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Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #11
How the Dead Speak
Val McDermid is an award-winning, crime-writing powerhouse, and now she returns to her explosive, thrilling series featuring psychological profiler Tony Hill and ex-DCI Carol Jordan in her latest How The Dead Speak
With Tony behind bars and Carol finally out of road as a cop, he's finding unexpected outlets for his talents in jail and she's joined forces with a small informal group of lawyers and forensics experts looking into suspected miscarriages of justice. But they're doing it without each other; being in the same room at visiting hour is too painful to contemplate. Meanwhile, construction is suddenly halted on the redevelopment of an orphanage after dozens of skeletons are found buried in the grounds. Forensic examination reveals they date from between twenty and forty years ago, when the nuns were running their repressive regime. But then a different set of skeletons are discovered in a far corner, young men from as recent as ten years ago.
When newly promoted DI Paula McIntyre discovers that one of the male skeletons is that of a killer who is supposedly alive and behind bars--and the subject of one of Carol's miscarriage investigations--it brings Tony and Carol irresistibly into each other's orbit once again. A shocking, masterfully plotted novel that will leave readers breathless, How The Dead Speak is McDermid at her best and a can't miss read long-time fans and new readers alike.
With Tony behind bars and Carol finally out of road as a cop, he's finding unexpected outlets for his talents in jail and she's joined forces with a small informal group of lawyers and forensics experts looking into suspected miscarriages of justice. But they're doing it without each other; being in the same room at visiting hour is too painful to contemplate. Meanwhile, construction is suddenly halted on the redevelopment of an orphanage after dozens of skeletons are found buried in the grounds. Forensic examination reveals they date from between twenty and forty years ago, when the nuns were running their repressive regime. But then a different set of skeletons are discovered in a far corner, young men from as recent as ten years ago.
When newly promoted DI Paula McIntyre discovers that one of the male skeletons is that of a killer who is supposedly alive and behind bars--and the subject of one of Carol's miscarriage investigations--it brings Tony and Carol irresistibly into each other's orbit once again. A shocking, masterfully plotted novel that will leave readers breathless, How The Dead Speak is McDermid at her best and a can't miss read long-time fans and new readers alike.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2019
869 people are currently reading
4026 people want to read
About the author
Val McDermid
308 books5,368 followersVal McDermid is a No. 1 bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have sold over eleven million copies.
She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.
She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.
She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.
She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 731 reviews
December 25, 2019
How The Dead Speak is the 11th book in the Carol Jordan and Tony Hill series. If you haven’t read this series so far, I would recommend that you don’t read this book first and possible start from the beginning, as the story of the principal characters is a continuation from the previous parts.
In this part, criminal psychologist Tony is behind bars and Carol finally out of the police department as a cop. Tony is finding unexpected outlets for his talents in jail and Carol has joined forces with a small informal group of lawyers and forensics experts looking into suspected miscarriages of justice. Meanwhile, Dozens of skeletons are found buried in the grounds of a non-operational orphanage. It is left to the police to hunt down the criminals.
This book tackles multiple cases at once, handled by different characters with at least 2 cases having a common thread. The Tony Hill/Carol Jordan storylines are secondary in this book. There is quite a lot going on in this book. Readers will have to keep track of the multiple cases, which are tied down together nicely. The plot is mix of a cold case, nabbing a fugitive crook, a case to prove someone’s innocence apart from Toni’s personal track. This is my second book by McDermid and when it comes to handling multiple tracks at once, McDermid is an absolute master. Despite the chapter moving focus from case to another, you never feel confused.
The book is well-paced, though I felt it invested quite some time in establishing secondary characters; all were assigned to different aspects of the investigations but many of whom had very little to do. The characters of Tony and Carol were mostly confined to the parallel plot unconnected to the main mystery. There are several storylines which do eventually tie together but it also ends with several unresolved issues which can be frustrating.
Overall this is a really good read. I would have liked the book far better had I read the previous books in the series and gained more insight into the characters and their relationships How the Dead Speak weaves several mysteries into one. The pacing was excellent and the individual cases were well-written. It has enough which will keep the mystery fans engaged . 3.5 stars out of 5
Many thanks to the publishers Atlantic Monthly Press & Ingram Publisher Services and Edelweiss for the ARC.
In this part, criminal psychologist Tony is behind bars and Carol finally out of the police department as a cop. Tony is finding unexpected outlets for his talents in jail and Carol has joined forces with a small informal group of lawyers and forensics experts looking into suspected miscarriages of justice. Meanwhile, Dozens of skeletons are found buried in the grounds of a non-operational orphanage. It is left to the police to hunt down the criminals.
This book tackles multiple cases at once, handled by different characters with at least 2 cases having a common thread. The Tony Hill/Carol Jordan storylines are secondary in this book. There is quite a lot going on in this book. Readers will have to keep track of the multiple cases, which are tied down together nicely. The plot is mix of a cold case, nabbing a fugitive crook, a case to prove someone’s innocence apart from Toni’s personal track. This is my second book by McDermid and when it comes to handling multiple tracks at once, McDermid is an absolute master. Despite the chapter moving focus from case to another, you never feel confused.
The book is well-paced, though I felt it invested quite some time in establishing secondary characters; all were assigned to different aspects of the investigations but many of whom had very little to do. The characters of Tony and Carol were mostly confined to the parallel plot unconnected to the main mystery. There are several storylines which do eventually tie together but it also ends with several unresolved issues which can be frustrating.
Overall this is a really good read. I would have liked the book far better had I read the previous books in the series and gained more insight into the characters and their relationships How the Dead Speak weaves several mysteries into one. The pacing was excellent and the individual cases were well-written. It has enough which will keep the mystery fans engaged . 3.5 stars out of 5
Many thanks to the publishers Atlantic Monthly Press & Ingram Publisher Services and Edelweiss for the ARC.
December 30, 2021
EXCERPT: She'd always known that one day she'd hear a headline that brought the past right into the present. Other people seemed to have been convinced that their history was dead and buried along with the bodies in the linen winding sheets, but she'd known the truth. She'd read her Faulkner. 'The past is never dead. It's not even past.' She carried that past with her everywhere she went, every night when she laid her head down on the hard pillow, every morning when she opened her eyes after an apparently blameless sleep. The past didn't keep her awake; instead it haunted her consciousness like a stalker.
ABOUT 'HOW THE DEAD SPEAK': When human remains are discovered in the grounds of an old convent, it quickly becomes clear that someone has been using the site as their personal burial ground. But with the convent abandoned long ago and the remains dating back many years, could this be the work of more than one obsessive killer? It's an investigation that throws up more questions as the evidence mounts, and after their last case ended catastrophically, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan can only watch from afar. As they deal with the consequences of previous actions, someone with a terrifying routine is biding their time - and both Tony and Carol find themselves closer to the edge than they have ever been before.
MY THOUGHTS: 'Poverty, chastity and obedience, Sergeant. And the greatest of these is obedience. Nuns don't lie. We simply train ourselves to forget that which we are not supposed to know.'
Although Tony and Carol are relegated to the peripheral of the plot of How the Dead Speak, their own subplots are integral to the core of this novel.
Tony is languishing in what used to be Strangeways prison trying to find productive ways to fill his time. Carol is, finally, dealing with her PTSD and trying to find a new direction in life. Meanwhile, Paula and the REMIT team are struggling to find their feet under the direction of the obnoxious DCI Rutherford, while also trying to find the measure of their new team members.
How the Dead Speak is a recalibration: everything has changed from what has been before, and McDermid is setting the scene for what is to come. So while this is not the most thrilling nor suspenseful book of the series, it is a necessary one.
The chapters are short and told from many multiple points of view, including Tony, Carol, Paula and several others. Tony Hill's vicious mother, Vanessa, makes an appearance, manipulating people to her own end as she always does.
The story at the core of the book, the bodies at the convent, is at times overshadowed by all the other threads. Sometimes less is more, and I have the feeling that we could have done with a bit less in the way of the number of plot threads.
If you are a fan of having everything tied up neatly at the end of a book, then How the Dead Speak is not for you. I don't require a neat and tidy ending, but even I was left feeling a little disappointed.
Despite all my quibbles, I enjoyed this more than not and I am a definite starter for the next in this series. If you haven't read any previous books in this series I recommend that you don't start with this one as it requires the reader to be aware of a lot of back history.
Mcdermid's writing is, as always, sharp, bleak and tempered with a little black humour. I can't wait to see what direction she is going to send Tony and Carol in next.
⭐⭐⭐.6
#HowtheDeadSpeak #NetGalley
I: valmcdermid @groveatlantic
T: @valmcdermid @groveatlantic
#contemporaryfiction #crime #murdermystery #policeprocedural
THE AUTHOR: Val McDermid
is a Scottish crime writer, best known for a series of novels featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill in a grim sub-genre that McDermid and others have identified as Tartan Noir. She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh. At Raith Rovers football stadium, a stand has been named after McDermid.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Grove Atlantic via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of How the Dead Speak by Val McDermid for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT 'HOW THE DEAD SPEAK': When human remains are discovered in the grounds of an old convent, it quickly becomes clear that someone has been using the site as their personal burial ground. But with the convent abandoned long ago and the remains dating back many years, could this be the work of more than one obsessive killer? It's an investigation that throws up more questions as the evidence mounts, and after their last case ended catastrophically, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan can only watch from afar. As they deal with the consequences of previous actions, someone with a terrifying routine is biding their time - and both Tony and Carol find themselves closer to the edge than they have ever been before.
