Postmortem

Written by Patricia Cornwell

Narrated by C.J. Critt

Four young women have been found murdered-tortured and strangled in their own beds-all victims of the same brilliant monster. Using a skilled hand and the latest technology in forensic medicine, Kay Scarpetta begins the process of gathering the microscopic clues the latest battered body has to give.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456124465

Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell is recognized as one of the world’s top bestselling crime authors with novels translated into thirty-six languages in more than 120 countries. Her novels have won numerous prestigious awards including the Edgar, the Creasey, the Anthony, the Macavity, and the Prix du Roman d’Aventure. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Patricia has written a definitive book about Jack the Ripper, a biography, and three more fiction series among others. Cornwell, a licensed helicopter pilot and scuba diver, actively researches the forensic technologies that inform her work. She was born in Miami, grew up in Montreat, North Carolina, and now lives and works in Boston. 

Reviews for Postmortem

[collinsleigh289 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good book. Loved the story line. Ready for the rest of series!

[Jennifer Greenlees · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this audiobook! C.J. Critt did a fantastic job performing this story! I thoroughly enjoyed her narration.

Kay Scarpetta caught the murderer when he targeted her! Although, it was actually a cop (can't remember his name) who shot him!

I read this book on June 18th, 2022.

[Susan Jordan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the book and give it a 5 star rating.
I give SCRIBD a -D- rating, however. I love SCRIBD, the selections, the ease of borrowing books, and the price. The low rating is because the recordings are riddled with periods of dead air. When narration begins again, it is further along so I’ve missed part of the story. Annoying.
I am looking forward to a time when SCRIBD is able to fix this problem so I can give it an -A- rating. What they are selling is an excellent concept. Audio books are a delight to me, as I can’t see to read a book.

[Richard Williams · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good story. Several edge of seat moments. Easy to follow

[Asheley Tart · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was neat to hear a story from one of the trailblazers in female-driven forensic fiction. Not the best or most smooth crime fiction I’ve read or heard, but it was still compelling and I’m sure I’ll continue with the series.

[dairyqueen84 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I used to listen to Cornwell's books in the '90s when I commuted to graduate school. Listening was a better experience than reading this one with my eyes. That may be because of the passage of time. Ok thriller with only moments of thrill.

[ahef1963 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Postmortem was Patricia Cornwell's first novel featuring Kay Scarpetta, the fierce coroner with a lion's share of beauty, intelligence, skill, and a mental bent for solving puzzles: how did this person die?, and who is killing women in Richmond? That's what's happening this year: a monster of a murderer is ritualistically slaying powerful women in the Richmond, VA area, and is doing so with careful calculation and the ability to remove all the clues of his presence. DNA evidence is in its early days, so Scarpetta and her team need to use all their talents to put a net around the killer. Of course, Scarpetta's involvement, and her resemblance to the other murdered women puts her in the killer's sights.

Postmortem was an excellent first novel, and I think that it's the finest one that Cornwell ever wrote, which is why this is probably my third or fourth reading of the book.

[danielle.desrochers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After sleeping on it, I give this a 4.5 star rounded up.

I really, really enjoyed this. It will not be for everyone, but it made my forensic loving heart happy. There were parts I wasn't a fan of, but finding a perfect book is few and far between. I can't wait to keep reading this series!!!

[auldhouse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was entertained.

[Mirsat · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I have read noir novels on other occasions; it is a genre that I love. However, this book is completely tedious with many themes that don’t actually contribute anything to the plot, delving into things that have no relevance to the character or the author of the crime. In the end, everything concludes in a shabby way. I am trying to give an opinion taking into account the year the book was published and using the technology for that field at that time as a reference. It is not a heavy book with terminology; it is rather a tedious book with a lot of text as filler support. It is easy to count the times forensic medicine is referenced. It is the entry book into the world of Kay Scarpetta, and it does not leave me wanting to read the other 26 books. (Translated from Spanish)

[David27 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

?? R E V I E W ??
⭐ Pleasant surprise ⭐
Honestly, I didn't know the author, I read the plot, bought it used, and I really liked it a lot. While there are unnecessary moments in the story that neither add nor take away anything and only make it a bit longer without sense.
The novel tells us about a forensic expert who does everything possible to discover in the bodies sent to her a minimal trace of who the serial killer is that kills working women with seemingly no pattern in how he chooses his victims. Along with a political subplot and the everyday problems that the protagonists always face, it makes for a quick and entertaining read.
I really liked the author's narrative style, and I will definitely read more from her. Those who enjoy thrillers should not overlook this one. (Translated from Spanish)

