2.5 Stars rounded up to 3.

This book had a lot of promise. Overall it was good. The ending was just SO rushed. I won’t spoil it, but I was left scratching my head. All of that build up for a few closing pages? I will always love Cornwell, she is one of the authors that got me interested in thrillers. I still love Kay, Benton, Marino and Lucy. I just thought the story deserved a better ending than that.

Another wonderful comfort read!

In this case, our murders are very unusual. I loved trying to figure them out.

While I wasn't 100% surprised at the reveal, I still enjoyed it.

I did spend far too much time in this book extremely worried about one recalcitrant cat!

A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read and a great entry in the series.

* ARC via Publisher

Patricia Cornwell has done it again! Another masterpiece filled with suspense and mystery. Sharp Force will have you at the edge of your seat, turning pages faster than ever.

Kay Scarpetta never seems to get a peaceful holiday. It's Christmas morning and the Phantom Slasher is at it again. He stalks his victims and ensures they are filled with fear before he strikes. He is able to watch the victims every move in their home with a secret technology. Two red eyes appear and even sound. You are haunted by this before he strikes swiftly.

Mercy Island is where Scarpetta, Benton, and Marino are headed. They are shocked to hear there was actually a witness this time. The therapist that was unalived is someone that Lucy used to see. She was always overstepping boundaries and Scarpetta didn't think very highly of her but she never wanted to see her in this manner.

As you can imagine, things go sideways every which way they can. This only makes Benton more focused and he is definitely the right person to think outside the box to help Scarpetta and Marino get to the bottom of what's going on. Scarpetta doesn't feel safe though. Something is just not right and she has a feeling someone or something is on her property putting her and her family at risk. She has to get to the bottom of this before she becomes the next victim.

If you love a good thriller that has you trying to figure out how to solve the mystery at every twist and turn, you will absolutely love Sharp Force! Just when you think you have it figured out, the plot will thicken again. The dynamic between Scarpetta and Benton also really stands out in this book. You can see how their years together has sharpened their minds and pushed them to be the best they can at their jobs, but also how they find quiet moments where they can enjoy being in each other's lives. They are each other's safe space in the crazy world they live in.

Thank you so very much to @grandcentralpub and @1pcornwell for my copy to read and review! Thank you to @netgalley for the delivery of this amazing book.

We've reached #29 in Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series, and each new volume is a pleasure. Sharp Force is no exception. The characters are in top form, and we continue to learn more about them, even after all this time. The mystery is complex, with the mix of violent crime and political skullduggery that we count on from Cornwell.

Cornwell continues to explore the ways technology can be used both to commit and to fight crime. The usual interpersonal tensions are there, but Kay and Benton are doing well and working together effectively.

Even at 400 pages, Sharp Force is a quick read. Cornwell has a gift for for crafting engaging, fast-paced prose. Her books are almost certain to lead to a just-one-more-chapter experience, which can result in a bit of sleep deprivation, but losing sleep to race through a satisfying mystery is no hardship.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Scarpetta and company are back with another heart-pounding thriller and we are here for it.

Catching up with Kay and the gang is always a pleasure.

A serial killer has everyone on edge and six months in no one has any idea who is terrorizing people. First there is a ghost appearing in your home and then you die. And pretty horribly.

When Kay is called to Mercy Island for two attacks, she finds out very quickly, this may be personal and she may be the next target.

A lot of AI, drones and things that are currently keeping a lot of us up at night are all here in a very well researched and written book



NetGalley/ Grand Central Publishing October 07, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome back to Kay Scarpetta in the 29th edition. Sharp Force is as good as you would expect. All the characters are here - Kay, Benton, Dorothy, Marino, Lucy and Janet. In addition to the storyline it is great to follow the lives of these characters. I feel as though Cornwell could be laying the framework for Janet to take a larger role in future stories.

Another gripping Scarpetta case. All the drama and suspense you would expect and relevance to current events and technology.

Fans of Scarpetta will not be disappointed!!

Wow! This was my first Patricia Cornwell read and I’m officially hooked!! (I bought three other books of hers just while reading this one!) I was engaged throughout the entire book. The ending was surprising and well written. As a hospice nurse myself, I appreciated the mention of another hospice nurse and how this role tied into the storyline. I could not love this book any more!! Above all, my favorite points are the details given regarding the autopsies and answering all of my ”why” questions. Definitely a satisfying read!!

I would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this opportunity!! It did not disappoint 😊
@GrandCentralpub

I rated this book 3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars.. In "Sharp Force" by Patricia Cornwell, I have always been a fan of the Kay Scarpetta series. This book could have easily earned a 4-star rating; however, after a detailed narrative throughout, the conclusion felt hurried and lacked sufficient background. Additionally, I found the portrayal of AI technology in the story to be excessive and somewhat distracting. Nevertheless, the familiar characters, Kay and Benton, continued to shine as usual.

I would like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to read and review. This reflects my genuine opinion.

Doesn't everyone love Patricia Cornwell?Her newest book, Sharp Force, is available this fall. It's a five star read, as I expected.

