contemporary british mystery; bones found in attic. *SPOILERS (sort of? minimal.)* [s]

[Beth]

I think this book is *fairly* recent, though I'm not sure of the exact year. It's set in England. The protagonist is middle-aged. He used to be a professional footballer, but now he's a reporter. He's just purchased a house in a neighborhood he visited as a child, but of which he doesn't have much memory. He is accompanied by his stepchildren; his wife is out of the country caring for her terminally ill ex husband. As he is walking a contractor/decorator(?) Through the house, they find a child's bones in the attic, very old. He contacts the authorities, but they don't have many resources available for a thorough investigation of such an old case, so he starts investigating on his own. He starts finding more and more connections to his own childhood.

[Kara]

That sounds exactly like Bones in the Attic by Robert Barnard.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

The Bones In The Attic for Kata's click. And I have to say--after reading the blurb, I think she's hit it right out of the ballpark.

[Beth]

That's it!! Thank you so much. (*contented sigh*)