With the highly anticipated crime drama Scarpetta now available to stream starring Nicole Kidman, author Patricia Cornwell has revealed which books inspired the series. Given that there are 29 Scarpetta novels (with another on the way!), which ones should you read if you want to follow the show’s storyline?
I first discovered Dr. Kay Scarpetta way back in 1990 with Patricia Cornwell’s Postmortem, and it’s still a fantastic read! People on Goodreads clearly agree, giving it a really impressive 4.03 rating.
As expected, the first book in the series is one of the main sources of inspiration for the Scarpetta TV show.
Just before its release on Prime Video, author Patricia Cornwell shared on Instagram that the show is actually based on her 25th novel, Autopsy. Published in 2020, Autopsy has already earned a strong 3.84 rating on Goodreads.
As of today, the first season of Scarpetta has a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics generally liked the eight-episode series.
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Digital Spy gave the film three stars, noting that while it might not be Nicole Kidman’s strongest performance lately, it’s a significant improvement over films like Holland or The Perfect Couple. The same can be said for her dependable co-stars, Bobby Cannavale and Simon Baker. However, Rosy McEwen particularly stood out for capturing Kidman’s detached style in her portrayal of a younger version of the main character.
Despite a lot of similar shows and books already out there, Scarpetta stands out because of the powerful performances from Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis, who really bring the story to life – a story that author Patricia Cornwell herself helped pioneer.
Curtis, Kidman, and Cornwell are credited as Executive Producers on the series. Cornwell recently shared the story of how the show finally made it to screen, revealing it had faced several setbacks – including a previous attempt that involved Angelina Jolie but ultimately didn’t happen.
The author explained to Boston.com that the project started with an idea from Curtis six years prior. They then described how Jamie’s involvement quickly propelled things forward, saying, “It felt like she just took off with it.” The author emphasized Jamie’s ability to create opportunities, adding, “That’s really what made the difference, and it eventually led to Nicole Kidman getting involved.”
A second season is already in the works, although there are no release details just yet.
Scarpetta is on Prime Video now.
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2026-03-12 01:19