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In the Dark
A rainy night in south London. A gun is fired into a car which swerves on to the pavement, killing the person standing at a bus stop. It seems that a chilling gang initiation has cost an innocent victim their life. But the reality is far more sinister.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
274 people are currently reading
2371 people want to read
About the author
Mark Billingham
104 books2,176 followersAlso writes as Will Peterson with Peter Cocks.
Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001. Mark lives in North London with his wife and two children.
Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001. Mark lives in North London with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
August 4, 2017
Description: As she grapples with pregnancy D.I. Helen Weeks must return to the hometown she loathes to help her childhood best friend, who finds herself at the centre of a media frenzy following the abduction of two girls.
December 3, 2020
This is an earlier novel by one of my favourite English authors which I’d somehow overlooked before. Effectively a standalone, although it does feature a cameo by his usual protagonist DI Tom Thorne.
The prologue kicks off at a blistering pace with a drive by shooting near a bus stop. The action then switches to three weeks earlier and centres around the eight months pregnant DC Helen Weeks who works in the Child Protection Unit and her partner Paul Hopwood, a detective sergeant in a CID team. There is also a large unsavoury cast of teenage gangbangers and ageing career criminals. The details of what really happened in the prologue are revealed bit by bit and each new revelation is more shocking than the previous. Throughout, there is a pervading atmosphere of unlimited menace.
I’ve always enjoyed the way that Mark Billingham portrays the dark underbelly of London streetlife and this thrilling novel is another great example.
The prologue kicks off at a blistering pace with a drive by shooting near a bus stop. The action then switches to three weeks earlier and centres around the eight months pregnant DC Helen Weeks who works in the Child Protection Unit and her partner Paul Hopwood, a detective sergeant in a CID team. There is also a large unsavoury cast of teenage gangbangers and ageing career criminals. The details of what really happened in the prologue are revealed bit by bit and each new revelation is more shocking than the previous. Throughout, there is a pervading atmosphere of unlimited menace.
I’ve always enjoyed the way that Mark Billingham portrays the dark underbelly of London streetlife and this thrilling novel is another great example.
June 2, 2022
There are villains and cops that you can form a fast love-hate relationship with. Mark Billingham has been a long-time favorite author of mine but I hadn't red anything by him in quiet some time, so I was glad to find this one while browsing the library. The story starts with a weapon fired, a car crash and a dead Police officer as a result. Is it a gang initiation gone wrong, or the perfect excitation? The plot follows the results of the shooting, the story of the shooter and his "friends", a young pregnant woman looking for answers and a gangster seeking revenge, This is a book that will keep you reading. You won't be putting it down anytime soon.
October 8, 2012
I had a frisson of excitement reading this book. I live near Lewisham in South East London and large parts of it are set in the area. So there’s the Lewisham centre, there’s roads I walk down and parks I’m familiar with. All very thrilling for the local. Except the Lewisham of this book is not quite the Lewisham I know, Here it’s home to nothing but gangs of drug dealers and juvenile thugs, where violence is only ever seconds away from hitting the streets. Now I'm aware it’s not the most salubrious of neighbourhoods, that it’s a bit scruffy and run-down, but there’s no need to paint it as the British equivalent of streets of ‘The Wire’. For instance a park by my house is mentioned – the last time I was there I saw sunbathing students and mums with kids, rather than drug deals at every corner. And whenever I’ve been to the bar ‘Dirty South’ on Lee High Road, its clientele has been grizzled old locals and skinny Indie music fans, rather than teenage hoodlums. Billingham does know where things are in the area, but hasn’t captured the place at all. (Curiously though he comments on Lewisham’s Starbucks, while bemoaning the lack of a M&S. Lewisham doesn’t have a Starbucks [we recently got a Costa though], while the M&S has been there for years and years). Of course this Hertfordshire based author would no doubt say that he was exaggerating things for dramatic effect, but this book made me feel quite defensive and wanting to put my metaphoric arm around dear old Lewisham.
(Seriously, if you’re in the area, visit the fruit market on a Saturday. You can get some delicious and cheap produce.)
After a violent death, the orbits of a heavily pregnant WPC, a South London ‘businessman’ and the member of a teen gang are drawn closer together. This is a clever and well worked mystery/procedural/drama. Billingham gives himself a big canvas to work on and manages to fill it, making the most of even minor characters, I’m not sure the denouement satisfied me completely, but this is a novel which kept me intrigued and gripped throughout.
I’ve never read Billingham before (although I know of his character Tom Thorne, who makes a cameo here), but I will be checking him out again.
(Seriously, if you’re in the area, visit the fruit market on a Saturday. You can get some delicious and cheap produce.)
After a violent death, the orbits of a heavily pregnant WPC, a South London ‘businessman’ and the member of a teen gang are drawn closer together. This is a clever and well worked mystery/procedural/drama. Billingham gives himself a big canvas to work on and manages to fill it, making the most of even minor characters, I’m not sure the denouement satisfied me completely, but this is a novel which kept me intrigued and gripped throughout.
I’ve never read Billingham before (although I know of his character Tom Thorne, who makes a cameo here), but I will be checking him out again.
October 27, 2010
I liked this a lot. However the cover keeps going on about the 'stunning final twist' which kind of implied, to me, that there'd be some huge reveal on or near the last page. There isn't. There's a subtle reveal quite some time earlier. A good one, but not an absolute jaw to the floor, knock you out whopper. And that's fine, because this is a far more rewarding and subtle book than all the blaring about 'Shocking Twists!' would indicate.
I reached the final page and felt deflated by not recieving what I was promised. Shame, as it detracted from my enjoyment of a book that, taken on its own merits, is pretty damn brilliant. I felt missold, not by Billingham, who delivered a fine, mature, gripping and psychologically astute book, but by the people who felt that the only way to market it was to pretend that it's something it isn't.
In short, a really good read, one of Billingham's very best. But if I were him, I'd give his marketing team a slap.
I reached the final page and felt deflated by not recieving what I was promised. Shame, as it detracted from my enjoyment of a book that, taken on its own merits, is pretty damn brilliant. I felt missold, not by Billingham, who delivered a fine, mature, gripping and psychologically astute book, but by the people who felt that the only way to market it was to pretend that it's something it isn't.
In short, a really good read, one of Billingham's very best. But if I were him, I'd give his marketing team a slap.
May 22, 2010
Detective Constable Helen Weeks and Detective Sergeant Paul Hopwood have a relationship that looks like it will be leading to marriage. Despite the fact that Helen is only 2 weeks away from delivering a child, there are difficulties between them. Paul is showing no interest in joining forces to buy a home together; he also is completely apathetic about the impending birth. As heartless as that seems, he actually has some reason to feel that way—several months earlier, Helen had a brief affair, and he is not convinced that the baby is his.
As it turns out, none of that matters. The city of London is experiencing a major gang problem. One of the gangs, led by a thug named “Wave”, is expanding its power. A young man named Theo is a low level member of the gang; he is convinced by one of his best friends, “Easy”, to elevate himself into the higher ranks so that he can score a larger share of the profits of the group. He has to prove himself through an initiation rite which involves firing a gun at the first car to be seen without headlights. Although not thrilled with the idea, Theo does as asked, with the result being that the car swerves and crashes into a bus stop and kills Paul Hopwood.
Helen is driven to uncover the truth of what happened. In doing so, she finds that Paul, who was assigned to the Intelligence division, may have been indulging in unethical behavior. As she unveils his secrets, she experiences several surprises about the man she thought she knew so well.
The plot is an interesting one, but the main appeal of this book is in its characterization. Helen is an outstanding creation who has courage in spades. Although she’s just about to give birth, she doesn’t hesitate to follow the truth, even when that leads her into the grimiest and most dangerous neighborhoods. But my favorite character of all was Theo. He’s part of the gang out of necessity and has an upstanding moral code. He’s living with his girlfriend and their son; his top priority is providing for and loving them. The gang membership is a means to an end; it’s the way that he can provide for them. I found myself rooting for Theo to overcome the odds facing him and to get his life in order.
