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Autopsy

Written by: Patricia Cornwell
Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
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Publisher's Summary

New York Times Best Seller

In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark number one best-selling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders. 

Forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia, the state where she launched her storied career, as the chief medical examiner. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she’s inherited both an overbearing secretary and a legacy of neglect and potential corruption.

She and her husband, Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the US Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria, where she’s headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that’s been torn apart by civil and political unrest. After just weeks on the job, she’s called to a scene by railroad tracks - a woman’s body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine - and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.

At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top secret labo­ratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she remotely works the first potential crime scene in space, an apparent serial killer strikes again very close to home.

This latest novel in the groundbreaking Kay Scarpetta series captivates listeners with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and forensic detail that Patricia Cornwell is famous for, proving once again why she’s the world’s number one best-selling crime writer.

©2021 Patricia Cornwell (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Autopsy

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

I have not listed to any Cornwell/Scarpetta books on Audible before this one. I was extremely disappointed and at times annoyed by the narrators portrayal of the characters. They sounded more like whiny children then the professional adults they are. Did not finish.

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1 person found this helpful

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  • Sue
  • 2023-08-19

Disappointed

The book is horrible I couldn’t even finish it. Don’t recommend. I hate not finishing a book but I just couldn’t make myself get all the way through

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Been reading this author for decades

This story has been ruined by a narrator sounding obnoxious and annoying, and grated on my nerves

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Misinformation and propaganda galore

Disgusting that this woman pretends to be scientific! A young mother and child dying from Covid!? Are you serious? You’ve been pushing propaganda for years. I see it all too clearly. And a buddy of George Bush senior to boot. All those books I bought. I will be burning them

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Narration amongst the worst ever

Unfortunate that an engaging story could not be enjoyed given the pedestrian cadence and incredibly substandard narration.
From elementary school level mispronunciations to unintentional comical portrayals of key characters( Benton was particularly galling), this is far below standard and a disservice to the author.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing story

I’ll start by saying I typically enjoy the Scarpetta series but this was a complete letdown. There was so much potential for a great storyline but it did not come together in the end. Random characters that really didn’t lend anything to the overall storyline. Such a disappointment.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Reader

Reader has a whinny voice which is irritating!
Story has potential for a sequel. Love the Marino character

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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always a good story

loved it.she is a great story teller.hope there is another coming out very soon

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Great narration, boring "story"

This seems more like an outline than a full book. Cornwell's writing style that glides over important details seems less a style and more lazy writing..I didn't even bother finishing this one.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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Terrible

This book Has to be the worst book ever listened to dragged on and on I was sure it was going to pick up at some point so I just kept listening it’s a very disappointing do not buy

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  • will
  • 2021-12-01

C’mon now!!!

You can’t use the voice from the Eve Dallas (In Death by JD Robb series) for Kay Scarpetta! I couldn’t get through 10 min. It just ruins the book. I’m hearing Eve Dallas and none of the words are right for this book’s characters. Just can’t do it.

Very disappointing. Don’t know who approved that but they should be fired…

Waited this many years for a new book and we get this?!?

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72 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Melissa Bryant
  • 2021-12-02

Too much political propaganda

I love this series but this time is as completely turned off by the unrealistic COVID propaganda. Karen Slaughter did the same thing. Two young people dying of COVID from a blue collar worker? Come on. These authors had the luxury of “locking down” while the rest of the world, working class, had to work. Completely out of touch.

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43 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Chow Chow
  • 2021-12-03

Disappointing

I have read all of the Scarpetta books and this was by far the worse. I did listen to the entire story only because I used a credit to get it. If it were free, I wouldn’t have finished it. No spoilers here, I’ll just say the storyline and a few situations were implausible and boring at the same time, the ending was rushed while the beginning went into unnecessary details on crime scene evidence collection. Lack of imagination and effort.

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34 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Kayce
  • 2021-12-04

Terrible narrator

I haven’t read a Scarpetta book in years and was excited about this one. This person should never narrate a book. Not even at a public library for children.
I gave it three stars only because I’m not yet finished with it, and I may not finish it due to extreme annoyance.

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31 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2021-12-04

Disappointing

Although I have read or listened to quite a few of the Scarpetta novels, I stopped listening when the characters were always over-the-top with rage. it seemedcthatcthe rage over took the story. However, the rage has been replaced by a Scarpetta that is so placid it is just as unsettling. I can't imagine letting anybody I supervise talk to me like the secretary talks to Scarpetta, yet she just walks away.
I really didn't care for the narrator at all. she constantly sounded like some stuck up old biddy and certainly nobody that lived in Virginia. I'm not sure I'll listen to any of any subsequent scarpetta novels and will certainly not listen to any other novel narrated by this one.
I wish Ms. Cornwell would bring back the original Kay who was energetic, somewhat brash, but definitely intelligent and certainly passionate about defending the dead.

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30 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2021-12-02

Good story. However Is a problem

The story is very good however the interpreter's voice is extremely irritating so I had to cancel it and sorry I had to spend a credit on this

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29 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Pinkaon
  • 2021-12-04

Decent book, TERRIBLE NARRATOR

The story unfolds is a bit slow at times, but it picks up before it gets detrimental. However, the narrator is so unbearable that I stopped listening and bought the hardcover. Her voice is slow and unemotional and overall irritating.

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20 people found this helpful

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  • mtanner
  • 2021-12-05

Narrator ruined it for me.

I waited so long for this and was immediately disappointed. Would have enjoyed this book if it wasn't for the narrator. Horrible reading.

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16 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Grateful Lass
  • 2021-12-07

A Real Disappointment

I was looking forward to this book, advertised as a return to the earlier story lines. However, the plodding pace was a huge disappointment, especially when the ending seemed like an afterthought. The story also lacked credibility. This isn’t set in the 70’s. Any of the “secretary’s” (the author’s dated term) hijinks described would never have been tolerated by an executive.

Bottom line- don’t waste a credit on this one.

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10 people found this helpful

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  • Pamela M.
  • 2021-12-24

Disappointed!

Was hoping the old Scarpetta was back, but this book was boring. Will not try another one.

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8 people found this helpful