"Field of Blood" in the series "Paddy Meehan" by Denise Mina follows the story of Paddy Meehan, a junior journalist at the Scottish Daily News, who gets involved in investigating a gruesome crime where a toddler is murdered by two young boys, one of whom is related to her fiancé. As Paddy delves into the case, she navigates through the complexities of family relationships, work dynamics, and societal expectations in 1980s Glasgow. The narrative weaves together themes of police corruption, Catholicism, journalism, and the divide between Catholics and Protestants in the city, creating a rich and multi-layered story that captures the essence of the time period.
The writing style of Denise Mina is praised for its ability to vividly evoke the era just before the readers' teenage years, making the setting feel authentic and immersive. is commended for its well-developed protagonist, Paddy Meehan, who is portrayed as a unique and relatable character, grappling with personal and professional challenges while trying to uncover the truth behind the heinous crime. The narrative is described as engaging, with a focus on intricate details that enhance the reader's experience of the plot, characters, and the overall atmosphere of the story.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include graphic depictions of child murder and the psychological impact of violence.
Has Romance?
There is a medium presence of romance as Paddy navigates her personal relationships, particularly her engagement.
From The Publisher:
Set in Glasgow in 1981, a time of hunger strikes, riots and unemployment that decimated the old industrial heartlands, The Field of Blood is the first in the tense Paddy Meehan series from Scotland's princess of crime, Denise Mina.
The vicious murder of a young child provides rookie journalist Paddy Meehan with her first big break when the suspect turns out to be her fiance's 11-year old cousin. Launching her own investigation into the horrific crime, Paddy uncovers lines of deception deep in Glasgow's past, with more horrific crimes in the future if she fails to solve the mystery.
Infused with Mina's unique blend of dark humor, personal insights and social injustice, the story grips the reader while challenging our perceptions of childhood innocence, crime and punishment, and right or wrong.
What can you read after
Field of Blood?
About the Author:
Denise Mina is the author of the Garnethill trilogy, the Paddy Meehan series and the Alex Morrow series. She has won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award twice and was inducted into the Crime Writers' Association Hall of Fame in 2014. The Long Drop won the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2017 as well as the Gordon Burn Prize and was named by The Times as one of the top ten crime novels of the decade. Conviction was the co-winner of the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2019 and was selected for Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine Book Club. Denise has also written plays and graphic novels, and presented television and radio programmes. She lives and works in Glasgow.
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