As always, Val McDermid delivers bigtime in this multilayered, character-rich tale of murder and corruption. I did find the ending a bit disappointing as it seemed to be more of a clerical cleaning up loose ends than a true emotional climax, but there was so much to enjoy in the rest of the book that this weakness can be forgiven.

Thank you for the chance to pre-read this title - I am probably the last person on the planet never to have read any Val McDermid and sped through much of this book. I decided half way through that I needed more background on the author and was delighted to discover a deep shelf of titles that are yet to be explored. Broken Ground started well but then slowed to an agonizing pace. The writing was of such a high quality and the descriptions so precise, I delayed finishing this title until I've explored earlier works. More when I've delved deeper into the VMcD library.

McDermid's novels are truly in a class of their own, managing to meld elements of psychological thrillers, police procedurals, and historical fiction into engrossing works of art. This novel is no exception--we get to explore WWII, Highland Games, domestic violence, and political intrigue through the eyes of an indomitable yet relatable heroine. There are many subplots we get to untangle with Detective Pirie, and I was disappointed that the abrupt ending did not let us see the showdown of wits and will between Pirie and her final suspect. All the same, a fantastic page-turning read.

What a superb novel! Although the Tony Hill series is arguably the jewel in Val McDermid's crown, the books about DCI Karen Pirie run it a close second. Karen is justifiably proud of her work on Scotland's cold cases with the HCU and she is tested to the full when a corpse from the 1990s is found in Wester Ross. It is a fascinating story with links to World War 2, and Pirie and her sidekick Jason Murray need to use all of their ingenuity and resilience as they are thwarted on all sides. A great read!

#BrokenGround#NetGalley#
This series featuring DCI Karen Pirie of The Historic Cases Unit, sends DC I Pirie on the baffling murder case of a Highland celebrity of the Highland Games circuit who disappeared over twenty years earlier. Not only is the murder cold case, but the theft of two Indian motorcycles after World War II play a significant part in the murder.

Smuggling items of value from the Nazis after the war sets the stage for this well plotted police procedural. DCI Pirie battles predjuice within the police department, which hinders quickly solving this murder with tentacles spanning from 1944 to the present time.

The story is brought to a satisfying end with all loose ends neatly tied up.

Broken Ground is yet another home run for Val McDermid. Not only are the characters engaging, the circumstances they find themselves in are equally interesting. I'm just sorry she doesn't write more quickly.

Val does it again! This is another in a series involving her character, Karen Pirie. In this story she weaves a spellbinding tale involving secrets from the past that carry into the present. This is on the dark side but in a good way. I highly recommend this. If you are a fan of Val McDermid you will not be disappointed and if you aren’t a fan yet you will be after you read this.

Let me begin with a "thank you" to Grove Atlantic (publisher), as well as netgalley.com for a free preview of this novel for an honest review.

I have, in the past, read previous "stand-alone" books by Val McDermid. Usually interesting and well-written mysteries, I was excited to get a chance to read this newest novel, Broken Ground, which is the 5th book in a series of Karen Pirie novels. I have not, as of yet, read another of the previous novels in this series. Mrs. Pirie is a detective in the historic incidents unit with the Scotland department. She essentially looks into cold-cases of murders that have yet to be solved.

The novel did get me hooked initially - a couple who are looking to dig up a long-lost inheritance of Indian motorbikes make it to the Highlands area to see if they can find the motorbikes. Not only do they find the motorbikes, but they also unearth a dead body. The novel then continues with this plot line for a good bit - with our detective, Karen Pirie, and her side-kick - unraveling the case. The story also goes back and forth with how the motorbikes initially got into the ground (post- World War II) to how Karen is putting the case together in current time.

As the novel went on, I was not as impressed with the story. One issue I had was that the novel had a few subplots to this initial muder - Karen's romantic interests with a local Highlander (that she couldn't trust 100%); another, current murder in which Karen is eavesdropping to a conversation between two women (and one ultimately kills the other); and another cold case of a prostitute raped and murdered by a bed mattress employee. None of these sub-plots were really, in my opinion, ever developed. They just seemed to be a nuisance in the novel and make the main plot murky, and difficult to follow.

My other complaint is how the novel ends. It just....ends. So much development to get to the finality, when the end of the novel goes out, not in a bang, but in a bit of a whimper. I would love to have gotten a better conclusion to the main plot, but it didn't happen.

I'm not going to give up on Val McDermid - I still enjoy her writing. And, I'm not going to give up on the Karen Pirie series - I plan to read the first book in the series and give it another chance. That said, this was a bit of a disappointing read.

This is a really good book. It is a very interesting story, spanning decades from World War 2 to present day. The book features Karen Pirie, who is a cold case investigator in Scotland. This is my first of the series, but I felt that the author did enough introductions and background that it wasn’t necessary to read previous books in the series. The cases are wrapped up at the end, but since this is a series, we will hopefully be seeing more from these characters. I have to say that Ms. McDermid writes the best crafted beginning sentences in paragraphs. This book has also changed the way I will look at cold cases. Highly recommended for an absorbing read.

