BOOK 8 in Series
A thrilling new novel in the Karen Pirie series from number one bestseller and Queen of Crime, Val McDermid
THE MASTERFUL NEW THRILLER IN THE KAREN PIRIE SERIES, NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES
The truth is buried just beneath the surface . . .
When torrential rain causes a landslide on a motorway in Scotland, it reveals a crime scene: someone hid a body in the tarmac eleven years before. Journalist Sam Nimmo had been the prime suspect in the murder of his fiancée when he disappeared, and now DCI Karen Pirie and her Historic Cases Unit must find out who buried him, and why.
Meanwhile in Edinburgh, new evidence reopens a closed case and the accidental death of a hotel manager starts to look like murder. But what did Tom Jamieson’s book club have to do with his demise – and what will they do to keep their secrets?
Karen and her team begin to untangle a web of lies, one which connects their murder cases with Scotland’s rich and powerful. They will be tested to their limits – and possibly beyond . . .
Publication date UK: 23 October 2025 (Little, Brown Book Group)
Publication date US: 02 December 2025
For a list of Translation Publishers: click here
Series: Karen Pirie – book 8
Turn yourself over to a skilled mystery author who will take you on a perfect literary journey. Plot, pacing, characters – everything works. . . Pirie and her team go about their rapidly expanding workload with characteristic thoroughness and good humour, and you sense a satisfying conclusion will be the end result.
— CRIME FICTION LOVER, TOP 5 BOOKS OF 2025
Not many writers can stand toe to toe with Val McDermid . . . SILENT BONES is so deviously plotted, with McDermid always in full command, that I read it while holding my breath practically the entire time. It is an exhilarating read and a worthy entry in this memorable series.
— BOOKREPORTER
— KATE MOSSE
Excellent
— THE TIMES
Fiendishly elaborate plotting, fun to read [with] a final plot twist that not even the world’s finest clairvoyant could see coming.
— SCOTSMAN
Val McDermid’s most tortuous, tense and ingeniously planned novel yet.
— PS MAGAZINE
McDermid blends procedural tension with eerie rural isolation.
— I PAPER
A masterclass in Scottish cold case investigation and politics in a tightly wound plot . . . The author realistically draws together the plots, avoiding coincidences and combining believable clues with solid police insight . . . McDermid’s various series and standalones have put her in the top tier of mystery writers.
– SUN SENTINEL
Showcases the agile plotting that makes this among the best crime fiction series today.
— IRISH TIMES
What makes this book such a rush is the way McDermid turns what seem like separate cold cases into a single maze of past crimes, corruption, and the kind of dark secrets that only very powerful people can hide . . . By the time the twist lands, you are picking your jaw up off the floor and wondering why you have not been reading Val McDermid all along.
— TERESA BROCK, BEST THRILLER BOOKS
Another exquisite mystery.
— CANBERRA WEEKLY
Once again, Val McDermid has given us a top-tier example of what crime writing should be. SILENT BONES excels in plot, setting and characterization.
— DEADLY PLEASURES MYSTERY MAGAZINE
Powerful, moving and wise – Val McDermid’s books are always enthralling.
— HARLAN COBEN
A corkscrew twist at every turn.
— DAILY MAIL
Although Pirie is well worth following, the main reason to do so is McDermid’s fiendishly elaborate plotting… It’s fun to read too – right up to a final plot twist that not even the world’s finest clairvoyant could see coming
— SCOTSMAN
The bones in question actually speak volumes . . . readers will be rewarded by a richly textured experience.
— KIRKUS REVIEWS
Pirie herself is a nuanced character . . . I don’t want to give away the grand finale, but it was about the most true-to-life ending I could imagine.
— BOOKPAGE
A beautifully structured, witty and twisty novel with the friendship between the magnificent Karen Pirie and her team at its heart.
— ANN CLEEVES
McDermid delivers suspense, authentic characters and an exploration of hidden power and deceit.
— WOMAN & HOME
A propulsive, razor-sharp thrill-ride full of humour, heart, and trademark twists. I love Karen Pirie, and Silent Bones adds to a classic series that just keeps getting better.
— CHRIS WHITAKER
A gripping mystery to dive into.
— HEAT
McDermid is at the top of her game in the masterful latest installment of her DCI Karen Pirie series . . . McDermid’s procedural instincts are as strong as ever, and she balances them with wrenching developments in Karen’s personal life . . . Readers will rest easy knowing they’re in the hands of a seasoned storyteller.
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW
