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Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #9
Splinter the Silence
Splinter the Silence is a novel centered on the mysterious deaths of several women who were the victims of vicious cyberbullying.
Is it violence if it’s virtual? The outspoken women targeted by the increasingly cruel internet trolls and bullies would probably say so. For some of them, the torrents of bile and vicious threats prove too much. They begin to silence themselves in a series of high-profile suicides.
Or do they? Tony Hill isn’t convinced. But he’s the only one. Former cop Carol Jordan is too busy messing up her life to care. Until she gets an unexpected second chance. Now it’s game on, and the stakes have never been higher.
Is it violence if it’s virtual? The outspoken women targeted by the increasingly cruel internet trolls and bullies would probably say so. For some of them, the torrents of bile and vicious threats prove too much. They begin to silence themselves in a series of high-profile suicides.
Or do they? Tony Hill isn’t convinced. But he’s the only one. Former cop Carol Jordan is too busy messing up her life to care. Until she gets an unexpected second chance. Now it’s game on, and the stakes have never been higher.
383 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2015
About the author
Val McDermid
277 books4,762 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 656 reviews
July 18, 2019
The disturbing world of internet trolls is brought vividly to life in Val McDermid’s Splinter the Silence.
DCI Carol Jordan, like many of our protagonists within law enforcement, has demons of her own to contend with, particularly her relationship with the bottle, but duty calls, and with the help of psychological profiler Tony Hill she begins the hunt for a group of vile online predators. These are men who torment women who have voiced opinions about particular men, and their unacceptable behaviour. When some of these women appear to have committed suicide, Tony Hill isn’t so sure that it’s as cut and dried as that. He’s trained to see patterns where the rest of us mere mortals would see nothing unusual.
Val McDermid writes in a succinct and absorbing manner, and I love the way she manages to engage the reader from the start. I doubt you’ll like many of the characters in this novel, and the subject matter of cyber bullying isn’t particularly palatable, - amongst the many benefits of the World Wide Web, unfortunately we also have these darker aspects. McDermid however, isn’t afraid to face these issues head on, but long may she continue to unsettle and excite her readers.
DCI Carol Jordan, like many of our protagonists within law enforcement, has demons of her own to contend with, particularly her relationship with the bottle, but duty calls, and with the help of psychological profiler Tony Hill she begins the hunt for a group of vile online predators. These are men who torment women who have voiced opinions about particular men, and their unacceptable behaviour. When some of these women appear to have committed suicide, Tony Hill isn’t so sure that it’s as cut and dried as that. He’s trained to see patterns where the rest of us mere mortals would see nothing unusual.
Val McDermid writes in a succinct and absorbing manner, and I love the way she manages to engage the reader from the start. I doubt you’ll like many of the characters in this novel, and the subject matter of cyber bullying isn’t particularly palatable, - amongst the many benefits of the World Wide Web, unfortunately we also have these darker aspects. McDermid however, isn’t afraid to face these issues head on, but long may she continue to unsettle and excite her readers.
September 11, 2022
3.5 rounded down bc vibes
SYNOPSIS
Outspoken feminists are dying by suicide, but is it really suicide or is it murder?? DCI Carol Jordan is given a second chance and with the help of her buddies, she sets out to determine if virtual violence has driven these women to death.
MY OPINION
Ughhhh... this one is SO hard to rate. Arguably the writing is great, the plot is well-executed, the premise is topical even 7 yrs on... but idk it was just missing a lil something something. Hence 3.5, rounded down. This was Honda Civic Reliable, but you're driving with eco mode on... slow and steady acceleration.
WDYM Pink?? I mean it took 46% of the book to get Carol Jordan actually actively working the case!!! The first half of the book focused on her drink problem, her weird relationship with Tony, and Stacey being dickmatized with lil pockets of action... mostly due to the killer's unsettling POV. When the case finally does get going, it still meanders its way to the end when everything comes to a crash.
There's a big ass cliffhanger, but I'll keep it a stack, I have no intention to read any other books in this series. Why?? Because I need MORE. And apparently Carol and Tony have some kind of sexual tension but I swear there was more tension between Paula and her contraband kit kat bars. Tony felt like Carol's little brother or a gay bestie. I just wasn't buying they had a TING going on and ain't no way I'm reading nine whole books about this without so much as a kiss. Unacceptable lmao. Their "relationship" didn't create the tension I felt when reading about Lacey Flint and Marc in Sharon Bolton's series.
The big plus of this book is the topic. 7 yrs on and online trolls (incels namely) has only become worse. In a weird way, this book was ahead of its time. I appreciated the psychological insight into the serial killer's whack ass behaviour; this was very well-written. Some of the comments about Stacey were a little weird... I cringed when she was described as "yellow." But then at the same time this book was very progressive. So idk. Mixed back of wokeness.
Anyways, an interesting enough police procedural, but lacking that je ne sais quoi to get me hooked on the series.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, topical, well-researched, enjoyed the killer's pov as always
Cons: slow ass burn, half the book spent on Carol's personal struggles, didn't buy into the sexual tension between Carol and Tony, Stacey was TOO dickmatized like pls ma'am hack into your brain and set yourself straight, weird comments about Stacey's ethnicity
SYNOPSIS
Outspoken feminists are dying by suicide, but is it really suicide or is it murder?? DCI Carol Jordan is given a second chance and with the help of her buddies, she sets out to determine if virtual violence has driven these women to death.
MY OPINION
Ughhhh... this one is SO hard to rate. Arguably the writing is great, the plot is well-executed, the premise is topical even 7 yrs on... but idk it was just missing a lil something something. Hence 3.5, rounded down. This was Honda Civic Reliable, but you're driving with eco mode on... slow and steady acceleration.
WDYM Pink?? I mean it took 46% of the book to get Carol Jordan actually actively working the case!!! The first half of the book focused on her drink problem, her weird relationship with Tony, and Stacey being dickmatized with lil pockets of action... mostly due to the killer's unsettling POV. When the case finally does get going, it still meanders its way to the end when everything comes to a crash.
There's a big ass cliffhanger, but I'll keep it a stack, I have no intention to read any other books in this series. Why?? Because I need MORE. And apparently Carol and Tony have some kind of sexual tension but I swear there was more tension between Paula and her contraband kit kat bars. Tony felt like Carol's little brother or a gay bestie. I just wasn't buying they had a TING going on and ain't no way I'm reading nine whole books about this without so much as a kiss. Unacceptable lmao. Their "relationship" didn't create the tension I felt when reading about Lacey Flint and Marc in Sharon Bolton's series.
The big plus of this book is the topic. 7 yrs on and online trolls (incels namely) has only become worse. In a weird way, this book was ahead of its time. I appreciated the psychological insight into the serial killer's whack ass behaviour; this was very well-written. Some of the comments about Stacey were a little weird... I cringed when she was described as "yellow." But then at the same time this book was very progressive. So idk. Mixed back of wokeness.
Anyways, an interesting enough police procedural, but lacking that je ne sais quoi to get me hooked on the series.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, topical, well-researched, enjoyed the killer's pov as always
Cons: slow ass burn, half the book spent on Carol's personal struggles, didn't buy into the sexual tension between Carol and Tony, Stacey was TOO dickmatized like pls ma'am hack into your brain and set yourself straight, weird comments about Stacey's ethnicity
August 29, 2023
3.5 stars
In this ninth book in the 'Tony Hill and Carol Jordan' series, Carol tries to deal with her alcoholism and becomes head of the Major Investigation Team. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
As the story opens Carol Jordan, having left her job as a Detective Chief Inspector with the Bradfield police, is renovating an English country barn to make a comfortable home for herself and her dog Flash. Carol is more or less estranged from her friend/former co-worker Tony Hill - a psychologist and forensic profiler.
After a local dinner party, Carol - who has an alcohol problem - is arrested for drink driving. With no other options Carol calls Tony for help, and the psychologist takes it upon himself to get Carol off the sauce - not an easy task. Carol is about to face charges in court when her old boss makes an offer she can't refuse. Carol's breathalyzer test will turn out to be 'faulty' if she agrees to return to the police force as the DCI in charge of a new roving Major Investigation Team (MIT). Carol gets to hand pick her team members and chooses Tony and a few good detectives she can trust.
Not everyone is happy about this. Several high-ranking police supervisors dislike Carol for making them look foolish (in previous books) and one former underling resents not being chosen for the new team.
So when the press learns about the 'faulty' breathalyzer test - and splashes it across the front page - Carol suspects a cop leaked the information. And she plans to find out who.
