This author uses atrocities committed by a group in the 20th century that I generally have tired of reading, as they have become the crutch for any form of evil. It is a tribute to this lady's talent that she has found a more obscure practice of the Germany of the Nazi's to play a very valid role in this novel. She also represents the evil of this group through the effects they have had on generations that were not even alive when they practiced their atrocities. Their twisted science echoes through the victims to their descendents, and this adds an entirely new dimension to the resonance of evil.

The only aspect of the story I found troubling was the placement of the two main characters so close together while they were working on different operations. It makes the story work, but from the moment the situation is set, you know this is the Achilles heal that will bring the protagonists to the edge, or possibly over, to their detriment.

I don't read many books in this type of genre, but Val McDermid seems as though her work should have a much greater following than it does. If this type of work appeals to you, pick this lady's work up; you will be happy you did.


Excellent book, but not what i wanted   August 22, 2002
 6 out of 8 found this review helpful

I did not enjoy this book half as much as i have enjoyed her previous books. However, that does not mean it is a bad book. It is actually a very good book, one that i expect will appeal to many people. But it is not what i was expecting, nor what i was looking forward to, and hence i am disappointed.

The basic plot goes thus: Carol Jordan is sent to Berlin on an undercover covert operation to trap an evil traffiker in both drugs and humans. Her bosses think she will be able to handle it. During the job she will be almost completely cut off from everybody, and will feel very alone. Her peril's are increased when the actions of her superiours put her in mortal danger.

Alongside that, psychologists are being murdered on the contient. Murdered horribly, with no apparent motive. It is when an ex colleage of profiler Tony Hill's is found slain that he takes it upon himself to investigate the killings.

The emotionally tangled pair must both tackle their own monsters with little help from anyone else and both of them, Carol in particular, will face great personal danger.

It is a very well written book, that is undeniable. However, i cannot say that it is as atmospheric as "A Place of Execution" or as scary and original as "Killing the Shadows", but it is thrilling in a hard-edged way. But...

...McDermid concentrates far too much on Carol Jordan's side of the book, and not nearly enough on the serial killer aspect of the plot, which is what she is known for, and what she does best. As such, the serial killer nit about the psychologists getting killed seems underdeveloped and at times just incidental. Instead of the tense serial killer novel we expect, we are given a novel mainly about the criminal underworld and undercover policing. Many people will greatly enjoy this aspect of the book. And if so, i cannot reccomend it highly enough to you. But, if you are expecting a nice meaty serial killer novel, reasses your beliefs quickly, because it is not what you're going to get.

Actually a very good novel, just not what i was expecting. I would have preferred more emphasis on Tony Hill's aspect of the book, but we don't always get what we want, and this book certainly displays Carol Jordan's full abilites.


European Thriller   September 25, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

This is a serial killer story, but it is so much more. It's an insight into the law enforcement agencies across Europe and an undercover police operation all rolled into one.

We see the return of criminal psychologist Tony Hill and Carol Jordan a police officer who has just applied for a job with Europol, working behind a desk processing information. But her superiors see her as something more and offer her a job working undercover. Through this undercover work, she and Tony Hill renew their acquaintance and begin chasing down a German criminal named Tadeusz Radecki. He has recently branched out from his drug distribution into people smuggling.

Also chasing down Radecki is Petra Becker, a criminal intelligence officer in Berlin who has been after him for years and is hot on his trail after the murder of a drug dealer. She corresponds to a friend in Holland over the Internet and occasionally helps out when it comes to solving crimes. In this case, there is a serial killer on the loose across Europe who seems to be targeting psychologists by replicating atrocities performed during the reign of the Nazi's in Germany.

Although spread across Europe and seemingly tenuously linked, the whole story is nicely drawn together. It's a book that would best be classed as a shocker with some descriptive, grisly scenes. We are also treated to the killer's thoughts and the reasons behind his motives, suggesting that there are still more victims of the medical experiments performed during World War 2 than those who died.

Val McDermid has once again produced an exciting and entertaining thriller. Fans of the psychological suspense novels will find this one right up their alley.


McDermid's latest suspense novel is a sure fire winner!   November 17, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

The sophistication and talent that a writer needs to maintain two plot lines and ferry seven characters through a full-length novel, may be a challenge to author Val McDermid, but she does it with style, believability and panache in THE LAST TEMPTATION.

A serial killer is targeting psychologists in Germany and Holland. When an old friend is murdered, former British profiler Tony Hill reluctantly gets back into the game. His job is to outsmart the killer and prevent any more brutal "mutilation" deaths.

At the same time, Carol Jordan, a very ambitious DCI and the love of Hill's life, is offered any position she wants if she does her superiors a "favor" --- seduce Tadeusz Radecki into a sting that will expose his drug, arms and people smuggling businesses. This seems to be an offer she can't refuse. But, by the time she finds out that she's been set up, it's too late to back out. She feels betrayed and used when she discovers that she is the "twin" image of Katerina Basler, Tadisck's lover who was killed in a mysterious hit and run accident.

Hill's murder investigation eventually brings him to Berlin. And, although he must travel to several European cities, he takes a small apartment in the same building as Jordan. Both of them work with local cops, Jordan with Petra Becker in Germany, and Hill with Brigadier Marijke van Hasselt from Holland.

THE LAST TEMPTATION is an aggregate of pristine prose, complicated plot twists, roller coaster pacing, intelligent characters, and very interesting subject matter. McDermid writes with finesse and her extraordinary storytelling prowess sets her new book apart from the ordinary. Wow! This book is a sure fire winner.

--- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum


Vastly disappointing.   August 21, 2004
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

If you have any affection for Tony Hill and Carol Jordan as created by Val McDermid, don't read this book. I read "The Mermaids Singing" and was enthralled, but this one was a big disappointment. The plot involving the serial killer is shallow and seems tacked on. The real plot involves Carol, her relationship with Tony, and a sting operation that is completely unbelievable. The ending is a depressing let-down. Overall, the book is a big mess. Avoid it.