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janice_72's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
billymac1962's review
3.0
Beneath the Bleeding is a slightly weaker entry to the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series.
Having said that, though, there's no sign of weakening where McDermid's talent for managing a tight plotline is concerned. She's one of the best.
But this novel is missing something that was prevelant in The Mermaids Singing and The Torment of Others. And that is the ever present intensity and suspense. You could put those two novels up against any horror novel and challenge it for chills.
This novel does have a great plot, but it also served as a vehicle for some character revelations of Tony Hill, and the tenuous will-they-or-won't-they relationship between him and Carol. It was in this regard that it seemed McDermid was mailing this one in because these revelations were given surface treatment at best. Just when we find
something out about Tony, the plot quickly takes us away from it. Perhaps this is just a teaser for things to come for however long this series continues. That's fine, but I just hope this doesn't come at the expense of the psyche of her killers, because that is where she truly excels.
So, bottom line, this is a pretty quick read, and worth your time. But Val, let's ramp up the intensity next time, okay?
Having said that, though, there's no sign of weakening where McDermid's talent for managing a tight plotline is concerned. She's one of the best.
But this novel is missing something that was prevelant in The Mermaids Singing and The Torment of Others. And that is the ever present intensity and suspense. You could put those two novels up against any horror novel and challenge it for chills.
This novel does have a great plot, but it also served as a vehicle for some character revelations of Tony Hill, and the tenuous will-they-or-won't-they relationship between him and Carol. It was in this regard that it seemed McDermid was mailing this one in because these revelations were given surface treatment at best. Just when we find
something out about Tony, the plot quickly takes us away from it. Perhaps this is just a teaser for things to come for however long this series continues. That's fine, but I just hope this doesn't come at the expense of the psyche of her killers, because that is where she truly excels.
So, bottom line, this is a pretty quick read, and worth your time. But Val, let's ramp up the intensity next time, okay?
xxsamlb's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Slow start and easy to put down, but when you power through it was good. Interesting had had a couple of different things happening all at once.
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
3.0
BENEATH THE BLEEDING is the fifth book in the Tony Hill / Carol Jordan series from Scottish writer Val McDermid. Which fans of this writer will already know. Fans will also know that anybody as daft as me, who would leave this book on the review pile for as long as I have, is really missing out on a very good thing.
Now there are plenty of serial or multiple killer books floating around out there, and many readers are well over the whole idea, but you do have to give a moment's thought to revising that attitude when the writer is as talented and assured as McDermid. BENEATH THE BLEEDING grabs the reader from the opening scenes - when a star footballer is admitted to hospital, dying slowly with nobody able to identify the cause. And therein lies the whole pattern of this book - nothing is obvious, nothing is initially as it seems, nobody is quite what they are stacked up to be. Nothing makes sense. Not the series of poisonings, using very obscure toxins. Not the bomb exploding in a football stadium being obviously a terrorist attack. Not the friendship / ongoing dance between Tony and Carol. Not the relationship between Tony and his mother.
There are some serious complications in Carol's investigation of these poisonings. Firstly Tony's laid up in hospital - his leg badly broken by a psychiatric patient off his medication and out of control. Tony's insight in investigations has progressed to the point where you might call it "profiling" but it's much more than that. It's all about thinking his way into the killer's head - giving Carol and her team insights into why / how or what the killer might be doing / feeling / seeing / trying to achieve. It's harder to do that when you're laid up in a leg brace in a hospital bed, and you cannot see the reactions of people, can't direct the questioning. Add to that Tony's frustrated by his infirmity and confused by his mother's presence at his bedside. The terrorist bombing adds its own complications bringing the specialist squad to town - not only do they take over the bombing investigation, they do their darned best to bully boy, huff, puff and generally stuff it up into the bargain. And they don't accept input from Carol's team - who are a crack squad in their own right, and they know their own patch very very well.
I hadn't read a Tony Hill / Carol Jordan book for a while - I think what little of the TV series I watched put me off a little. The Tony Hill of the books is a complicated, tricky individual - very much a "physician heal thyself" sort of a character. Jordan's equally complicated, prickly, determined. It's very easy to see how a friendship has developed between these two characters, and how the ever-present potential romance is almost threatening - rather than something comforting that they should be working towards. Ultimately, what comes out of BENEATH THE BLEEDING is a good, nicely twisty plot, a lot of tension and some seriously paced action. There's a good ensemble cast, although the concentration on the two main characters does mean that they disappear a little into the background. There's a good balancing of the personal and the professional, as well as the frustration and elation of difficult investigations and the pressures that Tony and Carol both feel - from others and from themselves.
Now there are plenty of serial or multiple killer books floating around out there, and many readers are well over the whole idea, but you do have to give a moment's thought to revising that attitude when the writer is as talented and assured as McDermid. BENEATH THE BLEEDING grabs the reader from the opening scenes - when a star footballer is admitted to hospital, dying slowly with nobody able to identify the cause. And therein lies the whole pattern of this book - nothing is obvious, nothing is initially as it seems, nobody is quite what they are stacked up to be. Nothing makes sense. Not the series of poisonings, using very obscure toxins. Not the bomb exploding in a football stadium being obviously a terrorist attack. Not the friendship / ongoing dance between Tony and Carol. Not the relationship between Tony and his mother.
