Book Log 2022 #14: 1979 by Val McDermid

One of Scotland's most prolific crime novelists, I was aware of McDermid but hadn't read any of her works before picking up this one. It's the first novel in a series featuring Allie Burns, a journalist who is trying to break into serious reporting while being shunted off on "women's stories" at her newspaper. She finds an ally in a male investigative reporter, they're able to complete stories about international tax fraud and a Scottish nationalist group that wants to create a local version of the IRA.

While these stories give Allie greater standing in the newsroom, they also make her a target for those who she might report on next. Amid this danger she also has to balance difficulties in her personal life, including her relationship with her parents and a woeful love life.

I've read more than one review for the book that called it "charming," citing its cultural references and nostalgic depiction of the time. McDermid noted in the introduction that she herself was a fledgling journalist in 1979, so I'd think there's a fair bit of autobiography that helps with the overall tone of the book. 

I don't have any point of reference between this book and McDermid's other works, so I can't say how it measures up against her other series, but I did like this quite a bit and look forward to future installments (which will be set in 10 year increments).