Ayoh - Shop now
$7.97 with 69 percent savings
List Price: $26.00
$4.99 delivery Friday, June 6. Details
Or fastest delivery June 3 - 5. Details
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$7.97 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$7.97
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
musicogswell books & more
musicogswell books & more
Ships from
musicogswell books & more
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Val McDermid
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Broken Ground: A Karen Pirie Novel (Karen Pirie Novels, 5) Hardcover – December 4, 2018

by Val McDermid (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 9,400 ratings
Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$7.97","priceAmount":7.97,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"97","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"lRaWsABs7jqsNCeXRnuV7dNRwiObQ%2BNbGHy6R1cktUlUAVRtAu%2BqZ6rQagZLF6CitpVlbhSm2vWz2c04c7kT%2FD3bt%2BJlXpZVybDn%2FXDPIyFPB%2Fe02mHvnKnUwY4niQffIeqv2ZbDrbEDHlTQtDIlTgRcTqMz9Lihf%2Bftk53WAspH7X4eh%2FSehQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Internationally bestselling author Val McDermid is one of our finest crime writers, and her gripping, masterfully plotted novels have garnered millions of readers from around the globe. In Broken Ground, cold case detective Karen Pirie faces her hardest challenge yet.

Six feet under in a Highland peat bog lies Alice Somerville’s inheritance, buried by her grandfather at the end of World War II. But when Alice finally uncovers it, she finds an unwanted surprise―a body with a bullet hole between the eyes. Meanwhile, DCI Pirie is called in to unravel a case where nothing is quite as it seems. And as she gets closer to the truth, it becomes clear that not everyone shares her desire for justice. Or even the idea of what justice is.

An engrossing, twisty thriller, Broken Ground reaffirms Val McDermid’s place as one of the best crime writers of her generation.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 5 of 8
    Karen Pirie Novels
  2. Print length
    432 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Atlantic Monthly Press
  5. Publication date
    December 4, 2018
  6. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0802129129
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0802129123
Next slide of product details
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Broken Ground: A Karen Pirie Novel (Karen Pirie Novels, 5)
This item: Broken Ground: A Karen Pirie Novel (Karen Pirie Novels, 5)
$7.97
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by musicogswell books & more.
+
Still Life: A Karen Pirie Novel (Karen Pirie Novels, 6)
$9.84
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jun 3
Only 6 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Union Station Store and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
Out of Bounds: A Karen Pirie Novel (Karen Pirie Novels, 4)
$17.02
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jun 4
Only 1 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Broken Ground

“Pirie is a satisfyingly wry and hard-edged character, and McDermid’s dry tone heightens the growing suspense.”―Guardian (UK)

“Val McDermid’s DCI Karen Pirie is a realistic figure, rooted in research and acting in accordance with the law. She is one of McDermid’s most appealing sleuths . . . McDermid writes with warmth and authority, building Karen’s cases with conviction and making the reader root for her in every possible way. You know you’re in safe hands from the first page.”―BookOxygen

“This is Val McDermid, so it will be both gripping and unputdownable.”―The Bookseller (UK)

“Val McDermid seamlessly weaves multiple mysteries, modern forensics, and old grudges into one story that practically trembles from the narrative tension. Broken Ground is another smart procedural from an expert of the form.”―Kristen Lepionka, author of the Roxane Weary mystery series

“There’s a reason readers around the world look forward to a new book by the ‘queen of crime’ and Val McDermid’s legions of fans will not be disappointed with this one… McDermid never puts a foot wrong. Her prose is so clear and engaging, this is a book that will keep you turning pages. Like Pirie, you will be hungry for just that one more bit of evidence.”―Crime Fiction Lover

“McDermid’s novels about cold cases have solid plots and fascinating forensic detail.”―Sunday Times (UK)

Praise for Out of Bounds:

