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!

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!