The Wire in the Blood

Title: The Wire in the Blood (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #2)

Author: Val McDermid

Published in: 1997

Date read: 1st May 2026

Score: 5/5

Genre: Detective, Thriller, Psychological

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
Published in 1997, this is the second novel in the acclaimed Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series. It’s a dark, psychological thriller that explores the terrifying possibility of a serial killer hiding in plain sight behind a mask of fame and respectability.

The Plot:
The story begins when Dr. Tony Hill, a brilliant clinical psychologist and criminal profiler, is asked to lead a new task force aimed at identifying "unsolved" missing persons cases that might actually be the work of serial killers. During the training of new profilers, one bright detective notices a disturbing pattern: several teenage girls across the country have vanished without a trace, but their cases were never linked because they didn't fit the typical "victim profile."

As Tony and DCI Carol Jordan dig deeper, they find a common thread that leads to an unthinkable suspect: a beloved national celebrity and philanthropist. The man is a household name, making him seemingly untouchable and "above suspicion" in the eyes of the public and the police hierarchy.

The Mystery:
The investigation is a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse. Unlike a traditional mystery where the killer's identity is hidden until the end, the tension here comes from the difficulty of proving the guilt of a powerful man who has the resources to stay one step ahead. The team faces immense pressure:

• The Profiler's Intuition: Tony is eventually convinced he’s found his man, but his evidence is purely psychological—a "wire in the blood" that tells him he’s right, even when the facts are thin.
• The Predator's Mask: The suspect is a master of manipulation, using his charm and charitable work to deflect any scrutiny.
• Institutional Resistance: Carol must fight her own superiors, who are terrified of the legal and public relations nightmare that would follow an investigation into a national icon.

The Investigation:
While Carol handles the boots-on-the-ground police work, Tony attempts to get inside the killer's mind to find the "glitch" in his perfection. The search for a physical "trophy" or a hidden burial ground becomes a race against time as the killer realises the police are closing in and prepares to strike again.

The novel is a chilling look at how celebrity can provide the perfect camouflage for a monster, and it forces Tony and Carol to risk their careers—and their lives—to bring a predator to justice.

Comments:
I was recommended the first book in this series a few years ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it (The Mermaids Singing), particularly that the author was not afraid to be suitably gruesome in her writing (too many cozy crime books shy away from the shock factor). This book follows on brilliantly with the same formula but completely new at the same time. I was hooked on the plot straight away and bonded with the characters, I was cheering them on and mentally telling them to hurry up etc. Throughout this book, Val McDirmid kept plenty of surprises, twists and shocks throughout the book. Highly recommend.

Books that we've read by Val McDermid (2):
The Mermaids Singing (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #1) (1995), The Wire in the Blood (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #2) (1997)