Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "val-mcdermid"

Some book reviews for the festive season, beginning with a mystery from the Mistress of Suspense...

Deck the Halls by Carol Higgins Clark

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An entertaining, cosy, Christmas mystery.

This was my first encounter with both Mary Higgins Clark's Alvirah and Willy and Carol Higgins Clark's Regan Reilly, pulled together in a kidnap and ransom tale that takes place just days before Christmas.

For one reason and another, I was struggling to get into the Christmas spirit this year, but this book was the perfect remedy to that. I read it across three days and wanted to keep reading even when I had to place the book down.

This was a light-hearted delight - I hope the other co-written Christmas mysteries prove to be just as enjoyable!




Now for something a little darker...

Ghosts of Christmas Past by Tim Martin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A haunting mix of Christmas ghost stories, featuring a mix of the brilliant, the poignant, the humorous and the downright bizarre.

Highlights for me were: 'Dinner for One' by Jenn Ashworth, the story of a couple in a dysfunctional, at times abusive, relationship; 'This Beautiful House' by Louis de Bernieres, the reminiscence of family Christmases spent long ago; 'The Step' by E.F. Benson, a classic haunting of a gentleman stalked by a mysterious step; and 'The Visiting Star' by Robert Aickman, the retelling of the time a famous actress visited a small town to star in a theatre production.

An enjoyable collection to devour over the festive period - Neil Gaiman's amusing 'anecdote' on a cursed Nicholas may be perfect for reading to a crowd when the children are out of earshot.




After encounters with the paranormal, time for some adventure...

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An entertaining festive adventure from David Baldacci.

Journalist Tom Langdon, unable to fly from Washington to LA for Christmas, is forced to take the journey by train, a journey he hopes will help him discover himself and result in a new piece of writing. Aboard the train, he meets a host of colourful characters, finding himself offered to work on a movie project by a famous director, assisting eloping lovers with their wedding, a thief, an avalanche and coming face to face with the one true love of his life.

Well-written and fast-paced, 'The Christmas Train' is a light and frothy treat amongst the murder and skulduggery of many Christmas mystery and suspense novels.




And, finally, some classic Christmas crime...

Murder on Christmas Eve: Classic Mysteries for the Festive Season by Cecily Gayford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A thrilling collection of mystery and murder from a host of brilliant authors.

It's incredibly difficult to select the highlights from this collection, which includes appearances from Rebus, Father Brown and Campion. Possibly my favourites were: 'The Trinity Cat' by Ellis Peters, where a cat assists in the investigation of a murder; 'No Sanity Clause' by Ian Rankin, which sees Rebus attending a murder mystery evening; 'A Wife in a Million' by Val McDermid, the tale of a malign poisoner; and 'Cambric Tea' by Marjorie Bowen, where a young doctor uncovers a diabolical poisoning.

Credit must go to editor Cecily Gayford for selecting a perfect concoction of Christmas crime stories, making 'Murder on Christmas Eve' a delight to be revisited for many Christmases to come.




Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Christmas is Murder: A Chilling Short Story Collection by Val McDermid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A collection of twelve gripping short stories to curdle the blood during the festive season.

Tony Hill and Carol Jordan hunt a killer who threatens to strike next on Christmas Day…
A malicious poisoner targets supermarket shoppers at random…
A traditional family Christmas is disrupted by murder…
A woman reflects on the crimes that stole her adopted daughter’s mother…
A little girl defends her home on Christmas Eve…
Sherlock Holmes takes on a case that will shape the course of history…
A couple discover a hidden structure built into the cliffside…
Long-buried secrets threaten to surface when an old barrel of whisky is discovered in a cave…
Gavin’s dreams of becoming a writer are finally realised when he meets Natasha…
Ghosts may finally be laid to rest one dark night in St. Petersburg…
A woman’s adulterous husband leaves her on Bonfire Night…
A team of bingo callers find themselves in the firing line, until an armed robbery changes their destiny…

‘Christmas is Murder’ begins with a bang and doesn’t let you go until the final page. Each story is engrossing and lightning-paced, closing with a satisfying twist. This is amongst the best short story collections that I have enjoyed, every story of the utmost quality. My favourites were the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan story ‘Happy Holidays’ (‘The Mermaids Singing’ was the first Val McDermid novel I read and remains amongst my favourite psychological thrillers); ‘Holmes for Christmas’ (I cannot resist a new well-plotted Sherlock Holmes story, this one with an historical twist); ‘Ghost Writer’ and ‘White Nights, Black Magic’ – though it was difficult to choose even those above others.

