Patricia Cornwell talks her latest Scarpetta novel

Books

Cornwell celebrates in Boston as her latest Scarpetta novel drops and “Scarpetta” heads to Amazon streaming.

From Bigfoot to Jack the Ripper to UFOs, when something piques Patricia Cornwell’s interest, she follows her nose.

She tells me casually, in a phone interview from her Boston home: “Before you were born, back in the ‘80s, I went to a medical examiner’s office to research so I could write crime novels. I got so intrigued, I ended up working there six years.”

It’s a striking quote because this is Cornwell in a nutshell. What makes her tick. She’s a passionate researcher — and what strikes her is always unexpected. 

A former newspaper crime reporter, Cornwell later became so curious about Jack the Ripper she attempted to solve the case. Curiosity about Bigfoot led her to write her 2023 Scarpetta installment “Unnatural Death.”

A helicopter pilot and licensed scuba diver, both passions show up in the bestselling author’s 28th Kay Scarpetta novel: “Identity Unknown,” dropping Oct. 8. 

Also melted in: Her interest in an abandoned Wizard of Oz theme park, and fascination with UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomenon) or what most of us call UFOs, and the possibility of intelligent life on other planets. 

I’ll say here: while Cornwell told me she has an open mind to both Bigfoot and UFOs, you don’t have to believe in either to read the novels. I don’t believe in either, for instance. But similar to “Unnatural,” there are characters here who scoff, and characters who believe. And of course, there’s much more action packed in.

In this latest, two cases intertwine. First, Virginia’s chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta is called to a case involving shady powerful billionaires Ryder and Piper Briley, who claim their 7-year-old shot herself. Scarpetta suspects abuse and murder. Meanwhile, the body of Nobel-winning physicist Sal Giordano — who happens to be Scarpetta’s ex-flame— is found dumped in Oz, an abandoned “Wizard of Oz” theme-park owned by said Brileys. With a crop circle of petals around the body, Scarpetta’s niece Lucy believes he was dropped from a UAP. As the gang debates intelligent alien life, they learn there’s also an unhinged stalker on the loose…

If you’re a “Scarpetta” newbie, start with 1990’s “Postmortem” – which scooped up the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards and the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize– and 2021’s “Autopsy” – those are the basis, Cornwell tells me, of Amazon’s upcoming “Scarpetta” adaption. 

Nicole Kidman stars as Scarpetta, Jamie Lee Curtis as her eccentric sister Dorothy (both also executive produce) with Bobby Cannavale as Scarpetta’s always-good-for-a-laugh partner Pete Marino.

Before Season 1 starts filming, Prime Video already ordered season 2, casting Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Emmy nominee Simon Baker (Breath), Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean), and Cannavel’s son and doppelgänger Jake Cannavale, as young Pete Marino.

Recently cast, per Deadline: Sosie Bacon (Mare of Easttown), Amanda Righetti (Reagan, The Mentalist), Janet Montgomery (1923), Stephanie Faracy (Nobody Wants This) and Mike Vogel (Sex/Life).

Cornwell celebrates the “Identity Unknown” launch tonight with an in-person event at Boston’s Museum of Science  in conversation with Harvard professor and author Avi Loeb. (7:30 p.m. $30 ticket includes Cornwell’s new book.) 

You can also catch her  Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in a free virtual discussion with “Ghostbuster” Dan Akroyd.

I called the ever-fascinated and fascinating Cornwell, 68,  at home. While “looking out at Boston harbor,” she talked Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, morgue life, Oz and UFOs.

Boston.com: So what sparked this new book?

Cornwell: The same thing that sparks all my stories. I start with what fills me full of wonder. Two things grabbed me: On Twitter, I saw a picture of an abandoned “Wizard of Oz” theme park — the Yellow Brick Road with dead leaves. I thought it was just the spookiest, coolest thing. That image stuck in my head.

Second: this interest in what today they call UAPs, or what people think of as UFOs. I thought: “What would happen if Scarpetta had a case where, at first blush, it looks like the victim might’ve been dropped from a spacecraft, as crazy as it sounds?” 

What’s your take on UAPs, or UFOs?

I think a lot of them are probably explainable by something that we might not know a lot about. For example, drones. There are ones that you would swear it’s a UFO if you didn’t know what you’re looking at. 

But that doesn’t mean all of these unidentified objects are made by people. I tend to believe there are crafts out there that behave in ways we can’t explain and cannot be accounted for with the technologies we know of. I think there’s something going on with that. Do I think there’s life beyond us, intelligent life? I sure as hell hope so. All you have to do is watch the news and you wish for that. But, yes, I do think so. I think it makes sense. 

