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Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #5
Beneath The Bleeding
Confined to a hospital bed after an attack by a mental patient, psychologist and profiler Dr. Tony Hill struggles to make sense of the fragmentary information that reaches him in the aftermath of two staggering crimes. A star soccer player has been poisoned and, shortly afterward, the local stadium is rocked by a bomb blast, leaving dozens dead and more injured. Meanwhile, his customary ally, Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan, is being pushed out of the investigation by government intelligence sources. Is it homegrown terrorism or could money―or something else―be involved?
Bringing together two of crime fiction’s richest characters, Beneath the Bleeding is a terrifying and absorbing addition to a bestselling series. Val McDermid’s Tony Hill and Carol Jordan books―the basis for the acclaimed television show Wire in the Blood ―have made her a favorite of readers in Canada and around the world, and confirm her status as a master of psychological suspense.
Bringing together two of crime fiction’s richest characters, Beneath the Bleeding is a terrifying and absorbing addition to a bestselling series. Val McDermid’s Tony Hill and Carol Jordan books―the basis for the acclaimed television show Wire in the Blood ―have made her a favorite of readers in Canada and around the world, and confirm her status as a master of psychological suspense.
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 8, 2007
443 people are currently reading
3084 people want to read
About the author
Val McDermid
342 books5,324 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 503 reviews
March 24, 2018
Another good book in the Dr. Tony Hill and DCI Carol Jordan series. Tony's leg is injured and he's in the hospital for most of this book. That doesn’t stop him, though. As he says, his head still works. Carol and her team are investigating a poisoning. Chris, Stacey, Paula, Kevin, and Sam have become familiar characters.
I have a feel for Val McDermid's style now, so I expected a long, slow introduction to the cases and characters. Mid-book, there is an explosion with 35 victims, and the Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) pushes Carol's investigation aside. There is no love lost for CTC as Carol carries on investigating the poisoning and the explosion. Amid all that, Tony's mother shows up and what a piece of work she is! It was nice learning more of Tony's background.
As usual, Tony sees connections between seemingly unrelated bits of information. I think that’s what I enjoy the most in these books. I’m looking forward to what’s revealed in the next book.
I have a feel for Val McDermid's style now, so I expected a long, slow introduction to the cases and characters. Mid-book, there is an explosion with 35 victims, and the Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) pushes Carol's investigation aside. There is no love lost for CTC as Carol carries on investigating the poisoning and the explosion. Amid all that, Tony's mother shows up and what a piece of work she is! It was nice learning more of Tony's background.
As usual, Tony sees connections between seemingly unrelated bits of information. I think that’s what I enjoy the most in these books. I’m looking forward to what’s revealed in the next book.
June 28, 2019
Book number 5 in the Hill & Jordan series.
This is another reasonable addition to this series, this time with a bit less gruesomeness than was common in the past four books. That’s not saying that there’s no dead bodies here, there are lot of them, it’s just not so in your face this time.
Tony Hill has been attacked by an axe wielding madman, one of his patients, and spends most of his time unravelling two very different crimes from his hospital bed. Whilst Carol Jordan gets to do the leg work.
Three people, all with two things in common, they all went to the same school and they all, by luck or hard work, had successful lives. Now they are all dead by means of a lethal poison.
At the same time a bomb goes off at the local football ground. What was the point?
These are the problems that face Hill and Jordan. Tony Hill’s brain goes, of course, in the opposite direction from everybody else and Carol has a really hard time coming to terms with Tony’s ideas. Well after all he is in hospital and in lots of pain no wonder his thinking is so confused.
To be honest I found both story lines a bit hard to swallow. The poisoning story was more believable than the bombing scenario but it was still a bit far fetched. As for the bombing that was just too big a mouth full to swallow.
That being said, I didn’t have any trouble finishing the book. The pace is fast and tension is high. For me the whole point of reading is to be entertained and, or, enlightened. Whilst it didn’t enlighten it did entertain.
So not perfect but good enough for 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This is another reasonable addition to this series, this time with a bit less gruesomeness than was common in the past four books. That’s not saying that there’s no dead bodies here, there are lot of them, it’s just not so in your face this time.
Tony Hill has been attacked by an axe wielding madman, one of his patients, and spends most of his time unravelling two very different crimes from his hospital bed. Whilst Carol Jordan gets to do the leg work.
Three people, all with two things in common, they all went to the same school and they all, by luck or hard work, had successful lives. Now they are all dead by means of a lethal poison.
At the same time a bomb goes off at the local football ground. What was the point?
These are the problems that face Hill and Jordan. Tony Hill’s brain goes, of course, in the opposite direction from everybody else and Carol has a really hard time coming to terms with Tony’s ideas. Well after all he is in hospital and in lots of pain no wonder his thinking is so confused.
To be honest I found both story lines a bit hard to swallow. The poisoning story was more believable than the bombing scenario but it was still a bit far fetched. As for the bombing that was just too big a mouth full to swallow.
That being said, I didn’t have any trouble finishing the book. The pace is fast and tension is high. For me the whole point of reading is to be entertained and, or, enlightened. Whilst it didn’t enlighten it did entertain.
So not perfect but good enough for 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
February 28, 2008
I wasn't sure what to expect, given Val McDermid's comments re: the Tony/Carol relationship but when a novel opens with a madman with an axe, what's not to like? (But does Tony have to be in peril so early on? Does he have to be in peril at all? Hasn't he been in danger in all of the other novels as well?) And there's poisoning, and nefarious plotting, and a wicked mother. I'm really impressed with Ms. McDermid's ability to keep track of all these storylines.
And the fangirl in me leapt with joy to find not one, but two, references to Spooks. I was sitting in the lounge when I read the first one, and I yelled for my mother to come so I could read it to her. (What? She's a Spooks fangirl too.)
I'm so glad Paula's still around. I was worried that she might be written out after what had happened to her in the previous book. And Kevin's married? Huh. I like Chris, but I feel kind of meh about Stacy and Sam.
