The Mermaids Singing (Dr. Tony Hill & Carol Jordan Mysteries)

The Good: The Mermaids Singing starts off well and feels like a good read. The killers narrative works out fine and hooks you early. Unfortunately as the book progresses it shows its age and in the end fails horribly. The book is about a psychological profiler and perhaps that alone made it interesting in 1995. Unfortunately nearly ten years later I needed more.

The Bad: I will put forth no spoilers here but I will say there is little build up to the ending and it is over in a blink of an eye. I felt like Val needed to have the book done by 400 pages and she wrapped it up just before she over shot the mark.

I love how she references Silence of the Lambs more than once and then liberally borrows plot points from it.

Bottom Line: Read Manhunter and Silence of the Lambs both are way more fun.

This book only had one significant moment, after which the whole purposefully gory crime was a piece of cake! The so called " profiling" of the culprit had no significance for the plot whatsoever, and the characters served only the meagre task of filling space and creating more trivial content.

There was nothing good to write about the bread'q it was gummy. Had to toast it twicet to make palable.it cost $19.98 per loafers.I ordered one loaf shipped And billed for 2. Too darn expensive
Sticks to you teeth and did taste like sour dough bread

Embarassed to admit this, but The Mermaids Singing is my first Val McDermid book. Now I see why she's earned the title Queen of Crime. Written in 1995, The Mermaids Singing takes place before the ubiquitousness of mobile phones and criminal profilers. (Crazy to think entire series now are based on criminal profilers and their importance, though Tony Hill had to "fight" to be taken seriously by the police. Though I lived through it myself, it is funny to remember the time when people had beepers alert them when to call someone. At any rate, it was an interesting book that I think today might spark a bit of backlash for its transphobic undertone. It's also not for the light-hearted as there are graphic torture and sex scenes. I listened to the audio version of the book and found the killer's accent a bit silly, but that's just me. The story itself is unique and unusual. Tony is a sympathetic character and Carol is a strong female on the overly masculine police force. I'm looking forward to reading more of The Queen's crime novels.

The first Dr. Tony Hill & DI Carol Jordan series book from author Val McDermid, "The Mermaids Singing", is a compelling intense thriller packed with suspense. Written in 1995, the book is now a bit dated given that criminal profiling has become vital while chasing serial killers. Also given the rise of shows on American television such as, "Criminal Minds", 1995 is the era this science started to explode world wide. At first not realizing that Hill/ Jordan was a series, I'd read the second book several months ago. That book, "The Wire In The Blood", was an exciting five star thriller. So I had to go back to first book to see how this series evolves. A serial killer is loose in Bradfield. With four kills to his credit he's been dubbed "The Queer Killer", by the local PD. Since all of his four victims seem to be gay men still very much hidden in the closet. Dr. Tony Hill is brought in to work up a profile of this killer to assist police in searching for the culprit. Hill is tasked with working closely with DI. Carol Jordan in solving these murders. At first the police are investigating all four murders separately. Refusing to believe it's the work of one serial killer. Hill quickly puts together an analysis to show police how killer is working and why. Hill decides to tag this killer as "Handy Andy" instead of "The Queer Killer". Hill's research shows police why it's better to use one name over the other for purposes of the case. Meanwhile Hill is receiving phone calls at home from a mystery woman named Angelica. Angelica has a crush on Hill, and loves to work Hill into a frenzy with explicit sexual language. After the fourth victim turns out to be a "Bobbie", the pressure intensifies to get this killer. Finally a suspect is found and arrested. Stevie McConnell has been linked with all four victims and locked up while police try to gather evidence. However McConnell is a red herring and is badly beaten in jail before committing suicide. With the assistance of reporter Penny Burgess in helping to smoke out the real killer, the police seem to be finally on the right track. At just over 440 fast paced pages flying by, this yarn is a high octane read. The plot itself had several pretty interesting twists to keep reader wondering when killer will be exposed. I just knew the conclusion had to be something out of the ordinary. As expected the surprises at the conclusion were really out of left field too. Without question Hill and Jordan are very strong protagonists which help keep the story moving forward with intensity and suspense. Not to be overlooked the supporting characters add some lively variety to the plot. The book at times did seem a bit dated which slowed my reading up just slightly. However I though it was a very enjoyable story to get lost into. Author Val McDermid is certainly a master story teller without question. Having read several of her books now, they are truly special. I'm giving, "The Mermaids Singing", four stars out of a possible five stars. The first book of a pretty good series. Please check this one out, as well as the series itself.

