Status
Available
Call number
Library's review
USA, Virginia, Richmond, 1989
Lori Petersen, skadestuelæge på Virginia Medical Center og gift med skuespilleren Matt Petersen, bliver det fjerde offer for en seriemorder. Der ser ikke ud til at være noget fælles træk ved ofrene. Retsmedicineren, Chief Medical Examiner, Kay Scarpettai, som er 40
Fingeraftryk på Lori matcher Matt og en mystisk substans der lyser i ultraviolet findes også på alle ofrene og på Matt. Nogen har brudt ind i computersystemerne og forsøger at gøre Kay til syndebuk for en resultatløs efterforskning. Journalisten Abby Turnbull dukker op og går autoriteterne på nerverne. Hendes søster Hennah Yarborough når at blive offer for morderen, hvilket ikke hjælper på hendes holdning til efterforskernes kompetance. Kay ringer til Cecile Tylers søster og opdager at hun "lyder hvid" selv om hun er sort, så måske har ofrene det til fælles at morderen har hørt, men ikke set dem. En gennemlæsning af opkald til 911 viser at alle ofre har haft ringet til 911 et stykke tid inden de blev overfaldet og myrdet.
Ret ulogisk bliver Kay angrebet af morderen i sit hjem, men Pete Marino griber ind og dræber morderen. Ret unødvendigt, da han kun er bevæbnet med en foldekniv, men selvtægt er jo et populært tema. Wingo finder ud af at Amburgey har forsøgt at sætte Kay op som syndebuk og det lækker de til Abby. Exit Amburgey.
Udmærket krimi i "Forensic mystery" genren bortset fra at morderen blot er en papfigur som bliver slået ihjel til sidst
Lori Petersen, skadestuelæge på Virginia Medical Center og gift med skuespilleren Matt Petersen, bliver det fjerde offer for en seriemorder. Der ser ikke ud til at være noget fælles træk ved ofrene. Retsmedicineren, Chief Medical Examiner, Kay Scarpettai, som er 40
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år og udnævnt til CME indenfor de sidste par år, leder efter spor, der kan fælde morderen. Hun får hjælp af fingeraftrykseksperten Neils Vander og af hendes 10-årige niece Lucy, der leger med Unix og Oracle i stedet for dukker. Politiefterforskningen ledes af Detective Pete Marino med hjælp af FBI profilekspert Benton Wesley. Bogens rammer er Richmond, Virginia med 220.000 indbyggere og tiden er juni 1989. Blandt bipersonerne er teknikeren Wingo, sekretæren Rose, systemadministrator Margaret, Kays søster Dorothy, commissioner Amburgey og District Attorney Bill Boltz, som Kay begynder at gå ud med.Fingeraftryk på Lori matcher Matt og en mystisk substans der lyser i ultraviolet findes også på alle ofrene og på Matt. Nogen har brudt ind i computersystemerne og forsøger at gøre Kay til syndebuk for en resultatløs efterforskning. Journalisten Abby Turnbull dukker op og går autoriteterne på nerverne. Hendes søster Hennah Yarborough når at blive offer for morderen, hvilket ikke hjælper på hendes holdning til efterforskernes kompetance. Kay ringer til Cecile Tylers søster og opdager at hun "lyder hvid" selv om hun er sort, så måske har ofrene det til fælles at morderen har hørt, men ikke set dem. En gennemlæsning af opkald til 911 viser at alle ofre har haft ringet til 911 et stykke tid inden de blev overfaldet og myrdet.
Ret ulogisk bliver Kay angrebet af morderen i sit hjem, men Pete Marino griber ind og dræber morderen. Ret unødvendigt, da han kun er bevæbnet med en foldekniv, men selvtægt er jo et populært tema. Wingo finder ud af at Amburgey har forsøgt at sætte Kay op som syndebuk og det lækker de til Abby. Exit Amburgey.
Udmærket krimi i "Forensic mystery" genren bortset fra at morderen blot er en papfigur som bliver slået ihjel til sidst
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Genres
Collection
Publication
Avon Books (2003), Paperback
Description
Discover the "dazzling...fascinating" (Los Angeles Times) novel that launched the New York Times bestselling Kay Scarpetta series from #1 bestselling crime writer Patricia Cornwell. Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerring eye, she calls on the latest advances in forensic research to unmask the madman. But this investigation will test Kay like no other, because it's being sabotaged from within--and someone wants her dead.
