TraceTrace
Score Modern
What it's about
Dr. Kay Scarpetta returns to Richmond, Virginia, the city that turned its back on her, at the odd request of its new chief medical examiner. Nothing is as she expected: her old lab is being demolished, and the chief isn't the one who asked for her after all.
Why it's worth reading
It spent two weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2004.
You'll love it if you liked
Blow Fly
Scarpetta
The Last PrecinctGood to know
It features forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta.
By the numbers
- Readers15 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller46 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #534 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #1446 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2725 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Patricia Cornwell
Unnatural Exposure
Point of Origin
From Potter's Field
Cause of DeathIf you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Verity
Gone Girl
The Martian
2666
Gideon the NinthExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,647 ranked
Books of the 2000sTop 25 · 514 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is Trace worth reading?
Yes. It spent two weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2004. It ranks #2,725 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 57.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Trace about?
Dr. Kay Scarpetta returns to Richmond, Virginia, the city that turned its back on her, at the odd request of its new chief medical examiner. Nothing is as she expected: her old lab is being demolished, and the chief isn't the one who asked for her after all.
How long does it take to read Trace?
About 14 hours (548 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Trace?
If you liked it, try Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell, Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell or The Last Precinct by Patricia Cornwell.