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

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It's very character driven in nature, with Grace basically hogging the limelight all the way through. But despite her hermit like existence, she manages this extremely well. Even when she describes her job, there is something quite captivating about her. Spoilers prevent me from waxing lyrical about her too much but you'll get what I mean when you read the book. As Grace follows the trail of the age old mystery she discovers that there are those who want the past to stay in the past and she's in danger. I love Grace’s quirky mannerisms. It’s not just Grace that’s quirky, the book has a unique quirky vibe. Grace is a social outcast, she is lonely, isolated she is compulsive. Editorial director Eve Hall acquired world all language rights to The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill and a second book, following a three-publisher bidding war,from Mark Stanton at The North Literary Agency. Given the choice, you wouldn’t swap lives with Grace McGill. She’s a trauma cleaner - cleaning up wheb someone dies and is left undiscovered for months after their death. This, whilst trying to handle her past and the emotionally abusive father who expects to be waited on hand and foot. But one day during a cleaning job she stumbles across something which sets Grace off on a path for answers.

Grace not only cleans and disinfects the properties, but she makes a diorama of each death. Now, before I saw an episode of The Simpsons, a few years ago, I didn’t know that was the official name for these models, but they make a great teaching tool, as you recreate the room, you are remembering crucial details that help in the hunt for either a killer, or death by natural causes. When people die alone and undiscovered, it's her job to clean up what's left behind - whether it's clutter, bodily remains or dark secrets. Grace is cleaning a number of properties in Glasgow and discovers what might be a link between a number of deaths in the city which appear unrelated. She also discovers information relating to an unsolved missing persons case within one of the houses which she has cleaned. This takes Grace on an investigation across Scotland as she seeks to uncover the truth. The title fits the book well, but it didn’t do anything to make me want to read it. Nor does the cover.

A STAND-OUT NOVEL WITH A UNIQUE NARRATIVE VOICE AND AN UNGUESSABLE MYSTERY. YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO REMEMBER GRACE McGILL. The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill is a fantastic and highly accomplished novel. Grace is a truly original narrator, and as she reveals more of herself and her story you realise that the book is taking a very different turn and everything you have read needs to be reconsidered. It certainly fits into the category of thrillers but there is so much more to the book than that. You really come to care about Grace, and the historic crime that she uncovers throws up many more uncomfortable questions. The descriptions of Glasgow and the Isle of Bute are evocative and give the book a real sense of place. A premise that, gratifyingly, delivers the goods in spades and does so with a superbly well drawn cast of characters and a rather unique, well written, often dark narrative. Compelling and wholly engaging reading. Top notch’

Wow! What an absolute stunner of a book. This was so different to a lot of the books out there at the moment. Totally gripping and thrilling and I couldn’t stop reading it although I really didn’t want to finish it!’ Reader review Dark and quirky – there’s just something readers are going to love about meeting Grace McGill’ SCOTTISH SUN When I started this book, due to its subject matter I thought it wasn’t for me. When I realised I had read 50% of the book without a break I knew I was hooked! Absolutely compelling, totally absorbing and very macabre! I loved it. What a very unusual book. More importantly, what a very unusual, fascinating book; and Grace certainly had a very unusual job. Unusual is a funny word – it can be good unusual, or weird unusual. In this instance it is both. Reading about her thoughts and actions, we feel we understand this eccentric character. I was fascinated by Grace, her unusual life, her essential work, and her empathy for the deceased. Then the story takes a sudden turn, and we learn that Grace has shown herself as an unreliable narrator, not only to the readers but to herself. Her motivations reveal a moral complexity. She finds small clues during cleaning that she believes link a couple of the elderly men who recently died alone. The police do not find her to be credible.

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Her father is still alive and lives nearby making unwelcome demands on Grace to shop and clean for him.

A STAND-OUT NOVEL WITH A UNIQUE NARRATIVE VOICE AND AN UNGUESSABLE MYSTERY, YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO REMEMBER GRACE McGILL. Grave works as a specialist cleaner. If someone dies at home and remain undiscovered for sometime, Grace makes sure that the deep clean ensures no contamination is left at the end. When the novel opens Grace is on the way to clean up the death of Thomas Agnew, an old man that lay dead in his flat undiscovered for five months or more. Grace doesn’t know of any people that took the time to remember Thomas but as she studies the photographs in his bedroom where he died, ‘Snapshots of a long life that ended in solitude,’ she is determined to honour his memory in death.In Mr Agnew’s flat, Grace is drawn to some old photos of a group of friends taken in Rothsey decades ago. Her interest in Agnew is typical of her compassion, her colleague Harry Blair would say. It’s very cleverly plotted, we care about Grace, even before we get what her real interest in the dead men is. Its gripping, intense and atmospheric. It’s an interesting rumination on lonely deaths. Yes, there’s a big, dirty, dark story here but pass a thought for the victims in life. Then I just got onto reading and enjoying the book. It took very surprising turns. Now what is weird is that I really liked Grace. Wouldn’t want her as my BFF but …

The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill by C.S.Robertson is certainly different, it's also extremely good. When people die alone and undiscovered, it’s her job to clean up what’s left behind – whether it’s clutter, bodily remains or dark secrets.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. I started off loving Grace, her quirky character really has good depth. The story is very character driven. There’s plenty of tension, it’s got a good pace throughout. There are many surprising twists and turns to come, and we are looking for a serial killer, but the most staggering surprise came towards the end, when all of the pieces of the jigsaw come together with another death. No spoilers here!! Then there’s Grace’s hobby. When she gets home from a job she makes a model of the rooms her clients die in. Agnew’s bedroom is modelled in 1:16 scale. This is more than a pastime – it’s cathartic for her. Every detail down to the newspapers by the bed are reproduced. Her little models are almost art. Could they also be a clue?