And, guh! Tony loves Carol and Carol loves Tony, but neither of them think that a relationship is possible because of the past. There are moments, though. Carol's thoughts when she hears Tony's been attacked, Tony's admission that he can't do anything without her. *sigh* (I'll take my shippy moments wherever I can find them.) Also, pretty much everyone thinks they're a couple (from Michael, to Tony's mother, to random nurses at the hospital).
All in all, I enjoyed it immensely.
And the fangirl in me leapt with joy to find not one, but two, references to Spooks. I was sitting in the lounge when I read the first one, and I yelled for my mother to come so I could read it to her. (What? She's a Spooks fangirl too.)
I'm so glad Paula's still around. I was worried that she might be written out after what had happened to her in the previous book. And Kevin's married? Huh. I like Chris, but I feel kind of meh about Stacy and Sam.
And, guh! Tony loves Carol and Carol loves Tony, but neither of them think that a relationship is possible because of the past. There are moments, though. Carol's thoughts when she hears Tony's been attacked, Tony's admission that he can't do anything without her. *sigh* (I'll take my shippy moments wherever I can find them.) Also, pretty much everyone thinks they're a couple (from Michael, to Tony's mother, to random nurses at the hospital).
All in all, I enjoyed it immensely.
May 7, 2017
Description: The residents of Bradfield are devastated when their star midfielder dies, the victim of a bizarre, seemingly motiveless murder.
In a hospital, recovering from injuries, criminal profiler and psychologist Dr. Tony Hill struggles to make sense of the fragments of information he can gather in order to help his ally, Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan, bring a killer to justice. Then an explosion rips through a soccer stadium, leaving dozens dead and many more injured, and Jordan finds herself pushed to the margins of the investigation by the intelligence services.
Despite the dark places in their relationship, Tony and Carol remain the best hope for uncovering the truth about an ever-increasing series of unspeakable crimes. Are they terrorist attacks, a personal vendetta . . . or something even more sinister?
Opening: The phases of the moon have an inexplicable but incontrovertible effect on the mentally ill. Ask any psychiatric nurse. For them it is a truth universally acknowledged.
4* A Place of Execution
2* Village SOS
4* Dead Clever
2* Deadheading
3* Scott Free
2* The Vanishing Point
3* The Distant Echo (Inspector Karen Pirie, #1)
2* A Darker Domain (Inspector Karen Pirie, #2)
3* Clean Break (Kate Brannigan, #4)
3* Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime
3* The Mermaids Singing (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #1)
4* The Wire In The Blood (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #2)
CR The Last Temptation (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #3)
3* The Torment of Others (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #4)
3* Beneath The Bleeding (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #5
In a hospital, recovering from injuries, criminal profiler and psychologist Dr. Tony Hill struggles to make sense of the fragments of information he can gather in order to help his ally, Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan, bring a killer to justice. Then an explosion rips through a soccer stadium, leaving dozens dead and many more injured, and Jordan finds herself pushed to the margins of the investigation by the intelligence services.
Despite the dark places in their relationship, Tony and Carol remain the best hope for uncovering the truth about an ever-increasing series of unspeakable crimes. Are they terrorist attacks, a personal vendetta . . . or something even more sinister?
Opening: The phases of the moon have an inexplicable but incontrovertible effect on the mentally ill. Ask any psychiatric nurse. For them it is a truth universally acknowledged.
4* A Place of Execution
2* Village SOS
4* Dead Clever
2* Deadheading
3* Scott Free
2* The Vanishing Point
3* The Distant Echo (Inspector Karen Pirie, #1)
2* A Darker Domain (Inspector Karen Pirie, #2)
3* Clean Break (Kate Brannigan, #4)
3* Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime
3* The Mermaids Singing (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #1)
4* The Wire In The Blood (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #2)
CR The Last Temptation (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #3)
3* The Torment of Others (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #4)
3* Beneath The Bleeding (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #5
June 26, 2022
A 4.5 star complex thriller.
After a six-month break, I was ready to continue once more with Val McDermid’s Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series, starting with Book 5, BENEATH THE BLEEDING.
This is an extremely complex novel. I do NOT recommend anyone wishing to enter the Hill/Jordan universe to start here. It begins with a bang, as Tony is attacked by a mental patient in the Psychiatrist Hospital where he works, ending up with a shattered knee. But then the story slows, as Carol Jordan and her team follow a complicated trail of a serial killer using obscure poisons to murder a series of unrelated individuals.
Perhaps the most important component of this book is the introduction of Tony’s mother, Vanessa Hill. Up to now, there have been hints that Tony’s upbringing was less than stellar, similar to the damaged parenting that frequently exists in the background of the serial killers he profiles, but no specifics have been described. Neither his mother nor father have been mentioned. Suddenly, Vanessa Hill appears. She is a uniquely complicated, malicious individual. Her sudden appearance is important, but a reader unfamiliar with the evolving nature of the characters appearing in this series would not be likely to grasp its significance. She plays no part in solving the serial killer mystery and, a reader picking up this book as a newcomer to the series, would probably view her as a interruption to the flow of mystery solving — a diversion.
A newcomer might also become confused by the complex interactions among members of Carol’s team. Their backstories appeared in earlier books, and McDermid makes only a few references to these, references that would probably confuse rather than enlighten the new reader.
This book is made even more confusing by brief references to a man about to set off a bomb in a football stadium. As the first victim of the serial poison killer was a famous football player initially scheduled to play in that same stadium, Carol and her team must determine whether the two incidents are linked, as well as deal with a Counter Terrorism Command team that takes over the investigation in a heavy-handed manner.
This novel has problems. First, the failure to provide background information about recurring members of Carol’s team (as already mentioned), which makes some of their actions confusing unless the reader remembers what occurred in previous books. The bombing subplot is a bit difficult to swallow; the rationale underlying the bomber’s actions seem a bit unrealistic. Again, the chapters are too long, moving from scene to scene without breaks to indicate a scene change. And the complexity of the several subplots makes it difficult to follow the main murder investigation.
