Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Fiction / Crime / Mystery / Thriller / Forensic Fiction

Book Review:
''Trace'' by Patricia Cornwell is the thirteenth novel in the bestselling Kay Scarpetta series, and it is a gripping forensic thriller. Five years after being sacked as Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Kay Scarpetta returns to Richmond, Virginia, as Consultant Pathologist in the mysterious death of a teenage girl.

Gilly Paulsson's death has stumped the best in the business. There is no obvious cause; nothing suspicious except for the fact that Gilly shouldn't be dead. Then Scarpetta uncovers trace evidence: Gilly Paulsson was murdered. But why?

Scarpetta's niece, Lucy Farinelli, doesn't want her aunt to get involved and she also has troubles of her own. For Scarpetta, what began as a forensic puzzle expands into a larger, far more alarming picture. Still the vital pieces are missing.

Cornwell's writing is sharp, detailed, and deeply compelling. This novel is oddly comforting in its forensic detail. If you enjoy crime fiction, forensic thrillers, or the Scarpetta series, Trace is a must-read. Highly recommended!