Slowly re-reading a number of Val McDermid crime novels and they are even better the 2nd time around :) A regional reMIT murder investigation team has been set up spearheaded by Carol Jordan. Carol is awarded carte blanche to recruit and operate as she wishes, and is soon joined in her new offices by DS Paula McIntyre, Doctor Tony Hill, hi tech wiz Stacey Chen, and ex demoted newly retired DCI Kevin Matthews. A number of unexplained suicides (linked to famous authors/poets) by strong independent women with a very notiecable online presence, soon has the team fully occupied. In the meantime Carol commits a stupid act, that could put her whole career in jeopardy, and will prove to have long and lasting consequences. Once again Val McDermid shows her undoubted skill as the queen of crime with a tighly plotted, imaginative, and highly readable novel. Carol Jordan is a true survivor, operating in a misogynistic police world, but refusing to be blindsided in her search for the truth. Truly wonderful story telling and a joy to read.

Following a series of suicides, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan become alerted to a common theme and begin to investigate. Each of the women who have supposedly taken their own lives, have been subjected to online abuse due to their outspoken views. Is there a serial killer on the loose, murdering women and making it look like suicide ? Another great book from Val McDermid which I would highly recommend.

Review by ireadnovels.wordpress.com The queen of psychological thrillers, is back with her most gripping, chilling, suspenseful novel yet, featuring two of the most distinctive and unforgettable characters in crime fiction. Tony Hill and Carol Jordon. Chillingly a creepy twisted man is waiting and watching women. He creates himself into different people to worm his way into their live and trap them. This vile monster finds a way to kill them making it look like suicide. Val McDermid knows only to well that us crime fans are drawn to the bad guys. We all love to have our heart racing wondering what will happen next and Val McDermid certainly puts us readers on the spot. Mean while our love for psychological profiler Tony Hill is trained to see patterns when he comes across the series of suicides of women he needs to work out that although these women died in similar circumstances, different deaths. Could it be murder? But what kind of serial killer wants his crime stay hidden? Former DCI Carol Jordon finds her self being arrested. We all know that Val McDermid is one hell of a good writer.

I think I must have read all of Val McDermid's books over the years and have always thoroughly enjoyed them. This one is no exception, I did enjoy it but it did seem a little tame after some of her earlier books. However, it neatly leaves the way open for the next book ... can't wait! A good read that you don't want to put down until you've finished.

This case feels particularly timely and current as increasingly women are exposed to torrents of online abuse for expressing opinions. Quite a lot of this book seemed to deal less with the case itself and more about the personal lives of the lead characters, which might have been of more interest to me if I had read the rest of the series. As it was I enjoyed the story but it was not as gripping as I would have hoped.