Val McDermid is exceptional at delving into the criminal mind, showcasing that superbly in a variety of ways in this collection – whether that be in the unbalanced machinations of a serial killer, or the well-meaning intentions of a child; you will find a variety of hot-blooded and cold-blooded criminal motivations. Each set of characters is drawn perfectly, their stories well-written and superbly plotted. This collection also blends other genres into the mix – there’s a touch of tragic romance, some humour along the way, and even a supernatural twist amongst them.

‘Christmas is Murder’ is a delicious seasonal indulgence; twelve treats to devour during a winter’s evening.



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Still Life by Val McDermid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A thrilling police procedural featuring two investigations for Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit.

Fishermen pull a man’s body from the Firth of Forth estuary, launching an investigation by Fife’s local CID. DS Daisy Mortimer, recently transferred to the team, is both nervous and excited to be involved in her first murder inquiry. The victim is soon identified as a French citizen, but enquiries with the French police identify that he previously absconded to France to join the French Foreign Legion – prior to this he was a UK citizen and chief suspect in the inquiry into the disappearance of his brother, a civil servant, a case which quickly ran cold.

Meanwhile, DCI Karen Pirie is investigating the discovery of skeletal remains in the back of a camper van in the garage of a recently deceased RTA victim. It appears likely that this may be linked to the deceased's ex-partner. Karen and DC Jason Murray delve into both women’s backgrounds, while Karen finds herself distracted by an offender’s imminent release from prison.

With the live inquiry linked to the cold case of the civil servant’s disappearance, Karen is tasked with taking the lead on the investigation, one with lines of enquiry which sprawl through England, France and finally to Ireland. Juggling both inquiries, Karen and the team find themselves hunting two dangerous murderers whose unearthed crimes threaten to continue bleeding into the present.

I first encountered Karen Pirie back when ‘The Distant Echo’ was still a standalone thriller – I still recall its chilling imagery to this day. When I later picked up ‘A Darker Domain’, believing it to be another standalone, I was pleasantly surprised to recognise the lead characters. Since then I have eagerly followed Karen’s cases. This, the sixth in the series, is once again another high quality thriller from Val McDermid; packed with forensic and procedural detail, cross-jurisdictional sparring and cooperation, and the blurring of both historic and current cases – resulting in an intriguing, authentic police thriller, that builds to a suspenseful and satisfying climax.

Karen continues to be an endearing character, her own personal life intertwined throughout (while the novel can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the novels in order to avoid spoilers and best experience the ongoing character development across the series), her no-nonsense approach and desire for justice never wavering. An appearance by anthropologist Dr River Wilde is always welcome, while I very much like new recruit Daisy and hope she continues to feature in the series in the future. The Pirie novels, in particular amongst McDermid’s work, demonstrate a keen political and social awareness, current events bubbling in the background. With the novel concluding in March 2020, I’m very excited to see what may come next for Karen and her team.

Fast-paced, with a social and moral conscience, and gripping from beginning to end, ‘Still Life’ is another fantastic novel from the Queen of Scottish Crime, and, as ever, I shall be eagerly picking up the next McDermid thriller as soon as it arrives.



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1979 by Val McDermid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The first in a brand new thriller series featuring journalist Allie Burns.

Rookie reporter Allie finds herself relegated to writing insignificant pieces and 'women's stories' at the Daily Clarion. But her budding friendship with fellow reporter Danny also promises a blossoming working relationship as they work together to expose crime and corruption.

Uncovering a tax evasion scheme, Danny is convinced it may finally put him on the road to realising his dream of becoming an investigative reporter. He enlists Allie to assist with the story, while struggling with the implications that exposing the crimes will have on his family.

Meanwhile, Allie stumbles across the beginnings of a terrorist plot that she becomes determined to pursue and prevent, while simultaneously enabling her to tell the story which will prove her worth. But undercover journalism is uncharted territory for both Allie and Danny, posing a danger that threatens to spiral out of control for them both.

