A fantastic, gripping book. I devoured it in 2 days when I started to read it. When the twist came I did a doubletake and had to reread the page again. The character Grace was actually a likeable person and even towards the end, after all she had done I was hoping her life would get better.
It was gripping, funny in parts, sad and heartbreaking, absolutely loved it!
NetGalley kindly sent me a copy to read for an impartial review.
#TheUndiscoveredDeathsofGraceMcGill #NetGalley

Wow I did not see that end coming completely floored me!
What a great read especially liked the character of Grace and intensely disliked the character of her father.
Grisly in some parts but a totally believable story.

Grace McGill keeps herself to herself. She runs a small business cleaning up after deaths, usually ones where the person has not been found for weeks or months, she lives with her cat and cares for her abusive, alcoholic father. Grace likes to think that she is respectful of the dead that she tends, but one old man has touched a nerve and Grace is determined to find out more and the links to a long forgotten disappearance. However Grace hides more than a few secrets and her two lives are about to collide.
It is so difficult to write a precis of this book without giving the game away and that would be unfair to anyone reading the review. The twist about 50% of the way through is phenomenal and turns this book into something completely unique. Needless to say it's not a run of the mill thriller, it's original and rather wonderful. READ IT

Grace McGill is a ‘death cleaner’ who deep cleans properties where there’s either been a crime or where a body has been undiscovered for some time. Grace lives alone with her cat, her mother is dead, and her father is an abusive, demanding alcoholic.

Grace also likes to solve mysteries and the story starts with her looking more closely at the death of Tommy Agnew and why his friends hadn’t visited him, leaving his body to be found several months later. Grace goes to Tommy’s funeral and then tracks down his friends.

An absolutely brilliant, gripping read, told from Grace’s perspective. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

This book was not quite what I was expecting. Grace is a cleaner. She cleans up after people die. She specializes in cleaning up after people have died and not been found for a very long time-the ones left undiscovered. She is very particular and meticulous. I would have thought that we all were aware that there are people who do this. Not in the world of this story. Everyone is a combination of shocked, disgusted, and suspicious that she does this work. Weirdly, people are less of all of these about how long, months, people can lie dead in their own homes without anyone noticing they’ve gone.

The story is moving along when Grace notes similarities between homes she has cleaned. She tells the police that she believes these two deaths are connected. They don’t believe her. The book starts to go in that direction of so many books. A character becomes obsessed with something and starts behaving in stupid and unbelievable ways in trying to solve the mystery they have found. I was ready to chalk this one up to that. A little more than half way through it became a very different story.

I love when a book can surprise me. I was looking one way, thinking I knew exactly where we were going, when the whole darn thing swerved on me. I like that.

A strange and unusual mystery about a woman who cleans post death scenes. The character of Grace, loner, cat lover, creative was sympathetic but also sad. A story that kept me hooked til the end.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
I loved this book, i definitely won’t forget Grace McGill. A rather gruesome read. Grace is a death cleaner! She cleans up the homes of those who have died a sad lonely death, the body may have been undiscovered for weeks or months, she gives us ver vivid details of smells, body fluids, stains, she disinfects and scrubs the traces of death away. She takes pictures of the room, she takes a momento to help her remember the person. Grace knows there are different reasons that a person may have died alone, some choose that, some are alone, but Grace thinks some deserve it.
A pattern begins to develop, she delves into the lives of the deceased, uncovering a mystery. Grave herself is a loner, her company being her cat,George. This is a very dark twisty read, with some very surprising turns, with some dark humour.
This is definitely a crime novel, an excellent read, very different, intriguing from start to finish.

An early contender for book of the year! I loved this story. I felt it had an old fashioned feel and had to remind myself it was set in the present day to begin with. A very sad story in many ways but beautifully written . It twisted and then twisted again and I loved the ending. Highly recommended.

The idea of undiscovered deaths and the people who tidy up after such unfortunate scenes are largely shied away from but author Craig Robertson has embraced the unpleasant reality and used it as the really quirky basis of his latest mystery novel. Grace McGill is the voice of this twisty tale; a seemingly straightforward introvert with few friends and whose job is enough to make most folks recoil in distaste. But Grace has hidden depths. She sees her job as a way of ensuring that the people who were forgotten in life are looked after in death. To ensure the people live on after their demise Grace makes dioramas, 3 dimensional models of the places they took their last breath, and it is when a local journalist features Grace in the newspaper that her world starts to unravel.
The less you know about this book going in the better. The layers that make up Grace's character are slowly peeled away to reveal a completely different - at times shocking - person who you struggle to match to the quiet individual who lives alone with her cat at the start of the book. It definitely wasn't the story I was expecting, and the first hint of where the story was heading took me completely by surprise.
This is certainly a very different book to anything I've read before and it had me considering Grace's life and actions as the author led us through to the closing pages. Not the ending I wanted for Grace and I am very conflicted in my feelings about whether or not it was a fitting conclusion. I am a determined fence sitter on this one; I could argue the case either way. I can't wait to discuss it with other readers and to hear their views!

“Their problem was in their lives not their deaths. The real tragedy was in the last of their living when they had no one to visit, no one to talk to, no one to care. Sometimes, a lonely death is a release from a lonely life.”

The story:
Grace McGill does what no one else wants to do, but what has to be done. When the lonely die, it can be days, weeks or even months before anyone discovers them. When that happens, and the police and ambulances have gone, it is Grace that is left to clean their forgotten homes.

“Equip. Remove. Soak. Disinfect. Soak again. Dispose. Decontaminate. Check. Wash hands. Report.”

