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Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #3
The Last Temptation
The Last Temptation (Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, Book 3) [Paperback] McDermid, Val
416 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2002
606 people are currently reading
3450 people want to read
About the author
Val McDermid
317 books5,420 followersVal McDermid is a No. 1 bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have sold over eleven million copies.
She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.
She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.
She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.
She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 607 reviews
February 25, 2018
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first two in the series. It seemed to take forever to get to the conclusions of the two cases. One case was a serial killer and the other involved the head of a crime syndicate. The two investigations were dissimilar, and yet the author did a great job bringing them together. The secondary police characters, Petra Becker in Germany and Marijke van Hasselt in Holland, were just as pushy as Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, and I liked the interaction among all four of them. The ending is marked by brutality that might be a trigger for some readers.
I’m hoping for better things when I get to the next book in the series.
I’m hoping for better things when I get to the next book in the series.
April 6, 2019
Book three in the Hill & Jordan series.
A great read for people who like their psychological thriller on the raw side. If you read the book you’ll understand the importance of raw.
Carol Jordan has been seconded to Europol as bate to catch a particularly unsavoury character that is the head of an organised crime syndicate. At the same time there is a maniac running around killing academic psychologists. In an attempt to kill two birds with one stone Carol entices Tony Hill out of a boring academic life to join her in Europe.
A. Because she feels she needs the support that Tony can give with her case. And
B. To help the Dutch and German police catch the psychotic serial killer.
There is no one better at profiling than Tony Hill.
This is a fairly gruesome romp through the streets of a lot of major European cities.
The main plot is well constructed and with another two good subplots there is enough going on to keep you turning pages.
A satisfying read.
Recommended with 4/5 stars.
A great read for people who like their psychological thriller on the raw side. If you read the book you’ll understand the importance of raw.
Carol Jordan has been seconded to Europol as bate to catch a particularly unsavoury character that is the head of an organised crime syndicate. At the same time there is a maniac running around killing academic psychologists. In an attempt to kill two birds with one stone Carol entices Tony Hill out of a boring academic life to join her in Europe.
A. Because she feels she needs the support that Tony can give with her case. And
B. To help the Dutch and German police catch the psychotic serial killer.
There is no one better at profiling than Tony Hill.
This is a fairly gruesome romp through the streets of a lot of major European cities.
The main plot is well constructed and with another two good subplots there is enough going on to keep you turning pages.
A satisfying read.
Recommended with 4/5 stars.
April 20, 2023
My first 'Wire In The Blood' book… this is the third book in the series… and it's a bit of a scorcher. Both Tony Hill and Ms Jordan find themselves in mainland Europe but on completely different cases. A solid page turning book as the main characters get caught way out of the depth as Carol Jordan goes undercover against an Eastern European organised crime boss, when Tony, tracking a serial killer, crosses her path. Really want to read more of this series. 7 out of 12, Three star read.
2011 read
2011 read
January 9, 2018
Dr. Tony Hill and DCI Carol Jordan had been living separate lives for some time since their last case ended and they went their separate ways; Tony moved on the world of academia and Carol continued running the CID in a section of the East Yorkshire Police. However, since she has a strong interest in criminal intelligence, she’s taken courses and has done tons of research in hopes of landing a new position in the area of intelligence and analysis. Now she finally has a real shot at moving into the strategic realm. She’s landed an interview with NCIS. Much to Carol’s surprise and nervous excitement, there’s a catch: her new bosses want her to go undercover to help nail an elusive smuggler. Never mind that she’s never done undercover work before. She looks incredibly like the criminal’s recently deceased lover, and they hope that will be enough to entrap him.
Naturally, Val McDermid’s third book of the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series isn’t only about Carol Jordan. The Last Temptation pulls in Dr. Hill via a parallel plot. One of Jordan’s German counterparts, a cop named Petra Becker, has been working the Tadeusz “Tadzio” Radecki smuggling case. After Petra tells Carol about the case of a ritualistic murder of a psychiatrist and the fact that it sounded remotely familiar to her, Carol calls upon Tony to enlist his help. Tony, who is quite bored with teaching, is only too glad to invent an excuse to hop over to Germany to assist Petra. Petra works some magic and manages to get him an apartment in the same building where Carol, AKA Caroline Jackson, is staying. Red flags all over the place!
If this were a movie, the tense, scary music would have been playing all of the time. For someone who has never gone undercover before, Carol does a pretty fabulous job. Until, well, until she doesn’t. Having Tony nearby was mistake number one, of course. Never mind that he was involved with Petra’s case. That was important, yes. But for Tony and Carol to have any contact at all? Of course, Ms. McDermid needed to advance her plot and her character development, and she does that. But would they really be that stupid? Apparently, yes.
Tony’s quest was much more interesting to me. The background of the killer’s family member was both personal and historic, which gave him a righteous sense of duty to kill. Since we know from the onset who the perpetrator is and how he comes to be a serial killer, watching Hill work backwards to profile him and guide the police to his identity was more engaging than the dark and dangerous game Carol engaged in. It seemed as if her bosses had thrown her to the wolves, and I wasn’t sure at all that she would succeed. There is no lack of violence and pain in this story; it’s not overly gruesome, but these aren’t gentle, peaceful men either.
The romantic in me is actually relieved to see that Tony Hill finally shows some real feelings. My favorite character in this story, though, is Petra. She’s a very determined, resourceful young cop. I did feel disappointed for her online Dutch cop buddy Marijke van Hasselt. The two met in an online gay police chat room and had never met until a crucial moment in the Radecki case when Marijke took it upon herself to show up in Berlin. Talk about lousy timing!
All’s well that ends well? Carol certainly has good reason to be angry and disillusioned; will she be able to resume her duties? What about Tony? What will he do next? Even though this book was not quite up to my expectations, I fully intend to go on to read The Torment of Others, as I am curious to see what this duo will do next.
