The Scarpetta novels organize themselves chronologically into three categories. The first three (Postmortem, 1990, see separate entry; Body of Evidence, 1991, see separate entry; All That Remains, 1992) focus on how Scarpetta wins the respect of the males who surround her. The crimes in each novel call into question her status and expertise, and in each case she is able to acquit herself by rising to the challenge to snare the killer through her specialized scientific insights. The next three, Cruel and Unusual (1993); The Body Farm (1994, see separate entry); and From Potter's Field (1995), comprise a trilogy about the hunt for the serial killer Temple Gault. In these books Scarpetta stands secure in her position and enjoys a growing reputation. Yet Scarpetta's own psychology becomes more troubled.

These novels probe the problems she experiences relating to others and dealing with her emotions. Especially in The Body Farm, she seems on...