Amber Patinelli (Alicia Coppola) is the main villainess from "The Final Nail," episode 3.15 of Castle (airdate February 14, 2011). She is the best friend and employee of Victoria Westlake.
As revealed in the episode's climax, Amber was also dating Victoria's ex-husband, Simon Campbell, and also harbored jealousy of Victoria, who was in the process of divorcing her second husband, Damian Westlake (a longtime friend of Richard Castle). Victoria confided in Amber regarding her plans to divorce Damian and go back to Simon, which led to Amber asking Victoria about her own plans to date Simon. When Victoria denied Amber's request, an angry Amber grabbed a nail gun and fired countless nails at Victoria, killing her.
Damian ended up as not only a suspect in his wife's murder, he was arrested, mainly due to the fact that he was a suspect in the murder of his wealthy father. He was proven innocent in Victoria's murder (though the end of the episode revealed that Damian hired his and Castle's schoolmate, Michael Rutherford, to kill Damian's father), and it was in the aforementioned climax that Simon and Amber's relationship was revealed when Ryan and Esposito were sent to stakeout Simon's home. The couple was called in by Kate Beckett, who later pinpointed Amber as the killer, stating that her fingerprints were on the nail gun. Amber indirectly confessed, stating that Victoria could have any man she wanted and could never love Simon like she could. Amber was later arrested (off-screen) for Victoria's murder.
Trivia[]
- Alicia Coppola also played serial killers Dr. Susan Hillridge and Ryan Kessler on CSI and Crossing Jordan, respectively, and played vengeful villainess Dr. Michelle Talmadge on Two and a Half Men.