Solid police procedural set just before the Covid shutdowns changed our world.

There were two crimes that needed to be solved in Scotland. The first was who was the long-dead woman found in a motor home and who killed her? The second involved a man found in the Firth of Forth, killed by being hit by something or someone.

Like most British/Scottish/Irish police procedurals, the plot moves slow but steady.

There are a lot of Scottish terms or slang words that I was not familiar with and didn't find the definition through my iPad. But, they were not related to the plot, easy to get an idea of what they meant, and added interest to the book. Some, like white pudding, did show up on Wikipedia. I am glad to know what it is so I can avoid it on my next trip to Scotland.

Although I had no trouble putting this down, I was always happy to pick it up again. Solid read.

This is the 6th book in the Karen Pirie series by author Val McDermid.

DCI Karen Pirie is called on to revisit one of her old cases when a fishermen pulls a body from the sea. The dead man was the prime suspect in an old investigation, when a prominent civil servant disappeared without trace. DCI Karen Pirie was the last detective to review the file and is drawn into a sinister world of betrayal and dark secrets.

With Karen already struggling on another case where a skeleton has been discovered in an abandoned camper van the pressure is on. Everything is pointing to a killer who was never arrested and still on the loose. Karen encounters a network of lies and secrets that must be 

In her search for the truth, Karen uncovers a network of lies that has gone unchallenged for years. 

Of all the Val McDermid series this one is my favourite and loved this book from start to finish. The characters are so strong. plots well crafted and expertly paced and there is never a dull moment.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Grove Atlantic for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the eARC.
What a great read (again!), I absolutely loved it.
DCI Karen Pirie is still mourning the loss of her love and needs something to take her mind off ... In this case it's not only the skeleton in a VW camper that leads into the murky world of art scams, but also the dead body found in the Firth of Forth. The man who murdered the man she loves is coming out of prison too, so she is more than busy. But with the help of Jason, who is as sweet as ever, and a new very appealing character, Daisy, and a lot of travelling, Karen puts it all together. Wow, what a great ending!
It's also the first book I've read that mentions the Covid pandemic, so it's very topical. I really wish I could stress enough how much I love and admire Val McDermid's books, she's an amazing author who has given me many hours of fabulous reading. Hopefully we won't have to wait too.long for the next Karen Pirie, it should be interesting to see how Daisy's character grows and how Covid will change the lives of the team. 5+++STARS

I love Val McDermid's books, and with this latest she does not disappoint! Not only are her plots tight and skillfully written, she actually has characters in them too (it's surprising to me how many mystery writers seem to forget about them.) Karen Pirie is an excellently flawed detective, and the more minor characters all have stories as well.

The Pirie books also highlight how important cold cases can be. Not only for those left behind, but for the illumination they shed on current cases, which is a big plot point in this book. Though not the only one, and I enjoy the way the various plots interwine and weave around each other. It's tough to do well, but McDermid does it well.

This is the first novel I have read which is partially set in a Covid19 world, and what a cracker it is! As usual, the great Val McDermid leads the way. The writing is superb, the descriptions vivid and the characters all nicely drawn. Karen Pirie is a tough cookie whose hard life has made her the polis she is, and her relationships with colleagues and lovers are endlessly fascinating. There is much that is personal in this story which grips tightly from the outset and never lets go. Wonderful!

This is a book I couldn't put down, but didn't want it to end...you know what I mean.
I love the characters, which includes some new police along with the previous cast. The plot is riveting, complex without losing me along the way.
There is so much to appreciate in this book, I will give a more detailed review when it is published.
In the meantime, if you want more entertainment from Val McDermid, watch her on YouTube "Cooking the Books" on the Jo Sharp channel.

Another winner from Val McDermid. DI Karen Pirie is embroiled in trying to solve an intriguing cold case of a skeleton found in a camper van in the garage of a woman who has been killed in an RTA. She is then summoned by a superior officer to investigate a case of a body found entangled in their nets by fisherman. Although not a cold case it has connections to a disappearance several years ago of a Scottish civil servant and is a potential hot potato. The search takes Karen and her sergeant to London,Paris and Dublin. In the background, Karen has personal issues to deal with, a relationship she is unsure about and the release from prison of the man who murdered her late boyfriend. All in all a pacey well-crafted story. Thoroughly recommended.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Well, that was topical - it ends with the characters going into Covid 19 lockdown... But, before that, the cold case unit investigates the discovery of skeletonised remains in a camper van in the garage of a woman who has just died in a road traffic accident. A separate team investigates the death of a man with two names, and this turns out to be linked to a 10-year old disappearance and so Karen takes over that case too. There is an awful lot of travel in this novel, with characters commenting on how Brexit will make all this sort of thing more difficult.

