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Patricia Cornwell
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From Potter's Field Hardcover – August 2, 1995

by Patricia Cornwell (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,029 ratings
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#1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell returns to the chilling world of gutsy medical examiner Kay Scarpetta in this classic forensic thriller.

An unidentified nude female sits propped against a fountain in Central Park. There are no signs of struggle. When Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her colleagues Benton Wesley and Pete Marino arrive on the scene, they instantly recognize the signature of serial killer Temple Brooks Gault. Scarpetta, on assignment with the FBI, visits the New York City morgue on Christmas morning, where she must use her forensic expertise to give a name to the nameless—a difficult task. But as she sorts through conflicting forensic clues, Gault claims his next victim. He has infiltrated the FBI’s top secret artificial-intelligence system developed by Scarpetta’s niece, and sends taunting messages as his butchery continues, moving terrifyingly closer to Scarpetta herself.
Previous page
  1. Book 6 of 28
    Kay Scarpetta
  2. Print length
    416 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Scribner
  5. Publication date
    August 2, 1995
  6. Dimensions
    6.13 x 1.2 x 9.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    9780684195988
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0684195988
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta plays a tense cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer, an old enemy, in her sixth outing (following The Body Farm), and he has her badly rattled. The story begins as a rotten Christmas for Scarpetta: Temple Gault has struck again, leaving a naked, apparently homeless girl shot in Central Park on Christmas Eve; Scarpetta, as the FBI's consulting pathologist, is called in. Later, a transit cop is found shot in a subway tunnel, and, back home in Richmond, Va., the body of a crooked local sheriff is delivered to Scarpetta's own morgue by the elusive, brilliant Gault. The normally unflappable Scarpetta finds herself hyperventilating and nearly shooting her own niece. In the end, some ingenious forensic detective work and a visit to the killer's agonized family set up a high-tech climax back in the New York subway, which Gault treats as the Phantom of the Opera did the sewers of Paris. There's something faintly unconvincing about Gault (in a competitive field, it's tough to create a really horrific serial killer), and Scarpetta, stuck with her own family troubles and involved in a rather glum affair with a colleague, seems to be running low on energy. Still, this is a compelling, fast-moving tale, written in a highly compressed style, and only readers who know that Cornwell can do better are likely to complain. Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Mystery Guild selections.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

What a letdown! After the emotionally involving The Body Farm (LJ 9/1/94), Cornwell returns with a ludicrously convoluted plot involving the not very interesting serial killer Temple Brooks Gault, first seen in Cruel and Unusual (Scribner, 1993) and making a fleeting appearance in The Body Farm. The book opens on a snowy Christmas Eve in New York's Central Park with Gault standing over the body of his latest victim, sculpting a bloody snowball. When Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a consulting pathologist for the FBI, and her colleagues Wesley Benton and Pete Morino examine the unidentified nude woman, they recognize Gault's handiwork. Thus begins a long, tedious cat-and-mouse chase as Gault taunts Scarpetta by infiltrating CAIN, the FBI's artificial-intelligence system. The bodies and the gore pile up. Readers unfamiliar with the earlier books will find Cornwell's story confusing. Still, her books are popular, so there will be demand.
--Wilda Williams, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0684195984
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scribner; First Edition (August 2, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780684195988
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0684195988
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.56 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 1.2 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,029 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

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
5,029 global ratings
From Potter's Field
5 Stars
From Potter's Field
Book 6 of the Scarpetta series. Again, I love it. Patricia Cornwell is one of my favorites. Easy to lose track of time.
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Top reviews from the United States