MY THOUGHTS: 'Poverty, chastity and obedience, Sergeant. And the greatest of these is obedience. Nuns don't lie. We simply train ourselves to forget that which we are not supposed to know.'
Although Tony and Carol are relegated to the peripheral of the plot of How the Dead Speak, their own subplots are integral to the core of this novel.
Tony is languishing in what used to be Strangeways prison trying to find productive ways to fill his time. Carol is, finally, dealing with her PTSD and trying to find a new direction in life. Meanwhile, Paula and the REMIT team are struggling to find their feet under the direction of the obnoxious DCI Rutherford, while also trying to find the measure of their new team members.
How the Dead Speak is a recalibration: everything has changed from what has been before, and McDermid is setting the scene for what is to come. So while this is not the most thrilling nor suspenseful book of the series, it is a necessary one.
The chapters are short and told from many multiple points of view, including Tony, Carol, Paula and several others. Tony Hill's vicious mother, Vanessa, makes an appearance, manipulating people to her own end as she always does.
The story at the core of the book, the bodies at the convent, is at times overshadowed by all the other threads. Sometimes less is more, and I have the feeling that we could have done with a bit less in the way of the number of plot threads.
If you are a fan of having everything tied up neatly at the end of a book, then How the Dead Speak is not for you. I don't require a neat and tidy ending, but even I was left feeling a little disappointed.
Despite all my quibbles, I enjoyed this more than not and I am a definite starter for the next in this series. If you haven't read any previous books in this series I recommend that you don't start with this one as it requires the reader to be aware of a lot of back history.
Mcdermid's writing is, as always, sharp, bleak and tempered with a little black humour. I can't wait to see what direction she is going to send Tony and Carol in next.
⭐⭐⭐.6
#HowtheDeadSpeak #NetGalley
I: valmcdermid @groveatlantic
T: @valmcdermid @groveatlantic
#contemporaryfiction #crime #murdermystery #policeprocedural
THE AUTHOR: Val McDermid
is a Scottish crime writer, best known for a series of novels featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill in a grim sub-genre that McDermid and others have identified as Tartan Noir. She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh. At Raith Rovers football stadium, a stand has been named after McDermid.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Grove Atlantic via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of How the Dead Speak by Val McDermid for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 9, 2019
3.5 stars
This is a hugely popular series & like most of its kind, you probably enjoy some instalments more than others. I’ve read them all & this was not one of my favourites but that may be down to the format of the story more than content which I’ll try to explain.
If you read the last one, no doubt you remember the ending. It was a corker. The old cast of regulars was broken up & here we get to see where everyone landed.
First, the elite police unit known as ReMIT has been reformed with some changes. “Oldtimers” like DI Paula McIntyre, DC Stacey Chen & a few others are back. They’re joined by a couple of green recruits & Carol Jordan’s replacement, DCI Ian Rutherford ( a pompous, preening ass who is all hat & no cattle but I digress…).
Their inaugural case is disturbing to say the least. A defunct Catholic convent that also served as a home for disadvantaged girls was purchased by developers & construction was going just fine until they dug up the front yard. Bones…lots & lots of bones. By the time Paula & her team get their bearings, the remains of 30-40 young girls have been unearthed. Hmmm…probably won’t be solved by tea time then. That alone would challenge the new team but the site has a few more surprises to throw at them.
Meanwhile ex-cop Carol Jordan is filling her days with DIY projects, long walks & staying sober. Then a couple of job opportunities pop up. One involves Vanessa, Tony’s witch of a mother. The other is an offer from an old adversary who’s started a version of the Innocence Project. They want her to reinvestigate a murder case to see if the wrong man was convicted.
As for Dr. Tony Hill, he’s just trying to survive. Life in prison is a daily struggle & he needs something to distract from his current reality. He was in the middle of writing a book when arrested & decides to pick up where he left off. Not like he doesn’t have the time.
Initially, the plot lines play out separately in short chapters. They alternate & are told in turn through the eyes of Carol, Tony, Paula, Stacey, a couple other ReMIT members plus a serial killer we meet along the way. Interspersed with these are passages from Tony’s book which signals a change of narrator & story line. And I have to admit I found this frustrating at times.
The constant switching of multiple POV’s (often at a critical moment) made it a challenge to become fully engaged in any of the story lines & I was probably at the 60% mark before I got an inkling of that need-to-know feeling. It took that long for each to develop enough to get me hooked. Also, I’m not sure I understood the point of Carol & Vanessa’s little adventure. There are plenty of other threads running & I felt it could have been left out entirely without affecting the overall story. I can’t help but feel I missed something there.
By far, my favourite parts were those involving Paula & Stacey. They’re struggling to adapt to ReMIT’s new direction & suffering under Rutherford’s rule (did I mention he’s a pompous, preening….oh ya, I did). They band together to get the job done in spite of him & deliver some of the best dialogue. The story surrounding the convent provides some suspense in what is otherwise a more personal instalment that serves as a transitional book in the series.
Eventually the plot lines intersect but as with real life, not everything is neatly tied up by the end. If you are a new reader, this is not a good place to start. There is so much history between these characters that I recommend beginning with an earlier book. So while this didn’t fully work for me, perhaps it was necessary to alert long time fans the series is heading off in a new direction with fresh starts for some of the characters. It will be interesting to see where the author takes them next.
This is a hugely popular series & like most of its kind, you probably enjoy some instalments more than others. I’ve read them all & this was not one of my favourites but that may be down to the format of the story more than content which I’ll try to explain.
If you read the last one, no doubt you remember the ending. It was a corker. The old cast of regulars was broken up & here we get to see where everyone landed.
First, the elite police unit known as ReMIT has been reformed with some changes. “Oldtimers” like DI Paula McIntyre, DC Stacey Chen & a few others are back. They’re joined by a couple of green recruits & Carol Jordan’s replacement, DCI Ian Rutherford ( a pompous, preening ass who is all hat & no cattle but I digress…).
Their inaugural case is disturbing to say the least. A defunct Catholic convent that also served as a home for disadvantaged girls was purchased by developers & construction was going just fine until they dug up the front yard. Bones…lots & lots of bones. By the time Paula & her team get their bearings, the remains of 30-40 young girls have been unearthed. Hmmm…probably won’t be solved by tea time then. That alone would challenge the new team but the site has a few more surprises to throw at them.
Meanwhile ex-cop Carol Jordan is filling her days with DIY projects, long walks & staying sober. Then a couple of job opportunities pop up. One involves Vanessa, Tony’s witch of a mother. The other is an offer from an old adversary who’s started a version of the Innocence Project. They want her to reinvestigate a murder case to see if the wrong man was convicted.
As for Dr. Tony Hill, he’s just trying to survive. Life in prison is a daily struggle & he needs something to distract from his current reality. He was in the middle of writing a book when arrested & decides to pick up where he left off. Not like he doesn’t have the time.
Initially, the plot lines play out separately in short chapters. They alternate & are told in turn through the eyes of Carol, Tony, Paula, Stacey, a couple other ReMIT members plus a serial killer we meet along the way. Interspersed with these are passages from Tony’s book which signals a change of narrator & story line. And I have to admit I found this frustrating at times.
The constant switching of multiple POV’s (often at a critical moment) made it a challenge to become fully engaged in any of the story lines & I was probably at the 60% mark before I got an inkling of that need-to-know feeling. It took that long for each to develop enough to get me hooked. Also, I’m not sure I understood the point of Carol & Vanessa’s little adventure. There are plenty of other threads running & I felt it could have been left out entirely without affecting the overall story. I can’t help but feel I missed something there.
By far, my favourite parts were those involving Paula & Stacey. They’re struggling to adapt to ReMIT’s new direction & suffering under Rutherford’s rule (did I mention he’s a pompous, preening….oh ya, I did). They band together to get the job done in spite of him & deliver some of the best dialogue. The story surrounding the convent provides some suspense in what is otherwise a more personal instalment that serves as a transitional book in the series.
Eventually the plot lines intersect but as with real life, not everything is neatly tied up by the end. If you are a new reader, this is not a good place to start. There is so much history between these characters that I recommend beginning with an earlier book. So while this didn’t fully work for me, perhaps it was necessary to alert long time fans the series is heading off in a new direction with fresh starts for some of the characters. It will be interesting to see where the author takes them next.
