The Waiting Rooms

Description

Swinging from South Africa to England: one woman's hunt for her birth mother in an all-too-believable near future in which an antibiotic crisis has decimated the population. A prescient, thrilling debut.

'STUNNING and terrifying ... The Waiting Rooms wrenches your heart in every way possible, but written with such humanity and emotion' Miranda Dickinson'Engrossing and eye opening ... Characters adapt, resulting in a disturbing new reality with an atmosphere of impending doom ... A stunning medical thriller set in a terrifying possible future' Foreword Reviews

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Decades of spiralling drug resistance have unleashed a global antibiotic crisis. Ordinary infections are untreatable, and a scratch from a pet can kill. A sacrifice is required to keep the majority safe: no one over seventy is allowed new antibiotics. The elderly are sent to hospitals nicknamed 'The Waiting Rooms' ... hospitals where no one ever gets well.

Twenty years after the crisis takes hold, Kate begins a search for her birth mother, armed only with her name and her age. As Kate unearths disturbing facts about her mother's past, she puts her family in danger and risks losing everything. Because Kate is not the only secret that her mother is hiding. Someone else is looking for her, too.

Sweeping from an all-too-real modern Britain to a pre-crisis South Africa, The Waiting Rooms is epic in scope, richly populated with unforgettable characters, and a tense, haunting vision of a future that is only a few mutations away.

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'If you're the kind of person who watches Contagion during a pandemic, you'll love The Waiting Rooms... Chillingly close to reality, this gripping thriller brims with authenticity. A captivating, accomplished and timely debut from an author to watch' Adam Hamdy

'If the themes are dark and topical, the writing is exquisite. Breath held, I got to the finale with my heart in my mouth. Eve Smith weaves a complex and clever tale, merging countries and timelines; the result is a superb and satisfying novel' Louise Beech

'Smith creates visceral worlds that spring to life on the page and each chapter reveals new and exciting plot developments... Her work portrays an essence of Margaret Atwood and George Orwell' Reviewer No 9

'Stunning dystopian debut. A prescient and alarming tale that seems just a whisper from reality' Suzy Apsley

'This is THE book of our time. Literally unputdownable & unforgettable. Such a book, you owe it to yourself to order it immediately. WOW ' Phillipa's Quick Book Review Podcast

'With the current coronavirus going on, this book is so timely ... It's a wealth of information and a wealth of warnings. My god this book makes you think. It really makes you think. Great interwoven story of the creators of the drugs and how they can be used for evil reasons. And warning, the first chapter will have you weeping' Goodreads