I have to be honest about Sharp Force. I judged this book by its cover. There is a sticker saying that it will be adapted into a Prime series. There is nothing I love more than watching books I love come to life on my screen, so that was all it took.

Sharp Force did not disappoint. It had a very modern/futuristic murder plot. A killer is hacking into their victims' homes and using projections to enter their homes.

This book really has everything. It has likable characters, an intriguing plot and mystery, and a lot of drama. The whole time I was reading it, I was getting excited about it being adapted into a show.

This is number 29 in the Scarpetta series. Kay Scarpetta is a medical examiner and the main character. I had no knowledge of this series, and this was my first book. I never felt lost. This was perfect as a standalone.

I look forward to checking out more books in this series, and I will wait impatiently for the Prime adaptation.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for this advanced audiobook copy. I can’t believe this is my first Scarpetta novel! January LaVoy did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life with so many different characters. This storyline kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved the incorporation of AI into the storyline. I look forward to reading the rest of the scarpetta novels!

I haven’t kept up with Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta series for some time, but Sharp Force was easy enough to follow without being fully caught up. Unfortunately, it didn’t really stand out for me. While the premise—a serial killer using technology to haunt and attack victims—is intriguing, the execution felt repetitive and lacked the spark I usually love in Cornwell’s work.

January LaVoy’s narration was strong and engaging, but even that couldn’t elevate the story beyond “just okay.” As much as I’ve enjoyed Scarpetta over the years, this one left me feeling like maybe the series has run its course.

Overall enjoyable but just so much going on, a bunch of plots put together and not always realistic. And Scarpetta’s BIL having the hots for her gave me the ick

I have been reading the Kay Scarlett’s books for decades. Revisiting this cast is enjoyable and I love to see where they are in their lives. While I do enjoy it, I felt like this book was just okay.

High-tech murder

A holiday with Scarlett’s and Benson wouldn’t be complete without Christmas music, a grisly autopsy and a high-tech serial killer on the loose. The gang’s all here, and I enjoyed having Marino, Dorothy, Lucy and her cat involved as they trace clues to the multiple deaths. High-tech holographs, robots, drones and the ever-listening avatar of Janice were both interesting additions and worryingly realistic. The narrator does a masterful job voicing the characters and maintaining pacing, and I enjoyed this as an audiobook. This is a strong entry in a long-running series. Recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.

Patricia Cornwall creates another suspenseful Kay Scarpetta novel that keeps you guessing. Who is the Phantom Slasher? Benton and Kay are finally going on a much needed vacation-or are they? I love watching these characters develop over Cornwall’s novels. Lucy (Kay’s niece) and her deceased girlfriend Janet ( who uses AI generated programming), play a role in finding the killer. We learn more about Lucy’s past troubles when the killings appear to be linked to Mercy Psychiatric Hospital and Lucy’s former psychiatrist. As always January LaVoie brings all of her characters to life. This was my first NetGalley read. Thank you Patricia Cornwall and January LaVoie for the pleasure of an advanced read!

Sharp Force is a well written romantic suspense. I throughly enjoyed the edge of your seat plot. Fast paced read that drew me immediately into the action.

Before even hitting play, I was hyped—Nicole Kidman as Kay and Jamie Lee Curtis as her sister?! Are we kidding with that cast? This one’s already set for a Prime series (no release date yet), and I will be SAT

From the start, January LaVoy’s narration had me hooked. She nailed the voices, switching effortlessly between characters, accents, and tones. Easily one of the best narrator performances I’ve listened to. Honestly, 5 stars for narration alone.

The forensic pathology details were so well done—accurate medical terminology, clear explanations of morgue work. Livia Cuddy core. As someone from NOVA, I loved recognizing the setting—it added an extra thrill for me. And yes, I actually spooked myself and had to turn the volume down at one point 😂.

The story blends multiple themes including government, politics, crime scenes, and criminal psychology. It absolutely reads like a TV show, and I can already see this becoming a hit crime series.

The only thing holding me back a little was the ending. It felt underwhelming compared to the buildup, though it was definitely creative. Still, between the performance, the characters, and the setup, this was a strong listen and a promising launch into the TV series.

If you love crime shows, forensic detail, and layered investigations, this one’s for you.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advance listening cop

When a murder is committed, all the signs point to a serial killer from the past. Through their investigation, authorities learn more and more about who could’ve done it. This book has great twists and turns that keep you trying to figure out who the killer was.

Thank you, Netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

This was a decent listen. I had not read any of the other books in the series but was still able to follow along without difficulty.
The narrator was excellent with a steady and soothing voice.
Overall a solid read/listen for those who like mystery/police procedural style books.

This book was a can’t-put-down read for me! Technically a can’t-stop-listening as I listened to the audiobook.
Patricia Cornwell is great at providing amazing details that immerse the reader right into the story. All of the characters are so well rounded and the story is original and captivating.
The narrator, January Lavoy, is extremely talented. You would think you were listening to multiple narrators. She made the listening experience enjoyable and engaging.
This was a great addition to Cornwell’s Scarpetta series. An absolute must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing me with a copy. Here’s my honest opinion.

