Patricia Cornwell's court battle over missing millions inspired latest novel In real life Miss Cornwell, 57, is still embroiled in a bitter legal battle with Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP and its former principal, Evan H Snapper, who she sued claiming they had squandered ten of millions of dollars of her money. But the case, which she describes as "one of the biggest disappointments of my life," is still pending appeals or a possible settlement and her lawyers have advised her to avoid discussing any details, she says. "The jury has spoken, for which we were very happy," she said. We have gone on with our lives. Despite her refusal to go into the intimate detail of the court case her new novel Dust, the 21st volume in the Scarpetta series, features an evil financier who is killed off. "I think, when you get to that crime scene, I had a rather good time writing it," she said of the bloody finale. Yes, I'd say there's some vengeful anger in this book. The writer also told an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine that she will continue writing the Scarpetta novels, and has already mapped out the plot for the 22nd novel in the series. "I'm not bored with Scarpetta yet, and I would never kill her off," she said. I wouldn't do that to my fans. I think she's a lot more fun than she used to be - she's no longer just what they used to call a meat-cutter. Dust is released on November 12.