1979

Written by Val McDermid

Narrated by Katie Leung

THE FIRST IN A THRILLING NEW SERIES FROM THE QUEEN OF CRIME, AND AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

NARRATED BY ACCLAIMED SCOTTISH ACTRESS AND HARRY POTTER STAR KATIE LEUNG

“McDermid is at her considerable best.” GUARDIAN

The shadows hide a deadly story . . .

1979. It is the winter of discontent, and reporter Allie Burns is chasing her first big scoop. There are few women in the newsroom and she needs something explosive for the boys' club to take her seriously. Soon Allie and fellow journalist Danny Sullivan are exposing the criminal underbelly of respectable Scotland. They risk making powerful enemies - and Allie won't stop there. When she discovers a home-grown terrorist threat, Allie comes up with a plan to infiltrate the group and make her name. But she's a woman in a man's world . . . and putting a foot wrong could be fatal.

“A brilliant novel by a supremo of the genre at the height of her powers. An unmissable new series.” PETER JAMES

“Her best book in years.” THE TIMES, BOOK OF THE MONTH

“Allie Burns is off to a flying start, and well worth following down the decades.” THE SCOTSMAN

“This excellent novel marks the start of a new series.” GUARDIAN

“Edge-of-seat suspense. . . promises to be an outstanding series.” SPECTATOR

“A gratifyingly multi-faceted character.” FINANCIAL TIMES

“The work of a writer at the peak of her powers.” HERALD

“The fast-paced storytelling flows irresistibly.” IRISH TIMES

“Riveting.” DAILY EXPRESS

“Sensational. A surefire bestseller from one of Britain's most accomplished writers.” SUNDAY EXPRESS

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
• Release date: Aug 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781004052196

Val McDermid

Val McDermid is a number one bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than forty languages, and have sold over nineteen million copies. She has won many awards, including the CWA Gold Dagger the LA Times Book of the Year Award and the Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement. She writes full-time and divides her time between Edinburgh and East Neuk of Fife.

Reviews for 1979

[Alan Riles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. Insightful account of the in-fighting and jealousies in a group of Glasgow tabloid reporters, presumably well informed by Val's own experience as a journalist. A clever window on the Scotland of 1979 as Allie Burns fights to make a name for herself and makes some fatal choices along the way in penetrating with her colleague Danny Sullivan an amateur (very amateur!) terrorist plot and deals with the IRA to acquire explosives. Shades of GKC's 'The man who was Thursday'!
Looking forward to 1989, and the rest!

[Sue Houghton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyed this first in a new series by Val McDermid and look forward to catching up with Allie in 1989