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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 disappearance may be linked to another cold case involving a show more missing miner. show lessTags
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Karen leaned back in her chair, not liking the answer she came up with, but knowing there would be nothing better coming from the man opposite her. ‘You were a right bunch of fucking cowboys in the old days, weren’t you?’ There was no admiration in her tone.
I don't know what I expected but I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I gather from a lot of comments and other reviews that this is one of McDermid's weaker offerings but I actually really enjoyed the mix of interlinking stories, each of which had it's own element of suspense:
The search for a donor that is compatible with a sick child.
The disappearance of a man who seemingly one day walks out on his family in the midst of the 1984 miners' strikes.
The show more journalist in search of a story.
The business oligarch in search of his peace of mind.
And DI Karen Pirie searching for the solutions to all of these puzzles.
As mentioned before, I'm not keen on reading gory tales or scary thrillers, and I was pleasantly surprised that the suspense - and there are oodles of suspense in this - was built not on gory facts but on characters and atmosphere. The elements of forensic detail just helped piece the clues together and follow the investigation.
So, yes, my apprehension of reading this was totally unwarranted - and yes, it was all in my head. Just as well, because having read this one I look forward to reading more by McDermid. It's is not just her writing style that made me hungry for more but also the setting - Kingdom of Fife - and the historical snippets. show less
I don't know what I expected but I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I gather from a lot of comments and other reviews that this is one of McDermid's weaker offerings but I actually really enjoyed the mix of interlinking stories, each of which had it's own element of suspense:
The search for a donor that is compatible with a sick child.
The disappearance of a man who seemingly one day walks out on his family in the midst of the 1984 miners' strikes.
The show more journalist in search of a story.
The business oligarch in search of his peace of mind.
And DI Karen Pirie searching for the solutions to all of these puzzles.
As mentioned before, I'm not keen on reading gory tales or scary thrillers, and I was pleasantly surprised that the suspense - and there are oodles of suspense in this - was built not on gory facts but on characters and atmosphere. The elements of forensic detail just helped piece the clues together and follow the investigation.
So, yes, my apprehension of reading this was totally unwarranted - and yes, it was all in my head. Just as well, because having read this one I look forward to reading more by McDermid. It's is not just her writing style that made me hungry for more but also the setting - Kingdom of Fife - and the historical snippets. show less
A Darker domain is a psychological thriller by Val McDermid. This is the second book that features Detective Inspector Karen Pirie of the Fife police department. The plot flashes back and forth in time from the current time of 2007 and back to 1984 and the time of the miner’s strike.
DI Pirie is investigating two cold case crimes from 1984, one is the disappearance of a miner and the other involved the kidnapping of a powerful and wealthy man’s daughter and grandson. The miner had been thought to have started a new life in Nottingham, but no trace of him can be found. The kidnap case ended badly with the daughter being killed, but the baby grandson has never been accounted for. New clues have come to light that turn their attention show more to Italy. DI Pirie has her hands tied in many ways, from budgets, to a superior who doesn’t like or understand her but mostly by the grandfather of the missing child. He not only wanted total control over the case, he also wanted to be the one to decide what the police were to be told.
A Darker Domain was an excellent read. The characters are well drawn and the plot was intricate. Val McDermid is well known for her superb writing, and in this book, she uses the backstories to fill in the details, explain the motives and move the story along. The linking of the two crimes was done in a way that felt realistic and the final resolution really highlighted how the rich and powerful are given privileges that ordinary people aren’t offered. show less
DI Pirie is investigating two cold case crimes from 1984, one is the disappearance of a miner and the other involved the kidnapping of a powerful and wealthy man’s daughter and grandson. The miner had been thought to have started a new life in Nottingham, but no trace of him can be found. The kidnap case ended badly with the daughter being killed, but the baby grandson has never been accounted for. New clues have come to light that turn their attention show more to Italy. DI Pirie has her hands tied in many ways, from budgets, to a superior who doesn’t like or understand her but mostly by the grandfather of the missing child. He not only wanted total control over the case, he also wanted to be the one to decide what the police were to be told.
