Identity Unknown

LoveReading Says

I first met Kay Scarpetta in the '90s when I  picked up Patricia Cornwell's debut Postmortem, and I was hooked. Thirty years on, we are presented with the 28th Scarpetta book, and I'm still a huge fan. 

Medical examiner Scarpetta is summoned to an abandoned theme park, devastated to find the body of her old flame and long time friend, acclaimed astrophysicist Nobel Laureate and advisor to the White House Sal Giordano. Fondly known as the ET Whisperer, a believer in extra-terrestrial beings, the rumour mill goes into overdrive, has Giordano met with friends from another planet?

Constantly cleaning up the mess the previous Medical Examiner left her, Scarpetta along with her trusty Head of Investigations Pete Marino does her best to focus on the ensuing investigation in front of her. Although her fiercely loyal ball of muscle and of stress quite often causes more trouble than perhaps he's worth, especially when the jealousy bursts to the fore. 

And they're all here again for this latest horror of an adventure. Them again faced with the worst of humanity. One highly functioning family. Scarpetta's niece Secret Service Agent Lucy Farinelli; Benton, her forensic psychiatrist husband who's a top threat analyst with the Secret Service. Working together to solve the mystery of Sal being jettisoned from some type of flying object. identity unknown. As well as navigating a complicated case of child abuse and potential murder by a monstrous couple. As a forensic pathologist Scarpetta's job is to present the facts with no interest in the outcome but 7 year old Luna Briley's death is outrageous, her little body a road map of abuse and Scarpetta is finding it hard to separate the emotion as well as disassociate with the loss of one of her oldest friends.

I love this series which feels like the comfort of an old friend, yet again I sink into it and fly through the pages. It's bang up-to-date with the latest AI tech and tons of action-packed investigations as Scarpetta is forced into all manner of scary situations including a dive into shark infested waters to retrieve yet another body who was pulled into the nightmare. With an influential scumbag billionaire used to getting his own way and ex-employees with an axe to grind, Scarpetta is again put through her paces. She might be a bit older than when we first met her, but she's still got it. And hurrah for that. Come on old friend, I'm already looking forward to our next adventure together. Roll on book 29.

Deborah Maclaren

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