Member Review

I own a few of the author's works which I purchased in a second-hand book store, but true to form, I am yet to read them. When I saw this reprint and the fact that I will feel pressure to review it since it is an ARC, I decided to start here.
I was quite surprised by the content. I have read quite a few authors of the time by now, and this felt very technically involved and more movie-like than many of the others I have previously read. There is an author's note and an editor's preface to set the entire tone of the book.
I will start with the second reaction first. As I was reading the book, I could see it in the form of a movie. It felt like it was made for such a setup. We have snatched of scenes, to begin with, where we are introduced to the different people who are all set to work together. The stage is set in a very intriguing fashion to show us the lives of most of the letter writers prior to their starting their role in a medical capacity. We also get to meet the postman, who is more than a little interested in the letters and their writers.
The time then jumps forward one year to show us how everyone has settled in. They have paired off in a fashion, with some more steady than others. Their lives are hard, and they are making it as normal as possible to maintain their sanity. It all begins with a chance comment, followed by a suspiciously botched operation and a friend who is also official police is brought in to check things out.
The book is technically focused because we get to see the small cogs that are part of the daily grind for those working in the hospital. You have people hurt in raids, laid down beside the people who need regular operations.
I will not go into the murder investigation itself because it happens well into the tale (or what felt like it) and felt like just another scene set for the actors to play out their roles. This is not a bad thing. It makes for a very dynamic read. When I first started the book, I was moving very slowly. Once the people were established and the murder had occurred, the pacing picked up, and I managed to work my way to the end quite quickly.
The red herrings here are very strong. It is not till the final reveal that the reader will get an opportunity to be sure of who the actual culprit is and what roles the others played (if any).
It is the kind of book that felt even better at introspection and rechecking (as before writing this review) than during my first read. Its punch is packed towards the very end, and I continue to feel it will make a great movie/mini-series.
I will be getting to the two others I have on my shelf soon. It may or may not be this year - it remains to be seen. I would recommend this book to readers of this genre or to anyone who wants a solid mystery book.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.