'1979' is the first in Val McDermid's series featuring Allie Burns, who has recently joined a local newspaper after returning to her Scottish homeland. I immediately warmed to Allie's character - she is passionate, morally driven, friendly and endearing, and perhaps a little naive. This is her story and it drives the multiple plotlines, juggling and intertwining personal and professional narratives as the novel evolves.

This isn't just a crime thriller that happens to be set in 1979, but also a distinct historical thriller with its social and political backdrop of 1970s Scotland and the wider UK, with elements of political thriller moulded throughout. We witness the beginnings of the devolution and independence movements, something that will no doubt feature more heavily as we move through the decades as the series continues.

McDermid's conception of the series was almost an antidote to the changing world in response to the challenges and tragedy of the global pandemic. By going back in time, we escape that world, we as readers travelling back along with its author. The series is set to continue with '1989', and culminate, presumably, with a fifth book set in 2019.

There are moments throughout reminiscent of Lynda La Plante's 'Tennison' series, both in the way it transports us back to the 70s, instilling nostalgia for a time before I was even born, and in its portrayal of a woman in a man's world, fighting the sexism and having to work even harder to prove she is both capable and worthy of her profession. Already this series feels like it will do for journalism what 'Prime Suspect' did for the police service.

A thrilling exposé of time and place, '1979' is a gripping and immersive first chapter; I eagerly anticipate meeting Allie once again a decade on.



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Marple: Twelve New Stories by Naomi Alderman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Agatha Christie's Miss Marple returns in a collection of mysteries by contemporary writers.

Schemes of blackmail and murder in a small village…
St. Mary Mead’s vicarage is once again host to murder…
A trip to Manhattan turns deadly…
Miss Marple unravels a public family drama…
Christmas celebrations are interrupted by a jewellery theft…
A sudden death in an academic circle…
A killer strikes on an Oriental cruise ship…
A wedding is interrupted by a sudden poisoning…
A writer plots a murder in the sunny Mediterranean…
Miss Marple’s great-grand-niece becomes embroiled in a murder…
A peaceful visit to a Sussex village leads Miss Marple to uncover a string of murders…
Called back to St. Mary Mead, Miss Marple is asked to investigate a man’s sudden disappearance…

'Marple' presents twelve short stories by twelve mystery and thriller writers, celebrating one of Agatha Christie's most ingenious characters and her second most famous detective - Miss Jane Marple. Behind her unassuming appearance of the elderly spinster and legatee of the Victorian era, in her neat quaint cottage where she tends her garden in the small chocolate-box English village of St. Mary Mead, is a woman with a keen understanding of human nature and a skill at solving even the most complex of mysteries.

Every one of these stories is a perfect slice of the genius of Miss Marple, as sharp, unobtrusive and quietly observant as ever, capturing the subtlety, intuition and intellect with which Christie wrote her character. My personal favourites were:
'The Second Murder at the Vicarage' by Val McDermid, for its vintage style and sleight-of-hand solution;
'Miss Marple's Christmas' by Ruth Ware, for its festive, classic mystery atmosphere;
'A Deadly Wedding Day' by Dreda Say Mitchell, for its thrilling pace and twists in the narrative;
'The Mystery of the Acid Soil' by Kate Mosse, for its detail-driven plotting and masterful piece of detection.

This collection has so much to delight a mystery reader - secrets and lies, plotting and scheming, adultery and affairs of the heart, clever thefts and strange disappearances, and, of course, brutal murders. Featuring an eclectic mix of supporting characters, which also include some reappearances of several from Christie's own stories, such as nephew Raymond and friend and neighbour Dolly Bantry, the stories are told from differing perspectives, taking place across multiple locations. With allusions and references to Christie’s stories, this collection of tales makes for an indulgent treat.

Part of the genius of the Miss Marple stories is in how so many people simply dismiss her as an elderly woman. This theme remains as timely as ever - the elderly often written off, their time passed. Within the collection, we experience how elderly people are seen in other cultures, revered for their wisdom, knowledge and life experience – in contrast to what is often seen in British society and similar cultures. As well as exploring perceptions of the elderly, the underlying theme of aging also runs throughout the collection - how it feels to grow old, especially as a woman, to fade into the background (or be expected to), while your mind may remain as it ever was. It's quite unclear just how old Miss Marple is in her later stories, but she never loses the twinkle in her eye or her ability for astute and quick observation. If we must grow old, as all of us who are lucky enough to do so must, then let it be as Miss Marple does.