[patxi77 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

8/11/22
New release by the author. Quite short. Set in Chicago in 1868. A rather singular and difficult case to remedy. The plot revolves around a time where the beginnings of the KKK can be seen, as well as the traditions of the Black race, including rituals and black magic from tropical tribes, a culture and beliefs that still provoke much discussion and research today. Some bodies, let’s say, killed after dying, create doubt for the investigators. And in addition to intensity and uncertainty, an unexpected and tragic ending. Let's see if we continue with the author. Thank you very much. (Translated from Spanish)

[eyejaybee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It must be almost thirty years since I first read this novel, which introduced the world to Dr Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Virginia. For a while, Cornwell was one of my favourite crime writers, and I looked forward to the latest instalment in the career of Dr Scarpetta, along with her colleagues: surly detective Pete Marino (rather like an American John Rebus), and the suave FBI profiler Benton Wesley.

The early novels were very powerful, involving gritty plots, generally arising from the work of evil serial killers, with justice being delivered through a balance of solid detection work, insightful profiling and deft application of forensic techniques. But then something went wrong, and I found that the plots became almost laughable, and the characters dwindled to hollow echoes of their former self. I think that part of the problem lay in the rise to prominence within the books of Lucy Farinelli, Kay’s young niece, who rapidly became one of the fictional characters who most irritated me.

Still, after a conversation with a close friend about our tastes in crime fiction, I thought it would be interesting to revisit this book, to see if it still seemed as good as it had when I first encountered it/ The good news is that it did. Obviously, in the intervening decades, technology has moved on almost beyond measure, and a lot of the descriptions of what were then cutting-edge processes now seem commonplace. We have all become used to television programmes such as CSI, and probably all think of ourselves as pretty savvy in crime scene investigation. Similarly, the rather cumbersome steps that Dr Scarpetta has to go through in order to log on to her office computer system from home was once a source of awe to me, and I wondered whether I could ever partake of such magic myself.

The key point is that this remains a well constructed novel, with very plausible characters, and a substantial plot. The technology that the police and FBI might deploy in the investigation may be different, but (worryingly) everything else remains entirely credible. Sadly, that even extends to the political context against which the novel is set. Dr Scarpetta is a an accomplished and highly qualified practitioner, but while she has achieved a lot, she is still cooped in by the glass ceiling of inequal opportunities. I was also struck by the manner in which so many of the top civil positions in local government are electoral appointments, with incumbents always having to bear in mind the implications for re-election of any actions they take (or don’t take) in pursuit of their investigations. That is something that is, fortunately, alien to the British reader, although I suppose with growing numbers of Police and Crime Commissioners in post, even that is changing.

I was very glad to find that this novel still seemed as gripping and convincing as it had first time around.

[geoffsc-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A well crafted debut crime novel.
I liked the fact that all the medical and forensic details I looked up were true.
She keeps the suspense going to the end.

[Miquele · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story isn't bad; at times it was a bit heavy to read, and the ending could be more elaborate. (Translated from Spanish)

[tvnerd95 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really did enjoy reading this book so much that I couldn't wait to get back to it and finish it but once it was over I kept thinking did I really like it that much or was I just ready for it to be over. I am torn on this one. I just can't make up mind on this one which is why I gave it 3 stars.

I found the bad guy very amazing up until the end and then I found him to be very underwhelming. I did love the science (well my idea of science) on both sides -- the computer side and the medical side. I also found her niece very annoying and felt they were tiptoeing around her about everything so she wouldn't get upset.

[Monika · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After buying not just the book, but the collection, and reading a couple of them, I realized that I'm not entirely convinced. I found it lacking in action, with cases that are nothing original, I don't know, it doesn't say anything to me. (Translated from Spanish)

[FacundoLezcano · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A novel that kept me on the edge of my seat from the very first moment I read it. The personality of the protagonist is captivating, logical, and her development throughout the book is coherent.

Here, we are not faced with the typical old-school detective; Doctor Escarpeta is a forensic doctor who views the world from her medical perspective and needs the help of her niece and the detective on duty.

The narration is fast-paced, not delving too deeply into descriptions and focusing more on the action and the doctor's analytical monologues, which allows the reader to see the different dimensions of the protagonist. These range from a lover, a doctor on the verge of losing her job, going through a peak of stress, to her fragility in the face of a serial killer.

