Books by Val McDermid

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Book SynopsisNumber one bestseller Val McDermid returns with her pulse-pounding, suspenseful new novel featuring two of the most distinctive and iconic characters in crime fiction: Tony Hill and Carol Jordan.

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Book Synopsis KAREN PIRIE RETURNS. A MASTERFUL THRILLER BY THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER VAL MCDERMID THE HEART-POUNDING NEW NOVEL IN THE KAREN PIRIE SERIES, NOW A MAJOR ITV SERIES STARRING LAUREN LYLE __________''Another jewel in Val McDermid''s crown'' MICK HERRON ''A must-read for anyone who enjoys top-knotch crime fiction'' YOURS ''A chilling, twisting triumph. Past Lying is a classic mystery'' CHRIS WHITAKEREdinburgh, haunted by the ghosts of its many writers, is also the cold case beat of DCI Karen Pirie. So she shouldn''t be surprised when an author''s manuscript appears to be a blueprint for an actual crime.Karen can''t ignore the plot''s chilling similarities to the unsolved case of an Edinburgh University student who vanished from her own doorstep. The manuscript seems to be the key to unlocking what happened to Lara Hardie, but there''s a problem: the aTrade ReviewPirie is her most sympathetic protagonist and Past Lying one of her most devious and delightful cases * The Times *The Queen of Crime shows no sign of abdicating. Past Lying is as complex, as satisfying and as readable as anything she's written - which makes it another jewel in Val McDermid's crown -- Mick HerronAtmospheric . . . The novel-within-a-novel is not a new device, but McDermid uses it to memorable effect in a piece of fiction that vividly recreates the anxious early months of the Covid pandemic -- Crime Pick of the Month * Sunday Times *A chilling, twisting triumph. Past Lying is a classic mystery, brilliant, heart-stopping and seamless. No one does it better than Val McDermid -- Chris WhitakerVal McDermid's latest offering proves once again why she reigns supreme in the world of crime fiction . . . The intricate and clever plot balances fact and fiction while the heroine Karen Pirie is as captivating as ever. For fans of the series, it's like a reunion with old friends, and for newcomers, it's an invitation to dive into a world of suspense and intrigue where McDermid's storytelling prowess shines through as she skilfully explores themes of betrayal and revenge, leaving readers guessing with every unexpected twist. Simply a must-read for anyone who appreciates top-notch crime fiction * Yours *Original, ingenious, and oh so twisty! It left me breathless -- Belinda BauerThe ingenious plot kept me guessing all the way through. It delivers on every level -- Marian KeyesWith an intricate plot, authentic dialogue, rich details, and masterly McDermid twists and turns, [Past Lying] will delight Pirie fans, existing and new -- Starred review * Library Journal *Riveting . . . McDermid keeps the twists coming hard and fast, and she bolsters them with sharp observations about the toll of Covid on the public psyche. This page-turner grips from the outset and doesn't let go -- Starred review * Publishers Weekly *Ingenious, humane, and all too telling as a reminder of the costs of the pandemic even on its survivors * Kirkus *[McDermid] ingeniously flips over the rug and examines the pattern in reverse. Karen and her supporting cast are absorbing, providing insight into the restrictions on police work during the pandemic and plenty of Scottish flavour * Booklist *[Pirie] is an appealing character . . . McDermid [has] fun describing the inner workings of the crime-fiction profession, including the creation of stories and the politics, favouritism, resentment, jealousy and score-settling found behind the scenes * Literary Review *A spiralling game of betrayal and revenge. A real tour-de-force * Irish Independent *The eerie landscape of Scotland's capital provides the backdrop to a new thriller from McDermid signalling the return of her much-loved detective Karen Pirie * Scotsman *A cracking read * Daily Express *A deadly game of revenge. Another twisty thriller * Heat *Past Lying sees McDermid simultaneously at her darkest and most playful. The central plot is a wonderfully tricksy story within a story within a story * Mail on Sunday *McDermid plots her novels in masterly style. She holds the reader's attention and provokes our curiosity . . . Her ingenuity commands respect . . . McDermid is deservedly popular and now acclaimed as the Queen of Crime. She is a fine carpenter, her books always well-constructed. She has the confidence to take her time in the telling of her story . . . She is at her ingenious best here * Scotsman *A complex plot of jealous writers, straying spouses and effective twists. This novel within-a-novel conceit, used to lead the detectives to more concrete evidence, sharply delivers a suitably unsettled atmosphere . . . Affecting * Irish Times *This is such a brilliantly conceived plot line that I was squirming with glee as I turned each page. McDermid is in rare form here, and the book never fails to entertain and surprise . . . Past Lying is a wonder to behold. I place it directly next to McDermid's finest works, like A Place of Execution and The Wire in the Blood. Her use of the pandemic is one of the most clever I have seen to date, and the story within a story that constantly references such greats as Agatha Christie and the aforementioned Highsmith makes this a novel that cannot be missed * Bookreporter *The narrative takes on the characteristics of nested dolls . . . Head and shoulders above many crime novels * Crime Fiction Lover *