Miss Marple, much like Poirot and many other classic detectives, was a delightful part of my childhood. As Sophie Hannah has done with her 'Poirot' novels, the authors featured in this collection have offered the world something we believed lost with the passing of Agatha Christie - new stories featuring these incredible characters. Like Christie's entire legacy, Miss Marple remains immortal.

A marvellous collection of mysteries, both fresh and nostalgic, ‘Marple’ proves the magic of Agatha Christie never wavers, her spirit within each of these tales from twelve talented authors.



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1989 by Val McDermid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Allie Burns returns in pursuit of moral and social justice.

Burnt out and emotionally exhausted, Allie is determined to rekindle her passion for investigative journalism with an exposé on the failure of medical institutions to care for the sick and dying.

Through her investigation, Allie stumbles upon an experimental drugs trial exploiting society’s vulnerable despite evidence to suggest the drugs are unsafe.

Her determination to expose the truth leads Allie into peril beyond the Iron Curtain, while an intricate plot for murder comes to fruition at home.

'1989' is the second book in Val McDermid's series featuring journalist Allie Burns. We catch up with Allie a decade since we last saw her, and a lot has changed in her life. Having relocated from Edinburgh to Manchester, she is now a small cog in a media empire, the dream she realised of becoming an investigative reporter having been dashed with her paper’s acquisition by publishing mogul Ace Lockhart. No longer content with her job; her exposure to the raw emotion of others simply to turn over reporting for her managers has taken its toll and she has become disenchanted, her job satisfaction steadily ebbing away, while she still dreams of putting her passion and skills to work for something that matters. Allie is a superb character and I love the passion she brings to her work. Also, in refreshing juxtaposition to the darkness of the plot, she is in a stable, healthy relationship with her partner, Rona – all the more refreshing to witness a lesbian couple at a story's heart, which even today still feels a rarity.

In an authentic journalistic thriller, McDermid once again demonstrates her prowess at intricate plotting, with a plethora of genre themes and character perspectives explored. The novel delves into the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union, as well as insights into the aftermath of the Lockerbie bombing and the travesty of the Hillsborough disaster, while the shadow of the horror of the Holocaust lingers across Europe. Allie’s investigations are both fascinating and emotive, the exploration of the treatment of HIV/AIDS victims a piece of retrospective investigative journalism beneath this layer of fiction, while the explorations into Soviet satellites perfectly evoke the social unrest, stirring of rebellion and hope for revolution; the chilling threat the regime poses and Allie's realisation of danger.

With subtle displays of prejudice in the underlying presence of sexism, homophobia and racism, there is also social commentary – whether in the hierarchical capitalism of the West’s business empires or in the East’s contemporary communist regime, no matter a society’s state system or political philosophy, discrimination and mistreatment appear to be universal, albeit on different scales at different times. Looking back to history and the ramifications of extreme nationalism and fascism solidifies the concept that perhaps we’re never getting this right, with the ghosts of these mistakes still lingering today – some of them made afresh. At its core, this is a story about humanity in both its frailty and its endurance.

Having highly anticipated ‘1989’ ever since enjoying the opening installment ‘1979’, it proved to be as brilliant as expected; intensely gripping from the opening scenes and also incredibly moving – particularly in the stories of the HIV/AIDS victims and the fate of a Polish village during the Second World War. There is so much depth beneath the pages, while the story maintains its lightning pace throughout, back and forth between character perspectives and revelations until its satisfying conclusion.

Blending historical fiction, detective fiction, and political intrigue, ‘1989’ is a riveting, atmospheric thriller, as timely and relevant to the present day as its eponymous year and the history it delves into. I cannot wait to see what the next decade has in store for Allie.



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Past Lying by Val McDermid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A thrilling lockdown investigation for Karen Pirie.

An unpublished manuscript by recently deceased crime author Jake Stein is unearthed, with a plot eerily similar to the disappearance of a young woman the previous year.

