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Depraved Heart: A Scarpetta Novel Mass Market Paperback – June 28 2016

by Patricia Cornwell (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 19,028 ratings
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Patricia Cornwell delivers the newest engrossing thriller in her high-stakes series starring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta.

Depraved Heart: “Void of social duty and fatally bent on mischief.”

—Mayes v. People, 806 III. 306 (1883)

Dr. Kay Scarpetta is working a suspicious death scene in Cambridge, Massachusetts when an emergency alert sounds on her phone. A video link lands in her text messages and seems to be from her computer genius niece Lucy. But how can it be? It’s clearly a surveillance film of Lucy taken almost twenty years ago.

As Scarpetta watches she begins to learn frightening secrets about her niece, whom she has loved and raised like a daughter. That film clip and then others sent soon after raise dangerous legal implications that increasingly isolate Scarpetta and leave her confused, worried, and not knowing where to turn. She doesn’t know whom she can tell—not her FBI husband Benton Wesley or her investigative partner Pete Marino. Not even Lucy.

In this new novel, Cornwell launches these unforgettable characters on an intensely psychological odyssey that includes the mysterious death of a Hollywood mogul’s daughter, aircraft wreckage on the bottom of the sea in the Bermuda Triangle, a grisly gift left in the back of a crime scene truck, and videos from the past that threaten to destroy Scarpetta’s entire world and everyone she loves. The diabolical presence behind what unfolds seems obvious—but strangely, not to the FBI. Certainly that’s the message they send when they raid Lucy’s estate and begin building a case that could send her to prison for the rest of her life.

In the latest novel in her bestselling series featuring chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Cornwell will captivate readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and cutting-edge forensic detail that she is famous for, proving yet again why she’s the world’s #1 bestselling crime writer.

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Previous page
  1. Book 23 of 28
    Kay Scarpetta
  2. Print length
    560 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    William Morrow
  5. Publication date
    June 28 2016
  6. Dimensions
    10.64 x 3.2 x 19.05 cm
  7. ISBN-10
    0062325418
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0062325419
  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel Patricia Cornwell Read More
Flesh and Blood (Scarpetta) Depraved Heart Chaos
Flesh and Blood Depraved Heart Chaos
Customer Reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
19,038
4.0 out of 5 stars
19,028
3.9 out of 5 stars
21,152
Price $24.62 $11.20 $20.84

Product description

Review

“Dr. Kay Scarpetta, who keeps us coming back to Patricia Cornwell’s sprawling crime novels, is one tough broad. … Once Scarpetta decides to ferret out Lucy’s secrets, the novel becomes more of a psychological thriller.” (New York Times Book Review)

“Scarpetta’s current case, Lucy’s troubles with the Feds, and Carrie’s spooky blast from the past are all on an inevitable collision course, and Cornwell shows surprising restraint in reining in her plot and keeping it tightly focused on her well-developed core characters.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Another gritty, world-weary tale of mayhem by masterful mysterian Cornwell. . . . Terse and tangled, messy and body-fluidy, and altogether satisfying.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Dark and cleverly plotted.” (Booklist)

“Cornwell’s demonic plot shifts and changes almost page by page, so the reader’s spun round not knowing what to believe… This intense rush of a mystery will keep you guessing up until the very scary conclusion.” (Providence Journal)

“Another gritty, world-weary tale of mayhem by masterful mysterian Cornwell. . . . Terse and tangled, messy and body-fluidy, and altogether satisfying.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Dr. Kay Scarpetta, who keeps us coming back to Patricia Cornwell’s sprawling crime novels, is one tough broad. . . . Once Scarpetta decides to ferret out Lucy’s secrets, the novel becomes more of a psychological thriller…” (New York Times Book Review)

“Heart-stopping, paranoia-fueled, propulsively readable, viscerally suspenseful, disconcertingly shifty… Cornwell’s demonic plot shifts and changes almost page by page, so the reader’s spun round not knowing what to believe… This intense rush of a mystery will keep you guessing up until the very scary conclusion.” (Providence Journal)

From the Back Cover

Dr. Kay Scarpetta is working a highly suspicious death scene in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when an emergency alert sounds on her phone. A video link seems to be from her niece Lucy. But how can it be? It’s clearly a surveillance film of Lucy taken almost twenty years ago.

As Scarpetta watches she comes to grips with frightening secrets about her niece. That first clip and others sent soon after raise dangerous implications that increasingly isolate Scarpetta and leave her confused, alarmed, and not knowing where to turn. The diabolical presence and singularly “depraved heart” behind what unfolds seems obvious—but strangely, not to the FBI. Certainly that’s the message they send when they start harassing Lucy and begin building a case that could send her to prison for the rest of her life.

In the latest novel in her bestselling series featuring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Cornwell captivates readers again with the jolting twists, high-wire tension, and cutting-edge forensic detail for which she is renowned, proving yet again why she is the world’s number one bestselling crime writer.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow; Reprint edition (June 28 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 560 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062325418
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062325419
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 315 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.64 x 3.2 x 19.05 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 19,028 ratings

About the author

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Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell

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In 1990, Patricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, while working at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. An auspicious debut, it went 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. Growing into an international phenomenon, the Scarpetta series won 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.

