Reviews

Still Life by Val McDermid

readymadereader's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-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

3.5

hannigrace's review against another edition

mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

heybender's review

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

hannahbezz's review

4.0

I've never read Val's work before, but i do enjoy a good crime thriller and this absolutely meets that criteria. Having never read a DC Karen Pirie novel before I was worried I'd struggle to pick up a back story or would feel I was missing something, but this wasn't the case at all.

The characters in the book are brilliantly portrayed, i felt like I could connect with them all and almost predict what their reaction to different situations would be based on their given personalities.

As the book unfolds, DC Pirie is working on two separate cases, but the way this was interleaved felt natural and easy to follow, keeping them as distinct and independent scenarios - much as i suppose it must be for real Detectives who would also not have the luxury of focusing on single cases at a time.

Val McDermid is also brilliant at concreting the story in the time it is set in, with cultural, political and geographical grounding that i felt really added something extra to the story. The brief mentions of covid (the book is primarily set in Feb 2020) felt natural and true to the time its set in, rather than gimicky, and the undercurrent of political disruption felt exactly right.

Absolutely loved this book, and would definitely recommend it to anyone!

kimblefairy1989's review

4.0

I enjoyed this novel. I liked the fact that the author put 2 cases into one story when normally we would just get one.

The only reason I am giving this 4 stars is because I thought it felt a little rushed at the end.

hollyxbeth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

csdaley's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.25

alexarcifre's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

rubyrobin's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

els04's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

 

Stilleven. Door: Val McDermid. 

 

Een tiental jaar geleden ben ik, na twee gewapende overvallen te hebben meegemaakt, gestopt met het lezen van thrillers. Tot dan verslond ik gretig alles van Val McDermid; ik was dol op Tony Hill en Carol Jordan (in boekvorm én op tv). 

 

Een tijdje geleden zag ik dat er een serie over Karen Pirie - een personage van McDermid - op tv zou komen en die heb ik, voorzichtig, geprobeerd. Ik was direct verkocht: het verhaal was geweldig goed, Karen bleek zó tof; ik genoot van elke seconde. Jammer genoeg vond ik het boek (De verre echo) niet terug in de bib. Maar nu is er weer een nieuwe Karen Pirie: Stilleven! Woehoe! 

 

Ik heb het boek net uit, heb als een verslaafde zitten lezen, zeker de laatste hoofdstukken: nagelbijtend spannend! Karen blijk op papier nog toffer dan op het scherm (boeken zijn altijd beter hé), ondertussen is ze een tiental jaar ouder dan in de serie en is ze hoofd van de afdeling Historische zaken van de Schotse politie. Als je denkt dat dat saai is vergis je je schromelijk: haar job is giga boeiend én spannend, soms zelfs ronduit gevaarlijk. Haar collega’s Jason (en later Daisy) stalen ook direct mijn hart. 

 

Mc Dermid kan schrijven: ze weet je pagina na pagina aan het papier te kluisteren, haar personages zijn levensecht (Karen, ik wil je vriend zijn én ik hou ook van chocoladekoekjes!), de dialogen vonken en de zaken die aan bod komen in Stilleven zijn intrigerend. Je voelt ook continue de dreigende spanning van de naderende Brexit en de virus-lockdowns. 

 

Een tof pluspunt is dat de Karen Pirie verhalen boordevol coole, vrouwelijke personages zitten (allemaal vriendschapskandidaten voor mij). 

 

Deze zomer ga ik, voor het eerst, naar Schotland; misschien neem ik wel een stapeltje McDermids mee want ik ben (opnieuw) verslaafd!