Grove Press
Atlantic Monthly Press
Atlantic Monthly Press
“Billingham is one of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today.” —Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl
The Dying Hours is the gripping eleventh novel in Billingham’s Inspector Tom Thorne series. Newly demoted after stepping out of line once too often, and struggling to adjust, Thorne becomes convinced that a spate of suicides among the elderly in London is something more sinister. His concerns are dismissed by the murder squad he was once part of and he is forced to investigate alone. Now, unable to trust anybody, Thorne risks losing those closest to him as well as endangering those being targeted by a killer unlike any he has hunted before. A man with nothing to lose and a growing list of victims, a man who appears to have the power to make people take their own lives.
“Even in the best of times, Tom Thorne, the hero of a well-groomed series of police procedurals by Mark Billingham, is a moody chap. But he’s hit rock bottom in The Dying Hours . . . The joy here comes from watching Thorne work under the radar while on the hunt for a killer who proves to be extremely clever and really, really mean.” —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
“The Dying Hours is British author Mark Billingham’s 11th novel about Thorne, a prickly loner who is a relentless investigator, often at the cost of his personal relationships . . . Billingham is fiendishly clever about subverting our expectations, the book’s two-page prologue being a bravura example. He’s also adept at sketching believable characters very quickly, so that each of the killer’s very different victims are real to us, not just corpses after the fact. Thorne’s friends and colleagues are even more vivid . . . But the hunt is what drives The Dying Hours, and it comes to a breathtaking and surprising climax, with the last sharp twist saved for the final page.” —Colette Bancroft, The Tampa Bay Times
“The Dying Hours” relentless pace doesn’t slow down until the last word, proving why Billingham continues to be a best-seller in Great Britain.” —Oline H. Cogdill, The Sun Sentinel
“It takes but two short pages for the first twist to be revealed in Mark Billingham’s latest Tom Thorne mystery, The Dying Hours, and a very good twist it is. . . . Thorne is an exceptionally well-drawn character, ably supported by a cast of complex colleagues and truly disagreeable villains, although at times you will have some question as to which is which. The Dying Hours is a fine addition to what is already one of the best crafted police procedural series in contemporary fiction.” —Bruce Tierney, BookPage
“No one currently working the British scene tops Billingham for mordant intensity, whether Thorne is surveying the latest scene of an apparent suicide or just trying to explain why he called in sick.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Mark Billingham’s troubled detective inspector is one of those riveting characters who is almost likable in spite of himself, somewhat dour in personality but possessed of a dry sense of humor, seemingly unable to close the deal on a long-term relationship, an aficionado of American country music. Yes, complex would be the word, just like a great number of us. It is these personality elements of Thorne’s, combined with Billingham’s sharp plotting and extremely interesting murderers, that keep readers on both sides of the Atlantic coming back again and again. . . . The Dying Hours may be my favorite Thorne book to date. . . . And the ending? Let’s just say that there is good news and bad news for newcomers and longtime fans alike. Strongly recommended for both.” —Joe Hartlaub, BookReporter
“One of my favorite crime series. . . . The Dying Hours was an excellent crime novel on so many levels. Billingham’s plotting is always inventive, dark and devious, designed to keep the reader wondering—and up late at night. The procedural details of the investigation always fascinate me. But it is Thorne himself that makes this series such a standout. I’m always a sucker for the ‘buck the system’ characters, and Thorne is a prime example. The Dying Hours kept me captive for an entire day when I was off sick. A riveting read is probably some of the best medicine one can ask for.” —A Bookworm’s World
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