None the less, immediately upon finishing this one, I started the next book in the series. Why? Because Val McDermid is such a good writer. It was a real pleasure spending time reading a well-written, complex novel that I wanted to repeat this pleasure immediately.
So, four or five stars? Four stars if one is taking the entire series into consideration; it is a weaker entry in the set. Five stars if one considers its overall strengths in relation to many of the novels getting high ratings on Goodreads.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other books in this series:
The Mermaids Singing. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #1)
The Wire in the Blood. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #2)
The Last Temptation. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #3)
The Torment of Others. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a six-month break, I was ready to continue once more with Val McDermid’s Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series, starting with Book 5, BENEATH THE BLEEDING.
This is an extremely complex novel. I do NOT recommend anyone wishing to enter the Hill/Jordan universe to start here. It begins with a bang, as Tony is attacked by a mental patient in the Psychiatrist Hospital where he works, ending up with a shattered knee. But then the story slows, as Carol Jordan and her team follow a complicated trail of a serial killer using obscure poisons to murder a series of unrelated individuals.
Perhaps the most important component of this book is the introduction of Tony’s mother, Vanessa Hill. Up to now, there have been hints that Tony’s upbringing was less than stellar, similar to the damaged parenting that frequently exists in the background of the serial killers he profiles, but no specifics have been described. Neither his mother nor father have been mentioned. Suddenly, Vanessa Hill appears. She is a uniquely complicated, malicious individual. Her sudden appearance is important, but a reader unfamiliar with the evolving nature of the characters appearing in this series would not be likely to grasp its significance. She plays no part in solving the serial killer mystery and, a reader picking up this book as a newcomer to the series, would probably view her as a interruption to the flow of mystery solving — a diversion.
A newcomer might also become confused by the complex interactions among members of Carol’s team. Their backstories appeared in earlier books, and McDermid makes only a few references to these, references that would probably confuse rather than enlighten the new reader.
This book is made even more confusing by brief references to a man about to set off a bomb in a football stadium. As the first victim of the serial poison killer was a famous football player initially scheduled to play in that same stadium, Carol and her team must determine whether the two incidents are linked, as well as deal with a Counter Terrorism Command team that takes over the investigation in a heavy-handed manner.
This novel has problems. First, the failure to provide background information about recurring members of Carol’s team (as already mentioned), which makes some of their actions confusing unless the reader remembers what occurred in previous books. The bombing subplot is a bit difficult to swallow; the rationale underlying the bomber’s actions seem a bit unrealistic. Again, the chapters are too long, moving from scene to scene without breaks to indicate a scene change. And the complexity of the several subplots makes it difficult to follow the main murder investigation.
None the less, immediately upon finishing this one, I started the next book in the series. Why? Because Val McDermid is such a good writer. It was a real pleasure spending time reading a well-written, complex novel that I wanted to repeat this pleasure immediately.
So, four or five stars? Four stars if one is taking the entire series into consideration; it is a weaker entry in the set. Five stars if one considers its overall strengths in relation to many of the novels getting high ratings on Goodreads.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other books in this series:
The Mermaids Singing. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #1)
The Wire in the Blood. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #2)
The Last Temptation. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #3)
The Torment of Others. (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 13, 2012
After having an unpleasant experience of Val McDermid with that dreadful Lindsay Gordon story, it wa sa relief to get back to the fab Tony Hill. I liked the story, not the best one I've read, but the plot did keep me guessing as to what was really going on. And is it just me or wouldn't you like to give Carol Jordan a little slap every now and again for being just a teensy little bit too grumpy with old Tony? Lighten up girl x
October 18, 2017
I always love these books, I love the chemistry between Tony and Carol, was interesting to see another side of tony in this book though it all finished a bit to quickly and cleanly for me.
May 12, 2013
I love a book like this sometimes it sounds daft to say I like a book that doesn't have an intense climax but the wire in the blood books are so deliciously descriptive they're impossible to discuss. I love the psychology which Dr Tony Hill brings to the mix and the different messed up characters that make up the MIT team and they're individual stories that come together as a whole. It's also near on impossible to guess who the killer is or what their motive is for right up to the very end and beneath the bleeding was no different beautifully written McDermid has produced another fantastic novel
May 14, 2018
ebook and audio............good characters that always make you think about humanity.
not a thriller nor suspenseful, but just a good mystery with a bit of 'edgumacation' for the reader.
I came to this series from the drama starring Robson Green, and have the books even better.
As a straight man over 70, I appreciate McDermid's approach to the realities of same-sex orientation to the "in-your-face" behavior of mob protest or "Gay Pride Parade".
not a thriller nor suspenseful, but just a good mystery with a bit of 'edgumacation' for the reader.
I came to this series from the drama starring Robson Green, and have the books even better.
As a straight man over 70, I appreciate McDermid's approach to the realities of same-sex orientation to the "in-your-face" behavior of mob protest or "Gay Pride Parade".
April 30, 2025
English version below
***************
Ein Serienmörder, der mit Gift tötet, und ein Bombenanschlag im Fußballstadion.
Ganz schön viel, um das sich Carol gleichzeitig kümmern soll. Und dann noch die Terrorismuseinheit die überall dazwischen pfuscht und ansonsten keine Ahnung hat.
Dies war der achte Band der Jordan & Hill-Reihe, aber der erste Band aus der Serie, den ich gelesen habe. Zweifellos fehlten mir jede Menge Hintergrundinformationen zu den Protagonisten. Dennoch konnte ich dem Buch gut folgen.
Ich fand die Geschichte spannend, auch wenn es ab und an an der Glaubwürdigkeit haperte und ich die Protagonistin nicht wahnsinnig sympathisch fand. Ich werde gerne weitere Bände der Reihe lesen.