October 2, 2019
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Val McDermid, and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Always a fan of Val McDermid’s work, I was pleased to be able to read this eleventh novel in the Tony Hill-Carol Jordan series, which packs a punch and keeps the reader on their toes. After the fallout of a previous case, Tony Hill finds himself behind bars for manslaughter. That may seem a hindrance, but Hill is doing all he can to work with his fellow inmates to help make their lives easier, while ensuring protection of his own. On the outside, Carol Hill has retired from active police duty as she pieces things together. When Carol is approached by a local Innocence Project and asked to help consult on a case, her curiosity is piqued. A number of male prostitutes have gone missing over a span of time, but their bodies have never turned up. Presumed murdered, the prosecution turned their eyes on one man as the killer. Convicted by a majority of his jury, he now sits in jail, though professes his innocence. Carol Jordan uses her long history as a cop to explore the case in hopes of finding a trail left to go cold. At the same time, Carol Jordan’s former Regional Major Incident Team (REMIT) has been called to investigate an odd crime of their own. While razing the land of a former convent and girls’ school, a number of children’s bodies are found buried in the garden. All eyes turn to those who run the school, which appears to have been anything but a lovely educational establishment when it was open. The REMIT begins their investigation and seeks to find something on which they can build a case. While the nuns, groundskeepers, and local priest are anything but forthcoming, there is something that does not add up. When a second set of bodies turns up, things take an interesting turn and the investigation gathers momentum. Who left these bodies and what is the gruesome story behind it all? Another winner in the Hill-Jordan series, which will appeal to those who have enjoyed the previous novels, particularly McDermid’s cliffhanger ending. Recommended to those who like a police procedural with a few twists tossed in.
While I know this series has divided fans over the years, I find myself in the group that loves them. There have been actions taken by Val McDermid hat may leave some scratching their heads, but the meatier parts of the story come out and keep the reader curious, if not completely enthralled. The Tony Hill/Carol Jordan storylines are secondary in this piece, though there is some great character development, however minor at times. It is the characters who normally serve a secondary role that come to the forefront here, weaving together an impactful mystery that needs solving. The premise is strong, though the cliché of the Catholic Church left me rolling my eyes just a bit. Still, there is quite the mystery and two cases soon find a common thread, which ties things together nicely. McDermid does well to write her parallel plots effectively and keeps the reader wondering when the other shoe may drop. I cannot say that it was the most stellar writing, but the narrative offered up strong themes and kept me wondering until the very end. With a mix of short and longer chapters, the reader can sometimes be enticed to read a little more, then locked into the investigation for more detailed aspects. I am eager to see where things go with this series, particularly with how things ended, a tantalizing cliffhanger of sorts.
Kudos, Madam McDermid, for another wonderful novel in the series. I can only hope you have more ideas brewing, as they always keep me guessing.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Always a fan of Val McDermid’s work, I was pleased to be able to read this eleventh novel in the Tony Hill-Carol Jordan series, which packs a punch and keeps the reader on their toes. After the fallout of a previous case, Tony Hill finds himself behind bars for manslaughter. That may seem a hindrance, but Hill is doing all he can to work with his fellow inmates to help make their lives easier, while ensuring protection of his own. On the outside, Carol Hill has retired from active police duty as she pieces things together. When Carol is approached by a local Innocence Project and asked to help consult on a case, her curiosity is piqued. A number of male prostitutes have gone missing over a span of time, but their bodies have never turned up. Presumed murdered, the prosecution turned their eyes on one man as the killer. Convicted by a majority of his jury, he now sits in jail, though professes his innocence. Carol Jordan uses her long history as a cop to explore the case in hopes of finding a trail left to go cold. At the same time, Carol Jordan’s former Regional Major Incident Team (REMIT) has been called to investigate an odd crime of their own. While razing the land of a former convent and girls’ school, a number of children’s bodies are found buried in the garden. All eyes turn to those who run the school, which appears to have been anything but a lovely educational establishment when it was open. The REMIT begins their investigation and seeks to find something on which they can build a case. While the nuns, groundskeepers, and local priest are anything but forthcoming, there is something that does not add up. When a second set of bodies turns up, things take an interesting turn and the investigation gathers momentum. Who left these bodies and what is the gruesome story behind it all? Another winner in the Hill-Jordan series, which will appeal to those who have enjoyed the previous novels, particularly McDermid’s cliffhanger ending. Recommended to those who like a police procedural with a few twists tossed in.
While I know this series has divided fans over the years, I find myself in the group that loves them. There have been actions taken by Val McDermid hat may leave some scratching their heads, but the meatier parts of the story come out and keep the reader curious, if not completely enthralled. The Tony Hill/Carol Jordan storylines are secondary in this piece, though there is some great character development, however minor at times. It is the characters who normally serve a secondary role that come to the forefront here, weaving together an impactful mystery that needs solving. The premise is strong, though the cliché of the Catholic Church left me rolling my eyes just a bit. Still, there is quite the mystery and two cases soon find a common thread, which ties things together nicely. McDermid does well to write her parallel plots effectively and keeps the reader wondering when the other shoe may drop. I cannot say that it was the most stellar writing, but the narrative offered up strong themes and kept me wondering until the very end. With a mix of short and longer chapters, the reader can sometimes be enticed to read a little more, then locked into the investigation for more detailed aspects. I am eager to see where things go with this series, particularly with how things ended, a tantalizing cliffhanger of sorts.
Kudos, Madam McDermid, for another wonderful novel in the series. I can only hope you have more ideas brewing, as they always keep me guessing.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
August 23, 2019
How The Dead Speak is book 11 in the Carol Jordan and Tony Hill series. It has been a while since I read one of these books which is something I need to immediately rectify. I forgot how brilliant Val McDermid is and I am so looking forward to seeing her at BAD Writers Festival in Sydney in September. I received this book from Grove Atlantic with a publication date on 3rd December but it has already been released here in Australia and the UK - and I could not wait to read it. Fans of this series will love it and I felt that it could be read as a stand alone too.
So this book is very different from others in the series - mostly due to the fact that Carol is no longer a cop and Tony is in jail - what!!?! I have missed a few books and this came as quite a shock to me! So there is not the usual banter between the 2 of them working the case. The major incidents team is called to the redevelopment of an orphanage when the workmen uncover multiple skeletons. Further testing the 40+ sets of bones dates them as being in the ground between 20-40 years. Back then the orphanage was being run by a group of nuns. Later when a fresher body is found under the garden beds the team sets out to find the killer. Meanwhile Carol starts working with a group of law professionals who look into miscarriages of justice. Tony is refusing to see her in jail until she starts to work on her PTSD. He is trying to keep busy whilst locked up, writing a new book and trying to help the inmates.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
So this book is very different from others in the series - mostly due to the fact that Carol is no longer a cop and Tony is in jail - what!!?! I have missed a few books and this came as quite a shock to me! So there is not the usual banter between the 2 of them working the case. The major incidents team is called to the redevelopment of an orphanage when the workmen uncover multiple skeletons. Further testing the 40+ sets of bones dates them as being in the ground between 20-40 years. Back then the orphanage was being run by a group of nuns. Later when a fresher body is found under the garden beds the team sets out to find the killer. Meanwhile Carol starts working with a group of law professionals who look into miscarriages of justice. Tony is refusing to see her in jail until she starts to work on her PTSD. He is trying to keep busy whilst locked up, writing a new book and trying to help the inmates.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
August 29, 2019
The first books in this brilliant series were so very imaginative, gruesome and brutal that they are hard to live up to. Truly, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan were a force to be reckoned with – in all of their messy realities, from Carol’s growing alcoholism to Tony’s impotence. Their relationship has gone through every tragedy that you could dream up, and more besides. So the question is now: can these books survive Tony being in prison for murder, and Carol out of the police force?
In many ways, How the Dead Speak feels like an ending to Tony and Carol, and a beginning to a new series about DI Paula MacIntyre. I wouldn’t blame McDermid if so – it’s difficult to write a series of police procedurals about non police officers, and it’s also hard to see how Carol Jordan could ever come back from professional disgrace after the events of Insidious Intent.
I wasn’t shy about disliking the latter novel. I think How the Dead Speak is better, but it still has the slightly disjointed and rushed quality that marred Insidious Intent. There are so many different viewpoints and threads, and I expected them to come together in a flourish that would knock my socks off, and instead… well, they didn’t. The book seemed to peter out, without many answers, moments of excitement, or narrative cohesion. It felt like many different books and the thing it felt like the least was a thriller or mystery novel.
When we return to Bradfield, Tony Hill is in prison and struggling to find his place. Carol Jordan has been ousted from ReMIT and begins to work with her old nemesis Bronwen Scott, seeking justice for people accused or found guilty for crimes they didn’t commit. A new version of ReMIT has been put in place, with DCI Rutherford in charge and the old crew – Alvin, Karim, Paula and Stacey – joined by newbies Steve and Sophie. They’re investigating the discovery of thirty skeletons found on the grounds of a former convent and girls’ home.
From the beginning, we know who the murderer is, and really – he or she is second fiddle to the interpersonal dramas. In the early days of the Hill/Jordan novels, the thrills were the point. The relationships fed off the cases and were informed by the killer’s motivations – the characters seemed immersed in their work and the darkness surrounding them. But in this book, the mystery (or lack thereof) is a distant thing – not impacting anyone or acting as a catalyst for change. We don't get a sense of the victims - who they were before they stumbled into madness. We don't feel a connection with the killer(s) or peek inside of their rotten brains as we used to do.
Instead, McDermid concentrates on Tony’s fumblings in jail, trying to find professional purpose and avoid being beaten up. She spends time with Carol attempting to recover from her PTSD through therapy. And there’s A LOT of time on Tony and Carol missing each other, longing for each other (etc etc) in a rather tiresome way.
It’s my opinion that these books would be greatly improved if Tony and Carol would accept their close friendship for what it is, and avoid a disastrous romance. There’s simply no way in hell these two could ever make it work as partners. Further, there’s no spark between them. They have come through the fire and on the other side, they’ve been burned clean of that electricity and old passion. Instead, they’re like brother and sister – they love each other, but I don’t believe they are in love with each other.