User reviews
LibraryThing member la_femme_jennifer
I recently re-read this book after first reading it 10+ years ago. Though I remembered some of the main plot points, I had forgotten enough of it that it felt fresh again. This is definitely a graphic book with some grisly descriptions, but in my opinion it's not gratuitous and instead reflects the
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nature of some rather grisly work. There are a few predictable plot turns but still enough surprises and twists to make it suspenseful. Word of caution- not the best book to read alone late at night (as I did) unless you're not in need of much sleep. More than once I found myself actually jump in response to noises outside. But that's also a testament to the effectiveness of her writing. As an aside, the book was written in 1990 and her descriptions of the latest advances in computers for that time brought back some fond memories. Show Less
LibraryThing member EmScape
It is evident that Cornwell knows what she's talking about when it comes to forensic medicine. She is also a compelling writer. It doesn't happen often enough in this genre that a scientific or forensic professional is also gifted in the 'actually writing a story' department, but when it does, it's
This is Cornwell's first effort, in which Dr. Kay Scarpetta is introduced. A quite interesting character with much back story to draw on as the series continues. The plotting is excellent as well. I thought I had the killer figured out halfway through the book, but I was quite wrong, and the revelation somewhat defies convention. My one complaint is that I am not a fan of the 'female-protagonist-crime-solver is personally threatened by the killer and that's how they catch him' trope. I think it's lazy, and demeans all of the excellent investigative work that's been done throughout the book. Kathy Reichs is a huge perpetrator of this, and I'm hoping, because I do intend to read more of Cornwell's books, that this doesn't continue in the succeeding volumes.
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very much worth reading. This is Cornwell's first effort, in which Dr. Kay Scarpetta is introduced. A quite interesting character with much back story to draw on as the series continues. The plotting is excellent as well. I thought I had the killer figured out halfway through the book, but I was quite wrong, and the revelation somewhat defies convention. My one complaint is that I am not a fan of the 'female-protagonist-crime-solver is personally threatened by the killer and that's how they catch him' trope. I think it's lazy, and demeans all of the excellent investigative work that's been done throughout the book. Kathy Reichs is a huge perpetrator of this, and I'm hoping, because I do intend to read more of Cornwell's books, that this doesn't continue in the succeeding volumes.
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LibraryThing member SmithSJ01
I loved this book. It's the first one with Dr Kay Scarpetta and also the first Cornwell book I've read. On both counts it won't be my last. I loved the characters and felt the plot raced along. I was never wondering how long to the next chapter or how many pages I had left to read. From the first
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line to the last this was enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member MsBeautiful
Good mystery, especially for someone who likes science/anatomy
LibraryThing member herschelian
The first of Cornwell's immensely popular crime novels featuring the feisty Medical Examiner, Dr Kay Scarpetta. A serial killer on the loose in Richmond, Virgina. Can Scarpetta dig up enough evidence to help the police catch the killer and confound the critics who say that a woman should not be
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holding this powerful job. Show Less
LibraryThing member miketroll
One for lovers of gruesome autopsy reports. After all Cornwell' s serial killers in Richmond VA, I don't understand why anyone still lives there.
LibraryThing member ct.bergeron
Under cover of night in Richmond, Virginia, a human monster strikes, leaving a gruesome trail of stranglings that has paralyzed the city. Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta suspects the worst: a deliberate campaign by a brilliant serial killer whose signature offers precious few clues. With an unerring
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eye, she calls on the latest advances in forensic research to unmask the madman. But this investigation will test Kay like no other, because it''s being sabotaged from within and someone wants her dead. Show Less
LibraryThing member BrianDewey
Cornwell, Patricia. Postmortem. Pocket Books, New York, 1990. Trashy paperback that I bought in the Portland airport and finished sitting on the tarmac at Dulles, waiting to take off from Seattle. Reminds me very much of Silence of the Lambsdown a killer, female protagonist, and the actual perp is
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not anyone that you know from the story. (That's the way this genre of book, the ``crime novel'', differs from a mysterypoint of a mystery is to determine which of the characters in the story committed the crime. The focus of these novels is the crime itself. There's no way to know the character.) As ``trashy'' as this book is, it's a compelling read, the characters are well-developed, it takes place in Virginia, and I like the story. I can easily see myself reading all of the other related novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwormteri
A serial killer is murdering women brutally all over the city, but how is he picking them? And just who is setting Dr. Scarpetta up as a scapegoat for the news leaks? Gripping and horrifying, Cornwell writes a great thriller.
