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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
This reads so modern, it's astonishing to realize it's not historical fiction. It's set in the mid-1990s and was published in 1996--yet it features a strong, independent, capable female lead in a high-danger, action role.
While other woman protagonists are getting their groove back--yep, that's the year "Stella Got Her Groove Back," and nothing against "Stella" or getting a good groove, but the focus was satisfactory romance to complete a woman who was in all other ways fulfilling the Supermom role of the era--while Stella is getting her groove back, McDermid's Kate Brannigan is outwitting criminals and cops alike, walking a wobbly line to see justice done, and letting romance take a back seat while she focuses on her work. Don't worry, romance lovers--our dashing detective does get her romantic rewards, when she's good and ready.
If Kate doesn't have "it all," lacking children simply because she doesn't want any, she does have her life the way she wants it, and that stands out not only for its time but nearly thirty years later. McDermid's feminism says a woman can take a clear-eyed look at what she wants from her work and relationships, and call the shots.
The action is fast-paced, the plotting is ingenious, the motivations and manipulations are multilayered, and the crimes carry across classes and countries' boundaries. No dust has gathered on this mystery.
Yet, it would be a great read for any author considering setting a story in the 1990s. Kate's explanations of her then-high-tech contrivances show us the sleuth's delight in the then-brand-new possibilities of the internet, mobile phones, and the tricks she could pull with a few tools picked up at the nearest electronic gadgets store. How she thought about, and used, such now-obvious resources as phone messages, would be a mind-expanding revelation for any writer completely accustomed to our era of easy data. For example, redialing and counting clicks to get a phone number. Why didn't she just check the "recent calls" list? Because in 1996, there wasn't one.
Here I was not having checked the publication date, thinking this was one of the novels McDermid had written recently but set in the last century. So much has changed, I was marveling at her convincing recreation of the thrill of the internet in its infancy. Instead, it turns out this was written in that time, and stands as a marvelous document of someone's understanding and excellent use of emerging technologies.
And all of that cleverness is just incidental to a story that delivers action and intrigue, and also powerful character development and keen social observation. I wasn't a big fan of mysteries, back in 1996. Too bad. I had no idea what I was missing.
While other woman protagonists are getting their groove back--yep, that's the year "Stella Got Her Groove Back," and nothing against "Stella" or getting a good groove, but the focus was satisfactory romance to complete a woman who was in all other ways fulfilling the Supermom role of the era--while Stella is getting her groove back, McDermid's Kate Brannigan is outwitting criminals and cops alike, walking a wobbly line to see justice done, and letting romance take a back seat while she focuses on her work. Don't worry, romance lovers--our dashing detective does get her romantic rewards, when she's good and ready.
If Kate doesn't have "it all," lacking children simply because she doesn't want any, she does have her life the way she wants it, and that stands out not only for its time but nearly thirty years later. McDermid's feminism says a woman can take a clear-eyed look at what she wants from her work and relationships, and call the shots.
The action is fast-paced, the plotting is ingenious, the motivations and manipulations are multilayered, and the crimes carry across classes and countries' boundaries. No dust has gathered on this mystery.
Yet, it would be a great read for any author considering setting a story in the 1990s. Kate's explanations of her then-high-tech contrivances show us the sleuth's delight in the then-brand-new possibilities of the internet, mobile phones, and the tricks she could pull with a few tools picked up at the nearest electronic gadgets store. How she thought about, and used, such now-obvious resources as phone messages, would be a mind-expanding revelation for any writer completely accustomed to our era of easy data. For example, redialing and counting clicks to get a phone number. Why didn't she just check the "recent calls" list? Because in 1996, there wasn't one.
Here I was not having checked the publication date, thinking this was one of the novels McDermid had written recently but set in the last century. So much has changed, I was marveling at her convincing recreation of the thrill of the internet in its infancy. Instead, it turns out this was written in that time, and stands as a marvelous document of someone's understanding and excellent use of emerging technologies.
And all of that cleverness is just incidental to a story that delivers action and intrigue, and also powerful character development and keen social observation. I wasn't a big fan of mysteries, back in 1996. Too bad. I had no idea what I was missing.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Look, it probablu has flaws, but it kept me sane through late 90s early 00s and I still enjoyed it even later.
Oh I know what was a flaw, the objectifying way she wrote about Michael. When I first read it I just saw it as lesbian author trying to write attractive men LOL but I see racism in it now which is not cool. I only hope McDermid learned better in the intervening decades (I think she is still writing).
The description of what the internet is and how it works was hilariously wrong but I suppose that shows she was writing about it just before it became mainstream (hard to imagine now)
Oh I know what was a flaw, the objectifying way she wrote about Michael. When I first read it I just saw it as lesbian author trying to write attractive men LOL but I see racism in it now which is not cool. I only hope McDermid learned better in the intervening decades (I think she is still writing).
The description of what the internet is and how it works was hilariously wrong but I suppose that shows she was writing about it just before it became mainstream (hard to imagine now)
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Kate Brannigan series was written in the mid 90s, and it gives great insight into technological breakthroughs of living in that time. It feels both long ago and recent, all at once, to someone who lived through it in her 30s. I found myself double checking to see if this was Val McDermid writing historical detective fiction or getting it spot on accurate in its time.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this is one of those books that i calls as good enough, Decent characterisation and a storyline that can be followed I would read more of this series
This time Kate (the detective) B. Is chasing after a picture stolen after she set up the security system, while she and her boyfriend are going through a rough patch due to her prior case, in which he was involved, and his fragile self-esteem. Also involved is a friend of hers who is also a —supposedly—retired thief. It was quite exhilarating in parts.
2020 note: I’ve never been able to bring myself to read any of the author’s other very successful series because I love this series so much.
2020 note: I’ve never been able to bring myself to read any of the author’s other very successful series because I love this series so much.