The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill: The must-read, incredible voice-driven mystery thriller

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This is a book that really hooks, and lingers after finishing, the more I think about it, the better this book is. The characters, atmosphere, plotting, pace and tension are all absolutely spot on and hugely impressive. Just when the reader thinks they know Grace and her quirks they discover a whole new side to her,a real curveball.

As a character Grace is brilliant; she is multi-layered and so complex. By her own admission she is unsociable, yet she hates the fact that society forgets about some people, leaving them to die alone with their bodies rotting away. Grace is very much a loner, but in her own unique way, she is full of compassion and empathy. As Grace revealed more about herself and her actions became more determined, I found myself really striving for her. I absolutely adore Grace; she is a truly stand out character in modern fiction.I don’t want to give away too much as there are fantastic twists in this novel that literally took my breath away! I just didn’t see them coming, but they brilliantly enhance the tension throughout the story. All the way through I couldn’t work out where this novel was going to go and I loved that! I really don’t want to spoil any of the twists for you.

Grace McGill is an insular, friendless woman, living in Glasgow in her 30s. She has her beloved cat, and she has her own business – deep cleaning the houses of Undiscovereds. People who die alone and stay that way until they are found weeks, sometimes months, later. When an old man lies undetected in his flat for months, it seems an unremarkable life and an unnoticed death. But Grace knows that everyone has a story and that all deaths mean something more. Be prepared for overt descriptions caused by the remnants putrefying bodies. I credit the author for researching the science of removing and disinfecting the pathogens created, but the grisly technicalities may be a little much for some. If you’re not friends with eww and goo, this party may not be to your liking. Left undiscovered for weeks or months at a time, she has the grisly, thankless task of professionally disinfecting and rigorously cleaning a house, and safely disposing of the toxic evidence of a death. The well researched factual details provide evidence of just how thorough and vital a job it is. Nothing fills me with more joy that finding a new crime novel that’s set in Scotland. I’m proud of this wee country but if you thought for a moment that it was all visit Scotland type photographs and inspirational quotes about this wonderous place, you would be sorely mistaken. Yes, we do have the stunning glens, fantastical mountainous peaks, and country parks to die for, but we also have the darker side – the shadows lingering down alleys, constantly waiting and watching, the drug abuse, the violence and the most insidious – the crime.His latest novel is narrated by the socially awkward but empathetic Grace McGill, whose job is to clean homes after people die alone and undiscovered, whether it’s clutter, bodily remains or dark secrets. This strange woman, who prefers to wander around unnoticed shares her story piece by piece and leaves your head reeling when you see the full picture. This character reminded me never to trust a book by its cover. There is so much more to this woman. She is a brilliantly creative creation. I loved her, flaws and all! Grace talks to us throughout the story. Numerous times she tells us what she thinks, then tells us what she actually says. This gets almost hilarious. You seriously can’t help but love this quirky little lady. So where’s the mystery? Where’s the thrill? Oh, my nothing is ever as simple and simple-minded as it seems. And THAT’S what I LOVE about this plot. I was hooked on the mystery but I was entertained by the protagonist. You just can’t help but love her. No matter what she does. I’m still dwelling on the ending. I don’t know if I liked it or not. It’s certainly a book that will stay with me for some time. To give it its Sunday name, I carry out bioremediation. I do the deep clean that’s needed after a body has lain decomposing for so long. It’s smelly, it’s sad, it’s messy, and it’s dangerous

The sense of place is fabulous, especially the parts of the book set in Bute, which sing with the pleasure that this island brings to all those who visit. Some photos and a collection of newspapers found at one of her clean up jobs triggers an obsession to try and solve a mystery.Grace McGill is a loner. She lives alone, she works alone. Her work is her life. She is the person called upon to clean up when a body has been discovered in a property weeks or maybe months, in some cases many months, after death. It is a difficult, unpleasant job, but one Grace feels compelled to do. She feels duty bound to do this job, if not her, then who? Whilst doing one particular clean up, Grace becomes intrigued by a photo and a collection of old newspapers, each with the same date though different years. With her usual attention to detail, Grace decides to search out what they mean, and, like everything else that Grace does, it becomes and obsession.