Depraved Heart

More about the book

No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Cornwell delivers the twenty-third thrilling installment in her high-stakes series featuring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta. While investigating a suspicious death in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Scarpetta receives an emergency alert on her phone—a video link from her computer genius niece, Lucy. The clip, taken almost twenty years ago, reveals unsettling secrets about Lucy, whom Scarpetta has raised like a daughter. As more videos arrive, they present dangerous legal implications that isolate Scarpetta, leaving her anxious and unsure of whom to confide in—not her FBI husband Benton Wesley, her investigative partner Pete Marino, or even Lucy. This new novel propels the characters into a psychological odyssey involving the mysterious death of a Hollywood mogul's daughter, wreckage in the Bermuda Triangle, and a grisly discovery at a crime scene. The sinister force behind these events seems clear, yet the FBI remains oblivious, as demonstrated by their raid on Lucy's estate, which threatens to imprison her for life. In this gripping narrative, Cornwell captivates readers with shocking twists, high-stakes tension, and her signature forensic detail, reaffirming her status as the world's #1 bestselling crime writer.