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Val McDermid grew up in a Scottish mining community then read English at Oxford. She was a journalist for sixteen years, spending the last three as Northern Bureau Chief of a national Sunday tabloid. She is now a full-time writer and lives in South Manchester.
Genres: Mystery, Literary Fiction
Series
Lindsay Gordon
1. Report for Murder (1987)
2. Common Murder (1989)
3. Final Edition (1991)
aka Open And Shut, Deadline for Murder
4. Union Jack (1993)
aka Conferences Are Murder
5. Booked For Murder (1996)
6. Hostage to Murder (2003)
1. Report for Murder (1987)
2. Common Murder (1989)
3. Final Edition (1991)
aka Open And Shut, Deadline for Murder
4. Union Jack (1993)
aka Conferences Are Murder
5. Booked For Murder (1996)
6. Hostage to Murder (2003)
Kate Brannigan
1. Dead Beat (1992)
2. Kick Back (1993)
3. Crack Down (1994)
4. Clean Break (1995)
5. Blue Genes (1996)
6. Star Struck (1998)
1. Dead Beat (1992)
2. Kick Back (1993)
3. Crack Down (1994)
4. Clean Break (1995)
5. Blue Genes (1996)
6. Star Struck (1998)
Tony Hill and Carol Jordan
1. The Mermaids Singing (1995)
2. The Wire In The Blood (1997)
3. The Last Temptation (2002)
4. The Torment of Others (2004)
5. Beneath the Bleeding (2007)
6. Fever of the Bone (2009)
7. The Retribution (2011)
8. Cross and Burn (2013)
9. Splinter the Silence (2015)
10. Insidious Intent (2017)
11. How the Dead Speak (2019)
1. The Mermaids Singing (1995)
2. The Wire In The Blood (1997)
3. The Last Temptation (2002)
4. The Torment of Others (2004)
5. Beneath the Bleeding (2007)
6. Fever of the Bone (2009)
7. The Retribution (2011)
8. Cross and Burn (2013)
9. Splinter the Silence (2015)
10. Insidious Intent (2017)
11. How the Dead Speak (2019)
Karen Pirie
1. The Distant Echo (2003)
2. A Darker Domain (2008)
3. The Skeleton Road (2014)
4. Out of Bounds (2016)
5. Broken Ground (2018)
6. Still Life (2020)
7. Past Lying (2023)
1. The Distant Echo (2003)
2. A Darker Domain (2008)
3. The Skeleton Road (2014)
4. Out of Bounds (2016)
5. Broken Ground (2018)
6. Still Life (2020)
7. Past Lying (2023)
Novels
A Place of Execution (1999)
Killing The Shadows (2000)
Naked Came the Phoenix (2001) (with Nevada Barr, Mary Jane Clark, Diana Gabaldon, J A Jance, Faye Kellerman, Laurie R King, Pam and Mary O'Shaughnessy, Anne Perry, Nancy Pickard, J D Robb, Lisa Scottoline and Marcia Talley)
The Grave Tattoo (2006)
Trick of the Dark (2010)
The Vanishing Point (2012)
Killing The Shadows (2000)
Naked Came the Phoenix (2001) (with Nevada Barr, Mary Jane Clark, Diana Gabaldon, J A Jance, Faye Kellerman, Laurie R King, Pam and Mary O'Shaughnessy, Anne Perry, Nancy Pickard, J D Robb, Lisa Scottoline and Marcia Talley)
The Grave Tattoo (2006)
Trick of the Dark (2010)
The Vanishing Point (2012)
Omnibus
Collections
The Writing on the Wall (1997)
Stranded (2004)
Magnetic North (2005) (with Neil Astley, Andrew Crumey, Julia Darling, Sean O'Brien and Jacob Polley)
Crime Writers: A Decade of Crime (2013) (with Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves, Harlan Coben, P D James and Steve Mosby)
Cross Roads (2013)
Gunpowder Plots (2013)
Bloody Scotland (2017) (with Lin Anderson, Chris Brookmyre, Ann Cleeves, Doug Johnstone, Stuart MacBride, Peter May, Denise Mina, Craig Robertson and Sara Sheridan)
Christmas is Murder (2020)
Marple (2022) (with Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Agatha Christie, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Karen M McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse and Ruth Ware)