3,5 Sterne, aufgerundet.
----------------------
A serial killer who kills with poison and a bomb attack at the soccer stadium.
Quite a lot for Carol to deal with at the same time. And then there's the terrorism unit that interferes everywhere and otherwise has no idea.
This was the eighth volume in the Jordan & Hill series, but the first volume in the series that I've read. No doubt I was missing a lot of background information about the protagonists. Nevertheless, I was able to follow the book well.
I found the story exciting, even if it lacked credibility from time to time and I didn't find the protagonist particularly likeable. I will happily read further volumes in the series.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
***************
Ein Serienmörder, der mit Gift tötet, und ein Bombenanschlag im Fußballstadion.
Ganz schön viel, um das sich Carol gleichzeitig kümmern soll. Und dann noch die Terrorismuseinheit die überall dazwischen pfuscht und ansonsten keine Ahnung hat.
Dies war der achte Band der Jordan & Hill-Reihe, aber der erste Band aus der Serie, den ich gelesen habe. Zweifellos fehlten mir jede Menge Hintergrundinformationen zu den Protagonisten. Dennoch konnte ich dem Buch gut folgen.
Ich fand die Geschichte spannend, auch wenn es ab und an an der Glaubwürdigkeit haperte und ich die Protagonistin nicht wahnsinnig sympathisch fand. Ich werde gerne weitere Bände der Reihe lesen.
3,5 Sterne, aufgerundet.
----------------------
A serial killer who kills with poison and a bomb attack at the soccer stadium.
Quite a lot for Carol to deal with at the same time. And then there's the terrorism unit that interferes everywhere and otherwise has no idea.
This was the eighth volume in the Jordan & Hill series, but the first volume in the series that I've read. No doubt I was missing a lot of background information about the protagonists. Nevertheless, I was able to follow the book well.
I found the story exciting, even if it lacked credibility from time to time and I didn't find the protagonist particularly likeable. I will happily read further volumes in the series.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
November 4, 2024
Beneath the Bleeding (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #5) by Val McDermid.
Every word, every page brought me into a world I wanted to learn more and more about. dr. tony Hill temporarily incapacitated by a freak accident(attack) at the psych ward where he works as a top notch psychologist and criminal profiler. At this same hospital while recovering from this injury the top footballer is brought in with a mysterious illness the doctors have been unable to identify.
DCI Carol Jordan remains at Tony's bedside when able in her usual protective mode. Then while watching TV breaking news erupts with the news of an explosion at a stadium killing dozens and maiming others. This news puts them both on high alert.
I found it near impossible to come up for air while engrossed in this excellent thriller/mystery. This author is on my top authors' list.
Every word, every page brought me into a world I wanted to learn more and more about. dr. tony Hill temporarily incapacitated by a freak accident(attack) at the psych ward where he works as a top notch psychologist and criminal profiler. At this same hospital while recovering from this injury the top footballer is brought in with a mysterious illness the doctors have been unable to identify.
DCI Carol Jordan remains at Tony's bedside when able in her usual protective mode. Then while watching TV breaking news erupts with the news of an explosion at a stadium killing dozens and maiming others. This news puts them both on high alert.
I found it near impossible to come up for air while engrossed in this excellent thriller/mystery. This author is on my top authors' list.
April 4, 2011
Beneath the Bleeding is a slightly weaker entry to the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series.
Having said that, though, there's no sign of weakening where McDermid's talent for managing a tight plotline is concerned. She's one of the best.
But this novel is missing something that was prevelant in The Mermaids Singing and The Torment of Others. And that is the ever present intensity and suspense. You could put those two novels up against any horror novel and challenge it for chills.
This novel does have a great plot, but it also served as a vehicle for some character revelations of Tony Hill, and the tenuous will-they-or-won't-they relationship between him and Carol. It was in this regard that it seemed McDermid was mailing this one in because these revelations were given surface treatment at best. Just when we find
something out about Tony, the plot quickly takes us away from it. Perhaps this is just a teaser for things to come for however long this series continues. That's fine, but I just hope this doesn't come at the expense of the psyche of her killers, because that is where she truly excels.
So, bottom line, this is a pretty quick read, and worth your time. But Val, let's ramp up the intensity next time, okay?
Having said that, though, there's no sign of weakening where McDermid's talent for managing a tight plotline is concerned. She's one of the best.
But this novel is missing something that was prevelant in The Mermaids Singing and The Torment of Others. And that is the ever present intensity and suspense. You could put those two novels up against any horror novel and challenge it for chills.
This novel does have a great plot, but it also served as a vehicle for some character revelations of Tony Hill, and the tenuous will-they-or-won't-they relationship between him and Carol. It was in this regard that it seemed McDermid was mailing this one in because these revelations were given surface treatment at best. Just when we find
something out about Tony, the plot quickly takes us away from it. Perhaps this is just a teaser for things to come for however long this series continues. That's fine, but I just hope this doesn't come at the expense of the psyche of her killers, because that is where she truly excels.
So, bottom line, this is a pretty quick read, and worth your time. But Val, let's ramp up the intensity next time, okay?
April 1, 2019
Another brilliant and thrilling police procedural murder mystery from Val McDermid featuring psychologist Dr. Tony Hill and police detective Carol Jordan set in Northern England.
BENEATH THE BLEEDING is the 5th in the series at the core of which is the relationship between Carol and Tony. They have never been lovers but they are almost certainly in love with each other, but circumstances make it unlikely they will ever “go there.” Regardless, the two work well together and have been successful in the past solving crimes (especially serial killers). Tony works as a profiler for the Bradfield Police Department where Carol is a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector).
In this book Tony is (again) physically impaired, this time by a deranged man with an axe and spends most of the plot in a hospital bed or strenuously moving about on crutches. Meanwhile, the first body discovered is that of a popular young star footballer who has been poisoned by ricin. While the BPD is trying to solve this high-profile case they are rattled and sidetracks by an extravagant act of mass murder which leads to a counter terrorism center (CTC) team descends on Bradfield to take over the investigation, brusquely displacing BPD in the process.
