‘Silent Bones’ by Val McDermid; Atlantic Crime; 448 pages; $28
“Silent Bones,” the eighth novel in Val McDermid’s Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie series, is a master class in Scottish cold case investigation and politics in a tightly wound plot.
Karen and her Historic Case Unit are called to an unusual crime scene. Human remains are found when a section of Scotland’s M73 highway collapses after a mudslide caused by torrential winter rainstorms. The skeleton was identified as investigative journalist Sam Nimmo, the prime suspect in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, who had vanished shortly after the crime 11 years ago.
The team, including Daisy Mortimer and Jason “The Mint” Murray, also becomes involved with another case that had been ruled accidental. Drew Jamieson insists he has evidence that his brother, Tom, didn’t fall from Edinburgh’s Scotsman Steps about five years before, but was pushed.
Various motives may be related to the murder of Sam, whose in-depth reporting uncovered corruption, fraud and assault involving politicians and businesspeople. His stories on Scotland’s independence uncover more graft. Tom, who managed the nearby Scott Monument Hotel, seemed to have no enemies, though he’d recently had a public disagreement with the hotel’s sommelier, who was angry Tom quit their football club to join an elite, secretive book group with a murky history.
The author realistically draws together the plots, avoiding coincidences and combining believable clues with solid police insight in “Silent Bones.” Her storytelling prowess shows characters who continue to sharpen their investigative skills while juggling personal lives.
McDermid’s various series and standalones have put her in the top tier of mystery writers. “Silent Bones” continues her solid reputation.
Read about ‘The Sweeties’
‘Watch Us Fall’ by Christina Kovac; Simon & Schuster; 272 pages; $28
Female friendship, obsession and parental issues fuel “Watch Us Fall,” Christina Kovac’s intriguing psychological thriller.
Four women — Lucy, Addie, Penelope and Estella — best friends since college, where they first became roommates, still live together as post-grads in a lovely yet decaying townhouse in the middle of Georgetown. They call themselves “The Sweeties” as they build careers, date and deepen their friendship. The four are so tightly united, especially Lucy and Addie, that an acquaintance called them “a cult.”
Then Addie, the unofficial leader, begins an intense relationship with the charming, wealthy Josh Egan, whose career as a television journalist is on the rise, with him poised to go national. Josh’s charismatic personality seems inherited from his father, a presidential candidate who was killed in a plane accident while on the campaign trail when Josh was 13.
Addie and Josh’s relationship begins intensely, with him obsessed with her, but ends abruptly. Addie believes Josh attacked her on a remote walking trail during her morning run, leaving her bruised and bloodied. Addie refuses to report the attack to the police as she becomes less sure that the assailant was Josh, who had recently been acting erratically. Days later, Josh disappears, missing his chance to anchor the evening news. Josh is too ambitious to ever miss work, especially the chance to anchor. So Lucy begins her own investigation into what happened to Josh.
The Sweeties are the heart of “Watch Us Fall,” with each woman’s personality a strong component. But Kovac’s increased focus on Josh, his complicated background and family issues add insight to the women’s choices.
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