An <b>incredibly suspenseful thriller</b>, elegantly plotted with smartly drawn characters and <b>fascinating detail</b>
Sunday Mirror
What superlatives are there left to describe the <b>phenomenon </b>that is the multi award-winning McDermid? . . . Told with McDermid's legendary verve and eye for detail, it <b>grabs the reader by the throat and never lets go</b>
Daily Mail
It is evident in her 30th novel that her <b>mastery </b>of the crime has matured well
Sunday Express
[An] <b>engaging </b>new novel . . . McDermid's 30th novel offers <b>fascinating </b>insights into the ethical dilemmas thrown up by advances in forensic science
Sunday Times
Her books combine <b>ironclad storytelling</b> technique, cogent commentaries on modern society and an attitude to the crime genre's long history that is both <b>interrogative </b>and <b>innovative </b>. . . we are reminded that the new Queen of Crime is still <b>at the top of her game</b>
Independent
McDermid's <b>expertly juggled plotlines</b> and <b>masterful handling of pace and tension</b> tick all the best boxes, but what makes this book a real cracker is Pirie herself - grieving, insubordinate and dogged in her pursuit of the various culprits
Guardian
Quite simply, <b>nobody does British crime writing better</b> . . . [a] <b>twisty, deliciously tangled thriller</b>
Peterborough Telegraph
As <b>intelligent</b> and <b>chillingly</b> good as ever
Good Housekeeping
<b>Packed with intrigue</b>, <b>warmly drawn characters</b> and <b>dollops of tension</b>, McDermid's 30th novel leaves the reader looking forward to the 31st
Irish Independent
On her 30th novel . . . none is more deserving of the queen-of-crime mantle than Val McDermid . . . I would like to see a great deal more of DCI Pirie
Irish Times
McDermid proves herself to be as adept as ever at mixing <b>thrilling crime fiction</b> with psychological study . . . Karen is a <b>compelling</b> character, and her personal baggage lends <i>Out of Bounds</i> a great backstory . . . she writes with a brisk light touch, but the book does not stint on realistic detail. <i>Out of Bounds</i> is a<b> fine, tense, and multi-layered</b> addition to the canon of the queen of Scottish crime fiction
Irish Sunday Business Post
It's a treat to watch DCI Pirie once again as she pursues a tantalising forensic trail through a <b>brilliantly realised Scottish setting</b> . . . the back-and-forths with her pusillanimous boss, as she deflates his attempts to undermine her, are a particular joy
Scotland on Sunday
McDermid concocts <b>complex plots</b> with <b>plenty of twists and red herrings</b>. At times the tension is palpable and there are <b>genuine surprises</b> . . . McDermid is a dab hand at creating enough plausibility to make her contributions to the genre <b>intensely readable</b>
Sunday Herald
A celebrated crime author with an attention to detail which makes her stories both <b>gripping</b> and <b>totally authentic</b>
Western Daily Press
Her thrillers <b>never fail to entertain</b>, and this - her 30th (!) novel - is no exception. <b>Another twisted treat</b>
Heat