Postmortem

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Postmortem is the first book in the Kay Scarpetta series. If you have read other books in the series, how does this one compare? If you have seen the TV show, how does it differ from the book?

2. Did the detailed descriptions of forensic technology change your understanding of police investigations? How was your reading experience affected by the changes in forensic technology over the 30 years since the book was published?

3. What did you find most compelling about the story’s exploration of the challenges professional women face in the workplace?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Scarpetta’s growing sense of paranoia about threats in her personal and professional life drives much of her character development. Did you find Scarpetta’s response to these threats relatable?

2. Have you ever felt isolated or targeted at work because of who you are? How did you respond to these prejudices? Were Scarpetta’s feelings understandable, or did your experience and reactions diverge from hers?

3. Marino and Scarpetta have different views about how to approach the investigation but ultimately work well together. Is this relationship similar to any you have had in your professional life? How did you navigate these tensions?

4. Scarpetta and her sister have markedly different personalities. Scarpetta is saddled with responsibility, like caring for her niece, while her sister pursues her own interests. How do these dynamics resonate with your own life? Have you ever been expected to take on a sibling or other family member’s responsibility?

5. Scarpetta is largely defined by her meticulousness, organization, and attention to detail. Are there any personal or professional traits you feel define you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel portrays the challenges that professional women face when they’re underestimated because of their gender or age. What examples of this dynamic have you observed in contemporary society?

2. At the time Postmortem was written, female medical examiners were relatively rare. How has this changed over the 30 years since the book was published? To what extent have attitudes toward high-level professional women stayed the same?

3. How does the novel portray the use of forensic science? Is this reflective of how forensic science is used in the real world? How have attitudes toward DNA, criminal profiling, and other techniques changed?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the novel’s use of Scarpetta’s first-person perspective impact the character development of secondary characters like Marino? How would the novel be different if it used multiple character perspectives, such as Marino’s?

2. How does the setting of the city of Richmond, Virginia, contribute to the overall structure and mood of the novel?

3. How does Scarpetta’s relationship with Lucy shape her character development? How does it portray a different side of Scarpetta from the one seen in her professional life, and how does this relationship deepen the thematic meaning of the novel?

4. How is smoking cigarettes used as a motif in the novel?

5. To what extent is the depiction of The Psychology of Serial Killers in the novel realistic? To what extent does it rely on clichés of the crime genre?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Which fictional police detective would you most like to see partnered with Dr. Scarpetta, and why? Sketch out the premise for a novel in which they work together.

2. Dr. Scarpetta loves to unwind with a drink after work. Design a signature cocktail for her. How do the different features connect to her character? What would you call the drink?