Another poisoning death coincided with the alleged terrorist event and Tony’s theory about the poisoner’s motives that Carol and others had previously found ludicrous starts to gain traction. He also participates in Carol’s mutinous investigation of the alleged suicide bomber. An effective feature of McDermid’s books is that she often depicts the acts of the perpetrator from their perspective, so the reader has a (somewhat skewed) view of their motives that we wonder if the police will be able to suss out.
We learn more about Tony in this book, being introduced to his mother, who is simply a horrifying individual and we get some important background on Tony’s abusive upbringing that may explain his current psychological tics.
Overall, BENEATH THE BLEEDING is another strong entry in the Hill/Jordan series. There is further development of the secondary characters in this book which engages the reader by strengthening our interest in and involvement with them. One caveat I would have with this book is that Tony plays an outsized role in the resolution of both mysteries. Also, I was unhappy that the motivation of one of the killers is depicted in a way that is clearly rooted in homophobia (and HIV stigma); this was quite unexpected from a book written by an openly lesbian author.
BENEATH THE BLEEDING is the 5th in the series at the core of which is the relationship between Carol and Tony. They have never been lovers but they are almost certainly in love with each other, but circumstances make it unlikely they will ever “go there.” Regardless, the two work well together and have been successful in the past solving crimes (especially serial killers). Tony works as a profiler for the Bradfield Police Department where Carol is a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector).
In this book Tony is (again) physically impaired, this time by a deranged man with an axe and spends most of the plot in a hospital bed or strenuously moving about on crutches. Meanwhile, the first body discovered is that of a popular young star footballer who has been poisoned by ricin. While the BPD is trying to solve this high-profile case they are rattled and sidetracks by an extravagant act of mass murder which leads to a counter terrorism center (CTC) team descends on Bradfield to take over the investigation, brusquely displacing BPD in the process.
Another poisoning death coincided with the alleged terrorist event and Tony’s theory about the poisoner’s motives that Carol and others had previously found ludicrous starts to gain traction. He also participates in Carol’s mutinous investigation of the alleged suicide bomber. An effective feature of McDermid’s books is that she often depicts the acts of the perpetrator from their perspective, so the reader has a (somewhat skewed) view of their motives that we wonder if the police will be able to suss out.
We learn more about Tony in this book, being introduced to his mother, who is simply a horrifying individual and we get some important background on Tony’s abusive upbringing that may explain his current psychological tics.
Overall, BENEATH THE BLEEDING is another strong entry in the Hill/Jordan series. There is further development of the secondary characters in this book which engages the reader by strengthening our interest in and involvement with them. One caveat I would have with this book is that Tony plays an outsized role in the resolution of both mysteries. Also, I was unhappy that the motivation of one of the killers is depicted in a way that is clearly rooted in homophobia (and HIV stigma); this was quite unexpected from a book written by an openly lesbian author.
September 23, 2013
Many cases going on at once in this fifth entry in the Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan/Dr. Tony Hill mysteries. I didn't care for it at all, but at least it introduced Tony's mother, Vanessa Hill, and it also revealed Tony had suffered an abusive childhood. I think finding out more about Tony's past makes the book worth reading, but for me, the various unrelated crimes were never engaging enough.
Tony is a hero at the start this time. A mental patient at Bradford Moor Secure Hospital loses control and goes on a murderous rampage. The halls soon are slippery with blood and gore - Lloyd Allen found an axe. Allen believes God gave him the mission to bring people to The Lord. Tony stops him, but he is a little slow getting out the way of the axe.
While recovering in the hospital, his knee shattered, Tony soon discovers even worse things are headed in his direction. Boredom first. Then, incredibly, his mother, long gone from his life, shows up. She is still the blaming, unloving witch he remembers. Why is she coming to visit? Thankfully, Carol shows up chasing mommy dearest away. Things are slow for the Major Incident Team. Then things explode. Literally.
Robbie Bishop, famous football player, dies of poisoning. Then Danny Wade, lottery winner, dies of poisoning. Are they linked? Tony thinks so, which means they are. However, Carol is out of sorts. She has another case on her mind - a bomb goes off at the football stadium. Was it terrorism? Before she can get her team on it, the Counter Terrorism Command swoops in and takes over her office, relegating her team into grunt work. She is told to go about her poisoning case. She is not amused. Then Tony high-handedly begins commandeering her staff into doing legwork on both cases. Besides trying to find out why people are being poisoned, Tony also thinks the bombing wasn't terrorism, but a murder case, too. Is he right? Carol is not sure he knows what he is doing, but she definitely has a problem with how he is doing it.
Well. Time and 480 pages of reading will expose the secrets of Bradford citizens, guilty of criminal acts. At least, some of them are criminals. The rest, distressingly, are family, whether work mates or relatives.
Tony is a hero at the start this time. A mental patient at Bradford Moor Secure Hospital loses control and goes on a murderous rampage. The halls soon are slippery with blood and gore - Lloyd Allen found an axe. Allen believes God gave him the mission to bring people to The Lord. Tony stops him, but he is a little slow getting out the way of the axe.
While recovering in the hospital, his knee shattered, Tony soon discovers even worse things are headed in his direction. Boredom first. Then, incredibly, his mother, long gone from his life, shows up. She is still the blaming, unloving witch he remembers. Why is she coming to visit? Thankfully, Carol shows up chasing mommy dearest away. Things are slow for the Major Incident Team. Then things explode. Literally.
