Best Selling Books by Mark Billingham

A stunning 20th anniversary paperback edition of the groundbreaking first Tom Thorne novel, a case that changed crime fiction forever . . . Alison Willetts has survived a stroke, deliberately induced by a skilful manipulation of pressure points on the head and neck. She can see, hear and feel but she is completely unable to move or communicate. In leaving Alison Willetts alive, the police believe the killer''s made his first mistake. Then DI Tom Thorne discovers the horrifying truth: it isn''t Alison who is the mistake, it''s the three women already dead. Thorne must find a killer whose agenda is disturbingly unique, and Alison, the one person who holds the key to the killer''s identity, is unable to say anything . . . ''One of my favourite authors'' Harlan Coben ''A terrifically stylish debut novel'' Independent on Sunday ''The next superstar detective'' Lee Child

Luke Mullen, the missing teenage son of a former police officer, was last seen getting into a car with an older woman. No one knows whether he went willingly or was abducted, whether he''s living or dead. Then the videotape arrives . . . On special assignment, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is in charge of the investigation into Luke''s disappearance. But it''s the information that Tony Mullen, the boy''s father, is not freely sharing that Thorne finds particularly disturbing—like the names of dangerous criminals who have openly threatened the tough ex-detective and his entire family. Something shocking and deadly may well be buried deep in old cases and past lives. But Thorne knows he doesn''t have the luxury of time to dig—especially when a kidnapper brutally demonstrates that he is willing to kill.

"''Delivering the death message.'' That''s what coppers call it when they have to tell someone that a loved one has been killed. Now DI Tom Thorne is receiving messages of his own. Photos of murder victims sent to his mobile phone." "The killer is quickly identified as a man just released from prison; someone who believes he has nothing left to live for. But why is he sending these pictures to Thorne? The answer lies in Thorne''s past, with a man he himself sent away for life. Even behind bars, the most vicious psychopath Thorne has ever faced is still a master at manipulating others to do his dirty work for him. Particularly his killings."--BOOK JACKET.

The second book in the Tom Thorne series from bestselling author Mark Billingham, Scaredy Cat is a gripping, chilling tour-de-force; a book to keep you reading until deep into the night. ''Assured and shocking'' Guardian It was a vicious, calculated murder. The killer selected his victim at Euston station, followed her home on the tube, strangled her to death in front of her child. At the same time, killed in the same way, a second body is discovered at the back of King''s Cross station. And this grisly event eerily echoes the murder of two other women, stabbed to death months before on the same day. It is DI Tom Thorne who sees the link and comes to the horrifying conclusion. This is not a serial killer the police are up against. This is two of them - and two killers are way more deadly than one . . . __________ Read what everyone''s saying about the heart-racing Tom Thorne series: ''Literary superstar'' Mail on Sunday ''Ingenious'' Guardian ''Ground-breaking'' Sunday Times ''Mark Billingham gets better and better'' Michael Connelly ''A cracking read . . . I couldn''t put it down!'' Shari Lapena ''A damn fine storyteller'' Karin Slaughter ''Twisted and twisty'' Linwood Barclay ''One of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today'' Gillian Flynn ''The next superstar detective is already with us. Don''t miss him'' Lee Child

Detective Tom Thorne is forced to re-consider an old case when a grieving father takes one of Thorne''s colleagues hostage. The man demands to know the truth about how his son died in prison; he is convinced the death was not an accident. What Thorne discovers will upend everything he thought he knew about the fate of those he''s put away-- but will it be enough to end the hostage situation without violence? Published in the United States in 2012 under the title: The demands.