Meanwhile, several women in the area have taken their own lives. Each woman expressed feminist views, was severely bullied online, and was apparently driven to suicide. Tony's instincts tell him these deaths are suspicious and Carol's newly formed MIT looks into them as a sort of practice run. This is all to the good since (as the reader knows) a killer is on the loose.
Members of the MIT interview various people, including cops who originally investigated the suicides, friends and relatives of the dead women, and people who posted ugly/threatening comments online. The team also learn that a certain type of book was left at the site of each 'suicide.' Very suspicious indeed! 🤔
In the end, the MIT uncovers the killer by dint of the skills of Detective Stacey Chen, an IT expert and hacker extraordinaire. Stacey backdoors her way into a book-selling website, CCTV camera files, motor vehicle registers, etc. and finds information that leads to the killer - and she does this all in a day or so!! To me this kind of resolution to a mystery book feels like cheating, more 'magic' than detective work.
The discovery of who leaked the breathalyzer story was also resolved too easily in my opinion. One of the MIT detectives had once been involved with a reporter...and he asked her.
There's more going on in the book as well. The issue of online bullying is addressed and the reader learns more about the lives of the characters. Carol is struggling with her alcoholism; Tony is trying to re-establish a close (not necessarily romantic) friendship with Carol; Stacey is in a relationship with a handsome but shallow fellow detective; some Bradfield detectives are trying to undermine Carol; the killer has issues stemming from childhood; and more.
All in all I enjoyed the story, which has an interesting variety of characters and an engaging mystery. I'd read more books in this series.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
May 19, 2018
Val McDermid brings the MIT full circle in this book when she reunites most of the team that had been dismantled and reassigned. It felt good to have them back in place with two new team members in the form of Ambrose and Hussain, characters I liked in previous books. I wasn’t too sure how she would convince me to accept Carol Jordan’s turnaround, but she did. Tony got her off the alcohol even though the process was a bit simplified due to the constraints of the book itself. And “poor” Sam. Stacey showed him where her loyalties lie.
There’s one more book to read in this series as of now. I love the growth of the characters, but I’d like to see the team be more settled and get on with investigating crimes and profiling the perpetrators. I do see some pressure on the MIT coming from other law enforcement agencies in the future.
There’s one more book to read in this series as of now. I love the growth of the characters, but I’d like to see the team be more settled and get on with investigating crimes and profiling the perpetrators. I do see some pressure on the MIT coming from other law enforcement agencies in the future.
December 6, 2015
I just recently found out what a troll was, and that is basically what the background case in this book is about. Scary stuff. I say background because this book is more focused on the trials and prevails of Carol Jordan. No longer a cop, drinking heavily, though she doesn't admit to having a problem, brings Tony Hill once again to the rescue.
It also serves to bring Carol back into police work and to getting her getting back together the old team. Loved seeing them all together again and meeting a few new members as well.
Another series I have read for a long time and one where I have come to care about the characters. The relationship between Tony and Carol is complicated and a work in progress. Both distressing and frightening to read about cyber bullying and its horrors. Price we pay for the world at our fingertips but as this case highlights, some pay a much higher price.
Love these characters and enjoyed the story. McDermid has seldom disappointed.
ARC from Netgalley.
It also serves to bring Carol back into police work and to getting her getting back together the old team. Loved seeing them all together again and meeting a few new members as well.
Another series I have read for a long time and one where I have come to care about the characters. The relationship between Tony and Carol is complicated and a work in progress. Both distressing and frightening to read about cyber bullying and its horrors. Price we pay for the world at our fingertips but as this case highlights, some pay a much higher price.
Love these characters and enjoyed the story. McDermid has seldom disappointed.
ARC from Netgalley.
March 26, 2022
Book 9 in the Hill & Jordan series published 2015
The 4 star ratings for this series continues.
After all the catastrophes of the last couple of books it's time for the gang to get back to what they do the best, that being, catching baddies.
After the murder of her brother Carol withdrew from everything and seemed happy to be alone in her misery. That was until she was made an offer that she really couldn’t refuse.
The powers that be reached out to Carol and offered her the position as head of a new serious crimes unit. The final cherry on the top was that she could pick whom ever she liked to be part of the team. The stuff of dreams.
Needless to say that the other team members were salivating at the prospect of getting back together again.
At their first meeting Tony Hill, the worlds best profiler, tells the gang that he has been looking at three suicides that are ringing warning bells for him. But those bells have not been ringing anywhere else. All these deaths have been investigated and the coroners verdict was that they were deaths by suicide.
But Tony sees tells that, when put together, point to a serial killer.
At this news there is a collective rubbing of hands.
But the euphoria soon dies down when it becomes clear that not everyone is happy at the prospect of Carol’s elite team being back in business again.
So with criminals in front and back stabbers in the rear Carol will be hard pressed to keep her team focused on what is important.
Once again Val McDermid delivers. This is an engrossing tale not only from the criminal investigation pov but with all the intrigue of office politics.
And I’m glad to say, this is missing some of the brutality that I normally associate with this series.
The 4 star ratings for this series continues.
After all the catastrophes of the last couple of books it's time for the gang to get back to what they do the best, that being, catching baddies.
After the murder of her brother Carol withdrew from everything and seemed happy to be alone in her misery. That was until she was made an offer that she really couldn’t refuse.
The powers that be reached out to Carol and offered her the position as head of a new serious crimes unit. The final cherry on the top was that she could pick whom ever she liked to be part of the team. The stuff of dreams.
Needless to say that the other team members were salivating at the prospect of getting back together again.
At their first meeting Tony Hill, the worlds best profiler, tells the gang that he has been looking at three suicides that are ringing warning bells for him. But those bells have not been ringing anywhere else. All these deaths have been investigated and the coroners verdict was that they were deaths by suicide.
But Tony sees tells that, when put together, point to a serial killer.
At this news there is a collective rubbing of hands.
But the euphoria soon dies down when it becomes clear that not everyone is happy at the prospect of Carol’s elite team being back in business again.
So with criminals in front and back stabbers in the rear Carol will be hard pressed to keep her team focused on what is important.
Once again Val McDermid delivers. This is an engrossing tale not only from the criminal investigation pov but with all the intrigue of office politics.
And I’m glad to say, this is missing some of the brutality that I normally associate with this series.
June 15, 2016
Splinter the Silence is the ninth book in the Tony Hill & Carol Jordan series and after last books trials are Tony and Carol slowly mending their relationship and it looks like Carol is getting a second chance by getting an offer that is hard to refuse. All she has to do is not screw anything up. Tony meanwhile is troubled with a lot of women committing suicide. They have all been targeted by internet trolls. But Tony thinks that there is more to the suicides than that...
It seems that finally Tony and Carol is back as friends after everything that happened with her brother's murder. I quite enjoy having them back to speaking with each other again and it seems that Tony is finally getting to Carol that she has a drinking problem. Of course, it had to go so far for Carol that she has to be arrested for drunk driving before Tony frankly told her that she had to quit. But by then the arrest had already damaged her reputation, which was really bad because the powers that be in the police wants her back, but not with a driving drunk sentence. But everything can be fixed. Besides that is Tony discovering that there is something wrong with the suicides of a couple of women and soon he, Carol and Paula are investigating the suicides.
I found this book story especially good because it finally brought the old team together. I have missed reading about them working together under Carol. The case in itself took some time to get somewhere. And it felt like most of the time the book concentrated on other things than finding a killer. Carol and her drunk driving and the consequences of that took up a lot of the book and I did enjoy reading about Tony finally confronting Carol about her drinking problem and moving into the barn to help her the first couple of days and of course, getting rid of all the alcohol at her her place which didn't make her happy. I do wish that case had taken a bit more priorities it was first towards the very end that books story really started to get intensive. Not that the book was bad, I just got a bit impatient with all the personal stuff. I did enjoy that part when the new team was finally started to put all the pieces together and the manhunt started.
The ending was fitting, I don't want to give it away, but there had to be some consequences to Carols drunk driving and what happened after that. It will be interesting to read the next book to see how it will be dealt with.
Thanks to Witness Impulse and Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
It seems that finally Tony and Carol is back as friends after everything that happened with her brother's murder. I quite enjoy having them back to speaking with each other again and it seems that Tony is finally getting to Carol that she has a drinking problem. Of course, it had to go so far for Carol that she has to be arrested for drunk driving before Tony frankly told her that she had to quit. But by then the arrest had already damaged her reputation, which was really bad because the powers that be in the police wants her back, but not with a driving drunk sentence. But everything can be fixed. Besides that is Tony discovering that there is something wrong with the suicides of a couple of women and soon he, Carol and Paula are investigating the suicides.
