A Place of Execution
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in A Place of Execution for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'From the first pages, we know we're in the hands of a master this book will earn its author a place in that rare pantheon – the truly literary suspense novel' Jeffrey Deaver
‘Beautifully written … It may be that McDermid will write better novels than this in the future, but I do not see how’ Daily Telegraph
'One of the best detective stories I've read' Ruth Rendell
‘A substantial book and an impressive one, possibly the best McDermid has written and it takes this most accomplished writer into higher territory’ Sunday Telegraph
'A Place of Execution is a wake-up call to crime writers everywhere. A terrific and original novel, brilliantly executed' Mirror
Product Description
A riveting psychological thriller, now a major ITV drama, from the Number One bestselling Queen of crime fiction Val McDermid.
In the Peak District village of Scarsdale, thirteen-year-old girls didn’t just run away. So when Alison Carter vanished in the winter of ’63, everyone knew it was a murder.
Catherine Heathcote remembers the case well. A child herself when Alison vanished, decades on she still recalls the sense of fear as parents kept their children close, terrified of strangers.
Now a journalist, she persuades DI George Bennett to speak of the hunt for Alison, the tantalizing leads and harrowing dead ends. But when a fresh lead emerges, Bennett tries to stop the story – plunging Catherine into a world of buried secrets and revelations.
Decades later he finally tells his story to journalist Catherine Heathcote, but just when the book is poised for publication, Bennett unaccountably tries to pull the plug. He has new information which he refuses to divulge, new information that threatens the very foundations of his existence. Catherine is forced to reinvestigate the past, with results that turn the world upside down.
A Greek tragedy in modern England, A Place of Execution is a taut psychological suspense thriller that uniquely explores, exposes and explodes the border between reality and illusion in a multi-layered narrative that turns expectations on their head and reminds us that what we know is what we do not know. A monstrous tale of deception, the technique of the telling is the greatest deception of all.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Val McDermid has written some outstanding novels (The Torment of Others, Wire in the Blood and Mermaids Singing come to mind) but somehow, somehow this one probably tops the lot. It is utterly immaculate in its (forgive the pun) execution, in its structure, in its characterisation and in its capacity to surprise and even deceive the reader. I need not go over the summary of the story here as so many others have already done that, but can I just repeat the words of the Daily Telegraph's Gerald Kaufman, who stated that 'It may be that McDermid will write better novels than this in the future, but I do not see how.' I concur with that view absolutely.
For those of you who remember seeing Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' the first time, you will probably recall wanting to see the film all over again immediately, realising at the end that most of what had gone before was not as you had assumed. So it follows that in A Place of Execution, despite admirably detailed accounts of the investigations into the case of a missing teenage girl back in 1963, which in effect come to a seemingly satisfying conclusion three-quarters of the way through the book, the final quarter which unravels itself 35 years later in 1998 manages to completely dismantle our earlier belief that justice had been done and made me want to read the 1960s part of this book again to see if I could have guessed what was coming. Of course, I already knew that there was going to be a twist to this tale and I took much pleasure in taking guesses as to what it would be; a miscarriage of justice was the most obvious, but that cannot be said to be true because for all human reasons other than legal, justice was clearly served even if there were some unexpectedly high prices to be paid, it later emerged, on the part of more than one victim.
This is storytelling at its best. The characters are so real that I feel that I want to contact them and talk about their experiences. I led myself to understand that A Place of Execution is based on a true story, in which case it only serves to underline that truth is invariably stranger and more convincing than fiction. There are some stories that just cannot be made up, and I reckon that this is one of them. Knowing the story was based on real-life events had left this novel on my library shelves at home for more than a year - what a mistake that was, and I discovered this within a handful of pages. It has few flaws, it has been written by a masterful and confident writer at the top of her game and I recommend it without reservation.
If you haven't read it yet, then do not hesitate : order your copy today. And while you're at it, buy at least a half-dozen more Val McDermid novels, because in the world of suspense, mystery and crime writing she really has very few peers.
For those of you who remember seeing Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' the first time, you will probably recall wanting to see the film all over again immediately, realising at the end that most of what had gone before was not as you had assumed. So it follows that in A Place of Execution, despite admirably detailed accounts of the investigations into the case of a missing teenage girl back in 1963, which in effect come to a seemingly satisfying conclusion three-quarters of the way through the book, the final quarter which unravels itself 35 years later in 1998 manages to completely dismantle our earlier belief that justice had been done and made me want to read the 1960s part of this book again to see if I could have guessed what was coming. Of course, I already knew that there was going to be a twist to this tale and I took much pleasure in taking guesses as to what it would be; a miscarriage of justice was the most obvious, but that cannot be said to be true because for all human reasons other than legal, justice was clearly served even if there were some unexpectedly high prices to be paid, it later emerged, on the part of more than one victim.
This is storytelling at its best. The characters are so real that I feel that I want to contact them and talk about their experiences. I led myself to understand that A Place of Execution is based on a true story, in which case it only serves to underline that truth is invariably stranger and more convincing than fiction. There are some stories that just cannot be made up, and I reckon that this is one of them. Knowing the story was based on real-life events had left this novel on my library shelves at home for more than a year - what a mistake that was, and I discovered this within a handful of pages. It has few flaws, it has been written by a masterful and confident writer at the top of her game and I recommend it without reservation.
If you haven't read it yet, then do not hesitate : order your copy today. And while you're at it, buy at least a half-dozen more Val McDermid novels, because in the world of suspense, mystery and crime writing she really has very few peers.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Originally published in 2002, this is one of the best thrillers that I have read. Val McDermid spins a truly riveting tale of murder and suspense that is compelling and very unusual.