3.5 stars
Naturally, Val McDermid’s third book of the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series isn’t only about Carol Jordan. The Last Temptation pulls in Dr. Hill via a parallel plot. One of Jordan’s German counterparts, a cop named Petra Becker, has been working the Tadeusz “Tadzio” Radecki smuggling case. After Petra tells Carol about the case of a ritualistic murder of a psychiatrist and the fact that it sounded remotely familiar to her, Carol calls upon Tony to enlist his help. Tony, who is quite bored with teaching, is only too glad to invent an excuse to hop over to Germany to assist Petra. Petra works some magic and manages to get him an apartment in the same building where Carol, AKA Caroline Jackson, is staying. Red flags all over the place!
If this were a movie, the tense, scary music would have been playing all of the time. For someone who has never gone undercover before, Carol does a pretty fabulous job. Until, well, until she doesn’t. Having Tony nearby was mistake number one, of course. Never mind that he was involved with Petra’s case. That was important, yes. But for Tony and Carol to have any contact at all? Of course, Ms. McDermid needed to advance her plot and her character development, and she does that. But would they really be that stupid? Apparently, yes.
Tony’s quest was much more interesting to me. The background of the killer’s family member was both personal and historic, which gave him a righteous sense of duty to kill. Since we know from the onset who the perpetrator is and how he comes to be a serial killer, watching Hill work backwards to profile him and guide the police to his identity was more engaging than the dark and dangerous game Carol engaged in. It seemed as if her bosses had thrown her to the wolves, and I wasn’t sure at all that she would succeed. There is no lack of violence and pain in this story; it’s not overly gruesome, but these aren’t gentle, peaceful men either.
The romantic in me is actually relieved to see that Tony Hill finally shows some real feelings. My favorite character in this story, though, is Petra. She’s a very determined, resourceful young cop. I did feel disappointed for her online Dutch cop buddy Marijke van Hasselt. The two met in an online gay police chat room and had never met until a crucial moment in the Radecki case when Marijke took it upon herself to show up in Berlin. Talk about lousy timing!
All’s well that ends well? Carol certainly has good reason to be angry and disillusioned; will she be able to resume her duties? What about Tony? What will he do next? Even though this book was not quite up to my expectations, I fully intend to go on to read The Torment of Others, as I am curious to see what this duo will do next.
3.5 stars
November 13, 2014
Carol Jordan is drawn into a Europol sting while Tony gets involved in a Berlin detective's case that appears to be the work of a serial killer. The two cases are separate but brings the two of them back together.
This was another harrowing, tense ride with an exciting climax, although I could foresee the inevitable. Scared me witless but the procedurals covering so many European jurisdictions was quite interesting. I enjoyed all aspects of this story and, of course, want to jump right into the next one.
This was another harrowing, tense ride with an exciting climax, although I could foresee the inevitable. Scared me witless but the procedurals covering so many European jurisdictions was quite interesting. I enjoyed all aspects of this story and, of course, want to jump right into the next one.
January 26, 2019
Wow! I really disliked this book...what a shock since I liked the first two so much. The entire premise of the story was so forced and the undercover scenario was ridiculous. It was like the author had an idea in her head and although everyone tried to talk her out of it, because it was utterly DUMB, she went ahead and wrote it anyway. What a piece of crap.
May 14, 2017
Description: Coming to terms over her breakup with criminal profiler Dr. Tony Hill, Chief Inspector Carol Jordan plunges into a risky undercover sting: track down a European drug trafficker and gain his confidence. But she's being tracked as well-by a serial killer whose psychosexual madness is born out of the darkest corners of history. In quiet isolation, Tony Hill is laying to rest the scars of his past-until he's recruited back into business on a case he can't ignore. An evil is striking uncomfortably close to home, and casting a killer shadow over the life of his long-time colleague and sometimes lover. As the danger closes in, and as Tony and Carol cross paths to navigate the terrain of a shattered human mind, they have no one left to trust but themselves-and fear that there's no place left to run as a killer promises to fulfill his most twisted dreams.
Opening: CASE NOTES
NAME: Walter Neumann
SESSION #: 1
COMMENTS: The patient has clearly been troubled for some time with an overweening sense of his own infallibility. He presents with a disturbing level of overconfidence in his own abilities. He has a grandiose self-image and is reluctant to concede the possibilty that he might be subject to valid criticism.
4* A Place of Execution
2* Village SOS
4* Dead Clever
2* Deadheading
3* Scott Free
2* The Vanishing Point
3* The Distant Echo (Inspector Karen Pirie, #1)
2* A Darker Domain (Inspector Karen Pirie, #2)
3* Clean Break (Kate Brannigan, #4)
3* Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime
3* The Mermaids Singing (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #1)
4* The Wire In The Blood (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #2)
CR The Last Temptation (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #3)
3* The Torment of Others (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #4)
3* Beneath The Bleeding (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #5
Opening: CASE NOTES
NAME: Walter Neumann
SESSION #: 1
COMMENTS: The patient has clearly been troubled for some time with an overweening sense of his own infallibility. He presents with a disturbing level of overconfidence in his own abilities. He has a grandiose self-image and is reluctant to concede the possibilty that he might be subject to valid criticism.
4* A Place of Execution
2* Village SOS
4* Dead Clever
2* Deadheading
3* Scott Free
2* The Vanishing Point
3* The Distant Echo (Inspector Karen Pirie, #1)
2* A Darker Domain (Inspector Karen Pirie, #2)
3* Clean Break (Kate Brannigan, #4)
3* Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime
3* The Mermaids Singing (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #1)
4* The Wire In The Blood (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #2)
CR The Last Temptation (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #3)
3* The Torment of Others (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #4)
3* Beneath The Bleeding (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, #5
January 4, 2012
A compulsively readable mystery which provided a vivid sense of place as Carol Jordan goes undercover in Germany to catch a corrupt smuggler. I was, however, annoyed by some illogical and reckless behavior that brought Carol and the profiler she admires so much, Tony Hill, into danger. It did not seem plausible that they would act so carelessly when they are usually highly intelligent (and don't they know they always nearly get killed?!) and when they knew they were likely under surveillance.
