Scarpetta and over 670,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

Buy New
 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Buy Used
Used - Good See details
$2.91 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Fulfilled by Amazon

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
1159 used & new from $0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Scarpetta
 
 
See all product images
See 1 customer image
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book
Start reading Scarpetta on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Scarpetta [Paperback]

Patricia Cornwell (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (366 customer reviews)
Price: $9.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
  Special Offers Available
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it delivered Wednesday, September 8? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
69 new from $3.45 1085 used from $0.01 5 collectible from $3.99

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition --   $8.99 --
Hardcover $18.45   $0.01 $0.01
Paperback $9.99   $3.45 $0.01
Audio, CD, Abridged, Audiobook $19.77   $7.48 $0.75
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged $20.98 or $7.49 with new Audible.com membership

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • This item is eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. Eligible products include select Books, Single Copy Magazines, and Home & Garden items. Buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free. Here's how (restrictions apply)
  • Over a hundred thousand items are eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. How do I find more eligible items?

Frequently Bought Together

Scarpetta + The Scarpetta Factor + Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, No. 15)
Price For All Three: $30.76

Show availability and shipping details

Buy the selected items together

  • In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell Paperback$9.99

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, No. 15) by Patricia Cornwell Hardcover$10.78

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, No. 15)

Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, No. 15)

by Patricia Cornwell
3.2 out of 5 stars (714)  $10.78
The Scarpetta Factor

The Scarpetta Factor

by Patricia Cornwell
2.8 out of 5 stars (256)  $9.99
Trace

Trace

by Patricia Cornwell
2.1 out of 5 stars (350)  $9.99
Predator (Scarpetta)

Predator (Scarpetta)

by Patricia Cornwell
1.8 out of 5 stars (413)  $9.99
Blow Fly (Scarpetta)

Blow Fly (Scarpetta)

by Patricia Cornwell
2.0 out of 5 stars (742)  $9.99
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of bestseller Cornwell's plodding 16th thriller to feature Dr. Kay Scarpetta (after Book of the Dead), the forensic pathologist—who recently relocated to Belmont, Mass., with her forensic psychologist husband—is called to Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital for reasons that don't become clear until she gets there. Oscar Bane, who voluntarily committed himself to Bellevue while denying he brutally murdered his girlfriend, refuses to speak to anyone except the high-profile Scarpetta. Bane, Scarpetta discovers, is obsessed with her. Meanwhile, someone masquerading as Scarpetta is lurking in cyberspace and supplying an online gossip site with dirty secrets about the doctor. For help on the murder case, Scarpetta turns to her computer whiz niece and a macho former colleague whose shocking actions in Book of the Dead severely damaged his relationship with Scarpetta. With a plot full of holes and frustrating red herrings, this entry falls short of the high standard set by earlier volumes in this iconic series. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Bookmarks Magazine

Critics agreed that readers familiar with Cornwell's series will find Scarpetta a weak addition; novice audiences will certainly want to skip over this one and start with Postmortem (1990), Cornwell's award-winning debut. Although Scarpetta is not one of the better entries to date, the thriller contains Cornwell's meticulous attention to detail (from autopsies to investigations) and edge-of-your-seat plotting. However, reviewers cited too much backstory, overly complex twists, and only mediocre characterization. The Rocky Mountain Newseven accused Scarpetta of becoming "something of a cipher," while the Guardianfound nothing to like at all. The bright spot? A thrilling, unpredictable ending.
Copyright 2009 Bookmarks Publishing LLC --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Paperback: 592 pages
  • Publisher: Berkley; Reprint edition (August 25, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0425230163
  • ISBN-13: 978-0425230169
  • Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (366 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #9,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
    #8 in  Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( C ) > Cornwell, Patricia
    #27 in  Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Medical

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

Patricia Cornwell
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Patricia Cornwell Page
Front Cover | First Pages | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
asylum doctor, crime scene case, vet tech, prison ward
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Terri Bridges, New York, Gotham Gotcha, Oscar Bane, Jaime Berger, Eva Peebles, John Jay, Investigator Marino, Marilyn Monroe, Kay Scarpetta, Aunt Kay, Mike Morales, Sister Polly, Pete Marino, Palm Beach, New Year's Eve, Jake Loudin, Isle of Man, Murray Hill, Juan Amate, Central Park, New Year's Day, Elizabeth Stuart, Ground Zero, Jesus Christ
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Scarpetta
70% buy the item featured on this page:
Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell Paperback 3.3 out of 5 stars (366)
$9.99
The Scarpetta Factor
15% buy
The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell Paperback 2.8 out of 5 stars (256)
$9.99
Port Mortuary (A Scarpetta Novel)
6% buy
Port Mortuary (A Scarpetta Novel) by Patricia Cornwell Hardcover
$15.09
Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, No. 15)
6% buy
Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, No. 15) by Patricia Cornwell Hardcover 3.2 out of 5 stars (714)
$10.78
› Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(22)
(14)
(13)
(11)
(8)
(7)
(5)
(4)
(2)
(1)
Agree with these tags?
See all 13 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

