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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
Murder investigation; moderate thriller tension; historical cover-up
Language
Some
Moderate language
Sexual Content
Barely any
No significant sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Minimal substance use
Emotional Intensity
Some
Moderate psychological intensity; literary scandal revisited; institutional pressure on a detective
What this book is about
Detective Karen Pirie investigates when a body is discovered that appears connected to a decades-old Scottish literary controversy — one that certain powerful figures have long worked to keep buried. The fifth Karen Pirie novel demonstrates McDermid's mastery of cold case detective fiction, set against the rich backdrop of Scottish literary and cultural history.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Cold case murder
Scottish literary history
Cover-up
Reader Verification
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