I found this book story especially good because it finally brought the old team together. I have missed reading about them working together under Carol. The case in itself took some time to get somewhere. And it felt like most of the time the book concentrated on other things than finding a killer. Carol and her drunk driving and the consequences of that took up a lot of the book and I did enjoy reading about Tony finally confronting Carol about her drinking problem and moving into the barn to help her the first couple of days and of course, getting rid of all the alcohol at her her place which didn't make her happy. I do wish that case had taken a bit more priorities it was first towards the very end that books story really started to get intensive. Not that the book was bad, I just got a bit impatient with all the personal stuff. I did enjoy that part when the new team was finally started to put all the pieces together and the manhunt started.
The ending was fitting, I don't want to give it away, but there had to be some consequences to Carols drunk driving and what happened after that. It will be interesting to read the next book to see how it will be dealt with.
Thanks to Witness Impulse and Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
January 31, 2016
Splinter the Silence is the 9th book in the popular British crime series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan and psychological profiler Tony Hill. While this book can easily be enjoyed on its own, this is the newest addition to a long-running series with and extensive backstory. While it is not necessary to read the series in order from the beginning, I recommend doing so highly.
As the story begins, Carol Jordan has left the force and is trying to rebuild her life with the help of strenuous work and a lot of alcohol. When a late-night DUI minutes from home threatens to destroy her reputation and career prospects she turns to friend and partner-in-crime fighting Tony Hill to help turn her life around. Skipping forward through [spoilers deleted], Carol is back in charge of an elite squad tasked with handling major cases covering a wide swath of northern England. Given carte blanche to select her team, she is quick to select many officers who have worked with her before so readers will recognize most of them, including Dr. Hill.
As with many of the cases in the series, the point of view alternates between members of Jordan’s team and that of the anonymous suspect, giving readers an insider’s view of the crime without the knowledge needed to break the case. This strategy does a great job of increasing the suspense level.
One thing that I don’t care for in this and many other McDermid books is internecine squabbles and political infighting within the police force. Regardless of whether or not such backbiting activities exist within departments, this had the effect of making otherwise competent officers appear childish and petty.
The audio narration by Gerard Doyle is, unsurprisingly, first rate. I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks by Doyle and he has never let me down.
Bottom line: McDermid’s books, particularly those in the Jordan/Hill series, were among the first serial killer mysteries that I’ve read. I enjoyed them when I first read them and I still enjoy her books, even though I have since soured on the whole serial killer subgenre in general.
* The review book was based on an audiobook on CDs obtained at no cost from LibraryThing and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
As the story begins, Carol Jordan has left the force and is trying to rebuild her life with the help of strenuous work and a lot of alcohol. When a late-night DUI minutes from home threatens to destroy her reputation and career prospects she turns to friend and partner-in-crime fighting Tony Hill to help turn her life around. Skipping forward through [spoilers deleted], Carol is back in charge of an elite squad tasked with handling major cases covering a wide swath of northern England. Given carte blanche to select her team, she is quick to select many officers who have worked with her before so readers will recognize most of them, including Dr. Hill.
As with many of the cases in the series, the point of view alternates between members of Jordan’s team and that of the anonymous suspect, giving readers an insider’s view of the crime without the knowledge needed to break the case. This strategy does a great job of increasing the suspense level.
One thing that I don’t care for in this and many other McDermid books is internecine squabbles and political infighting within the police force. Regardless of whether or not such backbiting activities exist within departments, this had the effect of making otherwise competent officers appear childish and petty.
The audio narration by Gerard Doyle is, unsurprisingly, first rate. I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks by Doyle and he has never let me down.
Bottom line: McDermid’s books, particularly those in the Jordan/Hill series, were among the first serial killer mysteries that I’ve read. I enjoyed them when I first read them and I still enjoy her books, even though I have since soured on the whole serial killer subgenre in general.
* The review book was based on an audiobook on CDs obtained at no cost from LibraryThing and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
March 7, 2016
Splinter the Silence - aka We're getting the band back together. aka Transition book. aka What an author writes when she is trying to write herself out of a corner.
Val McDermid is one of my favorite mystery authors. Up until recently I would have said my #1 but Karin Slaughter has taken over that spot in the last 2 years. My opinion of McDermid as a writer doesn't change because of this book, but that doesn't mean I think this is better than a just OK read. This 9th book in the Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series acts as a reboot after the disintegration of the pair along with their investigative team taking place over the previous books. We first meet Hill and Jordan in The Mermaids Singing when they are brought together on a disturbing murder case. Their friendship develops, along with a host of secondary characters, for a few books. Then, McDermid does some pretty horrible things to her characters to make them even more damaged than they were at the onset. Two books ago, she writes an implosion that seems to separate Hill and Jordan forever, breaking up the team and scattering them to the wind. There has been much speculative journalism on why she did that. The two prevailing theories are 1. she hated the direction the TV show went with her characters (BBC show The Wire in the Blood) and wanted to express that through the books, and 2. she wanted fans to shut up about making Tony and Carol a romantic couple, setting up a scenario where that would never happen. But then the last book back-tracked on that a bit, bringing us to this one where everyone is friends again, the investigative team is back together, and despite a few mentions of some of the later books' events it seems all is put away for now. The case, while an interesting take on online trolls and anonymous threats, is in the background - almost an afterthought - to the set up to get everyone back in the same office working together again. I was excited about this happening before I read it. Now, not so much. This just didn't work for me as a mystery or for the character development. I'll read the next book because I'm invested after all these years, but I'll go in with lowered expectations.
Val McDermid is one of my favorite mystery authors. Up until recently I would have said my #1 but Karin Slaughter has taken over that spot in the last 2 years. My opinion of McDermid as a writer doesn't change because of this book, but that doesn't mean I think this is better than a just OK read. This 9th book in the Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series acts as a reboot after the disintegration of the pair along with their investigative team taking place over the previous books. We first meet Hill and Jordan in The Mermaids Singing when they are brought together on a disturbing murder case. Their friendship develops, along with a host of secondary characters, for a few books. Then, McDermid does some pretty horrible things to her characters to make them even more damaged than they were at the onset. Two books ago, she writes an implosion that seems to separate Hill and Jordan forever, breaking up the team and scattering them to the wind. There has been much speculative journalism on why she did that. The two prevailing theories are 1. she hated the direction the TV show went with her characters (BBC show The Wire in the Blood) and wanted to express that through the books, and 2. she wanted fans to shut up about making Tony and Carol a romantic couple, setting up a scenario where that would never happen. But then the last book back-tracked on that a bit, bringing us to this one where everyone is friends again, the investigative team is back together, and despite a few mentions of some of the later books' events it seems all is put away for now. The case, while an interesting take on online trolls and anonymous threats, is in the background - almost an afterthought - to the set up to get everyone back in the same office working together again. I was excited about this happening before I read it. Now, not so much. This just didn't work for me as a mystery or for the character development. I'll read the next book because I'm invested after all these years, but I'll go in with lowered expectations.
September 6, 2022
Splinter the Silence (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #9) by Val McDermid.
This book is another reason why I've been surrounding myself with books in this series. A woman is found after committing suicide. On further investigation that woman is found to not have a single reason to do herself in. So was it suicide or just staged to appear to be a suicide. Then other suicides turn up and Tony Hill seems to be the only one who doesn't see these deaths as suicides.
Carol is going through a rough patch in her own life. Now she's given a 2nd chance to reestablish herself at work. She's determined to make a go of it. Tony is also determined for her to make a successful turn around, but not only in her work.
Interwoven in this story is an internet troll who is dealt with head on.
Great read and a wonderfully suspenseful series. Can be read in order or stand alone. Love it.
This book is another reason why I've been surrounding myself with books in this series. A woman is found after committing suicide. On further investigation that woman is found to not have a single reason to do herself in. So was it suicide or just staged to appear to be a suicide. Then other suicides turn up and Tony Hill seems to be the only one who doesn't see these deaths as suicides.
Carol is going through a rough patch in her own life. Now she's given a 2nd chance to reestablish herself at work. She's determined to make a go of it. Tony is also determined for her to make a successful turn around, but not only in her work.
Interwoven in this story is an internet troll who is dealt with head on.
Great read and a wonderfully suspenseful series. Can be read in order or stand alone. Love it.
April 10, 2023
second try of this popular author; again had to stop reading due to my own inability to read violent serial killer content so note to self: don't even try
January 27, 2016
This ninth novel in the Tony Hill & Carol Jordan series written by sovereign Scottish mystery writer Val McDermid brings us a serial killer who preys on opinionated women who take principled stances embodying feminist ideals, e.g., outspoken against domestic violence, deadbeat dads, the living and work arrangements of serial rapists. The police at first dismiss the vituperative online trolls who respond to these women's blogposts—"it is only words"--until some of those outspoken women end up dead.
