"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."

Did we really need this book to reaffirm the awesomeness of Val McDermid? Personally I say no, but I like other people saying how awesome she is.

Slow burn multilayered mystery about the search for buried treasure that leads to the unearthing of a body left behind from a crime committed long ago.

While this is book #5 in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

Three crimes are the focus of Broken Ground: a buried body, a rape case, and a murder all of which DCI Karen Pirie, head of the Historic Cases Unit in Scotland, very busy.

Karen is still in mourning for Phil, her former boyfriend who was killed on the job . She and her colleague, Jason, aka “The Mint” are working on a lead from a rape case from the 1980s when they are pulled into a murder investigation: a body has been found in a peat bog that was discovered during a dig to unearth a buried treasure. The investigation traces back to WWII and as Karen uncovers, has a link to a prominent member of Scottish society.

In the midst of the investigation, Karen faces many hurdles all brought about new changes in her work and personal life, including a new misogynistic subordinate, a new boss that wants to take her down, as well as possibly a new love interest.

Broken Ground has multiple plots, POV’s, and timelines, but all come together quite seamlessly. Karen is the main voice and she is the reason to read this series. Her character is likable; her presence is subtle, but she is a force to be reckoned with. She has to constantly fight for her job and for people to take her seriously because she is a woman. However, she has no problem standing up for herself and putting others in their place. At the same time, she is quite fragile and is in danger of being pushed over the edge.

While there is a lot going on in Broken Ground, the plot moves rather slowly. The book is as much about Karen as it is the cases she is investigating. The ending was a bit anticlimactic and it seemed like some elements came together a little too easily. However, this is still a well-written, gripping mystery with an intelligent and compelling lead.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Monthly Press in exchange for an honest review.

Val McDermid never disappoints me -- not in the masterful way she handles police procedurals, nor in the deft recreation of British (specifically Scottish, in this series) culture and social interaction; not in her subtle, poetic word choice nor in the way she seamlessly weaves the science and psychology of crime into her narrative and dialogue. I love reading her books -- I'm always entertained and educated.

In this book (the 5th in the Karen Pirie series) the cold-case specialist for Police Scotland satisfyingly multi-tasks. Pirie switches gears, often several times a day, between cases, mentors her somewhat timid subordinate and faces up to a boss who is more concerned about the public perception of the police than in actually solving crimes.

We the readers often don't know who among the cast of characters is trustworthy and who is nefarious, and yet we read on, secure in McDermid's capable hands. (Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.)

Why is it that a lot of good coppers seem to have bosses that have it in for them? The DCI - Karen Pirie - in this book is head of the Historical Crimes Unit of Scotland, and has no idea why her boss dislikes her so much. Karen is recovering from the death of her life partner and has a good clean up rate. She has two historical cases on the go, and is assisting in one which is current under the beady eye of the ACC. Two are solvable, but the third is a massive headache.

A very enjoyable read, a real page turner, which I read in one sitting.

The intriguing cold case for DI Pirie

When you get a successful, high profile writer there is always that slight fear that, this time, the latest novel will disappoint. No worries here; McDermid has come up trumps again!

DI Karen Pirie is investigating a different case in Wester Ross when she is given the ‘heads up’ that a preserved body has been found close to where she is. On arriving on site she finds that the body has been found whilst a couple, Alice and Will and a local man, Hamish, were digging up a cache from WW2 which was left by the woman’s grandfather. It soon becomes clear that the body is not contemporaneous with the cache and that the area has been disturbed sometime more recently. As the area is peat bog, the body is unusually well preserved and so the victim is quickly identified as Joey Sutherland, a local strongman who hasn’t been seen since his last competition at Invercharron in 1995.

Flashbacks to the 1940s give a backstory by which the reader can start to unravel the clues which are not immediately available to Karen and her team, a plodding DC and a new DS who has been foisted on her by the new ACC who has an axe to grind.

Whilst concentrating on this case, the team are still investigating their original case as well as Karen being involved with a current case being handled by her colleague DCI Jimmy Hutton.

With consummate ease, McDermid has woven a mesh of sub-plots which keep the reader turning pages at speed. The characters are fully formed, each with their own strengths and weaknesses and if I had to criticise anything, I would ask how much longer the situation of the beleaguered DCI at war with her senior offices can go on for. It makes for good reading but is possibly a little tired; perhaps another device could be found to keep the tension high?

