Series
Publication
Sphere (2015)
Original publication date
2014
Collections
Genres
Description
"In the center of historic Edinburgh, builders are preparing to convert a disused Victorian Gothic building into luxury flats. They are understandably surprised to find skeletal remains hidden in a high pinnacle that hasn't been touched by maintenance for years. But who do the bones belong to, and how did they get there? Could the eccentric British pastime of free climbing the outside of buildings play a role? Enter cold case detective Karen Pirie, who gets to work trying to establish the corpse's identity. And when it turns out that the bones may be from as far away as former Yugoslavia, Karen will need to dig deeper than she ever imagined into the tragic history of the Balkans: to war crimes and their consequences, and ultimately to the notion of what justice is and who serves it"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member nicx27
This is my first book by this author. Somebody told me it wasn't one of her best but I really enjoyed it. DCI Karen Pirie is in charge of Historic Cold Cases. When a skeleton with a gunshot hole in his skull is found at the top of a building that is due to be demolished she is called in to
I think this was an intriguing look at those wars as someone who knew little about them. It added an extra level of interest to what otherwise would have been an ordinary crime novel. I found the writing to be good and the story well put together. I liked Karen as a character and I wonder if she might turn up in another book, despite this being one of the author's standalone novels. An interesting plot, looking at war crimes, cold cases and retribution, from the perspectives of police, war crimes investigators and those who lived through the conflict. I didn't immediately gel with it but once I was well into the story I really started to like this book.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.
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investigate. It leads her to Professor Maggie Blake who hasn't seen her Croatian lover for eight years and it also takes her to Croatia and deep into the history of the Balkan Wars.I think this was an intriguing look at those wars as someone who knew little about them. It added an extra level of interest to what otherwise would have been an ordinary crime novel. I found the writing to be good and the story well put together. I liked Karen as a character and I wonder if she might turn up in another book, despite this being one of the author's standalone novels. An interesting plot, looking at war crimes, cold cases and retribution, from the perspectives of police, war crimes investigators and those who lived through the conflict. I didn't immediately gel with it but once I was well into the story I really started to like this book.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.
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LibraryThing member greatbookescapes
DCI Karen Pirie investigates the discovery of a skeleton on the roof of a building, an historical case that takes her to Europe to find answers with unexpected connections to the Croatian military.
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
Show More
in Croatia and Serbia in the 90s. I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
Show Less
LibraryThing member greatbookescapes
DCI Karen Pirie investigates the discovery of a skeleton on the roof of a building, an historical case that takes her to Europe to find answers with unexpected connections to the Croatian military.
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
Show More
in Croatia and Serbia in the 90s. I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
Show Less
LibraryThing member greatbookescapes
DCI Karen Pirie investigates the discovery of a skeleton on the roof of a building, an historical case that takes her to Europe to find answers with unexpected connections to the Croatian military.
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
Show More
in Croatia and Serbia in the 90s. I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
Show Less
LibraryThing member greatbookescapes
DCI Karen Pirie investigates the discovery of a skeleton on the roof of a building, an historical case that takes her to Europe to find answers with unexpected connections to the Croatian military.
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
Show More
in Croatia and Serbia in the 90s. I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
Show Less
LibraryThing member greatbookescapes
DCI Karen Pirie investigates the discovery of a skeleton on the roof of a building, an historical case that takes her to Europe to find answers with unexpected connections to the Croatian military.
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
This is an intricate book that moves back and forwards in time with flashbacks to the Balkan conflict
Show More
in Croatia and Serbia in the 90s. I remember the conflict and the atrocities which were on the news but not much historical details and am grateful for the serious reminder within this novel.
‘Hero’ is a word that has many meanings in different cultures and McDermid uses this to make the moral tenet less certain with the way the story unfolds. Mitja, who was a general in Croatia has been missing for 8 years and his lover Maggie, a feminist geo-political Professor in Oxford does not want to believe he is behind the revenge killings of war criminals.
What I especially liked:
I love how as readers, we get so involved in Karen’s life and want to follow her more. There are some really great characters in the book and I especially love the duo Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor who have all but given up on life until they get a new boss.
The parts that made the book special for me were the intense flashbacks which brought the younger selves of the characters alive giving a real depth of personal history and also enhancing the murder mystery.