November 20, 2017
3.5 stars
June 9, 2022
THE LAST TEMPTATION is the third Tony Hill/Carol Jordan book, my ongoing series for this year.
This one is very different from the two first books. First, there is much less deviant sexuality and gruesome torture than occurred in the first two books. A bit, but not a lot. That meant that Tony’s pursuit of a serial killer played a smaller role overall than Carol’s adventure. With regards to the serial killer subplot, I felt that McDermid had qualms about the killer’s rationale for killing. Yes, it was wrong, and the killer was targeting the wrong people, but to a certain extent, I felt that McDermid felt sympathy for him. Certainly Tony does. The killer was identified at the beginning of the story; we followed his thinking pattern as he carried out his kills, as well as his daily life, and I had formed a visual image of his physical appearance, an image that did not resemble at all what he looked like when finally seen through Tony’s eyes.
Carol’s quest to entrap a major gangster via an undercover sting was the main focus of THE LAST TEMPTATION. This plot was complex and just a bit too much detailed for my liking. Hence the reason it took so long to finish this book — I read another one between sessions with this one. Also, I couldn’t quite believe that Carol would make such a major mistake in the undercover operation after being so careful previously, aware that she was likely being watched. It was so out of character. A way to bring on the conclusion quickly while placing both Tony and Carol in peril.
Overall it was not as good as the first two offerings in the series, but still good enough for me to give it four stars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for:
The Mermaids Singing
(Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #1)
The Wire in the Blood
(Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #2)
The Torment of Others
(Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This one is very different from the two first books. First, there is much less deviant sexuality and gruesome torture than occurred in the first two books. A bit, but not a lot. That meant that Tony’s pursuit of a serial killer played a smaller role overall than Carol’s adventure. With regards to the serial killer subplot, I felt that McDermid had qualms about the killer’s rationale for killing. Yes, it was wrong, and the killer was targeting the wrong people, but to a certain extent, I felt that McDermid felt sympathy for him. Certainly Tony does. The killer was identified at the beginning of the story; we followed his thinking pattern as he carried out his kills, as well as his daily life, and I had formed a visual image of his physical appearance, an image that did not resemble at all what he looked like when finally seen through Tony’s eyes.
Carol’s quest to entrap a major gangster via an undercover sting was the main focus of THE LAST TEMPTATION. This plot was complex and just a bit too much detailed for my liking. Hence the reason it took so long to finish this book — I read another one between sessions with this one. Also, I couldn’t quite believe that Carol would make such a major mistake in the undercover operation after being so careful previously, aware that she was likely being watched. It was so out of character. A way to bring on the conclusion quickly while placing both Tony and Carol in peril.
Overall it was not as good as the first two offerings in the series, but still good enough for me to give it four stars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for:
The Mermaids Singing
(Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #1)
The Wire in the Blood
(Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #2)
The Torment of Others
(Tony Hill & Carol Jordan #4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 22, 2018
*frustrated sigh*
Look, these novels have been good when they get going, but when I'm 200 pages deep of a 600-paged novel and the police investigation is only just beginning... *deep sigh* my interest undoubtedly begins to wane and disappear.
Combined with that, I'm sick of the sexual tension between Tony and Carol, and the whole "woe-is-me-I-cant-be-with-the-person-I'm-in-love-with" is honestly worse than the stuff I read in bad YA novels. I don't understand the attraction to Tony, and I'm sick of reading about how his sexual impotence has ruined his life - or at least, his chances with Carol. I mean, I just want to read a simple police procedural, and not have to deal with all the weighty, boring, personal baggage that bleeds into every other aspect of the book.
I just dont think that I'm going to get that with this series.
Look, these novels have been good when they get going, but when I'm 200 pages deep of a 600-paged novel and the police investigation is only just beginning... *deep sigh* my interest undoubtedly begins to wane and disappear.
Combined with that, I'm sick of the sexual tension between Tony and Carol, and the whole "woe-is-me-I-cant-be-with-the-person-I'm-in-love-with" is honestly worse than the stuff I read in bad YA novels. I don't understand the attraction to Tony, and I'm sick of reading about how his sexual impotence has ruined his life - or at least, his chances with Carol. I mean, I just want to read a simple police procedural, and not have to deal with all the weighty, boring, personal baggage that bleeds into every other aspect of the book.
I just dont think that I'm going to get that with this series.
May 8, 2015
An above average serial killer thriller, by one of the best authors in mystery fiction. McDermid skillfully weaves the multiple threads playing out across Europe, without dropping a stitch of suspense, and her characters are, as always, well fleshed out and engaging.
June 24, 2021
Two and a half stars.
So much going on it was difficult to enjoy the story. The plot felt forced and implausible, and the damage the author decided to cause to the main characters was too much. I really enjoyed the first two books so this one was a shock.
I think I'll put the series on the back burner for now.
So much going on it was difficult to enjoy the story. The plot felt forced and implausible, and the damage the author decided to cause to the main characters was too much. I really enjoyed the first two books so this one was a shock.
I think I'll put the series on the back burner for now.
June 29, 2019
I really like the characters of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. That being said I was very disappointed in the author's decision to once again inflict mass amount of damage to the main characters.
First of all, if you read the description of the book you know that Carol goes undercover. Everything she does is immaculate in preparation for this new venture. Then one night she makes the stupidest mistake and of course that is when she gets caught. Well, maybe two mistakes 1. Having Tony anywhere near her op and 2. Trying to bring their feelings into fruition during the op. Yes, it is the first time she has ever done undercover but she is a smart cookie, she knows she's being watched, and she runs to Tony with his curtains open? Please.
Then the rape. It is unnecessary to constantly inflict emotional and physical damage to your main characters. But to have Carol Raped was beyond terrible! It was utterly pointless. The last two books something has happened to them or someone they know. Then it just seems like she felt "What else can I do that will really screw with them?" Rape that's it! I am very upset over the writer's choice.
Often, I have found that author's rely on abusing their characters to help in their development. For some reason the horrors that surround the story are not enough so they have to make sure that the characters really suffer. I'm not saying it should be roses and rainbows; but it gets to the point where you wonder if the author just ran out of ideas.
