Posljednja postaja: Jedanaesti slučaj doktorice Kay Scarpetta

The Last Stand (2000) is a novel in a series about Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a renowned forensic pathologist created by Patricia Cornwell. The story begins immediately after the events of the previous book, when Scarpetta survives an attack by serial killer and rapist Jean-Baptiste Chandonne. As she recovers physically and mentally, she finds herself at the center of her own case: the police are investigating whether she was merely a victim—or a possible accomplice in a cover-up of evidence.

In this novel, Cornwell combines a complex forensic investigation with a deeply personal tone. Scarpetta struggles with feelings of betrayal, suspicion, and isolation as she tries to find a connection between Chandonne and a web of older, unsolved crimes. The investigation becomes an inner journey—come face to face with her own traumas, memories of her murdered niece Lucy, and complicated relationships with her colleagues, especially Detective Marina.

The focus is not only on the reconstruction of the crime, but also on the psychological portrait of a woman trying to maintain professional integrity in a world full of political games, sexism and moral ambiguity. Cornwell masterfully combines the details of forensic science, the suspense of a thriller and the introspective dimension of a character. The Last Station marks a turning point in the series — a novel in which Kay Scarpetta exposes for the first time the dark background of her own life and the system she has served for years.