Left me with a lot of thought did this book !
Show Less
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
When a skeleton with a bullet hole in its head is found in a turret SkeletonRoadon top of an old building about to be demolished, Karen Pirie, Head of Cold Cases and her partner, Jason Murray, aka The Mint start investigating. Through various forensic means, it is determined that the murder took
Simultaneously, there’s a new boss at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. War criminals are getting murdered before they can stand trial and he wants to know who the mole is. Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor are assigned the task.
Both of these roads are leading to Ditimar Petrovic, a Croatian general and war hero and former live-in lover to Maggie Blake, a renowned professor of geopolitics with a specialty in the Serbo-Croatian war.
Pirie is persistent in her pursuit of the killer. Macanespie, thought of as a slacker, takes a new interest in finding his mole (and thus saving his career) and Maggie, who thought her lover went back to his homeland, is staggered by notice of his death.
In The Skeleton Road McDermid jumps back and forth between current day and Maggie’s memoir of her days in Croatia, meeting Petrovic, falling in love, the atrocities of war. One of those atrocities was the senseless murder of a dozen innocent children. Unfortunately, if you’re at all informed of the news today, you realize that things have not changed in the decades since the Serbo-Croatian war. The senseless murder of innocent children in the name of war continues as I write this.
TheDistantEchoThe only other Val McDermid book I read was The Distant Echo and the similarity in covers is eerie. None of her other book covers are remotely similar.
The Skeleton Road is a readable book. It is more cerebral than action packed. I tend to get lost when it comes to Eastern bloc countries, so while it plays a part in the book, my lack of knowledge of the area and era did not hinder my enjoyment. As I mentioned, the similarities to today’s current events is chilling.
I will say that about two thirds of the way through the book, I did guess who-dun-it, which is unusual for me.
This is the second book in the Karen Pirie series, the first being A Darker Domain which was published in 2006. My not reading the first book did not hinder my reading pleasure. However, I will tell you that events at the end of the book were unnecessary, unless McDermid has something in mind for a future series book. While I don’t usually give Star ratings, in this case I’ll give The Distant Echo 4 stars and The Skeleton Road 3 1/2 stars.
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place 7 to 8 years previously and through dental work, it was determined that the man had been to the Eastern bloc countries.Simultaneously, there’s a new boss at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. War criminals are getting murdered before they can stand trial and he wants to know who the mole is. Alan Macanespie and Theo Proctor are assigned the task.
Both of these roads are leading to Ditimar Petrovic, a Croatian general and war hero and former live-in lover to Maggie Blake, a renowned professor of geopolitics with a specialty in the Serbo-Croatian war.
Pirie is persistent in her pursuit of the killer. Macanespie, thought of as a slacker, takes a new interest in finding his mole (and thus saving his career) and Maggie, who thought her lover went back to his homeland, is staggered by notice of his death.
In The Skeleton Road McDermid jumps back and forth between current day and Maggie’s memoir of her days in Croatia, meeting Petrovic, falling in love, the atrocities of war. One of those atrocities was the senseless murder of a dozen innocent children. Unfortunately, if you’re at all informed of the news today, you realize that things have not changed in the decades since the Serbo-Croatian war. The senseless murder of innocent children in the name of war continues as I write this.
TheDistantEchoThe only other Val McDermid book I read was The Distant Echo and the similarity in covers is eerie. None of her other book covers are remotely similar.
The Skeleton Road is a readable book. It is more cerebral than action packed. I tend to get lost when it comes to Eastern bloc countries, so while it plays a part in the book, my lack of knowledge of the area and era did not hinder my enjoyment. As I mentioned, the similarities to today’s current events is chilling.
I will say that about two thirds of the way through the book, I did guess who-dun-it, which is unusual for me.
This is the second book in the Karen Pirie series, the first being A Darker Domain which was published in 2006. My not reading the first book did not hinder my reading pleasure. However, I will tell you that events at the end of the book were unnecessary, unless McDermid has something in mind for a future series book. While I don’t usually give Star ratings, in this case I’ll give The Distant Echo 4 stars and The Skeleton Road 3 1/2 stars.
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LibraryThing member Dokfintong
I usually like Val McDermid's books and this one got off to a good start. I found myself getting irritated though by the shifts of POV and time and I stopped reading.
