A Particularly Nasty Case: The Debut Novel from the Author of the Global Bestseller This Is Going to Hurt.
A Particularly Nasty Case – Adam Kay’s Darkly Comic Debut Novel
After making millions of readers laugh (and cry) with his medical memoir This Is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay has turned his scalpel-sharp wit and insight toward fiction. His debut novel, A Particularly Nasty Case, is equal parts medical mystery, dark comedy, and an unflinching portrait of the pressures inside the NHS.
At the centre of the story is Dr. Eitan Rose, a rheumatologist trying to piece his life back together after a breakdown. Returning to work in a North London hospital, he’s hoping for stability—but instead finds himself drawn into a series of deaths among the senior consultants. When a toxic and widely disliked doctor suddenly drops dead, no one suspects anything sinister. No one, that is, except Eitan. And when another colleague meets the same fate, Eitan becomes convinced that something far more dangerous is at play.
The novel quickly escalates into a tense, gripping investigation—though Eitan’s determination to uncover the truth is shadowed by his own fragile mental state. Kay balances the suspense with razor-sharp humour, delivering not only a compelling whodunit but also a thoughtful exploration of burnout, institutional decay, and the messy humanity of those working in healthcare.
What makes A Particularly Nasty Case so compelling is Kay’s dual gift: he knows the world of hospitals inside out, and he knows how to tell a story that keeps you laughing while breaking your heart. The authenticity of the setting—the claustrophobic wards, the politics of consultants, the relentless stress—gives the mystery a grounding that feels chillingly real.
Already praised by the likes of Ian Rankin, Lucy Foley, and Russell T Davies, Kay’s first step into fiction proves he can wield a novel with as much precision as he once wielded a scalpel. For fans of witty thrillers, dark medical dramas, or anyone who devoured This Is Going to Hurt, this debut is both a natural progression and a bold new direction.
In short: A Particularly Nasty Case is sharp, suspenseful, and darkly funny—a must-read for anyone who loves a thriller with heart and bite.
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