annieb123's Review of How the Dead Speak (Tony Hill, #5) (Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Mysteries, #11) (Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, #11)

by Val McDermid

Longlisted for the 2020 Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

The latest in internationally bestselling crime writer Val McDermid's beloved series, How The Dead Speak reunites Tony Hill and Carol Jordan after a mysterious skeleton turns up on the grounds of an old orphanage

Val McDermid is an award-winning, crime-writing powerhouse, and now she returns to her explosive, thrilling series featuring psychological profiler Tony Hill and ex-DCI Carol Jordan in her latest How The Dead Speak

With Tony behind bars and Carol finally out of road as a cop, he's finding unexpected outlets for his talents in jail and she's joined forces with a small informal group of lawyers and forensics experts looking into suspected miscarriages of justice. But they're doing it without each other; being in the same room at visiting hour is too painful to contemplate. Meanwhile, construction is suddenly halted on the redevelopment of an orphanage after dozens of skeletons are found buried in the grounds. Forensic examination reveals they date from between twenty and forty years ago when the nuns were running their repressive regime. But then a different set of skeletons are discovered in a far corner, young men from as recent as ten years ago.

When newly-promoted DI Paula McIntyre discovers that one of the male skeletons is that of a killer who is supposedly alive and behind bars--and the subject of one of Carol's miscarriage investigations--it brings Tony and Carol irresistibly into each other's orbit once again. A shocking, masterfully plotted novel that will leave readers breathless, How The Dead Speak is McDermid at her best and a can't miss read for long-time fans and new readers alike.

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

How the Dead Speak is the 11th book in the Tony Hill & Carol Jordan series of psychological murder mystery/procedurals by Val McDermid. Due out 3rd Dec 2019 from Grove Atlantic, it's 416 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

I was unsure what would be in store for Tony & Carol after the cataclysmic denouement of the earlier book. This book begins with Tony serving a custodial sentence for manslaughter after being stripped of his professional qualifications and Carol suffering from debilitating PTSD which she was self-medicating with alcohol. I was concerned that the book would devolve into relentless misery and unhappiness, but I was (happily) wrong.

The author is one of the most technically adept writers I've ever encountered. Her writing is surgically precise, controlled, and masterful. This book contains several apparently disparate subplot threads which McDermid weaves together into an incredibly twisty and satisfying denouement. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series after seriously contemplating dropping the series after finishing the previous book.

Previous fans of the series will find more of the taut psychological twisty plotting characteristic of the earlier works. The author is adept at providing necessary backstory without resorting to info-dumping, so new readers will have no trouble following the story. I highly recommend this series to fans of the genre though, so going back and reading the previous books in order will prove enjoyable.

Four and a half stars. Another winner from a master writer at the top of her form.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

How the Dead Speak (Tony Hill, #5) (Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Mysteries, #11) (Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, #11)

by Val McDermid

Reviewed by annieb123 on Dec 1, 2019

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