Val McDermid - The Mermaids Singing

review by showhost 18th Sept 2012 I generally enjoy Val McDermids books. This one really picked up pace towards the end but it took me a little while to read but I'm not sure why. When the Yorkshire police have three similar violent murders turn up on their doorstep one of them begins to wonder if it is the work of a serial killer, a serial killer who is dumping the bodies in the ‘gay’ community. The head of their department decides to turn to the newly established task force to help with their enquiries, much to the resentment of most of the police force. DI Carol Jordan is given the task of working with the criminal/clinical psychologist Tony Hill, who is heading up this task force. Carol Jordan is the only other person in the department who also believes the gruesome murders are the work of one person, unlike her colleagues. Tony Hill tries to profile the killer and realises that he is dealing with a very smart murderer. This is different to what he has done before, the serial killers he has profiled previously have been safely locked up behind bars, not out on the streets choosing and stalking their victims. Tony Hill has issues of his own which run alongside the murder enquiry and which add to the mix. When another suspect is accused of being the ‘queer killer’ the real perpetrator becomes enraged and turns to the police for his next victim. It was a good suspense psychological thriller. It had sadistic/sexual torture in parts (so maybe not for the squeamish among you) but the story kept me guessing up to the end who the perp was. I like the characters of Hill and Jordan and apparently this was the start of ‘Wire in the Blood’ team.