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Book SynopsisThe dead talk. To the right listener, they tell us all about themselves: where they came from, how they lived, how they died - and who killed them. Forensic scientists can unlock the mysteries of the past and help justice to be done using the messages left by a corpse, a crime scene or the faintest of human traces. Forensics draws on interviews with top-level professionals, ground-breaking research and Val McDermid's own experience to lay bare the secrets of this fascinating science. And, along the way, she wonders at how maggots collected from a corpse can help determine time of death, how a DNA trace a millionth the size of a grain of salt can be used to convict a killer and how a team of young Argentine scientists led by a maverick American anthropologist uncovered the victims of a genocide. In her novels, McDermid has been solving complex crimes and confronting unimaginable evil for years. Now, she's looking at the people who do it for real. It's a journey that will take her to war zones, fire scenes and autopsy suites, and bring her into contact with extraordinary bravery and wickedness, as she traces the history of forensics from its earliest beginnings to the cutting-edge science of the modern day.Trade ReviewMcDermid has not lost her early journalistic genius for telling a good story plainly -- Ian Finlayson * Times *... she dissects the history of forensics through gripping stories of real-life crime. * New Statesman *Every bit as compelling as the best of the fictional genre * Irish Times *Fascinating history of forensic science .... McDermid provides a grimly absorbing account of crime and it's detection -- Ian Thompson * Observer *... the science of forensics has come a long way, as Val McDermid relates in this fascinating study. McDermid, best known for her gritty psychological thrillers, has interviewed a wide range (a morgue? a graveyard?) of forensic scientists and has revisited some of the most gruesome true life mysteries to piece together a gripping history of the anatomy of crime. Each of the chapters - which examine themes such as fire scene investigation, toxicology, fingerprinting, DNA and blood splatter and facial reconstruction - contains a wealth of surprising information -- Andrew Wilson * Independent *Praise for Val McDermid: 'McDermid has the ruthless psychological scalpel that forms part of the equipment of all good novelists, whatever their genre. And, fortunately for us, she knows just how to use it. * Guardian *The sheer brio of McDermid's writing produces that increasingly rare thing, a genuine page-turner that doesn't insult its readers' intelligence. * Independent *To write one brilliant book is hard. To write 25 is a miracle. That is what Val McDermid has achieved over the course of her career and it's why she is a much-loved legend in the literary world. * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisA gritty, dark tale of infectious disease gone wrong - the timely graphic novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Val McDermid, stunningly illustrated by Kathryn Briggs 'A brilliant and timely story, told with McDermid's verve, style and passion. I couldn't stop turning the pages, even when I could barely take the tension. Wonderful.' Denise Mina It's the summer solstice weekend, and 150,000 people descend on a farm in the northeast of England for an open-air music festival. At first, a spot of rain seems to be the only thing dampening the fun - until a mystery bug appears. Before long, the illness is spreading at an electrifying speed and seems resistant to all antibiotics. Can journalist Zoe Meadows track the outbreak to its source, and will a cure be found before the disease becomes a pandemic? A heart-racing thriller, Resistance imagines a nightmare pandemic that seems only too credible in the wake of COVID-19. Number one bestseller and queen of crime Val McDermid has teamed up with illustrator Kathryn Briggs to create a masterful graphic novel. 'One of today's most accomplished crime writers' Literary Review 'A powerful, unique look at the benign origins of catastrophe' Kirkus ReviewsTrade ReviewA brilliant and timely story, told with McDermid's verve, style and passion. I couldn't stop turning the pages, even when I could barely take the tension. Wonderful. -- Denise MinaNo one can tell a story like she can * Daily Express *McDermid remains unrivalled... brilliant * Observer *Writer McDermid and illustrator Briggs show a plague tearing through all aspects of modern life-personal, professional, political-leaving plenty of apocalyptic blame to go around . . . McDermid skillfully builds pathos for the individuals wrestling with their dire circumstances . . . Briggs composes fascinating pages and panels that have a mixed-media feel . . . A powerful, unique look at the benign origins of catastrophe. * Kirkus Reviews *One of today's most accomplished crime writers * Literary Review *The queen of crime is still at the top of her game * Independent *