I have no problem with reading about committed, happy (or unhappy) couples. But I don’t believe that Tony and Carol have any chemistry left, and I think the series would be rejuvenated if they accepted their friendship. Perhaps then, the spark would return? Maybe? Maybe not? Either way, I’d love to see a return to the thrills and depravity of the earlier series, and less of Tony doodling Carol’s name in the margins of his notebook.
If the series is going to transition to be about DI MacIntyre, sign me up. She’s a worthy successor to Carol and Tony, and she feels very much at the beginning of the kind of darkness that the earlier books explored so well. If it continues with Tony and Carol, I’ll still read of course – McDermid is too talented a writer for me to ever avoid her books – but I think a change of course with their relationship and their professional lives is needed for that sense of magic, possibility and vibrancy to return.
In many ways, How the Dead Speak feels like an ending to Tony and Carol, and a beginning to a new series about DI Paula MacIntyre. I wouldn’t blame McDermid if so – it’s difficult to write a series of police procedurals about non police officers, and it’s also hard to see how Carol Jordan could ever come back from professional disgrace after the events of Insidious Intent.
I wasn’t shy about disliking the latter novel. I think How the Dead Speak is better, but it still has the slightly disjointed and rushed quality that marred Insidious Intent. There are so many different viewpoints and threads, and I expected them to come together in a flourish that would knock my socks off, and instead… well, they didn’t. The book seemed to peter out, without many answers, moments of excitement, or narrative cohesion. It felt like many different books and the thing it felt like the least was a thriller or mystery novel.
When we return to Bradfield, Tony Hill is in prison and struggling to find his place. Carol Jordan has been ousted from ReMIT and begins to work with her old nemesis Bronwen Scott, seeking justice for people accused or found guilty for crimes they didn’t commit. A new version of ReMIT has been put in place, with DCI Rutherford in charge and the old crew – Alvin, Karim, Paula and Stacey – joined by newbies Steve and Sophie. They’re investigating the discovery of thirty skeletons found on the grounds of a former convent and girls’ home.
From the beginning, we know who the murderer is, and really – he or she is second fiddle to the interpersonal dramas. In the early days of the Hill/Jordan novels, the thrills were the point. The relationships fed off the cases and were informed by the killer’s motivations – the characters seemed immersed in their work and the darkness surrounding them. But in this book, the mystery (or lack thereof) is a distant thing – not impacting anyone or acting as a catalyst for change. We don't get a sense of the victims - who they were before they stumbled into madness. We don't feel a connection with the killer(s) or peek inside of their rotten brains as we used to do.
Instead, McDermid concentrates on Tony’s fumblings in jail, trying to find professional purpose and avoid being beaten up. She spends time with Carol attempting to recover from her PTSD through therapy. And there’s A LOT of time on Tony and Carol missing each other, longing for each other (etc etc) in a rather tiresome way.
It’s my opinion that these books would be greatly improved if Tony and Carol would accept their close friendship for what it is, and avoid a disastrous romance. There’s simply no way in hell these two could ever make it work as partners. Further, there’s no spark between them. They have come through the fire and on the other side, they’ve been burned clean of that electricity and old passion. Instead, they’re like brother and sister – they love each other, but I don’t believe they are in love with each other.
I have no problem with reading about committed, happy (or unhappy) couples. But I don’t believe that Tony and Carol have any chemistry left, and I think the series would be rejuvenated if they accepted their friendship. Perhaps then, the spark would return? Maybe? Maybe not? Either way, I’d love to see a return to the thrills and depravity of the earlier series, and less of Tony doodling Carol’s name in the margins of his notebook.
If the series is going to transition to be about DI MacIntyre, sign me up. She’s a worthy successor to Carol and Tony, and she feels very much at the beginning of the kind of darkness that the earlier books explored so well. If it continues with Tony and Carol, I’ll still read of course – McDermid is too talented a writer for me to ever avoid her books – but I think a change of course with their relationship and their professional lives is needed for that sense of magic, possibility and vibrancy to return.
December 9, 2019
I was very pleased to receive this as I have read all the previous books in the series. However, it is perfectly possible to read this as a stand-alone. As you would expect there are several strains to the story as Tony Hill is in prison and Carol Jordan has left the police force. The scenes with Tony in prison are very vivid and the fear is tangible. Typically Tony puts his skills to good use and helps his fellow prisoners in various ways and I like this aspect. The story is interspersed with sections from the book that Tony has been promising his publisher for years and now has the time to write. Whilst I found these interesting I did feel they broke up the flow of the story. There are two storylines for Carol, one that involves Tony’s odious mother Vanessa and one that follows an innocence project that she is invited to join and utilise her investigative skills. This did tie in with the storyline that the reMIT team investigate and that is a gritty storyline involving multiple bodies in a former convent and school. I really like the police characters such as Stacey, Paula, Alvin Ambrose, and some new characters that are also likeable with the exception of Carol’s replacement DCI Rutherford who is not!
I really enjoyed the book but with some reservations. There are several storylines which do not eventually tie together in a neat bow which Is ok, that isn’t essential but there are unresolved issues the biggest of which is the bodies in the convent. The abuse of such institutions is a well trodden path so are we to assume that Sister Mary Patrick is responsible during her time in charge? Is this dealt with in the next book?
Overall despite the above, it is a really good read as you would expect from someone of the calibre of Val McDermid. I like the love and bond between Tony and Carol, I like the team at reMIT in particular their doggedness and loyalty and I like the humour that alleviates the tension. I really liked the positive hopeful end which is what fans of this series have been so looking forward to!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for an ARC
I really enjoyed the book but with some reservations. There are several storylines which do not eventually tie together in a neat bow which Is ok, that isn’t essential but there are unresolved issues the biggest of which is the bodies in the convent. The abuse of such institutions is a well trodden path so are we to assume that Sister Mary Patrick is responsible during her time in charge? Is this dealt with in the next book?
Overall despite the above, it is a really good read as you would expect from someone of the calibre of Val McDermid. I like the love and bond between Tony and Carol, I like the team at reMIT in particular their doggedness and loyalty and I like the humour that alleviates the tension. I really liked the positive hopeful end which is what fans of this series have been so looking forward to!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for an ARC
December 19, 2019
This is identified as the 5th book in the Tony Hill/ Carol Jordan epic series. ( Not sure about that as there are additional books listed on Amazon featuring the pair). I felt it was a compelling follow-up to the stunning ending of Insidious Intent and its unsettling consequences.
Carol is no longer a detective, having been forced out of the ReMIT agency. She is well on her way to recovery from alcoholism but is suffering from PTSD. She is taking positive steps in undergoing therapy. Tony is in prison for manslaughter. He is trying to keep safe from dangerous prisoners while attempting to inspire inmates to become better men and to develop a more positive outlook. One of his projects was teaching reading skills which ended badly. He now has the time to complete his long-delayed book, much to the gratification of his publisher. It was clear that neither Tony nor Carol were acting rationally during their last case together.
Taking Carol’s place at ReMIT is an unpleasant, ambitious man who is not earning the respect of his staff. DI Paula McIntyre is a hard-working detective who is the actual leader they admire. Stacey still has her legitimate role as computer genius but does not always follow police rules. We see how the other veteran detectives have bonded and co-operated, but it is not easy for newly hired staff members to blend in.
The book was well-paced, and I did not feel that there was unnecessary padding. Police officers all were assigned to different aspects of the investigations, leading to further character development. They missed the expertise that Tony and Carol brought to crime-solving. There were a number of separate cases before the police force, but I felt they were all smoothly developed.
The remains of approximately 40 young girls had been excavated on the grounds of a former convent. This was the home for unwanted girls from unfortunate backgrounds and was run by nuns. None of the former nuns or the priest questioned were forthcoming in providing answers. Despite speculation that the girls had been neglected and physically abused and that many had not died of natural causes, this was an almost impossible case to solve. Soon there was another shocking discovery. The more recent murdered bodies of young adult men were discovered in an adjacent area that the convents’ groundskeeper used for a garden. These young men seemed to be victims of a serial killer.
The serial killer with an unbelievable motive is revealed to the reader early in the plot. The detectives have several alternate suspects. Amidst red herrings and twists, forensics and an unexpected witness play parts in solving this case.
Meanwhile, Tony was immediately able to guess the murderer’s motive, but being imprisoned had no way to share his theory. He refused visits from Carol, not wishing to cause any setback in her recovery from PTSD. Carol is working on two projects. Tony’s cruel and psychopathic mother has demanded Carol help her find a man who defrauded her or she will destroy Tony’s future. Carol has also been asked to join a local Innocence Project to help exonerate a man wrongly imprisoned for murder on circumstantial evidence and with no body ever recovered.
I loved the clever way that Carol’s work for the Innocence Project connected with the investigation into the identity of the serial killer. I hope this is not the end of the series as I need to know what the future has in store for Tony and Carol’s relationship.
Carol is no longer a detective, having been forced out of the ReMIT agency. She is well on her way to recovery from alcoholism but is suffering from PTSD. She is taking positive steps in undergoing therapy. Tony is in prison for manslaughter. He is trying to keep safe from dangerous prisoners while attempting to inspire inmates to become better men and to develop a more positive outlook. One of his projects was teaching reading skills which ended badly. He now has the time to complete his long-delayed book, much to the gratification of his publisher. It was clear that neither Tony nor Carol were acting rationally during their last case together.
