Book cover of The Body Farm

Book description

The Body Farm - a research institute that tests the decomposition of corpses. Black Mountain, North Carolina: a sleepy little town where the local police deal with one homicide a year, if they're unlucky, and where people are still getting used to the idea of locking their doors at night.…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Body Farm as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Dr. Kay Scarpetta isn’t a professional detective – she’s the Chief Medical Examiner for Virginia. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t get to be embroiled in all kinds of bizarre murder cases – including the baffling death of an innocent young girl which results in Kay having to visit the gruesome pathologist’s playground known as the Body Farm. Kay is tough, a good shot (which comes in handy in this case, I can tell you), and willing to use her incredible forensic skills to bring the guilty to justice.

From Celina's list on kickass female detectives.

All of Ms. Cornwell’s books are fun to read, but this version of Dr. Kay Scarpetta is reminiscent of my Angela Brennan in terms of vulnerability. The mystery is compelling and brings Kay to places (literally and emotionally) she isn’t sure she wants to go. But, like Angela, she is goal-oriented and driven, and must dig until the truth is revealed. 

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Book cover of Sins in Black

Sins in Black by Dita Dow,

Sins in Black takes readers deep into Sinister Falls, a town built on secrets and silence.

When a young woman’s murder shakes the community, Detective Harlie Whitlock is forced to confront not only corruption and danger, but her own past.

What sets this mystery apart is its fast-paced storytelling combined…

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