Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Suicide attempt
It was OK. I like the Carol Jordan/Tony Hill mysteries more.
It's a bit baffling to me how the 1st Tony Hill book was so great, but the beginning books in her other series are rather amateur endeavors. I'll continue reading the Tiny Hill series, but the simplistic exposition in these other books is leaving me cold.
As she begins the Karen Pirie series, McDermid offers readers a wonderful introduction to another fast-paced novel and lays the groundwork for what could be an exciting few stories. Scotland, 1978: After a night of drinking, drugging, and partying, Alex Gilbey and his three closest mates stumble upon Rosie Duff, who's been raped and stabbed, bleeding out in the middle of a blizzard. By the time the authorities are alerted and brought to the scene, Duff has died and there is little doubt that the boys must have some involvement. All four adamantly deny anything to do with the murder, though they must admit knowing Duff as the barmaid from their local watering hole. While never able to nail them down to anything concrete, everyone whispers that these four got away with the perfect crime. After twenty-five years, DC Karen Pirie is assigned the cold case review of the Duff murder, which she begins in earnest. A man by the name of Graham Macfadyen comes out of the woodwork to admit that he is a relative of Rosie Duff and wants her killers brought to justice. He is certain that Gilbey and his friends are responsible, hoping that new DNA technology can bring about their eventual arrest and conviction. While the investigation brings back old and awkward memories for Gilbey, he is further unsettled when two of his friends die under mysterious circumstances and a sinister reminder of the Duff case appears at their memorial services. Gilbey cannot rest until the killer is finally put behind bars and the stalking of his friends is put to rest. Could Macfadyen be using this investigation to get the justice that Duff deserved or does he have darker desires, murdering those who will never be forced to face justice? McDermid offers up some interesting twists in this opening novel, which will entertain and intrigue the curious reader.
Having read a number of McDermid's past novels, I rushed to this one in order to see what she might present. The use of the extended flashback not only lays the groundwork for a sensational novel, but allows the reader to connect with the characters on a much deeper level. While all could have been rammed into a preface, McDermid chose to spin the tale out in the first half of the book, giving intricate detail to the struggles that Alex Gilbey and friends faced in the light of the December 1978 murder of young Rosie Duff. Then, to propel the story into 2003-04, with more drama and antics offered the reader a foundation on which to build. Adding Macfadyen to the mix surely offered another interesting aspect to the story, though his connection to Duff is not as controversial, at least in the narrative, as could be expected. While she does appear throughout the investigation, DC Karen Pirie is only peppered throughout the story, perhaps in a way to introduce her to the reader, though she does not take centre-stage, at least not in this novel. It leaves me to wonder if McDermid needed to test the waters before bringing her out in full-force, which has me wanting to rush for the next novel to see what she offers. I will be doing so right away, for this was a great read and highly entertaining throughout. McDermid has a wonderful series on her hands, though I am unsure if it will be entirely 'cold case' centred. I suppose I ought to read on to see what she has to offer.
Kudos, Madam McDermid for an exciting opening novel. I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us next.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Having read a number of McDermid's past novels, I rushed to this one in order to see what she might present. The use of the extended flashback not only lays the groundwork for a sensational novel, but allows the reader to connect with the characters on a much deeper level. While all could have been rammed into a preface, McDermid chose to spin the tale out in the first half of the book, giving intricate detail to the struggles that Alex Gilbey and friends faced in the light of the December 1978 murder of young Rosie Duff. Then, to propel the story into 2003-04, with more drama and antics offered the reader a foundation on which to build. Adding Macfadyen to the mix surely offered another interesting aspect to the story, though his connection to Duff is not as controversial, at least in the narrative, as could be expected. While she does appear throughout the investigation, DC Karen Pirie is only peppered throughout the story, perhaps in a way to introduce her to the reader, though she does not take centre-stage, at least not in this novel. It leaves me to wonder if McDermid needed to test the waters before bringing her out in full-force, which has me wanting to rush for the next novel to see what she offers. I will be doing so right away, for this was a great read and highly entertaining throughout. McDermid has a wonderful series on her hands, though I am unsure if it will be entirely 'cold case' centred. I suppose I ought to read on to see what she has to offer.
Kudos, Madam McDermid for an exciting opening novel. I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us next.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
First read this when I was far far too young for it and was delighted to track it down again and reread it well over a decade later. It's a tight mystery, compelling characters and a lot less traumatising to read as an adult than an 11 year old!
First time I've read McDermid and it was a treat! It's a carefully constructed narrative, appropriately peppered with Scottish references to define the setting, and the characters. It's a tough case of mistaken identity, or deliberate false accusation, or simply unsolved crime that takes decades to be resolved. And, in the end, the resolution comes from an unexpected quarter.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
After reading Out of Bounds by Val McDermid last year, I came away surprised to discover that she had a whole franchise I wasn’t aware of - despite having read all the books in the series. Karen Pirie, I assumed, must not be a memorable character. Well, after re-reading The Distant Echo, I’m letting myself off the hook a little. Karen Pirie appears here even less than Jane Rizzoli does in the first Rizzoli and Isles novel (although granted, more than the aforementioned Isles, who doesn’t show up until book two). Pirie is very much a side-character here, tasked with working a cold case murder from the seventies.
The Distant Echo centres on the murder of barmaid Rosie Duff, and the lives of the four students who find her body. The murder’s effect on the close-knit friends spans decades, and leads to bloody retribution in the present day.
Although I’m sure I have read this before, my only clear memory is of the opening scenes - a raucous group of Kirkcaldy lads all nicknamed after Bowie characters, tripping around drunkenly in the snow. The rest of the book is a blur. On this basis, I enjoyed it more than I expected to. The distinct lack of female characters may be why it didn’t rank high on my radar - although McDermid shoehorns in an obligatory lesbian, her entry and sudden emphasis is very much out of place and doesn’t feel organic within the story.
The crime itself is deftly plotted and well told. Means, motive and opportunity are all accounted for, and there’s essentially nothing here to dislike. The narration by Tom Cotcher provides an authentic touch of Scots (although his attempts at American accents are highly amusing!). As the beginning of a series it’s more of a backdoor pilot than anything, but it was still enjoyable to revisit.
[Review originally published on my blog at Line After Line.]
The Distant Echo centres on the murder of barmaid Rosie Duff, and the lives of the four students who find her body. The murder’s effect on the close-knit friends spans decades, and leads to bloody retribution in the present day.
Although I’m sure I have read this before, my only clear memory is of the opening scenes - a raucous group of Kirkcaldy lads all nicknamed after Bowie characters, tripping around drunkenly in the snow. The rest of the book is a blur. On this basis, I enjoyed it more than I expected to. The distinct lack of female characters may be why it didn’t rank high on my radar - although McDermid shoehorns in an obligatory lesbian, her entry and sudden emphasis is very much out of place and doesn’t feel organic within the story.
The crime itself is deftly plotted and well told. Means, motive and opportunity are all accounted for, and there’s essentially nothing here to dislike. The narration by Tom Cotcher provides an authentic touch of Scots (although his attempts at American accents are highly amusing!). As the beginning of a series it’s more of a backdoor pilot than anything, but it was still enjoyable to revisit.
[Review originally published on my blog at Line After Line.]