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Content snapshot
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Violence
Very heavy
Serial murders with graphic forensic detail; the crime signature involves specific ritualistic violence
Language
Some
Some strong language
Sexual Content
Some
Some sexual content; the crimes involve sexual violence
Substance Use
Barely any
Mild content
Emotional Intensity
Very heavy
The psychology of imitation — why someone would choose to inhabit another's criminal identity; Tony's difficulty accessing the mind of the original through the copy
What this book is about
A killer whose signature exactly matches that of a man already in prison for the same crimes is operating in Bradfield. Carol Jordan and Tony Hill investigate — with the imprisoned original proving impossible to communicate with and the current killings providing no obvious source. Val McDermid's fourth Tony Hill and Carol Jordan novel deals with the specific horror of a copycat who has studied the original with such precision that there is no forensic distinction, and with the psychological complexity of understanding why someone would choose to imitate another's particular form of violence.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
fourth Tony Hill / Carol Jordan novel by Val McDermid
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