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pkc's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, and Transphobia
extraaardvark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lurker_stalker's review against another edition
3.0
I can't say that I really liked the book but it held my attention pretty well. I would certainly try the second in the series.
I'm not particularly squeamish when it comes to graphic violence but there were several scenes and/or descriptions that put me off. If you're opposed to hardcore torture, you might want to skip it.
I'm not particularly squeamish when it comes to graphic violence but there were several scenes and/or descriptions that put me off. If you're opposed to hardcore torture, you might want to skip it.
sophie_gower's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hinesight's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting, absorbing, but very, very graphic violence and very depressing. No redeeming social value, as the saying goes. I tried the second book in the series, but I just couldn't make myself go through all that again.
brigalow_john's review against another edition
5.0
Nothing better than Tony and Carol for drama and detection
donnapoppy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
tilltab's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
scoutfinch75's review against another edition
5.0
Dr Tony Hill is a clinical psychologist, a profiler and with a serial killer at large he is called in by the police who are desperate to apprehend this violent offender.
This book will shock you, it will have you looking over your shoulder and double checking you've locked your doors at night!
Dr Hill is a damaged man, fallible, but focused, determined, and a genius. As the story twists and turns, as the violence escalates and the fear felt by the community and the police becomes palpable my faith in Tony and detective inspector Carol Jordan grew.
Told from the point of view of the different characters, you see humanity at it's worse but also at it's very best. The torture scenes are graphic, brutal, and incredibly unsettling but necessary to portray the depth of evil displayed by this killer.
There were times that I HAD to put the book down and step away, as I could feel the evil seeping through the pages ( well, it felt like it, I had shivers running down my spine ). Brilliantly written, I am excited to read the rest of the books in this incredible series.
I give The Mermaid Singing five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(the fact that it disturbed me on such a deep level was proof of the incredible gift the author has in telling a story )
isbn 978-0-00-813476-1
This edition was published in 2015 by Harper Collins
Originally published by Harper Collins in 1995
I won a copy of this book in a goodreads giveway .
This book will shock you, it will have you looking over your shoulder and double checking you've locked your doors at night!
Dr Hill is a damaged man, fallible, but focused, determined, and a genius. As the story twists and turns, as the violence escalates and the fear felt by the community and the police becomes palpable my faith in Tony and detective inspector Carol Jordan grew.
Told from the point of view of the different characters, you see humanity at it's worse but also at it's very best. The torture scenes are graphic, brutal, and incredibly unsettling but necessary to portray the depth of evil displayed by this killer.
There were times that I HAD to put the book down and step away, as I could feel the evil seeping through the pages ( well, it felt like it, I had shivers running down my spine ). Brilliantly written, I am excited to read the rest of the books in this incredible series.
I give The Mermaid Singing five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(the fact that it disturbed me on such a deep level was proof of the incredible gift the author has in telling a story )
isbn 978-0-00-813476-1
This edition was published in 2015 by Harper Collins
Originally published by Harper Collins in 1995
I won a copy of this book in a goodreads giveway .
billymac1962's review against another edition
5.0
There were a couple of visitors to my site who had recommended this one. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!
The serial killer sub-genre has certainly been watered down over the years, so I usually take a grain of salt before trying a new one, half-expecting the same old cliches. Almost always I can find some bit of dialogue or a lucky break in a case that makes me roll my eyes but I could find nothing like that in this tale.
This is an entirely believable story, with entirely believable characters, and an entirely believable investigation. It's also one of the very few novels with a killer that genuinely frightened me.
The pacing of the story is very much similar to that of A Philosophical Investigation, by Phillip Kerr, in that each chapter is followed by an entry in the killer's diary.
These entries served to convince me that this person could exist, and that anyone can be a victim. I love novels that feature behavioral
science as criminal profiling, and this is prominent in The Mermaids Singing. A great read. Thank you Val!
The serial killer sub-genre has certainly been watered down over the years, so I usually take a grain of salt before trying a new one, half-expecting the same old cliches. Almost always I can find some bit of dialogue or a lucky break in a case that makes me roll my eyes but I could find nothing like that in this tale.
This is an entirely believable story, with entirely believable characters, and an entirely believable investigation. It's also one of the very few novels with a killer that genuinely frightened me.
The pacing of the story is very much similar to that of A Philosophical Investigation, by Phillip Kerr, in that each chapter is followed by an entry in the killer's diary.
These entries served to convince me that this person could exist, and that anyone can be a victim. I love novels that feature behavioral
science as criminal profiling, and this is prominent in The Mermaids Singing. A great read. Thank you Val!