The Mermaids Singing

By: Val McDermid

Narrated by: Graham Roberts

Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

The bodies of four men have been discovered in the town of Bradfield. Enlisted to investigate is criminal psychologist Tony Hill. Even for a seasoned professional, the series of mutilation sex murders is unlike anything he's encountered before. But profiling the psychopath is not beyond him. Hill's own past has made him the perfect man to comprehend the killer's motives. It's also made him the perfect victim. A game has begun for the hunter and the hunted. But as Hill confronts his own hidden demons, he must also come face-to-face with an evil so profound he may not have the courage - or the power - to stop it....

©1995 Val McDermid (P)1996 ISIS Publishing Ltd.

Critic reviews

"Complex...powerful...psychologically terrifying...impossible to put down." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Exciting, rapid-fire...a satisfying descent into the territory of a twisted mind." ( Booklist )

"Compelling and shocking…." (Minette Walters)

Val McDermid’s Tony Hill books are brilliant!

The entire Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series is amazing, beginning with this one, and Graham Roberts’ performance is sublime. Even if you’re like me and have read (and re-read) the whole series, the Audible version is worth a listen. It takes the masterful story to a new level.

Almost as good as that other serial killer series

Any additional comments?

A serial killer is using medieval torture devices to kill men, and a psychological profile named Tony Hill gets brought in even though the cops don't think the cases are related. I thought I knew where this was going and kind of wrote it off as a predictable serial killer book, but the ending was magnificent. Contains some good gender discussions. The first in an ongoing series. I've now read three in the series and each one makes me appreciate the others more.

The narrator did an excellent job, especially consider how the killer's identity needed to be disguised despite conveying much of the action.

Great Series

I like to follow series. This is probably the most consistent in quality story to story. Thus far not a dud in the lot. I gave this one a 4 but for me they all come very close to 5 stars. I highly recommend this series for extended reading.

British murder mystery -- great read

Where does The Mermaids Singing rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best murder mysteries I've listened to lately and I listen to alot.

What did you like best about this story?

The narrator really makes this story. The story is of course entertaining but I can't say enough about the effect of the narration.

Grotesque, predictable plot

Too many torture details throughout; explicit sex description. An almost predictable plot, thus a disappointment. Great reader making voices distinct, however.

Brutal

This was well written and visual. I would agree that this book is not for the squeamish.

Kinda Creepy

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not a waste of time, but I won't listen again.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

That's difficult to say because I guessed the murderer. I had just seen an " Inspector Morse" and it had a very similar twist.

What does Graham Roberts bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

What I simply couldn't buy was that a fairly stable female character could learn what she did about the main character and not have serious reservations about him.

Did The Mermaids Singing inspire you to do anything?

nope

Not bad for the first of the series

Any additional comments?

Tony Hill is introduced in this book and then several others follow. I didn't know this at the time. I might read more later of this series but I wasn't blown away enough to crave the next installment.

Love the characters, a bit grisly

Really enjoyed the characters, they felt real and genuine. The villain was a bit too real. Could have used less detail of his acts. Wanted to hear more about Carol and Tony. Hope another story at worked for more epilogue. Was able to figure it out, but I think most will not until the end. A fair trick.

Excellent read

If you could sum up The Mermaids Singing in three words, what would they be?

I loved the strong character development, multiple plots interwoven and the building suspense of this whodunit. I have listened to 2 Val McDermid books, both Tony Hill & Carole Jordan characters. I'm going to go looking for another by Val McDermid.

What other book might you compare The Mermaids Singing to and why?

I also read the other Val McDermit (2nd in the Tony Hill series) Blood on the Wire.

Which character – as performed by Graham Roberts – was your favorite?

I liked the Carol Jordan character.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Angelica came to Tony's house I knew something was up.

Any additional comments?

I'm hooked on Val McDermid books.