Robbie Bishop, famous football player, dies of poisoning. Then Danny Wade, lottery winner, dies of poisoning. Are they linked? Tony thinks so, which means they are. However, Carol is out of sorts. She has another case on her mind - a bomb goes off at the football stadium. Was it terrorism? Before she can get her team on it, the Counter Terrorism Command swoops in and takes over her office, relegating her team into grunt work. She is told to go about her poisoning case. She is not amused. Then Tony high-handedly begins commandeering her staff into doing legwork on both cases. Besides trying to find out why people are being poisoned, Tony also thinks the bombing wasn't terrorism, but a murder case, too. Is he right? Carol is not sure he knows what he is doing, but she definitely has a problem with how he is doing it.
Well. Time and 480 pages of reading will expose the secrets of Bradford citizens, guilty of criminal acts. At least, some of them are criminals. The rest, distressingly, are family, whether work mates or relatives.
May 23, 2015
I really should read these in order, but as I'd seen the British series based on them, I didn't initially see the point. I really like the characters McDermid has created and the way the story begins with Carol and Tony working on separate cases only to have the streams cross and find themselves working together, as if the universe itself is bringing them together.
This story sees Tony begin to work through a personal issue as Carol finds herself drawn to him, but confused as to why he pushes her away. I like the graphic detail worked into the story. McDermid holds nothing back about our heroes, creating a full person complete with weaknesses and strengths.
The plots are always complex and I like that. This story having Tony already on the killer's list before he got into the case seemed a tad convenient. Interesting though, to be sure.
On to the next book. I have The Last Temptation on my shelf and then back to book one.
This story sees Tony begin to work through a personal issue as Carol finds herself drawn to him, but confused as to why he pushes her away. I like the graphic detail worked into the story. McDermid holds nothing back about our heroes, creating a full person complete with weaknesses and strengths.
The plots are always complex and I like that. This story having Tony already on the killer's list before he got into the case seemed a tad convenient. Interesting though, to be sure.
On to the next book. I have The Last Temptation on my shelf and then back to book one.
June 20, 2022
4 stars - Dutch paperback
We nemen betere beslissingen als we op onze instinctieve reacties vertrouwen dan wanneer we de voor - en nadelen van een situatie tegen elkaar afwegen.
Is dat zo?
De hoofdpersonages van het boek, Tony en Carol, verschillen van mening op dit vlak. Dat is ook de rede dat ze beide de problemen anders bekijken.
Het verhaal vertrekt wel heel vreemd tot het eerste slachtoffer valt. Carol, als hoofd van de zware misdaden loopt er eigenlijk maar voor spek en bonen bij. Het is vooral Tony, vanuit het hospitaal, die de oplossingen aanbrengt.
Hiervoor gebruikt hij de medewerkers van Carol wat zij niet leuk vindt. Zij heeft ook nog een medewerker die cava seul gaat, wat ook nog de nodige wrijvingen meebrengt binnen het team.
Na een aanslag, krijgt Carol het helemaal moeilijk daar zij moet samenwerken met CTC . Het aantal slachtoffers nemen maar toe en zo komt Carol nog meer onderdruk te staan.
Het verhaal is mooi opgebouwd, met een begin, midden en einde. Je wilt steeds meer weten en puzzelt mee met de personages. Heerlijk spannend tot het einde.
We nemen betere beslissingen als we op onze instinctieve reacties vertrouwen dan wanneer we de voor - en nadelen van een situatie tegen elkaar afwegen.
Is dat zo?
De hoofdpersonages van het boek, Tony en Carol, verschillen van mening op dit vlak. Dat is ook de rede dat ze beide de problemen anders bekijken.
Het verhaal vertrekt wel heel vreemd tot het eerste slachtoffer valt. Carol, als hoofd van de zware misdaden loopt er eigenlijk maar voor spek en bonen bij. Het is vooral Tony, vanuit het hospitaal, die de oplossingen aanbrengt.
Hiervoor gebruikt hij de medewerkers van Carol wat zij niet leuk vindt. Zij heeft ook nog een medewerker die cava seul gaat, wat ook nog de nodige wrijvingen meebrengt binnen het team.
Na een aanslag, krijgt Carol het helemaal moeilijk daar zij moet samenwerken met CTC . Het aantal slachtoffers nemen maar toe en zo komt Carol nog meer onderdruk te staan.
Het verhaal is mooi opgebouwd, met een begin, midden en einde. Je wilt steeds meer weten en puzzelt mee met de personages. Heerlijk spannend tot het einde.
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July 6, 2017Brilliantly written
August 18, 2023
Sehr, sehr froh, dass der Krimi doch nicht so klischeebelastet ist, wie man am Anfang meint. Und dann wirds richtig gut.
July 22, 2019
Hmmm....no where near the usual heights of this series. Terror attack, serial poisoner and all a little predictable. Cut above most crime novels but didn't really do it for me.
June 23, 2025
Enjoyable but not my fav in the series. Saul Reichlin is a great narrator and really brings the characters and story alive.
August 27, 2010
BENEATH THE BLEEDING is the fifth book in the Tony Hill / Carol Jordan series from Scottish writer Val McDermid. Which fans of this writer will already know. Fans will also know that anybody as daft as me, who would leave this book on the review pile for as long as I have, is really missing out on a very good thing.
Now there are plenty of serial or multiple killer books floating around out there, and many readers are well over the whole idea, but you do have to give a moment's thought to revising that attitude when the writer is as talented and assured as McDermid. BENEATH THE BLEEDING grabs the reader from the opening scenes - when a star footballer is admitted to hospital, dying slowly with nobody able to identify the cause. And therein lies the whole pattern of this book - nothing is obvious, nothing is initially as it seems, nobody is quite what they are stacked up to be. Nothing makes sense. Not the series of poisonings, using very obscure toxins. Not the bomb exploding in a football stadium being obviously a terrorist attack. Not the friendship / ongoing dance between Tony and Carol. Not the relationship between Tony and his mother.