Taking Carol’s place at ReMIT is an unpleasant, ambitious man who is not earning the respect of his staff. DI Paula McIntyre is a hard-working detective who is the actual leader they admire. Stacey still has her legitimate role as computer genius but does not always follow police rules. We see how the other veteran detectives have bonded and co-operated, but it is not easy for newly hired staff members to blend in.
The book was well-paced, and I did not feel that there was unnecessary padding. Police officers all were assigned to different aspects of the investigations, leading to further character development. They missed the expertise that Tony and Carol brought to crime-solving. There were a number of separate cases before the police force, but I felt they were all smoothly developed.
The remains of approximately 40 young girls had been excavated on the grounds of a former convent. This was the home for unwanted girls from unfortunate backgrounds and was run by nuns. None of the former nuns or the priest questioned were forthcoming in providing answers. Despite speculation that the girls had been neglected and physically abused and that many had not died of natural causes, this was an almost impossible case to solve. Soon there was another shocking discovery. The more recent murdered bodies of young adult men were discovered in an adjacent area that the convents’ groundskeeper used for a garden. These young men seemed to be victims of a serial killer.
The serial killer with an unbelievable motive is revealed to the reader early in the plot. The detectives have several alternate suspects. Amidst red herrings and twists, forensics and an unexpected witness play parts in solving this case.
Meanwhile, Tony was immediately able to guess the murderer’s motive, but being imprisoned had no way to share his theory. He refused visits from Carol, not wishing to cause any setback in her recovery from PTSD. Carol is working on two projects. Tony’s cruel and psychopathic mother has demanded Carol help her find a man who defrauded her or she will destroy Tony’s future. Carol has also been asked to join a local Innocence Project to help exonerate a man wrongly imprisoned for murder on circumstantial evidence and with no body ever recovered.
I loved the clever way that Carol’s work for the Innocence Project connected with the investigation into the identity of the serial killer. I hope this is not the end of the series as I need to know what the future has in store for Tony and Carol’s relationship.
April 29, 2022
Book 11 in the Hill & Jordan series published 2019.
4 star for what appears to be the final installment in this series.
If this is the final installment in his entertaining series it was a great way to wrap everything up.
The cast are an eclectic assortment of people with different ethnicity, sexual orientation, levels of tolerance and not to mention a few mental health problems to boot. Just your average cross section of the general population. But all with one thing in common, a nose for the truth and how to find it.
In this episode the Holy R. C. church is under fire when 40 bodies of young girls are found in the grounds of a convent. If this wasn’t bad enough, when a cadaver dog is brought on the scene it discovers eight more graves but this time the bodies are males and are older than the girls.
This time around the team are missing their two most important members, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. In the last book an incident occurred that would lead to Tony Hill going to gaol and Carol Jordan retiring from the force.
So, with a new, overbearing, DCI in charge the teams moral is at an all time low. With no Carol and no Tony and a pig for a boss, cracks are beginning to appear. These are no longer happy campers.
Paula McIntyre, now a DI, who was more than just a team member she was also a friend of both Carol and Tony and it’s Paula that is the link that keeps Tony and Carol in the loop.
This latest case is going no where fast. Every suspect the police have just slips through their fingers before a case can be made against them.
But circumstances conspire to find, once again, that Carol, Tony and Paula end up working together.
Which is just as well for the citizens of Bradfield.
This has been a great series and I would recommended it to anyone who enjoys thrillers but be prepared to find some of the content a bit confronting.
December 23, 2019
After the events in the previous book, this book finds Tony in prison, Carol ousted from the police, and ReMIT reorganized with a new DCI. There are a few chapters featuring Tony, and a few featuring Carol, but the bulk of the book is carried by DI Paula McIntyre. There are some new members of ReMIT, but they haven’t quite earned trust yet. DCI Rutherford is focused on his image, but there are worse DCIs.
The book is written in usual McDermid style, meaning it is not a fast read. The pacing is steady, until near the end when an expected and hoped-for event finally happens. There is a hint of new beginnings, new paths, for some characters, and hopefully McDermid follows through with that in the next book.
The book is written in usual McDermid style, meaning it is not a fast read. The pacing is steady, until near the end when an expected and hoped-for event finally happens. There is a hint of new beginnings, new paths, for some characters, and hopefully McDermid follows through with that in the next book.
January 19, 2020
I took my time with this book, as I wanted to savor it and take in all the details rather than rushing to find out whodunnit.
I loved the excerpts at the beginning of each chapter, which are taken from the book that main character and psychological profiler Tony Hill is writing. For the most part, I read each one twice over for deeper meaning, or full comprehension, as I said, I wanted to savor McDermid's writing. Here are excerpts from two of my favorites:
1. Regarding selecting the best person to conduct an interview: "I advise seniors officers to look at the available talent in their team and go with the person most likely to get results, regardless of age, gender or attractiveness."
2. This one gave me pause for thought: "One of the less obvious effects of austerity has been the increase in the numbers of the visible vulnerable. For predators, it's been a gift-wrapped opportunity to expand their choice of victims."
Then, the following excerpt from Tony's work with his patients is reminiscent of my research on narrative therapy and resonated with me: "Sometimes I could help them rewrite the script. To give themselves a different future."
Another excerpt refers to previously estranged people reconnecting with one another after a traumatic event : "This kind of thing resets the zeros, Carol. Recalibrates what's important."
Additionally, I loved the dialog between the characters. A favorite scene is when one detective talks about needing "some shred of evidence. One loose thread we can pull on to unravel this whole case," and another detective responds, "He's the kind of man who carries nail scissors to cut off all the loose threads," meaning that he's a crafty so and so, and will be difficult to out maneuver. However, the final pithy response is, "One way or another, we'll just have to blunt his blades," which demonstrates both determination and hope.
This is a wonderful series that truly diverts my whole attention and keeps me guessing. Each book is finely crafted with detailed attention and understanding of human nature. I can't wait to see where the author takes these characters next.
I loved the excerpts at the beginning of each chapter, which are taken from the book that main character and psychological profiler Tony Hill is writing. For the most part, I read each one twice over for deeper meaning, or full comprehension, as I said, I wanted to savor McDermid's writing. Here are excerpts from two of my favorites:
1. Regarding selecting the best person to conduct an interview: "I advise seniors officers to look at the available talent in their team and go with the person most likely to get results, regardless of age, gender or attractiveness."
2. This one gave me pause for thought: "One of the less obvious effects of austerity has been the increase in the numbers of the visible vulnerable. For predators, it's been a gift-wrapped opportunity to expand their choice of victims."
Then, the following excerpt from Tony's work with his patients is reminiscent of my research on narrative therapy and resonated with me: "Sometimes I could help them rewrite the script. To give themselves a different future."
Another excerpt refers to previously estranged people reconnecting with one another after a traumatic event : "This kind of thing resets the zeros, Carol. Recalibrates what's important."
Additionally, I loved the dialog between the characters. A favorite scene is when one detective talks about needing "some shred of evidence. One loose thread we can pull on to unravel this whole case," and another detective responds, "He's the kind of man who carries nail scissors to cut off all the loose threads," meaning that he's a crafty so and so, and will be difficult to out maneuver. However, the final pithy response is, "One way or another, we'll just have to blunt his blades," which demonstrates both determination and hope.
This is a wonderful series that truly diverts my whole attention and keeps me guessing. Each book is finely crafted with detailed attention and understanding of human nature. I can't wait to see where the author takes these characters next.
December 13, 2019
In “How the Dead Speak,” Val McDermid continues her outstanding Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series. Following the events in the previous book, “Insidious Intent,” Tony Hill is now in prison for manslaughter and Carol Jordan is at loose ends without him and her career. Jordan’s former team is investigating the discovery of two different sets of skeletons found on the grounds of a former convent. Meanwhile, Tony is forced to help his evil, vindictive mother, and Carol becomes involved with a group trying to free innocent prisoners.
Despite the numerous interesting plot lines, the book wasn’t a “just one more chapter” read for me and was a little disappointing. I would recommend this book to fans of the series who are interested in the evolution of the characters. For readers new to the series, I think starting with the first book “The Mermaids Singing” would be ideal.
I eagerly anticipate McDermid’s next book which I trust will be as riveting and meticulously plotted as the previous books in this series.
Despite the numerous interesting plot lines, the book wasn’t a “just one more chapter” read for me and was a little disappointing. I would recommend this book to fans of the series who are interested in the evolution of the characters. For readers new to the series, I think starting with the first book “The Mermaids Singing” would be ideal.
I eagerly anticipate McDermid’s next book which I trust will be as riveting and meticulously plotted as the previous books in this series.
December 3, 2019
3.5 STARS
Psychiatrist Tony Hill and ex-DCI Carol Jordan make another appearance in this 11th book of the series.
Picking up where Book 10 left off, Hill is in prison and Carol is no longer with the police department. She has joined forces with a small informal group of lawyers and forensics experts looking into suspected miscarriages of justice. A little different for both of them as they are working without each other.
Newly promoted DI Paula McIntyre picks up where Jordan left off. She and her team are called in to investigate the finding of multiple skeletons buried sometime between 20 and 40 years ago. In another area, another burial site reveals the bones of young men, buried as late as 10 years ago.
