Hornet's Nest (Hardcover)

Charlotte, North Carolina has been dubbed "the hornet's nest of America", and with Charlotte as her simmering background, Patricia Cornwell propels us into the lives of a dynamic trio of heroes: Andy Brazil, an ambitious young reporter and volunteer cop; Police Chief Judy Hammer, the strong but troubled guardian of the law; and her deputy chief Virginia West, a ravishing beauty who's married to her job. As we walk the beat with Brazil, Hammer and West, we learn about police work -- the excitement and the tedium -- as Patricia Cornwell strips away the facade of the badge to show what motivates the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.