“A thriller as steely and superlative as its heroine” ―O, The Oprah Magazine

“Tightly plotted . . . McDermid applies her formidable intelligence and muscular style to the kind of urban crime novel that gives Scotland its tough rep and vigorous lingo . . . It’s the brawny characters and their beefy dialect that really keep us coming back to this superior series.”― New York Times Book Review

“No one writes sturdier mysteries than Val McDermid.”― Chicago Tribune

“There are few other crime writers in the same league as Val McDermid. Her stories are ingeniously plotted, moody . . . Absorbing . . . It’s Karen’s character that’s the enduring draw of this series . . . Out of Bounds is another terrific and intricate suspense novel by a writer who has given us 30 of them.”― Washington Post

“[McDermid] balances the intense character studies in Out of Bounds with an inside view of the Scottish legal system and again shows her acuity in producing intelligent thrillers.” ―Associated Press

“McDermid gives us the female heroine that doesn’t fit the mould, and in the best way.”― National Post (Canada)

“None is more deserving of the queen-of-crime mantle than Val McDermid . . . I would like to see a great deal more of DCI Pirie.”― Irish Times

About the Author

Val McDermid’s best-selling novels have won the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year Award, and the Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger and Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement. She is also a multiple finalist for the Edgar Award and author of the Edgar Nominee for Fact Crime Forensics.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atlantic Monthly Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 4, 2018
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802129129
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802129123
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  • Book 5 of 8 ‏ : ‎ Karen Pirie Novels
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 9,400 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Val McDermid

Val McDermid

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Val McDermid is a number one bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than forty languages, and have sold over eighteen million copies. She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009, was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger in 2010 and received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award in 2011. In 2016, Val received the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and in 2017 received the DIVA Literary Prize for Crime, and was elected a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Val has served as a judge for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Man Booker Prize, and was Chair of the Wellcome Book Prize in 2017. She is the recipient of six honorary doctorates and is an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda’s College, Oxford. She writes full-time and divides her time between Edinburgh and East Neuk of Fife.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
9,400 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers praise this mystery novel for its engaging plot with multiple storylines running simultaneously and many twists. The book features strong female characters and is well-written, with one customer noting the detailed descriptions of place names and expressions. Customers find it fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

35 customers mention "Storyline"25 positive10 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, praising its strong mysteries and multiple plot threads running simultaneously.

"...Love the short chapters and dating of them, made the book fast-paced, but easy to follow. Can't wait to learn more about Hamish...." Read more

"...Strong characters and strong mysteries. If you haven't made the acquaintance of Karen Pirie, I strongly recommend that you do so...." Read more

"A great book with a terrible ending--really no ending" Read more

"...Well written and did not give away the culprit too soon...." Read more

26 customers mention "Readability"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable and consider it part of an excellent series.

"Another great book from Val McDermid in the Karen Pirie series...." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book, and want to buy the previous ones about Karen Pirie...." Read more

"This is the first book I have read in this series and thoroughly enjoyed it. Well written and did not give away the culprit too soon...." Read more

"A great book with a terrible ending--really no ending" Read more

18 customers mention "Writing quality"18 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting it is well written and easy to read, with one customer highlighting the author's excellent use of words and another appreciating the detailed descriptions of place names and expressions.

"...short chapters and dating of them, made the book fast-paced, but easy to follow. Can't wait to learn more about Hamish...." Read more

"...Well written and did not give away the culprit too soon...." Read more

"Got hooked almost immediately the description of the people place and how cold cases are resolved was fascinating,great story,keep them coming love..." Read more

"...More good news is that McDermid is a prolific writer, so there are 40+ books to choose from once you're hooked." Read more

17 customers mention "Character development"17 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, particularly noting the strong female characters and Karen Pirie's portrayal.

"...There's enough going on with the characters to keep readers occupied, but the two cases the HCU is working on are compelling, too...." Read more

"...The characters were well drawn, and I enjoyed spending time with them...." Read more

"...The characters were well developed and I did not feel that I was missing something by not having read previous books in the series...." Read more

"Kept my interest from start to finish. Well developed characters and dealing with several plots, each separated enough to follow, was great fun....." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book.

