Cornwell writes crime thrillers that integrate forensic investigation with character psychology. Her novels combine procedural elements—technical details of forensic science—with character-driven storytelling and exploration of motivation. She focuses on the investigative process itself and the personal and professional costs of crime-solving. Readers interested in crime fiction with procedural authenticity and character development will find her work substantive. The integration of forensic science into narrative has become a genre convention partly through her influence, establishing the investigation-centred approach as a way to explore both how crimes are solved and their human impact.