Hailed as Britain's Queen of Crime, Val McDermid's award-winning,
internationally bestselling novels have captivated readers for more than
thirty years. Now, in 1979, she returns to the past with the story of
Allie Burns, an investigative journalist whose stories lead her into
world of corruption, terror, and murder.
It's only January, and the year 1979 has already brought blizzards,
strikes, power cuts, and political unrest. For journalist Allie Burns,
however, someone else's bad news is the unmistakable sound of
opportunity knocking, an opportunity to get away from the "women's
stories" her editors at the Scottish daily The Clarion keep assigning
her. Striking up an alliance with budding investigative journalist Danny
Sullivan, Allie begins covering international tax fraud, then a group of
Scottish ultranationalists aiming to cause mayhem ahead of a referendum
on breaking away from the United Kingdom. Their stories quickly get
attention and create enemies for the two young up-and-comers. As they
get closer to the bleeding edge of breaking news, Allie and Danny may
find their lives on the line.
The first novel in a brand-new series for McDermid, 1979 is redolent
of the thundering presses, hammering typewriters, and wreaths of smoke
of the Clarion newsroom. An atmospheric journey into the past with
much to say about the present, it is the latest suspenseful,
pitch-perfect addition to Val McDermid's crime pantheon.
