Well this first in new series of journalist Allie Burns, was a cracker!! All I will say is it usual Val McDermid excitement!!

I am an avid reader of Val Mcdermid's crime series so I couldn't wait to read this one, the beginning of a new series. It was had a different focus from her usual writing. Instead of a murder and detectives it focuses on investigative journalism. The main characters get mixed up in a complicated and dangerous situation as they investigate a story. I really felt like I was back in 1979 with the heavy tobacco smoke and unusual fashions. Val is a talented writer who gives the right amount of detail and suspense to create a thrilling atmosphere. I'd highly recommend this novel . Many thanks to the publishers for sending me a copy to review.

I’d like to thank Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘1979’ , the first novel in a new series by Val McDermid, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Investigative journalist Danny Sullivan is following up what could be a big tax fraud story and persuades colleague Allie Burns to help write the story for The Clarion newspaper. Allie attends a meeting being held about devolution in Scotland and when she hears a conversation between three men she gets Danny to infiltrate the group. He learns how they intend to cause mayhem prior to the referendum by buying explosives and using it on Scottish parliament buildings. The successful outcome of both stories gives Allie and Danny much-deserved kudos but not everyone’s happy with the results and Danny’s worried that their lives could be at risk. ‘1979’ is a gripping and powerful thriller of two journalists who have a sixth sense for discovering important stories and digging up the evidence. The story takes place in the year 1979 before mobile phones are commonplace and phone-boxes are essential for making contact. From page one I’ve been caught up in the tension of the story which grew more compelling the further I read. The descriptions of the old typewriters brought back so many memories and are evocative of past times, the click of the keys and the ding at the end of the line, swiping the lever to move the carriage to the next line, carbon paper and tippex, so realistic that it made me feel I was with them in the newspaper office. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this brilliant thriller that’s compulsive reading, packed full of drama, suspense, intrigue, and beautifully written as only Ms McDermid can. I’m really looking forward to reading the second in the series and seeing how Allie Burns’ character develops. Five stars from me and well deserved!

McDermid launches her first new series in almost twenty years, and it’s a belter from the beginning. In 1979, young Glasgow reporter Allie Burns is keen to make a mark in her misogynistic newsroom, so when her colleague Danny Sullivan asks for help on a story linking powerful businessmen to criminal activity, she leaps at the chance. Meanwhile Allie may have uncovered a homegrown terrorist threat relating to cries in some quarters for Scottish nationalism and independence. Will Allie and Danny’s investigations become career-making stories, career-ending ones, or worse? McDermid masterfully immerses readers in late 1970s Glasgow, a time of rising political tensions and a changing society, delivering a compulsive novel that’s further enriched by the echoes of McDermid’s own past as a pioneering journalist battling against prejudice on multiple fronts in that era. Excellent.

I absolutely loved this book. I was in my teens throughout the 70s and Val McDermid captures the mood and the atmosphere of the eponymous year perfectly. Great, very believable characters the reader can relate to. About to order 1989 right now and I cannot wait to read it.