THE THRILLING NEW KAY SCARPETTA MYSTERY FROM THE #1 GLOBAL BESTSELLER. SCARPETTA IS COMING TO THE SCREEN SOON, STARRING NICOLE KIDMAN AND JAMIE LEE CURTIS

'I'M STILL SEEING STARS . . . KAY SCARPETTA IS THE SAME GRUMPY, WONDERFUL, RIVETING PERSONALITY SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN AND SHE'S ONLY GETTING BETTER WITH TIME' JAMES PATTERSON

Murder and mayhem. Scarpetta is back, and she's racing against the clock . . .

Chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta is the reluctant star witness in a sensational murder trial when she receives shocking news. The judge's sister has been found dead. At first glance, it appears to be a home invasion, but then why was nothing stolen, and why is the garden strewn with dead plants and insects?

Although there is no apparent cause of death, Scarpetta recognizes tell-tale signs of the unthinkable, and she knows the worst is yet to come. The forensic pathologist finds herself pitted against a powerful force that returns her to the past, and her time to catch the killer is running out . . .

'RIVETING' THE TIMES

'CORNWELL'S ON BLISTERING FORM AND THIS ABSORBING THRILLER WILL KEEP YOU HOOKED' SUN

'CORNWELL KNOWS HOW TO CRAFT A MEAN PAGE-TURNER AND LIVID IS NO EXCEPTION' TELEGRAPH

'ONE OF THE BEST CRIME WRITERS WRITING TODAY' GUARDIAN

'GRIPPING . . . SOUND THE KLAXON, DR KAY SCARPETTA IS BACK' HEAT

'SCARPETTA'S 26TH OUTING AND THE PLOTTING REMAINS EVERY BIT AS FRESH AS WHEN WE WERE INTRODUCED TO HER' BELFAST TELEGRAPH

'ASTONISHING . . . THIRTY YEARS ON, THERE'S STILL NO OTHER CRIME WRITER LIKE HER' SUNDAY TIMES