After finishing Mapp and Lucia a while back, I felt in need of murder and mayhem. I can't say I've ever felt that before; I don't remember ever hating one book's characters enough to want to go read graphic descriptions of a serial killer's work. Although the demographic being murdered in The Mermaids Singing was completely different from that I had a wished death on in M&L, it still hit the spot.

That sounds a bit twisted, doesn't it…

It hit the spot surprisingly well, in fact. Maybe I've watched too much "Criminal Minds" and "Walking Dead" and so on over the years (and Wire in the Blood); maybe I've become jaded. Because this was beyond all doubt graphic. I usually do avoid this subsection of the genre, but back when Netflix still included streaming video with all subscriptions I stumbled on and became a huge fan of "The Wire in the Blood", and being as this is what that was based on, I wanted more of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan.

And that's exactly what I got. As it turns out, the first episode of the TV series was a remarkably faithful adaptation of this first book. Happily, I saw it long enough ago that details had faded, and my memory is bad enough that the end wasn't spoiled.

This isn't one of the sporting class of murder mysteries, where the clues are planted throughout the story for the clever and attentive reader to pick up and put together. This is pure procedural, with the coppers both dreading and hoping for the next victim of the serial killer on the loose: dreading, for obvious reasons, and anticipating in hopes that with a new body will come more data toward finding the killer. Intercut with the personal and professional lives of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan and their colleagues are journal entries from the killer, shadowing the timeline without giving away any real detail about the killer except how contact was made with the victims.

But it all really comes down to those two, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. They're terrific characters. I don't know that I'm quite jaded enough to pursue the book series - but it's good to know it's out there.

The Mermaids Singing is Val McDermid’s first in a series of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan novels, and I must confess that I have mixed feelings about this one. It is certainly well written and is, without a doubt, a fascinating combination of police procedural and psychological thriller.

Men are being murdered in the fictional city of Bradfield, England, and their mutilated bodies are being dumped in the Temple Fields area where the gay bars are located. After the third body is found, Assistant Chief Constable John Brandon does what Detective Superintendent Tom Cross will not – he admits, as many have believed all along, that these heinous acts were committed by one person, and he calls upon the Home Office’s profiler, Tony Hill, to consult on the case.

Hill is paired with Detective Inspector Carol Jordan, and this proves to be a good match, in many ways. If only…. If only DS Cross weren’t determined to make it difficult to accept Hill being on the team. Fortunately, Brandon wins that round… If only there weren’t so much attraction between the Tony and Carol… if only Tony didn’t have problems with dysfunction when it came to relationships with women.

Speaking of dysfunction – the killer has it in spades. The person is not named, but we see what happens to the victims through the journal that the killer keeps, beginning before the first murder. Dr. Hill enters the story after the third killing, which is where we pick up the police action, so we have some catching up to do with the killer’s thoughts and actions. This person is intelligent and extremely careful, planning everything in minute detail so as not to leave behind any evidence. Lonely? Of course. Delusional? Yes. Sadistic? Absolutely.

