The Bones Beneath By Mark Billingham
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Who’d trust a depraved killer like Stuart Nicklin? Tom Thorne, the DI who put him away, has to. Nicklin has promised to bring closure to the grieving mother of one of his first victims by finally revealing where the body can be found. But there’s just one condition: Thorne must accompany him to the burial ground—the remote Bardsey Island, which is cut off from the mainland of Wales in more ways than one. Nicklin is in cuffs, surrounded by authorities, and under watchful eye. What could go wrong?

As the macabre outing begins, so do Nicklin’s mind games—and it becomes clear that his motives are far from altruistic. There are more than bones buried on the storm-shrouded island. There are secrets, too. And as Thorne becomes entangled in the twisted schemes of a manipulative psychopath, he’ll be left with the most terrible choice he’s ever had to make.

Decades ago, Simon Milner was a youthful delinquent, one of a small number sent to a tiny Welsh island for a cutting edge chance at rehabilitation. When he escaped he was never seen or heard from again. All these years later DI Tom Thorne is informed his nemesis, Stuart Nicklin has confessed to killing Milner just before their escape and burying his friends body on that tiny Welsh island. He’ll reveal the grave – but only if Thorne brings him there personally. Thorne knows nothing is simple with Nicklin and is not at all keen to dance to Nicklin’s tune – but with a distraught mother and his superiors all forcing his hand, Thorne knows once again he shall have to play Nicklin’s game on his terms.

Unlike a number of the previous books in this series this story felt quite a bit slower and calmer than I’m used to from this author. While Thorne is clearly on edge and frustrated with having to deal with Nicklin and cater to the serial killer’s whims Thornes hands are tied while they try to locate a decades-long missing teenage boy from Nicklin’s past.

I admit at times I wanted to skip ahead to find out what rose was going on – something I’ve never yet felt like doing in this series – and while I do feel the first half of the story is building towards the climax once the action begins the remains of the story is at a break neck pace.

I don’t feel readers need to have read any of the previous books in order or enjoy this one. The history between Thorne and Nicklin is quickly and easily explained and most of the plot is well encapsulated within this story. I also think readers who usually enjoy a slower paced British police procedural style of novel should find this really fits the bill. While they is quite a bit of tension and building in this book the plot is quite palatable and for the most part it’s not as heavy or dark as I’ve usually found this series to be. There is a sub-plot that threads through much of the book and while this one is darker it’s also not really unveiled towards the end of the story where all hell has broken loose.

I found this to be a slightly slower paced book but still quite interesting mystery novel and a solid read which I really enjoyed. With a few serious twists towards the end I felt this book will likely have repercussions in the future that will have a significant impact on Thorne and those he loves.

The Dying Hours by Mark Billingham
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

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.

Recently demoted Tom Thorne pushed his luck too far in his previous case and – to the glee of some of the upper brass – has been newly demoted back into Uniform. Booted from his beloved Murder Investigations, cut off from his usual team and colleagues, Tom is hating his day to day grind and trying desperately to keep his head above water. When Tom is convinced a cluster of elderly suicides is related no one will listen to him, and even when he swallows his pride and asks for someone to look into it further he is brutally brushed off and put in his place. Willing to risk everything – including the trust and livelihoods of the very few friends he has remaining – can Tom gamble everything on what he becomes more and more convinced is a killer who equally has absolutely nothing to lose and a mission to complete.

I have found this to be an interesting, gritty and at times even harsh British police procedural series. While the main character – Tom Thorne – has often pushed the boundaries and irked his superiors his previous case ended on a desperate note and Thorne reacted accordingly. Unlike his many previous times, this case resulted in his demotion and removal from his beloved Murder team. I found this massive shift in Thorne’s duties to be gripping reading and an interesting change of pace. I was pleased that much of his character remains unchanged and his sense of self and purpose while battered appears intact.

Readers picking this book up with no prior experience may find there are a few gaps they need to fill but I definitely think this book can still be enjoyed on it’s own merits. The writing is quite British and the tone of the book (and series, really) is quite different to many other murder mysteries. This might not be a comfortable tone for many readers, but I have been really enjoying it for the most part.

I equally liked how there were snippets through the book from the killer’s perspective. As the reader I was heartened to know that Thorne wasn’t going off the deep end (as some other characters thought) but watching Thorne struggle and put everything together was the usual gripping read. While still not a comfortable read I definitely feel this book should be suitable for most mystery readers, especially those who like a more British style of gritty plotline.

A strongly plotted and well paced mystery – I’m eager for the next book.