One of those skeletons belongs to a killer who is supposedly alive and behind bars. This turn of events bring Tony and Carol into each other's paths once again.
This has been an interesting, entertaining series. I love how the characters have grown and matured, and how Carol and Tony still relate to each other since book 1 in 1995 or thereabouts. It's hard to say ,... but I was a bit disappointed with this one. There are multiple story lines, with baffling mysteries to solve. Parts of it felt somewhat disjointed. The ending was unsatisfactory ... although it does nicely set up the next book.
Many thanks to the author / Grove Atlantic / Netgalley / Edelweiss for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Psychiatrist Tony Hill and ex-DCI Carol Jordan make another appearance in this 11th book of the series.
Picking up where Book 10 left off, Hill is in prison and Carol is no longer with the police department. She has joined forces with a small informal group of lawyers and forensics experts looking into suspected miscarriages of justice. A little different for both of them as they are working without each other.
Newly promoted DI Paula McIntyre picks up where Jordan left off. She and her team are called in to investigate the finding of multiple skeletons buried sometime between 20 and 40 years ago. In another area, another burial site reveals the bones of young men, buried as late as 10 years ago.
One of those skeletons belongs to a killer who is supposedly alive and behind bars. This turn of events bring Tony and Carol into each other's paths once again.
This has been an interesting, entertaining series. I love how the characters have grown and matured, and how Carol and Tony still relate to each other since book 1 in 1995 or thereabouts. It's hard to say ,... but I was a bit disappointed with this one. There are multiple story lines, with baffling mysteries to solve. Parts of it felt somewhat disjointed. The ending was unsatisfactory ... although it does nicely set up the next book.
Many thanks to the author / Grove Atlantic / Netgalley / Edelweiss for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
June 28, 2022
When it's a Tony Hill book you know it will be interesting, entertaining and a top-notch well written police procedural. As usual, I have to say that this was great. So why didn't it get another star? Well Tony is in prison. That just didn't seem right to me. I know Val McDermid has it all worked out, but I want Tony and Carol to be working together. Carol is dealing with her drinking and PTSD, so hopefully things will soon be back to normal. I have followed Tony Hill and Carol Jordan from the start and loved every moment in their company. The book, although very readable, just didn't deliver the same impact as the others. The usual characters drift in and out of the story line, but the "must find out what happens next" feeling just didn't happen and the resolution of the main crime seemed rather weak. As for Carol and Tony...we get a very tiny glimmer of hope for their relationship. I do hope that Ms. McDermid will take the next Hill/Jordan book back to its exciting place that it was headed and give us some resolution on the tentative relationship between these two well-loved characters. It's not the same without them doing what they do best.
September 12, 2019
Full disclosure -- my experience with Tony Hill and Carol Jordan is entirely based on the excellent BBC series of a few years back, and it wasn't until I read this, #11 in the series, that I encountered them or their team in Val McDermid's printed work. I have read others of her series, but this is my first Hill/Jordan. Val McDermid is one of those rarities -- a writer of thrillers who looks beyond the more sensational aspects of her characters' actions and/or motivations and delves deep. She also manages to have the ability of creating several divergent storylines, and effortlessly keeps all balls in the air. Her ability to seek out those experts in forensics, psychology (in this case, PTSD treatment in particular), scientific advances in criminology, and any other pieces she may require so that her finished work carries the smack of realism and verisimilitude. She remarks late in this book that "policing wasn't a competitive sport," and neither is writing, truth be told. By harnessing the resources she has access to, she illuminates and educates even as she entertains. Well done. I intend to read much more of her stuff.
January 10, 2020
Even bad men can sometimes do good things
McDermid is not called the Queen of Crime for nothing.
At the end of Insidious Intent I could not see a way forward for this series. Not in the original sense of how it use to be. Tony and Carol at the end of everything they worked so hard to be. But I had great faith in Val after that last sentence. I saw that she had a plan, or at least I told myself she must have a plan. Okay, I was hoping and wishing and could not deal with the fact that all of it could be over…
Ecstatic was I when I found a release date for the eleventh book.
This book was different. It’s not the thrilling ride of Tony trying to decipher the killer, or Carol putting her life on the line to catch said killer. I want to think of this book as a bridge between what this series was; and what it will now become. I see great potential for all characters involved, and if like me you fell in love with them you will most defiantly like this book. But if you read this series for the physiological profiling (like it started off) you will be disappointed.
There are snippets of Tony’s thoughts, portrayed in a book he is writing. And while I enjoyed those parts at the start of each the chapters; I would have liked more of his brilliant mind intertwined with the cases at hand.
Speaking of cases; ReMIT is still going strong-ish. Even without Carol and Tony. But to me it lost its magic. The new DCI is a stereotypical ass and the new team does not have the energy the old one had. And honestly I felt everything just came a bit too easy to them.
The most confident qualities of this book are the excellent pacing and the profound character development in Carol. I love when characters have to work hard to change, when they have fallbacks and feel just as human as I am. And this is exactly what Val did with Carol. The once secure and self-confident person is slowly re-emerging, escaping the hole she fell into; but she needs to work damn hard for it.
I’m very excited to see where Val is going with all this new ground she so carefully laid.
McDermid is not called the Queen of Crime for nothing.
At the end of Insidious Intent I could not see a way forward for this series. Not in the original sense of how it use to be. Tony and Carol at the end of everything they worked so hard to be. But I had great faith in Val after that last sentence. I saw that she had a plan, or at least I told myself she must have a plan. Okay, I was hoping and wishing and could not deal with the fact that all of it could be over…
Ecstatic was I when I found a release date for the eleventh book.
This book was different. It’s not the thrilling ride of Tony trying to decipher the killer, or Carol putting her life on the line to catch said killer. I want to think of this book as a bridge between what this series was; and what it will now become. I see great potential for all characters involved, and if like me you fell in love with them you will most defiantly like this book. But if you read this series for the physiological profiling (like it started off) you will be disappointed.
There are snippets of Tony’s thoughts, portrayed in a book he is writing. And while I enjoyed those parts at the start of each the chapters; I would have liked more of his brilliant mind intertwined with the cases at hand.
Speaking of cases; ReMIT is still going strong-ish. Even without Carol and Tony. But to me it lost its magic. The new DCI is a stereotypical ass and the new team does not have the energy the old one had. And honestly I felt everything just came a bit too easy to them.
The most confident qualities of this book are the excellent pacing and the profound character development in Carol. I love when characters have to work hard to change, when they have fallbacks and feel just as human as I am. And this is exactly what Val did with Carol. The once secure and self-confident person is slowly re-emerging, escaping the hole she fell into; but she needs to work damn hard for it.
I’m very excited to see where Val is going with all this new ground she so carefully laid.
January 28, 2020
While I am very familiar with Val McDermid’s Carol Jordan & Tony Hill series from having watched the Wire in the Blood show some years ago, How the Dead Speak is the first book of the series I’ve actually read. And it was well worth the reading. There have been many changes in the formerly close ReMIT police team that Carol led in the past, the group that Tony Hill consulted to before the horrible end to the last case. Now Carol and Tony have gone on their own separate paths and the ReMIT group is being reformed with a new leader and new members.
The first case is unusual, to say the least. A former convent, school and refuge for girls that has been closed for years is finally being torn down and the grounds torn up to prepare for new construction. During the first pass through the lawn, bones were turned up with the soil. Many bones and many skulls. Who did this? The nuns?
Since I have not been up to date with the series, I was not current with the secondary characters. The strongest here is Paula who appears to be carrying her role over from the prior book. As a skilled interviewer, she is vital to the group’s success, not valued by her new boss but definitely appreciated by most members of her team. I will enjoy reading more about her.
Carol and Tony do not work with the police now. That last case changed everything. Now they each are working on their own lives and issues. We are able to “ride along” as they do so in parallel to the primary police action. Each chapter is headed by a quote from a book that Tony is writing. There is an overarching question among all that know the two: what will their relationship be in the future? Will it heal?
I think I will plan to read some of the earlier books in the series selectively to see how everything reached this point. And I wonder where McDermid will take these people next. She is an excellent writer who keeps the pacing, multiple plots and various characters all moving along steadily and consistently. I do recommend reading How the Dead Speak but I suggest you know at least a bit about the characters and series beforehand.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The first case is unusual, to say the least. A former convent, school and refuge for girls that has been closed for years is finally being torn down and the grounds torn up to prepare for new construction. During the first pass through the lawn, bones were turned up with the soil. Many bones and many skulls. Who did this? The nuns?
Since I have not been up to date with the series, I was not current with the secondary characters. The strongest here is Paula who appears to be carrying her role over from the prior book. As a skilled interviewer, she is vital to the group’s success, not valued by her new boss but definitely appreciated by most members of her team. I will enjoy reading more about her.
Carol and Tony do not work with the police now. That last case changed everything. Now they each are working on their own lives and issues. We are able to “ride along” as they do so in parallel to the primary police action. Each chapter is headed by a quote from a book that Tony is writing. There is an overarching question among all that know the two: what will their relationship be in the future? Will it heal?
