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!


THE absolute best serial murder book I've read in years!   December 25, 2000
 12 out of 13 found this review helpful

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.


Absolutely first class   July 3, 2002
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

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.


Profiling In Its Infancy   January 24, 2001
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

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.


Mermaids   November 30, 1999
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

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!