Then there is the attraction element to the series. I'm fine with the fact that she is setting her main characters to be together. However, if your plan is to have this budding romance why do you do everything in your power to prevent them from being together? I mean so far the series has spanned over 3 1/2 years! Either let it go or get on with it.
I'm going to read the next book in hopes that the author pulls herself out of the need to damage her characters.
First of all, if you read the description of the book you know that Carol goes undercover. Everything she does is immaculate in preparation for this new venture. Then one night she makes the stupidest mistake and of course that is when she gets caught. Well, maybe two mistakes 1. Having Tony anywhere near her op and 2. Trying to bring their feelings into fruition during the op. Yes, it is the first time she has ever done undercover but she is a smart cookie, she knows she's being watched, and she runs to Tony with his curtains open? Please.
Then the rape. It is unnecessary to constantly inflict emotional and physical damage to your main characters. But to have Carol Raped was beyond terrible! It was utterly pointless. The last two books something has happened to them or someone they know. Then it just seems like she felt "What else can I do that will really screw with them?" Rape that's it! I am very upset over the writer's choice.
Often, I have found that author's rely on abusing their characters to help in their development. For some reason the horrors that surround the story are not enough so they have to make sure that the characters really suffer. I'm not saying it should be roses and rainbows; but it gets to the point where you wonder if the author just ran out of ideas.
Then there is the attraction element to the series. I'm fine with the fact that she is setting her main characters to be together. However, if your plan is to have this budding romance why do you do everything in your power to prevent them from being together? I mean so far the series has spanned over 3 1/2 years! Either let it go or get on with it.
I'm going to read the next book in hopes that the author pulls herself out of the need to damage her characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2012
At her best, McDermid can enthral me with her crime fiction, but I find her work very uneven and, while diverting enough, this novel was not amongst the best of hers I've read.
Realism is never one of McDermid's core strengths, but when reading this novel, I didn't so much have to willingly suspend my disbelief as hang draw and quarter it. There's the usual problem that Tony's "incredible psychological insights" seem to amount to a couple of superficial deductions that a five-year-old could have drawn, a couple of findings that are down to plain detective work, not psychology, at all (e.g. the knot thing) and then some highly specific findings that come from nowhere. But, added to that, we have supposedly crack law enforcement teams and elite gangsters all behaving like the Keystone bleeding Kops, making basic schoolchild errors left, right and centre and exposing themselves to risk by insisting on performing menial tasks themselves that in RL would have been left to a minion at the bottom of the pile. And the whole premise of the covert operation which Carol is involved in starts off incredibly far-fetched and then breaks ever more stratospheric new heights of implausibility as the novel progresses.
The gangster theme in this book seemed to me to be, not only unconvincingly drawn, but pretty uninteresting.
One thing I dislike about McDermid is a tendency to include graphic acts of violence (and especially sexual violence) merely for titillating, sensationalist purposes. The second of the two brutal rapes in this book seemed to me especially unnecessary and included only to artificially prelong the dynamic between two characters well past its sell-by date.
On the plus side, though, the book was very readable - no mean feat, given that McDermid had, as always, included scenes from the murderer's perspective from the start, so had deliberately denied herself the easy route to suspense of a whodunnit. I also like the main characters and their relationship, although I think that has been better explored in other books of the series.
Realism is never one of McDermid's core strengths, but when reading this novel, I didn't so much have to willingly suspend my disbelief as hang draw and quarter it. There's the usual problem that Tony's "incredible psychological insights" seem to amount to a couple of superficial deductions that a five-year-old could have drawn, a couple of findings that are down to plain detective work, not psychology, at all (e.g. the knot thing) and then some highly specific findings that come from nowhere. But, added to that, we have supposedly crack law enforcement teams and elite gangsters all behaving like the Keystone bleeding Kops, making basic schoolchild errors left, right and centre and exposing themselves to risk by insisting on performing menial tasks themselves that in RL would have been left to a minion at the bottom of the pile. And the whole premise of the covert operation which Carol is involved in starts off incredibly far-fetched and then breaks ever more stratospheric new heights of implausibility as the novel progresses.
The gangster theme in this book seemed to me to be, not only unconvincingly drawn, but pretty uninteresting.
One thing I dislike about McDermid is a tendency to include graphic acts of violence (and especially sexual violence) merely for titillating, sensationalist purposes. The second of the two brutal rapes in this book seemed to me especially unnecessary and included only to artificially prelong the dynamic between two characters well past its sell-by date.
On the plus side, though, the book was very readable - no mean feat, given that McDermid had, as always, included scenes from the murderer's perspective from the start, so had deliberately denied herself the easy route to suspense of a whodunnit. I also like the main characters and their relationship, although I think that has been better explored in other books of the series.
May 27, 2016
Plot-wise, this novel had far too much going on. It was just over the top and a little implausible, even for Tony Hill and Carol Jordan: evil gangsters dealing in drugs and illegal immigrants and weapons, undercover operations, rescuing an informant's kid, a serial killer, Nazi childrens' psych ward victims, several violent deaths, violent rapes, four protagonists, and two romances. Far too much for a mere 481 pages.
March 8, 2026
Val McDermid is one of my favourite writers. The quality of her writing, the stories, the delivery, she's just a pure class act. The inteligence of her books, the certain sense of purpose to what happens in her stories, it reads so well.
As I'm slowly making my way through her catalogue, I decided to pick up Hill and Jordan story. It's been ages since I read the first two books in the series and the reintroduction was well overdue.
The Last Temptation fully delivers. The complex distorted case, the horrid crimes, the psychopathic criminals, Val McDermid knows how to write and keep her readers engaged throughout. I loved how the story was delivered, the outcome though shocking probably was the only one that would read true, I'm fully invested again and cannot wait to see what's next for Tony and Carol.
As I'm slowly making my way through her catalogue, I decided to pick up Hill and Jordan story. It's been ages since I read the first two books in the series and the reintroduction was well overdue.
