Patricia’s literary focus changed when she landed jobs as a technical writer, then a computer analyst, at the office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia. She later volunteered with the Richmond Police Department before her first Scarpetta book was published in 1990.
Her popular novels involve a great deal of forensic science, and are believed to have influenced such television series as “Crime Scene Investigation” and “Cold Case Files”. Patricia’s first novel Postmortem won the Sherlock Award for best detective written by an American author. In 2011, she was presented the prestigious French Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. She has a handful of other writing awards from all over the world as well. Her books, now translated into 36 languages, are known for her meticulous research and accuracy.
Patricia became intrigued with Jack the Ripper in the 1990s, and spent considerable time and her own money researching the forensic evidence. She wrote Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed in 2002. Her findings are controversial.
Patricia appears often as a forensic consultant on television, and is an active member of forensic organizations from New York City to Virginia. She is also a well-known philanthropist.
Author Quote: Among other feats, Patricia has become a licensed helicopter pilot, a certified scuba diver, and has also qualified for a motorcycle license. “It is important to me to live in the world I write about. If I want a character to do or know something, I want to do or know the same thing.”
