By Val McDermid

BBC Radio 4, March 10, 2017 and on iPlayer

As the sickness spreads, society starts to break down…

The title for this trilogy of plays becomes even more appropriate in this middle instalment, as the disease proves resistant to even the strongest antibiotic, members of the government resist taking action, and our journalist protagonist Zoe resists playing it safe – finding herself potentially in danger not just from the disease but also those who have a lot to cover up.

You have to really hope that a lot of what is discussed between the various scientists through this 45 minutes goes beyond the hypothetical into the realms of pure fiction, because if not the ramifications are quite horrific – which, I suspect, is exactly the reaction that McDermid and the scientists she worked with on this are hoping for. Zoe’s an old-fashioned foot in the door journalist at heart, and won’t stop pursuing the story, no matter what obstacles are put in her way… Or at least, that’s what we think until we get to the closing scene. And Dr Aasmah is the sort of scientist that we hope would be in place in this sort of situation, one who’s not worried about who’s going to gain the credit (or the blame) but who just wants to deal with the apocalyptic situation they’re facing.

McDermid creates a wealth of flawed characters to populate the tale, allowing the listener to understand not just the larger issues but just how they affect those caught up in it and making this a riveting listen thanks to strong performances across the board.

Verdict: As taut and timely as the first part, this continues to be a strong piece of drama. 9/10

Paul Simpson