Well written description of London's street life but ultimately lacks punch and I worked out who was responsible almost as soon as the character appeared. The pace seems a bit slow compared to other authors of similar themed books, eg Simon Kernick. ( )

Bought in Galway-May 2006 ( )

Another great book from mark billingham, looking forward to the next! ( )

This is #5 in Billingham's series featuring DCI Tom Thorne, who is probably one of the most angst-ridden policemen in novels these days. In this installment, someone is murdering the homeless, the "rough sleepers," in London, and Thorne goes undercover on the streets to try to stop the killers. The suspense of this story was at times overwhelming and I found myself having to put the book down, walk away, and come back later. Definitely what I would call a page turner, and believe me, that's what I look for in a mystery/suspense read. The characters were very well developed and most importantly, believable. Thorne is certainly one of the most human of all fictional detectives and that's why I keep reading Billingham's novels. Add to all of this Billingham's great writing, and you have a book you cannot stop reading. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into British mysteries, and if you have not yet had the pleasure to read this author's work, you're missing out on some great reading time. ( )