A Darker Domain was an excellent read. The characters are well drawn and the plot was intricate. Val McDermid is well known for her superb writing, and in this book, she uses the backstories to fill in the details, explain the motives and move the story along. The linking of the two crimes was done in a way that felt realistic and the final resolution really highlighted how the rich and powerful are given privileges that ordinary people aren’t offered. show less
Two cold cases come to DI Karen Pirie’s Cold Case Review Team in Fife. One is the disappearance of a miner during the 1984 strike that created deep divisions within the communities, and the other is the kidnapping of a wealthy industrialist’s daughter and grandson, where the ransom handover ended with the death of the daughter and the disappearance of the grandson.
This is my favourite of McDermid’s series; the cold cases are interesting, especially how both the absence of information and the sudden revelation of information have such an impact on the present; there aren’t too many gory details or getting into the head of creepy serial killers; and Pirie makes a solid protagonist. And as a Doctor Who fan I must state that I show more always picture Dr. River Wilde looking like Alex Kingston’s River Song. River Song is an archaeologist herself, so not far off Dr. Wilde’s line of work.
I was carried along very easily by this story, and was so invested in it that a revelation in it made me exclaim “What!” out loud at the book. This one *might* stretch the bounds of credulity a little, but coincidences happen in real life, so I think they’re allowed in fiction (to a degree).
This book contains spoilers for the first book in the series, The Distant Echo, so if you are a person who likes to read series in order, you may want to do so with this one. show less
This is my favourite of McDermid’s series; the cold cases are interesting, especially how both the absence of information and the sudden revelation of information have such an impact on the present; there aren’t too many gory details or getting into the head of creepy serial killers; and Pirie makes a solid protagonist. And as a Doctor Who fan I must state that I show more always picture Dr. River Wilde looking like Alex Kingston’s River Song. River Song is an archaeologist herself, so not far off Dr. Wilde’s line of work.
I was carried along very easily by this story, and was so invested in it that a revelation in it made me exclaim “What!” out loud at the book. This one *might* stretch the bounds of credulity a little, but coincidences happen in real life, so I think they’re allowed in fiction (to a degree).
This book contains spoilers for the first book in the series, The Distant Echo, so if you are a person who likes to read series in order, you may want to do so with this one. show less
Val McDermid delivers consistently good mystery fiction. Her series with Tony Hill is excellent throughout & I have yet to read a standalone of hers that wasn't also wonderful.
McDermid writes wonderfully complex & twisty characters & plots. I also really enjoy her settings - typically the North of England or Scotland - places we all tend to read less about.
Born into a coal mining family in Scotland, this novel (which covers the disappearances of 3 people during the time of the miner's strike in 1984) is obviously in a setting & subject matter that she cares about. It is this passion & her ability to teach her reader something about what is for many an obscure piece of history while never ever sacrificing her narrative thread is truly show more admirable.
The mystery here is deep with enough twists & turns to keep you wondering & reading. Wonderful book - highly recommended show less
McDermid writes wonderfully complex & twisty characters & plots. I also really enjoy her settings - typically the North of England or Scotland - places we all tend to read less about.
Born into a coal mining family in Scotland, this novel (which covers the disappearances of 3 people during the time of the miner's strike in 1984) is obviously in a setting & subject matter that she cares about. It is this passion & her ability to teach her reader something about what is for many an obscure piece of history while never ever sacrificing her narrative thread is truly show more admirable.
The mystery here is deep with enough twists & turns to keep you wondering & reading. Wonderful book - highly recommended show less
A Darker Domain is the second book in the Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid and was originally published in 2008. This is a gripping story which takes us back to the time of the Miner’s Strike in 1984.
Sir Broderick MacLennan Grant is a Scottish version of Richard Branson, and this was the height of the Miner’s Strike, and his daughter has been kidnapped and held for ransom, along with his grandson. He paid the ransom but at the cash drop something went wrong, and his daughter was killed, and his grandson is missing. Twenty-five years later Bel Richardson a journalist uncovers information that may lead to the long-lost grandchild.
In December 1984, Mick Prentice a miner has gone missing while on strike, people think he left Fife and show more went ‘scabbing’ down at the Nottinghamshire pits. Prentice’s daughter has finally reported him missing, twenty-five years later as she needs to find out if her father is still alive for the sake of her son, Luke.
Both cases land on the desk of Karen Pirie, one by design and one by accident, and she realises she is going to have to kick over some stone that many people will not be happy about. While at the same time she will have to rip off the plaster of what had been the Miner’s Strike. In old mining villages the pits may be long gone but the open wounds and scars are still there along with the scores waiting to be settled.