The usual from Cornwell. Her writing is still good. Stories are still intriguing. Alot of technical as usual

Patricia Cornwell returns with her 29th (!!) installment of the Kay Scarpetta series in Sharp Force, introducing the reader to a terrifying serial killer who can only be stopped by Kay, Benton, Lucy, Marino and the rest of the gang. I’ve read all of the Scarpetta books, loving the earlier ones and struggling with those in the middle of the series, then enjoying the more recent ones. This one is no exception. There are a number of things I enjoy about these books – the research and attention to detail in exploring new technologies that are continually evolving, character development that spans multiple books (and reminders to the reader so we don’t have to deeply refresh our memories before diving into the newest installment), and unique plots that I’m not seeing in other books. I feel like Kay, in particular, has been more likeable in the more recent installments than I found her to be mid-way through the series, and I’ve been enjoying reading these books from her perspective as a result. The characters are flawed, and I like that. Although, there is a scene towards the end of this book that details what I consider to be a fairly egregious violation of privacy that I was disappointed to read, especially given the character who takes it upon themselves to read something they shouldn’t (no spoilers!). But, again, flawed characters and all that. I did feel as though the ending to this one was a bit rushed and the ultimate reveal needed more detail/background for me to be convinced. It seems like a coincidence tied it all up and I really hate that as a plot device. But, other than that, this is another solid installment to the series with tension building with each chapter. I flew through the book in no time despite the length. Highly recommended for fans of the series.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of #SharpForce. Patricia Cornwell is one of my favorite authors and I have read every book that she has written so far. This book was a fun ride with robotic dogs, holograms, hybrid animals and AI. The characters if Lucy, Tron, Dorothy, Marino, Benton and Kay are such a joy to follow throughout this book series. I will always read whatever Cornwell writes!

I have enjoyed reading Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series from the very beginning. I found this to be a great story and for the most part, I loved the familiar characters and their Individual storylines. It is always interesting to see how the characters have evolved throughout the years. I appreciated the incorporation of current and relevant technologies. The only thing I disliked is that the story came to a sudden end without a lot of explanation, it all wrapped up too quickly. All in all, Sharp Force is another excellent book in the Scarpetta series and I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Thank you NetGalley for a prerelease of Patricia Cornwell’s Sharp Force.

I’ve read all of Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta’s series - and this is the best one yet. Lock your doors and leave the lights on for this creepy thriller. The Phantom Slasher is Cornwell’s creepiest serial killer yet. The identify the of the Phantom will keep you guessing until the very end.

One thing I love about Cornwell’s writing is her incorporation of cutting-edge technologies (both for the heroes and villains) that are always way ahead of cultural norms. And the applications in her book feel natural, not forced.

Twenty-nine books in, and the Scarpetta series keeps getting better and better!

I loved it! I keep coming back for more from this series. I can reliably count on Scarpetta holding steadfast to the moral code of her profession even at the expense of her public image and personal safety. The respect she gives to each life lost is honorable no matter the questionable status of the victim or even if the remains are decades old. Excellent, hair-raising mystery.

Patricia Cornwell’s Sharp Force is another gripping installment in the Kay Scarpetta series, reuniting us with all the familiar faces—Kay, Benton, Lucy, and Marino—as they hunt down a chilling new serial killer known as the Phantom Slasher. What sets this one apart is a spooky twist: the killer uses a ghostly hologram to project a haunting image right before each murder, which adds an eerie sci-fi element to the crime scenes. I really enjoyed how Cornwell wove in parts of Kay and Lucy’s past—it’s always fascinating to get deeper glimpses into their backgrounds, and it made the story feel more personal and layered.

Cornwell did a solid job tying all the storylines together, but I did feel like she held back a little too much until the very end. Everything unraveled all at once in the final chapters, which made the ending feel a bit rushed. That said, I appreciated how the action was tightly packed into the week between Christmas and New Year’s, which gave the story a heightened sense of urgency. All in all, it was an entertaining read with just the right mix of mystery, character development, and creepy atmosphere. I’m already looking forward to seeing where the next book takes us.

This book is a great addition to the Scarpetta series. As in many of her books, the weather becomes a character with vivid descriptions that make you feel like you are there with the characters. Marino and his wife Dorothy are becoming caricatures with less and less believability and interest. I’d stick with Scarpetta, Benton, and Lucy in future books. A serial killer is on the loose, with artificial intelligence playing a major role in the book. And the horrible animal sounds that seem to be on Scarpetta’s property, nice and creepy.

Another great book in this series. I’ve read them all from the beginning. I like how the characters interact and develop over time. The plot is always good. I’ hope the tv series lives up to the books.

Patricia Cornwall strikes again! She really is the master of crime fiction. I can’t recommend this one enough, especially if you’re a fan of her previous work!

Requested this on a whim because I used to love the Kay Scarpetta books back in the day…but I see that what caused me to stop reading them has not been addressed with the author. Could someone please tell me why all of the events in every single later Scarpetta book needs to happen within a 24 hour period? I miss the days when these books spanned several weeks and we got glimpses into Kay’s every day life over the course of a period of time. I do not need to be in her head for the entire 24 hours it takes her to apparently solve her cases these days.

This was a good mystery but the fact that it is solved in a day is…ugh. No.