That is where the tug-of-war tears at my feelings about this book. I know that The Mermaids Singing won the Macallan Gold Dagger for Fiction in 1995, but I have to add a caveat here. Those who do not wish to read about torture and mutilation may want to skip over the killer’s sections of the book, or perhaps forego reading this one altogether. Ms. McDermid has painted this individual with a very sick and twisted psyche, and there were times as I read the journal sections that I thought she went too far. Also, does she sensationalize the gay scene with the sadomasochistic scenarios and the brutal murders she portrays? The Temple Fields area felt stereotypically dark and sleazy. But this was the 1990s. AIDS had been around less than 10 years. Whatever rights forward steps gays had taken, fear of the disease sent many of them back into the closet, and in some cases, brought the bullies and the gay-bashers out of the woodwork. In 1993, there was a serial killer in London dubbed “the Gay Slayer;” however, the author says in her acknowledgements that she started planning this book in the spring of 1992, which was before the real murders started. (The book was published in 1995.)

Tony Hill and Carol Hill, however, are brilliantly conceived and well developed characters. There is a push-pull between them that is palpable. Carol does not understand what Tony’s issues are, and Tony cannot reveal them, at least not yet. But there is much that makes them a good fit. There is humor. Their specific training and intuition complements each other, and they respect the other’s skill sets. I think I will enjoy reading more about Tony Hill and Carol Jordan.

The supporting characters were well written too. John Bradford, and Tom Cross, whom I have already mentioned, plus Carol’s brother Mark, as well as a few others, make up a cast who add realism and depth to the story. (It is amusing to read about the mid-90s technology, such as answering machines and camcorders.)

Finally, there was the twist. Yes! As my British friends would say, I was “gobsmacked”! I felt like I should have seen it coming. Tony Hill, the brilliant profiler, didn’t see it coming either, so I’m in good company. If you have a strong stomach and are not easily offended, then you will probably enjoy The Mermaid Singing.

4 of 5 stars

At first it was a little difficult to read. Something about the writing style made me feel like I was constantly stumbling over the words until I got used to it. The pacing was rather slow for most of the book which is why it felt a little surprising when it became evident that the climax was coming soon. The character development for the protagonists didn't keep pace with the character development of the antagonists. Perhaps because the author intended a series with these protagonists? The complex psyche the profiler insisted this killer had didn't seem to match the reality of the killer once they were revealed. The antagonist was no Hannibal Lector, although it was clear both the profiler and the antagonist imagined they were on par. This book was good enough I'm willing to try one more book in the Tony Hill series before I make final judgment on it.

Why I read It
I have been working through McDermid's backlist and this is book one in her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series. The characters have been adapted into a very successful BBC television series called Wire in the Blood.

The Good
Solid mystery and the two main characters really work. Usually new characters take time to find themselves (i.e. think Friends season 1 versus season 8), but these two are smooth from page one.

The Bad
This is one of the most pornographically violent books I have read in some time - I have to think back to Thomas Harris' Red Dragon or Silence of the Lambs for a similar feel. It seemed a little over the top but how many serial killers recreate Inquisition era torture devices to kill men for sexual pleasure? Over the top may be the only way to tell that story. The conclusion was a little too convenient and forced - everything worked out just so and just in time.

The Ugly (my opinion)
I liked the characters and will definitely read book two in the series, but if it continues with the extreme violence I will probably put her books on the back burner (i.e. only read when I can find NOTHING else in the library). I really do not have much interest in serial killer fiction because it is usually way to romanticized. By that I mean is overly elaborate and choreographed. I prefer my mysteries more realistic wherein most murders aren't planned, or at least they are pretty straight forward. But that is probably just me.

I hate sounding so negative when overall I really like McDermid's writing. The words flow and the story is laid out clearly. There are no lulls in the plot and I get through them very quickly. Most of my dislike comes from a personal preference and that is a statement about me and NOT the writing. What do I know? I think Surviving Christmas is a fantastic movie

Val McDermid's "The Mermaids Singing" is a decent, fast-moving serial killer thriller that thankfully pays as much attention to its likable police investigator characters as it does to the frequent and disturbing sexual crimes on hand. Otherwise the novel, based in London and its environs, might have been a bit too much to take.