"...Love the short chapters and dating of them, made the book fast-paced, but easy to follow. Can't wait to learn more about Hamish...." Read more

"This is a very fast moving book and I liked it. The only thing that put me off a little was the way Alice was sort of just written out of the book...." Read more

"Fast-paced, thrilling, kept me engaged the whole way through! I love this character." Read more

Val McDermid at her best!
4 out of 5 stars
Val McDermid at her best!
I love the Karen Pirie series. This book has a defective page, 183/184, that is shorter than the rest of the pages in the book. It sticks out at the top.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • B Nash
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great story featuring the trials and triumphs of Karen Pirie
    Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Another great book from Val McDermid in the Karen Pirie series. Glad to see that Karen is moving on through her grief and Jason is progressing as her investigative partner. They investigate 3 different, complex crimes and take a trip through history, told from various viewpoints. Love the short chapters and dating of them, made the book fast-paced, but easy to follow. Can't wait to learn more about Hamish. Love the Scottish-ness of the book, as I am American, but it seems so true. McDermid does a great job of making you feel Karen's emotions, so you hate who she hates and get anxious when she does. Karen's boss is a real piece of work, but definitely reflects the world we live in. Can't wait to read the next Pirie story. Highly recommend this series as well as the Tony Hill series by Val McDermid.
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Cathy G. Cole
    4.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite series
    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Val McDermid's Karen Pirie series continues to be one of my favorites. Pirie is a bastion in the Harry Bosch School of Policing. In Broken Ground, she says "My ambition is to clear cases that everybody else has given up on. To give answers to people that have been waiting way too long to find out who blew a hole in their lives and why." That makes her just the type of character most crime fiction fans love.

    Karen Pirie will succeed, no matter what it takes, and if it means she'll lose her job... so be it. This makes her a bitter pill to swallow for those above her who pay more attention to spreadsheets and the bottom line cost of things, and her boss is determined to get rid of her no matter how high her clearance rate is.

    There are only two people in the Historic Cases Unit (HCU): Karen and a young Detective Constable known as The Mint. The Mint isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but Karen prefers to work with him as a known entity rather than deal with the unknown... who joins the unit as DS Gerry McCartney, a man who doesn't understand the mission of such a unit nor does he want to. One of the things I like so much about this series is that The Mint isn't mere comic relief. He's a good-natured young man who wants to do a good job, and he is getting better. How? He's "channeling" Karen's deceased partner and Karen herself-- and it's working. Good role models do make a difference.