Winner of the Crime Novel of the Year, Lazybones is the third novel in the bestselling Tom Thorne series, a shocking, unputdownable novel from the master of psychological thrills. ''Never loosens its grip on your throat'' Daily Mail It''s only ten days since Douglas Remfry''s release from prison, having served seven years for rape, and now he''s dead: naked on a bare mattress in a grubby north London hotel room, his head hooded and his hands tied with a brown leather belt. Someone knew he was coming out. Someone wanted to mete out some punishment of his own. And when a second sex offender is found dead, DI Tom Thorne knows he has a vicious, calculating vigilante on his hands... __________ Read what everyone''s saying about the heart-racing Tom Thorne series: ''Literary superstar'' Mail on Sunday ''Ingenious'' Guardian ''Ground-breaking'' Sunday Times ''Mark Billingham gets better and better'' Michael Connelly ''A cracking read . . . I couldn''t put it down!'' Shari Lapena ''A damn fine storyteller'' Karin Slaughter ''Twisted and twisty'' Linwood Barclay ''One of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today'' Gillian Flynn ''The next superstar detective is already with us. Don''t miss him'' Lee Child

A spate of brutal murders threatens the newfound happiness of “one of the most credible and engaging heroes in contemporary crime fiction” (Ian Rankin). Tom Thorne finally has it all. In Nicola Tanner and Phil Hendricks, Thorne has good friends by his side. His love life is newly reformed by a promising relationship and he is happy in the job he has devoted his life to. As he sets off hunting the woman responsible for a series of grisly murders, Thorne has no way of knowing that he will be plunged into a nightmare from which he may never wake. A nightmare that has a name. Thorne’s past threatens to catch up with him and a ruinous secret is about to be revealed. If he wants to save himself and his friends, he will have to do the unthinkable. Tom Thorne finally has a lot to lose. Praise for the Tom Thorne series “Morse, Rebus, and now Thorne. The next superstar detective is already with us—don’t miss him.” —Lee Child “Billingham is a world-class writer and Tom Thorne is a wonderful creation. Rush to read these books.” —Karin Slaughter “With each of his books, Mark Billingham gets better and better. These are stories and characters you don’t want to leave.” —Michael Connelly “Mark Billingham has brought a rare and welcome blend of humanity, dimension, and excitement to the genre.” —George Pelecanos “A fantastic thriller, combining a gripping plot and lead characters of remarkable depth . . . Readers who grab this one but aren’t familiar with its predecessors will be seeking them out. A series to savor.” —Booklist (starred review)

In this “chilling and moving” international bestseller, two of London’s toughest detectives investigate the savage world of honor killings (The Times, London). In Love Like Blood, DI Tom Thorne, “the next superstar detective,” teams up with perfectionist DI Nicola Tanner, the protagonist of Billingham’s acclaimed stand-alone thriller Die of Shame (Lee Child). When her domestic partner Susan is brutally murdered, Nicola Tanner is convinced that she was the intended target. The murderer’s motive is likely connected to her recent work on a string of cold case honor killings. Despite being placed on leave, Tanner insists on pursuing justice for Susan—and she turns to fellow DI Tom Thorne for help. Agreeing to take the case, Thorne quickly finds that working in such controversial territory among London’s Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities can be dangerous in more ways than one. But when a young Bangladeshi couple goes missing, Tanner and Thorne must put everything on the line to investigate a case that is anything but cold. “Brilliant.” —The Independent “Groundbreaking . . . a gripping, unsensational take on a type of crime that is happening more frequently than many of us realize.” —The Sunday Times

“The next superstar detective” is back to stop a serial killer with a bizarre pattern—his victims are all taking their own lives (Lee Child). Recently demoted for stepping out of line once too often, prickly inspector Tom Thorne is convinced that a spate of suicides among the elderly in south London is something more sinister. When his concerns are dismissed by former colleagues at the CID, and even by his patient girlfriend, Thorne can only trust himself and his best friend—gay pub-crawling pathologist Phil Hendricks—with his suspicions of murder. Thorne draws a chilling connection between the deaths and a controversial case three decades old. But by going solo with his investigation, he not only risks the lives of those closest to him, but also further endangers those being targeted by a deranged killer—a man with the power and cold-blooded motives to coerce his vulnerable victims toward a breathtaking end. “Tom Thorne, the hero of a well-groomed series of police procedurals” by multiple award-winning Mark Billingham, returns—and he’s “on the hunt for a killer who proves to be extremely clever and really, really mean” (The New York Times Book Review). “One of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today.” —Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl “Fiendishly clever . . . with the last sharp twist saved for the final page.” —Tampa Bay Times

Recalled from a romantic vacation with his girlfriend Helen Weeks, Tom Thorne investigates the abduction of two girls in Helen''s hometown, convinced that the police have the wrong person in custody.

