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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
The statistical likelihood of a trans person receiving the needed approvals, having the finances and meeting other requirements to undergo gender affirming care is extremely low. Now to bore further into that number and come up with the likelihood of one of those people becoming a serial killer? Absolutely ridiculous. This feels like a lazy way to write in a plot twist at the end.
This is the kind of fictional nonsense that TERFS use to demand less rights for trans and non binary people. This book doesn’t need to be read, you can continue on with the series at book 2 without losing much context.
This is the kind of fictional nonsense that TERFS use to demand less rights for trans and non binary people. This book doesn’t need to be read, you can continue on with the series at book 2 without losing much context.
‘The Mermaids Singing’ by Val McDermid is the first in the Tony Hill/Detective Inspector Carol Jordan mysteries. It's expert and fast, if somewhat tech-dated. A serial killer is loose, and typically, the police brass refuse to recognize it, partially because it is perceived as a gay community criminal spree, and partially because of the maddog media coverage that would ensue. Then the third body with incredible marks of torture is found, so reluctantly the bosses include a woman detective and approve the calling in of Dr. Tony Hill as a profiler. This is a time when police see profilers as carny acts or conmen.
Fortunately for Hill and Jordan, they have one progressive boss, John Brandon, Bradfield Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Constable. Brandon believes in modern methods and he is on their side. At crucial moments, he provides the kind of assistance they need to get the job done. The real problem is the unknown murderer is VERY scary, vicious - and oops! Dr. Hill's profile is leaked out to the press! Oh oh. The bad guy likes to read the newspapers - and gets the idea some of the police need punishment. Dr. Hill in particular appears to be insulting and hurtful to a poor murderer. There is a Spanish Inquisition torture that the killer has been thinking to try.....
Well.
Many sensitive types should not read this novel.
First, there is lots of explicit torture. On the other hand, it's not gratuitous, in my opinion. However, it keeps on coming. As someone who reads a GREAT deal, of course I've come across historical and explicit descriptions of torture before. The Spanish Inquisition truly used incredibly awful devices of torture in real life, and the bad guy in this book, a serial killer of young men, builds such devices to use in his murders, having studied them in British museums.
Second, readers may be disturbed if you are a political activist or have PTSD or you simply react quickly becoming wrathful about perceived prejudices first and ask questions later. There is " ______bashing” (fill in the blank, i.e., LGBT, women, *racial slur*, police) in fiction and in this novel which depicts, to me, realistic situations. While they reflect real true-life instances of criminal behavior we have all read about or seen in the news, this book may have you writing nasty comments and protesting against it. Goodreads reviewers are doing just that about this novel.
Occasionally I read books which shock me because the authors are showing explicitly their real racist/sexist/sexual orientation prejudices and ignorant stances, but I did not sense any of that in this author’s writing. However, some reviewers did. I understand the defensiveness of some reviewers, but I honestly only felt this novel is a hardcore mystery with horror elements. I have known people of the LGBT community. I have known women and men and police who went off the rails or behaved badly. In my personal life experience, I witnessed a slow-motion mental crash and subsequent hospitalization of a transgender individual in college. I went through a stage when I was in my 20's and participating in protest marches where I couldn't stand ANY possible slurs or impugning of reputations or morality about the minorities of society because I saw prejudice. I hated the “free speech” truths which gave white heterosexual males ammunition when twisted to fit their cruel prejudiced agendas. I get it. But I didn’t see authorial animosity in this book, only a ‘keeping it real’, reflecting real life situations.
Third, Tony Hill is the 'hero' psychologist who helps terrible criminals - and I can see how this character being a hero could really disgust some readers. Some of my blue collar and Republican friends might see him as one of those 'bleeding-heart liberals who see criminals through rose-tinted glasses and serve as apologists for bad people who should be shot but only get liberal judges that slap them on the wrist because they feel sorry for the bastards'. (As an aside to my conservative friends: you, see? I DO listen!)