In the Dark is a step above the average thriller. It is certainly suspenseful and well plotted. However, the real difference is that the author makes the reader care about the main characters in the book. Unfortunately, the secondary characters were less well drawn. Best known for his Tom Thorne series, Billingham has done an excellent job in his first standalone work.
As it turns out, none of that matters. The city of London is experiencing a major gang problem. One of the gangs, led by a thug named “Wave”, is expanding its power. A young man named Theo is a low level member of the gang; he is convinced by one of his best friends, “Easy”, to elevate himself into the higher ranks so that he can score a larger share of the profits of the group. He has to prove himself through an initiation rite which involves firing a gun at the first car to be seen without headlights. Although not thrilled with the idea, Theo does as asked, with the result being that the car swerves and crashes into a bus stop and kills Paul Hopwood.
Helen is driven to uncover the truth of what happened. In doing so, she finds that Paul, who was assigned to the Intelligence division, may have been indulging in unethical behavior. As she unveils his secrets, she experiences several surprises about the man she thought she knew so well.
The plot is an interesting one, but the main appeal of this book is in its characterization. Helen is an outstanding creation who has courage in spades. Although she’s just about to give birth, she doesn’t hesitate to follow the truth, even when that leads her into the grimiest and most dangerous neighborhoods. But my favorite character of all was Theo. He’s part of the gang out of necessity and has an upstanding moral code. He’s living with his girlfriend and their son; his top priority is providing for and loving them. The gang membership is a means to an end; it’s the way that he can provide for them. I found myself rooting for Theo to overcome the odds facing him and to get his life in order.
In the Dark is a step above the average thriller. It is certainly suspenseful and well plotted. However, the real difference is that the author makes the reader care about the main characters in the book. Unfortunately, the secondary characters were less well drawn. Best known for his Tom Thorne series, Billingham has done an excellent job in his first standalone work.
May 7, 2015
It's a little hard to evaluate this book on its own merits, because the cover was absolutely screaming with how amazing a "final twist" was. It was mentioned in the description on the back, and in three blurbs on the front and back cover alone. Inside, in the reviews, were even more hints about the incredible, mind-blowing final twist. A twist that even the most experienced crime novel readers will never see coming.
All in all, the promise of a twisty plot was highly oversold, and the characters often seemed like they were following a plot instead of reacting sensibly, making the book heavily unsatisfactory.
All in all, the promise of a twisty plot was highly oversold, and the characters often seemed like they were following a plot instead of reacting sensibly, making the book heavily unsatisfactory.
July 28, 2013
Oh boy. Oh man. I'm actually hesitating to put this book here, because this site is called "Goodreads" and this... This isn't even close to a good read.
Let me start off this scathing review right; at the beginning. Hold on a little while longer; I need to get my earbuds. I need some music in order to do this right.
In the Dark by Mark Billingham starts with five gangsters in a car, doing a gang initiation ritual. It ends tragically, though we don't learn how. Oh no. Instead, Mark Billingham - known from this point on as Twat Twattingham - jumps three weeks back. This is an idiotic tactic. First, Twattingham makes us interested in the incident we know the characters in the book will be investigating, then he skips before it ever happened to introduce us to them. Imagine if the first Die Hard had started with John MacClane in his wife's office, the Nakatomi building being attacked by terrorists, then jumped BACK to show how he got there. Wouldn't that be fun?
No. If that happened, you would think "Why the hell are we watching this? Get the fuck back to the action, idiots!".
It's not like Twattingham was forced to start his novel off with the crime in question. He could've just started the novel with the first chapter. Crime novels don't usually start with the crime in question, then jump to the investigation. There's always something before, and since the first chapter reveals that our main character is pregnant Helen Weeks, who doesn't even investigate homicides, there's nothing wrong about making the reader wonder what's going to happen and how Helen is going to be involved in the investigation.
Starting it off with the crime before backpedalling is Twattingham's first mistake, making us frustrated only fifteen pages into a book. It's supposed to work as a tease, a bit of mystery - which of the characters we're introduced to are involved in this crime? Who does what? It's a cheap ploy and it's pulled off like an amateur who's just written a crime novel because "it's easy". Well, it's not. The novel's opening is disrespectful to the reader by introducing a mystery, then waiting a long, long while till the story spins back towards that mystery.
This isn't Twattingham's only mistake though. Far from it. Because, as we read on, and are introduced to Helen, Paul, Easy, Theo, Kevin and Frank, among others, we don't learn enough of who they are. Twattingham seems obsessed with deliberately withholding information from the reader, writing in a third person perspective. He's like a pumped-up three year old, having just figured out that not giving his older siblings his candy is a possibility, and he uses it EVERYWHERE.
Take for example the chapter where we're introduced to Frank. Paul is first talking with a character called Clive, then for another six pages he's talking to "a man". Sometimes, he's "the man beside him", "the man at the bar", but always "the man". At the end of this conversation, Paul says his name and only then is it revealed to the reader; this is Frank.
Is there any reason to be withholding this information from the reader? Nope. None. Zero. Zip. It's a character we haven't heard about, he hasn't been mentioned and this is the first scene he's appearing in. The novel is full of things like this, which makes it an incredibly frustrating read. Which is sad, you know, because Twattingham isn't a bad writer. His prose zips along, pages are flipped regularly and the suspense isn't half-bad. He writes good characters and dialogue, which is why the book is getting one star instead of zero, but when he pulls shit like this, along with a few other things, it's just... Terrible.
And it continues. For the first hundred pages, we're introduced to a bunch of characters and their lives before the crime in question. We see their everyday life, how they interact with each other, who their friends are and who they don't know. The problem is that it's dull as hell. When it's not frustrating, that is.
See, a lot of the characters go about their day and do a lot of stuff, but why they're doing it is, once again, being kept from us. It's pointless and stupid; asking us to follow a character when we don't know his goal is just going to get frustrating and annoying. Whenever a character has a goal, we immediately root for him and are interested in seeing if he can achieve it. When we're not told why a character does what he/she does, nothing he/she does makes any sense. It seems like the character's just doing things at random. That's what it is for the first hundred pages of this book; just a lot of characters going around about their day, though you have no idea why they're doing what they're doing.
Keeping a character's motives hidden in a crime novel isn't anything new, but when it goes on for so long and then the crime happens... It felt like Twattingham was saying "sure, you can have the candy in half an hour" and, after waiting patiently, he just ate it. Right in front of my face. Like an utter twat.
But this isn't the worst part. The worst part is that when the answers start to come, at last, after about three hundred and FIFTY damn pages, it is so damn predictable. There were very, very, very few things in this novel that surprised me. Every connection, every reveal, every twist made me go "Why yes OF COURSE that's how it fits together! What took you THIS DAMN LONG to figure that out?!". It was just a long, continuing disappointment, with a little more dished out every time a reveal or "surprise" came. It's very easy to piece the crime together based on what information you get, which is pretty hilarious when you realize the lengths Twattingham's gone to by withholding information and goals all throughout the book. The only twist I didn't see coming was laughable and had next to nothing to do with the main plot - it's like a part of The Sixth Sense thrown into the book because Twattingham thought "huh, why not".
There are exactly two clever things about this book; the fact that there are forty-two chapters (forty two is the number of weeks a woman is pregnant, which reflects on pregnant main character Helen) and the fact that its last part is called "Lights Out", which I found very fitting, as the book is titled "In the Dark". The book has good dialogue and somewhat interesting characters, but the plot is laughable, as is some of the twists. It's occasionally suspenseful, but the answers are silly, obvious and easy to piece out. Based on Twattingham's career in stand-up comedy, I'm starting to think, nay, hope that this book is just one loooong elaborate joke.
