The body of Jamie Auld is fished out of Scotland's Firth of Forth. Ten years prior, he was suspected of the murder of his brother, Ian Auld, a high-ranking government employee, and fled Scotland for France. DCI Karen Pirie of the Edinburgh Historic Crimes Unit is to determine if the two deaths are connected. She is also lead investigator on the case of the unidentified skeleton of a long-dead body found in a camper van stored in a garage. To solve these cold cases, Karen and her team travel between pre-Brexit international borders into France and Northern Ireland. Mindful that the cooperation from those authorities are a Brexit agreement away from disappearing, they still break protocol along the way. Meanwhile, Karen is dealing with the release of the man responsible for her lover's murder three years earlier, as well as distrusting a new relationship that began during her last cold case. VERDICT In the sixth in her "Karen Pirie" series (after Broken Ground), McDermid rewards readers with a timely and cracking good mystery that keeps the pages flying. New readers are brought up to speed and will join longtime fans cheering on the well-drawn characters.—Susan Santa, North Merrick Lib., NY

In Edgar finalist McDermid's cunningly crafted fifth novel featuring Det. Chief Insp. Karen Pirie (after 2018's Broken Ground), the Historic Cases Unit head is working to identify skeletal remains found in a Perth garage when Asst. Chief Constable Ann Markie of Police Scotland intervenes. After a decade on the lam, James Auld—a suspect in the disappearance of his older brother, senior civil servant Iain Auld—was fished from the Firth of Forth with his skull bashed in. Pirie is familiar with the elder Auld's cold case, and the local cops are too inexperienced to run a high-profile homicide investigation, so Markie orders Pirie to reopen the former and commandeer the latter. Pirie grudgingly complies after delegating the skeleton to her protégé, Det. Constable Jason Murray, who promises frequent updates. Meanwhile, Pirie struggles to set relationship boundaries with her new boyfriend, Hamish Mackenzie. McDermid expertly balances the book's multiple mysteries, giving none short shrift. Vividly sketched characters, a colorful narrative, and myriad twists keep the pages turning, despite a somewhat leisurely pace. McDermid continues her reign as queen of the police procedural. Agent: Jane Gregory, David Higham Assoc. (U.K.). (Oct.)