I think I will plan to read some of the earlier books in the series selectively to see how everything reached this point. And I wonder where McDermid will take these people next. She is an excellent writer who keeps the pacing, multiple plots and various characters all moving along steadily and consistently. I do recommend reading How the Dead Speak but I suggest you know at least a bit about the characters and series beforehand.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
September 12, 2025
Boring af.
August 15, 2019
There are longstanding authors whose series plateau or dip after so long; one of many impressive things about Val McDermid’s crime writing is the way she continues to push herself and her characters, finding fresh stories to tell, issues to explore, and never leaving things static.
How The Dead Speak is a great example of that. The eleventh novel starring profiler Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan sees the duo separated, and both struggling with new situations after the cataclysmic ending to Insidious Intent
McDermid adroitly weaves a variety of storylines into a gripping novel. The remnants of Jordan's ReMIT team are forced to deal with the absence of Tony and Carol and the presence of new bosses and peers, while also being thrust into twin investigations with the discovery of dozens of bodies in the grounds of an abandoned convent. This 11th tale showcases Tony and Carol's former colleagues like Paula, Stacey, and Alvin, while also giving readers a deeper understanding of the protagonists.
PTSD and prison; McDermid didn’t take the easy way out or leap ahead to some form of equilibrium. Instead she painted herself into a corner, then delivered a gripping tale that potentially caps a beloved series while underlining the impact of all that has gone before. Recommended.
How The Dead Speak is a great example of that. The eleventh novel starring profiler Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan sees the duo separated, and both struggling with new situations after the cataclysmic ending to Insidious Intent
McDermid adroitly weaves a variety of storylines into a gripping novel. The remnants of Jordan's ReMIT team are forced to deal with the absence of Tony and Carol and the presence of new bosses and peers, while also being thrust into twin investigations with the discovery of dozens of bodies in the grounds of an abandoned convent. This 11th tale showcases Tony and Carol's former colleagues like Paula, Stacey, and Alvin, while also giving readers a deeper understanding of the protagonists.
PTSD and prison; McDermid didn’t take the easy way out or leap ahead to some form of equilibrium. Instead she painted herself into a corner, then delivered a gripping tale that potentially caps a beloved series while underlining the impact of all that has gone before. Recommended.
September 6, 2019
Oh,the joy and expectation one experiences when revisiting old,but not forgotten,friends!
Yes,they are now in a much different situation, deciding how to play the cards life has dealt them,one grappling with PTSD and the potential to do what she does best,but for different reasons,
the other,fudging a life behind bars,finding an inner strength to mirror the myriad changes that have befallen him.
Both undergoing a metamorphosis of a kind,they will emerge stronger,still hesitant,but willing to forge a future that encompasses both of them.
I loved this story,applaud Val for taking our beloved characters in this direction and for injecting realism into their stories.
I loved the opportunity to once again spend time with Paula,Stacey,Alvin and the new ReMIT and gain an insight into their frustrations,both with Rutherford and their myriad cases. It’s good to see them back!
Highly recommended to all fans of Val. 😊
Yes,they are now in a much different situation, deciding how to play the cards life has dealt them,one grappling with PTSD and the potential to do what she does best,but for different reasons,
the other,fudging a life behind bars,finding an inner strength to mirror the myriad changes that have befallen him.
Both undergoing a metamorphosis of a kind,they will emerge stronger,still hesitant,but willing to forge a future that encompasses both of them.
I loved this story,applaud Val for taking our beloved characters in this direction and for injecting realism into their stories.
I loved the opportunity to once again spend time with Paula,Stacey,Alvin and the new ReMIT and gain an insight into their frustrations,both with Rutherford and their myriad cases. It’s good to see them back!
Highly recommended to all fans of Val. 😊
November 14, 2019
Owing to disastrous events at the end of the previous novel Insidious Intent, Tony Hill is currently serving a 4-year prison term for manslaughter and Carol Jordan has been forced to resign from the police. The Regional Major Incident Team is currently headed by a preening incompetent called Ian Rutherford, although it is Paula McIntyre who is doing all the hard work to compensate for Carol’s absence.
For both their sakes, Tony is currently incommunicado with Carol, although events transpire to bring them back into each other’s orbit. Firstly though the manipulation of two scheming women – Tony’s mother Vanessa and defence barrister Bronwen Scott. Meanwhile ReMIT is dealing with the case of around 40 human remains of teenage girls found in the grounds of an abandoned convent. Later, another set of bodies are found in a nearby garden. Could these be linked to Carol’s investigation?
In this novel, I particularly liked the insight into the internal dynamics of ReMIT; functioning without its two charismatic leaders and the character development of its regular members: Paula, Stacey, Alvin and Karim.
In the end, there are some personal issues which remain unresolved although, I presume, this is to set up the next novel. In all, it is a very worthy addition to this groundbreaking series.
For both their sakes, Tony is currently incommunicado with Carol, although events transpire to bring them back into each other’s orbit. Firstly though the manipulation of two scheming women – Tony’s mother Vanessa and defence barrister Bronwen Scott. Meanwhile ReMIT is dealing with the case of around 40 human remains of teenage girls found in the grounds of an abandoned convent. Later, another set of bodies are found in a nearby garden. Could these be linked to Carol’s investigation?
In this novel, I particularly liked the insight into the internal dynamics of ReMIT; functioning without its two charismatic leaders and the character development of its regular members: Paula, Stacey, Alvin and Karim.
In the end, there are some personal issues which remain unresolved although, I presume, this is to set up the next novel. In all, it is a very worthy addition to this groundbreaking series.
October 5, 2019
Felt there was just too much going on and the fact that Tony and Carol did not interact was terrible.
Disappointed in this one that took me way too long to get though. "A copy of this book was provided by Grove Atlantic Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley. Comments here are my honest opinion."
Disappointed in this one that took me way too long to get though. "A copy of this book was provided by Grove Atlantic Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley. Comments here are my honest opinion."
February 7, 2020
Very,very weak.This was once a great series.
October 17, 2022
How the Dead Speak (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #11) by Val McDermid.
This is the 11th book in the Hill/Jordan series. Tony Hill has been incarcerated and is slowly finding who to trust and who to steer clear of in prison. His days are filled with his writing if a new book and of a program to possibly bring a ray of hope to other prisoners. Carol has been dismissed (thrown out) of any and all police duties. A new path in her life arrives in the form of a most unlikely individual. Brownwen Scott, the defense council and Carol's former opponent in the courtroom trials, has a proposition for Carol and it appears to be a new horizon on Carol's future.
There's just one huge hitch in their future together. tony won't allow Carol to visit him until she has started seeking help for her PTSD and stops drinking. And so Carol begins this new step to a brighter future since in her heart she knows her future must include tony.
Bodies of young girls have been uncovered in back of a closed down convent and Catholic orphanage. As the team begins their forensic investigation more bodies of young men are discovered in an adjoining plot of land. These newly discovered graves don't appear to be linked to the convent. Then who are they and how did they get there?
This was a slow and purposely written story. I love this series more with each passing story. It would help to read this series in order, but not necessary. Highly recommended.
This is the 11th book in the Hill/Jordan series. Tony Hill has been incarcerated and is slowly finding who to trust and who to steer clear of in prison. His days are filled with his writing if a new book and of a program to possibly bring a ray of hope to other prisoners. Carol has been dismissed (thrown out) of any and all police duties. A new path in her life arrives in the form of a most unlikely individual. Brownwen Scott, the defense council and Carol's former opponent in the courtroom trials, has a proposition for Carol and it appears to be a new horizon on Carol's future.
There's just one huge hitch in their future together. tony won't allow Carol to visit him until she has started seeking help for her PTSD and stops drinking. And so Carol begins this new step to a brighter future since in her heart she knows her future must include tony.
Bodies of young girls have been uncovered in back of a closed down convent and Catholic orphanage. As the team begins their forensic investigation more bodies of young men are discovered in an adjoining plot of land. These newly discovered graves don't appear to be linked to the convent. Then who are they and how did they get there?
This was a slow and purposely written story. I love this series more with each passing story. It would help to read this series in order, but not necessary. Highly recommended.
November 15, 2019
Although this can be read as a stand alone as I did, I really wish I had read the previous one. I have no idea how Tony ended up in prison and Carol was fired but this is the situation when this books opens. They are both trying to adjust to their new lives and having a painful time of it. It is inspiring to read how Tony tries to carve out a new existence full of purpose.
The story concerns a discovery of a multitude of dead bodies found in a closed church school. Did the nuns kill a bunch of students? Are the bones hundreds of years old? As Carol's old team investigates, a new bunch of bodies is discovered in the caretakers yard, Are these bodies connected to the others? The team is having a tough time under the new leadership and missing Carol. The investigation is demanding.
This is a highly interesting and surprising read that kept me captivated from beginning to end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
The story concerns a discovery of a multitude of dead bodies found in a closed church school. Did the nuns kill a bunch of students? Are the bones hundreds of years old? As Carol's old team investigates, a new bunch of bodies is discovered in the caretakers yard, Are these bodies connected to the others? The team is having a tough time under the new leadership and missing Carol. The investigation is demanding.
This is a highly interesting and surprising read that kept me captivated from beginning to end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
August 17, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an advance copy of How the Dead Speak, the eleventh novel to feature former detective Carol Jordan and forensic profiler Tony Hill.
