The first book in the Kay Scarpetta series from No 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell' America's most chilling writer of crime fiction' The Times A serial killer is on the loose in Richmond Virginia Three women have died brutalised & strangled in their own bedroom There is no pattern the killer appears to strike at random
- but always early on Saturday mornings So when Dr Kay Scarpetta chief medical officer is awakened at 233 am she knows the news is bad there is a fourth victim & she fears now for those that will follow unless she can dig up new forensic evidence to aid the police But not everyone is pleased to see a woman in this powerful job Someone may even want to ruin her career & reputation