Lara Hardie was an aspiring writer and student at Edinburgh University, who vanished one evening between her home and the library.

DCI Karen Pirie and her team in the Historic Cases Unit follow the clues set out in the unfinished novel in pursuit of the truth and closure for Lara's family.

‘Past Lying’ is the seventh novel in the Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid. Set during the first UK national lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, picking up shortly after the conclusion of the previous novel ‘Still Life’, we are confronted with the limitations and challenges of the precautions in place at the time – a reminder of the personal journeys we experienced, the horrors of the pandemic, and an exploration of the effects this had on police procedure. The Historic Cases Unit, deemed practically non-essential at this time, are currently reviewing case files while staying at home. A lead from an unexpected source at the National Library leads them to focus their attention on a case only a year old, a young woman disappearing seemingly without trace.

As the series has progressed, the books have become increasingly character-focussed, their ongoing personal lives sharing as much of the plot as each case. Karen’s drive and determination, her morality and commitment to justice – both legal and social – power the narrative as surely as the mystery at its core. Her relationships with protégé Jason and recent recruit Daisy lie at the heart of the story; in the backdrop of the pandemic, this novel feels more about the police team than the investigation itself. With the characters in lockdown, their familial and romantic relationships are under strain, exposing both strong bonds and brittle cracks, positive and negative exacerbated by the present unsettling situation.

McDermid always delivers an engaging and thrilling narrative, this one a complex puzzle within the world of crime writing, which leads to some light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek moments, juxtaposed with the serious nature of the investigation and some tragic and emotional elements; the formula of the Karen Pirie novels once again presenting an example of police procedurals at their best. Also following a secondary narrative of the fictionalised version of the alleged abduction and murder through the manuscript discovered amongst Jake Stein’s papers, we enjoy a multi-layered, detailed plot that grips from its tantalising opening chapters to satisfying conclusion.

Poignant and timely, 'Past Lying' is another immersive thriller from the Queen of Scottish crime fiction.



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Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A thrilling tale of love and loss, power and destitution.

In the unforgiving wilderness of medieval Scotland, Queen Macbeth is on the run for her life.

King Macbeth is dead, and she desperately mourns his loss, while fearing for her son whom she has been separated from.

This is the tale of the tragedy behind the tragedy, a story of love discovered and lost, and a desperate quest for survival.

‘Queen Macbeth’ is an historical fiction novella by Val McDermid, retelling the history behind Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Macbeth’ from the perspective of the queen, in a far more sympathetic portrait than the Machiavellian villainess Lady Macbeth of the play. McDermid delves into Shakespeare’s historical inspiration in search of the true story behind the myth – not of a man spurned to violence and tyranny by his fatal flaws of greed and ambition, encouraged by his equally megalomanic and bloodthirsty wife, but of Macbethad, an early king of Scotland (in its contemporary political geography of several kingdoms), and his beloved wife Gruoch, whom he recues from an abusive, loveless marriage.

The tale is narrated from Gruoch’s perspective, who is now in hiding, being pursued for her life and her son’s throne following the death of her second husband. Through flashbacks, we discover their beautiful love story, their intense emotion and attraction blooming from an instant connection. But their love is forbidden – Gruoch is married to the cruel and murderous Gille Coemgáin. Yet the love between Gruoch and Macbeth is powerful and nothing can come between them and their destiny to be together, these flashbacks the shining heart of the novella; along with Gruoch’s relationship with her three companions, their characterisation another piece of historical realism analogous to the three witches of Shakespeare’s tragedy.

The narrative moves seamlessly between the dual timelines, as, in the present, Gruoch’s pursuers catch up with her and her allies, and they must flee the grounds of the monastery where they have been granted safe haven to seek new sanctuary, facing more bloodshed and deeper tragedy. The novella subtly questions perception – consider the misogyny of a patriarchal society; how the victors of war record the history of conflict – while toying with allusions to the original play and crafting a legend around a history about which little is known fact.

A beautifully written story, ‘Queen Macbeth’ takes us on a tragic and emotional journey along with endearing characters; a moving companion to the Scottish Play, shedding light on its darkness and reminding us there is often another perspective to every story.



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