The friendship between police detective Carol Jordan and serial killer profiler Doctor Tony Hill, which quickly develops when Dr. Hill is called in to help the police with a string of killings in the gay community, is a particuarly enjoyable aspect of the novel. Interestingly, however, that friendship and developing flirtation is complicated by the fact that Tony is tormented by his own unusual sexual problems when he isn't trying to unravel the weird sexual predilections of the killer he and the police are chasing.

With frequent changes in viewpoint- sometimes the story is told from Tony's point of view, sometimes Carol's, and often via the killer himself- the story avoids one particular flavor, which keeps the reading experience fresh. Again, though, readers should be warned that some of those flavors are fairly dark and brutal.

"The Mermaids Singing", which originally came out in the mid-1990's, has since spawned several more novels featuring Dr. Tony Hill and police investigator Carol Jordan. I plan to check them out at some point, as- darkness and all- this was an enjoyable crime story.

"The Mermaids Singing"(1995), a British mystery, was the first of Scottish author Val McDermid's "Wire in The Blood" mystery series, and quite a stir it made, too. McDermid, who is now a prize-winning, best-selling author of 22 novels, is, of course, a leading exponent of the "tartan noir," school of mystery-writing: the specifically Scottish, bloody-minded, tough but slyly humorous approach to a thriller, lightened by the mordant wit for which the Scots are known. As does the entire "Wire" series, "Mermaids" deals with the psychological profiling and stalking of serial killers. It introduces us to, and stars, Dr. Tony Hill, forensic psychologist and criminal profiler; also introduces us to Detective Inspector Carol Jordan, with whom he works. It's a police procedural and rather a suspense/thriller.

McDermid jumped to worldwide fame and popularity on the heels of her first published novel,A Place of Execution, which was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel, won a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. She was born and raised in a Scottish mining town not far from Edinburgh, north of the Firth of Forth; won a scholarship to the ancient, highly-prestigious Oxford University, located in England, where she read English; and worked for sixteen years as a journalist in Manchester, England, where she still resides.

Despite her current English residence, she must be considered, along with Ian Rankin and Denise Mina, one of the leading lights of the Scottish school of mystery writing, "Tartan noir." This particular novel, as several others of hers, utilizes that technique so popular in the 1990's, of interspersing supposed "real" information, allegedly taken from books, newspapers, diaries and journals, through the text, and it really doesn't work well for the writer; it just slows things down every time.

The book is set in the author's fictional Bradfield, which looks a lot like Manchester when it's at home. Authorities have become aware that a sadistic sexual serial killer is torturing and murdering men possibly members of the city's gay community: the powers that be have reluctantly ventured to bring Dr. Tony Hill in on the chase. In the writing of the book, McDermid has borrowed a fairly significant idea from that fountainhead of all serial killer books, The Silence of the Lambs , but the author makes good use of it, and pretty much makes it her own. Her "Mermaids" is solidly constructed, well-plotted, and well-written, but be in no doubt: it's gory and violent: only you can know your taste in those matters.

The author opens her narrative in Tuscany, where her killer is on vacation. The unidentified killer has dutifully toured around Florence, and finally gets to go to nearby San Gimignano, which makes some lovely chianti, and is known in the tourist trade as the medieval Manhattan, because the hostile families that lived there erected more than 100 towers to protect themselves from each other. In that walled city the killer finds the true object of the vacation, the "Museo Criminologico," a collection of instruments of torture. Of course, I am an insane, crazed mystery fan, and not that long ago followed McDermid's killer, to Tuscany, Florence, San Gimignano. Loved the ice cream the latter city had to offer, but didn't seem to notice said museum. However, I found it in Florence; stood hesitating in front of it for fifteen minutes, in the pouring rain that washed out that vacation, and never went in. The fellow who's now my husband would have none of it. As I said, only you can know your feelings about these matters.

This is a brilliant piece of crime fiction that earned its 5 stars from the first chapter through to the last.