LibraryThing member Darrol
I enjoy this series; the interaction with Marino is what makes this series in the early going. I enjoyed the Lucy character as well (Kay's niece). It was interesting reading about the state of computer technology during this book.
LibraryThing member litelady-ajh
Good mystery, bloody & thick on the medical terminology, but kept my interest.
LibraryThing member miyurose
After reading a bunch of her later books, I finally read this first one. And felt like I had read it before. The entire thing felt familiar, but I'm sure I haven't read it. And I felt like there was backstory I was missing, like maybe this wasn't the first book, after all. But, overall, another
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good one from Cornwell. I can't argue with a decent whodunit cop story complete with autopsies, right? Show Less
LibraryThing member jepeters333
Dr. Scarpetta helps to find a man who is murdering single women who live alone.
LibraryThing member kittykay
Reading Post-Mortem, I had really high expectations for this book. It received so much praise that I couldn’t wait to get into it, and at first I was quite disappointed; I thought the writing was cold, detached, and I could absolutely not relate to the narrator. I wasn’t sure I would get
My mother loves, loves, loves a good mystery. When I was a kid and we went to the library, she would borrow five of those and read them in a week. Not only did she gave me her love for reading, she also made me curious about mystery novels. I can say with absolute certainty though, that she wouldn’t like this one; Cornwell’s descriptions are precise, scary, some could say a little bit gory. Wheter she is at the crime seen or in her lab, Cornwell’s narrator, Scarpetta, describes with great details what’s in front of her. Reading Postmorterm is the literary equivalent of watching a C.S.I. episode. I’m quite certain that, if you don’t enjoy one, you won’t enjoy the other.
As for the writing, I enjoyed it enough. Cornwell did a good job of explaining some aspects of the procedurals without making it sound like a class. Scarpetta’s voice is interesting and, most importantly, human. I’d say I’m as far as you can get from being a M.E., and still, I felt I understood what Scarpetta was going through. Her insecurities, her fears, her doubts, her problems with her co-workers or her family were, in a way, similar to anyone’s. As the story goes, Scarpetta gets more tired and stressed by the events, and you can feel it in her actions and words. She shares with the readers her own hesitations and doubts, even those she wishes weren’t true.
You have to keep in mind that Postmortem has been written over 15 years ago, which makes the technology a little dated! There is no internet, no cell phones, and someone who knows more about medicine and procedurals than I do would probably find some of their “discoveries” quite funny. For me, it was part of the book’s magic, and it gave the investigations a different perspective from our more modern one.
The ending was a little predictable, but it is what you would expect from this kind of novel. I enjoyed the other characters, too. They were varied and interesting, giving different dynamics to Scarpetta’s home and work place. Looking back to the beginning of the book, I think I enjoyed it less because my expectations were so high. In the end though, it was a good choice for me. I’m definitely adding more Cornwell to my “TBR” list!
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through it, despite my interest in forensics. By page 100 though, the story had developped enough for me to keep on reading; and by page 200, I was completely hooked. I was curious about the story, about the killer, and even, finally, about the narrator, Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta.My mother loves, loves, loves a good mystery. When I was a kid and we went to the library, she would borrow five of those and read them in a week. Not only did she gave me her love for reading, she also made me curious about mystery novels. I can say with absolute certainty though, that she wouldn’t like this one; Cornwell’s descriptions are precise, scary, some could say a little bit gory. Wheter she is at the crime seen or in her lab, Cornwell’s narrator, Scarpetta, describes with great details what’s in front of her. Reading Postmorterm is the literary equivalent of watching a C.S.I. episode. I’m quite certain that, if you don’t enjoy one, you won’t enjoy the other.