She had me ten pages in as the whiff of hidden treasure emerged. When Edinburgh itself became something of a character rather than just a setting, DCI Karen Pirie's adventures became my next "new" series to read.

I haven't read Val McDermid previously and was delighted to find that I could step into the series a few books in and feel intrigued rather than lost. This book layers stories in time, moving between the present where DCI Pirie is emerging from grief in small but deliberate ways to WWII where the Highlands played a critical role in training spies and soldiers. I loved seeing the culture of the highlands pop into the story in noticeable but practical ways. Yes, there are references to Caber tossing and kilts but they are happily balanced by the cosmopolitan flair of current Scotland and the themes of displacement and community in unfamiliar places.

This is a very good read.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the eARC.
Another 5 star read from one of the best crime authors around, this DCI Karen Pirie story is set in the 1940's and today.
Edinburgh is again portrayed lovingly and having been there, I absolutely love the descriptions of the city. If I could afford to live there, I'd move like a shot!
Karen is finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel after the death of her life partner and becomes involved in several interesting cases, keeping her busy and her mind engaged as she tries to untangle the various threads. The unearthing of two motorcycles, plus a well preserved body, from a bog is one mystery. Then there's the killing and near killing of the best friend and husband of a stone cold, possibly psychopathic, suspect. Karen's insomnia is still plaguing her, taking her on her usual nighttime walks where she can think and ruminate.
With the help of her best friend Dr. River Wilde and her trusted sergeant, Jason, Karen finds her way through the cases, despite the attempts of her despicable boss to sideline her and possibly get rid of her.
I love Karen and the Edinburgh setting so much, and with the always riveting stories and impeccable writing by Val McDermid it's sad to finish her books and realize I will have to wait at least another year for the next one. Highly recommended!

This is the first book I have read by this author. But it certainly will not be the last. The story has so many story lines that the book is fantastic. Going back and forth in time helps keep each ongoing story in perspective. And the ending is a good one. I enjoyed the book.

Loved this book and characters. Set in Scotland, the story ,delivers a glorious sense of place. Excited to read more in this series.

This is my first Val McDermid book, and I’m sure I’ll be going back to read the previous thirty-one offerings. I think she is a terrific writer. I loved the characters. DCI Kare Pirie I would follow anywhere. The “Mint” is the essence of willingness to grow. And Hamish MacKenzie, the new interest in Karen’s life, seems like a genuine keeper. There were three cases to be solved in Broken Ground, and I waited anxiously for the solution to each one. I also had great fun looking up some of the Scottish colloquialisms. I can only think McDemid must be practically revered in her country. This volume was witty, insightful and practically addictive. I’ll be back for more!

Although this is the fifth book in the Karen Pirie series, it's the first one that I've read. I had no trouble following what was going on, but I'm sure it would have been better to start with the first in the series. I thought that Karen was a great character, except a couple times I thought she was a complete ass. I loved the story, but I thought the ending was a little too abrupt and the epilogue felt like it was tacked on at the last minute.

I wish to thank Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Val McDermid is one of my favorite writers.She never disappoints..Well crafted with great characters.A really good read!!!

Once again McDermid has another winner on her hands. In Broken Ground she presents us with a complex plot interwoven with other cases, office politics, and a little romantic interest. Fans will want to read this novel as soon as it hits the shelves, and readers new to McDermid will be back for more.

This is the 5th book in the Inspector Karen Pirie series by award winning author Val McDermid.
Val McDermid has now written over 30 novels and although I have only read a small amount of them I always finish her novels thinking I must read more of her work. This book was exactly the same, great writing, interesting plot and expertly timed.
Alice Somerville is trying to obtain her inheritance that lies six feet under in a Highland peat bog, buried by her grandfather at the end of World War II. But the bigger problem is that when Alice finally uncovers it, she finds a body with a bullet hole between the eyes. DCI Karen Pirie of the Historical Cases Unit is asked by her friend River Wilde who is a forensic anthropologist to take a look at the case believing that this is an historical crime.
This book is so well written and although the plot is twisty and multi layered Val McDermid makes it so enjoyable to read.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Grove Atlantic for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I really must read more of Val McDermid's books.

This was such a fascinating book. There is so much history and science involved in the telling of this story. There are three different cases going on and each one was so interesting. I really liked Karen. She was tough but fair. Has a sense of humor and an innate kindness. She can’t stand bullies. I very much enjoyed this book. I received an advance review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Val McDermid never disappoints. Karen Pirie, a character whose complexities are being gradually revealed to readers eager to immerse themselves in this new series, has hooked me in this intricately plotted and compelling procedural. If you miss Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, Karen
PIrie will be your new best friend. I'm looking forward to seeing her character and relationships develop in future books.