The Skeleton Road

Val McDermid

Little, Brown Book Group UK

Little, Brown

ISBN: 9781408704578

Description:

The Queen of the psychological thriller returns with her latest chilling novel.

When a skeleton is discovered hidden at the top of a crumbling, gothic building in Edinburgh, Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is faced with the unenviable task of identifying the bones. As Karen’s investigation gathers momentum, she is drawn deeper into a world of intrigue and betrayal, spanning the dark days of the Balkan Wars.

Karen’s search for answers brings her to a small village in Croatia, a place scarred by fear, where people have endured unspeakable acts of violence. Meanwhile, someone is taking the law into their own hands in the name of justice and revenge, but when present resentment collides with secrets of the past, the truth is more shocking than anyone could have imagined . . .

My View:

This story is intriguing, is chilling, is revealing, is historic in its depiction of the atrocities committed during war buy all parties, and is also a murder mystery and a powerful love story. This book has so much to offer. This narrative cleverly reveals that anyone is capable of brutality or revenge. This is a powerful read.

So much social commentary under the guise of crime writing! I loved this book. I think there are lessons here for all to embrace – this is so much more than a murder mystery but a murder mystery it is and such a great police procedural too. The plotting is outstanding, the characters are engaging and contemporary, the ending just a little sad. I hope this is just the introduction to a new series starring DCI Karen Pirie. Magnificent!!!