Today, Cornwell’s novels and iconic characters are known around the world. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Cornwell has written the definitive nonfiction account of Jack the Ripper’s identity, cookbooks, a children’s book, a biography of Ruth Graham, and two other fictional series based on the characters Win Garano and Andy Brazil. While writing Quantum, Cornwell spent two years researching space, technology, and robotics at Captain Calli Chase’s home base, NASA’s Langley Research Center, and studied cutting-edge law enforcement and security techniques with the Secret Service, the US Air Force, NASA Protective Services, Scotland Yard, and Interpol.

Cornwell was born in Miami. She grew up in Montreat, North Carolina, and now lives and works in Boston and Los Angeles.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
19,028 global ratings

Top reviews from Canada

ginny
5.0 out of 5 stars Suspectable
Reviewed in Canada on September 12, 2019
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I like this story . You don't meet whom I feel is the main character. She is a exFBI,, and she making the other characters be on their toes and she uses people whom she feels are weak to achieve her goal. She is out for revenge on her former lover. You have to read it. I could not put it down.
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Alice
4.0 out of 5 stars It is becoming boring in the long run
Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2015
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it is way too long before Scarpetta caches up to Carrie Gretchen. It is becoming boring in the long run.
One person found this helpful
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KS
3.0 out of 5 stars A little too convolute!
Reviewed in Canada on March 9, 2016
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I love Patricia Cornwall's work and Kay Scarpetta is a fascinating protagonist. All the same, I found this book spent too much time building suspense by repeated descriptions of feelings of doom and confusion which slowed down the plot and actually became tedious instead of creating suspense. Too many repeated references to past events...we got it the first time! It took me a third of the way into the book before I became interested in finishing it. Not a bad book, but less readable than Cornwall's other works.
One person found this helpful
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Mmbathu1
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Writer
Reviewed in Canada on July 5, 2016
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My wife loves Patricia Cornwell. She is good and pacey writer with great imagination. I think we have bought most of her work over the years and will again when she writes her next. The sales service was good
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Photos n Frets
5.0 out of 5 stars Storyline.
Reviewed in Canada on June 2, 2020
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This is another complex piece of writin from this author. Always intriguing.
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bellesque
4.0 out of 5 stars Another Interesting Scarpetta novel.
Reviewed in Canada on June 16, 2016
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Another interesting Cornwell Scarpetta novel. It was slow getting into with Scarpetta watching videos for a huge chunk of time which could have been cut by half and still get the point across. Another intriguing bad guy, as it were. What is good about this is that the conclusion isn't as out of the blue as previous Scarpetta novels, which was starting to wear thin on otherwise extremely well-written novels, but for the endings. I actually braced myself for another let-down ending, but this one worked.
One person found this helpful
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Charlotte
2.0 out of 5 stars Dazed and confused
Reviewed in Canada on October 12, 2016
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I have been reading the Scarpetta novels since the very first one. After a while I didn't keep up with the series, but dipped in and out when a book came my way, and never had any issues with the writing or catching up with the characters. Depraved Heart has been an uphill slog of a read for me because most of the book feels like I am stuck in Scarpetta's head being told very little of what's happening, and not shown anything. The first person narrative is repetitive, going over themes that any reader of the series is already familiar with until it becomes annoying in the extreme. Even new readers must be familiar with those themes by half-way through, yet they are exhaustively gone over even close to the end of the book. I am still wondering where the story is as I finish reading...
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars But despite that any book of Patricia Cornwell is always great. I will gift this one out to my ...
Reviewed in Canada on December 31, 2016
Verified Purchase
size was the size of a pocket book even though a hardcover, this was a shock as normally when I order hardcover I get a full size book, my eyes need larger books that's why I never buy the soft cover books. But despite that any book of Patricia Cornwell is always great. I will gift this one out to my niece, and get a regular size one later.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Catherine Craig, UK
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2023
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This is book 23 in the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell. Patricia is one of my favourite authors, and I have read all of her books. She is a fantastic and clever writer. I love her characters Kay, Lucy, Benton and Marino, and I always enjoy reading about every case they are investigating.

In this book, Scarpetta is investigating the death of a Hollywood mogul’s daughter, as well as trying to find out more about the disturbing video clips she has received about Lucy. As well as looking after her dead patients, she must protect her family too.

Highly recommended!
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Gabriela Baldisserotto
2.0 out of 5 stars Slow
Reviewed in Brazil on March 29, 2018
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For the first time I was disappointed with a book by Cornwell. I found it slow, almost dragging, with no much action going on and had to be patient to finish the book. Less entertaining than her earlier works.
One person found this helpful
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L G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great author
Reviewed in Germany on December 7, 2019
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Usual gripping story from Patricia Cornwell, I've been reading her books for years, but somehow this one was overlooked.
It isn't always necessary to read her books in the order they were written. Thoroughly recommend her.
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A. Porcella
5.0 out of 5 stars I like the books of Patricia Cornwell.
Reviewed in Italy on May 20, 2019
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I liked Patricia Cornwell’s latest Kay Scarpetta thriller, Depraved Heart. It's not as good as her early books. I miss when Dr. Scarpetta performed autopsies. Too many secrets and half-truths in this book. However Lucy is the center of this book and is clear that Kay won't protect Lucy if she went against the law again. The “data fiction” phenomenon was very interesting. The most of the book happens inside Kay head. But eventually it was another good story to read till the end. And now waiting the next one.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on May 23, 2017
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Its an awesome read..Patricia Cornwell does it again..
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