There are some serious complications in Carol's investigation of these poisonings. Firstly Tony's laid up in hospital - his leg badly broken by a psychiatric patient off his medication and out of control. Tony's insight in investigations has progressed to the point where you might call it "profiling" but it's much more than that. It's all about thinking his way into the killer's head - giving Carol and her team insights into why / how or what the killer might be doing / feeling / seeing / trying to achieve. It's harder to do that when you're laid up in a leg brace in a hospital bed, and you cannot see the reactions of people, can't direct the questioning. Add to that Tony's frustrated by his infirmity and confused by his mother's presence at his bedside. The terrorist bombing adds its own complications bringing the specialist squad to town - not only do they take over the bombing investigation, they do their darned best to bully boy, huff, puff and generally stuff it up into the bargain. And they don't accept input from Carol's team - who are a crack squad in their own right, and they know their own patch very very well.
I hadn't read a Tony Hill / Carol Jordan book for a while - I think what little of the TV series I watched put me off a little. The Tony Hill of the books is a complicated, tricky individual - very much a "physician heal thyself" sort of a character. Jordan's equally complicated, prickly, determined. It's very easy to see how a friendship has developed between these two characters, and how the ever-present potential romance is almost threatening - rather than something comforting that they should be working towards. Ultimately, what comes out of BENEATH THE BLEEDING is a good, nicely twisty plot, a lot of tension and some seriously paced action. There's a good ensemble cast, although the concentration on the two main characters does mean that they disappear a little into the background. There's a good balancing of the personal and the professional, as well as the frustration and elation of difficult investigations and the pressures that Tony and Carol both feel - from others and from themselves.
hoserlauren's review
3.0
Dr. Tony Hill is bedridden after an attack at a mental ward and an axe to the knee. It's really not a good time to be immobile when a top footballer is admitted to the hospital and the staff finds out that he has been poisoned with ricin. He passes away and Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan is called in to investigate. Researching from a hospital bed, Tony is frustrated at the lack of progress he makes, but eventually finds a possible connection to another mysterious poisoning case.
During the memorial for this football player, an alleged terrorist attack occurs, bombing the stadium and killing many. Could these be connected? Why was the stadium targeted?
I haven't read a Hill/Jordan mystery for a while but this one felt pretty lazy. The bombing builds up for a very long time and then only takes place in the last third of the book and really has nothing to do with anything else in the book. It just didn't connect for me. Then when they finally catch the murderer, though we sort of know the motive, the murderer refuses to give the full story on why he did it. It's like McDermid didn't want to bother sorting out that part of the story.
Definitely not my favourite Hill/Jordan mystery. I hope Jordan sorts out her drinking problem soon but I doubt that'll be the case.
During the memorial for this football player, an alleged terrorist attack occurs, bombing the stadium and killing many. Could these be connected? Why was the stadium targeted?
I haven't read a Hill/Jordan mystery for a while but this one felt pretty lazy. The bombing builds up for a very long time and then only takes place in the last third of the book and really has nothing to do with anything else in the book. It just didn't connect for me. Then when they finally catch the murderer, though we sort of know the motive, the murderer refuses to give the full story on why he did it. It's like McDermid didn't want to bother sorting out that part of the story.
Definitely not my favourite Hill/Jordan mystery. I hope Jordan sorts out her drinking problem soon but I doubt that'll be the case.
rhiannonneill's review against another edition
5.0
This is the next instalment in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series and even though it's the 5th book, the storyline still keeps the same pace and depth of detail thoughout. I really like how the background story is continued and even though it's like going back to old friends we get to see all of the main characters develop further
·
Even though McDermid uses police jargon she fully explains what everything means without it breaking the flow of the story which is something I personally find a lot of police crime novels lack. She also manages to come up with a storyline for the basis of this book that is fresh and new despite there being thousands of crime novels written
·
As always I was hooked in from the start of the book and McDermid has a way of unravelling the story that keeps me hooked throughout and wanting to find out who the killer is. I also really like the way she uses multiple points of view and these add another layer to the book for me
·
Yet another fantastic installment in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series and I seriously cannot recommend this series enough 5⃣⭐
·
Even though McDermid uses police jargon she fully explains what everything means without it breaking the flow of the story which is something I personally find a lot of police crime novels lack. She also manages to come up with a storyline for the basis of this book that is fresh and new despite there being thousands of crime novels written
·
As always I was hooked in from the start of the book and McDermid has a way of unravelling the story that keeps me hooked throughout and wanting to find out who the killer is. I also really like the way she uses multiple points of view and these add another layer to the book for me
·
Yet another fantastic installment in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series and I seriously cannot recommend this series enough 5⃣⭐
isitreallyjessie's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
aidanjchristie's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
vickyloo's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable book but took me a long time to get through it. I normally love Tony Hill books but, this seemed a little random at some points, in the end it did all come together.