(Published by Little Brown)
DI Tom Thorne is tracking a vicious contract killer. X marks the spot and each of the victims so far have the X cut deeply into their backs.
Ex-DCI Carol Chamberlain has problems of her own. A case has come back to haunt her, a case where a young schoolgirl was deliberately set on fire. Chamberlain was sure the case had been solved, but was the right man in prison?
Enlisting the help of Thorne, Chamberlain re-visits the crime and the trail seems to lead to Thorne’s contract killer.
Burning Girl is Billingham’s fourth novel and once again he has delivered. Ignoring conventional crime-telling methods, Billingham uses dry wit and humour to draw the reader in, lending a voice of authenticity to the story. The character Thorne continues to grow as we see him struggle with his conscience, deciding how far he will go when Billingham takes him on a journey into organised crime.
If you read one thriller this year read this.
Also by Mark Billingham
Sleepyhead
To read an interview with Mark Billingham click here