As for the writing, I enjoyed it enough. Cornwell did a good job of explaining some aspects of the procedurals without making it sound like a class. Scarpetta’s voice is interesting and, most importantly, human. I’d say I’m as far as you can get from being a M.E., and still, I felt I understood what Scarpetta was going through. Her insecurities, her fears, her doubts, her problems with her co-workers or her family were, in a way, similar to anyone’s. As the story goes, Scarpetta gets more tired and stressed by the events, and you can feel it in her actions and words. She shares with the readers her own hesitations and doubts, even those she wishes weren’t true.
You have to keep in mind that Postmortem has been written over 15 years ago, which makes the technology a little dated! There is no internet, no cell phones, and someone who knows more about medicine and procedurals than I do would probably find some of their “discoveries” quite funny. For me, it was part of the book’s magic, and it gave the investigations a different perspective from our more modern one.
The ending was a little predictable, but it is what you would expect from this kind of novel. I enjoyed the other characters, too. They were varied and interesting, giving different dynamics to Scarpetta’s home and work place. Looking back to the beginning of the book, I think I enjoyed it less because my expectations were so high. In the end though, it was a good choice for me. I’m definitely adding more Cornwell to my “TBR” list!
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LibraryThing member hoosgracie
Reread Cornwell’s first Scarpetta novel. It was good to re-read her early work where the mystery was first and things hadn’t gotten weird yet.
LibraryThing member etimme
After reading this and seeing the publication date (1992) I really wonder how much the CSI franchise was influenced by it. Cornwell did a large amount of research before writing this book, and I appreciated her attention to detail. She's a meticulous writer, much as I regard Tom Clancy to be.
The
The
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book was a very quick read, and I had two frustrations with it. While well written, I had hoped to see more about our characters. Secondly, I was frustrated by the heroine being (predictably) at the mercy of the mystery villain only to be saved by a cop who has too much free time on his hands. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ti99er
Year after year after year, I have been at either a book store or grocery store book rack and have perused the back cover of a Patricia Cornwell, Scarpetta novel. Yet each time I put it back and never made the purchase. I am not sure why this was the case, her premises and storylines always seemed
I decided to start from the beginning with Cornwell's debut Scarpetta novel. Overall it was an engaging story that tracks an intelligent serial killer who doesn't leave to many tracks. The complexity of solving the case becomes even more difficult when someone close to the investigation is leaking key information to the media. As Dr. Scarpetta gets closer to solving the case, she also gets closer to risking her own life.
This book was a solid read, and it was interesting to see how far forensic science has come in 20 years. Back when this book was published the use of DNA testing to solve a crime was in its infancy, and therefore wasn't always a homerun for standing up in court.
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engaging, yet I never read one of her books. This year I promised myself I would read one (or more) of these books. I even collected a half a dozen of them through Bookmooch and from my local library book sales. Well when I looked at the calendar and saw the year was coming to a close, I felt it was time to pick one up. I decided to start from the beginning with Cornwell's debut Scarpetta novel. Overall it was an engaging story that tracks an intelligent serial killer who doesn't leave to many tracks. The complexity of solving the case becomes even more difficult when someone close to the investigation is leaking key information to the media. As Dr. Scarpetta gets closer to solving the case, she also gets closer to risking her own life.
This book was a solid read, and it was interesting to see how far forensic science has come in 20 years. Back when this book was published the use of DNA testing to solve a crime was in its infancy, and therefore wasn't always a homerun for standing up in court.
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LibraryThing member jwcooper3
With all her success it would be foolish of me to say I didn't like this book. I did like it, as I do most of Cornwell's work, but there was a certain suspense missing, no fault of the author's. One of the disadvantages of reading the first installment of a series after having read several other
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volumes is that the reader knows the main characters aren't in any real danger; the knowledge that they will be, at the most, slightly injured if at all lends a feeling of safety to an otherwise thrilling adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member culturehandy
I found the first in the Scarpetta series to be slow building and fast ending. There was hardly any build up to the conclusion and subsequent solving of the crime.