Hill and Jordan are long-time McDermid subjects, and the stars of a BBC TV series called The Wire in the Blood, a popular six-season (2002-2008) police procedural starring Robson Green as Tony Hill and Hermione Norris as Carol Jordan. Every two years since the TV series finished, McDermid published another Hill & Jordan mystery. In all that time, Jordan had left the police force and had started drinking far too much far too often. This story began with Jordan refitting an old barn on the outskirts of Bradfield, Yorkshire to live in.
McDermid’s character of Tony Hill always seemed to me far less autistic than Robson Green’s interpretation. Hill does play computer games to give his subconscious time to develop ideas, and he does have a tendency to insert himself into Carol Jordan’s orbit. In this story, Hill intervenes in Jordan’s drinking habit, forcing her to recognize her dependency.
While Jordan is drying out, Hill suggests she think over a problem that so far has not been identified by anyone else as a problem: those outspoken women were dying, presumably at their own hand, in the manner of famous feminists who had committed suicide in the past. Each of the suicides even had pages of books written by the different women they were emulating…so many women, so many role models, different deaths but all with the same idea. It started out as a time-consuming mental activity to keep her from drinking and then links started to appear…
Insomuch as McDermid's crime series also employ elements of police procedurals, this is a delightful look at the top cops who have a meeting early in the action. They sound so much like a group of Shakespeare’s hags around a black, round-bellied pot hanging over a campfire one can practically hear the “Boil, Boil, Toil and Trouble” refrain. The old white men discuss offering Jordan her own shop under their aegis but outside the shop. The team she ultimately assembles has some terrific, familiar characters.
One of those characters, a computer whiz from an immigrant family, is sleeping with a handsome but shallow fellow officer who is always seeking the best path to his own personal aggrandizement. When the computer whiz discovers her main squeeze is leaking information from her investigation, she takes the sweetest revenge—I laughed aloud to hear it. I’m not going to tell you what it is, but believe me, you won’t want to miss it, and you wouldn’t want it to happen to you.
McDermid is so smooth and natural in her writing by now in her Gold Dagger Award-winning career that she makes churning out these psychologically dense personality profiles look easy. Scottish by birth, McDermid now splits her time each year between South Manchester and Edinburgh, where lives with her partner and her son. She began as a journalist and playwright and, inspired by American women crime writers including Sara Paretsky, she developed her own crime-writing style. If you have never seen her speak, you are in for a terrific treat. She has a big personality and clearly enjoys her work on most days. Just type in “Val McDermid interview” in YouTube’s search bar and you will hear many hours of fascinating stories, mostly true.
My personal favorite in these interviews is a short one in which McDermid is interviewing Sofie Gråbøl, star of the Danish production of “The Killing,” a wildly popular multi-season TV hit throughout Europe. If you haven’t yet seen it, do not mistake the American re-do of the television screenplay for the original Danish production, which was mesmerizing. McDermid mentions the sweater Gråbøl wore in the show which became a hit also, spawning an industry.
Also note that one of McDermid’s most famous books, A Place of Execution, was made into a TV mini-series, three parts of which are also available for free on YouTube. I haven’t watched it yet, but you will recognize some of your favorite actors. My favorite is Lee Ingleby, but Robson Green is there also. Enjoy!
I listened to the audio production of this book sent to me by Goodreads FirstReads, narrated by Gerard Doyle and produced by HighBridge Audio, a division of Recorded Books.
Hill and Jordan are long-time McDermid subjects, and the stars of a BBC TV series called The Wire in the Blood, a popular six-season (2002-2008) police procedural starring Robson Green as Tony Hill and Hermione Norris as Carol Jordan. Every two years since the TV series finished, McDermid published another Hill & Jordan mystery. In all that time, Jordan had left the police force and had started drinking far too much far too often. This story began with Jordan refitting an old barn on the outskirts of Bradfield, Yorkshire to live in.
McDermid’s character of Tony Hill always seemed to me far less autistic than Robson Green’s interpretation. Hill does play computer games to give his subconscious time to develop ideas, and he does have a tendency to insert himself into Carol Jordan’s orbit. In this story, Hill intervenes in Jordan’s drinking habit, forcing her to recognize her dependency.
While Jordan is drying out, Hill suggests she think over a problem that so far has not been identified by anyone else as a problem: those outspoken women were dying, presumably at their own hand, in the manner of famous feminists who had committed suicide in the past. Each of the suicides even had pages of books written by the different women they were emulating…so many women, so many role models, different deaths but all with the same idea. It started out as a time-consuming mental activity to keep her from drinking and then links started to appear…
Insomuch as McDermid's crime series also employ elements of police procedurals, this is a delightful look at the top cops who have a meeting early in the action. They sound so much like a group of Shakespeare’s hags around a black, round-bellied pot hanging over a campfire one can practically hear the “Boil, Boil, Toil and Trouble” refrain. The old white men discuss offering Jordan her own shop under their aegis but outside the shop. The team she ultimately assembles has some terrific, familiar characters.
One of those characters, a computer whiz from an immigrant family, is sleeping with a handsome but shallow fellow officer who is always seeking the best path to his own personal aggrandizement. When the computer whiz discovers her main squeeze is leaking information from her investigation, she takes the sweetest revenge—I laughed aloud to hear it. I’m not going to tell you what it is, but believe me, you won’t want to miss it, and you wouldn’t want it to happen to you.
McDermid is so smooth and natural in her writing by now in her Gold Dagger Award-winning career that she makes churning out these psychologically dense personality profiles look easy. Scottish by birth, McDermid now splits her time each year between South Manchester and Edinburgh, where lives with her partner and her son. She began as a journalist and playwright and, inspired by American women crime writers including Sara Paretsky, she developed her own crime-writing style. If you have never seen her speak, you are in for a terrific treat. She has a big personality and clearly enjoys her work on most days. Just type in “Val McDermid interview” in YouTube’s search bar and you will hear many hours of fascinating stories, mostly true.
My personal favorite in these interviews is a short one in which McDermid is interviewing Sofie Gråbøl, star of the Danish production of “The Killing,” a wildly popular multi-season TV hit throughout Europe. If you haven’t yet seen it, do not mistake the American re-do of the television screenplay for the original Danish production, which was mesmerizing. McDermid mentions the sweater Gråbøl wore in the show which became a hit also, spawning an industry.
Also note that one of McDermid’s most famous books, A Place of Execution, was made into a TV mini-series, three parts of which are also available for free on YouTube. I haven’t watched it yet, but you will recognize some of your favorite actors. My favorite is Lee Ingleby, but Robson Green is there also. Enjoy!
I listened to the audio production of this book sent to me by Goodreads FirstReads, narrated by Gerard Doyle and produced by HighBridge Audio, a division of Recorded Books.
August 10, 2015
Outing number 9 then for Carol and Tony – and I can say genuinely that this series has not even shown a hint of growing old , the quality, readability and just sheer addictiveness of it grows with every single novel and Splinter the Silence is no exception.
In this instalment Carol is still hiding away from the world, despite having started to mend her relationship with Tony there are a lot of underlying issues hounding her. For his part, Tony is determined to force her to confront her demons, but circumstances may get in his way. A killer may be hiding in plain sight, is he real or imagined? Behind the scenes as well things are happening that could mean major changes for everyone…
The character development in the series is second to none. I still have no idea how Val McDermid manages to write so perceptively when it comes to the intricacies and ever changing relationships within the core group yet still allows every story to be perfectly brilliant even if it is the only one you ever read. For me, as an avid reader from the start when those Mermaids were singing, these characters are as real to me as anyone in life – I’m pretty sure if you pick up this as your first foray into their world you’ll still feel like you’ve known them forever within a very few chapters. A talent for sure.
Splinter the Silence has some very current issues bang at the heart of it, the predatory nature of social media, in these days when any opinion expressed can be commented on with no middle ground, how that can escalate to wildly dangerous proportions – Tony’s foray into a recent spate of suicides uncovers some really horrific stuff – whilst you are being thoroughly entertained by the ongoing drama you will also pause to think about the realities here. If you are looking for authenticity in your crime novels they don’t come much more real than this.
As usual Val McDermid juggles her characters and her story arc brilliantly, moving things ever onward – I was particulary enthralled by one of the many layers here, that concerning Stacey and Sam – but I’ll say no more. There is a huge depth and – well I want to say mythology although that’s probably not the right word – that has been created here over the course of the series. Whilst every single tale has a central case or mystery that is always intriguing and compelling it is the engaging and utterly gripping lives of the core group that gives it the edge, that little added frisson that will keep you coming back for more.
