SOLVED. Book about a plague outbreak in Oxford [s]

[Siv]

The action takes place in the 1990s. I was half convinced the title of the book is "Bleak December" but I cannot find it. I definitely remember the word December in the title. It is written by a British author.

[Sean]

do you remeber when you read/how old the book might have been also did the book turn towards fantasy or was it relatively realistic fiction?

[Siv]

I read it during the late '90s when I was a member of the British Council library. It was highly realistic and involved the military trying to cover up the outbreak and trying to suppress the fact from leaking to the press. Two young hospital residents are the main characters. Oh, and there was also a reference to Porton Down - it was involved in the plot.

[Kusal]

Plague by Alberto Camu ???

[Siv]

No, it is a novel by a British writer.

[Susi]

https://www.amazon.com/Year-Wonders-P...

[SBC]

Can we rule out Connie Willis's Doomsday Book? The time travelling Oxford student goes back to the middle ages where the plague has struck but there is a parallel epidemic in Oxford in modern times.

[Siv]

Yes, there are no connections with the past. Everything happens in the 1990s. The Porton Down facility is the key player in the cause of the accidental outbreak and the two interns are puzzled when they start receiving patients with strange symptoms, never seen before. Then they turn detectives and find out that it is actually the bubonic plague they are fighting, while the army tries to make them stay quiet.

[Siv]

Also, the author is British. I borrowed the book from the British Council library and they only carry British authors.

[Aerulan]

Bleak Midwinter by Peter Millar?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Bump.

Did you check out "Bleak Midwinter"?

[Siv]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Bump.

Did you check out "Bleak Midwinter"?"

Thank you! This is the book! The moment I read the name, something clicked. Thank you again!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Awesom. Aerulan found your book.