Let me start off this scathing review right; at the beginning. Hold on a little while longer; I need to get my earbuds. I need some music in order to do this right.
In the Dark by Mark Billingham starts with five gangsters in a car, doing a gang initiation ritual. It ends tragically, though we don't learn how. Oh no. Instead, Mark Billingham - known from this point on as Twat Twattingham - jumps three weeks back. This is an idiotic tactic. First, Twattingham makes us interested in the incident we know the characters in the book will be investigating, then he skips before it ever happened to introduce us to them. Imagine if the first Die Hard had started with John MacClane in his wife's office, the Nakatomi building being attacked by terrorists, then jumped BACK to show how he got there. Wouldn't that be fun?
No. If that happened, you would think "Why the hell are we watching this? Get the fuck back to the action, idiots!".
It's not like Twattingham was forced to start his novel off with the crime in question. He could've just started the novel with the first chapter. Crime novels don't usually start with the crime in question, then jump to the investigation. There's always something before, and since the first chapter reveals that our main character is pregnant Helen Weeks, who doesn't even investigate homicides, there's nothing wrong about making the reader wonder what's going to happen and how Helen is going to be involved in the investigation.
Starting it off with the crime before backpedalling is Twattingham's first mistake, making us frustrated only fifteen pages into a book. It's supposed to work as a tease, a bit of mystery - which of the characters we're introduced to are involved in this crime? Who does what? It's a cheap ploy and it's pulled off like an amateur who's just written a crime novel because "it's easy". Well, it's not. The novel's opening is disrespectful to the reader by introducing a mystery, then waiting a long, long while till the story spins back towards that mystery.
This isn't Twattingham's only mistake though. Far from it. Because, as we read on, and are introduced to Helen, Paul, Easy, Theo, Kevin and Frank, among others, we don't learn enough of who they are. Twattingham seems obsessed with deliberately withholding information from the reader, writing in a third person perspective. He's like a pumped-up three year old, having just figured out that not giving his older siblings his candy is a possibility, and he uses it EVERYWHERE.
Take for example the chapter where we're introduced to Frank. Paul is first talking with a character called Clive, then for another six pages he's talking to "a man". Sometimes, he's "the man beside him", "the man at the bar", but always "the man". At the end of this conversation, Paul says his name and only then is it revealed to the reader; this is Frank.
Is there any reason to be withholding this information from the reader? Nope. None. Zero. Zip. It's a character we haven't heard about, he hasn't been mentioned and this is the first scene he's appearing in. The novel is full of things like this, which makes it an incredibly frustrating read. Which is sad, you know, because Twattingham isn't a bad writer. His prose zips along, pages are flipped regularly and the suspense isn't half-bad. He writes good characters and dialogue, which is why the book is getting one star instead of zero, but when he pulls shit like this, along with a few other things, it's just... Terrible.
And it continues. For the first hundred pages, we're introduced to a bunch of characters and their lives before the crime in question. We see their everyday life, how they interact with each other, who their friends are and who they don't know. The problem is that it's dull as hell. When it's not frustrating, that is.
See, a lot of the characters go about their day and do a lot of stuff, but why they're doing it is, once again, being kept from us. It's pointless and stupid; asking us to follow a character when we don't know his goal is just going to get frustrating and annoying. Whenever a character has a goal, we immediately root for him and are interested in seeing if he can achieve it. When we're not told why a character does what he/she does, nothing he/she does makes any sense. It seems like the character's just doing things at random. That's what it is for the first hundred pages of this book; just a lot of characters going around about their day, though you have no idea why they're doing what they're doing.
Keeping a character's motives hidden in a crime novel isn't anything new, but when it goes on for so long and then the crime happens... It felt like Twattingham was saying "sure, you can have the candy in half an hour" and, after waiting patiently, he just ate it. Right in front of my face. Like an utter twat.
But this isn't the worst part. The worst part is that when the answers start to come, at last, after about three hundred and FIFTY damn pages, it is so damn predictable. There were very, very, very few things in this novel that surprised me. Every connection, every reveal, every twist made me go "Why yes OF COURSE that's how it fits together! What took you THIS DAMN LONG to figure that out?!". It was just a long, continuing disappointment, with a little more dished out every time a reveal or "surprise" came. It's very easy to piece the crime together based on what information you get, which is pretty hilarious when you realize the lengths Twattingham's gone to by withholding information and goals all throughout the book. The only twist I didn't see coming was laughable and had next to nothing to do with the main plot - it's like a part of The Sixth Sense thrown into the book because Twattingham thought "huh, why not".
There are exactly two clever things about this book; the fact that there are forty-two chapters (forty two is the number of weeks a woman is pregnant, which reflects on pregnant main character Helen) and the fact that its last part is called "Lights Out", which I found very fitting, as the book is titled "In the Dark". The book has good dialogue and somewhat interesting characters, but the plot is laughable, as is some of the twists. It's occasionally suspenseful, but the answers are silly, obvious and easy to piece out. Based on Twattingham's career in stand-up comedy, I'm starting to think, nay, hope that this book is just one loooong elaborate joke.
November 23, 2022
Don’t believe the hype. The cover of this book has a quote from The Times – presumably London – which states that “…the final twist is brilliantly clever and shocking.” It isn’t. The Evening Herald – presumably Dublin – remarks “A story with a twist that I guarantee even veteran crime fiction aficionados won’t see coming.” I am and I did – and reading the reviews in Good Reads, so did all the others, apparently. That said, this was a pretty good read because there were lots of twists and turns, enough to keep the story moving. (I should add that this “veteran crime aficionado” doesn’t read many of these anymore because the plot devices become obvious after a while and I can pretty much guess the outcome about a third of the way in; this also had the plot device I hate worst, the amazing coincidence, the chance meeting that brings two main characters and storylines together.)
If you read a lot, it’s not uncommon that one book reminds you of another, and one storyline reminded me of a film, the other a book. The story begins with a drive-by shooting which doesn’t turn out as the shooter planned. He’s a teenage father who’s starting to move up from the street drug-dealing operation but only wants out; this reminded me very much of Richard Price’s under-appreciated “Clockers” (later a film by Spike Lee) where a street dealer has risen but only wants out. The other line has a heavily-pregnant policewoman who is investigating the layered mystery behind the shooting, which of course reminded me of “Fargo”. There are other similarities to “Clockers” when the plotlines meet but I’ll leave it at that. A third interesting plotline involves a shadowy constructor who has his hands in a lot more but also his own ghosts to deal with.
In spite of the overhyped cover, I enjoyed the book; I would compare it to Dennis Lehane in the sense that another wrinkle was always around the corner and not all were expected. The author has a police series featuring D.I. Thorne but this was a stand-alone. I this book in a used-bookstore swap and was probably attracted either to the attractive cover or the fact that I didn’t want to go home with the same book >I came to swap. I’m not at all swayed by cover blurbs – after all, how many “BEST TEN BOOKS OF THE YEAR” can there be? It’s all subjective anyway but I got my money’s worth out of it and that’s all that counts in the end, isn’t it?
If you read a lot, it’s not uncommon that one book reminds you of another, and one storyline reminded me of a film, the other a book. The story begins with a drive-by shooting which doesn’t turn out as the shooter planned. He’s a teenage father who’s starting to move up from the street drug-dealing operation but only wants out; this reminded me very much of Richard Price’s under-appreciated “Clockers” (later a film by Spike Lee) where a street dealer has risen but only wants out. The other line has a heavily-pregnant policewoman who is investigating the layered mystery behind the shooting, which of course reminded me of “Fargo”. There are other similarities to “Clockers” when the plotlines meet but I’ll leave it at that. A third interesting plotline involves a shadowy constructor who has his hands in a lot more but also his own ghosts to deal with.