If you are a fan already then Splinter the Silence will delight you – if you are not, whether you choose to start at the beginning or jump in right here I can almost guarantee you will not be disappointed. When crime fiction is at it’s best it can do more for the reading soul than any other genre I know and this is most definitively crime fiction at it’s best.
For someone who writes so well about the dark and disturbing side of human nature, Ms McDermid also has a terrifically delicate touch when it comes to the intricacies of personal relationships – and it is the two combined that make for such fascinating, and alluring reading. I was captivated from the very first page as ever and for me these just get better and better.
Highly Recommended
In this instalment Carol is still hiding away from the world, despite having started to mend her relationship with Tony there are a lot of underlying issues hounding her. For his part, Tony is determined to force her to confront her demons, but circumstances may get in his way. A killer may be hiding in plain sight, is he real or imagined? Behind the scenes as well things are happening that could mean major changes for everyone…
The character development in the series is second to none. I still have no idea how Val McDermid manages to write so perceptively when it comes to the intricacies and ever changing relationships within the core group yet still allows every story to be perfectly brilliant even if it is the only one you ever read. For me, as an avid reader from the start when those Mermaids were singing, these characters are as real to me as anyone in life – I’m pretty sure if you pick up this as your first foray into their world you’ll still feel like you’ve known them forever within a very few chapters. A talent for sure.
Splinter the Silence has some very current issues bang at the heart of it, the predatory nature of social media, in these days when any opinion expressed can be commented on with no middle ground, how that can escalate to wildly dangerous proportions – Tony’s foray into a recent spate of suicides uncovers some really horrific stuff – whilst you are being thoroughly entertained by the ongoing drama you will also pause to think about the realities here. If you are looking for authenticity in your crime novels they don’t come much more real than this.
As usual Val McDermid juggles her characters and her story arc brilliantly, moving things ever onward – I was particulary enthralled by one of the many layers here, that concerning Stacey and Sam – but I’ll say no more. There is a huge depth and – well I want to say mythology although that’s probably not the right word – that has been created here over the course of the series. Whilst every single tale has a central case or mystery that is always intriguing and compelling it is the engaging and utterly gripping lives of the core group that gives it the edge, that little added frisson that will keep you coming back for more.
If you are a fan already then Splinter the Silence will delight you – if you are not, whether you choose to start at the beginning or jump in right here I can almost guarantee you will not be disappointed. When crime fiction is at it’s best it can do more for the reading soul than any other genre I know and this is most definitively crime fiction at it’s best.
For someone who writes so well about the dark and disturbing side of human nature, Ms McDermid also has a terrifically delicate touch when it comes to the intricacies of personal relationships – and it is the two combined that make for such fascinating, and alluring reading. I was captivated from the very first page as ever and for me these just get better and better.
Highly Recommended
July 24, 2016
Splinter The Silence is my first read of a Val McDermid novel, and as such also my introduction to the characters of ex-DCI Carol Jordan and psychological profiler, Tony Hill. From the off McDermid eases her readers into the set-up, meaning that I didn't feel as if this was my first experience with her prolific pairing and I was quickly engaged by the story. Her natural humour draws you into the world of her characters and the bond was instant for me!
The quality of the writing is magnificent and McDermid doesn't waste a word. Her characters are hugely realistic and wonderfully flawed and all have enough idiosyncrasies to make them firm favourites with her readers. Yet what stood out first and foremost for me throughout reading what is an undoubtedly an exceptional novel is the level of depth; that every assertion was backed up by logic, reasoning and a rationale. Where other authors might bluff, Val McDermid is the real deal.. You sense that she would be as comfortable with running a real Major Incident Team as writing about it. Her ability to convey her understanding in layman's terms and package it into a thrilling page turner which stands head and shoulders above her competition is second to none and as a new reader, I look forward to catching up on the history of this fascinating series.
The quality of the writing is magnificent and McDermid doesn't waste a word. Her characters are hugely realistic and wonderfully flawed and all have enough idiosyncrasies to make them firm favourites with her readers. Yet what stood out first and foremost for me throughout reading what is an undoubtedly an exceptional novel is the level of depth; that every assertion was backed up by logic, reasoning and a rationale. Where other authors might bluff, Val McDermid is the real deal.. You sense that she would be as comfortable with running a real Major Incident Team as writing about it. Her ability to convey her understanding in layman's terms and package it into a thrilling page turner which stands head and shoulders above her competition is second to none and as a new reader, I look forward to catching up on the history of this fascinating series.
May 13, 2018
I always get nightmare reading Val MacDermid books, that how good she is. The queen of psychological thrillers, is back with her most gripping, chilling, suspenseful novel yet, featuring two of the most distinctive and unforgettable characters in crime fiction. Tony Hill and Carol Jordon.
Chillingly a creepy twisted man is waiting and watching women. He creates himself into different people to worm his way into their live and trap them. This vile monster finds a way to kill them making it look like suicide.
Val McDermid knows only to well that us crime fans are drawn to the bad guys. We all love to have our heart racing wondering what will happen next and Val McDermid certainly puts us readers on the spot.
Mean while our love for psychological profiler Tony Hill is trained to see patterns when he comes across the series of suicides of women he needs to work out that although these women died in similar circumstances, different deaths. Could it be murder? But what kind of serial killer wants his crime stay hidden? Former DCI Carol Jordon finds her self being arrested.
We all know that Val McDermid is one hell of a good writer.
January 18, 2016
"Men like him, they loved women. They understood the kid of life that suited women best. They knew what women really wanted. Proper women didn't want to be out there in the world, having to shout the odds all the time. They wanted to build homes, take care of families, make their mark and exercise their power inside the home. Being women, not fake men."
Val McDermid's ninth novel, Splinter the Silence, reunites the formidable team of Carol Jordan and Tony Hill in the hunt for a stalker determined to teach feminists a lesson.
In the aftermath of the tumultuous events in The Retribution and Cross and Burn Carol Jordan has buried herself in rural Bradfield, spending her retirement renovating her late brother's property and drinking far too much. When she finds herself arrested for DUI there is only one person she can ask for help, Tony Hill, who is determined to dry her out. In order to distract Carol from her demons, Tony raises his concerns about the recent suicides of two women who had been the victims of a barrage of online vitriolic and threats. What begins as an abstract exercise quickly develops into a legitimate case and when Jordan is offered the opportunity to come out of retirement to set up a 'flying' major case unit, she can't resist. Calling on former colleagues including DS Paula McIntyre, computer whiz Stacey Chen and of course, profiler Tony Hill to join ReMIT, Carol and her new team dig deeper, identifying a cunning serial killer.
Splinter the Silence is evenly split between developing character and the investigative plot.
It's been a tough year or so for Carol in particular, who has faced several professional and personal challenges. Despite choosing to retire, it's obvious that left to her own devices she is spiralling downward, and she needs help to get it together.
Also very much in focus is the complicated relationship between Carol and Tony,
"She didn't think there actually was a word for the complicated matrix of feelings that bound her to Tony and him to her. With anyone else, so much intimacy would inevitably have led them to bed. But in spite of the chemistry between them, in spite of the sparks and the intensity, it was as if there was an electrical fence between them. And that was on the good days."
Readers familiar with the series will also appreciate catching up with Paula, Stacey, Ambrose and the introduction of new team members.
The investigation highlights a topical subject - that of the extreme cyber-harassment too often visited on women via social media. The ReMIT team tracks down some of the worst offenders who have hurled vile abuse and threats of violence at the victims in an effort to identify in what manner they may have contributed to their deaths as they try to formulate a case.
As their inquiry coalesces, McDermid gives the killer his own narrative to illuminate his motives and methods. While I think this reduces the tension somewhat, it does lend the mystery an interesting cat-and-mouse quality as the police team closes in.
Splinter in Silence is a well crafted tale from award winning McDermid. A strong addition to a popular series that fans should enjoy as I did, it's not one for a new reader to start with though. I'm looking forward to further developments in the series.
February 8, 2016
I got 70 pages in and gave up. Boring story, one dimensional characters, below average writing. Too many other books to waste any more time on this one.
May 30, 2017
The ninth in the Tony Hill & Carol Jordan series, and some time since I read the previous book. Much of this book is devoted to reassembling the team into a new Unit, the rest to solving a group of three apparent suicides which Hill starts linking as murders. McDermid is an excellent writer and the plot gradually unwinds for the new team, while having been previously made apparent to the reader . Also, this book provides a reset for the Hill/Jordan relationship and the creation of a new team, which provide a new baseline for future books - I look forward to number 10 in the series
November 13, 2020
Prima Krimi ohne faule Schreibertricks. Solide Darstellung von Ermittlungsarbeit ohne zu vergessen, die Charaktere zu zeichnen.
