Tucked within this book is quite a good story - a hospital personnel officer dealing with difficult colleagues and then several murders, trying to unravel if the culprit is walking among them. However the whole thing is totally spoiled by the author's belief that she should use the book to air her knowledge of psychmetric testing. We are 'treated' to sample questions and answers at the beginning of every chapter, which immediately break the flow of the story. Even worse, the author has chosen to make all the chapters short (presumably to fit in as many tests as she can) so the whole story becomes disjointed - you are just following one set of events when it abruptly ends and the reader is catapulted into something else, totally unrelated.

The story itself is quite interesting, seeing hospital life in the 80s and the attitudes and prejudices of that time, particularly over the appointment of a new general manager. Because of the need to keep the identity of some characters a secret, in order to work the plot, I didn't feel any actually became flesh and blood other than Lorraine. She was an interesting person, torn between her life on stage and her work life, as well as caring for her daughter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I so wanted to enjoy this debut novel more than I did. Set in Salford in 1983, it follows Lorraine, a single mother and part-time musician who works as a personnel manager at Memorial Hospital. Lorraine is being trained in psychometric testing to select the successful candidate for the new General Manager position, introduced as part of Thatcherite reforms to the NHS. But when one of her colleagues is murdered, she wonders if the information she gathers will be useful for more than just recruitment. Martine Bailey writes very well, and Sharp Scratch feels completely authentic; drawing on her own personal experience, Bailey brings to life the NHS of the 1980s and the grim world that Lorraine inhabits. Indeed, this feels almost as if it could have been written in the 1980s, reminding me of early crime novels by greats such as Val McDermid and PD James, and that might be the problem: it's dated, despite not even being out yet. Despite all there is to admire about Sharp Scratch, I struggled with its lack of direction and pace, and found that I simply didn't care who the murderer was. This may be a matter of taste, but I just didn't want to spend any longer in this world than I had to. It's a shame to see Bailey is writing a sequel, as I'd love to see her try something completely different; she's clearly a talented writer. 2.5 stars.

A blast from the 80’s set in Salford , England.
Thatcherite reforms to the National Health Service , psychometric testing in its infancy and early references to criminal profiling.
I think if the book had been written in the 80’s then it would have had more appeal. It’s gushing enthusiasm for psychometric testing seemed strange for a murder novel and I soon stopped reading the example questions at the start of each chapter.
However lurking underneath was a good whodunnit murder mystery which I enjoyed reading. There were strong hints as to who the culprit could be but I looked forward to finding out all the details at the end and had no trouble reading the whole book, but the starts to each paragraph were irritating even though I had stopped reading them. I also speed read/skipped some long diatribes about testing and personality profiles.
Lorraine works in Human Resources in a rundown hospital that is about to appoint a new general manager and is tasked with learning about psychometric testing and using this to help select the best candidate. But there is a murder and all the candidates are suspects. Lorraine does not think that the police are looking in the right direction and tries to get to the bottom of things.
I found the ending satisfying.
Thanks Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an ARC of this book.

decent thriller. did not like any of the characters but that worked well. thanks for the arc, would recommend

I received an advanced copy of this book from Allison & Busby via NetGalley.

In 1983 Salford, Lorraine Quick, juggling her roles as a single mother, a member of a stagnant band, and Personnel Officer at Memorial Hospital, faces a turning point. Margaret Thatcher's vision for the NHS introduces a General Manager position, thrusting Lorraine into the pivotal role of selecting the right candidate. Armed with her recent training in psychometric testing, Lorraine becomes a key player in this era of change.

However, the winds of transformation bring more than just bureaucratic shifts. A dark force lurks within the hospital as a flu vaccine is intentionally replaced with a lethal dose of anaesthetic, unearthing a sinister plot. Lorraine, straddling the realms of hospital administration and a perplexing murder, focuses her suspicions on those vying for the coveted General Manager role. Can the answers to unraveling this mystery be found in the results of the personality tests she administers?

The confusing beginning set the tone for the entire book, making it a challenging read that ultimately failed to deliver a compelling and coherent story. The plot lacked coherence, and it felt disjointed, making it challenging to engage with the narrative. The story seemed to drag on without a clear direction. While the premise held promise, the execution fell short, leaving me struggling to connect with the story.

I did not like Lorraine as a character. I was confused about her motivations and found her actions inconsistent. I was not rooting for her at all.

This was a very fast paced and tense read, the setting and plot seem very current and somewhat relatable which adds to a build up of suspense.

I think this is either a you love it or hate it kinda book. I wasn’t really a fan but I think it might’ve been the case of wrong time right book. I just finished reading an amazing thriller and this one just didn’t compliment the other one like k thought it would.

The cover of the book is awesome and this is a first by this author.

I really enjoyed reading this and the plot was full of character build and was hard to figure out who was the bad person in the story.

I feel that this book could allow different age groups and different readers a chance to read and like the genre.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot was full of interest with information about the characters being givenout at the right times which made me keep changing my mind about who the real baddies were. The start of each new chapter being given by a question and answer evaluation was novel and added to the depth of the book.The characters were so different and I think that adds interest to lots more groups of readers.

A fast paced and dark hospital thriller set in the 1980s. The story was enjoyable. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.