'A riveting read' Sunday Times, Crime Book of the Year

'A smartly-paced thriller' Evening Standard

'Dramatic, unnerving... exceptional' The Sun

*SELECTED FOR BBC'S BETWEEN THE COVERS*
*A NEW YORK TIMES Editor's Pick*
*THE SUNDAY TIMES' Crime Book of the Year*
*THE GUARDIAN's Best Recent Crime and Thrillers*
*THE EVENING STANDARD's Best New Books of 2022*
*THE TIMES' Best Crime Books of 2022*
_____________________________________________________________

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?

'A delightful read. The serial killer plotline is an added bonus. I loved it' Kathy Reichs, the #1 New York Times bestseller

A SUNDAY TIMES Crime Book of the Month and NEW YORK TIMES Editor Pick

About the Author

Simon Stephenson originally trained as a doctor and worked in London and Scotland. He previously wrote Let Not the Waves of the Sea, a memoir about the loss of his brother in the Indian ocean tsunami. It won Best First Book at the Scottish Book Awards, was a Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4, and a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year.

His first novel, Set My Heart to Five, has been optioned by Working Title Films. He currently lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a screenwriter. He originated and wrote the film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, and wrote on Pixar's Luca.

Reviews

'Had me hooked within 20 pages and held me there until the very end. I read it in 4 days' Sophie Raworth, broadcaster and journalist

'Dark and haunting, powerful and propulsive... a smart, cinematic, tour de force written by an exceptional talent. Simply unputdownable' Lara Prescott, New York Times bestselling author of The Secrets We Kept

'The witty writing, quirky protagonist, and anecdotal descriptions of real-life medical villains combine to make Sometimes People Die a delightful read. I loved it' Kathy Reichs, the #1 New York Times bestseller

'Sometimes People Die blew me away and cost me a night's sleep as I read it on tenterhooks... Revelatory [and...] thrilling, this astounding novel announces the arrival of a new Michael Crichton for the zeitgeist' Ken Bruen, author of The Guards

'An absolute killer... for people who wouldn't normally read a thriller or a murder mystery, this is the perfect gateway book... so entertaining' Sara Cox, BBC2 Between The Covers

'A moody thriller... slow-burning... authoritative, unsparing' The New York Times - Editor's Pick

''Why do I adore this kind of novel? It is intelligent, very witty in a very dark way, and does not flinch from serious and difficult questions.'
The Scotsman

'Darkly hilarious... this will be a best book of the year for me.' Book Page, October's Top Pick in Mystery

Diabolical and quick-witted... not to be missed' Crime Reads, 10 Books You Should Read This September

'Like an Adam Kay murder mystery' Al Murray, BBC2 Between The Covers

'Insightful, gripping, unexpectedly funny' Saga Magazine

'In Stephenson, Vonnegut may have his first true protege' Washington Post

'A real old school page-turner I found difficult to put down.' Yorkshire Magazine

Book Information
ISBN 9780008547653
Author Simon Stephenson
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint The Borough Press
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 240g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 26mm