Nicole Kidman's New Prime Video Thriller Show 'Scarpetta' Is 'Sullivan's Crossing' Meets 'Big Little Lies'

Is there a TV series based on Kay Scarpetta?

Yes a Kay Scarpetta TV show is coming to Prime Video! The crime series — which has been greenlit for two seasons — will follow Chief Medical Examiner Kay, played by Nicole Kidman (and reportedly inspired by CME Marcella Farinelli Fierro), who reenters her former position in her Virginia hometown. Not only is she navigating the ins and outs of her work life, but she's also balancing relationships with her sister Dorothy, her coworkers, and all the secrets that come with them.

And apparently, the scripts in and of themselves stopped Nicole in her tracks! She tells Vanity Fair the project is "terrifying" because "it’s so well-written. It’s crazy how I’m frightened reading it. I haven’t done that. I can’t think of a film I’ve done where it was so terrifying. Like what? The Others wasn’t terrifying."

Who's in the Scarpetta cast?

The Scarpetta cast is truly incredible, and will be led by Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta and Jamie Lee Curtis as Kay's sister Dorothy. The fact that the show is tentatively called Scarpetta makes me think the series will focus just as much on Dorothy — and their relationship — as it does on Kay.

Nicole is super excited to work with Jamie, and told Vanity Fair that the experience has been "glorious" so far. "I was like, 'I’ll do it with you, but you have to play my sister. You have to go with me.' And she’s like, 'Okay.' So, we’re producing it together and we’re in it together—and that is glorious. That’s what I mean, where you go, 'Okay. Who’s got the same amount of passion and enthusiasm?' Look at her. I mean, she’s unbelievable. She is a force."

Here the full Scarpetta cast:

• Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta: a medical examiner who returns to her hometown.
• Jamie Lee Curtis as Dorothy: Kay's sister.
• Ariana DeBose as Lucy Farinelli-Watson: Dorothy's daughter.
• Bobby Cannavale as Pete Marino: a former detective.
• Simon Baker as Benton Wesley: an FBI profiler.
• Rosy McEwen as younger Kay Scarpetta.
• Jake Cannavale as younger Pete Marino.

Where can I watch the show?

We don't have an official Scarpetta release date yet, but it'll stream on Prime Video in the near future. Stay tuned for more news!

What order do the Kay Scarpetta books go in?

There are 28 books in the Kay Scarpetta series so far.

1. Postmortem (1990)
2. Body of Evidence (1991)
3. All That Remains (1992)
4. Cruel and Unusual (1993)
5. The Body Farm (1994)
6. From Potter's Field (1995)
7. Cause of Death (1996)
8. Unnatural Exposure (1997)
9. Point of Origin (1998)
10. Black Notice (1999)
11. The Last Precinct (2000)
12. Blow Fly (2003)
13. Trace (2004)
14. Predator (2005)
15. Book of the Dead (2007)
16. Scarpetta (2008)
17. The Scarpetta Factor (2009)
18. Port Mortuary (2010)
19. Red Mist (2011)
20. The Bone Bed (2012)
21. Dust (2013)
22. Flesh and Blood (2014)
23. Depraved Heart (2015)
24. Chaos (2016)
25. Autopsy (2021)
26. Livid (2022)
27. Unnatural Death (2023)
28. Identity Unknown (2024)

What is a Chief Medical Examiner?

A medical examiner investigates unusual or suspicious deaths. They perform post-mortem exams, determine the cause of death, and work with the local police.