It’s been many years since reading my last in the Kay Scarlett’s series so it was nice to reconnect. I like the way Kay and Benton interact, and must admit the annoying AI Janet is downright creepy (can’t wait to see where that storyline goes) and Kay’s sister Dorothy is just coming unhinged (what a basket case). The methodical forensic process is well down and makes for interesting listening as the crime unfolds.

Another high tech Scarpetta novel from Patricia Cornwell. her writing is interesting but sometimes I struggle with the depth of all the tech and agency overlap.

He disables the victims' WIFI, attacking them in bed, the cause of death exsanguination due to sharp force injuries.

This has been going on for six months when Dr. Kay Scarpetta is awakened by her phone in the early morning hours of June 12, her birthday. She's informed that the Phantom Slasher has struck again, only this time there are two victims, and one of them has survived, the scene Mercy Island and its notorious old psychiatric hospital. This is a modern ghost story, a ghastly apparition seen around the time the Slasher strikes in each case. The same figure in black is spotted levitating through the fog, and the technical explanation is one that's of keen interest to the CIA, even the White House.

A very enjoyable book with plenty of twists and storylines to hold my interest. I wasn’t sure what to make of Janet and the thought of what can happen with AI is terrifying but it made for an interesting listen. Even though this is part of a long series I think it would work for someone reading this as a standalone as just enough background information is provided without spoiling the earlier books when they inevitably read them all.

There is a serial killer on the loose who is very cleverly bypassing security systems and leaving no trace other than bright lights in the sky which appears to be a hologram. Kay is involved in examining the bodies and the environment of the victims.

The usual cast of supporting characters are back and are well written with human foibles and annoying but believable traits, I am looking at you Dorothy!

I have been a fan of the Kay Scarpetta books for a long time and read them as soon as they were released.
A few years ago I found that the characters, especially of Lucy annoyed me and I stopped reading them. They were all just too brilliant and talented and the things that happened were not so believable. I am now thinking that may have just been one book so I intend to read the ones I missed.

The narrator was a perfect fit and read it beautifully.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the DRC. It was much appreciated and I have rediscovered my enjoyment of this series because of it.

#SharpForce #NetGalley #ScarpettaSeries #PatriciaCornwell #JanuaryLaVoy #HachetteAudio #GrandCentralPublishing


This is an Advanced Listening Copy of the audiobook from Net Galley.


Patricia Cornwell has done it again with Sharp Force, showing she's still got it after all these years. Kay Scarpetta gets pulled into a nightmare scenario when the Phantom Slasher decides Christmas morning is the perfect time to strike. What follows is a twisted case involving high-tech surveillance and psychological terror that feels way too possible given today's world.

I've been following this series since the beginning, and what I love about this one is how Cornwell manages to make the technology angle work without it feeling forced. The killer uses some seriously creepy methods to watch his victims before he makes his move, and there's this ghostly apparition thing that shows up at crime scenes that gave me actual chills.

The core team dynamics are still the best part though. Scarpetta, Benton, Marino, and Lucy - they're like family at this point, and you can feel the history between them in every interaction. The tension between them feels real, especially when personal connections to the case start surfacing.

January LaVoy does fantastic work with the audiobook narration. She's got this way of giving each character their own voice. When she's reading the technical forensic stuff, it stays interesting instead of dry, and during the scary parts she really knows how to build that sense of dread.

The audio production from Hachette Audio/ Grand Central is top-notch too, clean sound that lets you focus on the story.

The chapters are nice and short which makes it perfect for audiobook listening. Things keep moving instead of getting bogged down in side plots. The forensic details are still there and still fascinating, but they don't take over the whole story.

This feels like classic Scarpetta to me. If you've been with the series for a while, you'll appreciate getting back to what made these books special in the first place. Cornwell can still deliver the goods when it comes to smart crime fiction with just the right amount of creep factor.

Although this was my first book by this author, I legitimately enjoyed this!! This book gave me chills and I look forward to reading the others!

I enjoyed this book. I have not read any other Patricia Cornwell books from this series but it didn't keep me from enjoying the story. I did have to look up a few backstory items about characters but, again, that was a curiosity thing and did not take away from the book. Parts of the books were slow and I felt the end wrapped up rather quickly but I would definitely read another in this series.

This thriller mystery gave me the heebie geebies more than a few times thanks to the all-too familiar dark sides of technology, crooked cops, and.. oh yeah.. ɹ ǝ p ɹ n ɯ This novel is fast paced, engaging, and January LaVoy’s narration LITERALLY pulls you into the front seat / living room / observation room / feet on crunchy snow / middle of the story.

My Rating: ★4/5★ The story is captivating and I can honestly say I had no idea “whodunit” until the big reveal.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮 to NetGalley, author Patricia Cornwell, January LaVoy, and Hachette Audio for providing this advanced reader’s copy / audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’ve always enjoyed the Scarpetta series, some books more than others, and this one falls into the “good but not a favorite” category. My favorite character is definitely Pete Marino; he feels like the most real and genuine of them all. I’m also excited about the upcoming TV series with Nicole Kidman. The narrator deserves a shout out too, fantastic job bringing the story to life.