Originally published: London: Little, Brown, 2014.

THE FIRST NEW SERIES FROM #1 BESTSELLER MARK BILLINGHAM IN 20 YEARS. DON''T MISS THE NEXT BOOK IN THE DETECTIVE MILLER SERIES, THE WRONG HANDS, OUT NOW! ____________ ''A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business'' RICHARD OSMAN ''An unmitigated joy from the very first page to last'' DAILY MAIL ''Funny, moving, and full of surprises . . . an absolute treat'' MICK HERRON ''This new series is bursting with wit, charm and intriguing, complex characters'' JANICE HALLETT ''Deserves a big fat ten'' THE TIMES ____________ Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated... He''s a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority - and he''s the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller. A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out? Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle? ____________ WHAT REAL READERS SAY ABOUT THE LAST DANCE ''DS Miller is a wonderful, quirky character with whom I share a sense of humour. I laughed a great deal'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ''An author who is anything but a one-trick pony'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ''Quirky, yet dark in places, Some laugh-out-loud moments that startled bus passengers sitting close by'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ''Very amusing and entertaining. I love Tom Thorne and now I love Declan Miller too'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ''If you are a Billlingham fan you will know it''s worth reading, and if you are new to this author, I''m sure you will become a fan!'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Tom Thorne''s career is on the skids. Having seriously crossed the line on his last case and depressed over the recent suspicious death of his father, the once ambitious police detective has been reduced to pushing papers . . . and is being encouraged to take a prolonged leave of duty. But someone is stalking the city''s most destitute citizens. Three homeless men have recently been kicked to death, each brutalized corpse discovered with a banknote pinned to its chest. With nothing to lose, Thorne volunteers to try to find the killer—taking to the streets he knows so well from his days as beat policeman and as a homicide detective, but this time joining the squalid ranks of life''s rejects. In this harsh and harrowing netherworld, with its own rules and moral codes, a shocking link between the brutal crimes and a fifteen-year-old atrocity could end up costing Thorne what little life he has left.

A woman''s suicide puts a detective on the trail of a cold-hearted con artist: "Outstanding . . . a maximum of suspense" ( Publishers Weekly, starred review). When DI Tom Thorne is called to the site of a suicide, he expects to be in and out in no time. But when he arrives at the Underground station where a woman named Philippa Goodwin threw herself in front of a train, he inexplicably senses something awry and feels compelled to dig deeper. He soon discovers that she was the victim of a callous con man who preys on vulnerable women—and whose deception plunged Philippa to her end. Thorne enlists DI Nicola Tanner to help him track down the swindler and bring him to justice. But the detective duo gets more than they bargained for when a young man''s bludgeoned body turns up on the shore of a nearby seaside town and the two cases come together in a way that neither of the detectives could have foreseen . . . "A fantastic thriller . . . a gripping plot and lead characters of remarkable depth. Billingham is a multiple-award winner, and his books have sold more than six million copies. Readers who grab this one but aren''t familiar with its predecessors will be seeking them out. A series to savor." ― Booklist (starred review) "Billingham is a world-class writer and Tom Thorne is a wonderful creation." ―Karin Slaughter, bestselling author of the Will Trent series