The Last Temptation fully delivers. The complex distorted case, the horrid crimes, the psychopathic criminals, Val McDermid knows how to write and keep her readers engaged throughout. I loved how the story was delivered, the outcome though shocking probably was the only one that would read true, I'm fully invested again and cannot wait to see what's next for Tony and Carol.
March 24, 2010
Sometimes when my synapses are raw and sore I need to relax into a soothing bath of Val McDermid or Rankin. Just the job this one, as usual the pages turning themselves while I relax....
...but then, in the last third my brain started working again. McDermid's instinct was surely right not to turn the two stories in this novel into two separate books. She was wrong trying to squeeze them into one. While I look forward to exoskeletal plots in this genre, it becomes a bit much when the characters disappear completely. The ending is dreadful, rushed and written with no care or apparent interest.
On the plus side, there are a few neat aphorisms about human nature. Just a shame that they appear littered randomly like mottoes from cheap Christmas crackers.
...but then, in the last third my brain started working again. McDermid's instinct was surely right not to turn the two stories in this novel into two separate books. She was wrong trying to squeeze them into one. While I look forward to exoskeletal plots in this genre, it becomes a bit much when the characters disappear completely. The ending is dreadful, rushed and written with no care or apparent interest.
On the plus side, there are a few neat aphorisms about human nature. Just a shame that they appear littered randomly like mottoes from cheap Christmas crackers.
April 13, 2018
The story flowed lethargically, but Gerard Doyle's narration made it entertaining. By the time the climax came, well, it was anti-climatic. I did enjoy being reminded of my time on West German rivers in the sixties.
November 7, 2019
The Last Temptation is the 3rd book in Val McDermid's Tony Hill / Carol Jordan thriller series. I will say that this was one heck of a long story but once I got into it, it kept me interested.
So the plot? Tony has retired from criminal profiling and has sort of hidden himself off in Scotland as a psychology professor and is dating another woman. Carol has moved up in the police force and is hoping for an assignment with Europol (a Europe version of Interpol). She is offered a special assignment. She looks like the girlfriend of a German drug dealer / human smuggler. She is to portray an English criminal who wants to do a deal with Radecki so that the German police and English police can end his operation.
Another story line involves a German police officer, Petra and a Dutch police officer, Marijke. They are friends who met online in a chat group for lesbian police officers. Marijke is involved in a murder case of a psychologist and Petra feels there has been a similar case in Germany. By somewhat convoluted machinations, Carol is involved with Petra in the Radecki case and introduces the two cops to Tony Hill who wants to get back into the profiling fame.
Make sense? Well, it actually does. The story moves to Berlin, where Carol is working undercover. Oddly enough, Tony goes to Berlin as well, both to help Petra with her case and to be a sounding board for Carol. Petra gets him accommodation in the same building as Carol. Do you see a potential problem there? Well, I can't say... you'll have to read it.
So the story moves along, with Carol inculcating (this is my new favorite word) herself into Radeckis operation and Tony investigating the murders. Both are interesting cases and it's also interesting how the stories come together at times.
It takes awhile to get there but the tension builds quite dramatically. I think I could foresee some of the problems.. it turns out I was right in some ways. I've always liked Carol and Tony and their friendship / relationship, but I have to say I really liked the two European cops. Marijke and Petra were excellent.
All in all a very entertaining, tense story. I look forward to finding the next book in the series. I hope it'll be a bit shorter. :0) (3.5 stars)
So the plot? Tony has retired from criminal profiling and has sort of hidden himself off in Scotland as a psychology professor and is dating another woman. Carol has moved up in the police force and is hoping for an assignment with Europol (a Europe version of Interpol). She is offered a special assignment. She looks like the girlfriend of a German drug dealer / human smuggler. She is to portray an English criminal who wants to do a deal with Radecki so that the German police and English police can end his operation.
Another story line involves a German police officer, Petra and a Dutch police officer, Marijke. They are friends who met online in a chat group for lesbian police officers. Marijke is involved in a murder case of a psychologist and Petra feels there has been a similar case in Germany. By somewhat convoluted machinations, Carol is involved with Petra in the Radecki case and introduces the two cops to Tony Hill who wants to get back into the profiling fame.
Make sense? Well, it actually does. The story moves to Berlin, where Carol is working undercover. Oddly enough, Tony goes to Berlin as well, both to help Petra with her case and to be a sounding board for Carol. Petra gets him accommodation in the same building as Carol. Do you see a potential problem there? Well, I can't say... you'll have to read it.
So the story moves along, with Carol inculcating (this is my new favorite word) herself into Radeckis operation and Tony investigating the murders. Both are interesting cases and it's also interesting how the stories come together at times.
It takes awhile to get there but the tension builds quite dramatically. I think I could foresee some of the problems.. it turns out I was right in some ways. I've always liked Carol and Tony and their friendship / relationship, but I have to say I really liked the two European cops. Marijke and Petra were excellent.
All in all a very entertaining, tense story. I look forward to finding the next book in the series. I hope it'll be a bit shorter. :0) (3.5 stars)
January 26, 2018
Carol, an inspector in Britian, is approached by superiors with an offer she can't refuse - join them in a shady undercover sting, designed to bring down a bad guy they've been after. The reward - she can write her own ticket in her career.
She enlists Tony, who's been seeing someone for months, to help her prepare for her role as someone else. Throw in police from Germany and the Netherlands, and a psycho-killer dispatching psychologists, and you have an entertaining yarn.
She enlists Tony, who's been seeing someone for months, to help her prepare for her role as someone else. Throw in police from Germany and the Netherlands, and a psycho-killer dispatching psychologists, and you have an entertaining yarn.
May 21, 2019
2.5 stars
March 24, 2018
This is Book 3 in the brilliant crime thriller series by Val McDermid featuring Dr. Tony Hill (a psychologist who profiles serial killers) and DCI Carol Jordan (police detective who investigates major crimes).
