Part of Kay Scarpetta, book 3
First published 1992
Four couples have vanished around Richmond, Virginia. Months pass before their mutilated remains surface. Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the chief medical examiner, faces mounting pressure when the drug czar's daughter disappears with her boyfriend. The killer leaves few traces, matching Kay's skill at finding evidence with an equal talent for destroying it. Kay follows a grim chain of clues that connects these fresh murders to an older, brutal crime. She must rely on her own resources and expertise to catch a murderer who understands forensic investigation well enough to stay ahead of it. Time runs short as the body count rises and the stakes climb higher.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, cat-and-mouse
Setting: Richmond, Virginia
Period: Contemporary
373 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: graphic-violence, murder