This was excellent: Daisy, who comes into the cold case unit via the second case, is a promising new character, and Jason continues to delight. I was glad the author saw no need to have the two cases miraculously turn out to be connected - they were both plenty twisty and complicated enough. I had a frustrating few chapters where no one was able to work out the meaning of the notes on the back of the photo hidden in the book (you'll know when you get to that bit), since I had recognized them immediately. Thank goodness for Hamish!

Still Life by Val McDermid- A Scottish police procedural from one of the best in the business. This is the sixth Karen Pirie DCI series and the first one I've read, so all new characters for me but a familiar setting. A body is fished out of a bay, a dead man that was someone who had disappeared years ago. At the same time a desiccated body is found in a vehicle parked in a garage of a recently deceased person. This starts a chain of events that finds DCI Pirie and he staff chasing after two cold cases, unrelated, but intriguing as they get deeper and closer to the truth.
I've enjoyed several of McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan thrillers. This story is well told, but not as shocking or bloody as those. More a follow the clues type approach. The main characters are all drawn believably and with style. Not a barn burner, but an interesting read. Interesting that the approach of Covid19 is stalking the players and lockdown is eminent. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to Ms McDermid for her writing acumen.

I really enjoy the Karen Pirie books; I came to McDermid's work through the Tony Hill books but have to say, Karen has become a favorite character. I love the dimension she brings to personalities, the growth and change in Karen, in Jason, and am intrigued by some of the new characters. This book has two mysteries, one a cold case linked with a more recent event and then a truly cold case. The story juggles both and it's interesting to read through it in the same way that Karen and team are juggling -- I think it's the first time I've really felt the pace/pressure that must happen when all the things start coming together at the same time, but require different focus. I definitely recommend picking this one up, if you've read the others. If not, start with book 1 and enjoy the ride to this point!

Sensational and clever as always. I don’t know how she remains so fresh, current and mischievous. The characters are full and real as always, and cases are always complex and great. Research top-notch and engrossing. Another hit indeed!

Had the absolute pleasure of reviewing the latest Val McDermid book #Stilllife today. Number 6 in the Karen Piirie series.
Karen heads the HCU (Historical Crime Unit) based in St Andrews. Scotland. A great series and I've been waiting since 2018 for the next instalment. It was worth the wait and I haven't been dissapointed.

Feb 2020 it was announced ITV would use the same Production team that produced Bodyguard and Line of Duty to televise the Karen Pirie series, so hopefully a great series is waiting in the wings.

The book is due for publication in October.

I couldn't put it down! The latest in the Karen Pirie series see her juggling two cases. Whilst I figured out the "whodunnit" easily in one of the mysteries, it didn't diminish my enjoyment reading about Karen and the HCU's investigation. Val McDermid turned out another great read!

Val McDermid is a special writer, alert and attractive. I seem to learn something from her each time she finds a new book.

480 pages

5 stars

DCI Karen Pirie has quickly become my favorite character to spring from Ms. McDermid's creative mind.

Karen and her partner, Jason have their hands full in this, the latest in the Karen Pirie series. It all begins with a body that is retrieved in a fishing net and a skeleton found inside a camper van.

Unknown identities, forgery, broken hearts and outright lies feature in this book. Karen is still at odds with her immediate boss and the man who carelessly ran into Phil, Karen's love, is getting out of prison. Her plate is full, but with the aid of her team and a collection of forensic friends, she motors on. Her young sidekick Jason gets into trouble.

This is a superbly written and plotted novel, as are all of Ms. McDermid's offerings. I like Karen. She seems so human. I really felt what she was feeling as the author's descriptions are so very apt and spot on. I was traveling in the car with the protagonist and a witness to the shenanigans of the wrong do'ers. I loved the assertive manner with which she handled the France detectives and her interrogation of one of the suspects was sheer genius. More please, Ms. McDermid !.

I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic/Atlantic Monthly Press for forwarding to me a copy of this most remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review.

I'm a long time fan of Val McDermid. Still Life brings back one of my favorite characters, Karen Pirie. She has a lot of things happening, but as usual, she is totally in control and my admiration for her only grows. Keep 'em coming, Ms. McDermid!