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A review by jakewritesbooks
The Distant Echo by Val McDermid
4.0
It's crystal clear that I need to read more Val McDermid.
A Place of Execution was one of the best things I read in 2021, but I consistently punt on her books. I finally bought 1979 with some Christmas money after returning it three times to the library unfinished. I don't know why, don't ask me to explain it. She's very good.
Like the other one I read, this is a character driven crime novel with a mystery that's resolved in a textured way. There are twists that feel legit, as opposed to the Jump Scare Style of so many thriller writers. The persons are all three dimensional and the stakes high. I had a decent idea of who the killer was but this still go me thinking.
I read this because the BBC series Karen Pirie is now broadcasting stateside. I wouldn't recommend picking it up just for that. Pirie herself doesn't even show up until act two and isn't really featured until near the end. This isn't a book about high end sleuthing. The bulk of the plot revolves around the four boys/men who discovered the body and how their lives changed after...and to see if one of them is the killer. So it's not that kind of catch-and-mouse whodunnit featuring a brilliant detective and a villain. But it's still very good and I encourage everyone to try it.
I'm looking forward to seeing what they cull from this for the series. And I'm definitely looking forward to reading more Val McDermid. No more excuses.
A Place of Execution was one of the best things I read in 2021, but I consistently punt on her books. I finally bought 1979 with some Christmas money after returning it three times to the library unfinished. I don't know why, don't ask me to explain it. She's very good.
Like the other one I read, this is a character driven crime novel with a mystery that's resolved in a textured way. There are twists that feel legit, as opposed to the Jump Scare Style of so many thriller writers. The persons are all three dimensional and the stakes high. I had a decent idea of who the killer was but this still go me thinking.
I read this because the BBC series Karen Pirie is now broadcasting stateside. I wouldn't recommend picking it up just for that. Pirie herself doesn't even show up until act two and isn't really featured until near the end. This isn't a book about high end sleuthing. The bulk of the plot revolves around the four boys/men who discovered the body and how their lives changed after...and to see if one of them is the killer. So it's not that kind of catch-and-mouse whodunnit featuring a brilliant detective and a villain. But it's still very good and I encourage everyone to try it.
I'm looking forward to seeing what they cull from this for the series. And I'm definitely looking forward to reading more Val McDermid. No more excuses.