The Wire in the Blood cover art

The Wire in the Blood

Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Series, Book 2

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The Wire in the Blood

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Saul Reichlin
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About this listen

Young girls are disappearing around the country, and there is nothing to connect them to one another. Dr Tony Hill sets his team an exercise: they are given the details and asked to discover links between the cases. Only one officer comes up with a theory that is ridiculed...until one of their own is murdered.

For Tony Hill the murder becomes a matter for personal revenge, and, joined by colleague Carol Jordan, he embarks on a game where hunter and hunted can all too easily be reversed.

©1997 Val McDermid (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd Crime Thrillers Detective Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Thriller Exciting Scary

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Critic reviews

"A deliciously gruesome serial killer thriller. Ms McDermid finds new ways to shock and revolt us." ( New York Times)
"Val McDermid is an accomplished storyteller, and this scary, fast-moving tale is engrossing." ( Daily Telegraph)
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Gripping novel. Impossible to stop listening. I've been an audible member for years and this is in the top five of my audible downloads. Thankfully, with my iPhone and headphones I can still listen while working at mind-numbing chores around the house or listen while driving so little things like paid work and sleep don't slow me down too much!

Wire in the Blood

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To put it mildly I struggled with the narrator. Can just about cope with his general storytelling narration but his characters voices are the absolute pits. Some sound like Shakespearean hams, some like comedy ee bah gum peasants, the women sound like pantomime Dames/dick Emery in drag/Fenella Fielding on mogadon. The scouse accent is beyond belief in it's ridiculousness. The tough glaswegian cop sound like the camp highland landlord from the Wicker Man. Love Val McDermid but this narrator is TERRIBLE!

Great book, terrible narration!

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Years ago by a brilliant narrator - wonderful. This time so poorly done. It spoiled it

Wire in the blood

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Had to overlook the datedness of the book but it’s still a good story! Surprisingly nasty. The female voices are awful (overly breathy) and the male accents a mix of all sorts of accents in one character! Terrible drunken Liverpudlian lol. Oh, and it took the narrator 10’s of chapters to decide on a way of saying the name ‘Shaz’. How hard can it be?! Gritty & gory storyline, well researched.

Stilted, almost comical narration

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Terrific story, almost spoiled by poor narrator. Though his attempts at regional accents are comedy gold!

Great story, poor narration

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Val McDermid is an outstandinging story teller. Even more chilling is who she (loosely) based Jacko Vance on. Even if you've seen the TV version, listen to the original.

The only irritation is the narration. In general it's OK, but the accents are in the Dick Van Dyke mould and distracts from the overall enjoyment. Shame.

Great story, but...

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A bit slow to start, with lots of unnecessary details. I nearly gave up but finally it got going about 1/4 of the book in.... once it did, it was gripping and I couldn't stop listening. Really glad I stuck with it, it was brilliant.

Gripping

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A well-written and fast-paced thriller which keeps the listener engaged. Having multiple storylines adds interest.

I found the inconclusive ending frustrating and disappointing. It's the old writers trick of trying to get the reader to buy their next book. That is the reason for the four stars rather than five.

Good plot and narration

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You have to hand it to Val - she really can grip your attention for all of a long listen (or read). I remember something like it in the TV series but this was a lot to pack into less than 3 hours on the box. Believable villain in Jacko Vance and the tortuous relationship between Tony and Carol continues to mesmerise in it's complexity. Sometimes the sheer incompetence of the local constabulary beggars belief and one can only hope that it is a rarity and not as displayed within these pages but perhaps I am more inclined to the profilers role than those who can only deal with hard facts. Besides, those of us who have seen or read this series will already know that Tony's insight should never be dismissed - and local plods do not have that reassurance. Ms McDermid has warmed to her characters and in my eyes, made them vulnerable without weakness, determined without arrogance and such a pleasure to get to know. Bravo Val

Entertaining as always

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good story really enjoyed the narrator. the plot was chilling and at time a little too well visualised. I would recommend this crime thrillers.

very enjoyable listen.

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