A Place of Execution

"When it comes to atmospheric, A Place of Execution by Val McDermid takes the prize. The setting is very bleak, with a lot of action taking place in a tiny, closed community in Derbyshire with grey stone houses and a bleak, hilly backdrop. The book was first published in 1999, but was reissued this year, which is why I bought it for my pile of books to be considered for best of 2020 crime fiction (by the time I realized it wasn’t officially 2020 it was too late). It takes you into the past, the 1960s, which I really enjoyed, especially since this is a period when McDermid was around (though very young). In an interview I heard her say that the inspiration for A Place of Execution came when she moved to Derbyshire in 1979—a place of limestone peaks and narrow, twisting vales. It felt to her like a place with secrets, where anything could happen. Again, I don’t want to say much about the plot but yes, the worst does happen."