Scottish crime writer Val McDermid brings her trademark suspense and strong female protagonists to the engrossing Karen Pirie series. Set in Scotland, it follows the clever and tenacious Karen Pirie, a civilian cold case investigator. In The Distant Echo, the first installment, Pirie reopens the case of a 25-year-old murder that has haunted a group of friends. McDermid constructs layered mysteries while dealing insightfully with the emotional toll of Karen’s work. In subsequent books like A Darker Domain and The Skeleton Road, Karen investigates ever more complex cases that delve into Scotland’s social and political tensions. Along with its compelling historical mysteries, the standout series provides an intimate look into Karen’s life as she grapples with personal demons. Blending forensic detail, social commentary, well-paced suspense and an empathetic protagonist, the Karen Pirie books cement Val McDermid as the ‘Queen of Crime’ in Scotland and internationally.
See also: Stephen King’s Favorite Books.
Val McDermid Karen Pirie Books in Order
- The Distant Echo (2003)
- A Darker Domain (2008)
- The Skeleton Road (2014)
- Out of Bounds (2016)
- Broken Ground (2018)
- Still Life (2020)
- Past Lying (2023)
Similar Authors
- “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson – A gripping crime thriller featuring a complex female protagonist.
- “In the Woods” by Tana French – A haunting psychological mystery that delves into the dark secrets of a murder investigation.
- “The Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris – A chilling and suspenseful novel that introduces the iconic character, Hannibal Lecter. See Hannibal Lecter Books in Order.
See also: Linwood Barclay Books in Order.
Most Recommended Books
- Still Life (Karen Pirie, #6) (4.20 Goodreads score)
- Broken Ground (Karen Pirie, #5) (4.17 Goodreads score)
- Out of Bounds (Karen Pirie, #4) (4.15 Goodreads score)
- A Darker Domain (Karen Pirie, #2) (3.98 Goodreads score)
- The Distant Echo (Karen Pirie, #1) (3.97 Goodreads score)
Awards
Val McDermid has received the Grand Prix des Romans d’Aventure in 1998, the Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel in 2004, and the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger in 2010, as well as the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year, the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award, the Stonewall Writer of the Year award, and the LA Times Book of the Year Award.
Upcoming Releases
Val McDermid is set to release a new book in the Karen Pirie series titled “Past Lying” on October 12, 2023.
Book Summaries
The Distant Echo
"The Distant Echo" is a crime novel set in St. Andrews School. When four young students stumble upon the body of a young woman who has been brutally attacked, they become the prime suspects. Twenty-five years later, as the police re-examine the unsolved murder, one of the original quartet dies in a suspicious fire and another is killed. Alex, one of the friends, realizes that someone is seeking revenge for Rosie's death and must uncover the truth to save his own life.
A Darker Domain
"A Darker Domain" is a crime novel set in Fife, Scotland in 1984. Mick Prentice leaves his family during a politically charged miners' strike to join the strikebreakers. He is not reported missing until twenty-three years later. In 1985, an heiress named Catriona Maclennan Grant is kidnapped and killed, and her baby son disappears during a failed ransom exchange. In 2008, new evidence is discovered in Tuscany, reopening the investigation. Detective Karen Pirie, head of the Cold Case Review Team, is determined to solve this unsolved mystery from the 1980s. However, as she delves deeper, she uncovers a dark world of violence and betrayal that surpasses anything she has encountered before.
The Skeleton Road
"The Skeleton Road" is a mystery set in historic Edinburgh, Scotland. When builders discover skeletal remains in a neglected Victorian Gothic building, cold case detective Karen Pirie is determined to uncover the identity of the deceased. As she delves into the investigation, she uncovers a connection to the tragic history of the Balkans and the consequences of war crimes.
Out of Bounds
"Out of Bounds" is a crime novel that follows Inspector Karen Pirie as she unravels two interconnected mysteries. When a young joyrider ends up in a coma, a DNA test reveals a surprising link to an unsolved murder from over two decades ago. As Karen delves deeper into the cold case, she realizes that the truth is far from straightforward. Simultaneously, she becomes entangled in another mystery related to a terrorist bombing that occurred twenty years ago. As Karen investigates, she discovers that appearances can be deceiving, and nothing is as it initially seems.
Broken Ground
In the book "Broken Ground" Alice Somerville discovers a shocking surprise when she uncovers her inheritance buried in a peat bog - a body with a bullet hole. DCI Karen Pirie is tasked with solving this cold case, along with dealing with a domestic violence case. As she gets closer to the truth, she realizes that not everyone wants justice and that there are differing opinions on what justice truly means.
Still Life
In the book "Still Life" DCI Karen Pirie is called to investigate a dead body found by a lobster fisherman in Scotland's Firth of Forth. As she delves into the case, she uncovers a complex web of events involving a disappearance from the past, art forgery, and hidden identities. The central figure in this mystery is a painter with the ability to imitate famous artists. Alongside this investigation, Karen also stumbles upon a skeleton in a suburban garage following a traffic accident. With her plate already full, things become even more stressful for Karen as the man responsible for the death of her loved one is about to be released from prison, reopening old wounds just as she was starting to recover.
Past Lying
"Past Lying" is a thrilling crime novel set in Edinburgh during the lockdown in April 2020. DCI Karen Pirie's team receives a tip about documents in the archive of a deceased crime novelist, sparking a twisted game of betrayal and revenge.