    There's enough going on with the characters to keep readers occupied, but the two cases the HCU is working on are compelling, too. And that's par for the course in this series. Strong characters and strong mysteries. If you haven't made the acquaintance of Karen Pirie, I strongly recommend that you do so. Start at the beginning with the award-winning The Distant Echo.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Ictkaren
    5.0 out of 5 stars The first I have read by Val McDermid, but not the last
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book, and want to buy the previous ones about Karen Pirie. I started looking for the previous ones before I finishes this one. The characters were well drawn, and I enjoyed spending time with them. I am suffering on the fourth day of a sinus infection, but this book kept me reading with pauses only for more cough drops. No tv, no audible book, no playing games, just Scotland and the police.
    Helpful
     Report
  • NativeTexan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very good police procedural with strong female lead
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first book I have read in this series and thoroughly enjoyed it. Well written and did not give away the culprit too soon. The characters were well developed and I did not feel that I was missing something by not having read previous books in the series. I would really rate it a 4.5.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Got hooked almost immediately the description of the people place and how cold cases are resolved was fascinating,great story,keep them coming love Karen
    Helpful
     Report
  • Pam
    3.0 out of 5 stars not as expected
    Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A great book with a terrible ending--really no ending
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • oldladyblues
    5.0 out of 5 stars A real gem of a story.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Kept my interest from start to finish. Well developed characters and dealing with several plots, each separated enough to follow, was great fun.. look forward to next read!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • BCG
    4.0 out of 5 stars If only she could use “then” correctly
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I quite enjoyed the layout and the story of this novel. I deducted 1 star because of the repeated misuse of “then”. If you know the rules of grammar, this misuse slows you down, which is annoying.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Malcolm Palmer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Broken Ground
    Reviewed in Spain on March 20, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Ms McDermid never fails - very good plot, with the usual wealth of detail and human interest
    Report
  • Amazons Customers
    5.0 out of 5 stars "Broken Ground" by Val McDermid
    Reviewed in Germany on November 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Every bit as good as any of her earlier novels. Gripping from start to finish!
    Report
  • gp7392
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent Karen Pirie Book!
    Reviewed in Canada on March 10, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I have loved all the books in this series but I feel that they have been getting better as the series went on, so I'm very disappointed that this is the last one in the series. I'm sure I will read other books by Val McDermid but I would definitely like more of this particular series. My only critique of this particular book is that it seemed as if the ending was rushed. Sometimes books in this genre (by any author) can overdo the finale and aftermath which can be irritating; however, this book felt to me as if the author ran out of time at the very end. That might just be my disappointment at the book (and series) coming to an end, and overall I loved this book.
    Edit: I just realized that there is a sixth book! Not sure why I got the impression there were only 5. Hopefully the sixth isn't the last!
    Report
  • Kelvin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent, gripping story with several crimes to solve. Karen Pirie is a very believable character although not sure about her boss, rather over the top.
    Report
  • 🐭 Miki101.Micha
    4.0 out of 5 stars DCI Karen Pirie is once again in search of...
    Reviewed in Italy on February 17, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    .. closure for a murder victim that has been in the ground since the summer of 1995. A treasure hunt goes bad when the two brand new motorcycles from 1944 known with collectors as "Indians" are unburied - but they are having a companion. A young and very muscular man - perfectly preserved because of the peat bog - is found and he was murdered. Now a painstakingly slow investigation starts, but the new Chief of DCI Pirie and her HCU is a woman that has an agenda all of her own. Karen seems to have gotten on the wrong side of her. Why? We will know about that much later. And it wasn't even her who gave her a NO for an answer that did not go down very well with Markie AKA "Dog Bisquit" - the moniker of the Woman in Command. A new detective is inserted into the HCU team, but it is clear from the beginning that the poor guy is Markie's lapdog. He has to discover how Piriw runs 'her little Kingdom' and why she can obviously do what she wants. Oh yeah - hello hath no fury... Only that Karen hasn't the foggiest idea about all that animosity from her superior. The historical investigation drags along,
    But in the meantime a very hideous crime is obviously committed by a woman Pirie had overheard talking about her violent husband with her friend. And she had that Willow warned to do nothing wrong, and Dandy - the best friend - was informed to be very careful, too. Now Dandy is dead, Mr Willow - the husband is between life and death in a hospital and Willow mimes the poor victim. Only that DCI Pirie overhears the colloqium - and she had informed her colleague Phil says before about Willow' maybe not quite rightful intentions to keep house and children. She is a cold fish, that one - and both Phil and Karen will do everything to bring her to a trial. Murder a best friend to accuse the husband, which was stabbed NINE times by poor lil' Willow! And it was self-defense! Speak of overkill - but the husband is still alive. And will stay that way. So it's he says, she says. But there will be a nice surprise, from the Reign of the Dead...
    At the very end all I's are dotted and all t's are crossed, with the help of Jason. And in the future there may be finally a new man in poor Karen's life.
    A well-woven story with a lot to investigate. The readers know sometimes a little bit more than the Police, because of some inserts from 1945 and later. Information that would come very useful to our Detectives, but have to be unearthed piece by piece. I liked this case very much, even if it is a lot less suspenseful than the series about Tony Hill. It is a totally different kind of work that HCU does. They give the Dead and their families closure and justice. Even after a long time...
    Report