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lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Although this is billed as a cold case story, it isn’t quite. Nearly half of the story takes place in the past, starting with the discovery of our murder victim and continuing on for several months of the initial investigation. I didn’t mind that aspect, but after a while it dragged on and I wanted to move on to the current day.
It’s clear that McDermid didn’t intend Karen Pirie to become the star of her own series. She’s a VERY minor character in this first book. But having read a few of the later books, I’m glad she did get promoted to leading lady.
It was interesting to see the characters age and mature. The killer became obvious by the 3/4 mark, but it was still interesting. The killer was incredibly nuanced, especially with their morals.
It was a smidge too long, but a great story. And man does it drive me crazy that McDermid has no problem killing off the most lovable characters!
It’s clear that McDermid didn’t intend Karen Pirie to become the star of her own series. She’s a VERY minor character in this first book. But having read a few of the later books, I’m glad she did get promoted to leading lady.
It was interesting to see the characters age and mature. The killer became obvious by the 3/4 mark, but it was still interesting. The killer was incredibly nuanced, especially with their morals.
It was a smidge too long, but a great story. And man does it drive me crazy that McDermid has no problem killing off the most lovable characters!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture and Violence
Minor: Rape and Murder
drjoannehill's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
(Audiobook) A very tense story throughout! I was very invested in what was happening. Even though I guessed whodunnit from the moment that character entered the story, there are plenty of twists and turns.
Told mainly from the point of view of four witnesses who are accused of murder (rather than mainly from the point of view of the detectives, which is more typical I think) in 1978, and the impact this has on them at the time and 25 years later when a cold case review begins.
Also want to say, all the police officers in this story are as useful as a chocolate teapot, so I'm interested to read more "Karen Pirie mysteries" to see if she actually develops.
Written in 2004, it is quite interesting reading about 20 year old technology; also thinking about the 25 year gap in the story (1978/9 to 2003/4) feeling like eons, what would that be like today? 1999 seems quite clear in my mind ...
Told mainly from the point of view of four witnesses who are accused of murder (rather than mainly from the point of view of the detectives, which is more typical I think) in 1978, and the impact this has on them at the time and 25 years later when a cold case review begins.
Also want to say, all the police officers in this story are as useful as a chocolate teapot, so I'm interested to read more "Karen Pirie mysteries" to see if she actually develops.
Written in 2004, it is quite interesting reading about 20 year old technology; also thinking about the 25 year gap in the story (1978/9 to 2003/4) feeling like eons, what would that be like today? 1999 seems quite clear in my mind ...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Minor: Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
heidi_84's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Suicide attempt, and Murder
_lish_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Murder
kirstym25's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Murder
geraldinerowe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was my first Val McDermid and I was expecting good things. At first I was a little disappointed with the writing style. It was a little bit pot-boiler thriller style, and there were some rather lazy clichés (I don't believe anyone would really say "There must be some mistake" when told a loved-one has died, but it was used three times in this book). However, once the plot got going I couldn't stop reading. It's the first book in a long time that has made me read irresponsibly late into the night. I felt very smug through the last half of the book as I thought I'd guessed who the murderer was. I was wrong. I don't read a lot of crime fiction - my annual Sara Paretsky is usually enough for me - but I might add a Val McDermid into the mix occasionally from now on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Rape
velvet_young's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
coggin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
readable but predictable and terribly written
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Rape
catherineneeds's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Death and Homophobia
Minor: Rape
sshabein's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
What a difference a murder mystery written by a woman makes! No lingering breast descriptions, no looking women up and down as if it's the correct way of operating, actual thought put into having women police officers present, but hardly any lionization of the police in general. Not everything holds up (this came out in 2003), and some character choices are a bit abrupt, but overall, a good, solid book. I kinda saw the ending coming, but hey, I DO watch a lot of this stuff on TV.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Murder