I received a review copy of "The Skeleton Road" by Val McDermid (Atlantic Monthly Press) through NetGalley.com.
I received a review copy of "The Skeleton Road" by Val McDermid (Atlantic Monthly Press) through NetGalley.com.
LibraryThing member librarian1204
I had not read any books by this author in many years. I had enjoyed her early books and I am not sure why I stopped following her. I really liked this book. The author has several story lines going forward that coalesce in the end. The historic element, based on the history of Yugoslavia and the
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horrific wars that devastated the area and the people, is based on facts. The detective, solving a murder that occurred in Edinburgh, eight years ago meets an Oxford University professor, who has a very important reason to help solve this case. Very well put together, I'll be looking for the next book by Ms McDermid. Show Less
LibraryThing member bfister
When a skeleton is found in Scotland, the detectives follow a trail to Oxford and from there to the Balkans during the war years and to politicking in Whitehall. Not, somehow, as engrossing as other books by this author though the materials were interesting.
LibraryThing member smik
It is actually a while since I have read a Val McDermid novel, and where better to start than a stand alone? You'll notice that I have given this a "historical fiction" label, mainly because so much of this novel is bedded in the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. This is certainly one of those novels that
Although in one sense this is not a Cold case, because there is no previous case on the books, the skeleton discovered on the building rooftop has certainly been there for some time, and the bullet hole in the skull puts it in the murder category. Karen Pirie's first task is to identify it, and the second to work out who the murderer is. Modern technology and some good old-fashioned investigation helps Karen and her offsider Jason "the Mint" give the skeleton a name, but why has no-one reported him missing?
For me the novel is a reminder of what a superb story teller Val McDermid is.
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sends you out to brush up on your history.Although in one sense this is not a Cold case, because there is no previous case on the books, the skeleton discovered on the building rooftop has certainly been there for some time, and the bullet hole in the skull puts it in the murder category. Karen Pirie's first task is to identify it, and the second to work out who the murderer is. Modern technology and some good old-fashioned investigation helps Karen and her offsider Jason "the Mint" give the skeleton a name, but why has no-one reported him missing?
For me the novel is a reminder of what a superb story teller Val McDermid is.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
This was not Val McDermid's best novel though that still leaves considerable scope for it to be very good, and she (and it) delivered.
There are two separate plotlines, one revolving around the discovery of a decayed corpse, with a bullet in the skull, in the attic of an abandoned building in
Meanwhile, two British lawyers working for the International Criminal Tirbunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which has been hunting down, and then seeking to prosecute, alleged war criminals from the Balkan genocides. As the novel opens they find themselves berated by their new boss who is eager for advancement. It emerges that yet another suspected war criminal, who had been tracked down to Crete where he is living a domesticated new life, has been murder by someone taking justice into their own hand. While no-one is distraught at the death of such a man, his death represents the eighth such vigilante killing of a suspect under the scrutiny of the Tribunal, and the boss is anxious to find the leak.
McDermid always writes with an honesty and clarity of expression that reflect her own determination that criminals should be apprehended, and that the stable application of law and order, with complete equality before the law, are paramount. She does not, however, allow her protagonists to be too self-righteous, and they are always highly plausible. I felt that this novel was a little over-long, but the plotting is deft and watertight, and the suspense is maintained throughout.
There are two separate plotlines, one revolving around the discovery of a decayed corpse, with a bullet in the skull, in the attic of an abandoned building in
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Edinburgh while the other relates to the murder in Crete of a Balkan war criminal. The Edinburgh investigation is led by Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie, whose first challenge is to identify the remains and establish when the death might have occurred. McDermid takes us through the forensic aspects with great detail, though never lets her extensive insight into police process to compromise the development of the plot.Meanwhile, two British lawyers working for the International Criminal Tirbunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which has been hunting down, and then seeking to prosecute, alleged war criminals from the Balkan genocides. As the novel opens they find themselves berated by their new boss who is eager for advancement. It emerges that yet another suspected war criminal, who had been tracked down to Crete where he is living a domesticated new life, has been murder by someone taking justice into their own hand. While no-one is distraught at the death of such a man, his death represents the eighth such vigilante killing of a suspect under the scrutiny of the Tribunal, and the boss is anxious to find the leak.
