Out of Bounds

An incredibly suspenseful thriller, elegantly plotted with smartly drawn characters and fascinating detail * Sunday Mirror *
What superlatives are there left to describe the phenomenon that is the multi award-winning McDermid? . . . Told with McDermid's legendary verve and eye for detail, it grabs the reader by the throat and never lets go * Daily Mail *
It is evident in her 30th novel that her mastery of the crime has matured well * Sunday Express *
[An] engaging new novel . . . McDermid's 30th novel offers fascinating insights into the ethical dilemmas thrown up by advances in forensic science * Sunday Times *
Her books combine ironclad storytelling technique, cogent commentaries on modern society and an attitude to the crime genre's long history that is both interrogative and innovative . . . we are reminded that the new Queen of Crime is still at the top of her game * Independent *
McDermid's expertly juggled plotlines and masterful handling of pace and tension tick all the best boxes, but what makes this book a real cracker is Pirie herself - grieving, insubordinate and dogged in her pursuit of the various culprits * Guardian *
Quite simply, nobody does British crime writing better . . . [a] twisty, deliciously tangled thriller * Peterborough Telegraph *
As intelligent and chillingly good as ever * Good Housekeeping *
Packed with intrigue, warmly drawn characters and dollops of tension, McDermid's 30th novel leaves the reader looking forward to the 31st * Irish Independent *
On her 30th novel . . . none is more deserving of the queen-of-crime mantle than Val McDermid . . . I would like to see a great deal more of DCI Pirie * Irish Times *
McDermid proves herself to be as adept as ever at mixing thrilling crime fiction with psychological study . . . Karen is a compelling character, and her personal baggage lends Out of Bounds a great backstory . . . she writes with a brisk light touch, but the book does not stint on realistic detail. Out of Bounds is a fine, tense, and multi-layered addition to the canon of the queen of Scottish crime fiction * Irish Sunday Business Post *
It's a treat to watch DCI Pirie once again as she pursues a tantalising forensic trail through a brilliantly realised Scottish setting . . . the back-and-forths with her pusillanimous boss, as she deflates his attempts to undermine her, are a particular joy * Scotland on Sunday *
McDermid concocts complex plots with plenty of twists and red herrings. At times the tension is palpable and there are genuine surprises . . . McDermid is a dab hand at creating enough plausibility to make her contributions to the genre intensely readable * Sunday Herald *
A celebrated crime author with an attention to detail which makes her stories both gripping and totally authentic * Western Daily Press *
Her thrillers never fail to entertain, and this - her 30th (!) novel - is no exception. Another twisted treat * Heat *