Killing the Shadows (Val McDermid) Chapters 1-14

Val McDermid is one of the so-called “Tartan Noir” writers: Scottish crime suspense novelists who write in a particularly “dark” vein, for those of us who like that kind of thing.  This term may have been coined by Alexander McCall Smith, who used it semi-pejoratively to describe his peers, himself a Scottish mystery writer who maintains a much lighter tone in his works.  The most well-known of these authors is probably Ian Rankin, whose book Hide and Seek we read here back in February.  These writers tend to set their stories in the city they live in and are most familiar with; Rankin in Edinburgh, for instance.  Another, Denise Mina, is from Glasgow, and yet another, Stuart McBride is from Aberdeen.  This adds an element to the stories that I find particularly appealing, like Rick Riordan setting his adult-oriented books in San Antonio and Austin, my own stomping grounds.

So far, Killing the Shadows has taken us to London; Toledo, Spain (with tantalizing description of that wonderful city!); and a “wee bit” in Edinburgh.  This book would be a terrific introduction to the Tartan Noir world, as it centers on a serial killer who is actually stalking and killing writers of that genre.  One might suppose that the “Shadows” in the title is referring to those writers.  Our heroine of the story is Fiona Cameron who is not herself a novelist but is married to one of the intended victims.  Interestingly, the author actually gives us a list of who the intended victims are, as the killer has written a sort of diary of his little hobby, and lists them there for the reader.  We get an occasional glimpse into what he’s thinking and a sense of what motivates him.

By the time we get to chapter 15, one of the victims is already history, and Fiona’s husband, Kit Martin, is already being stalked.  Fiona has thoroughly rattled Kit by disclosing her opinion that the murder of the other writer shows indications that it was aimed at writers of Kit’s kind and that there may very well be a serial killer behind it.  The killer sees Kit’s discomfort, observing him at a party and wonders about it.  Why does Kit take Fiona’s theories to heart?  Tracking down serial murderers is what she does.  The action in Toledo centers on her helping the local police and experts from Madrid with a set of two murders which have been committed there, apparently connected to the tourist trade so important to that city.  Her use of a computer program she developed for that purpose and her previous successes with it have given her a reputation among law enforcement and experience which the Spanish agencies are putting to good use.

The writing here is good, solid work, with mild Scottish and/or English idiomatic phrasing sprinkled throughout, marred only occasionally by clichés.  For instance, “’Your average man in the pub thinks it’s cheating to set people up when you haven’t got your evidence the straight way.’  ‘Don’t mince your words, Kit, tell us what you really think…’”  Even if Kit really had been holding back his true feelings or speaking heatedly, this cliché has long been recognized as a groaner.  Also, “’Yeah, right, I can see myself writing the definitive Spanish serial killer thriller.’  ‘Why not?  It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.’”  Yikes.  I have to wonder if an American editor would have nixed these.

But overall, I the story is very satisfying so far; a “real page-turner” as the newspaper critics love to say, themselves often guilty of worse clichés than they criticize the authors for.  And at 600 pages, it had better continue to be, to hold my interest until the end!





Next Week:  Chapters 15-29
Week 3:  Chapters 30-43
Week 4:  Chapters 44-Epilogue