I'm an avid reader of Val McDermid, the Scottish author who penned the Wire in the Blood novels, made into a successful TV series with Robson Green and Hermione Norris. I love the darkness in those stories, the psychological angles of the crimes, and the relationship between Tony Hill and Carole Jordan. I also love the Karen Pirie novels that follow a Scottish cold case investigation unit and also now made into a television series.

1979 is the start of a new series. Allie Burns is a journalist battling sexism in the 1970s, experiences that mirror the author's early career. Allie is determined to make her name and compete with her male colleagues, so in 1979 she pursues a story on a possible local terrorist threat.

1979 | Published August 2021 | Read January 2022

I wanted to love 1979, but I couldn't quite connect with Allie. I also felt the story was trying too hard, and trying to do too much. As a result, didn't quite hit the mark in all the places it needed to. Don't let my impression of 1979 put you off the author, though. The writing is up to Val McDermid's usual standard and the story is complex and interesting, especially the insights it provides into sexism in the workplace in the 1970s. Val McDermid's books have been a staple in my reading diet for years now and I eagerly await the next instalment in the Allie Burns series.

Post update: Since writing this post, I've read 1989, the next Allie Burns novel. See here for my review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