You’ll be in Boston on your publication day in an event called “Sing for Science.” But you won’t be singing.

I promise you I’m not going to sing, or nobody will show up.

[laughs] What will you discuss?

We’ll talk about my new book — because the story isn’t just about UFOs, it’s really about murder [cases] and [finding out what] happened. If we really want to go deep-diving into the subject of UFOs,  the possibility of non-human intelligence, I’m sure we’ll get into that.

On Oct. 10, you’re doing a livestream with Dan Aykroyd. What will you two discuss?

I’m sure we’ll talk about UFOs. I’ve known Danny for over 20 years and he can really go to town on that subject. Danny’s got some pretty cool UFO stories; I hope I can get him to tell a few. “Ghostbusters,” in a metaphorical way, is dealing with a lot of this – energy entities that don’t make sense to us.

Have you always wanted to write about this subject?

No. I never thought twice about things like this when I was growing up. It’s only in recent years — in 2017 I started doing intensive research in space. I spent a huge amount of time with NASA. I wrote two space thrillers because I got really interested in that. Nobody else was very interested in my writing about space, so I didn’t do it anymore.

[laughs]

But the more I learned about outer space, the more I got curious.

Your other big news: “Scarpetta” was just greenlit for season 2 at Amazon, before Season 1 even starts filming.

We’re excited. Amazon is enthusiastic about the series. They’ll start filming season 1 in Nashville in a few weeks. Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale — all kinds of wonderful talent. I’ve read the season 1 scripts.

You told me the show bounces back and forth in timelines — from “Postmortem,” (1990) to “Autopsy” (2021)

Right, we’ll have a mature Scarpetta (Kidman), and then you’ll see her as a young woman (McEwen.) The stories play in tandem. The diehards will love seeing the old days from “Postmortem” come alive.

Why those two novels? Are you involved in the writing?

I’m not involved in the writing. I’m an executive producer, my big job is to look at scripts, help with accuracy. The showrunner, Liz Sarnoff (“Barry,” “Lost”) is guiding all that content; she picked the books. I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun. It echoes the bones of what I’ve written, but it’s also new.

What do you think of the casting?

I think it’s magnificent. I can’t wait to see what Kidman does with Scarpetta. I’ve heard her name connected to Scarpetta for over 20 years, going back when it was going to be a film. I can’t wait to see what she brings to it.

Jamie, now that I know her more, I get interesting ideas about the character of Dorothy. I kept seeing Jamie while writing every Dorothy scene in this book, “Identity Unknown.” It made it so fun. 

That’s interesting. Did Kidman affect Scarpetta in this recent book?

When it comes to Scarpetta, I have my own vision and need to maintain that. The difference is I don’t write from Dorothy’s point of view. I need to see Scarpetta the way I’ve always seen her. We have a very good relationship. And I’ll keep it that way.

True. You write from Scarpetta’s point of view.

But you bring up a really good point. I’ve already seen that Jamie playing Dorothy has influenced my own view of Dorothy. Bobby Cannavale may give me ideas about Marino.

So you were born in Miami, grew up in North Carolina, lived in Virginia for a stint. You first came to Boston for research about 20 years ago.

My partner, Staci Gruber, is at McLean Hospital, she’s a neuroscientist at Harvard. Jack the Ripper got me intrigued about the psychopathic mind, the brain. I thought to myself, “Where can I learn more? I’ll go to Harvard.” I was referred to McLean, and Staci. When I met her, I thought: I have to get to know this person.

Before that, your interest in pathology led you to a morgue.

That gave me the beginning of the skill-set to write Scarpetta. The first time I walked in, I was just going on tour of the morgue. I had no idea there were women forensic pathologists. I met medical examiner Marcella Fierro. She told me about this new thing called DNA. I thought, “Wow. I want to learn about all this.” That’s how it all began.

You were never scared or grossed out? Were you just too consumed with the interest?

I’m not going to say it was all pleasant. 

[laughs] I can imagine.

After a while, I honestly got used to it. I was down in the morgue every morning for autopsies. I’d help with whatever they needed. You’d be amazed what you get accustomed to. But it’s not for the faint of heart. I will never be the same because of what I‘ve seen — I know what kills people. If it’s a lightning [strike], I’ve seen one of those. If somebody falls off a building, gosh help us, I’ve seen that. I want to know these things, but you pay a price for knowing.

I bet. You told me earlier you’re working on a new Scarpetta book. What’s that about?

I thought, “What else am I curious about?” Well, I’m fascinated by ghosts and want to learn more. So I’m jumping into that.

Interview has been condensed and edited. Lauren Daley is a freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected]. She tweets @laurendaley1, and Instagrams at @laurendaley1. Read more stories on Facebook here.