366 Reviews
5 star:
 (144)
4 star:
 (45)
3 star:
 (34)
2 star:
 (47)
1 star:
 (96)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.3 out of 5 stars (366 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Too long and too disjointed, January 29, 2009
This review is from: Scarpetta (Kay Scarpetta) (Hardcover)
I just could not get into this book. As many of you have said, I used to be a big Kay Scarpetta fan, but this one might have been the last straw. Way too much personal stuff clogged up the plot line. I really felt as if I had missed one or more previous books because I couldn't follow things. I dredged through this book. It might have ruined me for future Scarpetta books forever.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
93 of 110 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Patricia Cornwell should be ashamed, February 3, 2009
By K. Grimes "Karen Grimes" (North Providence, RI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Scarpetta (Kay Scarpetta) (Hardcover)
I have always been a big fan of Patricia Cornwell, and have read all of her books. I was so excited when Scarpetta came out--I ordered it immediately. What a disappointment!!! I'm sure she is laughing all the way to the bank, but I have to say--if this was the first novel I'd ever picked up by Cornwell, it would be the last. It was initially boring, but I kept figuring it would get better. I managed to actually finish it after putting it down several times. Boring, boring, boring. What happened to the old Patricia?? Her first books were her best books. Now it's just blah blah blah, and very pretentious. The best character is Marino. Scarpetta has always been a snob, and frankly, I'm tired of her.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars DOA, February 12, 2009
By N. King (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Scarpetta (Kay Scarpetta) (Hardcover)
All of a sudden, Scarpetta has gone from what seems to be a struggling, independent pathology "consultant" in South Carolina, bereft of an official position and attacked by Gorilla Marino, to a highly successful, MARRIED, Massachusetts Chief Medical Examiner, CNN reporter, and - oh, yes - professor at CUNY (yes, there is such a place as John Jay College of Criminal Justice, in case anyone cares). All in the course of less than a year! Is there an installment I missed?

Frankly, I found this book deadly dull. After 135 pages (out of almost 600!), I still didn't know what was going on. I knew who the serial killer was from the moment he walked onto the page, and I have frankly grown extremely tired of Cornwell's dropping every acronym out there (and, of course, explaining what it means to all and sundry - who in heaven's name doesn't know what an ISP is at this point?), even though it breaks up the flow of her writing and has nothing to do with the plot line or story.

Scarpetta's (and Cornwell's) moral rectitude verges on the santimonious, Lucy is as unsympathetic a character as ever, Benton remains a self-conscious jerk, the novel's other chracters are not well fleshed-out as unique individuals. Only Marino is once again quasi-interesting.

Why did I finish this book? Well, the library lends books for three weeks! And it took me nearly that long to finally slam it shut. I guess I keep hoping that her novels will rise to her early writing again (I don't agree with some other reviewers that she's anywhere near her early best). But at some point, disappointment will trump curiosity.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars just pass it by
This was my first introduction to Patricia Cornwell, and it will be my last. Amateur, amateur effort; too much emphasis on sappy little back stories. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Pastells

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst I have read so far
I see favorable revues for so much detail, unfortunately the detail dances around the thin plot like the weavings of a May pole. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Patricia Broley

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
I'm an avid Scarpetta fan, barely able to put down each book in the series until it was finished, but this book was L-O-N-G and boring. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Brenda W. Ayerdis

4.0 out of 5 stars RESURRECTION
A must read for Scarpetta fans! This is Scarpetta (and Cornwell) at her very best, and it has been a long time coming! Read more
Published 2 months ago by W. Smith

4.0 out of 5 stars A more mature Cornwell
What good is a mystery if the author has to hold your hand and take you from clue to clue and point out the obvious and not-so-obvious? Read more
Published 3 months ago by P. Martin

2.0 out of 5 stars Yawn
Having a very hard time getting excited about this particular book even though I love Scarpetta. I have read 14 other books in the meantime. Not good.
Published 3 months ago by Christina Hart

1.0 out of 5 stars It spectacularly fails my litmus test for mysteries...
The mystery/ suspense genre is one of my favorites in the realms of both fiction and film/TV. The first litmus test I apply to this kind of entertainment is: was I able to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by kcbranaghsgirl

1.0 out of 5 stars When is something going to start happening?
There's a spot in the lobby of my building where residents leave books and magazines they've finished with, and someone recently left "Scarpetta" there. Read more
Published 3 months ago by S. Petrica

1.0 out of 5 stars I wanted a quick thriller, and I got a dud.
This is the worst Patricia Cornwell book to date. Not only are the characters full of self-importance while lacking the life that's been expressed in previous Cornwell books, but... Read more
Published 3 months ago by HCS

4.0 out of 5 stars Go figure
About a year has passed since her nightmarish encounter with buddy Pete Marino, and Kay Scarpetta has relocated to Boston and NYC with her new husband, Benton Wesley. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Linda

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
› See all 7 discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   


Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:











i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.