Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell is an American crime fiction author who revolutionised the genre with her Kay Scarpetta series, which introduced forensic pathology to millions of readers and helped create the modern forensic thriller. Her novels have sold over a hundred million copies worldwide. Born Patricia Carroll Daniels in Miami, Florida in 1956, Cornwell grew up in Montreat, North Carolina and studied English at Davidson College. She worked as a reporter for The Charlotte Observer and later as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia — an experience that provided the authentic forensic detail that would define her fiction. Postmortem (1990) introduced Dr Kay Scarpetta, chief medical examiner of Virginia, and became the first novel to win the Edgar Award, the Creesey Award, the Anthony Award, and the Macavity Award in a single year. The Scarpetta series — including All That Remains, The Body Farm, Cause of Death, Point of Origin, and over twenty-five novels — follows Scarpetta as she uses forensic science to solve violent crimes. Cornwell's innovation was to make forensic science the engine of her plots — her readers learned about autopsy procedures, trace evidence, DNA analysis, and the science of death alongside Scarpetta, who became one of the most popular and influential characters in modern crime fiction. Beyond Scarpetta, Cornwell has written the Andy Brazil police series and non-fiction including Portrait of a Killer, her investigation into the identity of Jack the Ripper. The audiobook editions of Cornwell's novels are gripping and authoritative. Her books and audiobooks are essential for crime fiction fans who love forensic detail, strong female protagonists, and the writer who made forensic science a cornerstone of modern thriller fiction.