The first two books were primarily about Carol and Tony teaming up to track and bring to justice two very different (and very sick) serial killers. McDermid does not make the identity of the perpetrator into a mystery, because in these books (and the 3rd) the reader is given first-person insight into the serial killer. Then we can see how well Tony does at discovering the killer’s motivations from their choice of victims. There is also suspense from the question of whether Tony and Carol will be able to capture the criminal before he kills again. However another feature of McDermid’s books is that during the course of the investigation she also puts the police into extreme peril. This is particularly true in Books 1 & 3 and in both cases Tony is placed in situations which could conceivably lead to his demise. In some sense it is probably progress that McDermid avoids the damsel-in-distress themes by putting the male protagonist in mortal danger but to my mind it’s a little too facile a tactic to use to imbue the books with suspense (although we know there are well over a dozen books in the Tony Hill & Carol Jordan series so it is very unlikely that Hill is actually going to ever be killed in one of these scenarios).
The key strength of the books are their very clever plots as well as their very interesting settings. Each of the first three has been very different, with the common theme being the presence of a very sick and violent serial killer, extreme danger to Tony and a complicated emotional relationship (even sexual tension) between Tony and Carol. Also, the secondary characters are generally well fleshed-out.
Overall, THE LAST TEMPTATION is another string entry into the crime thriller/police procedural genre, although with a slightly fantastical plot point involving a doppelgänger around which the entire book revolves it is not as strong as the first two in the Hill/Jordan series. However I eagerly look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
4.5 Stars.
The first two books were primarily about Carol and Tony teaming up to track and bring to justice two very different (and very sick) serial killers. McDermid does not make the identity of the perpetrator into a mystery, because in these books (and the 3rd) the reader is given first-person insight into the serial killer. Then we can see how well Tony does at discovering the killer’s motivations from their choice of victims. There is also suspense from the question of whether Tony and Carol will be able to capture the criminal before he kills again. However another feature of McDermid’s books is that during the course of the investigation she also puts the police into extreme peril. This is particularly true in Books 1 & 3 and in both cases Tony is placed in situations which could conceivably lead to his demise. In some sense it is probably progress that McDermid avoids the damsel-in-distress themes by putting the male protagonist in mortal danger but to my mind it’s a little too facile a tactic to use to imbue the books with suspense (although we know there are well over a dozen books in the Tony Hill & Carol Jordan series so it is very unlikely that Hill is actually going to ever be killed in one of these scenarios).
The key strength of the books are their very clever plots as well as their very interesting settings. Each of the first three has been very different, with the common theme being the presence of a very sick and violent serial killer, extreme danger to Tony and a complicated emotional relationship (even sexual tension) between Tony and Carol. Also, the secondary characters are generally well fleshed-out.
Overall, THE LAST TEMPTATION is another string entry into the crime thriller/police procedural genre, although with a slightly fantastical plot point involving a doppelgänger around which the entire book revolves it is not as strong as the first two in the Hill/Jordan series. However I eagerly look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
4.5 Stars.
January 20, 2014
This dark and twisted thriller is not an easy read. Two in-depth plot lines play out side by side, both of which are good and would perhaps be better written as two separate books. The subplot is as involved as the main plot and, at times, the switch between them is jarring for the reader.
In one of the plots, Chief Inspector Carol Jordan undertakes a dangerous covert mission to bring down a European crime boss known for trafficking drugs and illegal immigrants. The fact she bears such a striking resemblance to someone in his past and hopes to use it to her advantage without her true motives being detected is a bit of a stretch at this level of criminal operation.
In another plot, a psychotic serial killer is targeting professionals for reasons that tie back to his ancestry. Though this is a work of fiction, some of the most appalling historical facts are embedded within the story.
Criminal profiler, Dr. Tony Hill, is the link between the two plot lines. Tony and Carol are drawn together from the beginning of the book and their separate cases are intertwined all the way to the end. The duo's undoing is also questionable and a little disappointing, given the depth of intelligence and strength the author has assigned to each character.
There are a lot of characters, a few of whom appear unnecessary as the plots advance. However, the writing is strong and the book is sufficiently interesting to make it to the end, though two individual attempts were required to get through it. The main characters are not easily likable, and the combination of two strong and separate plot lines resulted in an awkward and somewhat flat ending.
In one of the plots, Chief Inspector Carol Jordan undertakes a dangerous covert mission to bring down a European crime boss known for trafficking drugs and illegal immigrants. The fact she bears such a striking resemblance to someone in his past and hopes to use it to her advantage without her true motives being detected is a bit of a stretch at this level of criminal operation.
In another plot, a psychotic serial killer is targeting professionals for reasons that tie back to his ancestry. Though this is a work of fiction, some of the most appalling historical facts are embedded within the story.
Criminal profiler, Dr. Tony Hill, is the link between the two plot lines. Tony and Carol are drawn together from the beginning of the book and their separate cases are intertwined all the way to the end. The duo's undoing is also questionable and a little disappointing, given the depth of intelligence and strength the author has assigned to each character.
There are a lot of characters, a few of whom appear unnecessary as the plots advance. However, the writing is strong and the book is sufficiently interesting to make it to the end, though two individual attempts were required to get through it. The main characters are not easily likable, and the combination of two strong and separate plot lines resulted in an awkward and somewhat flat ending.
November 11, 2018
It has been 9 years since I have read a Tony Hill & Carol Jordan book by Val McDermid. I read and reviewed Beneath the Bleeding, the 5th book in the series and my friend John commented “I can recommend "The Last Temptation" by V McDermid. I read this book back in 2003 whilst on a government paid excursion in the sun and was enthralled plus a little shocked by the graphic detail of the sexual mutilation of the bodies. “
So here I am in 2018 reading and reviewing a book written in 2002. What did it have to offer me?
The Last Temptation explores the relationship and workplace dynamics between Tony and Carol. This time it is an international quest and they both travel to Germany. It is a steady mix of people, psychiatry and police work. Tony is his usual self and is profiling a serial killer. Carol has gone undercover to catch a criminal mastermind involved in human trafficking. It does not matter if you have not read the previous 2 Tony and Carol books, as this can be read as a standalone.
