Scan barcode
punkinmuffin's review against another edition
4.0
I'm loving Val McDermid and am steadily working my way through this series. Her writing is excellent, her characters real and (in some cases) terrifying. Her plots are tight and the pacing is perfect.
daffodilsandsunflowers's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.25
burrowsi1's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
billymac1962's review against another edition
4.0
I've heard that The Torment of Others is a very good novel, but it's
fourth in the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series, so if I want to get to that, I have to go through this one first.
The only trepidation came from some lukewarm reviews I'd read about
this one.
For the most part, I was pleasantly surprised. McDermid's pacing through this story is among the best I've come across. I could hardly wait to pick it up again. Not only that, but a couple of new characters were introduced who really appealed to me.
The story was great, but I have a couple of issues with the plot:
Firstly: If you're planning a covert operation with an undercover officer infiltrating a crime lord's domain, why on earth would you compromise the security of the operation (let alone risk lives) by allowing her partner/love interest (with whom she had famously caught a serial killer) to stay in the same building she's in? And, why, knowing full well she is probably being followed and watched, would she show up in his apartment, with no care that the drapes may be wide open? Which, of course, they were.
Boom, cover blown. Duh.
Secondly: I know Tony Hill is a master criminal profiler, but given the
crime scene evidence, quickly coming the conclusion that the killer's grandfather must have been a victim of psychological abuse is a tad of a stretch, I'd say.
Oh well, give that, this was still a fine read. Quite suspenseful, and
I'm still a fan of Val's.
fourth in the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series, so if I want to get to that, I have to go through this one first.
The only trepidation came from some lukewarm reviews I'd read about
this one.
For the most part, I was pleasantly surprised. McDermid's pacing through this story is among the best I've come across. I could hardly wait to pick it up again. Not only that, but a couple of new characters were introduced who really appealed to me.
The story was great, but I have a couple of issues with the plot:
Firstly: If you're planning a covert operation with an undercover officer infiltrating a crime lord's domain, why on earth would you compromise the security of the operation (let alone risk lives) by allowing her partner/love interest (with whom she had famously caught a serial killer) to stay in the same building she's in? And, why, knowing full well she is probably being followed and watched, would she show up in his apartment, with no care that the drapes may be wide open? Which, of course, they were.
Boom, cover blown. Duh.
Secondly: I know Tony Hill is a master criminal profiler, but given the
crime scene evidence, quickly coming the conclusion that the killer's grandfather must have been a victim of psychological abuse is a tad of a stretch, I'd say.
Oh well, give that, this was still a fine read. Quite suspenseful, and
I'm still a fan of Val's.
basilf's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure about this book. I felt that the awful fate suffered by Carol was brought on by herself going to Tony's apartment instead of remaining totally in her undercover persona. Similarly, Tony gets himself into trouble by going out on his own to track down the serial killer. He's an academic, not a detective.
As I like to read a series of novels in the order they were written I'll happily go on to The Torment of Others but I didn't find The Last Temptation as good as the first two books.
As I like to read a series of novels in the order they were written I'll happily go on to The Torment of Others but I didn't find The Last Temptation as good as the first two books.
sofijakryz's review against another edition
3.0
I think I will need something light after this one. McDermid throws some heavy stuff right at the start. We get human traffickers, drug dealers, mafia, undercover policing, psychological and physical violence, human torture, cruel murders and a psychopath unleashed. I was definitely not prepared to take in so much crap in one go – not all of that cruelty even necessary. Maybe that was why it took so long to read through.
I must be getting old and sentimental.
The plot is split into two tangential, semi-intertwined strands. On one hand we have Carol Jordan trying out a new role of an undercover cop, attempting to bring down a leader of organised crime gang. On the other, we have a(n) (unofficial) team of German detective Petra Becker and Dutch detective Marijke van Hasselt trying to nail a serial killer. What links the two lines? Well, Petra is acting as liaison for Carol’s undercover operation and Carol’s former colleague and profiler of serial murderers, Dr Tony Hill, aids Petra’s and Marijke’s investigation upon Carol's request.
The two strands complement each other, yet not at all times. Sometimes they just compete for space with each other and politics of international policing on top of that, making the reader wonder why they were not separated into two stories. Quite a lot of attention is dedicated to analysis of Carol’s feelings about her undercover work, emotional state or state of mind of the killer, and general dynamics of relationships. Maybe that’s how police investigations work in real life, but I found the need to constantly split my attention among topics or character views a bit distracting and sometimes even tiresome.
The end of the book was a bit cramped too, with focus tipping towards the organised crime line and the serial killer line kind of neglected towards the end. There were also a few too many coincidences.
Overall it was a good and interesting story, rather ambitious, but definitely one of the darkest ones. I wouldn’t recommend it to sensitive readers - it makes me want to go for that shot or double of some heavy spirit.
I must be getting old and sentimental.
The plot is split into two tangential, semi-intertwined strands. On one hand we have Carol Jordan trying out a new role of an undercover cop, attempting to bring down a leader of organised crime gang. On the other, we have a(n) (unofficial) team of German detective Petra Becker and Dutch detective Marijke van Hasselt trying to nail a serial killer. What links the two lines? Well, Petra is acting as liaison for Carol’s undercover operation and Carol’s former colleague and profiler of serial murderers, Dr Tony Hill, aids Petra’s and Marijke’s investigation upon Carol's request.
The two strands complement each other, yet not at all times. Sometimes they just compete for space with each other and politics of international policing on top of that, making the reader wonder why they were not separated into two stories. Quite a lot of attention is dedicated to analysis of Carol’s feelings about her undercover work, emotional state or state of mind of the killer, and general dynamics of relationships. Maybe that’s how police investigations work in real life, but I found the need to constantly split my attention among topics or character views a bit distracting and sometimes even tiresome.
The end of the book was a bit cramped too, with focus tipping towards the organised crime line and the serial killer line kind of neglected towards the end. There were also a few too many coincidences.
Overall it was a good and interesting story, rather ambitious, but definitely one of the darkest ones. I wouldn’t recommend it to sensitive readers - it makes me want to go for that shot or double of some heavy spirit.
susiegorden's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh. I love Val McDermid, but this book was a dud. Sensationalism and sexism with very little soul to support the exploitation. Bummer of a book. Glad I only picked it up in one of those "free library" stands that nice neighbors sponsor ...
lokroma's review against another edition
3.0
The obvious device of allowing an undercover cop to liaise in the undercover world with someone she knows from her non-undercover life kind of ruined this book for me. It was clear that this would compromise the operation and it did. I was just kind of waiting for it to happen.
dogearedandfurry's review against another edition
5.0
Holy cow that was good. Very gripping. I did guess why Carol’s mission had started, but even so - incredible plotting by Val.