With little to go on, Pirie knows she is going to upset a lot of people, especially her boss. One thing is very clear, Pirie will uncover the truth, even if many are attempting to stop her. show less
Sir Broderick MacLennan Grant is a Scottish version of Richard Branson, and this was the height of the Miner’s Strike, and his daughter has been kidnapped and held for ransom, along with his grandson. He paid the ransom but at the cash drop something went wrong, and his daughter was killed, and his grandson is missing. Twenty-five years later Bel Richardson a journalist uncovers information that may lead to the long-lost grandchild.
In December 1984, Mick Prentice a miner has gone missing while on strike, people think he left Fife and show more went ‘scabbing’ down at the Nottinghamshire pits. Prentice’s daughter has finally reported him missing, twenty-five years later as she needs to find out if her father is still alive for the sake of her son, Luke.
Both cases land on the desk of Karen Pirie, one by design and one by accident, and she realises she is going to have to kick over some stone that many people will not be happy about. While at the same time she will have to rip off the plaster of what had been the Miner’s Strike. In old mining villages the pits may be long gone but the open wounds and scars are still there along with the scores waiting to be settled.
With little to go on, Pirie knows she is going to upset a lot of people, especially her boss. One thing is very clear, Pirie will uncover the truth, even if many are attempting to stop her. show less
I was initially drawn to the premise of a missing persons case where the person isn't reported missing until more than 20 years after he disappeared. How could that be? As it turns out, a miner who disappeared during a tumultuous strike in 1984 was assumed to have gone south with several other `blackleg miners' to work as a scab. In such circumstances his absence was considered good riddance and nobody tried to find him. But now, years later, his grandson is ill and needs a transplant so his daughter sets out to find her dad only to find that her dad never went with the blacklegs and that nobody had seen him since. Is there any hope of finding him with a trail this cold? Is there any chance he may be alive?
At the same time she is drawn show more into another cold case, one of a kidnapping gone horribly wrong. Are the cases connected? Can the kidnapped child still be alive?
As I read A Darker Domain I got the impression that this book was much more personal to the author the other books of hers that I have read. I felt that she saw her story through the eyes of her protagonist, Detective Inspector Karen Pirie. As I learned later, McDermid did grow up in the coal towns she writes about and her father and grandfather were both miners. As there is far more than just fiction here, the reader can't help but get emotionally involved in the story and its outcome.
Perhaps this intimacy with the setting is partially responsible for my one minor complaint. She discusses the strike and bandies about miners slang in such a way that one thinks she expects the whole world to know who Scargill was or what a `pit bing' is. It doesn't distract from the story but I can't help feeling that know would have given me a deeper understanding of the situation.
A Darker Domain is an excellent example of the quality detective fiction coming out of Scotland these days and it's a far cry from Miss Marple. Thank God for that as I've never been one for tea and knitting. show less
At the same time she is drawn show more into another cold case, one of a kidnapping gone horribly wrong. Are the cases connected? Can the kidnapped child still be alive?
As I read A Darker Domain I got the impression that this book was much more personal to the author the other books of hers that I have read. I felt that she saw her story through the eyes of her protagonist, Detective Inspector Karen Pirie. As I learned later, McDermid did grow up in the coal towns she writes about and her father and grandfather were both miners. As there is far more than just fiction here, the reader can't help but get emotionally involved in the story and its outcome.
Perhaps this intimacy with the setting is partially responsible for my one minor complaint. She discusses the strike and bandies about miners slang in such a way that one thinks she expects the whole world to know who Scargill was or what a `pit bing' is. It doesn't distract from the story but I can't help feeling that know would have given me a deeper understanding of the situation.
A Darker Domain is an excellent example of the quality detective fiction coming out of Scotland these days and it's a far cry from Miss Marple. Thank God for that as I've never been one for tea and knitting. show less
I enjoyed reading this novel a lot, but not quite as much as the first book of the series. That is mainly due to the structure - there are a lot of time warps in the first half of the book, the time and setting changes every few pages because there are so many flashbacks. The flashbacks are effectively used to tell the story and convey the emotions of the characters, but I needed some time to get into this kind of storytelling.
