The Mermaids Singing
- 400
- Pages
- about 7 h
- Reading time
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Our view
“The Mermaids Singing” launches Val McDermid’s Tony Hill series with a dark, suspenseful hunt for a killer. Some readers single out the chapters told from the murderer’s point of view and the way the plot keeps them guessing; some of them also find the torture scenes too explicit and a few passages dated. Readers with a strong stomach can follow Tony Hill and Carol Jordan from their very first case here.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
The Mermaids Singing (1995) is a crime novel by Scottish author Val McDermid. The first featuring her recurring protagonist, Dr. Tony Hill, it was adapted into the pilot episode of ITV1's television series based on McDermid's work, Wire in the Blood, starring Robson Green and Hermione Norris.
Reading order · Tony Hill & Carol Jordan
Full order & progress →- The Mermaids SingingThis book
7.67.6 / 10 - The Wire in the BloodThe Wire in the Blood–Not ranked yet
- The Last TemptationThe Last Temptation–Not ranked yet
- The Torment of OthersThe Torment of Others–Not ranked yet
- Beneath the BleedingBeneath the Bleeding–Not ranked yet
- Fever of the BoneFever of the Bone–Not ranked yet
- The RetributionThe Retribution–Not ranked yet
- Cross and BurnCross and Burn–Not ranked yet
- Splinter the SilenceSplinter the Silence–Not ranked yet
- Insidious IntentInsidious Intent–Not ranked yet
- How the Dead SpeakHow the Dead Speak–Not ranked yet
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.3 across 56 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 28% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Crime & mystery average of 7.6. That is how 7.6 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 7.3 | 56 | 100% |
Frequently asked
How long is The Mermaids Singing?
It has 400 pages — shorter than 56% of the ranked books in Crime & mystery.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
The same shelf — Crime & mystery — and a score of 7.6, the closest to this book.
