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This is the first book in the Allie Burns series by author Val McDermid. I love the Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid so I was hoping for more of the same with this new series about an investigative journalist based in 1979.

Investigative journalist Allie Burns is based in Glasgow and is looking for the next big story to catapult her career forward. Allie is definitely suffering from being a woman in a mans and it is the norm for her to get the low profile stories to cover. In an effort to get a break in journalism she forms an alliance with colleague Danny Sullivan and sort out the bigger stories. But problems occur once the pair start digging into the more high profile cases and very quickly they are creating enemies. When you start investigating international tax fraud and terrorist groups there are always going to be more attention from less desirables and when Danny’s body is found murdered in his flat Allie’s life becomes so much more dangerous.

The series started very slow for me and struggled to really get into the story. I have enjoyed plenty of books by this author and would not write it off just yet because there were signs of hope for future books. As yet I don’t love the characters or feel any connection and also would have preferred series being modern day rather than 1979. Although I lived through the 70’s and understand the mood at the time I feel that many younger readers will fail to connect or simply prefer a more modern timeframe.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Little Brown Book Group UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.