Stranded (2004)
Magnetic North (2005) (with Neil Astley, Andrew Crumey, Julia Darling, Sean O'Brien and Jacob Polley)
Crime Writers: A Decade of Crime (2013) (with Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves, Harlan Coben, P D James and Steve Mosby)
Cross Roads (2013)
Gunpowder Plots (2013)
Bloody Scotland (2017) (with Lin Anderson, Chris Brookmyre, Ann Cleeves, Doug Johnstone, Stuart MacBride, Peter May, Denise Mina, Craig Robertson and Sara Sheridan)
Christmas is Murder (2020)
Marple (2022) (with Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Agatha Christie, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Karen M McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse and Ruth Ware)
Picture Books
Graphic Novels
Novellas
Series contributed to
Murder at Christmas (with Margery Allingham, Lawrence Block, Marjorie Bowen, John Dickson Carr, G K Chesterton, Michael Innes, Ellis Peters, Ian Rankin and Julian Symons)
2. Murder On Christmas Eve (2017)
2. Murder On Christmas Eve (2017)
Afraid of the light (with Mark Billingham, Heather Critchlow, Elle Croft, James Delargy, Jo Furniss, Sophie Hannah, S R Masters, Phoebe Morgan, Robert Scragg, Victoria Selman, Kate Simants and Adam Southward)
2. Afraid of The Christmas Lights (2020)
2. Afraid of The Christmas Lights (2020)
Non fiction
A Suitable Job For A Woman (1995)
The Library Book (2012) (with Alan Bennett, Ann Cleeves, Seth Godin, Susan Hill, Tom Holland, Lucy Mangan, China Miéville, Caitlin Moran, Kate Mosse, Julie Myerson, Bali Rai, Lionel Shriver and Hardeep Kohli Singh)
Forensics (2014)
My Scotland (2019)
Imagine A Country (2020) (with Jo Sharp)
The Library Book (2012) (with Alan Bennett, Ann Cleeves, Seth Godin, Susan Hill, Tom Holland, Lucy Mangan, China Miéville, Caitlin Moran, Kate Mosse, Julie Myerson, Bali Rai, Lionel Shriver and Hardeep Kohli Singh)
Forensics (2014)
My Scotland (2019)
Imagine A Country (2020) (with Jo Sharp)
Short stories
| When Larry Met Allie (2000) |
Awards
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Val McDermid recommends
An Air That Kills (1994)
(Lydmouth, book 1)
Andrew Taylor
"The most underrated crime writer in Britain today."
A Likeness in Stone (1997)
Julia Wallis Martin
"This is a compelling psychological thriller with echoes of Barbara Vine and Minette Walters. Well written, intelligent and chilling."
No Laughing Matter (1997)
(Nick Madrid, book 1)
Peter Guttridge
"Made me laugh out loud and wince in sympathy at both the violence and the humiliation meted out to the narrator . . . enormous fun."
The Locust Farm (1998)
Jeremy Dronfield
"A tense page-turner... dodging between serial-killer thriller, psychological suspense and full on action drama."
Bad Vibes (1998)
(Fizz and Buchanan, book 3)
Joyce Holms
"Engaging and entertaining... Deft, daft and definitely delicious."
Blood Guilt (1998)
(Kit O'Malley Mystery Series, book 1)
Lindy Cameron
"Kit O'Malley, smart-mouthed, sharp-witted and sexy. Don't start this book if you have somewhere to be."
Walking with Ghosts (1999)
(Sam Turner, book 4)
John Baker
"His characters endear themselves to us, and we care what happens to them. The writing is always quirky, never flashy, and . . . he leaves us wanting more of an engaging crew who feel like friends by the end of the book."
Past Reason (1999)
Margaret Murphy
"Set vividly in Liverpool, this journey into psychological suspense should not be missed."
