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Kay Scarpetta #5, 6
The Body Farm / From Potter's Field
This great-value double-pack contains books five and six in Patricia Cornwell’s renowned Dr Kay Scarpetta crime fiction series.
The Body Farm: After an 11-year-old girl is found murdered in the small town of Black Mountain, North Carolina, Dr Scarpetta uses her forensic skills to track the killer. The Body Farm, a research institute that tests the decomposition of corpses, proves to be an enlightening place …
From Potter’s Field: It’s Christmas time and a body has been discovered in New York’s Central Park. All signs point to Dr Scarpetta’s old nemesis, Temple Brooks Gault, as the killer. Scarpetta’s colleagues, Marino and Wesley, provide support as this murder case becomes dangerously out of control.
The Body Farm: After an 11-year-old girl is found murdered in the small town of Black Mountain, North Carolina, Dr Scarpetta uses her forensic skills to track the killer. The Body Farm, a research institute that tests the decomposition of corpses, proves to be an enlightening place …
From Potter’s Field: It’s Christmas time and a body has been discovered in New York’s Central Park. All signs point to Dr Scarpetta’s old nemesis, Temple Brooks Gault, as the killer. Scarpetta’s colleagues, Marino and Wesley, provide support as this murder case becomes dangerously out of control.
- GenresMystery
391 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
7 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Cornwell
195 books19.7k followersPatricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, in 1990 while working as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. Postmortem, was the first bona fide forensic thriller. It paved the way for an explosion of entertainment featuring in all things forensic across film, television and literature.
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 26, 2018
Although not a crime-thriller reader, Patricia Cornwell whisks me into her pace; wanting victims and their champions to triumph: Kay Scarpetta, her computer whiz niece, Lucy, policeman, Pete Marino, and FBI-profiler, Benton Wesley. A detail person, I always recommend publication order but herein, we see friendships with Pete and Benton develop and Lucy growing up. What is fun is, computers visibly advance! People used dial-up modems until 2006. In my town, we still need them! Therefore I know them, in Patricia's mysteries. In “From Potter's Field”, 1995: I laughed at the FBI's 20-gigabyte database. Our harddrive is a terabyte: 1000 gigabytes.
This is the third story about the terrible criminal, most urgent to seize. Quite originally, the crux was identifying a victim, not him. “Enjoy” is never the word for harsh stories, which seldom accrue five stars from me but I anticipated four. The trip to the monster's parents was emotional and when Kay melted-down, psychiatrist friend, Anna, rejuvenated her. New York's subway catacombs were a very unique setting and I loved their transit police chief inviting friendship with Kay; observing that women in their tough jobs need to unite.
A jibe about killing a squirrel put me off but three stars reflect a fumbled ending. An additional officer was murdered without explanation.... A dropped weapon.... Danger approaching while police were elsewhere.... those clichés! Kay's trip and Lucy's boldness later are irrational, after being cautious through the whole novel. I favour brisk dialogue but Patricia's can be flat; using “said”, when queries should be marked with “asked”. However, her plotting is remarkably complex and I have became fond of her quartet. By gum, I am a fan!
* With compilations I always record novels, like “The Body Farm” individually, to reflect the number I read. I show the omnibuses I own, at the final novel. This review is of “From Potter's Field”.
This is the third story about the terrible criminal, most urgent to seize. Quite originally, the crux was identifying a victim, not him. “Enjoy” is never the word for harsh stories, which seldom accrue five stars from me but I anticipated four. The trip to the monster's parents was emotional and when Kay melted-down, psychiatrist friend, Anna, rejuvenated her. New York's subway catacombs were a very unique setting and I loved their transit police chief inviting friendship with Kay; observing that women in their tough jobs need to unite.
A jibe about killing a squirrel put me off but three stars reflect a fumbled ending. An additional officer was murdered without explanation.... A dropped weapon.... Danger approaching while police were elsewhere.... those clichés! Kay's trip and Lucy's boldness later are irrational, after being cautious through the whole novel. I favour brisk dialogue but Patricia's can be flat; using “said”, when queries should be marked with “asked”. However, her plotting is remarkably complex and I have became fond of her quartet. By gum, I am a fan!
* With compilations I always record novels, like “The Body Farm” individually, to reflect the number I read. I show the omnibuses I own, at the final novel. This review is of “From Potter's Field”.
December 16, 2022
Tension rose to a peak in this story. Temple Gault, a merciless psychopath, begins to implode. This character has killed many people in the past two books. The FBI and police can't seem to catch this creature. I felt like I couldn't take a deep breath until the end. If you enjoy solving murders and getting your heart rate raised, this is the book for you. I would encourage you to read Patricia's books from the beginning. They build on each other.
Phew! Great writing!
Phew! Great writing!
February 5, 2025
Review coming soon
September 21, 2011
Amazing how she makes the most distrubing factors of death interesting!
May 26, 2013
It took me forever to read this book, an indication that it was not interesting. I found it a little tiring to read.
July 12, 2014
Only read "From Potters Farm
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews