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“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.”
— New York Times Book Review
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“The Dying Hours is British author Mark
Billingham’s eleventh 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.”
— Tampa Bay Times
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“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.”
— BookPage
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“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.”
— BookReporter
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“No one currently working the British scene tops Billingham for mordant intensity.”
— Kirkus Reviews
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“In
Billingham’s absorbing eleventh novel…Billingham takes a chance by shaking up
Thorne’s career, but it pays off in this consistently tense thriller that’s as
much about Thorne as it is about solving the crimes.”
— Publishers Weekly