Silent Bones
On sale
4th June 2026
Price: £10.99
Genre
THE POWERFUL NEW THRILLER IN THE KAREN PIRIE SERIES, NOW A MAJOR ITV SERIES
The truth is buried just beneath the surface . . .
When torrential rain causes a landslide on a motorway in Scotland, it reveals a crime scene: someone hid a body in the tarmac eleven years before. Journalist Sam Nimmo had been the prime suspect in the murder of his fiancée when he disappeared, and now DCI Karen Pirie and her Historic Cases Unit must find out who buried him, and why.
Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, new evidence reopens a closed case and the accidental death of a hotel manager starts to look like murder. But what did Tom Jamieson’s book club have to do with his demise – and what will they do to keep their secrets?
Karen and her team begin to untangle a web of lies, one that connects their murder cases with Scotland’s rich and powerful. They will be tested to their limits – and possibly beyond . . .
The truth is buried just beneath the surface . . .
When torrential rain causes a landslide on a motorway in Scotland, it reveals a crime scene: someone hid a body in the tarmac eleven years before. Journalist Sam Nimmo had been the prime suspect in the murder of his fiancée when he disappeared, and now DCI Karen Pirie and her Historic Cases Unit must find out who buried him, and why.
Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, new evidence reopens a closed case and the accidental death of a hotel manager starts to look like murder. But what did Tom Jamieson’s book club have to do with his demise – and what will they do to keep their secrets?
Karen and her team begin to untangle a web of lies, one that connects their murder cases with Scotland’s rich and powerful. They will be tested to their limits – and possibly beyond . . .
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Reviews
What makes this book such a rush is the way McDermid turns what seem like separate cold cases into a single maze of past crimes, corruption, and the kind of dark secrets that only very powerful people can hide . . . By the time the twist lands, you are picking your jaw up off the floor and wondering why you have not been reading Val McDermid all along
Fiendishly elaborate plotting, fun to read [with] a final plot twist that not even the world's finest clairvoyant could see coming
A beautifully structured, witty and twisty novel with the friendship between the magnificent Karen Pirie and her team at its heart
Once again, Val McDermid has given us a top-tier example of what crime writing should be. SILENT BONES excels in plot, setting and characterization
Excellent
McDermid blends procedural tension with eerie rural isolation
A gripping mystery to dive into
Silent Bones is brilliant - really intricate, gripping and asking some tough questions; a perfect crime novel
McDermid is at the top of her game in the masterful latest installment of her DCI Karen Pirie series . . . McDermid's procedural instincts are as strong as ever, and she balances them with wrenching developments in Karen's personal life . . . Readers will rest easy knowing they're in the hands of a seasoned storyteller
Not many writers can stand toe to toe with Val McDermid . . . SILENT BONES is so deviously plotted, with McDermid always in full command, that I read it while holding my breath practically the entire time. It is an exhilarating read and a worthy entry in this memorable series
A masterclass in Scottish cold case investigation and politics in a tightly wound plot . . . The author realistically draws together the plots, avoiding coincidences and combining believable clues with solid police insight . . . McDermid's various series and standalones have put her in the top tier of mystery writers
A propulsive, razor-sharp thrill-ride full of humour, heart, and trademark twists. I love Karen Pirie, and Silent Bones adds to a classic series that just keeps getting better
Powerful, moving and wise - Val McDermid's books are always enthralling
The bones in question actually speak volumes . . . readers will be rewarded by a richly textured experience
Val McDermid's most tortuous, tense and ingeniously planned novel yet
McDermid delivers suspense, authentic characters and an exploration of hidden power and deceit
Pirie herself is a nuanced character . . . I don't want to give away the grand finale, but it was about the most true-to-life ending I could imagine
Although Pirie is well worth following, the main reason to do so is McDermid's fiendishly elaborate plotting... It's fun to read too - right up to a final plot twist that not even the world's finest clairvoyant could see coming
Showcases the agile plotting that makes this among the best crime fiction series today
A corkscrew twist at every turn
Another exquisite mystery
