A forensics pathologist discovers evidence of murder–and worse–inside an abandoned hospital in this crime thriller: A superbly strong read (The Times, London). Once a busy hospital, St. Jude’s now stands derelict, awaiting demolition. When a partially mummified corpse is found in the building’s cavernous loft, forensics expert Dr. David Hunter is called in to take a look. David can’t say how long the body’s been there, but he is certain it’s that of a young woman. And that she was pregnant.

Then part of the attic floor collapses, revealing another of the hospital’s secrets: a bricked-up chamber with beds inside. And some of them are still occupied. For David, what began as a straightforward case is about to become a twisted nightmare–and it soon becomes clear that St. Jude’s hasn’t claimed its last victim.

Simon Beckett’s sixth novel featuring the forensic anthropologist David Hunter is arguably his best. –The Times (London)