Dr. Kay Scarpetta

Dr. Kay Scarpetta is the chief medical examiner of Virginia. Besides her medical degree, Scarpetta also has a law degree making her unusually qualified for her job. Scarpetta performs autopsies on victims of crimes and often assists her good friend Detective Pete Marino in solving these crimes. Scarpetta is deeply devoted to her job to the exclusion of all else, allowing her life to revolve around death and crimes.

Scarpetta had a lover for a long time who worked with the FBI. Months before this novel begins, Scarpetta's lover, Mark James, was killed when a bomb that had been placed in a trash can exploded as he walked past. Scarpetta is still grieving the death of her lover and it colors each minute of each day. Scarpetta even sold her house and moved in order to run away from the memories of Mark, but the move...