Definitely highly recommended for those who want to immerse themselves in this genre and read something contemporary. (Translated from Spanish)

[arkevans · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I certainly wasn't passionate about this book... I see very good reviews but it really wasn't to my taste... (Translated from Spanish)

[Jesúsfortu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First book of the series The Scarpetta Doctor. I found it to be a very good novel, but the ending was quite rushed. (Translated from Spanish)

[andreal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great book, an innovative way to present forensic science. (Translated from Spanish)

[cbloky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this was my first book ever read by Patricia Cornwell, but won't be my last. I love medical mysteries and this was a good one. character development was good, the deeper into the book the harder it was to put down.

[Sarizk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's an entertaining short read with a good story, but at times it feels like it loses its direction, which can be disorienting. I would have liked for the story of the protagonists to be developed a little more. Overall, it's good. (Translated from Spanish)

[Charo88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved it, I'm going to continue with the series because the protagonist has managed to win me over. You can tell the passage of time: DNA now provides much more data than in the 90s, there are no mobile phones... even so, the story is gripping, as are the characters. (Translated from Spanish)

[jothebookgirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Spoller Alert!!!!!

This novel is the first in the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series. The story opens as Dr. Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Virginia, receives an early-morning call from Sergeant Pete Marino, a homicide detective at the Richmond Police Department with whom Scarpetta has a tense working relationship. They meet at the scene of a woman's gruesome strangling, the latest in a string of unsolved serial killings in Richmond.

The killer leaves behind a few clues; among them are a mysterious substance which sparkles and glows under laser light, traces of semen, and in the vicinity of the last murder, an unusual smell, sort of mapely. Scarpetta and Marino work with FBI profiler, Benton Wesley to attempt to piece together a profile of the killer. Initial evidence appears to point to the fourth victim's husband, (the husband is always the first suspect), but Scarpetta suspects otherwise despite Marino's insistence. The book references DNA profiling a relatively new technique, (book was published in 2003.) the characters briefly bemoan the lack of a criminal DNA database which could provide better leads to suspects, given available evidence.

Meanwhile in her personal life, Scarpetta must deal with the presence of her extremely precocious ten-year-old niece, Lucy, as well as an uncertain romantic relationship with the local Commonwealth's attorney.

During the investigation, a series of news leaks about the murders appear to be coming from a source within the medical examiner's office. The leaks threaten Scarpetta's position, especially after she is forced to admit that her office database has been compromised.

Believing that the killer thrives on media attention and hoping to flush him out by provoking his ego, Scarpetta, Wesley, and local investigative reporter Abby Turnbull (whose sister was the fifth victim), conspire to release a news story which suggests that the killer has a distinctive body odor due to a rare metabolic disease and implies that the killer may be mentally disordered.

While attempting to find another link between the five murders, Scarpetta stumbles on the fact that that all five victims had recently called 911. Might the killer be a 911 operator, Kay Wonder's. Could he have chosen his victims based on their voices?

Scarpetta is awakened in the middle of the night by a presence in her bedroom. Lucy is also asleep in the house. It is the killer who has broken into her home. As she attempts to reach for a gun she has under her pillow for protection, Marino bursts into her bedroom and shoots the intruder, having realized that the news article would make Scarpetta a likely target. Scarpetta's suspicion proves to be correct; the killer was a 911 dispatcher.

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Solid start to this series though a little predictable.

[raizel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well done police procedural, although I wonder if real medical examiners get so involved in solving cases.---at least on the TV series I've seen, they don't. Dr. Scarpetta also has to deal with sexism, office politics, and her sister, a children's book writer who elopes with her illustrator instead of paying attention to her daughter, Lucy. Lucy, a ten-year-old genius, is able to help with computer problems in a time of floppy disks and modems. I was convinced that I had solved whodunit early on, but then characters in the book began suspecting him and I was, once again, completely wrong. The solution was quite reasonable, even if it didn't follow the traditional rules of a mystery book.

(N.B.: The author changed her name to Patricia Cornwell to later books.)

[pennylane78 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quick read that gives all the goods of a classic mystery. If you like Patterson and Reichs you're sure to enjoy Cornwell.

[neverwithoutabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good story for a first in series. Technology is dated but that's to be expected as it's been awhile since it was written. Interesting to read the beginning in the Scarpetta series.

[steve12553 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very similar to Kathy Reichs "Bones" books but this one predates them by enough to be noticable. Decent story, well written. Just old enough for the electronic lingo end equipment to be dated but not old enough to make it a period piece.