1989

Allie Burns, Book 2

By: Val McDermid

Narrated by: Katie Leung

Hailed as Britain’s Queen of Crime, Val McDermid’s award-winning, internationally bestselling novels have captivated readers for over three decades. The second novel in McDermid’s newest series, 1989 is a full-body immersion in a world gone by, and a constant reminder of how history determines the present.

It’s 1989 and journalist Allie Burns is growing up. Older and maybe wiser than the hustling young hack we met in 1979, she’s running the northern news operation of the Sunday Globe, chafing at losing her role in investigative journalism and at the descent into the gutter of the UK tabloid media. But there’s plenty to keep her occupied. The year begins with the memorial service for the victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, but Allie has barely filed her copy when she stumbles over a story about HIV/AIDS that will shock her into a major change of direction. The world of newspapers is undergoing a revolution, there’s skullduggery in the medical research labs and seismic rumblings behind the Iron Curtain. When murder is added to this potent mix, Allie will be called upon to chase a story that will take her further afield than she’d ever planned, and force her to question all her old certainties.

A riveting thrill ride of a novel from a captivating new series, 1989 confirms internationally bestselling author Val McDermid as one of crime fiction’s true masters.

©2022 Val McDermid (P)2022 W.F. Howes Ltd

A perfect story!

In my opinion this is the most exciting and amazing story by Val McDermid. So glad that I am only roughly halfway through her prolific writing so looking forward to more of her books ahead.

Berlin du alter Junkie!

I was there then and this transported me back to my Berlin. A good story and as always with Val, perfectly crafted. Hillsborough made me gasp out loud at the memory. I don’t like Alli Burns or those journalists who write stories to sell papers and ruin people’s lives . Böll wrote anough about that with Katharina and the Bild Zeitung. But the story is fabulous and not putdownable. On a side note, women were no longer called Fräulein except as a putdown in 1989.
A great read!

Well worth your time

From Lockerbie to Germany … everything is packed in here. The top 40 songs at the end list…wow! Katie Leung is superb!

Not up to previous efforts

I am a long time fan and while this story had many excellent points, the author became a bit heavy handed with her social agenda and careless with syntax. Unfortunately, this took the form of nearly identical sentences used to frequently describe both the relationships of the heroine and of the villains. These shortcomings, in the words of author John Gardner, “interrupted the dream.”

Became more engaging as the story progressed

Loved the reader. The story itself felt a bit bloated in the beginning but it gets sharper and more interesting about halfway through.

Disappointing End

The author did a lot of research and made sure the reader knew it. I liked 1979 so gave this a chance and finished it however at the end the main character makes a choice that wasn’t hers to make and decides letting someone get away with murder is ok if the victim is unlikeable. If not for the end I would have given 3 stars. I The narration is excellent