Mark Billingham

Mark Billingham is one of my favorite authors. I don't bother with reading the flyleaf as I just know I'm in for a great read. Billingham writes stand alones that are really good as well, but it is the Tom Thorne series that I enjoy the most. The latest entry (#18!) is The Murder Book.

There's a core group of three that are at the heart of this series. Tom is a Detective with the the London force as is Nicola Tanner. The third member of the trio is Coroner Phil Hendricks. They're good show more friends in and out of the station and all three also harboring a dark secret. (Nope, not going to tell you what it is!) Thorne and Nicola are on the hunt for a murderer using some truly grisly methods. And then the shoe drops. There is evidence found at a murder scene that should not be there...

Billingham gives his characters rich personal lives than bleed into their professional lives. Sometimes for the good - and sometimes not. I quite like Thorne - he's not grown predictable or tired after seventeen books. He's ornery, obstinate and driven to solve his cases at almost any cost. And the cost could be very high in this latest case. Hendricks seems to be settling down at last and Nicola is slowly trying to move on as well.

Billingham consistently comes up with dark, devious plots that hold the reader captive until the last page has been turned. Loyal readers will know the name Stuart Nicklin. New readers, be prepared to meet one of the most manipulative psychopaths that ever lived in the pages of a book. His scenes give me shivers. I also love twists and turns. There's a doozy as the books nears the end that had me flipping back and re-reading to make sure I had read it correctly.

Billingham has kept the series moving forward, always giving the reader a satisfactory ending, but leaving us with enough questions to wonder what's next in store for Thorne et al. This reader can't wait for the next in the series! show less

The Last Dance by Mark Billingham kicks off his new series in a very promising way, The book captivated me very quickly with it’s warmth, humor and grit. The new lead character, Detective Declan Miller is a wise-cracking smart ass who is very witty and seems to have problems with authority. At the beginning of the book he is just coming back on duty after the murder of his wife who was also in the police. He is given a new partner and they are assigned to a double murder that occurred in a show more local hotel. His new partner, DS Sara Xiu admittedly has no sense of humor but learns to tolerate Millers comments. I think here is a lot more to this character that will be revealed as we go on. She is into heavy metal music and casual one night stands and appears to value no-nonsense straight up police work.

For me the case was almost secondary to learning about these new characters. The murder of two men in adjoining hotel rooms is difficult, and considering that one of the victims is the son of a local mobster who may know more about his wife’s murder, Miller is eager to investigate. When off duty, Miller can be found at the ball room working on his ballroom dancing, or looking after his two pet rats, Fred and Ginger. He also is often lost in deep conversations with his dead wife who had lots of opinions but cannot divulge any clues bout how she was murdered.

I have been following this author’s other series featuring Tom Thorne for a number of years and I will continue to do so, but I am also looking forward to continuing on with this new and entertaining series as well. show less

If somebody could explain to me what I did with my common-sense I'd be very grateful. I have this list of favourite authors, and a tendency to hoard their books. Makes no sense whatsoever when I think about it, but IN THE DARK got caught in the daftness and lurked on the shelves here for much much longer than it should have.

A standalone novel, IN THE DARK is a thriller with an unexpected scenario and an interesting twist. As the blurb outlines, there's a car crash in the night. A driver is show more forced off the road, into a bus stop. A man (in this case a policeman) is dead. His partner, a policewoman, wants to know why. Why him, what was he doing just before he died, who on earth was the man she thought she knew, how will she explain who he was and what happened to their very soon to be born child.

IN THE DARK is not just the story of her investigation into her partner's death, it's also very much a story about relationships, complications, unfinished business and how people deal with grief. You can just about taste Helen's desperation to do something, investigate, find the truth, anything rather than just sit and grieve for her partner. As she acknowledges an affair she has had, and the affect that it had on their partnership, she also starts to realise that there are things about Paul that she may not know. Despite a very advanced pregnancy she doesn't want to let it go, let other's seek the truth, her policewoman's instinct is too strong, and her need to be involved overwhelming. What stays with me still after I've finished reading this book is the way that Billingham has written such a finally balanced portrayal of this woman. The other thing that has stayed is how sudden death can leave such an emotional minefield behind.

That's not to say that this book isn't a thriller at the same time. The investigation has a pace of it's own, which is enhanced by the knowledge that as Helen's baby is due very soon, her deadline is immovable. Interspersed with Helen's search for the truth there are other stories, other people involved that night. The impact of gangs and crime is an angle which is explored, but interestingly not completely demonised.

Combine a lot of elements that worked really well as the story progressed, with some final twists and turns as the book draws to a close, and this was one of those excellent thrillers that really makes you stop and think. Serves me right for taking so long to read IN THE DARK. Note to self: try not to make the same mistake with the next book - series or not. show less

Got to page 46 when the overwhelming need to shout George P Pelecanos became uncontrollable. This is Pelecanos and his Baltimore/D.C. mean streets transferred to S.E. London. This is not a bad thing, this is definitely not a bad thing at all.