In a fictitious northern England town 4 young men have been found murdered with their bodies showing evidence of the most gruesome torture before death. All the broken bodies have been meticulously washed spotlessly clean of any obvious forensic evidence such as blood, skin, hair, fibres or the like which could provide a link to the killer. The police force is split between old-fashioned coppers with their traditional crime solving methods and the forward thinking university educated detectives who know that modern tools and techniques are what are required. The decision to bring in criminal psychologist Tony Hill to come up with a profile of the killer is thus a divisive one. The old-time detective leading the manhunt will not admit that there may be a serial killer on his patch, preferring to let the public think it is merely a wave or unrelated murders. The early conclusion by Tony Hill that it is certainly the work of a serial killer further alienates him from the chief investigator.

Author Val McDermid allows us to read the diary of the psychopath as an introduction to each chapter, keeping up a parallel story in the same time frame. We see how each victim is selected and stalked in the lead up to his capture. We also see how the killer selects the torture instrument of choice and designs, builds and tests it. McDermid cleverly researches these mediaeval instruments.

Hill's main support from within the crime squad is Detective Inspector Carol Jordan who campaigned successfully for the services of a criminal psychologist. A tenuous relationship gradually builds up between Carol and Tony, which despite their best efforts strays just beyond the professional. This relationship provides an element of relief and romance from the otherwise black storyline.

The whole story is beautifully written and each character comes to life with his or her foibles, weaknesses and strengths. The plot is well conceived, well developed and the tension allowed to build to breaking point as the climax is reached.

As serial killer novels go, this one is first class. Certainly one of the best i have ever read, almost as good as "The Silence of the Lambs" and her very own "Killing the Shadows". In a genre in which originality is a rare commodity, this book really shines. IN many instances it does contain every aspect we would expect from a serial killer novel, but Val McDermid builds on that, giving us, as Thomas Harris did so many years ago now, an excellent all round novel, rather than just a piece of genre fiction.
The two lead characters are probably the best duo you will come across in all thriller-dom. The ... tension between the two just smoulders the pages beneath your eyes, and the rigid professionalism and determination of both adds a hard edge and hint of stubbornness to their relationship. They are both very human and very likeable. The reader warms to both Carol and Tony instantly. They are well drawn, characterised, and are immensely real.
The killer is chilling, and the murders come close to Mo Hayder's "Birdman" in terms of gruesomeness. The descriptons of the dead bodies, and how those bodies met their deaths, has great capability to turn stomachs.
The writing is packed with detail and grittiness. It is also enfused with quite a well evoked sense of place. High class prose, styled as only a master can, manipulates the reader, preparing them for a stuning final twist to the story, which has you kicking yourself whilst stunned at the same time. And the showdown between hunter and hunted is a brilliant climax to the entire book.
So, if you like good serial killer thrillers, this is definitely one of the best you could choose to read.

If you like psychological thrillers you will love this. I found it a fantastic read. I loved everything about this book. Best of all, it's the first in the series and I can't wait to read the rest. One of the reasons I haven't previously read any of this series is I enjoyed the TV series and sometimes that ruins the book. Not in this case. The casting and acting is superb and closely follows the book.
Dr Hill is called in for the first time to profile a serial killer who tortures his victims and dumps them in the gay community area of the city. The characters, settings and psychology are all brutally believable and the plot is full of twists and surprises. Dr Hill's skills are put to the ultimate test. Best read of 2014 so far.

Another winner from Val McDermid! Building slowly but relentlessly, profiler Tony Hill uses psychological maxims now accepted but at the time of the story were innovative and a novelty in the forensic pursuit of a serial killer. This story is different from other serial killer novels. It traces the profiler and his own psychological problems as well as the killer and their thought processes prior to and after each murder.
While the police are split in their acceptance of profiling, some problems remain the same and never seem to change, especially intrusion from the media. Mistakes in the media occur and they are deadly.
In the final confrontation, Hill is forced to use all his training, skills and insights. He begins to realize the perp may be hunting the profiler. The way McDermid has inserted life into the usually predictable tales of death has once again made my skin crawl. Even as I write this and remember, the hair on the back of my neck stands up and I need to turn around to assure myself no one is there. Read "The Mermaids Singing". You won't be disappointed.