November 24, 2015
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Val McDermid, and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with this review.
In the ninth instalment of the Tony Hill series, McDermid returns with a fabulous story that keeps series regulars fully committed and entices new readers to pick up and join the adventure. After a handful of apparent suicides by women who have been harassed online, the authorities are left to wonder if cyber-bullying is on the rise; a truly faceless crime. The general population is prepared to accept this, but Dr. Tony Hill has other ideas, pondering a theory that these women may be driven to die at the hands of a specific individual who is pulling the strings. As he tries to formulate a case, he wrestles with helping his former colleague and sometimes friend, Carol Jordan. Their love/hate relationship sees the pendulum swing erratically as Jordan's personal life and love of drink lands her in a sizeable amount of trouble. Little does she know, she's being eyed for a key position in a new and highly mobile Major Incident Team (MIT). With Hill advocating for a closer look at the suicides and this MIT ready to deploy, will Jordan be able to lead this ragtag collection of police investigators to sift through the evidence and determine if this collection of cyberbullying antics is more than meets the eye? A fabulous addition to an already strong series that the reader will thorough enjoy.
Throughout the Tony Hill series, McDermid has flirted with a few ideas. First and foremost, the relationship that Hill and Jordan have with one another. Both strong willed, they portray two diverse yet highly similar characters, which propel the novels forward. This is seen throughout this book and the means by which McDermid tweaks their interactions, it offers new and strengthened aspects to the series relationship. Secondly, McDermid has used Carol Jordan as a pawn throughout, moving her around as she pursues work opportunities and personal struggles. The choice to remove her from the Bradfield Metropolitan Police had a straining effect on the series, as did her complete divorce from anything police-based. Now, McDermid paints herself into a corner and cannot leave Jordan on the outside without removing her importance a a character. While I applaud the means by which Carol Jordan returns, especially with this MIT possibility, it is as though McDermid did an about-face in order to rectify a decision she, and the fan base, both realised was a disaster in the making. In addition, the restructuring of the old MIT into this new ReMIT proves interesting and keeps the reader flashing back to some of the key elements of the series to date and the characters who had an impact. It flows wonderfully with a story that is both current and poignant, adding to the novel's strength. As long as McDermid can keep the ideas coming and not play around too much with the character interactions, this series is strong and will continue for the foreseeable future.
Kudos, Madam McDermid for this wonderful addition to an already complex series. I cannot wait for what you have in store for fans next, though I hope the wait is not as long.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
In the ninth instalment of the Tony Hill series, McDermid returns with a fabulous story that keeps series regulars fully committed and entices new readers to pick up and join the adventure. After a handful of apparent suicides by women who have been harassed online, the authorities are left to wonder if cyber-bullying is on the rise; a truly faceless crime. The general population is prepared to accept this, but Dr. Tony Hill has other ideas, pondering a theory that these women may be driven to die at the hands of a specific individual who is pulling the strings. As he tries to formulate a case, he wrestles with helping his former colleague and sometimes friend, Carol Jordan. Their love/hate relationship sees the pendulum swing erratically as Jordan's personal life and love of drink lands her in a sizeable amount of trouble. Little does she know, she's being eyed for a key position in a new and highly mobile Major Incident Team (MIT). With Hill advocating for a closer look at the suicides and this MIT ready to deploy, will Jordan be able to lead this ragtag collection of police investigators to sift through the evidence and determine if this collection of cyberbullying antics is more than meets the eye? A fabulous addition to an already strong series that the reader will thorough enjoy.
Throughout the Tony Hill series, McDermid has flirted with a few ideas. First and foremost, the relationship that Hill and Jordan have with one another. Both strong willed, they portray two diverse yet highly similar characters, which propel the novels forward. This is seen throughout this book and the means by which McDermid tweaks their interactions, it offers new and strengthened aspects to the series relationship. Secondly, McDermid has used Carol Jordan as a pawn throughout, moving her around as she pursues work opportunities and personal struggles. The choice to remove her from the Bradfield Metropolitan Police had a straining effect on the series, as did her complete divorce from anything police-based. Now, McDermid paints herself into a corner and cannot leave Jordan on the outside without removing her importance a a character. While I applaud the means by which Carol Jordan returns, especially with this MIT possibility, it is as though McDermid did an about-face in order to rectify a decision she, and the fan base, both realised was a disaster in the making. In addition, the restructuring of the old MIT into this new ReMIT proves interesting and keeps the reader flashing back to some of the key elements of the series to date and the characters who had an impact. It flows wonderfully with a story that is both current and poignant, adding to the novel's strength. As long as McDermid can keep the ideas coming and not play around too much with the character interactions, this series is strong and will continue for the foreseeable future.
Kudos, Madam McDermid for this wonderful addition to an already complex series. I cannot wait for what you have in store for fans next, though I hope the wait is not as long.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
January 19, 2016
Yet another brilliant serial killer terrorizes the fictional English city of Bradfield in McDermid's latest. Luckily, brilliant psychological profiler Tony Hill and brilliant detective Carol Jordan are prepared to take him down.
Three outspoken feminists, mercilessly trolled on the internet, appear to have committed suicide as a result of the constant barrage of online viciousness. Naturally Tony has doubts and soon suspects an evil mastermind is behind the 'suicides'.
Outspoken feminist crime writer McDermid needs to give the distaff population of Bradfield some respite. In the previous Hill/Jordan collaboration "Cross and Burn" (2013), the culprit was motivated to kidnap and ultimately murder his female victims when they failed to conform to his particular paradigm of womanhood (i.e. subservient). In "Splinter the Silence", our killer murders these female ideologues because he (and this is really a stretch) blames feminism for the accidental (!!) death of his mother in an automobile collision.
The issue of cyber-bullying seems to come to the fore of the investigation initially, and this is certainly an issue both timely and pertinent. The cyber-abuse though becomes merely a convenient red herring. The killer is never identified as a troll (Tony proclaims him far too clever to be caught this way). The one troll the detectives do uncover and interrogate is presented as a pitiful and weak wanker which, admittedly, is probably an accurate representation of your typical troll. But presenting such a pathetic, weepy individual as your typical troll, undercuts the very real danger of the anonymous and unfettered hatred abundant on the net. This guy cannot be taken seriously, and consequently cannot be much of a danger.
Instead, in a flourish of rich allusiveness, the killings all have a literary aspect. This is high-concept serial killing, the only kind allowed in a McDermid thriller. The present suicides are all fashioned to resemble the suicides of famous feminist literary figures. Virginia Woolf's death by drowning, Sylvia Plath putting her head in her oven, and Anne Sexton dying of carbon monoxide poisoning, are all recreated. It is difficult to accept a reader as voracious as Tony (he needs a storage unit to house his expansive library after all) would occupy most of his time in the investigation trying to identify the thought niggling at the back of his brain about one victim's drowning, and failing to make the association with Woolf. Especially since the literary is literally the killer's undoing.
Too much time is spent on Carol and Tony tentatively mending the tear in their fragile relationship and on the building of a new Major Investigation Team. This leaves little opportunity for actual procedural or profiling work. The killer is found absurdly quick with a few computer keystrokes.
The novel ends with McDermid assuring readers that despite the seeming repair to the Hill/Jordan relationship, a gratuitous complication promises more potential misery for both of them.
Three outspoken feminists, mercilessly trolled on the internet, appear to have committed suicide as a result of the constant barrage of online viciousness. Naturally Tony has doubts and soon suspects an evil mastermind is behind the 'suicides'.
Outspoken feminist crime writer McDermid needs to give the distaff population of Bradfield some respite. In the previous Hill/Jordan collaboration "Cross and Burn" (2013), the culprit was motivated to kidnap and ultimately murder his female victims when they failed to conform to his particular paradigm of womanhood (i.e. subservient). In "Splinter the Silence", our killer murders these female ideologues because he (and this is really a stretch) blames feminism for the accidental (!!) death of his mother in an automobile collision.
The issue of cyber-bullying seems to come to the fore of the investigation initially, and this is certainly an issue both timely and pertinent. The cyber-abuse though becomes merely a convenient red herring. The killer is never identified as a troll (Tony proclaims him far too clever to be caught this way). The one troll the detectives do uncover and interrogate is presented as a pitiful and weak wanker which, admittedly, is probably an accurate representation of your typical troll. But presenting such a pathetic, weepy individual as your typical troll, undercuts the very real danger of the anonymous and unfettered hatred abundant on the net. This guy cannot be taken seriously, and consequently cannot be much of a danger.