A really enjoyable read.

Pashtpaws

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I really loved this! Previously I'd only read a couple of McDermid's Hill/Jordan books, which are too gruesome for me. I enjoyed the pacing of this one, and Pirie is a delightful lead detective.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for this arc.

I have read several of the author's books in the past and have enjoyed them. Broken Ground is the first one of the Karen Pirie / Cold Case books that I've read and will definitely be chasing down the other books in this series.

I found this to be a wonderfully intricate mesh of nefarious behaviors and criminal actions, inside and outside the Police Scotland. Karen herself is truly a force to be reckoned with and I personally would do anything NOT to be on her hit list!. Others have commented on the slow pace, but I didn't find it so. No, it didn't fell like I was holding my breath all the through, but I was still very reluctant to put it down to eat or any of other life's little chores.

4.5 stars rounded up

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book.

I somehow didn't notice that this was #5 in a series when I requested it from Netgalley - so, over the last couple months, I've read the first 4 in the series to get up to this one. It was well worth it!

I've really enjoyed the entire series, and Broken Ground did not let me down. In common with many of Val McDermid's books, the main characters are not flawless - they make mistakes, they skirt the rules. This one drew a clear contrast between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" - all of them work around the rules to one extent or another, but it's quite clear who you're rooting for!

This book continues a theme of corruption in the police force, with Karen Pirie having to deal with higher ups who act out of personal motivations, rather than the motivations of justice and finding the guilty parties. I like her frequent explanation that "yes it is important to get on with these cold cases, because people have been waiting long enough to find out what happened."

I'm glad I read the whole series in a fairly short time, because the character growth has been steady and interesting. DCI Pirie is an interesting person, as well as a competent and inspired investigator, and it's fascinating to watch her work through the experiences in these books, negative and positive, personal and professional.

I'm eagerly awaiting #6!

How have I made it all these years without reading Val McDermid? This is book five of the Karen Pirie series and it’s just one of several series she’s written. Well, I’m happy I finally rectified this problem. And it was easy to jump right in to this series. We are given enough background to feel comfortable with not only the main character but her DC, Jason ‘the Mint’ Murray, as well.

This is an extremely fast moving book. DCI Karen Pirie manages the Historic Case Unit. She’s got a new boss and a new DS. Neither of them have her back. But Karen is nothing if not strong willed. “Her anger was a memory now. She didn’t believe in bearing grudges. She believed them in killing them where they lay.”

She’s called in when a well preserved body is found in a peat bog. There’s a great sense of place here. I loved how the Scottish accent comes through with the writing.

There’s a secondary plot line when Karen overhears a group of women talking about how one’s husband recently beat her up. Both of these stories are equally engaging.

McDermid not only fleshes out Karen but all the supporting cast, even those that are only on the scene for a few pages. “Tamsin was infected with a curiosity for forensic science that went well beyond her own area of expertise. She talked to colleagues, she read the research literature and she inhaled and retained information like one of her own hard drives.”

As would be expected with a real cold case, this is not a fast paced book. Lots of leg work and false turns before taking a step forward. My one complaint is that after all the time it takes to get to the end, it’s very rushed. Blink and you’ll miss it.
So glad to have discovered this author and I will definitely be checking out more of her work.

My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.

Karen Pirie is fast becoming my favourite series character. Broken Ground delivers on McDermid's trademark of cleverly researched procedural detail, with Pirie's Historical Crimes Unit providing the perfect vehicle for the kind of internal-political tension that drives a plot along. A terrifically satisfying read!

When choosing a new mystery, you usually have to choose between blood and gore or a so-so story. That is not the case here. Cold case detectives have to be methodical but also have to be able to look at a bigger picture when solving a murder. This story starts as a treasure hunt for motorcycles hidden during WWII then adds a cold case murder to it. Book 5 of the Detective Pirie series continues with our heroine working her cold case and also assisting with some current crime solving. In usual fashion, Det Pirie goes where the leads take here, regardless of the toes she steps on along the way. The story line is very interesting while there is enough action and interactions to keep the story moving and not get boring. It was an enjoyable read that will lead you to read the first four books if you have not already read them.

