I was very pleased to receive this as I have read all the previous books in the series. However, it is perfectly possible to read this as a stand-alone. As you would expect there are several strains to the story as Tony Hill is in prison and Carol Jordan has left the police force. The scenes with Tony in prison are very vivid and the fear is tangible. Typically Tony puts his skills to good use and helps his fellow prisoners in various ways and I like this aspect. The story is interspersed with sections from the book that Tony has been promising his publisher for years and now has the time to write. Whilst I found these interesting I did feel they broke up the flow of the story. There are two storylines for Carol, one that involves Tony’s odious mother Vanessa and one that follows an innocence project that she is invited to join and utilise her investigative skills. This did tie in with the storyline that the reMIT team investigate and that is a gritty storyline involving multiple bodies in a former convent and school. I really like the police characters such as Stacey, Paula, Alvin Ambrose, and some new characters that are also likeable with the exception of Carol’s replacement DCI Rutherford who is not!

I really enjoyed the book but with some reservations. There are several storylines which do not eventually tie together in a neat bow which Is ok, that isn’t essential but there are unresolved issues the biggest of which is the bodies in the convent. The abuse of such institutions is a well trodden path so are we to assume that Sister Mary Patrick is responsible during her time in charge? Is this dealt with in the next book?

Overall despite the above, it is a really good read as you would expect from someone of the calibre of Val McDermid. I like the love and bond between Tony and Carol, I like the team at reMIT in particular their doggedness and loyalty and I like the humour that alleviates the tension. I really liked the positive hopeful end which is what fans of this series have been so looking forward to!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After the ending of the previous Carol Jordan/Tony Hill novel, it was hard to see how the next one would work in a way that included both of the characters without there being either a massive time jump or a sudden reversal of Tony's jail sentence. This contains neither of those things but still delivers a well-balanced story which includes both characters to a good degree. It is missing some of the usual team dynamics as the characters have been broken up, but the pace and action don't suffer for this.

I have always enjoyed Val McDermid's writing and this is another excellent installment in the series.

My enjoyment of this novel came equally from the exploration of the pain being suffered by Carol and Tony as they exist apart from each other in so many ways, and from the investigation of the two sets of horrific crimes central to the plot of the story. I also love that newly promoted DI Paula McIntyre is taking a major step forward in this series.
My advice to new readers of the Jordan/Hill team: do start at the beginning of the series - and then gallop your way through them all!

I haven’t read any of the previous Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series and was disappointed with this book.

Forty female bodies are found in unmarked graves in a former convent school. What happened and why? But, then the plot gets muddled with the discovery of eight male bodies. The elite ReMIT team takes on the challenge. A couple of subplots scramble the story even more and felt like they were added just to include Tony and Carol.

Why do experienced writers use so many different points of view in writing stories? In this case, the story seemed to jerk along because of the variety of points of view, rather than proceeding smoothly.

Last year, I read “Broken Ground” by McDermid and enjoyed it. But, in the future I’ll pass on anymore of the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series.

I cannot get enough of this series. Each book is anticipated keenly and never disappoints. The story of flawed Carol Jordan and Tony Hill continues even though they are separated and great to see Paula coming forward as one of the main characters. At the end of the last book I thought ‘that’s it’ ... so pleased that there is another book in the series. If you have not read any of the books, treat yourself to starting from the beginning. If I have one criticism it is the lack of the usual feeling of danger in this book.

Val McDermid continues being us strong characters, and strong writing. Tony and Carol may not be in situations we're used to seeing them in, but they remain the strong characters we've grown to love. Already waiting for the next in this series!

Once again, Val McDermid shows us why she is a master of the suspense novel. Carol Jordan and Tony Hill are in very different places--both literally and figuratively--in How the Dead Speak, and must make sense of their new circumstances. McDermid gives us an intriguing crime, but the real story here is Carol's and Tony's journeys.. Strong characters drive this story.