In spite of the overhyped cover, I enjoyed the book; I would compare it to Dennis Lehane in the sense that another wrinkle was always around the corner and not all were expected. The author has a police series featuring D.I. Thorne but this was a stand-alone. I this book in a used-bookstore swap and was probably attracted either to the attractive cover or the fact that I didn’t want to go home with the same book >I came to swap. I’m not at all swayed by cover blurbs – after all, how many “BEST TEN BOOKS OF THE YEAR” can there be? It’s all subjective anyway but I got my money’s worth out of it and that’s all that counts in the end, isn’t it?
August 2, 2017
As DI Helen Weeks grapples apprehensively with pregnancy, she is compelled to return to her loathed rural home town of Polesford, Derbyshire. Two girls have been abducted, and the man arrested is married to Helen's childhood best friend, Linda. But is he guilty? And why is Helen so desperate to come to Linda's aid after avoiding Polesford for all these years?
Episode 2 of 4:
Helen and Paul are joined by pathologist friend Phil Hendricks as they become further embroiled in the abduction case. The clock is ticking to find Poppy alive and clear Bates's name, but to Paul's vexation, Helen seems increasingly disturbed by being in Polesford. Is she too distracted by pressing secrets past and present to keep her mind on the case?
Episode 3/4:
A gangland shooting has tragic consequences, and Helen is plunged into a murder investigation in Manchester's criminal underworld, forcing her to question everything she holds dear.
Episode 4/4:
Helen's investigation pulls her further into Manchester's criminal underworld. Meanwhile, can Theo cheat death as the gang continues to be hunted by a mystery gunman?
Episode 2 of 4:
Helen and Paul are joined by pathologist friend Phil Hendricks as they become further embroiled in the abduction case. The clock is ticking to find Poppy alive and clear Bates's name, but to Paul's vexation, Helen seems increasingly disturbed by being in Polesford. Is she too distracted by pressing secrets past and present to keep her mind on the case?
Episode 3/4:
A gangland shooting has tragic consequences, and Helen is plunged into a murder investigation in Manchester's criminal underworld, forcing her to question everything she holds dear.
Episode 4/4:
Helen's investigation pulls her further into Manchester's criminal underworld. Meanwhile, can Theo cheat death as the gang continues to be hunted by a mystery gunman?
June 29, 2009
Oh how I love Mark Billingham - or rather Billingham and Tom Thorne. I had such high expectations for 'In the Dark' and I ended up disappointed. The hype on the front-back - about unexpected twists etc was just that - hype. Not difficult to spot what was coming. I didn't empathise with any of the characters. Was the guy a goodie or a baddie? I have no idea. His wife wasn't sure either and she hardly had an unblemished record. The relationship with the gangster grated and the end left me wondering what I'd been reading.
BUT - I liked the scene setting, the gang culture and their dialogue, pity about the plot.
BUT - I liked the scene setting, the gang culture and their dialogue, pity about the plot.
September 2, 2016
Not really the best and not really bad.
I took this book with me because I was bored and needed something to read. The cover of the German edition looked so weird that it made me curious enough to take it out of the shelf and read the back text. And that text sounded so interesting, that I couldn´t resist. Well, it didn´t turn out to be as interesting as the back text promised, but it was a nice read and I had my fun with it.
I never read anything by the author. And within the first few pages I had to look when Mark Billingham wrote it, because it sounded a bit strange.
There were things in the story I couldn´t connect with the present. And it turned out, that this book was written somewhere in 2008.
Paul Hopwood gets killed in what seems to be a tragic accident. But when his highly pregnant life partner Helen starts to ask questions, it soon becomes clear to her, that a few things don´t fit into the picture her colleagues want to draw. And when Paul´s boss shows up at her doorstep and a stranger breaks into her house Helen knows by instinct, that something is terribly wrong.
Mark Billigham has a writing style which feels a bit dry. There is a certain distance I couldn´t get over. It seemed as if the author WANTED the reader not to get too close to everything that happened.
Written from the figural narrative situation, the reader is thrown from the beginning into a sometimes really great written plot and the next minute the plot is one chaos. The scenes jump from one to the other and not always it is clear right away who the character is the reader is now watching.
Some street dialect, some very bloody scenes, a blunt tone and a language you don´t want your kids to speak. Mark Billingham´s writing style is clear, sometimes very blunt and easy to understand. And there comes on some pages a very British humor through. I had my fun with that, and some parts of this thriller I could really enjoy, but not all of them. There are pages in which I needed a few lines to understand where the plot now was and what character I had in front of me. That is something I don´t really appreciate in a book. Not when there is no paragraph that shows that I am now in a new scene, place or with another character.
The author doesn´t bother giving the reader much of a figure description. There is plenty of room for the readers own fantasy. But most figures convince with their actions and with their words. One of the most impressive is Helen. She doesn´t give a damn about what others think about her. She says what she thinks, uses her pregnancy to get what she wants and as a very welcome excuse to do things she otherwise would be criticized for. After a while I really liked her. She isn´t weak, fights for the truth and does everything to get the information she believes that she needs to achieve her goal: truth.
And when she finally learns the truth what really happened and why, it isn´t only a surprise for her.
Not really the best, but not really bad either; just average. Yes, the plot itself is great and in some ways really wonderful shown, but over the half of this thriller I didn´t know exactly with whom I was dealing. So I leave it up to you, if you want to read it, or not.
Originally posted on Gone With The Books
I took this book with me because I was bored and needed something to read. The cover of the German edition looked so weird that it made me curious enough to take it out of the shelf and read the back text. And that text sounded so interesting, that I couldn´t resist. Well, it didn´t turn out to be as interesting as the back text promised, but it was a nice read and I had my fun with it.
I never read anything by the author. And within the first few pages I had to look when Mark Billingham wrote it, because it sounded a bit strange.
There were things in the story I couldn´t connect with the present. And it turned out, that this book was written somewhere in 2008.
Paul Hopwood gets killed in what seems to be a tragic accident. But when his highly pregnant life partner Helen starts to ask questions, it soon becomes clear to her, that a few things don´t fit into the picture her colleagues want to draw. And when Paul´s boss shows up at her doorstep and a stranger breaks into her house Helen knows by instinct, that something is terribly wrong.
Mark Billigham has a writing style which feels a bit dry. There is a certain distance I couldn´t get over. It seemed as if the author WANTED the reader not to get too close to everything that happened.
Written from the figural narrative situation, the reader is thrown from the beginning into a sometimes really great written plot and the next minute the plot is one chaos. The scenes jump from one to the other and not always it is clear right away who the character is the reader is now watching.
Some street dialect, some very bloody scenes, a blunt tone and a language you don´t want your kids to speak. Mark Billingham´s writing style is clear, sometimes very blunt and easy to understand. And there comes on some pages a very British humor through. I had my fun with that, and some parts of this thriller I could really enjoy, but not all of them. There are pages in which I needed a few lines to understand where the plot now was and what character I had in front of me. That is something I don´t really appreciate in a book. Not when there is no paragraph that shows that I am now in a new scene, place or with another character.
The author doesn´t bother giving the reader much of a figure description. There is plenty of room for the readers own fantasy. But most figures convince with their actions and with their words. One of the most impressive is Helen. She doesn´t give a damn about what others think about her. She says what she thinks, uses her pregnancy to get what she wants and as a very welcome excuse to do things she otherwise would be criticized for. After a while I really liked her. She isn´t weak, fights for the truth and does everything to get the information she believes that she needs to achieve her goal: truth.
And when she finally learns the truth what really happened and why, it isn´t only a surprise for her.
Not really the best, but not really bad either; just average. Yes, the plot itself is great and in some ways really wonderful shown, but over the half of this thriller I didn´t know exactly with whom I was dealing. So I leave it up to you, if you want to read it, or not.
