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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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Summary

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.

©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 Exciting Scary Murder
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Critic reviews

"Gripping, intelligent stuff." (The Times)

"A superb psychological thriller." (Cosmopolitan)
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Enjoyed this book, although I found the explicit sex scenes and graphic descriptions of torture a bit distasteful. The plot is good and the tension built dramatically , and pleasingly, throughout the book. The thing that spoiled this book for me, however, was the narrator. He didn't seem to have a grip of any regional accent, his Geordie accent sounded Welsh, and his Scottish accent was frankly appalling! His awful attempts ruined the story for me, and I found listening quite painful at times.

Good ( if a little too gory) book but terrible narration

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This was my first experience of this author, and I was not disappointed. An excellent story that developed at a very enjoyable pace, culminating in an exciting and believable climax. The narrator is good and, although his ‘local accents’ may not be the best, they do not, in my view, detrimentally impact the story like some reviews suggest. I recommend you give it a try.

Don’t be put off by other reviews

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This is a brilliant thriller, but the readers inability to do the accents weakens it and even makes it a joke when the Geordie policeman starts of as Pakistani Welsh, gets totally Welsh and ends up as Jamaican!

Great story, shame about the reader

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An excellent story. Well read. Very atmospheric. I really didn't want to put it down. I was half expecting a bit of the denouement - but was still awe struck at such an imagination as the author's. Top marks all through.

Creepy and dark!

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Let me start off by saying that Saul Reichlin is a treasure. Possibly the best dang narrator ever (yes, better than Stephen Fry).
Now, that out of the way, the story is very interesting, very well written and keeps you in suspense the whole time.
HOWEVER, and this is a big however, the *spoilers*

the portrayal of the transgender psychopath is deeply offensive, leaning on the many, many unfounded and unwarranted stereotypes about trans people and their gender identity. The dysphoria the villain felt was portrayed and acknowledged by the main character, a clinical psychiatrist, as being pathological and dangerous, expecially to men who refused to recognize the villain as a woman and thus ended up victims.

This is not uncommon when it comes to the thriller/horror genre - anyone remember Buffalo Bill in Silence Of The Lambs? ("would you fuck me? I'd fuck me") - and has much more to do with the culture of gay panic which was shoved down our throats in the 80s and 90s than it has any basis in reality.

I would still recommend this read, but read responsibly is what I'm saying. Just because the author chose to portray the only transgender character as insane, psychopathic and a serial killer, doesn't mean that being holding the opinion that being transgender is somehow unnatural or a pathology or some sort is okay.

Amazing story that's also DEEPLY problematic

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