Patricia Cornwell and the Scarpetta Series

A three-time winner of a patient's choice award, Dr. Andrew Collier served as an orthopaedic surgeon in Philadelphia, PA, for nearly three decades. When he is not in the operating room, Dr. Andrew Collier enjoys reading the mystery fiction of Patricia Cornwell.

Cornwell is known for her series of 22 novels about Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner. The author of 26 New York Times bestsellers, she had a humble beginning to her literary career. At a signing for her first novel, Postmortem, the book sold only one copy. However, it received critical acclaim, winning five major awards.

Cornwell was born in Miami and grew up in North Carolina, where she joined the staff of the Charlotte Observer. At the Observer she became well known for her articles on prostitution. She later moved to Virginia to work for the Chief Medical Examiner, an inspiration for the Scarpetta character.

Now living in Boston, Cornwell cofounded the National Forensic Academy and appears on CNN as a consultant. She has also made donations to examine a Confederate submarine and excavate historic objects in Jamestown, Virginia.