Reviews

Broken Ground by Val McDermid

jimbowen0306's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

It sometimes feels like an idea doesn't get written about for ages, and then a bunch of books about the same idea (in this case the cold case squad) come along at once. This is one such book.

This book sees the cold case squad investigate a body buried in a pest boy for years, and then rediscovered by some hunters for buried treasure after the victim had been all but forgotten.

It's a decent enough read, but I didn't like a few aspects of the book. Firstly, I didn't much like the office politics, and turf wars in this book. I know they happen. I could have just done without them. Secondly, you know the murderer with 15-20% of the book to go ( the rest of the book is the lawyers and police getting the case together), and that felt too long, n this book at least. Finally, the epilogue tied up too many loose ends. I think the book could have been better with a few more unanswered questions. Sometimes I think it's better to leave the reader wondering at little. If for no other reason you can go back to it later.

So, in short it wasn't too bad, but could have been better.

tashmashy's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

3.25

pibbit's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sjyudelson's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

writer595's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

efharker's review

Go to review page

mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

derhindemith's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I’m not generally a fan of time jumping to tell a story, but there was little enough of it that it wasn’t too distracting.
Other than that, a perfectly serviceable modern crime story. I love the relationships, I just wish there were less story and more nuanced characters. I would like to like the bad guys a little and dislike the good guys a little more.

csdaley's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

3catsinatrenchcoat's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved this Karen Pirie story! I’m pretty WWII’d out, but this angle was different and interesting. I was fascinated by Karen’s involvement in a domestic violence incident, and I loved meeting Hamish. And Jason is just so adorable. McDermid makes the long slog off sorting through paperwork and asking the same question endlessly of different people interesting, and that is an amazing skill! I just wish the ending hadn’t been wrapped up quite so quickly.