The Last Gifts to the Dead by Allan Gaw review: 'cleverly put together'
In the latest Dr Jack Cuthbert story, the pathologist finds himself revisiting the case of a man who has just been hanged. Review by Rachel Mackie
It’s 1932, and a condemned man faces the noose. His last words cast doubt over his guilt, however, and a frantic Scotland Yard scrambles to reinvestigate. They approach Dr Jack Cuthbert, who had worked on the original case, and the fastidious pathologist puts his wits to the test to find the truth.
This is the fifth book in the Cuthbert series, and fans will recognise the motley cast of characters that gather around to solve the mystery.
I read this as a standalone, and although the central mystery was easy to follow without context from earlier novels, there is an entire side plot that felt somewhat unnecessary to a first-time reader of these books, though it may play well to a more familiar audience.
Read more here: Loose Threads by Martin Stewart review: 'Meet the most exciting 'detective' in Scottish literature'
The narrative jumps around between different time periods: the present day, which exists post-execution; the time of the original investigation; and pre-World War One Belgium, where one of the main characters lives out her backstory.
For someone who was reading this book as a standalone, the Belgium story was baffling in its inclusion - though it was moving at times, it could have been part of a completely different book.
The writing also felt rather clunky at times, and that, combined with the leaping between various plot strands, leaves the reader feeling somewhat disconnected, as as though we’re just moving from one time period to the next, rather than being immersed within the story and moving with it.
For those with an eye for technical detail, this novel may well be for you, but I found some of the lengthier monologues about the details of electrocution somewhat laborious, and slowed the book down even more. More character development in place of some of the procedural minutiae might have worked better.
Despite all of this, the core mystery at the centre of The Last Gifts to the Dead is still compelling. It’s cleverly put together, and the lightbulb moment at the end is pleasing.
Dr Cuthbert is a distinct and interesting character, and the continuing and devastating impact of the First World War, both on him and the world around him, adds an extra dimension to the book.
The stakes don’t feel particularly high, given the convicted man has already been executed, and this takes a small amount of shine off what is a neat bit of deduction at the end, but following Cuthbert’s investigation is fun nonetheless.
The Last Gifts to the Dead by Allan Gaw, Polygon, £9.99
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