‘The Skeleton Road’ by Val McDermid

My Review (5 stars out of 5)

The discovery of a skeleton on the roof of a gothic building in Edinburgh gives Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie a difficult starting point. The task of identifying the bones, which have lain there for several years, means the lack of evidence leaves the team little to go on. Tracking possible killers, Pirie is led to a professor in Oxford and then to Croatia in the search for a possible war-crimes perpetrator. But DCI Pirie isn’t the only person interested in justice, as another team are also hunting a killer.

This is the third book in the Karen Pirie series and this time it delves into issues around atrocities in the former Yugoslavia and tracking down those bent on vengeance. The background detail is fascinating and Ms McDermid’s research, as always, is flawless. I enjoyed seeing ‘The Mint’ taking on some responsibly in the investigation and finding results that lead to the unmasking of the killer. As it happens, I did guess the identity of the perp, but only a few pages before the final revelations, so nothing to shout about. The book includes an account of the professor’s time in Dubrovnik and her relationship with General Petrovic, which adds background to the events.

Another stonking good read from the Queen of Tartan Noir.

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