McDermid always writes with an honesty and clarity of expression that reflect her own determination that criminals should be apprehended, and that the stable application of law and order, with complete equality before the law, are paramount. She does not, however, allow her protagonists to be too self-righteous, and they are always highly plausible. I felt that this novel was a little over-long, but the plotting is deft and watertight, and the suspense is maintained throughout.
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LibraryThing member Schatje
This is my first Val McDermid novel. She is an author I have been meaning to read for a long time, and this particular book has had many positive reviews. It was not what I expected, however.
Karen Pirie, in charge of the cold case unit with Scotland Police, has to investigate the murder of a man
The mystery element is rather unsatisfying. There is a small cast of suspects so the identity of the murderer is obvious. Pirie’s investigation makes no missteps and encounters no dead ends, so solving the case is very straightforward. The book’s publisher tagged the book as a thriller, but the use of “thriller” is an exaggeration. There is some suspense but very little danger, and the pace, until the final chapters, is slow.
For me, it is the historical element that is the strongest. We learn a great deal about the conflict in the Balkans in the early 1990’s, mostly from a Croatian perspective. Professor Blake was in Dubrovnik during its siege in 1991, and we read excerpts from her proposed book about her time in the Balkans. Her descriptions of the massacres explain why the leaders are being investigated by the ICTFY and charged with war crimes.
The book’s examination of justice is also interesting. Pirie is obviously trying to bring a murderer to justice, and the ICTFY is trying to ensure that justice is done for the victims of wartime atrocities. But it soon becomes apparent that some people seek a more personal form of retribution. There are many skeletons to be found in the Balkans, skeletons crying out for justice, but the road between them and justice is anything but straight and smooth. And do skeleton roads ever end? The ethnic cleansing of the Serbs by the Croats and Nazis 50 years earlier served as an impetus in the 1990’s Balkan wars so it is certainly believable that the latter conflict influences events 25 years later. And, of course, the former Yugoslavia is only one part of the world which has skeletons crying out for justice. Is there a “foolishness of thinking we can keep the darkness at bay” (404)?
This novel is identified as one of McDermid’s standalone novels, but I’ve come to learn that Karen Pirie has appeared in two previous books. It would definitely not be surprising if she shows up again. There is much about her personality and tough, no-nonsense approach to investigations that appeals. In the end, events in Pirie’s personal life take the forefront, events that will have most readers wanting to know more about her future.
Though the mystery element is predictable, its historical aspects and thematic explorations make this book a good read.
Karen Pirie, in charge of the cold case unit with Scotland Police, has to investigate the murder of a man
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eight years earlier after his remains are found on the roof of an abandoned school in Edinburgh. Parallel to her investigation is the story of Professor Maggie Blake, a geographer at Oxford who has been mourning the unexplained disappearance of her Croatian lover, Mitja Petrovic. In the meantime, two men from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTFY) are investigating a series of assassinations of ICTFY targets, assassinations thought to have been carried out by Petrovic. Eventually all three plot strands converge.The mystery element is rather unsatisfying. There is a small cast of suspects so the identity of the murderer is obvious. Pirie’s investigation makes no missteps and encounters no dead ends, so solving the case is very straightforward. The book’s publisher tagged the book as a thriller, but the use of “thriller” is an exaggeration. There is some suspense but very little danger, and the pace, until the final chapters, is slow.
For me, it is the historical element that is the strongest. We learn a great deal about the conflict in the Balkans in the early 1990’s, mostly from a Croatian perspective. Professor Blake was in Dubrovnik during its siege in 1991, and we read excerpts from her proposed book about her time in the Balkans. Her descriptions of the massacres explain why the leaders are being investigated by the ICTFY and charged with war crimes.
The book’s examination of justice is also interesting. Pirie is obviously trying to bring a murderer to justice, and the ICTFY is trying to ensure that justice is done for the victims of wartime atrocities. But it soon becomes apparent that some people seek a more personal form of retribution. There are many skeletons to be found in the Balkans, skeletons crying out for justice, but the road between them and justice is anything but straight and smooth. And do skeleton roads ever end? The ethnic cleansing of the Serbs by the Croats and Nazis 50 years earlier served as an impetus in the 1990’s Balkan wars so it is certainly believable that the latter conflict influences events 25 years later. And, of course, the former Yugoslavia is only one part of the world which has skeletons crying out for justice. Is there a “foolishness of thinking we can keep the darkness at bay” (404)?
