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Content snapshot
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Violence
Very heavy
War crimes and their aftermath; the investigation involves historical atrocities; some graphic violence
Language
Some
Some strong language
Sexual Content
Barely any
Mild content
Substance Use
Barely any
Mild content
Emotional Intensity
Very heavy
The moral philosophy of killing killers; whether there is a meaningful difference between a war criminal and someone who executes war criminals outside any legal framework
What this book is about
A skeleton is found on the roof of a derelict Edinburgh building — the body of a man who appears to have been shot years ago. DI Karen Pirie's investigation leads to the former Yugoslavia and to the war crimes that were committed there in the 1990s. Val McDermid's third Karen Pirie novel moves the series into territory it hasn't occupied before — international war crimes, justice delayed across continents, and the specific moral complexity of killing people who themselves committed atrocities. The Edinburgh and Balkan threads are woven together with skill.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
third Karen Pirie novel by Val McDermid; Balkan war crimes context
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