325 reviews for:

The Distant Echo

Val McDermid

3.78 AVERAGE

mary26's review against another edition

5.0

dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This book, although billed as part of the Karen Pirie series,  focuses mostly on Alex one of the four students who found Rosie Duff's body 25 years before.  In spite of a major investigation, her killer was never found but the four students lived under the shadow of suspicion for a quarter of a century changing their lives for ever, until a cold case review led by ACC LAwson.  With the surprise appearance of Rosie's son will Rosie get justice at last? 

gemmac_2024's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

obtuse's review against another edition

4.5

mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

astralvirgo25's review against another edition

2.0

slow-paced

Loveable characters: No

mondpilz's review against another edition

1.5

mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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The infuriatingly stupid characters, the glacial pace, and the one-dimensional depiction of women made The Distant Echo utterly unenjoyable. 

bookbuff1752's review against another edition

4.0

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It was a winter morning in 1978, that the body of a young barmaid was discovered in the snow banks of a Scottish cemetery. The only suspects in her brutal murder were the four young men who found her: Alex Gilbey and his three best friends. With no evidence but her blood on their hands, no one was ever charged.

This was a really good thriller set in Scotland with a few twists.

symph_adventures's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

ali_w15's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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: Complicated

bibliovolubile's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

monicargerlach's review against another edition

4.0

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This is the first book I have read from McDermid -- it started off a little bit slowly but then I got sucked in and couldn't put it down. She gives the reader small bits of information so it truly was a mystery until the very end (although I'm sure more observant readers would be able to solve it).

Some of the terminology is a little bit confusing since the book takes place in Scotland but it was an enjoyable read.