Thorne and his team are back. Tom, Nicola and Phil all share a secret that they don’t want to come out, but what is the cost of it staying hidden?
I love the Tom Thorne series and this one didn’t disappoint. DI’s Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner, with the help of pathologist Phil Hendricks are the intrepid trio that are drawn into a situation where their past may come back to haunt them! This latest adventure lures you in from the very first chapter and keeps you hooked until the very last page. The discovery of a gruesome murder, which is going to be the first of three, is only the beginning and just when they think they have the culprit in custody a name from the past is thrown into the mix which sends chills down the spines of the whole team. The chase has only just begun but who is chasing who?
This book has everything you want from a police procedural, a great character led storyline with relatable characters. It’s easy to read, it gives you enough to keep you captivated and invested in both the characters and the story without too much descriptive prose. There are twists and turns throughout and an ending I never saw coming! I highly recommend this book, even if you haven't read any of the others, it’s a perfect piece of escapism.
Whether this is your first ’Thorne” or one of many, prepare to be swept along and genuinely concerned for the welfare of the characters within.
Firstly cards on the table this is not a unbiased review.
I have followed (and loved) the work of Mark Billingham since his first novel Sleepyhead caught my eye in my local bookshop many moons ago.
Every time I pick up a new Thorne book I worry that it will not be up to the standard of the previous books but once again I was not disappointed.
Unlike some other authors the books always feel new, fresh and not at all formulaic.
For those people who have not yet read any of this series I ask “Why not?”. Intriguing stories, humour, characters that become like old friends and twists and turn aplenty are a feature of every one of his books.
And I am delighted to say that this one is no different.
To say too much about the plot would be to give away the story but as usual the pages fly by and you get that familiar “Just one more chapter” feeling that leaves the washing up undone and your eyelids heavy the next day.
Whether this is your first ’Thorne” or one of many, prepare to be swept along and genuinely concerned for the welfare of the characters within.
“The Murder Book” is amazingly the eighteenth (!) in the series, which just goes to prove how much readers love reading, Mark’s grisly police procedurals.
I’ve been a fan of Mark Billingham’s writing for many years now and have been avidly following DI Tom Thorne since the beginning with ‘Sleepyhead’.
“The Murder Book” is amazingly the eighteenth (!) in the series, which just goes to prove how much readers love reading, Mark’s grisly police procedurals.
In this story, we see the return of a serial killer that has haunted Thorne since his last disastrous encounter with him. With the killer always seeming to be one step ahead, Thorne must chase down a woman responsible for a series of gruesome deaths, while looking over his shoulder for the man that has tormented his career for years. The usual well-drawn characters, Nicola Tanner and Phil Hendricks also play a major role in this book, as they try to cope living with a career destroying secret, they share with Thorne.
I was particularly impressed with the prologue and epilogue which I was very satisfied with and honestly made me smile when I realised the connection. Anyone having read any previous books in the series would be at the usual advantage but it’s not necessary to enjoy this book as a standalone, as any essential back story is covered perfectly well.
I hope Mark Billingham continues to write engaging plots that enthrals his readers, I’m sure there’s still a lot more sadistic murders for DI Thorne and his colleagues to solve.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/35740838-miriam-smith-a-mother-s-musings