A murder-for-hire goes wrong in this thriller by “one of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today” (Gillian Flynn). After Alan Langford’s charred remains were found in his burnt-out Jaguar, his abused, long-suffering wife, Donna, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to ten years at Wakefield Prison. It was worth the time. But shortly before her release, Donna receives a nasty shock: an anonymous letter containing a recent photo of her husband—the man she despised and feared, the man she paid to have killed, the man she’s now begging London inspector Tom Thorne to find. Even for a seasoned DI like Thorne, this is a first: tracking a man who’s come back from the dead. But when Donna’s daughter suddenly disappears, Thorne finds himself following two trails of revenge and double cross. And they’re both leading into the menacing shadow of a killer who wants the case buried for good. With his multiple award-winning series, “Mark Billingham has brought a rare and welcome blend of humanity, dimension, and excitement to the genre” (George Pelecanos). From the Dead is not only “a good crime story, but . . . [a] novel . . .about the complexities and pitfalls of love” (The Washington Post). “Engrossing . . . chillingly clever.” —Publishers Weekly “Mark Billingham is one of my favorite new writers.” —Harlan Coben “Tom Thorne is a wonderful creation. Rush to read these books.” —Karin Slaughter, New York Times–bestselling author

Perfect strangers. A perfect vacation. The perfect murder. . . . “Hugely effective and entertaining [with] many twists and shocks” (TheTimes, London). Three British couples meet around the pool on their Florida holiday and become fast friends. But on Easter Sunday, the last day of their vacation, tragedy strikes: The fourteen-year-old daughter of an American vacationer goes missing, and her body is later found floating in the mangroves. When the shocked couples return home to the United Kingdom, they remain in contact, and over the course of three increasingly fraught dinner parties they come to know one another better. But they don’t always like what they find. Buried beneath these apparently normal exteriors are some unusual kinks and unpleasant vices. Then, a second girl goes missing, in Kent—not far from where the couples live. Could it be that one of these six has a secret far darker than anybody can imagine? Ambitiously plotted and laced with dark humor, Rush of Blood is a “sizzling thriller” by the international bestselling author of the Tom Thorne Novels (The Globe and Mail, Toronto).

''One of the great series of British crime fiction'' The Times From multi-million-copy number one bestseller Mark Billingham comes a twisting, unbearably gripping DI Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner thriller inspired by a dramatic real-life case. How do you catch a killer who is yet to kill? We''ve all heard about the signs: coldness, cruelty, lack of empathy. DI Tom Thorne knows the psychological profile of a psychopath all too well, so when pets start disappearing on suburban London streets, he sees a chance to stop a future murderer. Others are less convinced, so Thorne relies on DI Nicola Tanner to help him solve the case, before the culprit starts hunting people. The journey brings them face to face with a killer who will tear their lives apart. ---------- ''A new Mark Billingham is always a treat and The Killing Habit hurls the reader straight into the action. Thoroughly enjoyable for being so very real'' SUSIE STEINER ''Mark Billingham on superb form. A finely paced and polished procedural, with twists and turns galore and an ending that will chill your soul'' CARA HUNTER ''An unconventional literary superstar'' MAIL ON SUNDAY ''As ever with Billingham, a rich cast of characters and tense situations are marshalled with panache, leading to a final terrifying encounter'' FINANCIAL TIMES ''Thorne is a terrific invention'' IRISH INDEPENDENT ________________

Two boys run into the woods—but only one returns—in this new mystery from the award-winning "first-rate British crime writer" ( The Washington Post). In the summer of 1996, two boys run from a playground into the adjoining woods, but only one comes out. DS Tom Thorne takes on the case—which quickly spirals out of control when two people connected to the missing boy are murdered. As London prepares to host the European Soccer Championships, Thorne fights to keep on top of a baffling investigation while also dealing with the ugly fallout of his broken marriage . . . A prequel to Mark Billingham''s acclaimed debut Sleepyhead―which the Sunday Times voted one of the 100 books that shaped the decade―this chilling, compelling novel is the latest in "a series to savor" ( Booklist). "With each of his books, Mark Billingham gets better and better. These are stories and characters you don''t want to leave." ―Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch series "Mark Billingham has brought a rare and welcome blend of humanity, dimension, and excitement to the genre." ―George Pelecanos, bestselling author and Emmy-nominated writer

