Kay Scarpetta

Kay Scarpetta is a fictional character in one the series written by Patricia Cornwell. She was born is 1954 in Miami, Florida. Both of Kay Scarpetta鈥檚 parents emigrated from Verona, Italy. When she was young, Scarpetta鈥檚 father died from leukemia and that experience remained with her up to the present day. Kay Scarpetta is a perfectionist who works incredibly hard. She loves cooking Italian food in her custom-built kitchen in her home.

Scarpetta was married once but they got divorced before writing her first novel in 1990. Since then, Scarpetta had a relationship with Mark James who was killed in the bombing incident at a London Tube station. Later she had a relationship with Benton Wesley, who was allegedly killed but later reappeared. In 2007, Wesley and Benton became engaged and later got married in 2008. Scarpetta drives a Mercedes that she replaces often. In one incident, her Mercedes was involved in the death of morgue assistant. After the incident, Scarpetta became afraid to drive that car so she traded in her Mercedes for a new car that was nearly identical to the old one.

In the early novels, she worked as the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia but resigned to become a private forensic consultant in Florida. Scarpetta was convinced that she lost her job at the request of Dr. Joel Marcus, who was her replacement. Scarpetta later became the head of National Forensic Academy in Florida at private institution belonging to her wealthy niece Lucy. After this, Scarpetta relocated to Charleston, South Carolina to become a freelance forensic examiner. Later she relocated to Massachusetts, but she also shares an apartment in New York City with her husband. Scarpetta works on a full-time basis while her husband works on a part-time basis in New York.

Description of early two books

The early two books written by Scarpetta are the Post Mortem and the Body of Evidence.

Post Mortem: This book was written in 1990 and talks about Kay Scarpetta who is a freelancer with National forensic Academy in Florida. She is working on a bizarre case she had never seen before. The case does not only produce strange physical evidence but exciting clues on the mind of the most cunning criminal.

Scarpetta is working together with Benton Wesley, Pete Marino, and her niece Lucy. They are tracking certain people who are suspected of being involved in the appalling crimes in the region. In Florida, she is investigating the mysterious disappearance of four people allegedly abducted from their home. In the homes of the abductees is the car parked randomly in the driveway and the stove left burning. Pete Marino finds something shocking in the nearby house. In the neighborhood, a woman has been brutally murdered in her bed. Earlier on, the woman has seriously complained about the harassment from the Citrus Canker Inspector.

Scarpetta receives shocking news from Harvard-affiliated Psychiatric hospital. The scientific Study of a psychopath in the hospital reveals that murderers on the loose are multiplying. The study of this man鈥檚 brain reveals the minds of criminals still lurking in the shadows.

Body of Evidence: Written in 1992, this novel talks about Beryl Madison- a successful writer. After months of threatening phone calls, Beryl decided to flee Key West when a frightening message is written on her car. But that night she headed to Richmond she deactivated the Burglar alarm in her home. Beryl opens the door to a stranger who nearly beheads her. This makes Kay Scarpetta Wonders why Beryl let the stranger into her home. Moreover, the missing scripts of Beryl leave a lot of questions on the mind of Kay Scarpetta.

While pursuing the answers, another writer is murdered. However, Scarpetta who has high-tech forensic skills gather enough evidence from both cases. Without intelligence, imagination, and compassion the clues collected by Scarpetta could have been useless.

Books that made into TV show or movie

Currently, none of the Scarpetta Series has made into the TV show or Movie. However, FOX has bought rights to Kay Scarpetta Novels, with the aim of producing movies from the series. Angelina Jolie will be starring in the Movie. There 22 novels in the Scarpetta series that revolves around a medical examiner who solves puzzling crimes. Rather than adapting one book in the novel, all Scarpetta Series will feature in the movie.

Other prominent characters in the series

Lucy Farinelli: she is the child of the Scarpetta鈥檚 sister Dorothy. Lucy has an obsession for computers which later helped her while working for FBI. Scarpetta is the role model to Lucy who shaped herself into a powerful woman. However, sometimes, Lucy engages in risky behavior with high-speed vehicles and firearms. On one incident, she got drunk and wrecks the new Mercedes belonging to Scarpetta. When she was 25 years, Lucy had become a self-made millionaire. She got a habit of buying expensive machines including high-end vehicles and even a private jet. Lucy was later diagnosed with brain tumor, which altered her physical appearance. However, she underwent treatment. She now runs her company and is in a relationship.

Pete Marino: he grew up in New Jersey. In the earlier series, he worked a homicide detective in the Richmond Police Department. He has worked for several years with Scarpetta at a detective. Throughout the series, Marino has problems with women. He even reacted badly when Scarpetta got engaged to Benton Wesley. After getting drunk, he attacks and almost raped Scarpetta. His actions led to the confrontation, which Lucy almost shot him. Since then Marino disappears and his whereabouts are not known.

Benton Wesley: he worked with Scarpetta strictly on a professional level. However, after breaking up with his wife, Benton decides to marry Scarpetta. After a year of courtship, Benton got married to Scarpetta. He retires from FBI and worked as a private consultant. Since he was working under FBI鈥檚 control, he was forced to work in the witness program. He is still a consultant for the FBI and lives in New York City.

Conclusion

Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell are a set of interesting novels that talk about a detective who solves the puzzling crime cases. These series have gained a wide audience around the world and there are plans to make them into movies.

You have ruined Ms Patricia. I believed I would not find anyone that pleased my appreciation for the written word or plots like Rex Stout (I am in Topeka and he from Wakarusa) but I have found her. And she is you. I have 24 novels and am on my second reading. I do not believe we have ever had a prostitute Shook in my family. However all families have a black sheep and skeletons in their closet. I am 83 years young and a 24 year military veteran, so!!! I am awaiting the tv series. Bring it on!!