The eighteenth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell.

America's most chilling writer of crime fiction The Times

Kay Scarpetta has been training at the Dover Port Mortuary, mastering the art of virtual autopsy - a groundbreaking procedure that could soon revolutionise forensic science. And it is not too long before these new skills urgently need to be put into practice. A young man drops dead, apparently from a heart condition, eerily close to Scarpetta's home. But when his body is examined the next morning, there are stunning indications that he may have been alive when he was zipped inside a pouch and locked in the cooler.

When the revolutionary 3D radiology scans reveal more shocking details about internal injuries unlike any Scarpetta has ever seen, she realizes that this is a case of murder - and that she is fighting a cunning and uniquely cruel enemy. Now it is a race against time to discover who and why before more people die. But that time is running out ...

The next book in the Scarpetta series is Red Mist. And the brand-new instalment, Identity Unknown, is available now!

DISCOVER THE SERIES THAT SHAPED THE WORLD OF CRIME FICTION

''One of the best crime writers writing today'' Guardian

''Devilishly clever'' Sunday Times

''The top gun in this field'' Daily Telegraph

''Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns'' Mirror

''The Agatha Christie of the DNA age'' Express