A brutal murder casts suspicion on a London therapy group in this thriller from the author of The Bones Beneath: “One of my favorite new writers” (Harlan Coben). Every Monday evening, six people gather in a smart North London house to talk about shame. Among them are a grieving surgeon, a betrayed housewife, a taunting gay model, a barely recovered heroin addict. All they have in common is a history of pain and compulsions—until they’re linked by the brutal murder of one of their members. Det. Inspector Nicola Tanner is drawn into this intimate circle to find the killer. Unfortunately, not a single one of them is willing to share. Now it’s up to Tanner to delve into their pasts on her own. But what secret could be so shameful as to kill for it? Or die for it? And how can she possibly find the truth when lies and denial are second nature to her suspects? From British thriller master Mark Billingham comes “one of the best crime novels of the year . . . Shocking, frightening, gripping” (The Independent). “Billingham is one of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today.” —Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl “Keeps the reader guessing, and second-guessing.” —Tampa Bay Times

Some fires never go out ... X marks the spot -- and when that spot is a corpse''s naked back and the X is carved in blood, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is in no doubt that the dead man is the latest victim of a particularly vicious contract killer. It''s morbid and messy -- but it''s a mystery with plenty of clues. This is turf warfare between North London gangs. Organized crime boss Billy Ryan is moving into someone else''s territory, and that someone is ready to stand up for what he believes is his. Thorne''s got plenty on his plate when he agrees to help out ex-DCI Carol Chamberlain rake through the ashes of an old case that has come back to haunt her. Schoolgirl Jessica Clarke was lit on fire twenty years ago. Now, Gordon Rooker, the man Chamberlain put away for the crime, is up for parole, and it seems there''s a copycat on the prowl. Or perhaps it''s someone trying to right a serious wrong: Jessica Clarke was the victim of mistaken identity. The intended target was the daughter of a gangland boss, a woman who would grow up to marry the current leader, Billy Ryan ... Thorne quickly identifies a tenuous link between the two crimes, and past and present fuse together to form a new, horrifying riddle. One that involves more killings, violence, greed, and a murderous family with no values -- except gain at any price. When an X is carved into his front door, Tom Thorne realizes that fires, once thought to be out, continue to burn.

Step into a thrilling Quick Read from number one bestselling crime fiction author Mark Billingham. It''s the moment we all fear: losing our phone, leaving us cut off from family and friends. But, for Louise, losing hers in a local café takes her somewhere much darker. After many hours of panic, Louise is relieved when someone gets in touch offering to return the phone. From then on she is impatient to get back to normal life. But when they meet on the beach, Louise realises you should be careful what you wish for... If you enjoyed Cut Off, try Love Like Blood, the latest novel in the series starring Mark Billingham''s detective hero, DI Tom Thorne.

The eighth book in the Tom Thorne series, from bestselling author Mark Billingham. When a dead body is found in a North London flat, it seems like a straightforward domestic murder until a bloodstained sliver of X-ray is found clutched in the dead woman''s fist - and it quickly becomes clear that this case is anything but ordinary. DI Thorne discovers that the victim''s mother had herself been murdered fifteen years before by infamous serial killer Raymond Garvey. The hunt to catch Garvey was one of the biggest in the history of the Met, and ended with seven women dead. When more bodies and more fragments of X-ray are discovered, Thorne has a macabre jigsaw to piece together until the horrifying picture finally emerges. A killer is targeting the children of Raymond Garvey''s victims. Thorne must move quickly to protect those still on the murderer''s list, but nothing and nobody are what they seem. Not when Thorne is dealing with one of the most twisted killers he has ever hunted... ________________ The outstanding new Tom Thorne thriller, THEIR LITTLE SECRET, is out now!

“A stand-out thriller….[A] remarkable achievement.” —Chicago Sun-Times Hailed as one of the UK’s strongest contemporary thriller writers—the British Dennis Lehane—Mark Billingham may be the most exciting author to hit the noir fiction scene in years. With In the Dark, Billingham steps briefly away from his bestselling series featuring Detective Inspector Tom Thorne (Sleepyhead, Scaredy Cat, Lazybones, et al) and delivers a powerful story of cops, street gangs, and career criminals that twists and turns into dark, unexpected areas. In the Dark is a magnificent achievement by a modern master who’s been compared enthusiastically to Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, and George Pellacanos, and whose latest novel, Death Message, has recently been named the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.