Originally posted on Gone With The Books
November 20, 2013
Though I usually enjoy books by this writer, this novel didn't really engage me. The plot line was reasonably good and the characters were interesting in a minor sort of way, but none of them truly engaged me. Helen, the heroine, left me cold. As a heavily pregnant, very recently bereaved woman, she was a strangely unconvincing character, facing down villains and doing detective work that, by implication, was apparently beyond the police who were investigating her partner's murder. I found her very hard to care about. However, Theo, the gang member who believes he is responsible for the murder, is a much stronger character, and saves the story from complete mediocracy, though I do feel that the final section where Helen, in the throes of labour, attempts to warm him that he is in danger, and then has him drive her to hospital, is just too contrived. Whether he actually fired the shot that caused the killing or not, he was prepared to do so, so the premise that he was in some way a good person seems flawed.
August 16, 2020
4.5/5 This was like 'The Wire' and 'The Sopranos' got together and had a love child. You have your gangsters on the one hand, creating mayhem in the city of London, and then you have a wealthy "businessman" and his associates, who are hunting them down and killing them.
She'd given him a look then, standing there, that said, I hope whatever you're doing is worth it. Or maybe the look had just said, Love you, see you later, and everything else was in his mind.
The story starts with a gang initiation ritual gone wrong. We have an off duty Detective Sergeant Paul Hopwood and his wife Detective Constable Helen Weeks, who have a complex relationship going. This relationship thread doesn't get closure due to its lack of history/context since the author seems to have decided not to dwell on those details and just stick to the crime.
“He was a big man; fifty or so, with greased-back grey hair and an expression that looked as if it had been kicked into position.”
In terms of characters, Mark shows us a full range of them. There's Helen, a courageous pregnant woman driven to uncover the truth about the man who she thought she knew very well. Then there's Easy, an ambitious gangster who preys on the weak and derives profits. We also have Frank, the queintessential wealthy businessmen who has an up and coming pub in South East London, but finds himself involved with local gangsters. The author keeps it authentic with these characters speaking their local English slang, which took me almost a quarter of the book to get used to, and to understand.
Going into this book, I knew that there was a mind boggling twist at the end that was supposedly dificult to anticipate. I knew this because the marketing for the book had been heavily focusing on conveying to would be readers about this final twist. When you advertise a book to capture the attention of your audience with just one aspect, then you are inadvertantly singalling the reader to watch out for that one big twist, thereby missing out on the finer nuances.
Sure, the twist does come eventually. But it was delivered by the author in a very subtle manner, as opposed to the dramatic twist hinted by the cover. Overall, I thoroghly enjoyed the book barring the 2 reasons mentioned above, and hence the 4.5 stars rating. I call upon my crime fiction enthusiasts - you have found your next book.
She'd given him a look then, standing there, that said, I hope whatever you're doing is worth it. Or maybe the look had just said, Love you, see you later, and everything else was in his mind.
The story starts with a gang initiation ritual gone wrong. We have an off duty Detective Sergeant Paul Hopwood and his wife Detective Constable Helen Weeks, who have a complex relationship going. This relationship thread doesn't get closure due to its lack of history/context since the author seems to have decided not to dwell on those details and just stick to the crime.
“He was a big man; fifty or so, with greased-back grey hair and an expression that looked as if it had been kicked into position.”
In terms of characters, Mark shows us a full range of them. There's Helen, a courageous pregnant woman driven to uncover the truth about the man who she thought she knew very well. Then there's Easy, an ambitious gangster who preys on the weak and derives profits. We also have Frank, the queintessential wealthy businessmen who has an up and coming pub in South East London, but finds himself involved with local gangsters. The author keeps it authentic with these characters speaking their local English slang, which took me almost a quarter of the book to get used to, and to understand.
Going into this book, I knew that there was a mind boggling twist at the end that was supposedly dificult to anticipate. I knew this because the marketing for the book had been heavily focusing on conveying to would be readers about this final twist. When you advertise a book to capture the attention of your audience with just one aspect, then you are inadvertantly singalling the reader to watch out for that one big twist, thereby missing out on the finer nuances.
Sure, the twist does come eventually. But it was delivered by the author in a very subtle manner, as opposed to the dramatic twist hinted by the cover. Overall, I thoroghly enjoyed the book barring the 2 reasons mentioned above, and hence the 4.5 stars rating. I call upon my crime fiction enthusiasts - you have found your next book.
November 26, 2017
A good stand alone crime book, though I do prefer Billingham’s Thorne series.
The portrayal of young wannabe London gangsters was the highlight for me. Their dialogue was entertaining, their bullying & bravado very believable, & although I could not like them, Billingham did manage to wring a drop of pitty out of me for them.
My only slight grumble is that the twists aren’t too surprising, but it flows well & kept me engrossed for a couple of days.
Oh, & the ending’s kinda abrupt, y’get me?
The portrayal of young wannabe London gangsters was the highlight for me. Their dialogue was entertaining, their bullying & bravado very believable, & although I could not like them, Billingham did manage to wring a drop of pitty out of me for them.
My only slight grumble is that the twists aren’t too surprising, but it flows well & kept me engrossed for a couple of days.
Oh, & the ending’s kinda abrupt, y’get me?
February 21, 2012
Loved this book. I have so enjoyed all of Mark Billingham's books, and think that his creation, Tom Thorne, is one of the best fictional police detectives. This particular book is a stand alone book and is not in the Tom Thorne series - although Tom Thorne makes a minute cameo appearance. I expected to like this less than the other books, but found myself loving it just as much. Quite a departure for Mark Billingham to have as his protagonist a female detective on maternity leave - in fact within days of giving birth. This adds a really interesting dimension to the story, as the poor girl is not fast on her feet, and although she is mentally tough, she is at a great physical disadvantage. Fast paced, clever plotting and un-put-down-able! A great thriller. I just wish that he could write them as fast as I want to read them!
April 26, 2016
This book is a stand alone thriller. Except it really isn't. The main character is DC Helen Weeks, who becomes a major character in the Tom Thorne series later on.
Helen is heavily pregnant when her partner goes out on a night out to farewell a retiring fellow police officer and is killed by a car at a bus stop, when the car is shot at by gang members.
But is everything what is seems? Confused and grieving, Helen's cop sensors still pick up that something is wrong. She sets out to find out the truth.
Meanwhile, a young man, who happened to fire the shots into the car, finds his world collapsing around him.
Eventually their paths cross as "In the Dark" twists its way towards it's finale.
I admit to feeling a little let down by the penultimate chapter, but it did not detract from making the book a powerful and absorbing read.
Highly recommended.
Helen is heavily pregnant when her partner goes out on a night out to farewell a retiring fellow police officer and is killed by a car at a bus stop, when the car is shot at by gang members.
But is everything what is seems? Confused and grieving, Helen's cop sensors still pick up that something is wrong. She sets out to find out the truth.
Meanwhile, a young man, who happened to fire the shots into the car, finds his world collapsing around him.
Eventually their paths cross as "In the Dark" twists its way towards it's finale.
I admit to feeling a little let down by the penultimate chapter, but it did not detract from making the book a powerful and absorbing read.
Highly recommended.
April 26, 2008
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the Tom Thorne series but i think this was to do with the characters not the writing. Set around gangs and drugs, and with a pregnant cop trying to solve the death of her husband, I just didn't warm to any of the characters. In the Dark was an apt title for the book as you are in the dark for the first half of the book.
December 23, 2018
Didn't care for this much.
It was many chapters into the book (and of very dull stuff) before it was starting to be clear about who was who and what might be going on. And even after that, I just couldn't get too interested.
I thought the plot was too contrived though the characters were likeable - even some of the 'bad guys'.
It was many chapters into the book (and of very dull stuff) before it was starting to be clear about who was who and what might be going on. And even after that, I just couldn't get too interested.
I thought the plot was too contrived though the characters were likeable - even some of the 'bad guys'.
May 16, 2017
Started quite well - very disappointing finish 😫
September 29, 2017
Not one of his best.
