Internationally bestselling author Val McDermid is one of our finest crime writers, and her gripping, masterfully plotted novels have garnered millions of readers from around the globe. In Broken Ground, cold case detective Karen Pirie faces her hardest challenge yet. Six feet under in a Highland peat bog lies Alice Somerville's inheritance, buried by her grandfather at the end of World War II. But when Alice finally uncovers it, she finds an unwanted surprise?a body with a bullet hole between the eyes. Meanwhile, DCI Pirie is called in to unravel a case where nothing is quite as it seems. And as she gets closer to the truth, it becomes clear that not everyone shares her desire for justice. Or even the idea of what justice is. An engrossing, twisty thriller, Broken Ground reaffirms Val McDermid's place as one of the best crime writers of her generation.
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“In McDermind’s fine fourth novel featuring Edinburgh Detective Chief Inspector. Karen Pirie…reconstructing a decades-old murder is tricky, and this time there’s a lot of pressure from above to solve it. Meanwhile, Pirie becomes embroiled in a contemporary crime involving domestic violence. As always, McDermid’s story lines are as richly layered as her protagonist.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Pirie is a satisfyingly wry and hard-edged character, and McDermid’s dry tone heightens the growing suspense.”
— Guardian (London)“McDermid’s novels about cold cases have solid plots and fascinating forensic detail.”
— Sunday Times (London)“A new police procedural narrated by the versatile Cathleen McCarron with a charming Scots accent…McCarron navigates the listener through a series of twists and turns as DCI Pirie works to close historical crimes. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile“Val McDermid seamlessly weaves multiple mysteries, modern forensics, and old grudges into one story that practically trembles from the narrative tension. Broken Ground is another smart procedural from an expert of the form.”
— Kristen Lepionka, author of the Roxane Weary mystery series"[A] superior series.”
— New York Times Book Reviews, praise for the seriesBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Val McDermid is an author whose bestselling novels have won the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year Award, and the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger and Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement. She is also a multiple finalist for the Edgar Award, including for the true crime nominee Forensics. Her novels have been translated into forty languages and have sold over 16 million copies. Visit her online at ValMcDermid.com.
Cathleen McCarron is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and recipient of the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration in 2018. She is a London-based coach in voice, text, and accent who has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and several major drama schools. She holds a BA in acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, as well as a degree in politics from Edinburgh University.