Unnatural death by Patricia Cornwell

Whether you are a massive fan, or new to the work of Patricia Cornwell, this latest book in the Kay Scarpetta series will have you churning with suspense as you fly through the pages.

The story jumps straight in to Kay Scarpetta leaving for the scene of two brutal and extraordinary deaths. Scarpetta is working in difficult circumstances, not always amongst friends. The reader hears her internal thoughts as she navigates a political world that is as dangerous as the suspects she is closing in on.

This gripping thriller has the reader enthralled from the first page. Patricia Cornwell includes cutting-edge forensic technologies in her work along with the latest in AI technologies. The high stakes implications of AI in the work of criminals and law enforcement are seamlessly woven through a complex narrative that keeps the reader guessing until the end. The reader also receives a crash course in avoiding thermal imagers. Signature management is another evolving area of military and defence organisations.

Patricia Cornwell is a master at writing crime and her much loved character, Kay Scarpetta, is feisty in this latest story. Kay effectively questions and reflects on the mysterious and the malevolent, as the reader remains conscious of a watching presence across the book. Kay is also showing maturity and wisdom in her relationships in this book – taking care to maintain and nurture her relationships with colleagues and family while experiencing tremendous pressure and adversity.

The book ends with the reader knowing this story is not quite completely resolved and eagerly awaiting the next book.

Themes: Relationships (family, friends, romance), Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Forensic medicine, Artificial Intelligence, Terrorism.

Linda Guthrie