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A Darker Domain

The Twisty Thriller from the Author of Sunday Times Crime Fiction Bestsellers: Now on ITV

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A Darker Domain

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Eilidh Fraser
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The second riveting crime novel in the Karen Pirie series, from No.1 Sunday Times bestseller Val McDermid.

Twenty-five years ago, a woman and her baby son were kidnapped and held to ransom. Catriona Grant ended up dead and little Adam's fate has remained a mystery ever since.

When a new clue is discovered in a deserted Tuscan villa – along with grisly evidence of a recent murder – cold case expert DI Karen Pirie is assigned to follow the trail.

She's already working a case from the same year. During the Miners' Strike of 1984, pit worker Mick Prentice vanished. Where did he really go? And is there a link to the Grant mystery?

The truth is stranger – and far darker – than fiction.

‘A superb mystery’ The Times

‘Val McDermid is a born storyteller’ Sunday Telegraph

‘A searing piece … McDermid orchestrates the tension with authority.' Express

‘Torture, warped psyches, unspeakable cellars: Val McDermid sends you to bed with lights blazing’ Sunday Times

‘One of the best modern writers of crime fiction … Excellent’ Scotland on Sunday©1987 Val McDermid (P)2008 WFHowes Ltd Crime Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction
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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 have listened to all the other Karen Pirie stories, but hesitated before trying this book, firstly because it was by a different narrator to the others and yes her pronunciation of ‘Alnwick’ and ‘NUM’ were a bit odd, but the rest of the narration was excellent. Secondly several reviews criticised the ending, but I thought it was all tied up well. The story had me hooked from the start and the scene setting and characters were well done. I raced through the book staying up until the early hours to find out how it all played out.

Karen gets her man, or should I say men.

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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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This is the second audio book by Author that I have bought on Audible and both were excellent however both seem to be missing the final chapter, or at least an epilogue. I want to
Read about what happened to the villains in the story but this part seems to be missing

We want to hear about the comeuppance so to speak. Apart from that both were excellent

A Darker Domain

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The first chapter I was not sure but listening on was really worth while .
The story had so many twists and turns right to the end. I would recommend listening to this book

A good read

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