Book of the Dead

About “Book of the Dead”

Patricia Cornwell's 2007 crime novel follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta as she moves to Charleston, South Carolina, to establish a private forensic pathology practice. After a difficult case in Florida, she seeks a change of pace and location. With colleagues Pete Marino and her niece Lucy, she offers crime-scene investigation and autopsies to communities without access to modern death investigation. However, she faces resistance from local politicians and hidden enemies trying to drive her out. Soon after, a series of violent deaths occur, including a young man who jumps from a water tower, a woman murdered in her home, and a boy's body found in a marsh. Meanwhile, a patient at a Harvard-affiliated hospital in New England hints at connections that are both disturbing and complex. Scarpetta, known for her expertise, faces her most challenging and terrifying cases yet.