August 26, 2022
A good interesting read with some nice twists as the story developed, in this Billingham stand alone novel.
January 25, 2018
Only weeks before DC Helen Weeks is due to give birth to their first child, her partner Paul, also a cop, is killed in what appears to be a freak accident brought about by a car swerving wildly into a busstop after being fired at by a bunch of teenage gangbangers. While trying to find out what really happened, Helen comes across a number of clues indicating that Paul might have been involved in something shady. At the same time, the young gang members involved in the incident are murdered one after the other in what looks like an escalating gang war.
This was Billingham's first standalone novel, introducing the character of Helen Weeks who by now has become a regular part of the Tom Thorne series. Thorne himself makes a few appearances here too, but mostly the action follows Helen, one of the gang members named Theo, and a shady crime boss out for revenge. A good read, though I tend to enjoy the Thorne novels more.
This was Billingham's first standalone novel, introducing the character of Helen Weeks who by now has become a regular part of the Tom Thorne series. Thorne himself makes a few appearances here too, but mostly the action follows Helen, one of the gang members named Theo, and a shady crime boss out for revenge. A good read, though I tend to enjoy the Thorne novels more.
August 4, 2023
Okay but a bit dull if I’m honest
Some great passages with the characters being picked off but the rest dragged on and on
I guessed the few twists as well
A shame because the actual scene setting felt realistic and well done, just unfortunately lacking for me
Some great passages with the characters being picked off but the rest dragged on and on
I guessed the few twists as well
A shame because the actual scene setting felt realistic and well done, just unfortunately lacking for me
July 25, 2024
Es el primer libro que leo del autor, y seguramente el último. Lo compré en una feria del libro porque me llamó la atención la sinopsis, y no tengo nada bueno que decir sobre él. Se deja leer en los ratos muertos, y poco más. Ni lo disfruté mucho ni me terminó de enganchar.
April 9, 2019
AUTHOR TITLE TYPE READ OVERVIEW COMMENTS DATE READ
K T MEDINA WHITE CROCODILE
KAREN ROSE NOTHING TO FEAR BOOK YES Sue Conroy just out from prison wants revenge from everyone involved in putting her there. She abducts an 11 yr old deaf boy and runs to a women's shelter run by Dana. The story unravels of how Sue starts killing those involved in her prison stay. Dana meets Ethan a private investigator. What she doesn't know is that he is the boys godfather. People get murdered and hurt along the way but in the end Sue is caught, Dana is freed as is the child and Dana's friend Evie. A great thriller 14/5/18-24/5/18
KARIN SLAGHTER BROKEN
KATE ATKINSON WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS
KATE ATKINSON ONE GOOD TURN BOOK YES A road rage incident which changes the lives of all involved. The wife of Graham Hatter, A crime writer, a washed u[p comedian & Jackson Brodie ex police. Their stories all end up being linked. Mrs Hatter arrranges for her huband who is already seriously ill in hospital to be killed off. She runs off with all his laundered money. Didn't really enjoy this book & couldn't wait to finish it.
KATE MORTON THE DISTANT HOURS KINDLE YES EDIE BURCHILL GOES TO MILDERHURST CASTLE TO RE TELL THE STORY OF THE 3 ELRERLY SISTERS LOVED IT
KATE MORTON THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON BOOK YES TOLD BY THE HOUSE KEEPER GOOD
KATE MORTON THER FORGOTTEN GARDEN
KATE MORTON THE SECRET KEEPER
KATE RHODES CROSSBONES YARD ALICE QUENTIN BOOK 1
KATE RHODES A KILLING OF ANGELS ALICE QUENTIN BOOK 2
KATE RHODES THE WINTER FOUNDLINGS ALICE QUENTIN BOOK 3
KATERINA DIAMOND THE TEACHER BOOK YES The story of Parker who was abused by his grandfather and others in a cult who also murdered other boys. A parallel story of Abby who dropped out of university after being raped by 2 boys. She works in a museum where Parker comes to help out. Imogen & Adrian are the police officers who solve the case. Quite a good read, bit gory.
KATHRYN HUGHES THE LETTER KINDLE YES Tina Craig has a drunken husband. She finds a letter in a suit pocket in the charity shop where she works. She wants to trace the owner. She unravels the story of Billy Stirling who gets his girlfriend pregenat & she is sent to Ireland to have her baby. Her son comes from Amrerica years later to find her. She doesn't know that her mother died and her horrible Dr father disowns her. LOVED IT
KATHRYN STOCKETT THE HELP BOOK YES STORIES OF BLACK MAIDS IN AMERICA TOLD IN SECRET GOOD
KIM EDWARDS THE MEMORY KEEPERS DAUGHTER BOOK YES Dr David Henry & his wife Norah have twins, Paul & Phoebe. What Norah doesn't know as her husband delivers them is that the girl has Down's Syndrome. The nurse assisting in the birth, Caroline, is asked by the Dr to take the daugther to a home. He tells his wife that the daughter has died. The story follows the family dealing with their separate struggles with grief and loss. Caroline brings up Phoebe alone but marries Al who helped her when Phoebe was little. David dies of a heart attack without ever meeting his daughter but Caroline tracks Norah down and they all eventually meet up when the twins are in their 20's. Norah re-marries and moves to France to start a new life with frederic and Paul moves nearer his sister. Sad, moving story. Worth reading.
KIRSTIN HANNAH HOME FRONT BOOK YES Jolene & her best friend Tami are Helicopeter pilots in the US army. They are sent to Iraq, shot down. Tami's husband, Carl is always supportive where Michael Betsy & Lulu are not supportive of Jolene. Tami dies, Jolene loses her leg & it's the story of how they re build their lives. Very moving book. Not sure I would read others.Very American 1/6/17 - 19/06/2017
LAURA BENEDICT BLISS HOUSE KINDLE YES Rainey Adams & her daughter Ariel move after her husband was killed in an explosion at their house & Ariel was badly burned. They start a new life in Bliss House where Ariel mysteriously starts to heal & a series of tragedies start to unfold.
LAURA LIPPMANN BY A SPIDERS THREAD
LAUREN BEUKES BROKEN MONSTERS
LAUREN BEUKES THE SHINING GIRLS BOOK YES The story of Harper a man who travels through time murdering girls & woman. Generally he meets then as children and gives them a momento then travels through time to find them again when they are older and kills them. One survives, Kirby, who is a reporter when she grows up and investigates the story with an unbeliving colleague, Dan, but they end up killing Harper. Didn't really enjoy this book, even though it was in a magazine as recommended. Weird far fetched story.
LIANE MORIARTY THE HUSBANDS SECRET KINDLE YES CECELIA FITZPATRICK Finds a letter her husband has written to be opened in the event of his death. Basically years ago he accidentally kills his girlfriend, Jane Another woman Tess & her small son go to stay with her mother in Sydney after finding out that her husband loves someone else. Rachel another much older woman who works at the school had a daughter who died years before who turns out to be the Jane killed by Cecelia's husband. The story revolves around the 3 women ending with Rachel accienttally knocking over another child. Good story but not amazing.
LINDA FAIRSTEIN THE KILLS BOOK YES Andrew Tripping assulted Paige Vallis prosecutor Alex Cooper is trying to find evidence then Paige is murdered. Alex has to discover the truth about a gold coin and events of the past. Really didn't like this book. Jan-17
LINWOOD BARCLAY FEAR THE WORST BOOK YES "Tim Blake's daughter Sydney is missing. Her best friend Patty finds out that they are actually sisters as Tim had been a sperm donor years ago.
Patty knows where Syd has run away to but doesn't tell anyone else.
