This is the latest in a very long line of novels featuring Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta and I have read all of them in order. In this Christmas episode, Kay is charged with solving the mysteries behind the deaths of a man whose body has been recovered from the water after he disappeared whilst fishing and the latest victim of the Slasher a serial killer targeting women with medical backgrounds. .The book started well, with plenty of suspense intermingles with updates on the lives of the main characters Kay, Benton, Lucy and Marino. However, a great deal of the story is taken up with the forensic procedures that accompany Kay's investigations and the denouement, when it finally arrives feels rushed so that the mystery of both deaths is solved in very few words and feels quite unsatisfactory. This has been the case in several of the most recent Scarpetta stories and left me feeling quite disappointed by an outcome that had seemed promising.

An atmospheric and compelling installment in the Scarpetta series, this novel once again brings back the familiar and well-loved characters while introducing a chilling investigation into a killer who exploits drone technology to target victims.

As a long-time reader of Patricia Cornwell, I found this to be another engaging and enjoyable addition to the series. My only reservation lies with the conclusion, which felt somewhat abrupt and rushed, leaving the ending less satisfying than the build-up deserved.

An excellent serial killer mystery,packed with great elements. I loved the futuristic edge with plausible yet ‘not quite there’ edge as the possibilities it conjures up are fantastic but also terrifying. There are several threads running through the story which tie together towards the end satisfyingly. There are some really lovely elements such as the relationship the investigators build up with some young children who have just lost their dad and the personal human touch. The main characters are also suitably quirky and interesting in their own right to draw me in and sit up to take notice whilst solidly rooting for them
A very good entertaining read with plenty of food for thought too. I would definitely recommend this one.

A really good book (which I think I would have enjoyed more if I had read some of the previous books in the series) which capers along at a fast pace. My only real criticism is that the ending is very rushed and I felt like I wanted more of an explanation.

I really enjoyed Sharp Force! It’s fast-paced, tense, and full of twists that kept me hooked. Cornwell’s detail makes everything feel real, and I couldn’t wait to see how it all played out. A couple of parts felt a bit rushed, but overall it was a solid, exciting read as all previous Scarpetta novels!

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher & Patricia Cornwell for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Patricia Cornwell returns with Sharp Force, a taut and unnerving thriller that plunges Dr. Kay Scarpetta into one of her most haunting cases yet. Set against the eerie quiet of Christmas morning, the novel opens with a call that slices through the holiday stillness: the Phantom Slasher has struck again.

Cornwell’s prose is as clinical as it is poetic, dissecting fear with the steady hand of a master storyteller. The killer’s use of holographic technology to stalk victims adds a surreal, almost spectral layer to the narrative—like something out of a fever dream. Mercy Island, with its decaying psychiatric hospital and ghosts of Scarpetta’s past, becomes a character in its own right: brooding, secretive, and steeped in dread.

Scarpetta herself is rendered with familiar finesse—introspective, razor-sharp, and quietly vulnerable. There’s a sense that the past is circling her, not just in the form of the killer’s victims but in the emotional echoes that ripple through the investigation.

This isn’t just a procedural; it’s a meditation on surveillance, memory, and the fragility of safety. Cornwell’s research is impeccable, but it’s her ability to humanize the horror that makes Sharp Force linger long after the final page.

Perfect for a stormy evening, when the wind rattles the windows and you’re craving something dark, smart, and satisfyingly sinister.

With thanks to Patricia Cornwell, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

4* Great intro to this series - despite this being the umpteenth book, I wasn't lost.

Okay, so this book starts with a bang, continues at a decent pace, put the willies in me over the AI, Janet, and made me smile over the kick-butt strong female characters, even the one who acts like a stereotypical power-drunk MAGA clone. She's annoying, yes, but seemingly she knew what she wanted, went and got it, and now her M.O. is smoke and mirrors. I liked, too, the little nod to the Biden presidency.

What I didn't like was the doesn't-respect-boundaries Marino character. I googled and apparently he attempted to rape Kay Scarpetta several books back, so how is he such a prominent character in a position of authority? Only in the USA, right? That's mind boggling and again, makes me grateful for all the UK is doing by trying to weed out people of his ilk from various authorities.

The tale was interesting mainly because of the AI content, both Janet's and the baddie's. He was a tad too last-minute and not present enough for him to be entirely believable, but good on Peanut for stealing the show and 'allowing' justice to be done.

I'd have liked to see Kay and Benton's rescheduled trip to Lindon, to see what the author comes up with, but maybe that's where the next tale will start off?

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Little, Brown Group UK Limited, for my reading pleasure.

As good as ever. Love this series and the main characters and it was great that it was set at Christmas time. Can’t wait for the next one.

I've been reading these books since they were first published, and it's always great to get my hands on a new one.
I actually did a little cheer -not out loud- as Kay, Pete and Lucy showed up.
Sorry Benton. I'm just not too bothered by you.
I'm finding Janet far too creepy these days, and to be honest, she's been creepy a while.
There was a lot of revisiting old problems with this I felt, and not any actual resolving of anything.
The ending came a bit quickly.
But overall, it brings new tech to the front of the story, and how it impacts everything we do.
It's a scary thing.
As always, the talk of food is a bonus for me, and throw in Christmas, and there was a moment or two of warmth too.
Ready for the next one now....🤣

In Patricia Cornwell's Sharp Force, Dr. Kay Scarpetta's unwavering pursuit of justice amidst escalating danger defines her journey. Supported by familiar faces like her logical partner, Benton, abrasive yet loyal Marino, and complex niece Lucy, Scarpetta navigates the case while exposing personal vulnerabilities and highlighting the strength of longstanding relationships.

The dark side of technology, invasion of privacy, and concealed dangers of modern life are the subjects treated in the novel. The killer uses state-of-the-art technologies employed in the contemporary world for raising alarm about digital surveillance and even AI-constructed threats, unleashing questions on the critical area of possible threats by instruments of technology to the personal safety of their users.

The suspenseful yet very direct writing style adopted by Cornwell is almost a clinical detail, fast pacing with which audiences become instantly engrossed in the forensic world and the psychological menace posed by the murderer. Sometimes the level of technical explanations becomes overwhelming; in some instances, the development of Marino's character does not mirror the progress made in earlier books; however, the human relationships are what give the emotional density to the story.

Sharp Force brings the forensic thriller genre into classic suspense, coupled with modern issues. Though the voice might be slightly differ from earlier writings, this novel shows Cornwell's meticulous research and great storytelling. This bridging of earlier mystery conventions with contemporary relevance will appeal to fans of crime thrillers.

While technical aspects sometimes impeded character development and unevenly balanced action and explanation, it still achieved its main strength: compelling the readers to consider how emerging technologies are impacting crimes and justice. Mercy Island and all of its shady terrors, the psychiatric hospital, is ultimately a dark and brooding backdrop.

This is ultimately a book that will take readers to reflect on the ability to maintain trust, vulnerability, and human resilience as it relates to a fantastically changing world. Thus, this gripping inquiry is bound with extreme urgency to pressing societal issues. An engrossing yet leisurely read.


3.5/5