The Dying Hours By Mark Billingham: Book Review

This is it, I am finally reviewing The Dying Hours, the last book on November’s reading list. I have gotten so far behind on my reading and December probably isn’t a good month to attempt to catch up but that’s exactly what I’m doing. Wish me luck.

The Dying Hours by Mark Billingham

Blurb from The Back Cover

The Suicide – A cluster of suicides among the elderly. Such things are not unknown to the police and the deaths are quickly dismissed. Only one man is convinced that something more sinister is taking place.

The Suspicion – Having stepped out of line once too often, Tom Thorne is back in uniform and he hates it. Patronized and abused by his new colleagues, Thorne’s suspicions about the suicides are dismissed by the Murder Squad he was once part of and he is forced to investigate alone.

The Secret – Unable to trust anyone, Thorne must gamble with the lives of those targeted by a killer unlike any he has hunted before. A man with the power to make people take their own lives.

My Thoughts on The Book

I have read several of Mark Billingham’s books which are centred around Tom Thorne and I have enjoyed them all. The Dying Hours is slightly different as Thorne is back in uniform. Otherwise it is very similar – Thorne goes off on a rogue mission to catch a killer no one else believes exists.

The book is fast paced and keeps us guessing. There are many twists and turns along the way, and when the mysteries are solved at the end of the book, it is one of those where you kick yourself for not seeing it sooner. Mark Billingham writes suspense really well and he really does keep you turning the pages.

Thorne is one of those characters who makes an excellent lead in a book, you are routing for him, but in real life, he would be so frustrating to work with so you kind of empathise a little with the other characters too.

Conclusion and Rating

If you can get round the fact that there is a serial killer that no one but Thorne is intelligent enough to realise exists, this is a very good read. Well written and plenty of action, crime fiction fans will love this! 4/5

The Dying Hours is available now on Amazon.

Have you read The Dying Hours? What did you think? If you haven’t read it yet do you want to? Let me know in the comments 🙂

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