This novel is identified as one of McDermid’s standalone novels, but I’ve come to learn that Karen Pirie has appeared in two previous books. It would definitely not be surprising if she shows up again. There is much about her personality and tough, no-nonsense approach to investigations that appeals. In the end, events in Pirie’s personal life take the forefront, events that will have most readers wanting to know more about her future.
Though the mystery element is predictable, its historical aspects and thematic explorations make this book a good read.
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LibraryThing member scot2
I am a great Val McDermid fan. This book I found a little slow. However it picked up pace in the second half and was a good read. It contained more about the Balkans conflict than I wanted to know when relaxing with a fiction book.
LibraryThing member BrianEWilliams
Recommended reading. This is a good police procedural murder mystery story, with a lesson on the 1990's Balkan Wars. It was my introduction to McDermid's work and to her protagonist DCI Karen Pirie. I'm planning to read more of it.
LibraryThing member sianpr
A gripping read with a cracking ending. Hope there will be another outing for DCI Karen Pirie.
LibraryThing member cathyskye
McDermid has once again crafted an engrossing mystery filled with memorable characters and questions. I still can't quite understand how all the horrific things that occurred in Bosnia and Serbia have faded so quickly and determinedly into the dim past. Without going into masses of gory details,
If anything, there may be a few too many characters, a few too many points of view, that occasionally slow the pace of the book. We have DCI Karen Pirie and her life partner (and fellow police officer) Phil. Pirie's on-the-job partner, Detective Constable Jason "the Mint" Murray. Prickly Oxford professor Maggie Blake, and Macanespie and Proctor, two men trying to find war criminals for the International Criminal Court. And I haven't named them all.
Macanespie and Proctor are sometimes referred to as "the dead-end kids," and they provide some much-needed comic relief while they plod through miles of paperwork in search of the bad guys. Pirie often feels as though DC Murray is the albatross hanging around her neck. The young man tends to be as thick as a plank and has absolutely no initiative, but it is heartwarming to see that he is actually learning things by working with her. Pirie does treat him well, regardless what she may think in private. There are also some highly emotional scenes when one of the characters is rushed to the hospital, and I wish I'd had a box of tissues at hand while reading that part.
Yes, McDermid has written a complex, thought-provoking story filled with complex characters. The Skeleton Road is only slightly marred by too many shifts in points of view. It reminds me of why I like Val McDermid's writing so much-- and why I shouldn't take so long to read another of her books.
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McDermid brings those times to life through the characters she has created.If anything, there may be a few too many characters, a few too many points of view, that occasionally slow the pace of the book. We have DCI Karen Pirie and her life partner (and fellow police officer) Phil. Pirie's on-the-job partner, Detective Constable Jason "the Mint" Murray. Prickly Oxford professor Maggie Blake, and Macanespie and Proctor, two men trying to find war criminals for the International Criminal Court. And I haven't named them all.
Macanespie and Proctor are sometimes referred to as "the dead-end kids," and they provide some much-needed comic relief while they plod through miles of paperwork in search of the bad guys. Pirie often feels as though DC Murray is the albatross hanging around her neck. The young man tends to be as thick as a plank and has absolutely no initiative, but it is heartwarming to see that he is actually learning things by working with her. Pirie does treat him well, regardless what she may think in private. There are also some highly emotional scenes when one of the characters is rushed to the hospital, and I wish I'd had a box of tissues at hand while reading that part.
Yes, McDermid has written a complex, thought-provoking story filled with complex characters. The Skeleton Road is only slightly marred by too many shifts in points of view. It reminds me of why I like Val McDermid's writing so much-- and why I shouldn't take so long to read another of her books.
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LibraryThing member KateVane
The good thing about this book, as with all McDermid’s, is that it’s a great page-turner. Despite the complex subject matter – the aftermath of war in the Balkans – she keeps the narrative flowing. Inevitably there’s a certain amount of exposition, especially at the beginning, but she
However, the book was not as good as it could have been. Firstly, there are some weaknesses in the plot and I guessed the ending from quite early on.
