Sharp Force
by Patricia Cornwell
You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Oct 07 2025 | Archive Date Not set
Description
NOT EVEN SCARPETTA…
During the early hours of Christmas morning, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta receives a chilling call. The Phantom Slasher has struck again.
The serial killer has terrorized Northern Virginia for months. His pattern is to stalk with a sophisticated technology that enables
him to invade his victims' homes and watch their every move. They wake up to a ghost-like hologram before being murdered in their beds.
Scarpetta is summoned to Mercy Island, the site of a notorious psychiatric hospital where two people have been brutalized, one of them from Scarpetta’s past. It soon becomes apparent that she could be next…
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781538773963 |
PRICE | $30.00 (USD) |
PAGES | 400 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews

Dark, Fast-Paced, and Timely
Patricia Cornwell delivers another gripping installment in her long-running Scarpetta series with Sharp Force. This time, Kay Scarpetta and her team—Benton, Marino, Lucy, and others—face a case that is disturbing on several levels. A serial killer is on the loose, targeting victims on major holidays and using advanced technology to spy one and then terrify them before making his move. As Christmas approaches, the stakes rise, and so does the body count.
What sets Sharp Force apart is its mix of forensic crime, psychological tension, and an unsettling supernatural twist. A ghostly apparition appears at each crime scene, adding a creepy, mysterious layer that keeps you guessing. Cornwell also weaves in current themes about the dark side of technology and AI, making the story feel especially relevant to what we are living today.
The pacing is fast, the suspense builds steadily, and the emotional weight of the crimes hits hard. Cornwell’s writing is smooth and conversational, making it easy to get lost in the story. The forensic detail is vivid and realistic without feeling overly graphic, and as always, the characters feel like old friends—flawed, human, and deeply compelling.
If you’re a longtime fan of the series, this book will feel like a return to form. If you’re new, it’s a gripping standalone that might just pull you into Scarpetta’s world for good. Sharp Force is equal parts chilling and thought-provoking, and it’s hard to put down once you start. Highly recommended for fans of crime thrillers, forensic drama, and smart, modern mysteries.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Patricia Cornwell and Grand Central Publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.