Tony Hill is as pure of a real-life psychologist depiction as I ever did read in a fiction. He is an insecure and self-flagellating loner, but he presents to the world a very professional and reasoned image that, for the most part, is true to who he is, too. He is not perfect and he has his demons. But psychologists who care tend to strike the hard-core rage-based observer as a ‘wine-drinking wanker’ (Hill HAS hair on his chest, just saying...). That said, he is also a 1970's-style psychologist. I've noticed recently newly-minted psychologists are more into recommending a six-week behavior modification course of therapy with excessive drugs - and don't let the door hit your butt on your way out. Tony Hill actually has curiosity for why people are in mental disarray, and since I share that macabre fascination, I like Dr. Hill. I too prefer wine over whiskey, but I like both.
Fortunately for Hill and Jordan, they have one progressive boss, John Brandon, Bradfield Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Constable. Brandon believes in modern methods and he is on their side. At crucial moments, he provides the kind of assistance they need to get the job done. The real problem is the unknown murderer is VERY scary, vicious - and oops! Dr. Hill's profile is leaked out to the press! Oh oh. The bad guy likes to read the newspapers - and gets the idea some of the police need punishment. Dr. Hill in particular appears to be insulting and hurtful to a poor murderer. There is a Spanish Inquisition torture that the killer has been thinking to try.....
Well.
Many sensitive types should not read this novel.
First, there is lots of explicit torture. On the other hand, it's not gratuitous, in my opinion. However, it keeps on coming. As someone who reads a GREAT deal, of course I've come across historical and explicit descriptions of torture before. The Spanish Inquisition truly used incredibly awful devices of torture in real life, and the bad guy in this book, a serial killer of young men, builds such devices to use in his murders, having studied them in British museums.
Second, readers may be disturbed if you are a political activist or have PTSD or you simply react quickly becoming wrathful about perceived prejudices first and ask questions later. There is " ______bashing” (fill in the blank, i.e., LGBT, women, *racial slur*, police) in fiction and in this novel which depicts, to me, realistic situations. While they reflect real true-life instances of criminal behavior we have all read about or seen in the news, this book may have you writing nasty comments and protesting against it. Goodreads reviewers are doing just that about this novel.
Occasionally I read books which shock me because the authors are showing explicitly their real racist/sexist/sexual orientation prejudices and ignorant stances, but I did not sense any of that in this author’s writing. However, some reviewers did. I understand the defensiveness of some reviewers, but I honestly only felt this novel is a hardcore mystery with horror elements. I have known people of the LGBT community. I have known women and men and police who went off the rails or behaved badly. In my personal life experience, I witnessed a slow-motion mental crash and subsequent hospitalization of a transgender individual in college. I went through a stage when I was in my 20's and participating in protest marches where I couldn't stand ANY possible slurs or impugning of reputations or morality about the minorities of society because I saw prejudice. I hated the “free speech” truths which gave white heterosexual males ammunition when twisted to fit their cruel prejudiced agendas. I get it. But I didn’t see authorial animosity in this book, only a ‘keeping it real’, reflecting real life situations.
Third, Tony Hill is the 'hero' psychologist who helps terrible criminals - and I can see how this character being a hero could really disgust some readers. Some of my blue collar and Republican friends might see him as one of those 'bleeding-heart liberals who see criminals through rose-tinted glasses and serve as apologists for bad people who should be shot but only get liberal judges that slap them on the wrist because they feel sorry for the bastards'. (As an aside to my conservative friends: you, see? I DO listen!)
Tony Hill is as pure of a real-life psychologist depiction as I ever did read in a fiction. He is an insecure and self-flagellating loner, but he presents to the world a very professional and reasoned image that, for the most part, is true to who he is, too. He is not perfect and he has his demons. But psychologists who care tend to strike the hard-core rage-based observer as a ‘wine-drinking wanker’ (Hill HAS hair on his chest, just saying...). That said, he is also a 1970's-style psychologist. I've noticed recently newly-minted psychologists are more into recommending a six-week behavior modification course of therapy with excessive drugs - and don't let the door hit your butt on your way out. Tony Hill actually has curiosity for why people are in mental disarray, and since I share that macabre fascination, I like Dr. Hill. I too prefer wine over whiskey, but I like both.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A 4.5, I can't believe this series has passed me by up until now! It may be 20 years old but it holds its own and introduces some great characters. I will definitely read the rest in the series.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stars: 2.5
This book could have been about a third shorter to achieve the same effect.
This book could have been about a third shorter to achieve the same effect.