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Cause of Death (novel)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cause of Death
First edition
AuthorPatricia Cornwell
LanguageEnglish
SeriesKay Scarpetta
GenreCrime
PublisherG.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date
1996
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback)
Pages340
ISBN0-399-14146-4
OCLC77537049
Preceded byFrom Potter's Field 
Followed byUnnatural Exposure 

Cause of Death is a crime fiction novel by Patricia Cornwell. It is the seventh book in the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series.

Plot summary

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New Year's Eve and the final murder scene of Virginia's bloodiest year takes Scarpetta thirty feet below the Elizabeth River's icy surface. Dr. Scarpetta receives a phone call reporting the death of investigative reporter Ted Eddings, who was found dead in diving gear amongst the Navy's reserve fleet. Was Eddings probing the frigid depths of the inactive shipyard for a story, or simply diving for sunken trinkets—and why did Scarpetta receive the phone call reporting the death before the police were notified? The case leads Scarpetta, her niece Lucy, and police captain Pete Marino into a terrorist plot that threatens thousands of lives.

Characters

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Victims

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  • Ted Eddings - Thirty-two years old, brown hair, blue eyes. An award-winning investigative reporter for the Associated Press. Kay referred to him as "never been shy or passive during professional encounters" and finds him quite confident and charming. His body was found in the Elizabeth River, tethered to a compressor which pumps surface breathing air down to him. He was killed by breathing in cyanide gas through the compressor.
  • Danny Webster - He was found on Libby Hill Park, Richmond, Virginia, in a secluded area called Sugar Bottom, half on his back, half on his side in an awkward tangle of arms and legs. A large puddle of blood was beneath his head. He was killed by a single gunshot to the head, using a special type of ammunition called a Black Talon.

Other Deaths

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  • Joel Hand - Leader of the New Zionists. He fell into the water used to cool the nuclear assemblies in the power station. Unable to swim, he swallowed a huge amount of radioactive water, which led to multiple organ failure.
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