Sunday, January 10, 2010

Review: FROM THE DEAD by Mark Billingham

FROM THE DEAD by Mark Billingham (Little, Brown, 2010)

Reviewed by Craig Sisterson

Over the past decade Billingham’s DI Tom Thorne novels have become one of the premier series in crime fiction, consistently good page-turners with a great balance of quality characters, dialogue, storylines, and setting. His tenth novel, and ninth to feature the complex copper, demonstrates all of those traits, while also introducing something new; Thorne’s latest case takes him far away from his usual London haunts.

Donna Langford is about to be released from prison, having served ten years for her involvement in the ‘Epping Forest Barbeque’, where her husband Alan was burned to death, when she receives a shocking photo. A man looking a lot like the husband she paid to have killed is living the high life in Spain. When Donna’s daughter goes missing, she hires young private eye Anna Carpenter to find out whether Alan is alive, and responsible. Thorne is battling personal issues then becomes involved in the case, where nothing and no one are as they first seem.

It’s another cracking story from Billingham, and along with the gripping plotline that twists and turns right to its denouement in sun-drenched Spain, more is also revealed and fleshed out about ongoing plotlines in the overall series. One for the Thorne fans, or anyone looking for quality crime fiction.

No comments:

Post a Comment