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  • The Distant Echo

  • By: Val McDermid
  • Narrated by: Tom Cotcher
  • Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (198 ratings)

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The Distant Echo cover art

The Distant Echo

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Tom Cotcher
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Publisher's Summary

On a freezing morning four drunken students stumble upon the body of a woman in the snow. Rosie has been raped, stabbed and left for dead in a cemetery. The only suspects are the four young men now stained with her blood.

Twenty-five years later the police mount a cold-case review of Rosie’s unsolved murder, and the four are still suspects. But when two of them die in suspicious circumstances, it seems that someone is pursuing their own brand of justice....

©2003 Val McDermid (P)2004 Recorded Books Inc

Critic Reviews

"A classic.… McDermid pulls out all the stops. Impeccable." ( Guardian)
"A few more sly, old-fashioned whodunits like this and she’ll join the sturdy ranks of the queens of crime, on course to become Dame Val or Baroness McDermid." ( Sunday Times)

What listeners say about The Distant Echo

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
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Keeps you guessing ...

Really enjoyed the tension in this story. A number of threads - a number of possibilities. But all come together in the end with an unexpected finish.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

Really enjoyed this book. Kept me guessing almost to the end. Well read by Tom Cotcher

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed the book after a slow start

Overall I enjoyed this. It took me awhile to get into it though. I had a strong suspicion of the killers identity early on but it was still gripping as there were different threads brought in along the way. I kept waiting for the detective Karen to feature as it is supposed to be the first in her series, but she was never more than a mention

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good book

Great story line keep you guessing till the end. Must read more from this author

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, as always

kept me wondering to the end, well written.
looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly engrossing

Excellent thriller, with great characterisation and clever twists and turns. Kept me guessing right till the end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable Listen.

Believable plot, good pace, couldn’t guess the outcome. I liked the friendships and how you saw the character growth.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Star story

Utterly riveting, captivating and well researched , could not bear to stop listening, finished in two days!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly Enjoyable Series Start

Not sure why it’s book one in the Karen Purie series as she really doesn’t feature at all. Almost as if the author is introducing her to see what readers think. You really don’t get to know her at all. I picked the murderer early on but even so I found this very enjoyable and

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story and narration

This book had me from the first chapter and I hated having to put it down. Excellent narration and I’m looking forward to the next one. I had guessed the murderer but it seemed too obvious so I had to keep listening.

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  • Clive Byerley
  • 12-07-2021

Paint Drying is Better

Boring, slow and tedious. A great disappointment. Not good enough.
Give this on a miss.

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  • Janet
  • 07-03-2017

Absorbing story with good characters

Listening in the kitchen for an hour a day, I gradually got absorbed into the story, the lives and the places. There were several distinct characters, but not too many to become overwhelming. The storyline twists and turns and is ambushed by sudden new events. The narrator was perfect - different voices for different characters. Words quite distinct with a lovely Scottish accent. I looked forward to my listening time each day. I am a new convert to Val McDermid.

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68 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • S. Christie
  • 28-07-2016

Wonderful novel which is so well narrated

Loved this novel, like most I have read by this very talented author. This one was superbly narrated by Tom Cotcher. I loved the fact that the book, set in Fife where I grew up, was narrated by a Scot. Seemed to make the story all the more believable for me. Loved at the suspense and mystery that this novel creates and, surprisingly, I didn't see the final twist coming which improved this novels enjoyment for me. I have downloaded many of Val McDermid's novels, and almost all I have very much enjoyed. A recommended read.

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53 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Edward Smith
  • 01-03-2017

Well written, great ending

Would you listen to The Distant Echo again? Why?

I really enjoyed The Distant Echo. The story was interesting and kept me listening late into the night, well past my bedtime! I don't typically re-read (or listen again) to my books, but there would be nothing to keep me from it. I really enjoyed it! The twisted ending blew my socks off!

What did you like best about this story?

The development of the characters from young men in university to grown men with careers, wives, and children. The end of the story was shocking to me, and it's hard to catch me out. I usually have the "whodunit" figured out by the conclusion. I didn't with this book!

What about Tom Cotcher’s performance did you like?

His accent. Otherwise, I didn't really enjoy his performance. I thought his various voices of the main characters were strange--especially Rev."Weird."

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, neither. It just kept me on the edge of my seat.

Any additional comments?

I'm going for the next book in the series now.

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32 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Amazon Customer
  • 10-12-2016

Fantastic story - narrator could be better!

The story was nothing less than I've come to expect from Val McDermid - fantastic.
Unfortunately the narrator ruined it in parts for me. He would slip into a Scottish accent when speaking for someone American and sometimes not switch from one characters voice to another when he should have - making it slightly confusing to keep up. There were a couple of times where I had to re-listen to bits to work out exactly who was speaking.

I wouldn't let that put me off listening to one of Val McDermid's books read by him again but I feel it needs to be pointed out.

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • OZNZRAFT
  • 02-01-2017

Unbelievable

Vintage VM,but there is a big hole in the conclusion, read and you decide,worthwhile
Gripping till the last

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27 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Maryb
  • 21-08-2016

Val McDermid never fails.

Great writing with a very surprising ending. Audio was very good - nice voice - but some of the accents were a bit odd! Overall very enjoyable.

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25 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Ellie
  • 19-10-2016

A solid listen.

I really enjoyed this book. The narrator has a lovely tone and it works well with the story. Lots of twists to keep you interested.

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23 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • JOANNE ROBINSON
  • 23-12-2016

Slow start

Great book. Thought the beginning was a bit strange with only 4 characters but second half if book was fabulous and kept me gripped.

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20 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • AB
  • 04-05-2017

Very good...if a little predictable..

Any additional comments?

The Distant Echo is, on the whole, a very enjoyable 'whodunit'.
The story centres around a murder that takes place in the 1970's, and the subsequent investigation that ensued. The story is then picked up 25 years later, with many questions still unanswered.
Tom Cotcher turns in a very accomplished performance.
It was a shame I had a good idea of who the perpetrator was fairly early on, but still, McDermind provides us with some great twists and turns along the way.
Highly recommended...

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12 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Amazon Customer
  • 27-01-2016

Entertaining Story<br />

Good book with engaging characters. Plenty of twists in the plot. Found some of the narration a bit banal and exaggerated for some of the characters. On the whole enjoyable. Not my favourite narrator.

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10 people found this helpful

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