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Book SynopsisNearly 10,000 young people in Scotland are homeless. Some we see on the streets, thousands more are 'hidden' - sofa surfing, in B&Bs and living in unsafe homes. Every one of them has their own story to tell. For 30 years Rock Trust has been listening to their stories and helping them find a home. In All the Way Home, some of Scotland's leading authors have come together with young people to mark this anniversary of Rock Trust's urgent, ongoing work. Across first-hand accounts, poetry and fiction, this anthology brings to life the visible and invisible realities of home and homelessness, of family and belonging.

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Book SynopsisThe first step on the road to change is to imagine possibility.Imagine A Country offers visions of a new future from an astonishing array of Scottish voices, from comedians to economists, writers to musicians. Edited, curated and introduced by bestselling author Val McDermid and geographer Jo Sharp, it is a collection of ideas, dreams and ambitions, aiming to inspire change, hope and imagination. Featuring:ALI SMITH, PHILL JUPITUS, A.L. KENNEDY, ALAN CUMMING, KERRY HUDSON, GREG HEMPHILL, CAROL ANN DUFFY, CHRIS BROOKMYRE, ALISON WATT, ALASDAIR GRAY, LEILA ABOULELA, IAN RANKIN, SELINA HALES, SANJEEV KOHLI, JACKIE KAY, DAMIAN BARR, ELAINE C. SMITH, ABIR MUKHERJEE, ANNE GLOVER, ALAN BISSETT, LOUISE WELSH, JO CLIFFORD, RICKY ROSS, TRISHNA SINGH, CAMERON McNEISH, ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH, CARLA JENKINS, DON PATERSON, AND MANY MORE . . .Trade ReviewAn ambitious, thought-provoking, diverse collection of imaginings. I laughed, I cried -- WILL DEANA fascinating and rich collection * * The National * *Thoughtful . . . idealistic and interesting * * Scotsman * *

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Book SynopsisVal McDermid is a number one bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than forty languages, and have sold over nineteen million copies. She has won many awards, including the CWA Gold Dagger the LA Times Book of the Year Award and the Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement. She writes full-time and divides her time between Edinburgh and East Neuk of Fife.

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Book SynopsisIn the fifth book in the critically acclaimed Darkland Tales series from Polygon Val McDermid plunges into medieval Scotland. Overturning Shakespeare's propaganda, the reader will encounter a new Lady Macbeth amidst a web of vicious intrigue.

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Book SynopsisVal McDermid is a best-selling Scottish crime writer, beloved in the UK and best known for her Wire in the Blood series, featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill. She has sold over 19 million books to date across the globe.CrimeBits 2 will also include an afterword from Luca Veste who is the internationally best-selling author of eight novels and the host of the hit podcast Two Crime Writers and a Microphone.

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