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Quick answer: If you like Patricia Cornwell, read Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritsen, Karin Slaughter and Thomas Harris. All write forensic and police thrillers with brilliant women investigators and gruesome cases.
Patricia Cornwell is an American crime writer best known for the Kay Scarpetta series, starting with Postmortem, about a Virginia medical examiner. Her books are famous for forensic detail and cold-case suspense. The books below offer similar science-driven thrillers.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postmortem | Patricia Cornwell | Adult | the series start |
| Body of Evidence | Patricia Cornwell | Adult | early Scarpetta |
| Deja Dead | Kathy Reichs | Adult | forensic anthropology |
| Fatal Voyage | Kathy Reichs | Adult | more Brennan |
| The Surgeon | Tess Gerritsen | Adult | Rizzoli and Isles |
| Blindsighted | Karin Slaughter | Adult | gritty small-town crime |
| The Bone Collector | Jeffery Deaver | Adult | forensic puzzles |
| Kiss the Girls | James Patterson | Adult | fast crime |
| The Silence of the Lambs | Thomas Harris | Adult | classic FBI thriller |
| Red Dragon | Thomas Harris | Adult | profiler thriller |
| The Chemistry of Death | Simon Beckett | Adult | British forensic thriller |
| The Mermaids Singing | Val McDermid | Adult | psychological profiling |
| The Poet | Michael Connelly | Adult | investigative thriller |
| Carved in Bone | Jefferson Bass | Adult | body farm science |
| The Face of Deception | Iris Johansen | Adult | forensic suspense |
1. Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
The first Scarpetta novel, in which the medical examiner chases a serial killer in Richmond. If you have not started the series yet, begin here.
Best for: the series start.
2. Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell
The second novel, in which Scarpetta investigates the death of a novelist. Good for readers who want more of the series' earlier era.
Best for: early Scarpetta.
3. Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist in Montreal, investigates dismembered bodies. Reichs works as a forensic anthropologist herself, and the science feels real. It also inspired the TV show Bones.
Best for: forensic anthropology.
4. Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs
Tempe investigates the aftermath of a plane crash in the Smoky Mountains and finds a body that does not fit. A solid follow-up if you enjoyed her first.
Best for: more Brennan.
5. The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
Detective Jane Rizzoli hunts a killer with a surgeon's precision. It launched a long Boston series and is fast, tense and unsettling.
Best for: Rizzoli and Isles.
6. Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
Pediatrician and medical examiner Sara Linton helps solve brutal murders in a Georgia town. Dark and character-driven, and not for the squeamish.
Best for: gritty small-town crime.
7. The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver
A quadriplegic forensic expert, Lincoln Rhyme, guides a young officer through crime scenes by reading evidence. Clever, twisty and heavy on detail.
Best for: forensic puzzles.
8. Kiss the Girls by James Patterson
Alex Cross hunts a collector of women. Short chapters make it a quick read with a strong focus on the killer's methods.
Best for: fast crime.
9. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Clarice Starling consults Hannibal Lecter to catch Buffalo Bill. Essential.
Best for: classic FBI thriller.
10. Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
An FBI agent consults Hannibal Lecter to catch a killer. Dark and precise.
Best for: profiler thriller.
11. The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett
A forensic anthropologist hiding in a quiet village is pulled back in when a body appears. Atmospheric, grisly and well researched.
Best for: British forensic thriller.
12. The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid
Psychologist Tony Hill and Detective Carol Jordan track a killer in northern England. A dark, intelligent start to a long series.
Best for: psychological profiling.
13. The Poet by Michael Connelly
A crime reporter investigates a serial killer who targets detectives. Tightly plotted and fast, from a master of procedurals.
Best for: investigative thriller.
14. Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass
A forensic anthropologist works cold cases with help from a famous body research facility. Written by a real forensic anthropologist and a journalist.
Best for: body farm science.
15. The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen
A forensic sculptor helps a detective find a missing girl. Fast and gripping.
Best for: forensic suspense.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Patricia Cornwell: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Patricia Cornwell. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For more Cornwell begin with Postmortem. For forensic experts choose Kathy Reichs, Simon Beckett or Jefferson Bass. For women detectives pick Tess Gerritsen or Karin Slaughter. For classic killer chases read Thomas Harris. Cornwell's books are procedural, so these picks suit readers who like science and suspense. Cornwell researched her novels by working in a medical examiner's office, which is why the forensic detail feels real. The Scarpetta series has run for decades with more than two dozen books.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Patricia Cornwell?
An American crime writer, creator of Kay Scarpetta.
Where should I start?
With Postmortem.
How many Scarpetta books are there?
More than two dozen.
Is she based on a real person?
Scarpetta is fictional, inspired by real medical examiners.
Are her books gory?
They contain detailed crime scenes.
Does Cornwell write other series?
Yes, including the Andy Brazil books.
Is there a TV adaptation?
A Scarpetta series has been made. Check current listings.
What should I read next?
Try Deja Dead or The Surgeon.
Which book here is best for more Brennan?
Try Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs, which suits readers looking for more Brennan.
Which book here is best for forensic puzzles?
Try The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver, which suits readers looking for forensic puzzles.