By the time Tim finds Syd and it comes out that Patty is her sister, Patty is murdered in the following scuffle." I have read this before years ago as I vaguely remember it 1/7/18-5/7/18
LISA CUTTS BURIED SECRETS BOOK YES Milton Bowman a policeman & his wife Linda both die on the same day. Milton's end up being a tragic car accident on the way to work. His wife's actual killer is never detected but the son, Travis's best friend Aiden & his mum Jenny Bloomfield go on trial. Sean was the man who really murdered Linda who knew that Linda's real name had been changed from McCol and she was under police protection from her father being a villian years before. Aiden, Jenny's son ends up being convicted of murder and ends up in a cell with her Linda's brother. OK book, easy read. No rush to read any of her others. 19/1/18-24/1/18
LISA JACKSON CLOSE TO HOME BOOK YES Sarah McAdams moved her daughters Jade & Gracie back into her haunted family home. The story of the house unfolds & Jade discovers that her real father is Clint her mums teenage boyfriend. Teenage girls start disappearing, including Jade but are rescued in the end & Sarah, the girls and Clint start to re-build their lives. Good book, great twists.
LOUISE DOUGHTY APPLE TREE YARD
LOUISE DOUGHTY APPLE TREE YARD BOOK YES The story of Yvonne Carmichael who has an affair with Mark Costly which starts in the House of Parliament building. Yvonne, a scientist is brutally raped byanother scientist, George Craddock who continues to torment her. Mark goes round to his house to sort him out and kills him. There is a long courtroom case where they both deny having an affair after destroying mobile phones etc but CCTV show them in Apple Tree Yard. They both end up in prison. An excellent, intriguing story whoch keeps you guessing about what will happen until the vey end.
LUCIE WHITEHOUSE BEFORE WE MET THRILLER
LUCY DAWSON THE DAUGHTER BOOK YES Jessica & Ben's 5 year old daughter Beth falls off a climbing frame at school & dies. Coincidentally 1 of the teachers aqt the school is Simon Strallen who Jess had a brief fling with at the time her daughter is concieved. She keeps this to herself. Simon tells her that he's sure Beth was his, mannerisms etc but she has no way to prove who's she is. Simon's wife Louise confromts Jess about the affair and tells her to move away & leave Ben or she will reveal the truth so Jess does this & starts a new life. She marries Ed & has a baby son, James. Strange things start to happen & Louise Strallen turns into an alcoholic & dies. Simon silently stalks Jess all her life but Cara his daughter wants to get revenge for her mother as she knows that Simon has only ever loved Jessica. A confrontation at the end means that Cara accidentally stabs her own father instead of Jess but Simon then stabs himself to make it look like suicide. GREAT THRILLER. 1ST OF HER BOOKS I READ MADE ME WANT TO READ OTHERS 10/2/18-13/2/18
LUCY DAWSON WHITE LIES WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON HIS OTHER LOVER WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON EVERYTHING YOU TOLD ME WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON WHAT MY BEST FRIEND DID WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON YOU SENT ME A LETTER WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON LITTLE SISTER WISH LIST
LYNDA BELLINGHAM THERE'S SOMETHING I'M DYING TO TELL YOU BOOK YES The story of the end of her life So moving.
LYNDA LA PLANTE TWISTED BOOK YES Lena & Marcus Fulford's daughter goes missing. D I Reid investigates. A complicated story unfolds as it is unclear if Amy is just missing or dead. The housekeeper, Driver & Marcus's best friend are poisioned. Amy is founds after running off with her female art teacher. Lena has a multiple personality disorder after been abused by her father as a child. A good read that keeps you guesing about what has happened to Amy all they way till the end
LYNDA LA PLANTE SLEEPING CRUELTY BOOK YES SIR William Benedict funds the political career of Andrew Maynard who is found dead. Scandal erupts around him With the help of Justin & Laura Chalmers they plan revenge but all is not as it seems on William's island paradise. HAD GREAT PROMISE BUT WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTED. 13/3/17-21/3/17
M J ARLIDGE EENY MEENY BOOK YES INSPECTOR HELEN GRACE BOOK. 2 PEOPLE 1 HAS TO KILL THE OTHER 2 SURVIVE GRIPPING
M J ARLIDGE HIDE & SEEK BOOK OUT APRIL
M J ARLIDGE LIAR LIAR BOOK YES The 4th DI Helen Grace book. A series of fires and deaths lead The police to a disabled boy Ethan Harris and his girlfriend Naomie who made the fires and end up committing suicide at the same time but in different places. Great book, hopefully there will be another.
M J ARLIDGE LITTLE BOY BLUE BOOK YES Book 5 in the DI Helen Grace series. Starts with Helen's friend, Jake who she paid for abuse treatments being murdered in an S&M method. Next Max Paine, her next paid abuser is found dead and finally Angelique her last. Helen is being set up by her dead sister's son Robert who has been missing for months. He tells Helen near the end that he has been plannig to set her up for months. All the evidence points to Helen being the killer and she is arrested and locked up to the delight of her boss Gardam who she turned down and her nemisis reporter Emilia Garcia. Her 2 DCI's Joanne Sanderson & Charlie Brooks are in a power struggle but Brooks loyalties lie with Helen. This story will continue in the next book Brilliant book with a great cliff hanger ending. Can't wait for the next bbok. Read August 2016
M J ARLIDGE POP GOES THE WEASEL BOOK YES The 2nd in The Helen Grace series. Love these books just can't put them down.
M J ARLIDGE THE DOLLS HOUSE BOOK YES The 3rd DI Helen Grace book. Ruby wakes up in a dark celler. Another young woman is discovered dead & buried on a beach & then another. It's a race against time to find the kidnapper & see if Ruby is still alive. Helen finds her in the end. Love these books just can't put them down.
M J ARLIDGE LITTLE BOY BLUE BOOK YES Book 5 in the DI Helen Grace series
M J ARLIDGE LOVE ME NOT BOOK YES Daisy Anderson & her boyfriend, Jason Swift, are on a killing spree, except it's not Jason it's Daisy. She kills him too, her father & others who have crossed her path but is finally tracked down as she is about to shoot her mother Karen. Police officer Joanne Sanderson was killed too. Love the DI Helen Grace books, great thrillers. 23/10/17-1/11/17
MARGARET ATTWOOD TRILOGY LAST BOOK MADDADDAM NOT SURE IT WILL BE FOR ME??
MARK BILLINGHAM DIE OF SHAME BOOK YES A group of people at a help group run by Tony. Heather, Chris, Diana, Caroline & Robin. They all confess their wrong doings. It turns out that Heather dated a married man for ages after leaving her boyfriend. He refuses to leave his wife in the end. Heather goes back to her ex boyfriend and lies saying that this guy had raped her. He murders the man a few days later. The murdered man is actually Caroline from the group father. She ends up murdering Heather. A slow read but good bit at the end. Jul-18
MARTIN BODENHAM GENEVA CONNECTION KINDLE YES Drug barons put their money through a UK based private equity firm run by John Kent. Very male dominated. OK but don't read anymore of his books.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK ALL DRESSED IN WHITE BOOK YES Amanda Pierce was supposed to be marrying Jeff Hunter but disappeared the night before the wedding. Jeff was the main suspects he was due to inherit from Amanda's trust fund. His new wife Meghan who was Amanda's best friend was also under suspicion after thier quick wedding. it turned out to be one of Jeff's best friends, Nick who was so jealous of Jeff and had been rejected by Amanda in the past and another girl from the past who he also murdered and he tried to murder Meghan too. Great thriller kept you guessing until the end. 4/4/2018-8/4/18
MARY HIGGINS CLARK THE CINDERELLA MURDERER WISH LIST
MICHAEL PUNKE THE REVENANT BOOK YES The story of human endurance over American wilderness.Trapper Hugh Glass is in a group and badly mauled by a bear. Expecting him to die the rest of the trappers move on leaving 2 men, Bridger & Fitzgerald to bury him when he dies. They take his posessions and leave before what they think will be his certain death. He makes a miraculous but slow recovery and tracks these 2 men. It is losely based on true men and events. Glass is eventually killed by indians years later, Bridger runs his own business and Fitzgerald dies. I really enjoyed this book, amazing detail.
