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[tiredmomof2]

Okay, whose read the new book?  I'm dying to discuss it with someone but no one I know in RL is is into Carol Jordan and Tony Hill.

** SPOLIERS for the latest Tony Hill/Carol Jordan book, the Retribution.

Comments

[lunalove24]

I have... *points to icon*

[lunalove24]

Should probably specify that it's the ending 'I'm' flipping, not you. ;)

[tiredmomof2]

Yes that ending was something else wasn't it... I'm still pissed off and can't believe it. Do you think Carol was justified in blaming Tony for her brother's death? I don't think it was his fault, he isn't psychic. Though he did think that he should have done more due dilligence, like talk to the doctors of Vance, read his file that was more recent.

[lunalove24]

It really was. I think I'm in denial about it still.

I agree it wasn't his fault. It's never anybody else's fault but the killer. But having said that, I actually do think that she's entitled to be furious. He should've seen it coming - I bloody well did! And I (oddly enough ;) ) didn't keep taps on Vance. But then why should he? He's not Vance's psychiatrist, he 'just' helped catch him.

I really, really hope there'll be more books. Hopefully Carol (once she cools down) will realize that Tony is not to blame. (And realize that she's just as angry with herself for not seeing it coming as she is with him).

[_inbetween_]

I am squinting to not see the spoilers - a new book is out that I didn't know of? No newsletter, no amazon rec, no nothing, huh. I wasn't happy about the last one, and I really loved them before, ups and downs, so the only thing I would like to know is if this is the final one that I thought the previous one was? Though considering her decreasing readership maybe that is uncertain?

Or can you tell me without spoilers if one or both of them are definitely dead by the end?

[lunalove24]

Or can you tell me without spoilers if one or both of them are definitely dead by the end?
Wouldn't that be a spoiler? *lol* ;)

We're talking about 'The Retribution' which came out the 1st of september.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Retribution-ebook/dp/B005IYIA7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316548034&sr=8-1

[_inbetween_]

No more than telling me there is another story after what I already thought was the end! ;)

[lunalove24]

True. :) But not if it happens in the book you didn't know about... *dumdumdum* (The operative word being if)

[clarice]

She's so thoroughly convinced herself that she can't let them "be together" that she's starting to push them into behavior that's inconsistent with their past actions. I didn't find Carol's reaction particularly believable. She didn't blame Tony for her violent rape, and he's about as "responsible" for that as he is for her brother's death. Based on past characterization she'd be angry, but this wouldn't be what ends their relationship

[tiredmomof2]

Yes, yes, yes!! totally agree with this. They have a relationship, just not a typical one. After all Tony spent most of the book thinking about how much he loved Carol (or at least how he loved her as much as he was capable of).

I guess I would hope that Carol calms down and reconciles with Tony. After all, she is not close to her parents or anyone else for that matter. Who else is she going to turn to. That is what I found most distressing is that McDermid went to great lengths to show how they only had each other, then tore them apart in a not really believable manner.

But I did like that Tony's mother killed Vance.

Hope there is another book.

[lunalove24]

But I did like that Tony's mother killed Vance

When I was reading the book and Vance was 'closing in' on Vanessa, I thought 'hehehe, wouldn't it be funny if she killed him?! But no, that would be too anticlimactic'.

:)

[lunalove24]

Based on past characterization she'd be angry, but this wouldn't be what ends their relationship.

Exactly!

[tiredmomof2]

Am I getting this wrong - or what? But did anyone think it was weird that Tony didn't call Carol when Vance was killed. He just left her outside where she thought Vance was and drove over to her. Why wouldn't he call her with new like that?

[ceridwyn2]

As indicated by my icon, I thought the ending was a big WTF. Needless to say, I did read through it in about 3 days.

Death of loved ones makes your brain do screwy things, including lashing out at the people you love; especially when loved ones are killed in such a violent way as Michael and Lucy were killed. It wasn't rational, and Tony being Carol's main sounding board and support system, she lashed out at him, probably because he was 'safe'. She couldn't really do that with her subordinates, her peers or bosses. She couldn't even do that with her parents. She doesn't have anyone else. Tony was someone with whom she had a personal, non-traditional love for. She's hurt and angry. And I'm sure she's full of guilt for feeling she didn't protect her brother and his fiance. Displaced guilt and blame onto Tony. Once she has time to actually settle down and deal with the losses, she will return.

[coolbyrne]

Of course she will, because Tony and Carol are Val's cash cow. I can't believe there won't be another book, and probably another after that, because WitB is her bread and butter

[coolbyrne]

Shows you how long it's been since I've been on LJ- a word limit? ;P Continuing my rant..,

And if I see the phrase "passing for human" or a variation thereof from Tony in subsequent books, I'm going to scream. We get it, Val. We've been reading the books. Tony's cut off from society because he doesn't "get" people, not in the way he "gets" killers. We get it. This is another writing tactic that Val is sorely losing the talent to wield with any subtlety- how do you walk that fine line between bringing new readers up to speed while not rehashing old information with readers who have been there from the start? Honestly? I think by the seventh book, you just need to assume we've all been along for the ride, or hope new readers will go back and read the older books. Because it starts to get a bit repetitive to bring up Tony's struggle with impotency (though didn't Viagra work for him with this relationship with that other woman about three books back?), his "passing for human", Stacey's expensive wardrobe, Sam's Lone Ranger approach to