When a developer discovers old bones in the garden of a former convent, DCI Rutherford, the head of the reformed ReMIT (regional major investigation team), is desperate to investigate and takes over the enquiry. In the meantime Carol Jordan and Tony Hill, former stalwarts of the team, are pursuing their post police service lives far away from the action.
I thoroughly enjoyed How the Dead Speak which is an engrossing police procedural with extras. Initially I found it difficult to get absorbed in the narrative as it has four distinct strands and constantly switches between them and as a further distraction each switch is headed by a few sentences from the book Tony is writing. Until I got used to and eventually welcomed it it just seemed like more choppiness. I also think that it would have helped me if I’d read the previous novel in the series as it casts a long shadow over the early parts of the novel. Once I got a handle on all this, about a quarter of the way in, I was hooked and the old McDermid magic wove its spell.
The novel follows the police investigation, mostly from DI Paula McIntyre’s perspective, and is fascinating, not so much the original premise of bones in a religious building but where it goes. It also follows the developments in Tony and Carol’s lives as they try to forge a new direction post police. The fourth strand concerns businessman Mark Conway and his mysterious mission. This is a well crafted, multi stranded novel with each strand intersecting with another, mostly tangentially rather than coming together as a whole at the conclusion. This seems realistic to me. I do feel, however, that the crimes are a secondary consideration in this novel as no great feats of detection are required to solve them and that Ms McDermid is more interested in how her characters cope with change and where they see their future. I really liked Paula’s troubles in the new team, not that I want to see her struggle but dealing with self interested half wits is always a challenge. The opening scenes sum it all up nicely. The one thing that comes out of Tony and Carol’s separate situations is hope. After years of working with life’s darkness they are putting their lives back on track and moving towards the light. I found their journeys fascinating and relatable if somewhat beyond my own experience.
How the Dead Speak is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When a developer discovers old bones in the garden of a former convent, DCI Rutherford, the head of the reformed ReMIT (regional major investigation team), is desperate to investigate and takes over the enquiry. In the meantime Carol Jordan and Tony Hill, former stalwarts of the team, are pursuing their post police service lives far away from the action.
I thoroughly enjoyed How the Dead Speak which is an engrossing police procedural with extras. Initially I found it difficult to get absorbed in the narrative as it has four distinct strands and constantly switches between them and as a further distraction each switch is headed by a few sentences from the book Tony is writing. Until I got used to and eventually welcomed it it just seemed like more choppiness. I also think that it would have helped me if I’d read the previous novel in the series as it casts a long shadow over the early parts of the novel. Once I got a handle on all this, about a quarter of the way in, I was hooked and the old McDermid magic wove its spell.
The novel follows the police investigation, mostly from DI Paula McIntyre’s perspective, and is fascinating, not so much the original premise of bones in a religious building but where it goes. It also follows the developments in Tony and Carol’s lives as they try to forge a new direction post police. The fourth strand concerns businessman Mark Conway and his mysterious mission. This is a well crafted, multi stranded novel with each strand intersecting with another, mostly tangentially rather than coming together as a whole at the conclusion. This seems realistic to me. I do feel, however, that the crimes are a secondary consideration in this novel as no great feats of detection are required to solve them and that Ms McDermid is more interested in how her characters cope with change and where they see their future. I really liked Paula’s troubles in the new team, not that I want to see her struggle but dealing with self interested half wits is always a challenge. The opening scenes sum it all up nicely. The one thing that comes out of Tony and Carol’s separate situations is hope. After years of working with life’s darkness they are putting their lives back on track and moving towards the light. I found their journeys fascinating and relatable if somewhat beyond my own experience.
How the Dead Speak is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
September 1, 2019
Boring. Disappointing. Never thought I'd write those words for a Val McDermid book but...absolutely no tension..Tony and Carol not even working together..weak silly ending.
September 11, 2019
I loved this book despite the fact that Carol and Tony were no longer working together and that Carol was no longer a working police officer. I highly recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2019
At the end of the previous book in this long-running series, Insidious Intent - which I only finished two days ago - the author makes an impassioned plea to the reader not to spoil it for other fans by revealing the shocking twist. That was two years ago, but there will still be plenty of people who haven’t read it yet, so I’m going to keep this review as spoiler-free as I can. I strongly recommend that you don’t read this first if you are new to the series: you don’t necessarily need to go all the way back to the beginning, but at least start with The Retribution and read them in order to fully understand the characters.
Tony and Carol both start this eleventh chapter in their adventures in very different places, geographically, professionally and emotionally. After making a huge sacrifice for her and then finally confessing his feelings, Tony has refused to see her until she gets treatment for her PTSD. Retired from the police, Carol is finally ready to try, but approaches from both her previous nemeses, both wanting her help but for very different reasons, threaten her recovery.
Tony is trying to make the best of his new role, but even his uncanny profiling skills and human observations can’t keep him safe in his new world. Meanwhile Paula, Stacey and the other members of the ReMIT team are struggling under a new DCI, as pompous as he is ambitious, so when they are assigned to the investigation of a mass grave in a former children’s home run by nuns, and then newer bones turn up, they miss Carol & Tony more than ever.
This remains one of my favourite series, but frankly there was just too much going on in this one, so none of the plot lines were fully developed or resolved.
We’ve got a serial killer with the stupidest motive yet, a gang of evil nuns hiding children’s bodies, Tony’s attempts to survive his new situation, his mother Vanessa blackmailing Carol into solving a crime for her, and scheming defence lawyer Bronwen trying to ease her conscience by campaigning for falsely convicted prisoners. Not to mention new team members trying to win over the very cliquey ReMIT cool kids.
The point of view changes are dizzying and keeping track of what was going on was much harder than usual from this author whose plots are normally perfectly executed. My favourite parts were Tony’s scenes, and I liked the way each chapter begins with an excerpt from the book he’s finally writing.
I do hope this is not the end, although I’d be happy enough for Tony and Carol to disappear off into the Dales hand in hand (with Flash in tow of course) and let Paula lead the series from now on. I found the ending rather disappointing - as if it all had to be wrapped up within a certain number of pages, so there wasn’t time to reveal the fates of the various minor characters.
Overall, if you love this series, you’ll still enjoy this book, but it’s not one of the best and now there’s another long wait before we get to find out what happens next. 3.5 rounded up, as I was still kept up way past bedtime to find out what happens, and not many authors can do this to me nowadays!
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review. How The Dead Speak is published tomorrow.
Tony and Carol both start this eleventh chapter in their adventures in very different places, geographically, professionally and emotionally. After making a huge sacrifice for her and then finally confessing his feelings, Tony has refused to see her until she gets treatment for her PTSD. Retired from the police, Carol is finally ready to try, but approaches from both her previous nemeses, both wanting her help but for very different reasons, threaten her recovery.
Tony is trying to make the best of his new role, but even his uncanny profiling skills and human observations can’t keep him safe in his new world. Meanwhile Paula, Stacey and the other members of the ReMIT team are struggling under a new DCI, as pompous as he is ambitious, so when they are assigned to the investigation of a mass grave in a former children’s home run by nuns, and then newer bones turn up, they miss Carol & Tony more than ever.
This remains one of my favourite series, but frankly there was just too much going on in this one, so none of the plot lines were fully developed or resolved.
We’ve got a serial killer with the stupidest motive yet, a gang of evil nuns hiding children’s bodies, Tony’s attempts to survive his new situation, his mother Vanessa blackmailing Carol into solving a crime for her, and scheming defence lawyer Bronwen trying to ease her conscience by campaigning for falsely convicted prisoners. Not to mention new team members trying to win over the very cliquey ReMIT cool kids.
The point of view changes are dizzying and keeping track of what was going on was much harder than usual from this author whose plots are normally perfectly executed. My favourite parts were Tony’s scenes, and I liked the way each chapter begins with an excerpt from the book he’s finally writing.
I do hope this is not the end, although I’d be happy enough for Tony and Carol to disappear off into the Dales hand in hand (with Flash in tow of course) and let Paula lead the series from now on. I found the ending rather disappointing - as if it all had to be wrapped up within a certain number of pages, so there wasn’t time to reveal the fates of the various minor characters.
Overall, if you love this series, you’ll still enjoy this book, but it’s not one of the best and now there’s another long wait before we get to find out what happens next. 3.5 rounded up, as I was still kept up way past bedtime to find out what happens, and not many authors can do this to me nowadays!
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review. How The Dead Speak is published tomorrow.
October 12, 2019
I try hard not to write reviews with spoilers. Or ones that give away too much of the plot. Of course it also means I sometimes re-read a review of a book before starting the next book of the series and - unless it's ingrained into my mind for some reason - I rarely remember the detail.
So, given two years has passed since Val McDermid's last Tony Hill / Carol Jordan novel Insidious Intent was published (and I can't believe it's that long!), I'd completely forgotten Tony had gone to jail. I can't remember any of the specifics, but that's kind-of a good thing as newcomers to the series won't be lost, suddenly introduced to characters - many of whom have been around now for 11 novels (and 24 years).
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
So, given two years has passed since Val McDermid's last Tony Hill / Carol Jordan novel Insidious Intent was published (and I can't believe it's that long!), I'd completely forgotten Tony had gone to jail. I can't remember any of the specifics, but that's kind-of a good thing as newcomers to the series won't be lost, suddenly introduced to characters - many of whom have been around now for 11 novels (and 24 years).
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
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