This was my first Val McDermid book (I know, I'm very late to the game), and I really enjoyed it!! There are many police procedural series out there with a strong, flawed female protagonist. They aren't all well-written, but this one is. I really enjoyed following the mystery along. McDermid is clearly a master of the genre.

Another whip smart mystery procedural from McDermid is always cause for celebration. In this latest, DCI Karen Pirie, who heads the Historical Case Unit is working little trails to solve the rape and murder of a sex worker when she is called to a peat bog where a corpse has been found by people digging up Indian motorcycles during after WWII. It takes meticulous work to untangle these mysteries and Karen,along with her team- but mostly the Mint- manage to go left, right, and backwards in time to do so. Oh, and Karen's interaction with women in a coffee shop= pay attention to what's said. This is a great series but don't worry if you haven't read the earlier ones - this is perfect as a standalone. It's got twists, turns, and surprises. It does move back and forth in time a bit but that's ok and makes perfect sense. And then there's Hamish....thanks to the Publisher for the ARC. Highly recommend for a good, Scottish read.

I thoroughly enjoyed Broken Ground by Val McDermid. This is the 5thbook in the series about DCI Karen Pirie and the HCU ( cold case unit) set in Edinburgh. I am a Val McDermid fan and this pacy read did not disappoint. Peat bodies, new forensic technologies, overheard conversations, WW2, police politics, Scottish politics this crime novel has all these and more. Page turning is much overused but with this book it really does apply. If I have a negative its that I felt the ending was slightly rushed but that could be because Ms McDermid had me on such a rollercoaster and I didn't want the book to end. Find some spare time soon and prepare to be engrossed. #netgalley #BrokenGround

A complicated cozy mystery surrounding a pair of "Indians" (you'll find out when you read it)., spoils of World War II, and a murder. Detective Inspector Karen Pirie's specialty is solving cold cases, and this one goes back to around 1995 so it's definitely a "cold" case. There are a couple of other cases going on at the same time as the "Indian" case and a bit of a new romance with an interesting guy. DI Pirie has a new boss too that is definitely "out to get her".

This is the 5th book in the series, but it was my first exposure. I enjoyed the plot and the characters but at the end I felt that it just stopped without tying up several loose ends. Some of the time changes felt a little awkward too. I would read another in the series though because it was interesting and I liked the characters enough that I would revisit them.

Thanks to Val McDermid and Grove Atlantic through Netgalley for an advance copy

Val McDermid writes a number of series; of them all, the Karen Pirie novels are my favorites. Broken Ground is the newest of these.
I enjoy Karen. She is a quirky woman who has faced a significant loss and is still recovering. In this novel, she gingerly considers a new relationship. She is an old fashioned copper who cares about justice and what is right. She is loyal to those on her team who are still learners.
Karen is the head of the Historical Cases Unit in Scotland. Spending time with her, the members of her team (including her adversaries) and her cases is always time well-spent. In this novel, there are several stories; one relates to events of WWII, another to a serial rapist, and there is also a present day murder. Each of these plots is explored satisfactorily.
I finished this book today and am already looking forward to what happens next in the series. I highly recommend both this book and the series.

Many (!) thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this satisfying read.

An engaging mystery with two investigations going. In the middle of it all, McDermid nicely showed the humanity and dignity of Syrian refugees, portraying several men as just wanting to be able to take care of their families and live without constant fear of dying.

When Alice Sommerville digs up not only her family fortune but a dead body there are new questions that she has to uncover.

I've read and enjoyed Val McDermid's books in the past (apparently I've even read the first one in this series, but I had no memory of the main character), but she hasn't been on my radar recently, so I was interested to give her newest book a try. Unfortunately, I found it so plodding and boring that I had to give up. This book was just not doing anything to stir my interest in this murder case, in the office politics of the Historic Cases Unit, or in Karen Pirie's personal life. I finally threw in the towel around 30%. If very slow paced police procedurals are your thing, or you are already attached to this character, you may have more luck with this one than I did.

Let me begin with a "thank you" NetGalley.com for a free copy of this novel for an honest review. I was not familiar with the DCI Pirie series, of which this is the 5th installment. I found the first several chapters hard going but I found the storytelling well done, and the writing intelligent.