James Herriot notwithstanding, Ms. McDermid uncovers some slimy rocks residing in Yorkshire. A series of gruesome murders with the victims being left in the gay section of medium sized city have the police at odds with one another. The higher-ups don't want the word "serial killer" even mentioned in spite of the brutal similarity of the crimes. The victims are upwardly mobile, handsome young men who, if homosexual, are deep in the closet.
Dr. Tony Hill, a forensic profiler, and Det. Sgt. Carol Jordan are matched up to investigate these crimes. Profiling was in its infancy at the time and so were women who were more than file clerks in the police department. The old-time boys in blue had more faith in psychics and their mums than they did in this outsider pair. The author does a nice job of characterizing this unlikely duo. Tony, though a rivetingly handsome man, is quietly desperate about what he perceives as his sexual dysfunction. He has even resorted to phone sex which induces horrible self-disgust. Carol is a striking woman, used to vigilant male attention, finds herself in the unusual "chaser" role when she is attracted to Dr. Hill. The "chaser" role is unusually strange to her, and so both are uncomfortable most of the time.
The killings and torture are graphically described via the unknown killer's diary that is also sprinkled with red herrings and a few viable clues. As usual, Ms. McDermid has a cast of thousands, so we are not short on suspects. The drama of infighting among police officials interwoven with the urgency of the killings and the protagonist's attraction to one another brew up a pulse pounding pace. The reader may have to take an occasional time out to come to grips with the latest horror, but other than that, it is a non-stop read. The finale is brilliant if a little far fetched. I just wanted to see justice served with perhaps a few people still standing at the end. Recommended for those times when you feel strong of body and stout of mind.

A fantastically well-written, gritty drama that grabs you right in - I was scared by the end of the prologue!
All serial killer books compare themselves to Silence of the Lambs. I've read dozens of supposedly good ones since by all the major crime authors, and this is the first and only book that's been just as clever, creepy and well-characterized.
I just read Messiah, a similar blend of medieval torture with modern realism, and this is much better. It's not a gentle murder mystery by any means, but the gore and rough language fit right in with the story instead of being gratuitous, like they are in most murder books.
I'd only read one Val McDermid book before, one of the Kate Brannigan ones, which I didn't like at all, and got this book just to make up my library quota. It's hard to believe it's the same author - this is honestly one of the best crime books I've read.
It looks like this book is not available in the US, so it's probably not getting the readership it deserves. If you've been wanting a book as good as the early Thomas Harris ones, then this one's worth back-ordering - I can't recommend it highly enough.

The Mermaids Singing by Val McDeremid Harper Paperbacks 1995
This is my first book by Val McDermid and I was very impressed. The serial killer, named Queer Killer by the local police, and Handy Andy by profiler Tony Hill is very bright and covers his tracks well while torturing his victims in some ingenious and time honored methods.
The two principal characters, Dr. Tony Hill and Carol Jordan are very interesting and complex personalities. As their relationship develops, their fragility and weaknesses hinder a commitment. Tony in particular is struggling with his own sexuality and as he delves into the twisted mind of Handy Andy.
This is a well written mystery with a well developed cast of characters whose interactions provide interesting subplots. The main plot is complex, has several unusual turns and a very surprising ending. There is plenty of excitement as Handy Andy skillfully dispatches his victims and then reaches into the task force for the next victim to demonstrate his superior abilities and to put the police in their place.
An excellent read!

England is faced with a serial killer. He targets gay men and tortures them with medieval tactics and painstakingly recreated devices before killing them. Baffled, the police bring in a new resource. Dr. Tony Hill has been the head of the criminally insane hospital unit that houses England's existing serial killers for several years. As such, he has more insight into the minds and motivations of such men than the average policeman.

Detective Inspector Carol Jordan is intent on making her way to the top. She realises that as a woman detective, she will have to work twice as hard, and she is fine with that. Carol is selected to work with Dr. Hill, and she finds his methods fascinating. His work, especially the psychological profile he prepares, shows her different ways of bringing investigations to a successful close.

