The Chemistry of Death - Simon Beckett

Dr.David Hunter has been the local G.P in the Norfolk village of Manham for the past three years after fleeing the big city of London in the wake of the death of his wife and only daughter in a car accident. Leaving all of his previous life behind him, David decided to start anew with a clean slate somewhere remote where no one knew him; haunted only by the memories of his tragic loss. But when two young boys find a body left decomposing in a local field apparently the victim of a paticulary gruesome murder, Dr.David Hunter finds his past catching up with him and dragging him back into a life he thought he'd left behind...for David was once one of the most ...  Read the complete review

David Hunter is the 'hero' of the book who since the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter, has retreated to a remote village in Norfolk where he is now a Doctor. When a local woman is found brutally murdered in the woods, Hunters previous expertise as a forensic expert is called upon. While he's reluctant at first he knows that his knowledge will be of great help, and as the body count increases he needs to work fast. So compelling is the debut by Simon Beckett, that I without a doubt will be keeping an eye out for more of his thrillers. As the title suggests the author goes into some detail about the bodies decay and how one ...  Read the complete review

I have often heard the phrase, ‘it’s all been done before’, and to a huge extent this is true. Lots of films and books follow the basic outlines the likes of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and even those blokes in the Bible, were writing centuries ago. Music, film, literature and art, is increasingly about putting a new spin onto old ideas. Many things fail to do this, just think of all those mediocre romantic comedies that you have watched where you knew the ending by the fifth minute. However, there is a reason we keep going back to things we know; it’s comfortable and enjoyable. Every now and again someone takes a well worn genre and manages to realise it so well that it ...  Read the complete review

At the beginning of the year I saw a poster on the underground advertising this book. Straight away I was interested as it looked like my kind of book so I made a mental note to look it up on Amazon. When I did it did sound really good and for some reason I’ve only just got my hands on a copy. I’ve an interest in forensics and have long been fascinated by it so when I read that this involved forensics I knew I’d enjoy it. I’d never heard of the author Simon Beckett so I had no idea what to expect although I’d imagine it would be somewhat like a Patricia Cornwall or Tess Gerritsen novel. Sometimes it’s best to have no pre conceptions and to dive straight ...  Read the complete review