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The Distant Echo

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The Distant Echo

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Tom Cotcher
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On a freezing morning four drunken students stumble upon the body of a woman in the snow. Rosie has been raped, stabbed and left for dead in a cemetery. The only suspects are the four young men now stained with her blood.

Twenty-five years later the police mount a cold-case review of Rosie’s unsolved murder, and the four are still suspects. But when two of them die in suspicious circumstances, it seems that someone is pursuing their own brand of justice....

©2003 Val McDermid (P)2004 Recorded Books Inc Crime Crime Thrillers Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Detective Cold Case Exciting
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Critic reviews

"A classic.… McDermid pulls out all the stops. Impeccable." ( Guardian)
"A few more sly, old-fashioned whodunits like this and she’ll join the sturdy ranks of the queens of crime, on course to become Dame Val or Baroness McDermid." ( Sunday Times)
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Good book with engaging characters. Plenty of twists in the plot. Found some of the narration a bit banal and exaggerated for some of the characters. On the whole enjoyable. Not my favourite narrator.

Entertaining Story<br />

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This book was a bit of a surprise. I like crime fiction, but within bounds - far more interested in the characters, plot, writing and psychology than gore and violence for the sake of it. I don't know why, but always had the impression that Ms McDermid was of the 'blood and guts' school. Then I saw her on University Challenge, really liked her humour and intelligence and thought I'd give her books a try.

So glad I did. This book kept you thinking, and fascinated, from start to finish. Part way through I began to suspect the murderer, but there were so many subsequent red herrings I began to doubt my own judgement (turns out I was correct)

Tom Cotcher's narration was excellent, perfect voice and characterisation, and the area of the Kingdom of Fife down to Edinburgh and up to Dundee is one I know pretty well. All in all, I really enjoyed it, and will now be working my way through the McDermid library. Bang go this year's credits - and all because I watched University Challenge...

My first Val McDermid; but it won't be my last!

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Wonderful performance of a gripping tale, held my interest from beginning to end. Really compelling

Compelling

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This was my first book from the acclaimed author, and i now fully understand why she is so feted. Brilliantly gripping story, interwoven with great characters and a wonderful narration!! who could ask for more!!

tremendously gripping

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Genuinely one of the better crime thrillers I've read. The characters were all layered and believable with different perspectives and world views. Unlike in other crime books, or any books for that matter which deal with the same lives at different periods of time we really feel the effects of time passing, and the how their youths have shaped them as older characters.

We get to see a unique perspective of violent crime, which is the suspects of an unsolved murder. It had echoes of the west Memphis case somehow.

The writing was brilliant in my opinion, shifting from view to view carefully building a narrative and obscuring the truth. The original victim was not the focus as in some other crime books, and although a very tragic and heart wrenching death and aftermath you are mainly drawn to focus on the investigation.

This kept me guessing, and even had my pulse quickening - which rarely happens for me when reading a thriller I must say.

Very impressed, would definitely recommend and will be looking out for this author again.

Wasn't expecting that!

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