Birdman (1999)
(Jack Caffery, book 1)
Mo Hayder
"Not for the faint-hearted...what sets Birdman apart is Hayder's talent."
Over My Dead Body (2000)
(Eddathorpe, book 6)
Raymond Flynn
"A solution as clever as any I've read this year. DI Graham, with his homicidal Lakeland terrier, is an unconventional copper form the same breed as Frost and Morse. On this form, like them he should win fans and keep them."
Unnatural Fire (2000)
(Countess Ashby De La Zouche, book 1)
Fidelis Morgan
"Fidelis Morgan's tale of love and greed and alchemy in 1699 is a heady compound of wit, wisdom and wildness. It's an unsentimental warts-and-all portrait that reeks of authenticity, written with a brio that reflects the age."
Folly (2001)
(Folly Island, book 1)
Laurie R King
"One of the most literate and gifted writers the mystery world has seen for some time."
In the Midnight Hour (2001)
(Laura Principal, book 5)
Michelle Spring
"Laura Principle is Britain's coolest woman private eye."
Walking on Water (2001)
Gemma O'Connor
"A story that holds the reader's attention and builds suspense with subtlety and charm."
Resolution (2001)
(Garnethill, book 3)
Denise Mina
"Denise Mina is set to carve a niche for herself as the crown princess of crime."
Out of the Dark (2002)
(Trish Maguire, book 4)
Natasha Cooper
"Trish Maguire is a heroine for our times."
The Desperate Remedy (2002)
(Henry Gresham, book 4)
Martin Stephen
"Henry Gresham is a hero for all seasons, and The Desperate Remedy is a dashing delight that challenges what we think we know."
Dreaming the Eagle (2002)
(Boudica, book 1)
Manda Scott
"A staggeringly imaginative invocation of Britain's secret history ...Breathtakingly good, it reveals the best and worst in all of us."
Bitter Blue (2003)
(Sal Kilkenny, book 6)
Cath Staincliffe
"It's always exciting to see a writer get better and better, and Cath Staincliffe is doing just that."
Mean Woman Blues (2003)
(Skip Langdon, book 9)
Julie Smith
"Julie Smith writes like jazz should sound - cool, complex, and penetrating right to the heart."
The Fire Baby (2004)
(Philip Dryden, book 2)
Jim Kelly
"Quirky, emotionally intelligent crime fiction that leaves the reader hungry for more."
Locked Doors (2005)
(Andrew Z. Thomas, book 2)
Blake Crouch
"One of the most exciting new writers I've read in years."
The Wicked Girls (2012)
Alex Marwood
"Genuinely disturbing and emotionally unsettling... irresistible."
Dead People (2013)
(Glyn Capaldi mystery, book 2)
Ewart Hutton
"More stings in the tail than a bag of scorpions."
In the Rosary Garden (2013)
(Vincent Swan, book 2)
Nicola White
"A mesmerising tale f secrets and lies rising from the past to strangle the present."
What Dark Clouds Hide (2015)
(Vik and Stubo, book 5)
Anne Holt
"Anne Holt is the latest crime to reveal how truly dark it gets in Scandinavia."
The Silent Room (2015)
(Matthew Ryan, book 1)
Mari Hannah
"Nobody understands the many faces of cops better than Mari Hannah."
The House of Fame (2016)
(D.C. Belsey, book 3)
Oliver Harris
"A pitch-perfect portrait of contemporary London."
A Rising Man (2016)
(Sam Wyndham, book 1)
Abir Mukherjee
"One of the most exciting debut novels I've read in years."
Crash Land (2016)
Doug Johnstone
"An unnerving tale of what happens to ordinary lives when the wheels come off."
Rattle (2017)
(DS Fitzroy, book 1)
Fiona Cummins
"It's a rare debut that has this much polish. Harrowing and horrifying, head and shoulders above most of the competition."
Sirens (2017)
(Aidan Waits, book 1)
Joseph Knox
"Sirens is a powerhouse of noir. Joseph Knox owns Manchester and paints it in all its grimy colours."