But the killings go on. More men are killed and shockingly, one is a member of the police force. The killer is obviously thumbing his nose at the police, defying them to discover his identity and end his murderous spree. Will Dr. Hill and Dectective Jordan, along with the task force dedicated to the case manage to end his reign of terror?

The Mermaids Singing is Val McDermid's introductory volume in the Hill/Jordan series. She has since written six others. The books are very popular and have also been dramatized into a miniseries. McDermid's forte is strong characterization and the relationships formed between members of a police force and between the law-breakers and the law-enforcers. This book is enthusiastically recommended for all mystery or thriller fans.

I’ve read the reviews. Graphic, warning, blah blah blah, this book is very good. Author does a great job of going back & forth between characters. Tied it up very well in the end, kept me guessing. On to The Wire in the Blood.

I adore thrillers and serial killers are my best reads.I picked this book from my Libraryand must say that its one of the best books i have ever come across.......
Val McDermid is now on my priority list and want to read all her books.The novel is very well written and will really keep you glued to your seats. The mudrers are gruesome and i strongly suggest that the weak better stay away from it. the killings are traumatic and really turns your stomach inside out.
I invariably felt sorry for all the victims and felt they did not deserve such a cruel fate.
The characters of Dr.Tony Hill and D.I.Carol Jordan are real and lovable.
The end is gripping, taut and takes your breath away.
A brilliant novel and i intend reading it once again this weekend.

I have just discovered Val McDermid's series of Dr. Tony Hill and I am so glad I did. I have always been a huge fan of Elizabeth George and I to say that I enjoy this series more. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with the flow of the novel. And for long periods Tony goes on and on about points that are at times hard to follow.. But, th end result is so worth the effort. This has to be one of the best crime novels I have ever read. Very graphic. Not for the faint of heart. I am reading second in series now.

As a devoted mystery reader, I tend to approach a new one with much caution. The Mermaids Singing was, I say without qualification, the best I've read in many many years. The murders, while very brutal, are weird enough to leave the reader wondering why this way and not the simplest, most expeditious way to "off" someone was chosen. The red herrings and the real solution are entirely believable. The police's interaction with each other is interesting without being obtrusive. Yet how the police interact is crucial to their solution to the murders. Their need to prove themselves before their colleagues adds to their choices in the pursuit of the solution.
It's a great read!

THE MERMAIDS SINGING is the first of three novels that introduces the team of Detective Sergeant Carol Jordan and profiler Tony Hill. Dr. Hill leads the National Criminal Task Force and together working with DS Jordan they are going to investigate a series of torture murders occurring in the northern town of Bradfield.
The author lets us go inside the serial killer's psyche by starting each chapter of the book with a sample of the murderer's diary. It might have been insightful for the book's readers were it not for Hill's analytical reports. McDermid provides all the excruciating details of the Doctor's writing as it is being presented to the cops investigating the case. Were it not for Val McDermid's other superb novels, one might be turned off by this book.
As a whole, the book is slightly above average. The author does a good job with her characterization of Carol Jordan and Tony Hill making us wish for more. They both have some issues that the author develops well. The mystery was good while it started but the ending seemed to be abrupt and anticlimactic. Hopefully, THE WIRE IN THE BLOOD will be better. After all, Val McDermid is still one of my favorite authors.

This introduction to Carol Jordan and Tony Hill is an ode to excellent characterization. There are no stock players straight from central casting here. McDermid takes the time to crawl around in people's heads and make the story interesting from that angle. This is something few authors do.

The mystery itself was top notch. It moved in unexpected ways and finished off with a bang. Tension between Tony and Carol gives the book an extra spark, especially with Tony's personal demons.

I'll be back for more of this series.

