Blurb:

The year is 1999. Returning to practice after a suspension for stealing opioids, a young Scottish doctor takes the only job he can find: a post as a senior house officer in the struggling east London hospital of St Luke’s.

Amid the maelstrom of sick patients, over-worked staff and underfunded wards a darker secret soon declares itself: too many patients are dying.

Which of the medical professionals our protagonist has encountered is behind the murders? And can our unnamed narrator’s version of the events be trusted?

Review:

I’ve had Sometimes People Die on my radar for a while and I really enjoyed it. Simon Stephenson is a doctor and his knowledge of the field of medicine shines through, both in terms of the scientific knowledge and the way in which he describes the procedural element of the work. I found this interesting and it is important in order to understand how the crimes in the novel are carried out, but I feel that the lengthy explanations sometimes slowed the pace slightly.

Sometimes People Die is set in St Luke’s Hospital in London. It’s obviously very busy, so there are a lot of suspects and potential victims. This makes the story intriguing and I really wanted to know who was responsible for the deaths at the hospital. There are a few red herrings along the way that kept me on my toes.

We all need healthcare of some kind at some point in our lives, so the concept of a killer within a hospital setting is quite terrifying. This makes this novel feel very relevant, a feeling which is amplified by the chapters interspersed between the main story which are case studies of doctors and nurses who have been convicted of murder. I definitely hope I don’t have to go to hospital any time soon!

Sometimes People Die is something of a slow burn, but it does gather pace, particularly in the final quarter. I did guess who the killer was, but overall it’s an entertaining read that I will remember for some time.

Sometimes People Die is available from Amazon.