Val McDermid recommendations please

[SpeckledyHen]

Thank you :)

I wanted to pop in and say that thanks to the thread I found Val's Northanger Abbey tribute and read it, which was thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you for starting the thread OP!

I've read one, about 4 uni students who get accused of a murder. Not gory or gruesome, really good. Can't remember the name!

I love the Jordan/Hill ones (they do have some very dark bits in them though), and A Place Of Execution is superb. I haven't read any of her others because I think I'm so steeped in the Jordan and Hill ones that I'd be disappointed in them!

@cheeseisthebest The university students one is The Distant Echo (the title comes from a song lyric by The Jam) and it's a cold case story. Karen Pirie features as a police detective but it doesn't really focus on her as a character - it was originally written as a standalone I think.

'@thecognoscenti Try the first proper in the Karen Piriie series - they're not an imitation of the Hill/Jordan books and they're not as dark perhaps, but I think you might enjoy it - perhaps see if you can borrow from the library. While she appears in The Distant Echo this isn't really focused on her as a police detective and I would recommend the first book about her that is as a starting point.

[quote elkiedee]@cheeseisthebest The university students one is The Distant Echo (the title comes from a song lyric by The Jam) and it's a cold case story. Karen Pirie features as a police detective but it doesn't really focus on her as a character - it was originally written as a standalone I think.

'@thecognoscenti Try the first proper in the Karen Piriie series - they're not an imitation of the Hill/Jordan books and they're not as dark perhaps, but I think you might enjoy it - perhaps see if you can borrow from the library. While she appears in The Distant Echo this isn't really focused on her as a police detective and I would recommend the first book about her that is as a starting point.[/quote]
Thanks @elkiedee! I'll give it a go!

I’ve read pretty much most of her books
The one where it’s based on a Tv star who is a serial killer of young girls is old but pretty good but very gruesome
And the one with the killer who killing men is also pretty good but again very gruesome

Thank you. I really liked that book.

@Wegobshite

I’ve read pretty much most of her books The one where it’s based on a Tv star who is a serial killer of young girls is old but pretty good but very gruesome And the one with the killer who killing men is also pretty good but again very gruesome

Yes I enjoyed that one, I assumed he was more a Richard madeley type person than js. He presented with his wife didn't he in the book? Must do a re-read sometime, have all the earlier ones and rest read via the library.

Karen Pirie is far and away my favourite. I think they’re making a TV programme of it at the moment - v interested to see how she’s played!

I love the Tony Hill books, some more than others, but I don’t think I’ve read Place of Execution before.
I’ve just placed a hold at the library for it.

I know this is an old thread but I think my post fits better here than on the most recent Val McDermid thread I can find (from last weekend). in case anyone is still about and interested from 7 months ago, her new novel 1979 is a Daily Deal on Kindle today - Tuesday 25 January - for 99p.

If you're reading this after today, hopefully it will recur as a deal. Or I was thrilled to find a copy on the new books shelf in my local library, and have been surprised that no one has placed a hold. I can take the library copy back now.

She's someone whose books I often borrow and then buy later but I still have quite a few of her many books TBR.

Another Karen Pirie fan, her latest in that series "Still Life" was really good.

I didn't like 1979 at all.

Carbuncle, I "still" have Still Life (along with book by Sarah Winman of the same title) on my TBR as well as 1979, books #10 and #11 in the Jordan/Hill series and a couple of standalones by VMc. I continue to hope that whenever I finally get to them I enjoy them all.