Stranded
Flambard Press May 2005
Out in the US May 2005. St Martin's Press
A new collection of short-stories from the leading contemporary
crime-writer, with a foreword by Ian Rankin.
'There are stories here which will make you shudder, and which
will linger long in the mind.' - Ian Rankin
'Val McDermid is a roaring Ferrari amid the crowded traffic
on the crime-writing road.' Independent
'She's the best we've got.' - New York Times
White nights of passion and revenge in St Petersburg. A bingo-hall
tyrant trapped by masked intruders. The sleazy flipside of the international
publishing scene. An author succumbing to the deadly lure of cybersex.
Stranded demonstrates yet again the scope of Val McDermid's imagination,
her versatility as a stylist and her immense powers as a storyteller.
As well as McDermid's popular series character, private eye Kate
Brannigan, this diverse collection contains narrative voices, both
female and male, from different continents and an eclectic range
of backgrounds. McDermid has chosen the short-story form to probe
not only the motivations of the criminal underworld but also the
nature of crime itself, all the time playing with crime-writing
and pushing it to its limits. There are even occasions where McDermid
defies the genre altogether and the collection is framed by two
stories that show a writer exploring fresh territory.
Grit, sex, glamour, intrigue and unexpected turns: Stranded is a
showcase of trademark McDermid that will strike a few surprising
chords amongst even her most devoted readers.
