Part of Kay Scarpetta, book 27
First published 2023
Dr. Kay Scarpetta ventures into the Northern Virginia wilderness to examine what remains of two campers. Federal law enforcement had been hunting these victims before something else found them first. The bodies have been torn apart so brutally that identification seems impossible. Scarpetta discovers evidence that defies explanation, including a footprint far larger than any human could make. The body retrieval becomes the most disturbing of her career as chief medical examiner. She must determine what kind of killer could inflict such savage damage and what drove them to these acts. The investigation forces Scarpetta to confront violence that pushes the boundaries of her forensic expertise.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, serial-killer
Setting: Northern Virginia
432 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: body-horror, gore, graphic-violence, murder