Val McDermid

Val McDermid is one of the most acclaimed and bestselling crime writers in the world, with over forty novels to her name and sales of more than 19 million copies in over forty languages. Her work is known for its intelligence, its psychological depth, and its willingness to confront the darkest aspects of human behaviour without flinching. Born in Kirkcaldy, Fife in 1955, McDermid was the first person from her state school in a Scottish mining community to go to Oxford. She studied English at St Hilda's College and went on to work as a journalist for sixteen years, including stints as a national newspaper reporter and feature writer in Manchester and Glasgow. Her journalism career gave her a thorough understanding of the criminal justice system and the realities of crime — knowledge that permeates every page of her fiction. Her first novel, Report for Murder, was published in 1987, introducing the journalist-sleuth Lindsay Gordon. But it was the creation of clinical psychologist Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan that brought McDermid her widest readership. The Wire in the Blood series, beginning with The Mermaids Singing (which won the CWA Gold Dagger), follows Hill and Jordan as they pursue serial killers and psychopaths. The books were adapted into a long-running ITV television series starring Robson Green and Hermione Norris. McDermid has also created the Karen Pirie series, featuring a cold-case detective in Fife, and the Allie Burns series, set in the 1970s and 80s journalism world. Her standalone novels and short stories further demonstrate her remarkable range within the crime genre. Her novel 1979, the first Allie Burns book, marked a new direction — historical crime fiction rooted in the political upheavals of late-twentieth-century Britain. McDermid is also a passionate advocate for Scottish independence, LGBTQ+ rights, and the arts. She was awarded a CBE for services to literature in 2016. The audiobook editions of McDermid's novels are outstanding, with narrators delivering gripping performances that capture the tension, intelligence, and emotional complexity of her writing. Her books are compulsive listening for crime fiction fans. Val McDermid lives in Edinburgh and continues to write with formidable energy. Her books and audiobooks are essential for anyone who loves crime fiction that combines psychological insight with first-rate storytelling.