The Mermaids Singing

With the release of her outstanding novel A PLACE OF EXECUTION, which was a nominee for the esteemed Edgar Award, Val McDermid astounded both readers and reviewers. She now employs her signature suspenseful inventiveness in THE MERMAIDS SINGING, where she introduces Tony Hill, a criminal profiler with years of experience studying the minds of insane people. However, he is now among the hunted.

You never forget the first time.

This summer he found what he was looking for, at a macabre criminology museum off the usual tourist route for more cautious travelers. His fantasies were influenced like a muse by images of pain. It would turn out to be quite satisfying.

BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER NEXT TIME...

In the town of Bradfield, four men's corpses have been found. Tony Hill, a criminal psychologist, has been called in to look at this. He's never seen anything like the mutilation sex murders, not even as an experienced expert. He is capable of profiling the psychopath, however. Given his personal history, Hill is well-suited to understand the killer's motivations. He's also become the ideal victim as a result.

PERFECTION IS MADE BY PRACTICE.

For both the hunter and the prey, the game has started. However, in addition to facing his own secret demons, Hill must fight a fundamental evil that he may not have the strength or bravery to resist.