There are some serious complications in Carol's investigation of these poisonings. Firstly Tony's laid up in hospital - his leg badly broken by a psychiatric patient off his medication and out of control. Tony's insight in investigations has progressed to the point where you might call it "profiling" but it's much more than that. It's all about thinking his way into the killer's head - giving Carol and her team insights into why / how or what the killer might be doing / feeling / seeing / trying to achieve. It's harder to do that when you're laid up in a leg brace in a hospital bed, and you cannot see the reactions of people, can't direct the questioning. Add to that Tony's frustrated by his infirmity and confused by his mother's presence at his bedside. The terrorist bombing adds its own complications bringing the specialist squad to town - not only do they take over the bombing investigation, they do their darned best to bully boy, huff, puff and generally stuff it up into the bargain. And they don't accept input from Carol's team - who are a crack squad in their own right, and they know their own patch very very well.
I hadn't read a Tony Hill / Carol Jordan book for a while - I think what little of the TV series I watched put me off a little. The Tony Hill of the books is a complicated, tricky individual - very much a "physician heal thyself" sort of a character. Jordan's equally complicated, prickly, determined. It's very easy to see how a friendship has developed between these two characters, and how the ever-present potential romance is almost threatening - rather than something comforting that they should be working towards. Ultimately, what comes out of BENEATH THE BLEEDING is a good, nicely twisty plot, a lot of tension and some seriously paced action. There's a good ensemble cast, although the concentration on the two main characters does mean that they disappear a little into the background. There's a good balancing of the personal and the professional, as well as the frustration and elation of difficult investigations and the pressures that Tony and Carol both feel - from others and from themselves.
Now there are plenty of serial or multiple killer books floating around out there, and many readers are well over the whole idea, but you do have to give a moment's thought to revising that attitude when the writer is as talented and assured as McDermid. BENEATH THE BLEEDING grabs the reader from the opening scenes - when a star footballer is admitted to hospital, dying slowly with nobody able to identify the cause. And therein lies the whole pattern of this book - nothing is obvious, nothing is initially as it seems, nobody is quite what they are stacked up to be. Nothing makes sense. Not the series of poisonings, using very obscure toxins. Not the bomb exploding in a football stadium being obviously a terrorist attack. Not the friendship / ongoing dance between Tony and Carol. Not the relationship between Tony and his mother.
There are some serious complications in Carol's investigation of these poisonings. Firstly Tony's laid up in hospital - his leg badly broken by a psychiatric patient off his medication and out of control. Tony's insight in investigations has progressed to the point where you might call it "profiling" but it's much more than that. It's all about thinking his way into the killer's head - giving Carol and her team insights into why / how or what the killer might be doing / feeling / seeing / trying to achieve. It's harder to do that when you're laid up in a leg brace in a hospital bed, and you cannot see the reactions of people, can't direct the questioning. Add to that Tony's frustrated by his infirmity and confused by his mother's presence at his bedside. The terrorist bombing adds its own complications bringing the specialist squad to town - not only do they take over the bombing investigation, they do their darned best to bully boy, huff, puff and generally stuff it up into the bargain. And they don't accept input from Carol's team - who are a crack squad in their own right, and they know their own patch very very well.
I hadn't read a Tony Hill / Carol Jordan book for a while - I think what little of the TV series I watched put me off a little. The Tony Hill of the books is a complicated, tricky individual - very much a "physician heal thyself" sort of a character. Jordan's equally complicated, prickly, determined. It's very easy to see how a friendship has developed between these two characters, and how the ever-present potential romance is almost threatening - rather than something comforting that they should be working towards. Ultimately, what comes out of BENEATH THE BLEEDING is a good, nicely twisty plot, a lot of tension and some seriously paced action. There's a good ensemble cast, although the concentration on the two main characters does mean that they disappear a little into the background. There's a good balancing of the personal and the professional, as well as the frustration and elation of difficult investigations and the pressures that Tony and Carol both feel - from others and from themselves.
May 17, 2014
McDermid approaches the fifth novel in the Hill-Jordan series from a unique perspective, set up in such a way to keep the format fresh. Turning the novel into a series of chapters broken up by day, the story progresses in such a way that the reader is kept wanting a little more with each page-turn. A freak attack at Bradfield Moors leaves Dr. Hill incapacitated and a guest of a hospital room, with at least one unwanted guest and little ability to help Jordan and her team. When a footballer is admitted to hospital with apparent flu-like symptoms, doctors are at a loss as to why he is getting no better with treatment. When ricin poisoning becomes a possibility, DCI Jordan and the Major Investigation Team begin examining possible motives and suspects, as the end result can only be murder. While the poison investigation is hampered by the stardom of its victim and varied lifestyle he lived, a plot to bomb the local football stadium is underway, though no one is the wiser. After a bomb explodes and wreaks havoc on those in attendance, the MIT (Major Investigation Team) fly into action on their second local case, looking to see how the act of terror played out and the rationale behind it, coming up with more questions than answers. When a second poison victim surfaces and others with suspicious symptoms make their with into the A&E ward, Jordan begins to wonder what sort of killer she may have on her hands. Following up on leads they are able to cobble together, the MIT soon determine that there is more to the story than meets the eye, as is usually the case. McDermid keeps the series strong with some interesting personal back stories into Hall's childhood and hooks the avid reader and sates those who want to know a little more about Dr. Tony Hill.
Moving away from the blood and gore that have become hallmarks for the series' victims, McDermid does not lessen the thrill level or stop advancing the complicated personal story shared by Hall and Jordan. While less a focus on their romantic over platonic personal advancement, McDermid tosses in some much anticipated backstory as it relates to Dr. Tony Hill and his opaque childhood. These advancements in Hill's personal story offers the series regular a better understanding of the character and perhaps an explanation for his troubled adulthood. McDermid is also to be applauded for finally getting the 'regularity' of Hill and Jordan's employment status and a foundational set of characters on which the reader can both rely to forge the narrative ahead.
Kudos, Madam McDermid for another tantalising story and thoroughly interesting angle. Keep it up and you'll net many more fans.
