The scent of death

'A superbly strong read' The Times What began as a straightforward case is about to become a twisted nightmare . . . 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.

He 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. And it soon becomes clear that St Jude's hasn't claimed its last victim . . . Chilling, visceral and masterfully paced, Simon Beckett's new crime thriller will leave you gasping.