Black Notice

More about the book

The postmortem is in—this installment of Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series delivers a gore-splattered, intensely exciting narrative. As winter envelops Richmond, Virginia, chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta grapples with personal turmoil. Her niece Lucy is embroiled in a perilous undercover operation in Miami, raising Kay's fears for her safety. Compounding her distress, a new deputy chief, Diane Bray, seeks to assert control over Kay's department. Meanwhile, someone has compromised the office's email system, sending slanderous messages under Kay's name, leaving her feeling emotionally battered and questioning her sanity. Amidst these challenges, Scarpetta remains a formidable presence in the department. She is called to investigate the remains of a man discovered in a container ship, his condition grotesque, with peculiar animal-like hairs found on his clothing. These same hairs appear on a murdered store clerk shortly thereafter. The investigation reveals a pattern of bizarre killings extending beyond Virginia, leading Kay and police captain Pete Marino to Paris. There, they must gather sensitive information from a morgue while evading becoming victims themselves. This chilling tale is filled with compelling autopsy scenes, unexpected twists, and a more vulnerable version of the iconic chief medical examiner.