Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the series's heroine, is, of course, the central character around whom the action turns. She is brilliant and distinguished, experienced, practical, creative, scientific, and intuitive. Yet, she fears a loss of control, and she has problems dealing with people. She loses herself in her work and fails to take the minimal actions necessary to maintain relationships, especially since Benton's death. Her loss has so traumatized her that she is blind to the barriers she has constructed between her family and friends and the obsession with work that her employees and associates can too easily misinterpret. In this vulnerable stage in her life, she is easy game for the predatory Deputy Chief Bray, who sees demolishing Scarpetta's public image as the pathway to higher office for herself. However, Scarpetta's true values are always quite clear. When her niece and her niece's girlfriend Jo brag about going...