Instead, in a flourish of rich allusiveness, the killings all have a literary aspect. This is high-concept serial killing, the only kind allowed in a McDermid thriller. The present suicides are all fashioned to resemble the suicides of famous feminist literary figures. Virginia Woolf's death by drowning, Sylvia Plath putting her head in her oven, and Anne Sexton dying of carbon monoxide poisoning, are all recreated. It is difficult to accept a reader as voracious as Tony (he needs a storage unit to house his expansive library after all) would occupy most of his time in the investigation trying to identify the thought niggling at the back of his brain about one victim's drowning, and failing to make the association with Woolf. Especially since the literary is literally the killer's undoing.
Too much time is spent on Carol and Tony tentatively mending the tear in their fragile relationship and on the building of a new Major Investigation Team. This leaves little opportunity for actual procedural or profiling work. The killer is found absurdly quick with a few computer keystrokes.
The novel ends with McDermid assuring readers that despite the seeming repair to the Hill/Jordan relationship, a gratuitous complication promises more potential misery for both of them.
November 3, 2015
I’ve written before about my disappointment in some of the recent Val McDermid novels but I keep reading them anyway, just because they’re so darned page-turny. I’m pleased to say this one is the best I’ve read in a while.
Retired DCI Carol Jordan and her former team are dispersed, working in different jobs, or none at all. However events conspire to bring Carol and psychological profiler Tony Hill back together. They attempt to rebuild their fragile friendship and, along the way begin looking into a case that may not even be a case – a series of apparent suicides by high-profile women who have been trolled on social media for expressing feminist views. The rest of the team become drawn in. Meanwhile Carol, being Carol, has an opportunity that she may have sabotaged before she even knows about it.
What draws me back to these books, and what makes this such a good one, is that they are completely immersive. You know the characters but you want to know them more. Like real people, just when you think you’ve got them, they have the capacity to surprise you. McDermid is brilliant at the subtleties of human interaction, the small spaces between what we mean and what we say, the pain and the history that stops some people getting what they want. That’s why the Jordan and Hill situation – two people who can’t be together but can’t move on either – so exasperating in life, is fascinating in art.
Some people have raised questions about plausibility – it’s fair to say the killer and his motivation were the least interesting thing about the book. But that, for me, is not the point. Murders are rare, non-domestic murders, that require high-level detection skills, are even rarer. And yet crime fiction is ubiquitous. Authors have to be allowed a little licence.
What McDermid does do is capture the nature of modern policing – the team work, the specialisation, the dynamics of a group who are both allies and rivals. And she has an eye on every corner of contemporary culture – from Twitter to the garden centre.
She has thrown another couple of hand-grenades into her mix of gifted but conflicted characters which nicely sets up the next book. I can’t wait.
*
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.
Retired DCI Carol Jordan and her former team are dispersed, working in different jobs, or none at all. However events conspire to bring Carol and psychological profiler Tony Hill back together. They attempt to rebuild their fragile friendship and, along the way begin looking into a case that may not even be a case – a series of apparent suicides by high-profile women who have been trolled on social media for expressing feminist views. The rest of the team become drawn in. Meanwhile Carol, being Carol, has an opportunity that she may have sabotaged before she even knows about it.
What draws me back to these books, and what makes this such a good one, is that they are completely immersive. You know the characters but you want to know them more. Like real people, just when you think you’ve got them, they have the capacity to surprise you. McDermid is brilliant at the subtleties of human interaction, the small spaces between what we mean and what we say, the pain and the history that stops some people getting what they want. That’s why the Jordan and Hill situation – two people who can’t be together but can’t move on either – so exasperating in life, is fascinating in art.
Some people have raised questions about plausibility – it’s fair to say the killer and his motivation were the least interesting thing about the book. But that, for me, is not the point. Murders are rare, non-domestic murders, that require high-level detection skills, are even rarer. And yet crime fiction is ubiquitous. Authors have to be allowed a little licence.
What McDermid does do is capture the nature of modern policing – the team work, the specialisation, the dynamics of a group who are both allies and rivals. And she has an eye on every corner of contemporary culture – from Twitter to the garden centre.
She has thrown another couple of hand-grenades into her mix of gifted but conflicted characters which nicely sets up the next book. I can’t wait.
*
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.
February 4, 2017
Carol fucking Jordan is BACK! ♥
Ich habe so viele zwiespaltige Rezensionen gelesen, dass ich fast sowas wie Angst vor einer meiner Lieblingskrimireihen hatte. Unbegründet, natürlich. Gestern habe ich angefangen und wollte kurz reinlesen, leider hat Val McDermid mich danach nicht mehr aufstehen lassen. Ich musste weiterlesen, nur eine Seite, nur ein Kapitel, nur ein Wort ... und schwupps, war ich fertig und glücklich.
Klar, es ist anders: Val McDermid hat sich entschieden, dass es nach acht Büchern wichtig wäre auch mal ein Buch auf Zwischenmenschlichkeiten aufzubauen. Daher gliedert sich "Schwarzes Netz" in zwei Bereiche: 1) eine ziemlich interessante Mordreihe, in der junge Frauen augenscheinlich Selbstmord begehen und das in Anlehnung an Sylvia Plath oder Virginia Woolf 2) das Zwischenmenschliche: Tony & Carol, ein neues Team, ein Alkoholproblem.
...und genau wegen Punkt 2 gibt es jetzt auch verdammte 5 Sterne. McDermid ist die Meisterin Beziehung kaputt zukloppen, Teams zu zerstören oder Charaktere abnippeln zu lassen. Das ein Buch mal soviel aufbaut, analysiert und dabei in richtige Bahnen bringt - ohne sie nachher wieder einzureißen - ist großartig und hat so Spaß gemacht, dass ich mich jetzt auf Teil 10 freue. Das Team ist wunderbar, Carol & Tony sind menschlich wieder im Aufschwung und der Fall war genau nach meinem Geschmack.
Ich habe so viele zwiespaltige Rezensionen gelesen, dass ich fast sowas wie Angst vor einer meiner Lieblingskrimireihen hatte. Unbegründet, natürlich. Gestern habe ich angefangen und wollte kurz reinlesen, leider hat Val McDermid mich danach nicht mehr aufstehen lassen. Ich musste weiterlesen, nur eine Seite, nur ein Kapitel, nur ein Wort ... und schwupps, war ich fertig und glücklich.
Klar, es ist anders: Val McDermid hat sich entschieden, dass es nach acht Büchern wichtig wäre auch mal ein Buch auf Zwischenmenschlichkeiten aufzubauen. Daher gliedert sich "Schwarzes Netz" in zwei Bereiche: 1) eine ziemlich interessante Mordreihe, in der junge Frauen augenscheinlich Selbstmord begehen und das in Anlehnung an Sylvia Plath oder Virginia Woolf 2) das Zwischenmenschliche: Tony & Carol, ein neues Team, ein Alkoholproblem.
...und genau wegen Punkt 2 gibt es jetzt auch verdammte 5 Sterne. McDermid ist die Meisterin Beziehung kaputt zukloppen, Teams zu zerstören oder Charaktere abnippeln zu lassen. Das ein Buch mal soviel aufbaut, analysiert und dabei in richtige Bahnen bringt - ohne sie nachher wieder einzureißen - ist großartig und hat so Spaß gemacht, dass ich mich jetzt auf Teil 10 freue. Das Team ist wunderbar, Carol & Tony sind menschlich wieder im Aufschwung und der Fall war genau nach meinem Geschmack.
January 27, 2019
Mehhhhhhhhhhh.
This book had potential: the story idea was actually interesting and the writing style is good, however it was kind of ruined by a few things. NOTHING happens for over 200 pages of this book. The plot is solved so easily and in 50 pages at the end, it feels like a throwaway plot or basically just an excuse to justify writing about these particular characters. It just feels solved waayyyy too easily and then there were no real events. Also I feel like having a clinical psychologist and a 'hacker' on the same team is the easy way of saying 'i'll describe your killer AND get the evidence I need' without having to think of a clever way of getting any evidence or even a plot. Also there was so much continuation from the past stories that while I don't think you would struggle to understand the story without reading the past books, you might actually enjoy it when reading past ones.
