1989

Ten years on and Allie Burns is working in Manchester as the northern news editor of the Sunday Globe, a newspaper in a chain of publications owned by Ace Lockhart. Her partner, Rona, is working as a freelance journalist. Meanwhile Allie investigates many of the main stories occuring in 1989 including the memorial service for those killed in the Lockerbie bombing, the Hillsborough Disaster and the search for a cure for HIV and AIDS in England and Scotland. The imminent break-up of the Soviet block into independent states is also a theme of the book.

When Allie investigates a story concerning a clinical trial with AIDS patients conducted by a drug company initially in England but then in East Germany, she heads off to Germany to find the full story and danger. Later, Ace Lockhart is found dead at his island retreat. Allie uncovers a story about Lockhart's past that leads to her learning about how and why he died and she must decide how much of the story should be revealed.

1989 by Val McDermid is a novel about corruption on a number of fronts. It also reminds us of major historical events that occurred in that year and still impact our lives today.