There are two cold cases which I found equally interesting:
A woman desperately seeks to save her son who needs a bone marrow transplant, so she is looking for her father, a miner who left without a trace in the 1980s during the miners' strike.
One of the richest men in Scotland is looking for his grandson who was show more lost without a trace after he and his mother were kidnapped and the ransom delivery went terribly wrong. This happened in the 1980s as well and for a long time there was no hope, until suddenly, some new evidence appears.
Karen Pirie is assigned to the second case, although to her, the first case seems much more interesting and urgent.
I found both cases very compelling, although the novel takes a lot of time in the beginning and the plot could have moved a little faster. On the other hand, the ending seemed a little rushed and I would have liked a few more explanations. It is a bit of a sudden ending.
All in all, I was still spell-bound by this novel, though, and cannot wait to read the third installment and meet Karen Pirie again! show less
There are two cold cases which I found equally interesting:
A woman desperately seeks to save her son who needs a bone marrow transplant, so she is looking for her father, a miner who left without a trace in the 1980s during the miners' strike.
One of the richest men in Scotland is looking for his grandson who was show more lost without a trace after he and his mother were kidnapped and the ransom delivery went terribly wrong. This happened in the 1980s as well and for a long time there was no hope, until suddenly, some new evidence appears.
Karen Pirie is assigned to the second case, although to her, the first case seems much more interesting and urgent.
I found both cases very compelling, although the novel takes a lot of time in the beginning and the plot could have moved a little faster. On the other hand, the ending seemed a little rushed and I would have liked a few more explanations. It is a bit of a sudden ending.
All in all, I was still spell-bound by this novel, though, and cannot wait to read the third installment and meet Karen Pirie again! show less
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'McDermid mengt politieke achtergronden met een sterke plot die tal van verrassingen verbergt. Een van de beste thrillers van het voorjaar.'
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Author Information
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Val McDermid was born in Scotland on June 4, 1955. She was the first student from a state school in Scotland accepted to read English at St Hilda's College, Oxford. She graduated in 1975 and became a journalist. She wrote her first novel at the age of 21. It didn't get published, but she turned it into a play entitled Like a Happy Ending. It was show more performed by the Plymouth Theatre Company and was later adapted for BBC radio. Her first book, Report for Murder, was published in 1987. She is the author of the Lindsay Gordon Mystery series, the Kate Brannigan Mystery series, and the Dr. Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Mysteries series as well as several stand alone books including The Distant Echo, A Darker Domain, Trick of the Dark and Out of Bounds. The Mermaids Singing won the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Harper Perennial Olive Editions (2019 Olive)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- A Darker Domain
- Original title
- A Darker Domain
- Original publication date
- 2008-09-01
- People/Characters
- Karen Pirie (DI); Phil Parhatka (DS); Mick Prentice; Misha Gibson; Jenny Prentice; Annabel 'Bel' Richmond (show all 14); Sir Broderick Maclennan Grant; Catriona Grant; Adam Maclennan Grant; Gabriel Porteous; Daniel Porteous; Fergus Sinclair; Toby Inglis; Andy Kerr
- Important places
- Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland, UK; Newton of Wemyss, Fife, Scotland, UK; Campora, Tuscany, Italy; Kirkaldy, Fife, Scotland, UK; Edinburgh, Scotland, UK; Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK (show all 8); Tuscany, Italy; MacDuff Castle, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
- Important events
- UK Miners' Strike (1984-1985)
- Dedication
- This book is dedicated to the memory of Meg and Tom McCall, my maternal grandparents. They showed me love, they taught me about community, and they never forgot the shame of standing in line at a soup kitchen to feed their ba... (show all)irns. Thanks to them, I grew up loving the sea, the woods and the works of Agatha Christie. No small debt.
- First words
- The voice is soft, like the darkness that encloses them.
- Quotations
- And you know how the press love it when someone camped out on the moral high ground gets caught up in a mudslide.
Her work was beautiful. Smooth, rounded lines. Very sensual shapes. And amazing colours. I'd never seen glass like it ... The glass seemed to be on fire with different colours. You wanted to pick it up and hold it close to yo... (show all)u.
Everyone needed a sounding board who saw things differently and was smart enough to articulate those differences. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)And this is how it ends.
- Blurbers
- Paretsky, Sara
- Original language*
- Englisch
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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