This book had potential: the story idea was actually interesting and the writing style is good, however it was kind of ruined by a few things. NOTHING happens for over 200 pages of this book. The plot is solved so easily and in 50 pages at the end, it feels like a throwaway plot or basically just an excuse to justify writing about these particular characters. It just feels solved waayyyy too easily and then there were no real events. Also I feel like having a clinical psychologist and a 'hacker' on the same team is the easy way of saying 'i'll describe your killer AND get the evidence I need' without having to think of a clever way of getting any evidence or even a plot. Also there was so much continuation from the past stories that while I don't think you would struggle to understand the story without reading the past books, you might actually enjoy it when reading past ones.
September 5, 2015
Always happy to see the return of Carol and Tony but this was a bit of a disappointment. It was an interesting look at the phenomenon of trolling, and how worryingly the online abuse women get is far more vituperative than that received by men. It's all very worrying really, how the perceived anonymity of the Internet encourages cowards to spew vitriol and make threats they'd probably be arrested for in person. But an interesting concept doesn't always make for a great read. I've loved all her other books in this series but I found this one slow and a bit boring. Carol's new MIT team being pulled together feels like a metaphor for what this book hopefully is...a set up for the next more meaty offering.
December 30, 2023
Slowly re-reading a number of Val McDermid crime novels and they are even better the 2nd time around :) A regional reMIT murder investigation team has been set up spearheaded by Carol Jordan. Carol is awarded carte blanche to recruit and operate as she wishes, and is soon joined in her new offices by DS Paula McIntyre, Doctor Tony Hill, hi tech wiz Stacey Chen, and ex demoted newly retired DCI Kevin Matthews. A number of unexplained suicides (linked to famous authors/poets) by strong independent women with a very notiecable online presence, soon has the team fully occupied. In the meantime Carol commits a stupid act, that could put her whole career in jeopardy, and will prove to have long and lasting consequences.
Once again Val McDermid shows her undoubted skill as the queen of crime with a tighly plotted, imaginative, and highly readable novel. Carol Jordan is a true survivor, operating in a misogynistic police world, but refusing to be blindsided in her search for the truth. Truly wonderful story telling and a joy to read.
Once again Val McDermid shows her undoubted skill as the queen of crime with a tighly plotted, imaginative, and highly readable novel. Carol Jordan is a true survivor, operating in a misogynistic police world, but refusing to be blindsided in her search for the truth. Truly wonderful story telling and a joy to read.
November 7, 2019
So much for my plan to re-read the series in order, but I'm glad I picked this us. Cyberbullying makes a very intense story but it's less descriptively violent that many of her earlier books. It features her well-developed characters in a complex plot that moves their careers along. Bonus: Gerard Dole narrates.
November 25, 2015
3.5 stars
Former cop Carol Jordan has spent the last 6 months renovating her brother's home. Long days of physical labour & a few drinks each evening has helped her deal with his death but she's about to get a wake up call.
After leaving a dinner party one night, Carol is forced to ring Tony. All she needs is a ride home. What she gets is an intervention & a second chance.
Chief Constable John Brandon contacts her with an irresistible proposal for a new MIT. She'll oversee investigation of major crimes in 6 districts with a hand picked team. That's right...she's getting the band back together.
In short order, Carol has her team. Paula is happy to escape her position under the thumb of ambitious DCI Alex Fielding. Stacey's mad computer skills are wasted & she's thrilled to sign on. A smart young DC, a retired former colleague & Tony round out the unit.
Now all they need is a case. In an attempt at team building, Carol initiates a mock investigation. But when they start digging into 2 recent deaths ruled as suicides, they get a little more than they bargained for.
In alternate chapters, we meet a discerning killer. In his opinion, there are far too many women out there challenging men's attitudes & building careers when they should be home taking care of their families. And he has just the solution to make them see the error of their ways.
This is book #9 of the Jordan/Hill series following the excellent "Cross and Burn". It's a bit of a departure in that it's a more introspective read & the investigative aspect of the story almost feels secondary. Don't get me wrong.....there's a creepy bad guy here & much time/space is devoted to hunting him down. But the creation of the new MIT serves as a springboard to put the familiar cast back in the same room.
The real focus of the story are the characters' personal lives. All of them have moved on in some way since their last case & the addition of 2 new members shakes up the dynamics. Carol has to come to terms with her little problem & for the first time in ages, she & Tony are spending time together. Stacey actually turned off her computers long enough to begin a relationship with a fellow DC but it's put to the test when she's invited to join Carol's new team & he is not. And Tony considers an offer that would see him moving out of his houseboat.
It's a transitional book that reunites these beloved characters & sets the stage for what will come next. The case is resolved but there are some ominous rumblings in the background that make it clear the team will face challenges from within the force. Several side stories are left open & I look forward to seeing how they play out in the next instalment.
Former cop Carol Jordan has spent the last 6 months renovating her brother's home. Long days of physical labour & a few drinks each evening has helped her deal with his death but she's about to get a wake up call.
After leaving a dinner party one night, Carol is forced to ring Tony. All she needs is a ride home. What she gets is an intervention & a second chance.
Chief Constable John Brandon contacts her with an irresistible proposal for a new MIT. She'll oversee investigation of major crimes in 6 districts with a hand picked team. That's right...she's getting the band back together.
In short order, Carol has her team. Paula is happy to escape her position under the thumb of ambitious DCI Alex Fielding. Stacey's mad computer skills are wasted & she's thrilled to sign on. A smart young DC, a retired former colleague & Tony round out the unit.
Now all they need is a case. In an attempt at team building, Carol initiates a mock investigation. But when they start digging into 2 recent deaths ruled as suicides, they get a little more than they bargained for.
In alternate chapters, we meet a discerning killer. In his opinion, there are far too many women out there challenging men's attitudes & building careers when they should be home taking care of their families. And he has just the solution to make them see the error of their ways.
This is book #9 of the Jordan/Hill series following the excellent "Cross and Burn". It's a bit of a departure in that it's a more introspective read & the investigative aspect of the story almost feels secondary. Don't get me wrong.....there's a creepy bad guy here & much time/space is devoted to hunting him down. But the creation of the new MIT serves as a springboard to put the familiar cast back in the same room.
The real focus of the story are the characters' personal lives. All of them have moved on in some way since their last case & the addition of 2 new members shakes up the dynamics. Carol has to come to terms with her little problem & for the first time in ages, she & Tony are spending time together. Stacey actually turned off her computers long enough to begin a relationship with a fellow DC but it's put to the test when she's invited to join Carol's new team & he is not. And Tony considers an offer that would see him moving out of his houseboat.
It's a transitional book that reunites these beloved characters & sets the stage for what will come next. The case is resolved but there are some ominous rumblings in the background that make it clear the team will face challenges from within the force. Several side stories are left open & I look forward to seeing how they play out in the next instalment.
February 10, 2016
This is my first Val McDermid mystery, but it definitely won't be my last! Taking on a very contemporary issue of cyber bullying, Police detective Carol Jordan is investigating what appears to be some unrelated suicides - cases of prominent women who have been outspoken in the public about controversial issues. Immediately, they have received the unwelcome attention of some nasty cyber bullies which drove them to the brink of taking their own lives. But criminal psychologist Tony Hill's Spidey senses are tingling and he feels that these suicides might be more than what they appear to be. What follows is a fast-paced, well-crafted literary thriller.
There is a backstory behind the mystery which deals with Carol Jordan's self destructive addiction to alcohol and her desire to return to the police force. I enjoyed the detour from the pure action and it added depth and nuance to the characters, making me much more interested in reading more by this author.
I listened to the audio edition of this mystery, expertly narrated by Gerard Doyle. It did take some getting used to because the last books I listened to by this narrator were Christopher Paolini's Inheritance series, so I kept expecting dragons to burst out. But, he does a nice job of accents and voices and there were definitely moments where I was glued to my earbuds.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
There is a backstory behind the mystery which deals with Carol Jordan's self destructive addiction to alcohol and her desire to return to the police force. I enjoyed the detour from the pure action and it added depth and nuance to the characters, making me much more interested in reading more by this author.
I listened to the audio edition of this mystery, expertly narrated by Gerard Doyle. It did take some getting used to because the last books I listened to by this narrator were Christopher Paolini's Inheritance series, so I kept expecting dragons to burst out. But, he does a nice job of accents and voices and there were definitely moments where I was glued to my earbuds.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2017
Like always Val does not disappoint!
She brought back our beloved Tony and Carol with an action packed page tuner, when we all though the end of this couple was inevitable.
I love Val's writing and will always be a fan of Tony and Carol.
Hopefully the next book will be out soon!
She brought back our beloved Tony and Carol with an action packed page tuner, when we all though the end of this couple was inevitable.
I love Val's writing and will always be a fan of Tony and Carol.
Hopefully the next book will be out soon!
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