The Mermaids Singing

Name: The Mermaids Singing
Author: Val McDermid

Val McDermid

— 1995 —

“

Clinical psychologist Carol Jordan and detective Tony Hill investigate serial killings of men in a northern English city.

The record

Time
An eveningA season
400 pages, about 8 hours: the length of 1.2 typical books on the shelf.
Getting in
Walk right inSteep climb
In Bradfield, two men have been murdered and a third killing is underway before police call in profiler Tony Hill.
What it gives
Plot and actionIdeas to live by
In 12 reviews from critics and book blogs, 11 credit the plot and 3 credit the ideas or a change in how they live.
One of a kind
Others do thisNothing else does
No reviewer names another book that does what this one does.

on the dual structure
“I found this double angle on the whole thing rather fascinating”
a book blog
on Tony Hill
“Dr. Hill is a particularly flawed hero, and I’m glad McDermid wrote him this way.”
a book blog
on the forensic detail
“Val McDermid’s knowledge of and passion for forensics really shines through.”
five stars · a book blog
on Hill and Jordan
“the interaction between Tony and Carole and the way that they complemented each other”
a book blog

on the graphic content
“this graphic, psychologically terrifying tale almost as off-putting as it is impossible to put down.”
Unsigned review · Publishers Weekly, 1996
on the murder scenes
“the murder scenes were too graphic”
a book blog
on Tony Hill’s methods
“The psychology stuff is arguably a little too mumbo-jumbo”
a book blog
on the grim details
“The grim details make this one not for everybody”
Unsigned review · Kirkus Reviews, 1996