This is a serial killer story, but it is so much more. It's an insight into the law enforcement agencies across Europe and an undercover police operation all rolled into one. We see the return of criminal psychologist Tony Hill and Carol Jordan a police officer who has just applied for a job with Europol, working behind a desk processing information. But her superiors see her as something more and offer her a job working undercover. Through this undercover work, she and Tony Hill renew their acquaintance and begin chasing down a German criminal named Tadeusz Radecki. He has recently branched out from his drug distribution into people smuggling. Also chasing down Radecki is Petra Becker, a criminal intelligence officer in Berlin who has been after him for years and is hot on his trail after the murder of a drug dealer. She corresponds to a friend in Holland over the Internet and occasionally helps out when it comes to solving crimes. In this case, there is a serial killer on the loose across Europe who seems to be targeting psychologists by replicating atrocities performed during the reign of the Nazi's in Germany. Although spread across Europe and seemingly tenuously linked, the whole story is nicely drawn together. It's a book that would best be classed as a shocker with some descriptive, grisly scenes. We are also treated to the killer's thoughts and the reasons behind his motives, suggesting that there are still more victims of the medical experiments performed during World War 2 than those who died. Val McDermid has once again produced an exciting and entertaining thriller. Fans of the psychological suspense novels will find this one right up their alley
Through this undercover work, she and Tony Hill renew their acquaintance and begin chasing down a German criminal named Tadeusz Radecki