Scarpetta: A Captivating Murder Mystery with a High-Wire Balancing Act

The new Prime Video series based on Patricia Cornwell's novels shifts between two timelines and features an impressive ensemble cast.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:07pm

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Scarpetta, the new mystery series now streaming on Prime Video, follows two different murder investigations from two different timelines, with Nicole Kidman playing medical examiner Kay Scarpetta in the present day and Rosy McEwen portraying the younger Kay in the past. The series, developed by writer-producer Liz Sarnoff, features an impressive ensemble cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, and Simon Baker, who all deliver excellent performances as they navigate the structurally complicated but rewarding dual narratives.

Why it matters

Scarpetta is based on a popular series of novels by best-selling author Patricia Cornwell, who has written 29 stories featuring the character of Kay Scarpetta. The series' unique structure, which combines storylines from Cornwell's first Scarpetta novel, Postmortem, and her 25th book, Autopsy, presents a high-wire balancing act for the actors and creative team, but one that ultimately pays off with captivating mysteries and compelling character development.

The details

In Scarpetta, the narrative shifts between two timelines - one in the present day with Kidman as Kay, who is returning to her old job as chief medical examiner, and another in 1998 with McEwen as the younger Kay taking on the role for the first time. The series features an impressive ensemble cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis as Kay's flamboyant sister Dorothy, Bobby Cannavale as the plain-speaking homicide detective Pete Marino, and Simon Baker as the cerebral FBI profiler Benton Wesley. The series also stars Ariana DeBose as Dorothy's daughter and Amanda Righetti as the younger Dorothy.

  • The modern-day timeline of Scarpetta is inspired by Autopsy, the 25th book in Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series.
  • The murder mystery set in the past is from Cornwell's very first Scarpetta novel, Postmortem, published in 1990.

The players

Kay Scarpetta

The central character, a medical examiner played by Nicole Kidman in the present day and Rosy McEwen in the past.

Dorothy

Kay's flamboyant sister, a popular children's book author, played by Jamie Lee Curtis.

Pete Marino

A plain-speaking homicide detective, played by Bobby Cannavale.

Benton Wesley

A cerebral FBI profiler, played by Simon Baker.

Liz Sarnoff

The writer-producer who developed Scarpetta for television, with experience writing for shows like Lost, Deadwood, and Barry.

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What they’re saying

“Scarpetta is based on a series of novels by best-selling author Patricia Cornwell, who's written 29 stories to date built around Kay Scarpetta.”

— David Bianculli, Reviewer (NPR)

“The modern parts of this first-season story — a follow-up second season already has been ordered — are inspired by Autopsy, the 25th book in her series. The murder mystery set in the past is from Cornwell's very first Scarpetta novel, Postmortem, from 1990.”

— David Bianculli, Reviewer (NPR)

The takeaway

Scarpetta is a captivating and structurally complex murder mystery series that skillfully balances two timelines and an impressive ensemble cast. The show's unique format, which combines storylines from different novels in the Scarpetta series, presents a high-wire act for the actors and creative team, but ultimately delivers a rewarding and absorbing viewing experience for audiences.