I found The Last Temptation an okay read. The serial killer’s method of murder was unusual and their signature was very obscure. There was lots going on in this novel with lots of characters to follow. The characterization of all the characters was good, including the serial killer. There were plenty of bits to spice up this novel, for example having lesbian police officers and the need to debrief Carol as she was working undercover, by holding their meetings naked in a sauna.
I followed these 2 lines of enquiry by the police with the help of Tony and Carol. But as the novel went on, my enthusiasm waned. All the details were laid out and the story then became a regular joining up the dots. The entertainment value of this novel then began to drop. My empathy for the characters dwindled and the only shock I got was when Carol got caught up in a tight spot. My normal reaction would have been of abhorrence at the situation Carol was thrown into but because of my dwindling interest in the story, coupled with my reducing empathy for her, made me feel glad she had this rough experience. For me to feel happy about Carol’s experience made me feel rather uncomfortable, yes this is only fiction but I can’t condone the actions of another character towards Carol. I felt Carol got what she deserved working undercover but feel ashamed because I do.
Overall I found The Last Temptation to be an okay, 3 star read. I would not recommend it to anyone but it is a bread and butter read. This is NOT one of Val McDermid’s better books, I enjoyed both Beneath the Bleeding and The Distant Echo far, far more.
The Last Temptation was written in 2002 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.
So here I am in 2018 reading and reviewing a book written in 2002. What did it have to offer me?
The Last Temptation explores the relationship and workplace dynamics between Tony and Carol. This time it is an international quest and they both travel to Germany. It is a steady mix of people, psychiatry and police work. Tony is his usual self and is profiling a serial killer. Carol has gone undercover to catch a criminal mastermind involved in human trafficking. It does not matter if you have not read the previous 2 Tony and Carol books, as this can be read as a standalone.
I found The Last Temptation an okay read. The serial killer’s method of murder was unusual and their signature was very obscure. There was lots going on in this novel with lots of characters to follow. The characterization of all the characters was good, including the serial killer. There were plenty of bits to spice up this novel, for example having lesbian police officers and the need to debrief Carol as she was working undercover, by holding their meetings naked in a sauna.
I followed these 2 lines of enquiry by the police with the help of Tony and Carol. But as the novel went on, my enthusiasm waned. All the details were laid out and the story then became a regular joining up the dots. The entertainment value of this novel then began to drop. My empathy for the characters dwindled and the only shock I got was when Carol got caught up in a tight spot. My normal reaction would have been of abhorrence at the situation Carol was thrown into but because of my dwindling interest in the story, coupled with my reducing empathy for her, made me feel glad she had this rough experience. For me to feel happy about Carol’s experience made me feel rather uncomfortable, yes this is only fiction but I can’t condone the actions of another character towards Carol. I felt Carol got what she deserved working undercover but feel ashamed because I do.
Overall I found The Last Temptation to be an okay, 3 star read. I would not recommend it to anyone but it is a bread and butter read. This is NOT one of Val McDermid’s better books, I enjoyed both Beneath the Bleeding and The Distant Echo far, far more.
The Last Temptation was written in 2002 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.
September 23, 2021
I have enjoyed this series a great deal & I am willing to accept some implausibles in the name of a good story, but this book just went too far.
So in spite of the fact that I'm still going to read the series, I still like Carol and Tony, I have to mark this book down for totally stupid behavior on the part of people we're expected to believe are super-intelligent and hyper-aware of their surroundings.
Also, I was bothered by McDermid's frequent use of the term "at the sharp end". I get that she learnt a new term (she hasn't used it in previous books) and quite liked it. I agree, it's neat turn pf phrase. Using it twice would have been sufficient. Using it 5 or 6 times to refer to different things by different characters was invasive and reminded me of nothing so much as a pre-teen who learns a cool new slang word and peppers their every conversation with it.
UPDATE: I’m rereading this series to refresh my memory before I read the more recent books. While this story is interesting, engaging, and thrilling, I was again reminded of the two things that bothered me so much about this book when I last read it. One, the overuse of the phrase “the sharp end” and two ugh, Carol being so mindful of safety and being followed but then totally exposing herself and Tony like an idiot. I stand by my prior irritation & annoyance with an otherwise good yarn.
So in spite of the fact that I'm still going to read the series, I still like Carol and Tony, I have to mark this book down for totally stupid behavior on the part of people we're expected to believe are super-intelligent and hyper-aware of their surroundings.
Also, I was bothered by McDermid's frequent use of the term "at the sharp end". I get that she learnt a new term (she hasn't used it in previous books) and quite liked it. I agree, it's neat turn pf phrase. Using it twice would have been sufficient. Using it 5 or 6 times to refer to different things by different characters was invasive and reminded me of nothing so much as a pre-teen who learns a cool new slang word and peppers their every conversation with it.
UPDATE: I’m rereading this series to refresh my memory before I read the more recent books. While this story is interesting, engaging, and thrilling, I was again reminded of the two things that bothered me so much about this book when I last read it. One, the overuse of the phrase “the sharp end” and two ugh, Carol being so mindful of safety and being followed but then totally exposing herself and Tony like an idiot. I stand by my prior irritation & annoyance with an otherwise good yarn.
January 24, 2012
Okay read if you are slugabed with illness, bored with TV, and need something mildly stimulating. The story takes place in northern Europe. If you are a bit of an armchair traveler, this takes you on an abbreviated tour of some of northern Europe's waterways; it tempts the reader to dig out the Atlas and do some independent reading on the places mentioned.
It is two major plotlines that easily could be / should be two separate novels, doing better justice to both. Carol Jordan goes undercover to catch a human trafficker, and Tony Hill succumbs to the temptation of getting involved in another hunt for a serial killer.
The wrap-up is too coincidental for me, and there is an incident where both Tony and Carol make a joint mistake that puts them both in danger. That mistake seems seriously out of character for either one.