Six of the world''s most famous crime writers contribute brilliant stories to this collection to tie in with the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate. Introduction by Jenni Murray.

A gripping standalone thriller from the “first-rate British crime writer” and internationally bestselling author of the Tom Thorne novels (The Washington Post). Alice Armitage is a police officer. Or she was. Or perhaps she just imagines she was. Whatever the truth is, following a debilitating bout of PTSD, self-medication with drink and drugs, and a psychotic breakdown, Alice is now a long-term patient in an acute psychiatric ward. When one of her fellow patients is murdered, Alice becomes convinced that she has identified the killer and that she can catch them. Ignored by the police, she begins her own investigation. But when her prime suspect becomes the second victim, Alice’s life begins to unravel still further as she realizes that she cannot trust anyone, least of all herself. Praise for Mark Billingham and the Tom Thorne novels “Morse, Rebus, and now Thorne. The next superstar detective is already with us―don’t miss him.” —Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series “Billingham is a world-class writer and Tom Thorne is a wonderful creation. Rush to read these books.” —Karin Slaughter, international bestselling author “With each of his books, Mark Billingham gets better and better. These are stories and characters you don’t want to leave.” —Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch series “Mark Billingham has brought a rare and welcome blend of humanity, dimension, and excitement to the genre.” —George Pelecanos, writer and producer of The Wire “Tom Thorne is one of the most credible and engaging heroes in contemporary crime fiction.” —Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus novels and The Travelling Companion

Available together in ebook for the first time ever, this duo of brilliant short stories featuring a guest appearance by DI Tom Thorne showcases the crime writing talent of number one Sunday Times bestseller Mark Billingham. Underneath the Mistletoe Last Night When young Jack finds ''Father Christmas'' dead beneath the tree, DI Tom Thorne, who has volunteered to work on Christmas Day, must get to the truth with the help of his reliable team and some incriminating evidence. Stepping Up When a retired boxer is persuaded to join an exercise class by his daughter, he sees a woman whose face has haunted him for forty years. He used to be a minder for underworld criminals and Zoe was always in their circle. So when she gets in trouble with another class member, he''s there to protect her, as he used to - whatever it takes.

The Crime The customers in a London convenience store are taken captive. Among them is young mother, Detective Helen Weeks. She is told her life depends on the co-operation of one of her colleagues - detective Tom Thorne. The Demand Akhtar is desperate to know what really happened to his beloved son, who died a year before in prison. He is convinced the death was not an accident and forces the one man who knows more about the case than any other, Thorne, to re-investigate. The Twist What Thorne discovers will upend everything he thought he knew about the fate of those he''s put away...but will it be enough to fulfill the wishes of a grieving and potentially violent father?

This is one case Detective Miller won''t want to open . . . The second rip-roaring mystery from multi-award-winning international bestseller Mark Billingham starring Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated... Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Well, two problems. First, there''s his dead wife and her yet-to-be-solved murder. He really should stop talking to her ghosts... Second, and most pressing, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands. Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne''er do well Wayne Cutler—a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife''s death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately, he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of. Sprinkle in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder, and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.

Available together in ebook for the first time ever, this trio of brilliant short stories showcases the writing talent of number one Sunday Times bestseller Mark Billingham. Dancing Towards the Blade: They are waiting for the boy on his way home, the racist thugs. For Vincent, it is the latest in a string of violent events his family has faced since moving to England. But Vincent knows something that the thugs don''t: he has in him the spirit of his father who, once upon a time in a far off country, also faced down fear to prove he was Grade A. Stroke of Luck: During a summer cricket match, Alan meets Rachel, and they start a relationship - but soon Alan discovers he is having an affair with a married woman. Though not a happily married one. Rachel''s husband abuses her physically and psychologically and Rachel is at her wits'' end. Alan vows to protect her - but her husband is not the only one who is a threat. Rachel is being secretly watched... The Walls: When Chris spots a beautiful woman across a crowded restaurant on his business trip to Texas, he never imagines that she would be interested in him, let alone be waiting for him when he returns to his hotel later that evening.As the two strangers talk, the true and haunting reason for their visits comes to light...

