations, not its plotting nor, surprisingly, the technical details it appears to emphasize. Readers can decide for themselves whether the cast - each of whom can be annoying in their own way - is enticing enough to follow for long. A strong female protagonist given to commenting on the politics of women in the professions and police work provides an interesting point of view; the books are otherwise straightforward potboilers.
"Postmortem" - the first volume in the series - focuses on a serial killer who preys on single women but leaves almost no clues. (It is loosely based on Virginia's real-life "South Side Strangler" case.) It effectively introduces the recurring characters in the series, but then sacrifices the detection angle for a dramatic plot when the killer begins stalking the ME herself. In the end, it's a good book of its type, but not much different from many others.
