RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WEEK

"Lockdown" by Peter May

Could there be a more appropriately-titled book? "Lockdown" was written in 2005 and was initially rejected by the publishers on the grounds that it was "unrealistic". In fact, it has only been recently been released in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. "Lockdown" is an effective London-based crime thriller set against the backdrop of a deadly influenza pandemic (although certain details are scarily accurate, the situation in the book is actually far worse than the crisis we're currently facing). The grizzled DI McNeil is the man assigned to a macabre murder case aided and abetted by Amy, his secret lover who works in the forensics department.