The basis of the story is the recounting of a 1960's murder case by modern day author Catherine Heathcote. The investigating policeman, George Bennett has always refused to speak about the case but Catherine befriends George's son and eventually he agrees to talk about it. The case was unusual in that a man was found guilty of murder and hanged, yet no body was ever found. This was George's first serious case, he was newly-married, his wife pregnant and the case shaped the rest of his life.
The 1960's story is excellently written - set in a strange, insular, out-of-the-way village in Derbyshire, the sense of place is amazing. The way that the villagers work together to ensure that George's job is made as difficult is possible is very well written. Eventually the case is solved, and a murderer is charged .............. but is that the end?
Back to modern-day and George suddenly refuses to co-operative further and asks Catherine not to publish the book. The remainder of the story centres on Catherine's further investigations into the case, and discovering the amazing truth behind a murder that most people have long forgotten.
I believe that this is McDermid's first stand-alone novel, she is the author of the 'Wire In The Blood' series. I enjoyed every twisting, turning page of this book. It kept me guessing right to the very end.
The basis of the story is the recounting of a 1960's murder case by modern day author Catherine Heathcote. The investigating policeman, George Bennett has always refused to speak about the case but Catherine befriends George's son and eventually he agrees to talk about it. The case was unusual in that a man was found guilty of murder and hanged, yet no body was ever found. This was George's first serious case, he was newly-married, his wife pregnant and the case shaped the rest of his life.
The 1960's story is excellently written - set in a strange, insular, out-of-the-way village in Derbyshire, the sense of place is amazing. The way that the villagers work together to ensure that George's job is made as difficult is possible is very well written. Eventually the case is solved, and a murderer is charged .............. but is that the end?
Back to modern-day and George suddenly refuses to co-operative further and asks Catherine not to publish the book. The remainder of the story centres on Catherine's further investigations into the case, and discovering the amazing truth behind a murder that most people have long forgotten.
I believe that this is McDermid's first stand-alone novel, she is the author of the 'Wire In The Blood' series. I enjoyed every twisting, turning page of this book. It kept me guessing right to the very end.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well-written, cogent, a great plot that has a devastating surprise up its sleeve, well-characterised and suspenseful, this police procedural ticks all the boxes. Its only failures are minor ones in the area of momentum. It is 1963; Pauline Reade and John Killbride (victims of Brady and Hindley) have recently disappeared from their Manchester homes, but this thriller is about the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl from the isolated Peak District village of Scardale. Reminiscent of Barbara Vine at her best, there are some terrible truths to be uncovered by the police team sent to find out what has happened to the girl.
The question of pace arises with the detailed exposition that McDermid prefers. In many places there is a good rationale for a particular matter to be unpicked and ruminated upon. In just a few others, however, it does slow down the story a bit too much. There is an account of a trial which might have been shortened, and a section introducing a new character towards the end which could have been accomplished in a couple of paragraphs rather than the chapter it takes up. It seems to me that McDermid sometimes doesn't quite trust the reader to grasp developments quickly - but even when using belt and braces, she moves to her anguished finale with panache, although there are a few too many coincidences in the plot towards the end. Nevertheless, this is a crime thriller of high quality.
The question of pace arises with the detailed exposition that McDermid prefers. In many places there is a good rationale for a particular matter to be unpicked and ruminated upon. In just a few others, however, it does slow down the story a bit too much. There is an account of a trial which might have been shortened, and a section introducing a new character towards the end which could have been accomplished in a couple of paragraphs rather than the chapter it takes up. It seems to me that McDermid sometimes doesn't quite trust the reader to grasp developments quickly - but even when using belt and braces, she moves to her anguished finale with panache, although there are a few too many coincidences in the plot towards the end. Nevertheless, this is a crime thriller of high quality.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Perfect Read
A perfect read from the first page to the last. Mature readers like myself will enjoy the first part of the book set in 1963 in Derbyshire. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mornev
Superb narration of a fantastic book
Having read the book some years ago, I just purchased the audio download, read by Paddy Glynn. This unabridged recording kept me company on a couple of week's worth of car... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Crime Fiction Groupie
Brilliant
Where does Val McDermid get her ideas??? This book is so engrossing. Quite possibly the best crime novel I have read so far this year. Read more
Published 13 months ago by liveenl
A masterpiece of crime writing
'A Darker Domain' was my first Val McDermid novel and it convinced me to investigate more of her books. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mark Adam James
Absorbing read.
This must be one of Val McDermid's best books ever.
The story is intriguing and gripping. (Well it was for me! Read more
The story is intriguing and gripping. (Well it was for me! Read more
Published 17 months ago by Spud Murphy
Outstanding!
I love Val McDermid, I don't think I have ever read anything of hers that I have not enjoyed, and this was no exception. Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by Andrea Haskins
Good story, not sure about the execution
( No pun intended )
The overall story is a good as usuaul ( i.e. excellent ), but some of the actual writing / dialogue doesn't hold up to previous VM books. Read more
The overall story is a good as usuaul ( i.e. excellent ), but some of the actual writing / dialogue doesn't hold up to previous VM books. Read more
Published on 20 Feb 2010 by Iain Lewis
One of the best books I have ever read
I have read nearly all of the Wire in the Blood series so I had high expectations for this book...and I wasn't dissapointed. This really is one of the best books I have ever read. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2010 by Princess Pink
Crime story telling at its zenith
To cut a long story short, the precis of the story given by previous reviewers don't need further repetition. Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2010 by Derek
She Powerfully Draws an Unusual Mystery to an Unexpected Conclusion
Upon its 1999 publication," A Place of Execution" by British mystery author Val McDermid, won rave reviews and numerous awards. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2009 by Stephanie DePue
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