Bluesprofessor
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most thrilling Scarpetta novels
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Worth six stars. Rich in detail, unexpected turns, pathos, and great descriptions of the conflicting thoughts and actions of Kay, Lucy, Marino, Benton, and the uber evil duo of Temple Gault and Carrie Grethen. Intricate subplots, lyrical description of locales, and vivid portrayals of intriguing supporting characters.
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Shannon M Williamson
5.0 out of 5 stars intense end to another Scarpetta admirer
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
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Enjoyed the conflict between Kay and the others in this book. Showed the depth of the feelings she has for what she does and her “patients”
Another great read
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Crystal Toller
4.0 out of 5 stars Kay Scarpetta
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2021
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Dr. Scarpetta is getting ready to fly to Miami to spend Christmas with her mother who is in the hospital when Temple Gault kills a homeless woman in New York. How Scarpetta, Lucy, Marino and Benton Wesley unravel the tale of the homeless woman and go after Temple Gault makes for an intriguing and exciting read.
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Tom R Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinated with the forensic world of Dr. Scarpetta
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024
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Page turner. Easy to get invested in this storyline. Dr. Scarpetta, Detective Marino and Agent Wesley are relatable. Good read. Good series.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars So good
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
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Absolutely riveting story. Way to go, Scarpetta! [Ugh! This sentence is just fulfilling the frustratingly innane minimum word requirement. ]
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rosekrystofolski
5.0 out of 5 stars Sixth book of The Scarpetta Series
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
Sixth, and one of my all time favorite books in The Scarpetta Series. This books starts with a psychopath at large, Temple Brooks Gault murdering a woman in the snow in New York City over the holidays and causing all kinds of other trouble. The investigation proves a lot, including that he has stolen one of Scarpetta's credit cards and is telling people that he is her son. He has a submissive partner, Carrie Gretham that is caught on a hidden video helping him murder someone that he later personally delivers to Scarpetta at the morgue. Benton Wesley has Lucy use the computer program she designed, CAIN to follow his movements and then trap him in New York where Scarpetta, Wesley and Marino go to hopefully catch Gault before he can kill anyone else.
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Good again
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Potter's field was another good read. Not happy with the ending...we are to guess that Temple is dead...I don't think so...also author if you want to describe what Bently is wearing in a certain scene then remember because in one description you said he has on a sweater and dark slacks, but then you say he moved his tie to bend over, just a little mistake, but I had to check back to see if I missed something. And if Temple is so clever then why does he need his sisters money, it's chump change, certainly not worth him getting himself caught...just saying he's got Kays credit card! Well I'm on to the next book in the series!
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Coby
4.0 out of 5 stars Outrageous Kindle price for this book!
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
I have no problem with this book's quality, but the Kindle price is outrageous. While traveling abroad, I rely on my Kindle books so I don't have to carry books with me. I got into these books and was reading them in order, usually $9.99 each for the Kindle edition. Then I came to this one - OUTRAGEOUS at about $15 for this one book! If I run into this price again, I'll simply not buy it. There is no good rationale for charging under $10 for some of these books, then $15 for some. When I see this price again, I'll just put it on my "get-it-free-at-the-library" list!!! The publisher's unwise and irrational decision to charge this much will decrease sales - at least from this customer!
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Top reviews from other countries

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Daytona
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, affordable purchase
Reviewed in Canada on March 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Patricia Cornwell is by far my favourite author. I decided to buy the book because the library option was taking far too long as i am rereading the Scarlett’s series in order. It’s been over a decade since I’ve read this series from the start and am glad I could add this to my collection.
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Daytona
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, affordable purchase
Reviewed in Canada on March 7, 2024
Patricia Cornwell is by far my favourite author. I decided to buy the book because the library option was taking far too long as i am rereading the Scarlett’s series in order. It’s been over a decade since I’ve read this series from the start and am glad I could add this to my collection.
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Keerthana
5.0 out of 5 stars Chilling
Reviewed in India on March 11, 2024
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It is such a great story with amazing end. Should be absolutely made as a movie. Greate delivery too
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Keerthana
5.0 out of 5 stars Chilling
Reviewed in India on March 11, 2024
It is such a great story with amazing end. Should be absolutely made as a movie. Greate delivery too
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Karen Cameron
5.0 out of 5 stars good book
Reviewed in Australia on February 7, 2024
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great read
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jenesaisrien
5.0 out of 5 stars Patricia Cornwell dans toute sa splendeur
Reviewed in France on February 24, 2015
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Jamais déçu par cette auteure de romans policiers. Je pense avoir presque tout lu et le regrette ! A bientôt.
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Saphira
5.0 out of 5 stars PATRICIA CORNWELL and "from Potter's Field"- just a BRILLIANT READ and sooo gripping.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2013
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed Patricia Cornwell's "from Potter's Field". She is a great writer and fills her books with information on her "work" as a forensic scientist as well as telling the storyline. I think I have read all of her books. If you like a good thriller, and enjoy meeting the characters in the story, then read this book. I could hardly put it down. I give her ten out of ten and recommend you read it. It gives great insight into the criminal mind and the detailed work that a forensic scientist can do to find the criminal.
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