A Darker Domain

By: Val McDermid

Narrated by: Eilidh Fraser

Award-winning author Val McDermid offers up a suspense-filled stand-alone novel with A Darker Domain. Karen Pirie is the newly appointed Deputy Inspector of the Cold Case Unit, and her first investigation takes her 25 years into the past to the national miners’ strike. At the time, a kidnapping gone wrong left a small boy missing, but new evidence suggests he might still be alive. As Pirie delves deeper, she realizes the boy’s disapperance may be linked to another cold case involving a missing miner.

©2008 Val McDermid (P)2008 W.F. Howes, Ltd.

Critic reviews

"As Karen’s two cases seem to converge, the complex and layered plotlines come together, and McDermid does an excellent job creating tension around a cold case. Sure to be a hit with McDermid’s large fan base, it should also appeal to those who read other Scottish police mysteries, such as Stuart MacBride’s." ( Booklist)

Classic McDermid

Great mystery
Excellent character development
Each book in the series stands alone
Her descriptions of the environment - Scotland, Italy are immersive

too many coincidences, too many murders

A lot to like about the writing, the main character and the performance but the numerous plotlines don’t really come together convincingly.

Once she entered the picture, Karen.

The story was good but once again I suspected who old man Grant’s daughter’s lover was almost immediately but I liked the twist in the end as to her son’s father. But it came up so fast and the last bit about the match was sloppy as hell. It was almost as if the writer had her editor standing in back of her saying…”10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 seconds left, then I’m taking it, done or not….” It was thrown together.

DI Pirie Didn't Quite Get Her Man

What??? I hated the ending. It just ended with no preamble or explanation. Case solved I guess. I love the writing style of Val McDermid and this book was very complex with lots of plot lines. There is the search for the missing miner from 1984 requested by his daughter who is seeking a match to save the life of her young son. Her father might be a match if he can be found. Mick Prentice has been missing since 1984. Then there's the query by Sir Brody seeking information about his kidnapped grandson from 1984. After Bel, an investigative reporter looking for her big break, finds a puppet poster she recognizes as the same kind of poster used by kidnappers in the Brody kidnapping, Sir Brody asks her to help him research the location where she found this new evidence and determine if it is relevant. Each chapter jumps from 2007, the date of the current events, back to 1984 and the happenings of the two missing people. It is quite intriguing and has the reader captured BUT then Sir Brody withdraws his quest from the police and tells DI Pirie to cease and desist, and she goes ballistic. She tries to figure out how to continue without being in conflict with his request. There is much in this story to like and right up to the end I was hoping for a final resolution. But, it seems that the author got to the end and then decided she was just tired of writing. Another chapter would have been appropriate I think. the book ended with a big question mark. Maybe the next book will put the final touches on this mystery BUT leaving the reader hanging doesn't work for me. So 4 stars. The narrator was excellent and I'll keep reading McDermid. She is a terrific mystery writer. Narrator Ellidh Fraser was excellent with her Scottish accent.

Very good

Wow! So much in this one book. I liked it.

The story jumps from the present to past events to describe events in real time as opposed to having someone relate them. Took a while for me to get used to especially as I was listening to the audiobook. It made me pay attention to the dates.

I enjoyed the story. How seemingly unrelated incidents set DI Perie against her boss and on a complicated journey involving kidnapping, murder (of course), puppets, Tuscany, the miners' strike, and a potential love interest. Good stuff!

The ending surprised me. It was abrupt and I wasn't expecting it. I'm looking forward to more about Karen and Phil.

The characters are well developed and the writing is excellent. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to read McDermid's work. This is my second and won't be my last.