Living through this period as I did, I must say I'm much clearer about what went on after reading this book than I ever was at the time.

Nonetheless, I will always keep a lookout for whatever new McDermid has to offer, as her novels, despite some issues I may have with the endings, are always quite gripping.The novel is told from three perspectives, predominantly by DCI Karen Pirie following her investigation into the murder of her cold case victim. Personally I'm glad to see her getting away from the Tony Hill series, which in my opinion has gone on too long and has lost its way over the last few books.

I can understand how some readers might despair of keeping the many characters and plot clear in their minds. Without being overly graphic, depicts the horrors of the Serb-Croat war during the 1990s, including both genocide and personal betrayal.With considerable skill, McDermid juggles serious themes (from national genocide and ethnic tension to individual human betrayal) with great assurance, and there are set pieces – such as the siege of Dubrovnik – that are as good as anything she has written. Ebooks fulfilled through Glose cannot be printed, downloaded as PDF, or read in other digital readers (like Kindle or Nook). As if that weren't enough there are some fascinatingly entwined relationships between characters and some almost farcical journeys between Scotland, England and Eastern Europe. If nothing else, the book did make me interested in learning more about the Third Balkan War, which makes it a worthy read. It would not be a Val McDermid thriller if we did not have a pompous boss and Assistant Chief Constable Simon Lees is perfect for this role.