January Books 9) Casualties of War, by Steve Emmerson
Finishing his drink, the Doctor placed his mug on the table with a grim look.
‘So,’ he said at last, ‘the question is, Constable Briggs, who do you think is responsible for all these strange happenings?’
Briggs gave him his most serious look. That trench today had clinched it for him. Those footprints disappearing into nowhere like that. No sign of mud on the road. Although he was facing a man from the Ministry and obviously a learned man as well, without a trace of embarrassment Briggs told the Doctor exactly what he thought.
‘I think,’ he said, ‘it’s ghosts.’
An Eighth Doctor book which is set during the First World War, with the amnesiac Doctor now investigating mysterious happenings in a hospital for convalescent soldiers. For what is basically a zombie story, it is done rather well, with a particularly good one-off companion (Mary, the village midwife) whose emotional path is similar to many of the New Who companions, and other nicely depicted supporting characters. Would appeal to non-Who fans more than most.
I am still way behind with writing up January's books; expect a few more catchup posts this weekend.
Bechdel pass, as Mary and two other women discuss the weather in Chapter Four, though they go on to discuss the Doctor.