But this is more than a job for Grace — it’s a responsibility. A responsibility to provide some of the respect and dignity in death that was missing for her “undiscovereds” in life.

But something has happened that has worried Grace. A link between some of the recent deaths she’s so diligently cleaned and a decades-old mystery surrounding a missing girl. Again, Grace must try and restore dignity to an undiscovered person, but this time it might be her that is in danger…

My thoughts:
What a fantastic book! Part thriller, part mystery, part something else altogether, “The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill” by CS Robertson is a brilliantly dark, engrossing and intriguing read.

Grace herself narrates the story to us, and is an unforgettable character. Living alone with only her cat George for company, she relates to the lonely lives she is brought in touch with through her work because it reflects her own; and she makes it her mission to respect the memories of those she encounters. It’s clear that Grace has suffered trauma in her past, which has led to her isolation and her drive to do what she does — something deemed necessary, but strangely distasteful to others. What Grace does reminds others of their guilt about what they haven’t done, and places a further wedge between her and the people around her.

Grace admits herself that she can become obsessed by things, and the more she learns about the disappearance of a young girl back in 1964, the more she is driven to find out what really happened, despite the risk to herself.

I reached a point in reading this novel that genuinely made me gasp out loud. We often talk about twisty thrillers, but this one really took me by surprise! No spoilers here, but when you read it, you’ll know…

I’m sure I’ll be thinking about this book and Grace McGill for a long time to come. It is a dark, twisting and unputdownable novel that genuinely took me by surprise, and one I’d highly recommend.

“The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill” was released in the UK on 20th January 2022. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Hodder & Stoughton, and of course the author for providing an eBook copy.

This book intrigued me so much just from the blurb. It was so sad to think that people lie undiscovered for months at a time, with nobody missing their absence. You also never think about the people who have to clean up after the police are done with their crime scene.
I loved Grace. She was unique, relatable and passionate. I enjoyed getting to know her throughout the story and going on this journey with her.
The writing was incredible. Despite the tough subject matter, the writing was beautiful and pulled me into the story. I’m excited to read more from this author in the future! Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a chance to read and review this book.

Death is not the end.
For Grace McGill, it's only the beginning.
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.
When an old man lies undetected in his flat for months, it seems an unremarkable life and an unnoticed death. But Grace knows that everyone has a story and that all deaths mean something more.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own hone\st voluntary review.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill’ by C.S. Robertson in exchange for an honest review.

This unusual mystery/crime thriller is set in Glasgow. It’s one that I would suggest is best read with little prior information about the plot, so just brief details:

Grace McGill is a crime scene cleaner, though she also is called in when people die alone and their bodies remain undiscovered. She lives a quiet life with her rescue cat, George.

When an old man lies undetected for five months, Grace finds herself distressed that no one in his life had noticed. Her curiosity leads her to attend his funeral and as she begins to look deeper into his life, the journey leads down unexpected paths.

Grace is the novel’s narrator and proved a very engaging character and I was quickly drawn into her world. I especially appreciated her love for George. However, I will note that the descriptions of her cleaning jobs were quite detailed.

I was riveted by this novel and couldn’t put it down. There were a number of clever twists along the way; these were in the category of what I term organic twists, rather than twists for twists sake.

After such a positive experience, I definitely will be on the lookout for further works by C.S. Robertson.

A bit of a slow start but none the less very compelling and interesting to read!
Grace is a great character and I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves a good novel

I was hooked since the first pages and loved Grace, a socially awkward and clever woman who doesn't shy away from solving mysteries.
It's a gritty and dark story, gripping and highly entertaining.
A page turner that I couldn't put down as I wanted to know what was going to happen.
I hope to read other books by this author soon
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Wow. What a story. The first half builds a picture and the second half just blows it away.
Loved it.
Thanks for the opportunity and advanced copy.
Everyone should buy this book.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 4*
Characters: 3*
Pace: 3*

The premise of the book was so unique and intriguing that I just had to read it. The start was brilliant, really descriptive and gory, but I kind of got lost along the way. At times I was thinking Grace, what are you doing?!! Grace was making some very strange decisions and I couldn't quite fathom what she was up to. But then I got to the twist and I knew then I have to question EVERYTHING I'd read so far! I love an unreliable narrator ;)
The ending was brilliant and thought provoking and a good summary to the whole story. Really good enjoyable read!

Thanks to Net galley for this free read. I found the plot interesting but a bit confusing really - although maybe that it the author's intention - to feel confused at times like the main character Grace. Grace is a crime scene cleaner and we join her when she is carrying out her job and she believes that a murder has been committed. This happens on several occasions to a group of men who know each other and have a secret connection from the past. Although I found it confusing it did not put me off!
Thanks again netgalley

Grace McGill cleans up after deaths that have been undiscovered after a long while. I cannot imagine such a job! This book is fast paced and easy to read. The plot is unique and well developed. It took me awhile to get into the story but once I did, it packed a punch. Very entertaining mystery. *this honest review is based on a complimentary copy via NetGalley*

Grace McGill is a special kind of cleaner, she does the jobs no one else wants. She cleans up when a body is discovered a long time after the death has occurred. As Grace does her job she thinks a pattern is emerging in relation to the deaths. She is curious as to why the police aren't interested. She starts to investigate.

Grace is a fascinating character, she is a loner with only her cat for company. Her narrative is quite dark, unsurprising given the subject matter, but she also has a quite dry, if morbid, sense of humour, which fits nicely.

This was an engrossing read, the plot is clever and quite original. If you are looking for a different, quirky and rather macabre novel, this is definitely for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.