The Corpse Reader by Antonio Garrido

The Blurb On The Back:

Inspired by the life of a thirteenth-century Chinese academic – the world’s first forensic-science expert – this compelling story revolves around a medieval scholar with an uncanny gift for reading the marks left on corpses. After experiencing unimaginable loss and betrayal, the young Ci becomes a lowly gravedigger, honing the forensic skills that eventually earn him a place at a prestigious university. Fate steps in when the Emperor orders him to the Imperial Court to examine the mutilated victims of a savage killer and identify the perpetrator. As his graphic investigations lead him ever closer to the truth, Ci struggles with old loyalties – and his desire for an enigmatic beauty.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Antonio Garrido’s historical crime novel (translated from Spanish by Thomas Bunstead) is a fictionalised look at the life of the real Ci Song, the father of forensic science. As an ‘origins’ story it sticks Ci with a heavy-handed background filled with tragedy and a genetic disease that makes him immune to pain before pitching him into the central mystery about half-way through the book. For me it’s an overwritten book whose translation uses anachronistic terms (e.g. Ci recognises that Third has a genetic disease and characters use modern idiom, including ‘okay’) and although it did keep me turning the pages, the villain was easy to guess and the obligatory femme fatale character was undeveloped. If this becomes a series, I’m not sure I’ll read on.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the free copy of this book.