The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill Book Review

06 January 2022

Towards the end of last year, this book was recommended to me by Rachel Quin from Hodder & Stoughton, what a mind-blowing read! This book grabbed hold of me with both hands and kept me captivated right up to the very last page. This is a unique, dark read you won’t want to put down. I raced from page to page eager to learn more about Grace’s undiscovered deaths. The author focuses the story on old people who have been forgotten. People who are suffering through lonely days after they lost their partners and friends. People who have truly been forgotten. This adds a heart-breaking reality to this curious tale.

As an introduction to C.S. Robertson, I can say that The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill has converted me into an instant fan. This story is told from Grace McGill’s perspective. This shy, insecure woman quickly crawls into your heart and as more and more of her troubled character is revealed you are left in awe. This character is a genius creation. The author draws you deep into Grace’s sad life and when your heart is just about to shatter, he delivers a twist so subtly that you are left doubting what you are reading. This is a fabulous work of fiction that has left me eager to read more from this author. (There goes my TBR for 2022.)

Grace McGill lives a simple life. She is happy not to be noticed as she is uncomfortable around people and making conversation is torturous. Grace is a cleaner. She makes a living cleaning crime scenes where bodies have been found long after someone has died. The worst possible scenes are her speciality. She takes pride in her work and tries to treat these homes with respect. When she is called to clean a house where Mr Thomas Agnew laid dead and undiscovered for months, she finds a pile of newspapers, all dated the 23^rd of July for various years. Intrigued, Grace starts digging into the old man’s life, eager to discover the relevance of this date. Meeting two of his old friends at his funeral, Grace realises that they are hiding something and fuels her curiosity. Determined to find the truth Grace finds herself drawn into a mystery and soon finds herself being followed and threatened. What will Grace do with the truth, and how will it change her life?

Starting this book the day I attended the funeral of an 84-year old man, left me open to the sadness hidden in the pages of this book. It shows how easily society manages to forget about the old people who are alone. This was a heartbreaking element to the story which I felt the author highlighted beautifully. I loved this book and Grace McGill stole my heart. She might have overstepped, but she cared. (You will need to read to the book to understand what I mean by that.)

Grace McGill is an unusual character. You will either love her or hate her. She is shy and battles to make conversation, yet she cares about the people she cleans up after. She treats their memories with respect and tries to help the surviving relatives to understand the deceased’s final moments.

This strange woman, who prefers to wander around unnoticed shares her story piece by piece and leaves your head reeling when you see the full picture. This character reminded me never to trust a book by its cover. There is so much more to this woman. She is a brilliantly creative creation. I loved her, flaws and all!

This is a five-star read! I loved it. You really should add this one to your TBR for 2022, you do not want to miss out. Mystery and thriller fans can expect the unexpected when they reach for this title, there is a remarkable twist that is guaranteed to leave you amazed!

Just in case I have not been clear, I highly recommend this book. Please, please, please get yourself a copy. You will not be left disappointed; this is a marvellous read!