The Mermaids Singing cover art

The Mermaids Singing

Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Series, Book 1

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The Mermaids Singing

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Saul Reichlin
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About this listen

The first stunning thriller in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series, from best-selling author Val McDermid.

Up until now, the only serial killers Tony Hill had encountered were safely behind bars. This one’s different – this one’s on the loose.

Four men have been found mutilated and tortured. As fear grips the city, the police turn to clinical psychologist Tony Hill for a profile of the killer. But soon Tony becomes the unsuspecting target in a battle of wits and wills where he has to use every ounce of his professional nerve to survive.

A tense, beautifully written psychological thriller, The Mermaids Singing explores the tormented mind of a serial killer unlike any the world of fiction has ever seen.

©1995 Val McDermid (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd Crime Thrillers Detective Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Crime Scary Murder

Critic Reviews

"Gripping, intelligent stuff." (The Times)

"A superb psychological thriller." (Cosmopolitan)
All stars
Most relevant
I love the TV Series "Wire In The Blood" starring Robson Green based on Val's books in this series. Neither versions disappoint ...far from it but this book is a masterpiece read brilliantly by a great narrator. Highly recommended.

Fantastic

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Almost gave up on this book. Found the narration could have been better and let the storyline down. I almost returned it . Persevered to the end but not a book I will listen to again.

Mixed emotions with this one<br /><br />

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, I cannot recommend it - the detective work, the interaction between the police and the profiler were really interesting - but the graphic descriptions of the torture were so awful that we had to stop listening. If we could have the police and detective work without the torture it would have been an excellent book.

Has Mermaids Singing put you off other books in this genre?

We listened to another book by Val McDermid some time ago and enjoyed it. This one was just too awful that we had to stop, so sadly we won't buy another of her books

Have you listened to any of Saul Reichlin’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Have not listened to him before but he did read this book well

Did Mermaids Singing inspire you to do anything?

Yes - it inspired me to write a review as we disliked the book so much. A warning to others

Too disturbing

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The original novel was published in 1995, so this story is quite dated, especially as far as technology goes. I enjoyed the gist of the story, but the narrspoilt it for me greatly. He was far too old to narrate this story
I was surprised to find out half way through that Tony Hill was only 34. The narrator made him sound 50. The intimate scenes were cringe worthy with the narrator's voice. Would like to listen to the others in the series depending on who the narrator is.

Dated

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A Tony Hill very gruesome story, as they all are. Well written, good characterisation, but ruined by the narration, particularly that of the principal female character, a breathy grandmother she is not.

Ruined by the narration

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I was after a story with a female lead that was not a wet blanket, now I think i am in love with a new series !!!!

now I am hooked

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The next level in crime writing! Only just discovered Val McDermid , loved it!

absolutely a cracker of a book!

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Although *Not* written in this Century… *SHOULD* come with a great big TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️

So, here goes… TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️

A so-so whodunnit; written late last Century… with some fairly glaring editorial errors; i.e. using *hung* in the sentence, “The man hung himself today, and died.”
Left me screaming, “Hanged! Hanged!, He *hanged* himself!!”

Also, if you’re annoyed by anyone’s misuse of nauseous …(When they *clearly* mean nauseated!), you too will be screaming; “No, she *Felt Nauseated*!!!”. These are two *very* different things & don’t worry, you’ll have multiple opportunities to yell about this one.

The most egregious horror, that, perhaps an edit and Re-launch might help is the DISGUSTING TRANSPHOBIC language and sentiments speckled throughout the book. The MISGENDERING, the DEAD-NAMING, (the appalling use of he/she/it… when I nearly threw up in my mouth! And the casual “Link” between ‘Mental Issues’ (sic) and ‘Transexuals’ (sic) & ‘Transvestites’ (sic).

I mean the characters were *So* OK with “Teh gays”, as they were seen as normal and non-threatening when they stayed in their own enclaves.

I look forward to better material in future books. If there’s no improvement, this is one author who can happily be banished to the past.

*SHOULD* come with a great big TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️

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I have listened to a lot of Val McDermid's books now and usually enjoy them. This is very well written as usual and the voice actor is great, but the content was too much for me. The killer and the killing is disturbing along with the descriptions of the torcher instruments... made me feel a bit sick. I might just have a weak stomach, but I couldn't get further than chaper 9 before I decided I couldn't push on with it.

Graphic and disturbing

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Great story—just a bit too much for me. The performance sent chills up my spine. I had to skip parts because the language the killer used with the menacing voice made me uncomfortable.

I’m absolutely amazed that Val could create such a crude and sick character- I didn’t expect a lady to use such violence and be so descriptive.

I know this is what makes a brilliant writer getting inside the killer mind.

Val, this is the only audiobook out of over 200 crime novels where I have had to say, "Not today." Or Skip forward two minutes—that voice made me nauseous and weak.

This is a 1st class experience. Look out from the eyes of an incestuous monster, pure panic. Fear.

Twisted and uncomfortable listen -repulsively grotesque.

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