Then there are some issues with voice and structure. The voice is a constant in McDermid’s work. She writes in a very plain, almost journalistic style. This is a positive in most cases, in that it makes for an easy and engaging read. But it is shown up short here because part of the story is supposedly told in the first person account of Professor Maggie Blake, the Oxford academic who was in love with the Croatian general.
Blake conveniently decides to write about their time together under siege in Dubrovnik, just as the book begins and her life is thrown into crisis. However, Blake’s voice is exactly the same as that of the main narrative. There is none of the close observation and insight you would expect from an academic writing about the most intense period of her personal and professional life. Her account feels like a device to move the story on, rather than a serious effort to get inside the character, which is never fully developed.
The third strand of the novel concerns two employees of the International Criminal Tribunal. They never come alive for me. They are apparently junior enough to be intimidated by a boss in a designer suit, but so senior they are tasked with travelling round Europe to investigate a high-level mole. They’re not quite funny enough to be comic characters, and not serious enough to be convincing.
The book is at its best with recurring character DCI Karen Pirie and her investigation of the Edinburgh murder. I love her doggedness, her awkwardness, the mixture of exasperation and affection she feels for her hapless DC. I think that McDermid is strongest in these sections of the book because she has really taken the time to know and understand her characters and their setting. With the other characters too often she’s telling us how they feel rather than conveying it through their actions or dialogue.
I sometimes wish Val McDermid wrote less. We know she can write great books. In novels like Wire in the Blood and The Last Temptation there was a real complexity of characterisation and a strong emotional involvement which I haven’t felt in her recent novels. This is an entertaining read but it could have been much better if she’d invested more time in getting to know her characters and developing the plot.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
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keeps us interested in the three strands of the story – the investigation of a murder in Edinburgh, the disappearance of a Croatian general from Oxford and the assassination of Serbian war criminals across the world. However, the book was not as good as it could have been. Firstly, there are some weaknesses in the plot and I guessed the ending from quite early on.
Then there are some issues with voice and structure. The voice is a constant in McDermid’s work. She writes in a very plain, almost journalistic style. This is a positive in most cases, in that it makes for an easy and engaging read. But it is shown up short here because part of the story is supposedly told in the first person account of Professor Maggie Blake, the Oxford academic who was in love with the Croatian general.
Blake conveniently decides to write about their time together under siege in Dubrovnik, just as the book begins and her life is thrown into crisis. However, Blake’s voice is exactly the same as that of the main narrative. There is none of the close observation and insight you would expect from an academic writing about the most intense period of her personal and professional life. Her account feels like a device to move the story on, rather than a serious effort to get inside the character, which is never fully developed.
The third strand of the novel concerns two employees of the International Criminal Tribunal. They never come alive for me. They are apparently junior enough to be intimidated by a boss in a designer suit, but so senior they are tasked with travelling round Europe to investigate a high-level mole. They’re not quite funny enough to be comic characters, and not serious enough to be convincing.
The book is at its best with recurring character DCI Karen Pirie and her investigation of the Edinburgh murder. I love her doggedness, her awkwardness, the mixture of exasperation and affection she feels for her hapless DC. I think that McDermid is strongest in these sections of the book because she has really taken the time to know and understand her characters and their setting. With the other characters too often she’s telling us how they feel rather than conveying it through their actions or dialogue.
I sometimes wish Val McDermid wrote less. We know she can write great books. In novels like Wire in the Blood and The Last Temptation there was a real complexity of characterisation and a strong emotional involvement which I haven’t felt in her recent novels. This is an entertaining read but it could have been much better if she’d invested more time in getting to know her characters and developing the plot.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
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LibraryThing member Andrew-theQM
First book by Val McDermid that I've been disappointed in. Might be the subject matter that put me off and is quite cozish for one of her books. Still would give it 3.5 stars but certainly not the effect that one of her books usually has on me.
LibraryThing member dianaleez
I found this to be a very depressing book. McDermid, as always, writes well. Her prose is effective, her plotting works. But it evolved into a rather sad didactic story. Not her best.
LibraryThing member Edwinrelf
A good plot and the ending is an interesting conundrum. Unfortunately there is a bit too much romantic waffle in it as well
LibraryThing member pgchuis
I wish I liked these more than I do. This was over-long, with too many flashbacks to the Balkan conflicts.