Fateful Mornings (2017)
(Henry Farrell, book 2)
Tom Bouman
"Fateful Mornings is a haunting dissection of the broken heart of America."
These Darkening Days (2017)
(Mace & Brindle, book 2)
Benjamin Myers
"There is no hiding place from the darkness because the writing is so damned good."
Shadow Man (2017)
(DI Lukas Mahler, book 1)
Margaret Kirk
"A harrowing and horrific game of consequences."
The Woman in the Window (2018)
A J Finn
"Twisted to the power of max. Hitchcockian suspense with a 21st-century spin."
Salt Lane (2018)
(DS Alexandra Cupidi, book 1)
William Shaw
"Salt Lane is taut, terrifying and timely; the emotional tension never slackens."
The Quaker (2018)
(Duncan McCormack, book 1)
Liam McIlvanney
"Atmospheric and arresting, The Quaker reveals 1960s Glasgow in all its lurid shades."
Carrion Comfort (2018)
(DI Kelso Strang, book 2)
Aline Templeton
"The crime czar of the Scottish small Town."
Shadows of Athens (2019)
(Philocles, book 1)
JM Alvey
"As vivid and lively as a Greek wedding - but with rather more blood!"
The Art of Dying (2019)
(Raven and Fisher Mystery, book 2)
Ambrose Parry
"Victorian Edinburgh comes vividly alive and- it's world of pain."
Spiral of Lies (2019)
(Johnny Hawke, book 7)
David Stuart Davies
"Jonny Hawke breathes new life into the traditional British mystery. He's a hero with a heart."
The Lantern Men (2020)
(Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries, book 12)
Elly Griffiths
"My favourite current series."
Our Little Cruelties (2020)
Liz Nugent
"Liz Nugent has a gift for filling us with a terrible fascination for truly horrible people."
Three Hours in Paris (2020)
(Kate Rees WWII, book 1)
Cara Black
"So authentic you can practically smell the fresh baguettes and coffee."
The Thursday Murder Club (2020)
(Thursday Murder Club, book 1)
Richard Osman
"A warm, wise and witty warning never to underestimate the elderly."
The Survivors (2020)
Jane Harper
"With The Survivors, Jane Harper proves she's unquestionably the real deal."
Grimoire (2020)
Robin Robertson
"I’ve long admired Robin Robertson’s narrative gift . . . If you love stories, you will love this book."
Midwinter Murder (2020)
Agatha Christie
"Agatha Christie is the gateway drug to crime fiction both for readers and for writers."
Body Language (2020)
(Cassie Raven, book 1)
A K Turner
"A. K. Turner spins science into spellbinding storytelling."
Sixteen Horses (2021)
Greg Buchanan
"Unlike anything else you’ll read this year, Sixteen Horses is a deeply disconcerting ride. Irresistible."
The Colours of Death (2021)
(Inspector Isabel Reis, book 1)
Patricia Marques
"Breathtakingly original, and a captivating sense of place."
Fragile (2021)
Sarah Hilary
"Sarah Hilary has always known how to chill her readers – Fragile dials the chill factor up to eleven."
The Christmas Murder Game (2021)
(Kipper Cottage Cozy Mystery, book 3)
Alexandra Benedict
"The perfect gift for quizzers and mystery addicts . . . A delicious locked room mystery crammed with cryptic clues, secrets in sonnets and a deadly game. But it's more than a series of puzzles, it's also an entertaining exploration of relationships and a riveting read."
The House of Ashes (2021)
Stuart Neville
"Chilling, compassionate and compelling, Stuart Neville takes us straight to the dark heart of rural Ireland."
Everyday Kindness (2021)
LJ Ross
"A win/win when it comes to making you feel good – the stories will do just that, and buying this book will help homeless people."
A Flicker in the Dark (2022)
Stacy Willingham
"Tense, twisty and threatening, A Flicker in the Dark will make you abandon your box sets."
The Second Cut (2022)
(Rilke, book 2)
Louise Welsh
"I doubt I'll read a better book this year. Dark, funny and humane, Louise Welsh tells the stories that nobody else dares."
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