StarTalk Radio True Crime & Forensic Pathology with Patricia Cornwell & Dr. Jonathan Hayes
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Mar 13, 2026 Patricia Cornwell, bestselling crime novelist who digs deep into forensic research. Dr. Jonathan Hayes, forensic pathologist and medical examiner who channels real-case experience into fiction. They unpack autopsies, wound interpretation, the sensory realities of morgue work, how microgravity would affect blood spatter and decomposition, and the line between forensic fact and fictional flair.
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Using 9/11 Morgue Work To Fuel Fiction
- Jonathan Hayes used his 9/11 experience and morgue realities as material for his novels Precious Blood and A Hard Death.
- He described eight months identifying victims after 9/11 and trying to render the sights, smells, and feelings realistically.
Show Up To Get Authentic Details
- Patricia Cornwell's writing advice: 'Just show up' to experience places firsthand rather than relying on secondhand sources.
- She urged visiting morgues and crime scenes so sensory details inform authentic descriptions.
Truth Limits Fiction But Inspires Interest
- Accurate forensic detail can constrain storytelling but preserves realism; forensic fiction often becomes 'forensic science fiction' to dramatize processes.
- Hayes admires CSI for inspiring entrants despite its speeded-up, glamorized science.