I also found that the book contained a lot of small details about technology which was used, where other areas where skimmed over.
The
I also found that the book contained a lot of small details about technology which was used, where other areas where skimmed over.
The
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book was enough for me to attempt the second in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mishaken
Allthought the story itself is quite good and Cornwell writes strongly and convincing, for me there was something missing. I can't quite put my finger on it since it is all well researched, well written and plausible but as the end drew near I noticed myself counting down the pages.
The author did
Honestly, Patricia Cornwell knows her job and writes down a story as it should be done. It's just not the 'thrilling' experience I'd hoped it to be.
The author did
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convince me to read more of her work, especially this particular series with Kay Scarpetta because the character is so appealing.Honestly, Patricia Cornwell knows her job and writes down a story as it should be done. It's just not the 'thrilling' experience I'd hoped it to be.
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LibraryThing member caroren
Medical examiner, Kay Scarpetta, is up against a gruesome set of medical clues. The victims are women who were strangled and tortured by a very clever serial killer who can't be stopped. Really great Scarpetta story!
LibraryThing member verenka
I've heard so much about the Kay Scarpetta novels that I wanted to try the first one. I must say as far as serial killer thrillers go, this one was a good one. The ending was to be expected and it appears one major clue was ignored. I was surprised about how big a deal was made out of DNA analysis.
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The book isn't that old, but of course a lot happened in that area in the last 15 years.. Show Less
LibraryThing member LaPhenix
Really slow start, she doesn't really pick it up until the end, but the writing and intensity is incredible when she does.
LibraryThing member Ayling
This was given to me as a birthday present from a friend here on GR which makes this book one hundred times more special and unique. I think when reading a book given or recommended so enthusiastically by someone whom you like there is an added element to reading. Although this does add a little
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bit of pressure - will you like it and what will you say if you don't?Well I always tell the truth as I don't care for beating about the bush.And I loved this. I was hooked from page one until the very last page and I could barely put it down. Cornwell has a very good style of writing - it is suspenseful, the right about of tension to induce that page turning effect a good crime novel like this needs. I'm not experienced very much in this genre which I have slowly began to get into over the past year, but all that I have read so far share that ability.This is the first in the Scarpetta series and also the first I have read and I really enjoyed it. This book was published in 1990 and was one of the first to use forensics as a base for it's main character - rather then the detective as you would expect. Of course since then we have had the CSI franchise - and in the UK we have Silent Witness and Waking the Dead which both have a forensic element. One of the most interesting aspects I found was actually how technologically we have advanced since 1990 - as the internet and computers was not quite as is now as it was then. So I am interested in comparing her books as they progress through the series for that reason in part.So in a way the storyline itself is not really so unfamiliar as I have seen it on TV dramas in many various different ways, but I have actually yet to read of one. I am enjoying this genre of fiction very much and glad to add another author and series to my growing TBR. Show Less
LibraryThing member delphimo
I have never read any the Kay Scarpetta series, and I found this a well-written book. The medical discussion was too thorough at times, but Cornwell does a good job incorporating all the aspects of the story. She leads the reader to draw incorrect assumptions about the killer, only to surprise the
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reader at the end of the novel. Cornwell presents a realistic world where everyone has his or her own agenda. The description of the murder scene and all the infinite tasks to find the killer show the hoops that are necessary to find a killer. Of course, there is the character of Pete Marino who complicates matters. Is Pete a good or bad cop? Will Kay continue to fight for her career in a male dominated world? Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Edgar Award (Nominee — First Novel — 1991)
Anthony Award (Nominee — First Novel — 1991)
Crime Writers' Association Awards (Winner — 1990)
Macavity Award (Winner — First Novel — 1991)
Prix du Roman d'Aventures (1992)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1990
Physical description
339 p.; 17 cm
ISBN
0380710218 / 9780380710218
Local notes
Omslag: Ikke angivet
Omslaget viser en skalpel, der drypper blod på en knude på et reb
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Kay Scarpetta (engelsk), bind 1
Omslaget viser en skalpel, der drypper blod på en knude på et reb
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Kay Scarpetta (engelsk), bind 1
Similar in this library
Series
Pages
339
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |