Try free for 30 days

  • Mermaids Singing

  • By: Val McDermid
  • Narrated by: Saul Reichlin
  • Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (226 ratings)

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Mermaids Singing cover art

Mermaids Singing

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Saul Reichlin
Try for $0.00

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

The first stunning thriller in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series, from best-selling author Val McDermid.

Up until now, the only serial killers Tony Hill had encountered were safely behind bars. This one’s different – this one’s on the loose.

Four men have been found mutilated and tortured. As fear grips the city, the police turn to clinical psychologist Tony Hill for a profile of the killer. But soon Tony becomes the unsuspecting target in a battle of wits and wills where he has to use every ounce of his professional nerve to survive.

A tense, beautifully written psychological thriller, The Mermaids Singing explores the tormented mind of a serial killer unlike any the world of fiction has ever seen.

©1995 Val McDermid (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Gripping, intelligent stuff." (The Times)

"A superb psychological thriller." (Cosmopolitan)

What listeners say about Mermaids Singing

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    109
  • 4 Stars
    68
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    8
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    100
  • 4 Stars
    56
  • 3 Stars
    32
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    102
  • 4 Stars
    53
  • 3 Stars
    32
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    8

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Su
  • 08-01-2018

Too disturbing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, I cannot recommend it - the detective work, the interaction between the police and the profiler were really interesting - but the graphic descriptions of the torture were so awful that we had to stop listening. If we could have the police and detective work without the torture it would have been an excellent book.

Has Mermaids Singing put you off other books in this genre?

We listened to another book by Val McDermid some time ago and enjoyed it. This one was just too awful that we had to stop, so sadly we won't buy another of her books

Have you listened to any of Saul Reichlin’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Have not listened to him before but he did read this book well

Did Mermaids Singing inspire you to do anything?

Yes - it inspired me to write a review as we disliked the book so much. A warning to others

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

now I am hooked

I was after a story with a female lead that was not a wet blanket, now I think i am in love with a new series !!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Narrator

I love Val McDermid and this was my first audio book of hers, however the narrator Saul Reichlin sounds like an 80 year old man. When reading the parts for the women his voice croked and wavered, also the same for men. Now the assumption is that Tony is a man of about 40-45 years but instead he sounds 80. When investigating other Val McDermid books I found that Saul is the narrator of choice. Every bloody book!! Well I can't listen to him and I have discarded this audio book, never to be listened to again. $14.95 down the drain.
PS Mr Reichlin, I apologise if I was rude, I didn't mean to be and if you are 80 then all well and good but you are not suited to read this type of book. Apologies again, I'm sure you are a nice man.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

I love the TV Series "Wire In The Blood" starring Robson Green based on Val's books in this series. Neither versions disappoint ...far from it but this book is a masterpiece read brilliantly by a great narrator. Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

ABSURD SOFT PORN RUBBISH

I seriously can’t believe this ever got published. Needs at least two warnings - one for explicit sexual references and sadism AND another for the most cringeworthy writing I have heard maybe ever. Received this free as two for one deal and astonished I wasn’t actually paid to endure it. Avoid like the plague is my recommendation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Female detective not strong enough

I found myself endlessly frustrated by Carol. The twist was excellent. Tony, and the male character generally, are well fleshed-out. Easily digestible though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

All the ingredients for a great crime thriller!

I really enjoyed this book having read (listened) many many crime thrillers before not expecting anything extraordinary. I was pleasantly surprised - the story hooked me right from the start, the characters were well developed and the "who's done it" was complemented with a great explanation why. I will definitely download more books in these series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Ruined by the narration

A Tony Hill very gruesome story, as they all are. Well written, good characterisation, but ruined by the narration, particularly that of the principal female character, a breathy grandmother she is not.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

This hasn't aged well

Loved other McDermid books but this one relies on old tropes so hasn't aged well. Homophobic amd transphobic cliches that seem to belong not to the characters, yes, but a more nuanced and sensitive touch might have made this less problematic. I also think the actor sounded a bit too old for these characters, who are meant to be in their thirties... having said that, I won't quit on McDermid.

STRONGLY recommend Place of Execution instead of this one if you're looking to try McDermid for the first time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Dated

The original novel was published in 1995, so this story is quite dated, especially as far as technology goes. I enjoyed the gist of the story, but the narrspoilt it for me greatly. He was far too old to narrate this story
I was surprised to find out half way through that Tony Hill was only 34. The narrator made him sound 50. The intimate scenes were cringe worthy with the narrator's voice. Would like to listen to the others in the series depending on who the narrator is.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.