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.

1979

1979 is the first book in a new series by Val McDermid featuring journalist, Allie Burns. Set in Glasgow, Allie has recently started working at the Daily Clarion and is trying to be accepted in this male dominated world. Allie is one of three female journalists at the paper and the only one working in the general news room. If she finds a lead to a good story it is passed on to one of her male colleagues and she is usually presented with a fluff piece to write instead.

Returning to Glasgow on the train after visiting her family she finds herself in the same carriage as fellow journalist, Danny Sullivan. As the train is stranded in a snow drift for some time, the two journalists have time to talk. Danny is also looking for a big scoop and is investigating a story involving major fraud that also has implications for his brother. Allie agrees to help him and the resulting story and court case help raise Allie's profile slightly in the office.

Meanwhile Allie has been attending meetings of fringe groups relating to the forthcoming Scottish Devolution Referendum and, when she discovers a possible terrorist threat, Danny becomes involved in the initial investigation before they take the story to the editor and to the police. Little do they realise the dangerous world they are entering.

 As an aside, in 1965 my father arranged for me to have an interview with a sub-editor of a major newspaper about working in newspapers. This gentleman made it quite clear that he was only talking to me because he respected my father's writing. He also assumed that, if I became a journalist, I would work on the womens pages of a newspaper. He was not impressed when I said that I would want to work on general news stories. Needless to say I made a different career choice.  

Anyway I look forward to the next to the next installment in this series as Allie strives to be accepted as a professional journalist.