Reading order · 11 books · 1995 to 2019 · Set in the fictional Bradfield, England
Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Books in Order
Tony Hill is a clinical psychologist and offender profiler, brilliant and damaged, and Carol Jordan is the detective who works with him. Together they hunt serial killers in the north of England. Dark, gripping thrillers that became the television series Wire in the Blood.
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Series facts
- Books
- 11
- Published
- 1995 to 2019
- First book
- The Mermaids Singing
- Latest
- How the Dead Speak (2019)
- Setting
- Set in the fictional Bradfield, England
The reading order
Every Tony Hill and Carol Jordan book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
11 books · Set in the fictional Bradfield, England
- 1The Mermaids Singing1995With Tony Hill and Carol JordanA serial killer is murdering men in the northern city of Bradfield, and Detective Inspector Carol Jordan works with Tony Hill, a psychologist, to find him.Buy on Amazon
- 2The Wire in the Blood1997With Tony Hill and Carol JordanA promising young profiler on Tony Hill’s new team is murdered after spotting a pattern in missing girls, and the trail leads to a much-loved television presenter.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Last Temptation2002With Tony Hill and Carol JordanCarol Jordan goes undercover in Germany, while a killer is murdering psychologists across Europe.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Torment of Others2004With Tony Hill and Carol JordanA killer seems to be copying murders for which a man is already in prison.Buy on Amazon
- 5Beneath the Bleeding2007With Tony Hill and Carol JordanA star footballer is poisoned, and a bomb explodes at a football stadium.Buy on Amazon
- 6Fever of the Bone2009With Tony Hill and Carol JordanTeenagers are being murdered after making contact online, and Tony Hill joins the hunt.Buy on Amazon
- 7The Retribution2011With Tony Hill and Carol JordanJacko Vance, a killer Tony and Carol put away, escapes from prison bent on revenge.Buy on Amazon
- 8Cross and Burn2013With Tony Hill and Carol JordanWomen who look like Carol Jordan are being killed, and Tony Hill is arrested.Buy on Amazon
- 9Splinter the Silence2015With Tony Hill and Carol JordanA series of apparent suicides among women targeted by online abuse leads Carol and Tony to a killer.Buy on Amazon
- 10Insidious Intent2017With Tony Hill and Carol JordanA killer is targeting single women at weddings.Buy on Amazon
- 11How the Dead Speak2019With Tony Hill and Carol JordanTony Hill is in prison, and Carol Jordan investigates bones found at an old convent.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with The Mermaids Singing.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Tony Hill | Carol Jordan | Paula McIntyre | Stacey Chen | Don Merrick | John Brandon | Jacko Vance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 The Mermaids Singing | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |||
| 2 The Wire in the Blood | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 3 The Last Temptation | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |||
| 4 The Torment of Others | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |
| 5 Beneath the Bleeding | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 6 Fever of the Bone | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |||
| 7 The Retribution | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | ||
| 8 Cross and Burn | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |||
| 9 Splinter the Silence | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |||
| 10 Insidious Intent | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |||
| 11 How the Dead Speak | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan books
7 characters from Val McDermid’s chart, with the number of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Tony HillClinical psychologist and offender profiler | 11 | The Mermaids Singing 1995 |
| Carol JordanDetective, later head of a major incident team | 11 | The Mermaids Singing 1995 |
| Paula McIntyreDetective, one of Carol’s most trusted officers | 10 | The Wire in the Blood 1997 |
| Stacey ChenDetective and computer specialist | 8 | The Torment of Others 2004 |
| Don MerrickDetective Sergeant | 4 | The Mermaids Singing 1995 |
| John BrandonChief Constable who backs Carol | 4 | The Mermaids Singing 1995 |
| Jacko VanceTelevision presenter and killer | 2 | The Wire in the Blood 1997 |