LibraryThing member JBD1
A well-paced and interesting mystery; I always enjoy McDermid's characters and this was no exception.
LibraryThing member jennybeast
I think I liked this more for the opportunity to learn more about the Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian conflict than for the mystery aspect -- mostly because I knew what was going on by page 100, which surprised me because I am not usually good at calling these things. Anyway, still well written, plot
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driven and interesting. Crushing in the personal aspect for Karen, however, and why the heck are mystery writers so cruel to their protagonists? Show Less
LibraryThing member runner56
Ok.....slight spoiler coming up....so look away :)....yes now :)) For those of you who have read The Skeleton Road we all know that Karen's boyfriend Phil is no more but in true McDermid style we do not dwell over the issue simply mention at the close of the book. The writing as always is
A skeleton is discovered atop a crumbling gothic building in Edinburgh and on close inspection the skull has a neat hole at the front...enter our intrepid duo...always ready for battle which will take Karen and the Mint from the hallowed grounds of Oxford university to the killing fields of Croatia for a killer still active and at large. It would not be a Val McDermid thriller if we did not have a pompous boss and Assistant Chief Constable Simon Lees is perfect for this role. He views Karen with disdain in her slightly crumpled suit...."the trousers a shade too tight over the generous hips"...Karen is equal to his arrogance as..."she perched on the edge of an elegant sideboard he'd bought from his grandmother's house. His secretary kept it buffed to within an inch of its life...Lees felt sure Pirie knew that"......
The dept of justice is also trying to solve a number of murders over the past 7 years and 2 somwhat bumbling individuals, Macanespie and Proctor are cannon fodder to KP. At 450+ pages the novel is the perfect size for McDermid to introduce a number of possible suspects but the brilliance in her writing is left until the last few pages when the person of most interest to me the reader turned out to be a read herring.....so well disguised by the author. This is a wonderful read, writing of the finest order, that ends on a sad note, however knowing the strength of Karen Pirie I know she will soon return for another exciting adventure. Highly highly recommended!
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excellent, well researched, and excellent characterization expecially in the descritpions and of our 2 main heroes Karen and the ever tasteful mint :) The new itv crime series Karen Pirie has been recently on prime time tv and yet the character playing Karen Pirie is somewhat slim and a little more organised than the Karen we know and love....."a stocky woman of middle height with a shrewd gaze, a messy haircut and a slightly crumpled business suit"....."As usual, her thick mop of dark hair looked as if she'd shared a stylist with Dennis the Menace".........:) Jason the "mint" Murray young and eager, if a little geeky is her constant companion but often receiving putdowns form and exasperated DCI...."Karen sighed. Education Jason was an uphill struggle. How come I know? Because I read books, Jason. Because I watch things on the telly that aren't boy comics doing panel games"......." Now do your maths homework or play Candy Crush or something useful while I check my email"........lovely :) A skeleton is discovered atop a crumbling gothic building in Edinburgh and on close inspection the skull has a neat hole at the front...enter our intrepid duo...always ready for battle which will take Karen and the Mint from the hallowed grounds of Oxford university to the killing fields of Croatia for a killer still active and at large. It would not be a Val McDermid thriller if we did not have a pompous boss and Assistant Chief Constable Simon Lees is perfect for this role. He views Karen with disdain in her slightly crumpled suit...."the trousers a shade too tight over the generous hips"...Karen is equal to his arrogance as..."she perched on the edge of an elegant sideboard he'd bought from his grandmother's house. His secretary kept it buffed to within an inch of its life...Lees felt sure Pirie knew that"......
The dept of justice is also trying to solve a number of murders over the past 7 years and 2 somwhat bumbling individuals, Macanespie and Proctor are cannon fodder to KP. At 450+ pages the novel is the perfect size for McDermid to introduce a number of possible suspects but the brilliance in her writing is left until the last few pages when the person of most interest to me the reader turned out to be a read herring.....so well disguised by the author. This is a wonderful read, writing of the finest order, that ends on a sad note, however knowing the strength of Karen Pirie I know she will soon return for another exciting adventure. Highly highly recommended!
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780751551280
Physical description
464 p.; 5.71 inches
Pages
464