Splinter the Silence

A Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Novel

By: Val McDermid

Narrated by: Gerard Doyle

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Is it violence if it's virtual? The outspoken women targeted by the increasingly cruel Internet trolls and bullies would probably say so. For some of them, the torrents of bile and vicious threats prove too much. They begin to silence themselves in a series of high-profile suicides. Or do they? Tony Hill isn't convinced. But he's the only one.

Former cop Carol Jordan is too busy messing up her life to care. Until she gets an unexpected second chance. Now it's game on, and the stakes have never been higher. Unpredictable and un-pause-able, Splinter the Silence is a must-listen that cements Val McDermid's place as one of the best crime writers in the business.

©2015 Val McDermid (P)2015 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Best Ever!

I have read most of Val McDermid’s books over the years. Her books are always well written, but I gave up on her a few years ago- as I couldn’t bear the graphic violence in many of her stories. The Tony Hill and Carol Jordan books were my favorites, and I missed them. So glad I decided to try again with Splinter the Silence. Very well written! and no graphic violence!! Sincerely hope that the author will keep to the psychological suspense and character development in future… after all Tony is always bang on with his psychological profiling…perps and team members alike!

Great story!

I really enjoyed both the story and the telling of it! Really, really well done!

Back on form

The last book was very predictable, this one is back to her old standard. Addictive and clever. It takes skill to show you both sides yet keep you on edge.

Carol and Tony try again

I have a real fondness for the characters of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. Two odd, difficult people who have found understanding in one another. Val McDermid is a great storyteller and I always look forward to her books. This story didn't keep me guessing as much as some, but came to a satisfying conclusion and left me anxious for the next.

The worse part of this story... it ends.

What made the experience of listening to Splinter the Silence the most enjoyable?

I feel like this is a world I want to inhabit, and these are characters I want to hang out with.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Each character is well developed and interesting.

Tony and Carol back together again.

What did you love best about Splinter the Silence?

Splinter was a book that you wanted to listen all the way through at one sitting, from the moment of Carol's "Rock Bottom Fall", to the very last second of the book. I have always loved the group of Cops, even the problem ones. I have all the DVD's and rewatch them, even if the people are different. But you always want Tony and Carol to get together. It seems like a strange "love story" gone sideways

What did you like best about this story?

It is a great start to get them back together again and having Carol hitting rock bottom and Tony having to show his stronger side. He is still the bumbling,sweet, loving fool, who will always come to her aid but, I am so glad to see he can be strong and draw his lines in the sand.

Which character – as performed by Gerard Doyle – was your favorite?

Too hard to say. Carol first, then Tony. I think showing Carol with her guts out there for the reader to see and more in need of help from Tony, and more honest was great.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES!!!!!!

Any additional comments?

It has been a while since I have listen to Carol and Tony stories so now I have gone back and gotten more of the books. I can not wait for the next book

Vintage Tony Hill Novel!

This book gripped me from the first sentence and didn't let go until the very very end! This is classic Tony Hill/Carol Jordan, not to mention Val McDermid, the genius behind this series. I have felt that the last two Tony Hill books were kind of tired, and left me underwhelmed. But McDermid has put Humpty back together again and the results are sublime!

Carol is facing an enormous personal crisis, Tony is the only one who can help, Stacy finally has what she wants and has to face the reality of that, and Paula's character continues to develop as she becomes even more integrated into the personal and professional lives of these characters. All the while, we have a dastardly criminal who seems to be a ghost stirring up mayhem for the team to wrestle with. All the bells and whistles are here, Tony and Carole leading their crew, driving them to solve this, and to solve it yesterday.

It's been a long LONG time since I've read a book like this in one sitting, but McDermid is such a gifted writer, these characters are so dimensional and authentic, and the story is so tightly woven I just could not stop listening. If you've been waiting for Tony to get his groove back...wait no longer. He's back with bells on!

One of her best

I really enjoyed this book. In many of the previous books in this series I found the level of graphic horror to be a bit overwhelming. This episode focused more on the characters that I have come to love and less on shock value.

The weakest in the series so far

Good for fans because the old team is finally back together and the plot is interesting — a serial killer targeting outspoken feminists — but this is probably the weakest effort in the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series. Far less graphic and not as much suspense as the other books. Still liked it, though. Bechdel test: pass. Grade: B+

Excellent narration as always from Gerard Doyle.

Ready to hear more

I enjoyed the writing, the characters and the tale very much. This was my first encounter with McDermid. The ending was rushed and did not meet the standards set up by the first 52 chapters of the book. Yet, based on reviews of others concerning the Carol Jordan/Tony Hill series, I look forward to giving another novel in this series a listen.