Cause of Death

As the New Year dawns, Dr. Kay Scarpetta finds herself once again plunged into a macabre investigation, called to the eerie, murky depths of a ship graveyard in Richmond, Virginia. The discovery: the badly decomposed, yet undeniably human, remains of Ted Eddings, a tenacious investigative reporter. What initially appears to be a tragic accident or even suicide quickly unravels into something far more sinister as Scarpetta's forensic expertise uncovers unsettling details. Eddings was delving into a highly controversial story involving a powerful, reclusive televangelist and a suspiciously wealthy medical facility with ties to the occult. As Scarpetta, assisted by her niece Lucy and police captain Pete Marino, peels back layers of deception and religious fanaticism, she finds herself confronting not only a cunning killer but also the insidious influence of a shadowy organization that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets. The case twists through a labyrinth of technological espionage, ancient rituals, and personal vendettas, pushing Scarpetta to her limits as she races against time to expose the truth before more lives are claimed and the lines between good and evil blur beyond recognition.