I thought that this book was very entertaining. It had an interesting plot. I liked the way it switched between the killers point of view and the cops. The torture scenes were a bit gruesome and they had me twisting in my chair in discomfort, but isn't that what a good novel should do? It made the horror of what the killer was doing to these men seem that much more disturbing and made the reader really want the cops to succeed in stopping the killings. I was up until 2:30 in the morning the other night and I couldn't put it down, even though I had to be up early for work. I really like the characters in this book (Jordan, Hill, Merrick). I first picked up The Torment of Others in the Charles de Gaulle airport having never heard of the author. I so enjoyed that novel and the characters therein, that I went and purchased all of McDermid's novels with these characters. The Mermaids Singing did not disappoint, and I look forward to reading the Wire in the Blood.

Psychologist, Tony Hill, has upward climbs trying to convince the traditional law enforcement people of Bradfield to take his profiling seriously. It is definitely a psychological murder mystery, which is full of action and intrigue. An interesting turn of events when the hunter becomes the hunted. The use of ancient torture techniques brings a macabre twist to the story. A good read even though it has its gruesome moments.

This is the book that introduced Tony Hill to the reading public. We see into the thought processes of all of the major characters, this allows us to see how they misunderstand each other (especially Tony and Carol). The crimes are particularly gruesome, so be warned. A classic of the profiler sub-genre, still worth reading today, nearly twenty years after it was first published.

Very distressing novel. Don't think I could read anything else by Mr. McDermid. Torture is not something I can read about. Thank goodness the book ends the way it does. The criminally insane do not belong to be kept alive. Better they should be euthanized.

The only book better than Silence of the Lambs; a feast of intelligence, fear, and mystery. One bite and you'll put the fork down and use your hands to get more. The woman is an untouchable author with no patience for anything less than perfection and you will love her for that.

A super book. Well plotted, great character development, and like all good reads, it seems to end 100 pages too soon. I would rate it second in my list of favourite serial killer books, after Morton Bain's 'Psychopath!'

Psychologist, Tony Hill, has upward climbs trying to convince the traditional law enforcement people of Bradfield to take his profiling seriously. It is definitely a psychological murder mystery, which is full of action and intrigue. An interesting turn of events when the hunter becomes the hunted. The use of ancient torture techniques brings a macabre twist to the story. A good read even though it has its gruesome moments.

This is the book that introduced Tony Hill to the reading public. We see into the thought processes of all of the major characters, this allows us to see how they misunderstand each other (especially Tony and Carol). The crimes are particularly gruesome, so be warned. A classic of the profiler sub-genre, still worth reading today, nearly twenty years after it was first published.

Very distressing novel. Don't think I could read anything else by Mr. McDermid. Torture is not something I can read about. Thank goodness the book ends the way it does. The criminally insane do not belong to be kept alive. Better they should be euthanized.

The only book better than Silence of the Lambs; a feast of intelligence, fear, and mystery. One bite and you'll put the fork down and use your hands to get more. The woman is an untouchable author with no patience for anything less than perfection and you will love her for that.

A super book. Well plotted, great character development, and like all good reads, it seems to end 100 pages too soon. I would rate it second in my list of favourite serial killer books, after Morton Bain's 'Psychopath!'

As a devoted mystery reader, I tend to approach a new one with much caution. The Mermaids Singing was, I say without qualification, the best I've read in many many years. The murders, while very brutal, are weird enough to leave the reader wondering why this way and not the simplest, most expeditious way to "off" someone was chosen. The red herrings and the real solution are entirely believable. The police's interaction with each other is interesting without being obtrusive. Yet how the police interact is crucial to their solution to the murders. Their need to prove themselves before their colleagues adds to their choices in the pursuit of the solution.
It's a great read!

Val McDermid is one the best writers of the English language today.This, the first in the series of Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books, starts this series of psycholical thrillers with a bang. I couldn't put it down.

No spoilers included, but this book has a major gimmick in it that's popular now and thus totally overused. The characters are all neurotic. The mystery is not compelling. I liked the other McDermids I read a lot better. I think the author was only partially attentive, or was distracted by something horrible and boring, while writing this tedious slab of overwrought verbiage.