1979

For almost thirty years, readers have been enthralled by Val McDermid's award-winning and worldwide successful novels, earning her the title of "Britain's Queen of Crime." Now, in 1979, she goes back in time to tell the tale of Allie Burns, an investigative journalist whose work takes her into the realm of murder, terror, and corruption.

She's looking for a really good story.

1979. In this discontented winter, Allie Burns is pursuing her first major scoop. Being one of the few female reporters, she needs to pull off an explosive move for the boys' club to take her seriously.

With their investigations, Allie and fellow reporter Danny Sullivan are soon creating formidable adversaries, but Allie won't give up. She comes up with a risky scheme to get notoriety after learning of a local terrorist threat.

However, Allie lives in a society where men rule, and making a mistake could have deadly consequences.

1979 is the first book in McDermid's newest series and the most recent addition to his canon of crime novels. It is an evocative trip into the past with fascinating insight into the present.