Body of Evidence: A Scarpetta Novel (Kay Scarpetta) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Patricia Cornwell (Author) "RETURNING THE KEY WEST LETTERS TO THEIR MANILA folder, I got out a packet of surgical gloves, tucked it inside my black medical bag, and..." (more)
Key Phrases: orange fiber, Miss Harper, Beryl Madison, Cary Harper (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This second commanding thriller by the Edgar Award-winning author of Postmortem and featuring forensic sleuth Dr. Kay Scarpetta was a Mystery Guild main selection as well as a Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternate in cloth. $250,000 ad/promo.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Kay Scarpetta, chief medical examiner of Virginia and heroine of Postmortem , gets involved in the case of a brutal stabbing death in Richmond of romance writer Beryl Madison. Now Madison's greedy lawyer accuses Scarpetta of losing his client's latest manuscript, an autobiographical expose of Beryl's early life as protege of a legendary novelist. As more deaths occur and the killer closes in on her, Kay suffers palpitations over the sudden and devious reappearance of long-lost lover Mark but still finds time to provide forensic details. Despite its foregone conclusion, a swift-moving, thrilling, and provocative second novel.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743493915
• ISBN-13: 978-0743493918
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,010 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 2 in The Kay Scarpetta Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars highly recommended, October 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Body of Evidence (Mass Market Paperback)

The Kay Scarpetta series is best read in chronological sequence, as each new novel builds on developments from the previous ones, and knowledge of this history is to some degree assumed. Thus, if you're going to read one of the series, this is the one.

Some reviewers here criticize the lack of non-stop action. To the contrary, I think the style is highly effective. Cornwell indulges in her well-developed, diverse characters with introspection and dialog. Furthermore, investigations are not a linear progression -- everything isn't always wrapped up in a tidy little package, every piece of evidence isn't used, and every fact isn't explained. But that's life.

The series has also been criticized for being a bit "nerdy". But that's appropriate -- it's strength. The use of evidence and the examination of the crime scene reminds me of my favorite crime author, Canon Doyle. The magnifying glass is replaced by a substantially more expensive apparatus, but the attention paid to analytic methods and thinking is quite enjoyable.

The combination of rich character development and intellectual analysis makes this a really enjoyable book, and worthwhile series. I really highly recommend it. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is I reserve that for the highest tier of fiction, and I'm not sure this is quite there. But it's certainly some of the best work I've read in a long time.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scarpetta rules~, June 10, 2004

By	- Kasia S. (New York City) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Body of Evidence (Kay Scarpetta) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book, really went into nice character development. By the middle of it, I felt like Beryl Madison, the first victim, was a real person, and I too wanted to know how she died, why and who did it.

I had a very hard time putting it down, when it was 4am, its a page turner. The evidence and clues are amazing, and they really make u think.

Overall, an excellnt medical thriller mystery....And despite what anyone says, I like Scarpetta, shes not harsh or feministic. She's just perfect.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More of the same for better or for worse, June 5, 2006

By	S. A. Johnson "misterscooter" (Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After reading the first book in the series, I felt good enough to want to read the second book sooner rather than later. Book two is fashioned out of some of the basic framework as the first but with enough changes to the facade that it really doesn't detract too much from the story.

Most of the same characters are back for this installment with some new players thrown in. The forensics play along and provide physical clues to go along with the psychological clues. Like the first book, we are given plenty of clues to figure out the twist and don't feel like we've been cheated when it is revealed. As with the first book, I like that we only see what Kay sees and nothing more or less.

Kay Scarpetta, we learn, will always be very *involved* with her work and that will always play havoc with her personal life. Even this early in the series, that thread is obvious. Fortunately, even though this running thread is becoming concrete and will remain in future books, it doesn't overwhelm the main story.

The plot of this one is a little more convoluted than the first. There are several interweaving plots that connect or seem to connect and they provide us with quite a bit of depth in the mystery. What starts out fairly straightforward quickly becomes messy and confusing (on purpose) but comes together fairly nicely at the end.

For a second novel, this one does well and doesn't fall into many of the traps and pitfalls that are out there and because of that, I'll be reading the third.