There are other things that bothered me. One is the lack of description of police procedures. This would have been a great vehicle to contrast how the police in different countries do their work. This was barely mentioned other than jurisdictional disputes exist. Another point is this is the third book of hers that I have read, and her police forces seem to have an extraordinary number of lesbians, as well as a gay policeman or two. The proportion seems to be well above the general population at large. I'm all for being inclusive, so can we have representatives from other cultures (Turks, Iranians, Moroccans, Albanians as something other than villains, etc.) that are populating Europe these days?
How about a series of murders of Iranian dissidents? Are these the result of Qud actions, or somebody local with an intense dislike of Iranians, or Muslims in general. That should get Tony's and Carol's professional attention.
It is two major plotlines that easily could be / should be two separate novels, doing better justice to both. Carol Jordan goes undercover to catch a human trafficker, and Tony Hill succumbs to the temptation of getting involved in another hunt for a serial killer.
The wrap-up is too coincidental for me, and there is an incident where both Tony and Carol make a joint mistake that puts them both in danger. That mistake seems seriously out of character for either one.
There are other things that bothered me. One is the lack of description of police procedures. This would have been a great vehicle to contrast how the police in different countries do their work. This was barely mentioned other than jurisdictional disputes exist. Another point is this is the third book of hers that I have read, and her police forces seem to have an extraordinary number of lesbians, as well as a gay policeman or two. The proportion seems to be well above the general population at large. I'm all for being inclusive, so can we have representatives from other cultures (Turks, Iranians, Moroccans, Albanians as something other than villains, etc.) that are populating Europe these days?
How about a series of murders of Iranian dissidents? Are these the result of Qud actions, or somebody local with an intense dislike of Iranians, or Muslims in general. That should get Tony's and Carol's professional attention.
December 23, 2013
Este livro veio trazer uma lufada de ar fresco à minha leitura, que esteva a tornar-se desmotivante devido às minhas ultimas escolhas como livros. Val McDermid foi como um presente para encerrar 2013, com a sua inabalável qualidade literária.
De um lado temos um serrial killer, cujo alvo são psicólogos, de outro o desmantelamento de uma operação de tráfico de droga, armas e imigrantes ilegais, liderada por um homem que opera nas sombras. Embora a policia secreta alemã tenha conhecimento da sua identidade, não consegue ligá-lo aos crimes, por isso recorre a Carol como agente infiltrada. Carol assume a identidade de uma sedutora criminosa com o calibre necessário para se tornar sócia dele, podendo assim reunir as provas necessárias para prendê-lo.
O desenrolar dos acontecimentos são descritos de forma vertiginosa, o Dr. Tony Hill precisa descobrir e travar o serial killer, ao mesmo tempo tem de salvar a vida de Carol do perigo iminente.
Não me recordo de todos os livros que li em 2013, mas posso afirmar com toda a convicção que "A Ultima Tentação", está incluído nos melhores.
É uma pena que este livro não esteja ao alcance de todos os amantes de policiais/thriller, tenho a certeza que iriam adorá-lo.
Para finalizar, é com muita tristeza que fecho este livro e penso que não há qualquer previsão de lançamento de mais livros desta autora, traduzidos em PT!
De um lado temos um serrial killer, cujo alvo são psicólogos, de outro o desmantelamento de uma operação de tráfico de droga, armas e imigrantes ilegais, liderada por um homem que opera nas sombras. Embora a policia secreta alemã tenha conhecimento da sua identidade, não consegue ligá-lo aos crimes, por isso recorre a Carol como agente infiltrada. Carol assume a identidade de uma sedutora criminosa com o calibre necessário para se tornar sócia dele, podendo assim reunir as provas necessárias para prendê-lo.
O desenrolar dos acontecimentos são descritos de forma vertiginosa, o Dr. Tony Hill precisa descobrir e travar o serial killer, ao mesmo tempo tem de salvar a vida de Carol do perigo iminente.
Não me recordo de todos os livros que li em 2013, mas posso afirmar com toda a convicção que "A Ultima Tentação", está incluído nos melhores.
É uma pena que este livro não esteja ao alcance de todos os amantes de policiais/thriller, tenho a certeza que iriam adorá-lo.
Para finalizar, é com muita tristeza que fecho este livro e penso que não há qualquer previsão de lançamento de mais livros desta autora, traduzidos em PT!
December 30, 2011
This is a game-changer for the series. Eager to boost her career, Carol takes an undercover assignment in Germany to bust a major drugs, guns, and human trafficker. At the same time, Tony leaves his retirement from profiling to work on a case in Germany as well, where a serial killer seeks revenge on experimental psychologists, who he believes are responsible for his abuse at the hands of his grandfather.
As Carol and Tony begin to navigate their relationship into more intimate waters, Carol's sting operation and the search for Tony's serial killer get more and more dangerous. I would have given this five stars if the storylines had been slightly more connected. Of course, they're connected through Tony and Carol, who are each helping the other on their cases. But the surprisingly brutal end of the novel brings out a little too much martyrdom in each of them, and the serial killer plot isn't wrapped up as well as I would have liked. There's a lot going on in the book, from the history of German experimentation on children to human trafficking to the morals of undercover policework, and I just didn't feel it was tied together as well as it could have been. So not perfect, but still a great read.
As Carol and Tony begin to navigate their relationship into more intimate waters, Carol's sting operation and the search for Tony's serial killer get more and more dangerous. I would have given this five stars if the storylines had been slightly more connected. Of course, they're connected through Tony and Carol, who are each helping the other on their cases. But the surprisingly brutal end of the novel brings out a little too much martyrdom in each of them, and the serial killer plot isn't wrapped up as well as I would have liked. There's a lot going on in the book, from the history of German experimentation on children to human trafficking to the morals of undercover policework, and I just didn't feel it was tied together as well as it could have been. So not perfect, but still a great read.
March 18, 2024
I’m unsure why Val McDermid’s books always take me so damn long to read. I read The Wire in the Blood last year and despite it taking me 2-3 weeks to finish, it still was one of my favorite books of the year. This one was not nearly as good but still thoroughly gripping. I continue to adore the characters of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan.
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