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A Darker Domain

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A Darker Domain

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Eilidh Fraser
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About this listen

It's 1984. The miners' strike is dividing the country. In a struggling coal-mining town, the miners and their families are living at the edge of their resources. On the 14th of December, five miners break ranks to travel to Nottingham and work. For those who stay behind, this is an unforgivable betrayal.

Twenty-three years later, a young woman is asking the police to trace her missing father. Miner Mick Prentice vanished, never to be seen again. Soon, DI Karen Pirie and DS Phil Parharta find themselves investigating a forgotten disappearance.

©2008 Val McDermid (P)2008 WF Howes Ltd
Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant

If you could sum up A Darker Domain in three words, what would they be?

This was a fast moving plot with no boring and unecessary facts. The clever plot starts with the search for a man who went missing 20 years previously during the time of the miners strikes. Also at that time in a nearby location was the death of a well-heeled woman after a kidnapping turned sour and the disappearance of her son, then a baby.The story takes you to beautiful Italy with it's laid back "hippy style" communes and also into the lives of a powerful familiy who believe they are beyond the law.The relationship between the reporters and Police was revealing and so accurate.My only gripe is the ending which was left a little unfinished.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Undoubtably the best character was DI Pirie. Fiesty yet likeable with grit and determination, a person not to be cowed by her supervisors nor class division. A good cop who gets the job done.

Have you listened to any of Eilidh Fraser’s other performances? How does this one compare?

A good performance by Eilidh Fraser whose lilting tones fitted the story so well.

Very enjoyable

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I found this to be quite convoluted and tedious, it picked up in the last chapter or so, but generally I just didn't care enough about the characters to make this work. For it was a far cry from the Carol Jordan, Tony Hill series.
It was however very well narrated by Eilidh Frazier, without whom I would have given up a few chapters in.

Not the usual McDermid

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I gave up before the end as I'd read similar, but that's just my opinion

Good story but not her best

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Great story. Lots of flashbacks and different locations and stories meant the listener had to concentrate. But all the plot lines came together in a crescendo.

Masterly storytelling.

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good listen. lots of twists and turns, but all cleared up in the end. end

good

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