Moving away from the blood and gore that have become hallmarks for the series' victims, McDermid does not lessen the thrill level or stop advancing the complicated personal story shared by Hall and Jordan. While less a focus on their romantic over platonic personal advancement, McDermid tosses in some much anticipated backstory as it relates to Dr. Tony Hill and his opaque childhood. These advancements in Hill's personal story offers the series regular a better understanding of the character and perhaps an explanation for his troubled adulthood. McDermid is also to be applauded for finally getting the 'regularity' of Hill and Jordan's employment status and a foundational set of characters on which the reader can both rely to forge the narrative ahead.
Kudos, Madam McDermid for another tantalising story and thoroughly interesting angle. Keep it up and you'll net many more fans.
August 10, 2025
Dr Tony Hill is attacked at the hospital by a patient & left with a badly damaged knee. This should hinder him helping DCI Carol Jordan on one of the most complex cases she has faced, but this is Tony Hill we are talking about. A local star footballer has been poisoned & there seems to be little evidence & no motive, then Tony connects it to an earlier poisoning death, but when an explosion detonates in the stand of the football club, the investigation is taken in a different direction.
I found Carol rather irritating in this one as she continually rubbished Tony's insights into the case - wasn't she there during the last four books?! There's quite a lot going on in the plot, with poisonings, bombs, terrorism, etc and then if that wasn't enough, Tony's horrible mother turns up intent on defrauding him of his inheritance. Even so, I found this a bit more difficult to get through than the previous books as it seems to lose momentum a little, therefore, I can only rate this on 3.5 (rounded up to 4) compared to the previous books.
I found Carol rather irritating in this one as she continually rubbished Tony's insights into the case - wasn't she there during the last four books?! There's quite a lot going on in the plot, with poisonings, bombs, terrorism, etc and then if that wasn't enough, Tony's horrible mother turns up intent on defrauding him of his inheritance. Even so, I found this a bit more difficult to get through than the previous books as it seems to lose momentum a little, therefore, I can only rate this on 3.5 (rounded up to 4) compared to the previous books.
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August 21, 2019Psychologist Hill, recovering from an injury, is approached by Inspector Jordan with a bizarre crime - a poisoning of a famous soccer player. Coupled with another murder and a bombing, Tony is pushed to the limits trying to tie them together.
These stories remind me of "Moonlighting", the Bruce Willis series, with our protagonists pushed into close proximity and discovering their attraction for each other, never to be consummated.
These stories remind me of "Moonlighting", the Bruce Willis series, with our protagonists pushed into close proximity and discovering their attraction for each other, never to be consummated.
June 29, 2011
I think this is my favorite Tony Hill book thus far. Not as twisted and graphic as some of them, but incredibly well written with excellent character development. I think this book also book gave the best insight as to the quirkiness of Tony Hill with the introduction of his mother.
January 10, 2017
Too sleepy to review right now.
June 23, 2018
Excellent! Great story, writing and characters. Highly recommended
July 4, 2024
I always find it hard to review books within a series that, by and large, each follow the same formula. McDermid knows what her readers want, I know what I'm getting and if I've made it to book 5 then I'm clearly pretty content with that formula!
The setup of two cases running concurrently has worked in all of the books (except for the third, imo) and I think McDermid not only does a job of balancing those two cases narratively, but also in terms of exploring where police resources are focused. The murder of a superstar footballer is a murder, no special treatment, and I liked the team's emphasis on that, their having to explore the evidence even when the circumstances felt all the more pressing for the public outcry and grief.
There was a level of crossover with the second case, an apparent terrorist attack at the ground where said superstar footballer had played, and I enjoyed Carol's team attempting to navigate a crime that they saw as their "turf" when counter-terrorism waded in. In light of the year of publication of this book, I can see why McDermid perhaps wanted to explore the fear and prejudices around terrorism, but the actual circumstances and motive for the bombing that she wrote here felt somewhat loose and contrived.
Was there any need for Tony to have his knee hacked up? It introduced his mother, but I don't think it needed spelling out to the audience that there was a volatile yet cold relationship with his parents lurking in his past, given what we know of him! Very interested to see where Carol's alcoholism goes though, that has felt like an organic character progression.
The setup of two cases running concurrently has worked in all of the books (except for the third, imo) and I think McDermid not only does a job of balancing those two cases narratively, but also in terms of exploring where police resources are focused. The murder of a superstar footballer is a murder, no special treatment, and I liked the team's emphasis on that, their having to explore the evidence even when the circumstances felt all the more pressing for the public outcry and grief.
There was a level of crossover with the second case, an apparent terrorist attack at the ground where said superstar footballer had played, and I enjoyed Carol's team attempting to navigate a crime that they saw as their "turf" when counter-terrorism waded in. In light of the year of publication of this book, I can see why McDermid perhaps wanted to explore the fear and prejudices around terrorism, but the actual circumstances and motive for the bombing that she wrote here felt somewhat loose and contrived.
Was there any need for Tony to have his knee hacked up? It introduced his mother, but I don't think it needed spelling out to the audience that there was a volatile yet cold relationship with his parents lurking in his past, given what we know of him! Very interested to see where Carol's alcoholism goes though, that has felt like an organic character progression.
Read
January 9, 2024Another McDermid novel with an unexpected twist in the ending. This one plays with expectations re terrorism, especially Islamism. Two cases unfold side-by-side, the resolution of each rooted more in the individual than in the group, no matter how surfaces may seem. As usual in the Hill/Jordan series, there is eternally delayed romantic tension between Tony & Carol. Tony's mother also appears and she is what can only be called "a piece of work."
December 11, 2019
Multiple story lines, a mad axeman, a bombing, poisoning, illicit love affairs, relationships between the police in Carol's team, brutal policemen from a different unit, a wicked mother - all the ingredients which go to make up another excellent Val McDermid book. And of course the intricacies of Carol and Tony's ongoing "relationship".
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