Sara-Jayne Townsend is a published crime and horror writer and likes books in which someone dies horribly. She is founder and Chair Person of the T Party Writers’ Group. http://sarajaynetownsend.weebly.com/
When Scotland’s leading virologist goes missing, Mona and Paterson from the Health Enforcement Team (HET) are dispatched to London to find him. In a hot and unwelcoming city, Mona has to deal with a boss who isn’t speaking to her, placate the Professor’s over-bearing assistant, and outwit the people who will stop at nothing to make sure the academic stays lost.
It’s a bit difficult to categorise this book. Set in a near-future or alternative reality in which much of the population of the UK have been wiped out by a deadly virus, a system of keeping the virus in check has been put in place which means that all healthy people must turn up for regular health checks, and carry ‘green cards’ verifying that these checks have happened. Employees of HET chase down people who miss their health check. Without a green card people can’t enter buildings, buy food or access essential services so it is an imperative in these times.
It’s part science fiction, part thriller, and there are two threads to the plot: one involving finding the missing virologist who is in danger of missing his forthcoming health check, and the other chasing down a prostitute who has missed her health check. It is sometimes difficult to keep track of the two plot threads, but they do both tie up by the dénouement.
It’s the second book in the series, and although it’s not strictly necessary to read the first book before this one, you do have to understand the premise that the world in the novel is not life as we know it (in order to appreciate the story). It would probably be useful to read the first novel, THE HEALTH OF STRANGERS, before picking this one up, to fully understand this dystopian setting, and the history of the characters and how they relate to each other.
That said, it remains an engaging and involving read, and there are good interactions between the characters, who come across as being flawed, realistically crafted - if not always entirely likable.
Fans of the first book in the series will definitely enjoy this latest instalment. People who enjoy something a bit different than your usual crime thriller will also find much to like here, while people who are drawn to tales set in near-future dystopian societies, should also check out this thought provoking series.
