last outing for Lindsay? i hope not - Rated 
This is the latest in the Lindsay Gordon series. Although Ms Mcdermid is mainly known for her Tony Hill series this one is actually the first she ever published.
Quite a few years have gone by since the previous Gordon mystery was published and in this one Lindsay and her partner Sophie are back in Glasgow so Sophie can enhance her career. Lindsay is unemployed until she bumps into an up and coming journo, Rory, who is willing to give her a job due to being a long time fan.
The two of them get caught up in a case involving a child kidnapped from his parents. While trying to save him Rory and Lindsay's friendship threatens to become something more fuelled by trouble between Sophie and Lindsay.
The book is a very fine read. The personal lives of the characters are interesting and well written touching on important subjects while the mystery aspect is as good as any other McDermid book.
Definitely worth a read....
A Really Good Read - Rated
Val McDermid's Hostage to Murder is a really good read. The whole series has a life and vitality to it that is not easy to find. Each book is fresh and non-repetitive unlike many of the 'series' books that seem to be churned out robotically rather than by an author like Val McDermid who not only cares about her characters but also cares about her readers.
Lindsay Gordon is a great lead character and for me at least one of her most endearing characteristics is to act first and perhaps think about the consequences later + she doesn't always get it right. Hostage to Murder is fast paced to begin with and picks up speed page by page. The inclusion of a family member in a pivotal role is brilliant and adds to the realism that this excellent book gives to the reader. As a paperback original Hostage to Murder is a bargain. Actually with the amount you save versus a hardback you could buy at least another 2 of the series !! It would be money well spent.
great to have Lindsay back again - Rated
Although from the ending i get the distinct feeling that McDermid has written this as an end-of-the-line book for Lindsay Gordon, this one is as strong as the rest in the series, and anyone who likes the Lindsay Gordon books would be well advised to pick Hostage to Murder up. (If you're not an established fan already, though, you may do well to start at the beginning, with Report for Murder, otherwise this may well not quite be for you...) It's not a typical murder-mystery book this time, more of a thriller. After returning from her life in America, shortly after getting a job as a freelancer Lindsay finds herself in the middle of a kidnapping - of a child by his estranged father. This leads to all sorts of shennanigins, including a dangerous snatch-back operation which will take Lindsay and her partner all the way to the frozen north, St Petersburg, which McDermid renders admirably. This is a well-written, enjoyable book. It's not as "major" as her other works, such as A Place of Execution, Killing the Shadows, or her Tony Hill series, but it is still very very enjoyable. Lindsay is good company, and there are some great developments in her personal life with this book - if this is indeed the end, I shall be sad to see her go. (p.s. I am sure that the "insemination scene", as i cal it, will go down in history!)
I Loved It..... - Rated 
I enjoyed the other books by Val with the Lindsay Gordon character and i was excited to to finally be able to get another book with this character after a long wait.
In this book Lindsay seems more grown up and facing a mid life crisis. I think it focus's more on Lindsay's personal life than the other books and i enjoyed getting to know the character more, as well as getting gripped by the plot. Though I must admit the plot was second best to the personal decisions lindsay had to make in her love life. I really enjoyed this book and for the price you can't go far wrong.If you like to follow a character through her personal/love life this book is a must but if you by crime/thrillers for the plot alone and hope to figure who done maybe this isn't the right one for you. As for me It left me wanting more and i hope Val writes another Lindsay Gordon book soon and doesnt wait so long this time.
Welcome return for Lindsay Gordon - Rated
It's been several years since Val McDermid last wrote about the feisty Scottish journalist Lindsay Gordon, but it's been worth the wait. In the intervening years, McDermid has become a much more sophisticated story-teller, and it shows here. This isn't the traditional mystery style of the previous books -- it feels much more like a thriller, with real emotional dilemmas and a lot at stake. Lindsay is tested as never before, and the varied settings of the book -- Glasgow and St Petersburg -- are a fascinating backdrop. It's a lot lighter than her Tony Hill series, no gruesome torture or anything, but it's still a great read. Smart plotting, great writing and a lot of tension.
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