Reviews

A Place of Execution by Val McDermid

lisam0183_bookworm's review against another edition

5.0

What I can I say other than - wow! This was a typical Val book for me - slow to start, then it picks up pace and gets you hooked and then the bombshell is dropped that blows your mind at the end. I would never have guessed that ending in a million years.

Thirteen year old Alison Carter goes missing in 1963 and everyone in the village knows it was murder. Catherine Heathcote remembers it well and now a journalist persuades DI George Bennett to tell his side of the story. Then a fresh lead emerges and Bennett tries to stop the story.

I loved George Bennett's character - he's just how I always imagine a 1960's detective to be. He stuck to his guns and went with what evidence they unravelled.

libronika's review against another edition

3.0

2.5 ⭐️

kemper112263's review against another edition

4.0

A 5 star book no doubt. The first book as it is chaptered is nothing short of perfection. However I felt that book 2 was rather rushed and whilst the outcome wasn't expected and very clever, the detail from book 1 was lacking. A great read however.

renegadepaladin's review against another edition

dark tense 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? No

2.5

balthazarlawson's review against another edition

4.0

There are often novels that are about old convictions that are bought into question because of new information and the story is about unraveling the truth. This is that sort of story but in reverse. We start with a crime, the disappearance of 13 year old Alison Carter, and follow it through to the end of the investigation and subsequent court case. We then jump 35 years where the truth about what really happened is revealed.

The only thing I can say against this novel is that is long and perhaps a bit too wordy. Otherwise, it's a good read.

elysia_knight's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

laurahastoomanywips's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-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

Great plot and characters.
Enjoyed it slowly unraveling between the 1960's and 1990's. Narrator was great, really held my attention.
This was the first book I have read by this author and it won't be the last, can't believe it took me that long to do so.

kizzabell's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.0

arndale's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

lisa_mc's review against another edition

4.0

This one starts off just a bit slow but builds into a real page-turner — I blasted through the last third in about a day. Great procedural mystery that does not end up where you think it will. You know from the very first pages that the flashback story is not all there is to it, but there are plenty of twists right up to the end. Her writing is taut, her plotting is clever and her characters are people you care about.
This was my first McDermid book but won’t be the last.