If you are not aware, "Wire in the Blood" is Val McDermid's second novel in the series with Dr. Tony Hill. However, if you have not already read the first book, "The Mermaids Singing", do not let that put you off reading this book ahead of time. "Wire in the Blood" is a fantastic book which can be read as a stand-alone. Even though I found it useful reading the books in chronological order, there is enough background information in "Wire in the Blood" to let you understand the key factors of the main characters (Dr. Tony Hill - a psychologist and Home Office Profiler and Detective Inspector Carol Jordan).
"Wire in the Blood" is based on a new profiling task force that is in the process of being set up to work in conjunction with the police in major investigations. At the start of the book, Dr. Tony Hill has acquired some 'members' of the police whom he has to train up to work along side himself in this profiling task force. As a way to train the students up, Dr. Tony Hill gave the students details of 14 and 15 year old girls who have gone missing over a long period of time. This task was merely meant to test the students' skills to see what they have
learnt in their short time being trained up.
However, one woman, Shaz Bowman, believed she had found an actual link between the missing girls. The result of this finding, if it happened to be true, would mean that one of the nations most loved celebrities would be under suspicion of being a serial killer. Acting on her own beliefs and instincts, Shaz went against everybody's ridicule and attempted to investigate celebrity Jacko Vance, which ended with terrible consequences.
Guided by Dr. Tony Hill, the newly assigned profiling task force get together to try and crack the truth behind Jacko Vance. Along the way, we discover that things really are not what they appear. For one, Jacko's marriage is a complete shambles; his wife Micky is a lesbian who allows Jacko to hide behind the façade of being a terrific husband. We also learn about Jacko's past and how his parents neglected him. This forced him to strive to be the best at everything and to try to win everybody's attention and affection. As a result of living in competition, Jacko became an Olympic javelin thrower, but he unfortunately lost his throwing arm when saving a person in a car crash. At the same time as losing his arm, his fiancée, Julie, finishes her relationship with him. Is it more than just coincidence that the missing girls resemble Julie? These factors, along with many others, are collated together to form a case with very strong grounds that imply Jacko is the killer of so many little girls.
However, when all of this information is presented to the police, they turn their back on Jacko's profile and instead try to force the murder of Shaz onto the team themselves. Rejected by the police and thrown out of their own dedicated working area, the team have to fit all the clues together. However, time is certainly not to be wasted, especially when another little girl who fits the profile has gone missing. The team have to battle it out between themselves if they want to catch Jacko and find the girl in time for her to live.
With the help of Chris, one of Shaz's past work colleagues in the force, and DI Carol Jordan, the team are able to conduct more in depth enquiries. However, Carol has her own troubles to worry about- she has just recently had a promotion, has been moved to a new station, and is eager to please her new work colleagues. With what appears to be a serial arsonist prowling the streets at night, Carol Jordan turns to Dr. Tony Hill for a profile to be drawn up. Carol ends up having to juggle her job and her relationship with Tony Hill to try to fit everything together, and no matter how close the profile ends up being of the arsonist, there is still blood on her hands.
This is a superb book, which just keeps on spilling more and more surprises. There are loads of twists and turns, and it was a pleasure to read a story that was not predictable. One of the things I liked most about the story was how we are told who the murderer is right at the very beginning, as opposed to only finding out at the very end.
I found it a truly gripping story and I was very absorbed by it. Some nights I just could not put this novel down; I was totally engrossed by it. At the very start of the book there is a lot going on all at once. Please do not be discouraged by this, it will not take long to register what is actually going on; it all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle.
One note of advice though - do not decide to read a chapter a night. If you do, you may find a surprise when you come along the chapter that is roughly 112 pages (or there abouts!) The style of Val McDermid's writing is still very imaginative yet very easy to comprehend. I would definitely recommend this book for any adult. The only part that I was not too sure about was the ending. If you like your stories to have a clear-cut finish, then do not read the epilogue. However, if you like to ponder over what may become of the characters in the future, then the epilogue will keep you wondering. Within the epilogue, you shall find a major twist, of which I am not telling!
As for the book itself? I'd definitely rate it 10/10
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It is a truly gripping book - I couldn't put it down until I discovered whether Jacko was going to get caught. The ending was open ended though....so perhaps we'll get a sequel one day? Lexy
Newfloridian 09.08.2006 13:43
Great book, great review, dreadful TV series
salem_witch 09.08.2006 12:53
I like twists and although I love crime fiction I've never read anything by McDermind before. I'm going to have to look out for this as it sounds like my type of book.
Advantages: A gripping and intriguing story line, difficult to put the book down Disadvantages: A little hard to get into at first with so much going on but it doesn't take long for it all to make sense.
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