A woman reports a crime to the police, with unexpected results The grieving widow who finds that she''s about to lose more than just her husband When a man attempts the perfect murder, it''s not quite as easy as he thinks Two men in prison play a deadly game of Scrabble A young woman tries to trick an old man and gets more than she bargained for Sometimes crimes are solved in ways you can''t explain A murderer about to be hanged finds that''s not the worst thing that can happen You never know who''s going to turn up at your door Original stories from Mark Billingham, Clare Mackintosh, James Oswald, Jane Casey, Angela Marsons, Harry Bingham, Antonia Hodgson and CL Taylor - specially written for Quick Reads.

Der neue Thriller von Spiegel-Bestseller-Autor Mark Billingham als deutsche Erstausgabe Er gilt als einer der gefährlichsten Serienkiller Englands. Niemand weiß, wie viele Menschen er tatsächlich umgebracht hat; niemand weiß, wo die Knochen seiner Opfer vergraben sind. Seit einigen Jahren sitzt Stuart Nicklin in einem Hochsicherheitsgefängnis. Bis er der Polizei einen Deal anbietet: Er führt sie an die Stätte seiner Untaten – unter einer Bedingung: Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, der ihn einst zu Fall brachte, muss das Unternehmen leiten. Thorne weiß, dass er zu einem Himmelfahrtskommando antritt, denn Nicklin ist ein Meister der psychologischen Manipulation. Auf einer einsamen walisischen Insel merken Thorne und sein Team schon bald, dass der Killer ein perfides Netzt spinnt, dem keiner entkommen kann ...

What the Night Brings by Mark Billingham is the latest mystery in the bestselling Tom Thorne series, and this time, a killer is targeting the police. Is it payback? And is it justified? “Three dead coppers, Tom, maybe four by lunchtime…” The targeted murder of four officers is only the first in a series of attacks that leaves police scared, angry and, most disturbingly of all, vengeful. As Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner dig into the reasons for the violence, a deeper darkness begins to emerge: the possibility that these murders are payback. The price paid for an unspeakable betrayal. To uncover the truth, Thorne will be forced to question everything he stands for. He can trust nobody, and the shocking secrets revealed by one terrible night will fracture his entire world.

We can all name the classic rock and pop albums of the last fifty years. But what about the great lost albums? The albums that fell behind the back of the musical sofa? The albums that, in a very real sense, have been completely made up by the authors of this book? It took a bestselling crime writer or three to hunt down these fifty lost classics, and an award-winning TV comedy scriptwriter to buy them a pint and make them write it. From the 60s to the 00s, with track listings and full histories, Great Lost Albums reveals the recordings that - just perhaps - never existed, but really should have done. Albums include: · Bob Dylan''s legendary collaboration with Liberace · Joy Division''s ''musical theatre'' period · Coldplay''s IKEA Sessions, including ''Conscious Uncoupling (See Leaflet for Details)'' and ''In my Place (There''s a Lovely HEMNES Shelving System)'' · The Who''s magisterial, abandoned rock opera ''Bingo Wizard'' · Kraftwerk''s hastily deleted Christmas album, featuring the melancholic classic ''I Wish to Return this Item'' ...and many, many more.

DI Tom Thorne is up against a gruesome adversary who''s killed three victims - but his fourth, although alive, has undergone a deliberately induced stroke. With all her senses are intact, she is unable to move or communicate. This is possibly the killer''s first miscalculation... or is it? Thorne (given to distrusting his own abilities) is playing cat-and-mouse with a psychopath who''s as interested in leading him a merry dance as he is in fulfilling his degraded obsessions.