MICK HERRON SPOOK STREET BOOK YES "What happens when an old spook loses his mind? Does the Service have a retirement home for those who know too many secrets but don’t remember they’re secret? Or does someone take care of the senile spy for good? These are the questions River Cartwright must ask when his grandfather, a Cold War–era operative, starts to forget to wear pants and begins to suspect everyone in his life has been sent by the Service to watch him.
But River has other things to worry about. A bomb goes off in the middle of a busy shopping center and kills forty innocent civilians. The agents of Slough House have to figure out who is behind this act of terror before the situation escalates" SLOUGH HOUSE SERIES BOOK 4. A GOOD READ 17/9/18-18/9/18
MO HAYDER RITUAL BOOK YES Jack Cartwright is trying track down the owner of 2 severed hands found near a property in Bristol. Flea the police diver gets involved and they find out that her friend is behind the macabre black magic involved in this brutality. A good but nasty thriller 19/9/18-22/9/18
MICHAEL CRICHTON TIMELINE BOOK YES Based on a time travel story of a machine that goes back into the 1600's. Kate & Chris & Merek have to go back to rescue a professor. Which they do. OK but didn't like it as much as Mike said I would. Was glad to finish it. 26/09/18- 11/10/18
KATHRYN HUGHES THE KEY BOOK YES Sarah is poking around and collating historical information in a disused mental asylum called Ambergate before it is torn down. She finds old suitcases one of which contains a note saying your baby is alive. The parellel sotry goes back to the time when Amy is sent to the asylum after a breakdown when her mum died and dad re-married. She falls for Dr Lambourn who takes her out and takes advantage of her. No one belives her when she says Dr LAmbourn is the father of her child. When the baby is born after a difficult birth she is told the baby is dead and the Dr has left the asylum. She is kept there for 27 years! Sarah's father is Dr Lambourn and together they end up finding Amy again and the disabled child Joseph. Good interesting, moving story. 16/10/18-23/10/18
LINDA GREEN THE LADT THING SHE TOLD ME BOOK YES 2 stories in parallel. The grandma who had been raped and had a child when she was young but she didn't know that when her mother had given it away only hours later the baby was smothered to death. The house she lived in was left to her great-grandaughter after she died but the family dicovered so many bones in the garden didn't want to live in the house but found out that the next door neighbour John was not safe with children. MOVING 8/11/18-29/11/18
K L SLATER THE SECRET KINDLE YES Sisters Alice & Louise once were close. Archie arrives at Alice's to be looked after and she suspects her sister of abusing the boy. It turns out it's all to do with his gambling father Good thriller 16/11/18-/17/11/18
MARK BILLINGHAM IN THE DARK BOOK YES The story of bent copper Paul, who dies after being mowed down at a bust stop, his very pregnant partner, Helen who is also a copper. Gang lads ask Theo the newest member, to shoot at a random car which he thinks causes the crash when in fact Helen uncovers the truth that it was a set up to look like an accident when in fact Paul was deliberately targeted. The gang members in turn are shot dead one by one. Good story, although gang wars was not really my kind of topic. 1/4/19-9/4/19
AUTHOR TITLE TYPE READ OVERVIEW COMMENTS DATE READ
The story of bent copper Paul, who dies after being mowed down at a bust stop, his very pregnant partner, Helen who is also a copper. Gang lads ask Theo the newest member, to shoot at a random car which he thinks causes the crash when in fact Helen uncovers the truth that it was a set up to look like an accident when in fact Paul was deliberately targeted. The gang members in turn are shot dead one by one.
K T MEDINA WHITE CROCODILE
KAREN ROSE NOTHING TO FEAR BOOK YES Sue Conroy just out from prison wants revenge from everyone involved in putting her there. She abducts an 11 yr old deaf boy and runs to a women's shelter run by Dana. The story unravels of how Sue starts killing those involved in her prison stay. Dana meets Ethan a private investigator. What she doesn't know is that he is the boys godfather. People get murdered and hurt along the way but in the end Sue is caught, Dana is freed as is the child and Dana's friend Evie. A great thriller 14/5/18-24/5/18
KARIN SLAGHTER BROKEN
KATE ATKINSON WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS
KATE ATKINSON ONE GOOD TURN BOOK YES A road rage incident which changes the lives of all involved. The wife of Graham Hatter, A crime writer, a washed u[p comedian & Jackson Brodie ex police. Their stories all end up being linked. Mrs Hatter arrranges for her huband who is already seriously ill in hospital to be killed off. She runs off with all his laundered money. Didn't really enjoy this book & couldn't wait to finish it.
KATE MORTON THE DISTANT HOURS KINDLE YES EDIE BURCHILL GOES TO MILDERHURST CASTLE TO RE TELL THE STORY OF THE 3 ELRERLY SISTERS LOVED IT
KATE MORTON THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON BOOK YES TOLD BY THE HOUSE KEEPER GOOD
KATE MORTON THER FORGOTTEN GARDEN
KATE MORTON THE SECRET KEEPER
KATE RHODES CROSSBONES YARD ALICE QUENTIN BOOK 1
KATE RHODES A KILLING OF ANGELS ALICE QUENTIN BOOK 2
KATE RHODES THE WINTER FOUNDLINGS ALICE QUENTIN BOOK 3
KATERINA DIAMOND THE TEACHER BOOK YES The story of Parker who was abused by his grandfather and others in a cult who also murdered other boys. A parallel story of Abby who dropped out of university after being raped by 2 boys. She works in a museum where Parker comes to help out. Imogen & Adrian are the police officers who solve the case. Quite a good read, bit gory.
KATHRYN HUGHES THE LETTER KINDLE YES Tina Craig has a drunken husband. She finds a letter in a suit pocket in the charity shop where she works. She wants to trace the owner. She unravels the story of Billy Stirling who gets his girlfriend pregenat & she is sent to Ireland to have her baby. Her son comes from Amrerica years later to find her. She doesn't know that her mother died and her horrible Dr father disowns her. LOVED IT
KATHRYN STOCKETT THE HELP BOOK YES STORIES OF BLACK MAIDS IN AMERICA TOLD IN SECRET GOOD
KIM EDWARDS THE MEMORY KEEPERS DAUGHTER BOOK YES Dr David Henry & his wife Norah have twins, Paul & Phoebe. What Norah doesn't know as her husband delivers them is that the girl has Down's Syndrome. The nurse assisting in the birth, Caroline, is asked by the Dr to take the daugther to a home. He tells his wife that the daughter has died. The story follows the family dealing with their separate struggles with grief and loss. Caroline brings up Phoebe alone but marries Al who helped her when Phoebe was little. David dies of a heart attack without ever meeting his daughter but Caroline tracks Norah down and they all eventually meet up when the twins are in their 20's. Norah re-marries and moves to France to start a new life with frederic and Paul moves nearer his sister. Sad, moving story. Worth reading.
KIRSTIN HANNAH HOME FRONT BOOK YES Jolene & her best friend Tami are Helicopeter pilots in the US army. They are sent to Iraq, shot down. Tami's husband, Carl is always supportive where Michael Betsy & Lulu are not supportive of Jolene. Tami dies, Jolene loses her leg & it's the story of how they re build their lives. Very moving book. Not sure I would read others.Very American 1/6/17 - 19/06/2017
LAURA BENEDICT BLISS HOUSE KINDLE YES Rainey Adams & her daughter Ariel move after her husband was killed in an explosion at their house & Ariel was badly burned. They start a new life in Bliss House where Ariel mysteriously starts to heal & a series of tragedies start to unfold.
LAURA LIPPMANN BY A SPIDERS THREAD
LAUREN BEUKES BROKEN MONSTERS
LAUREN BEUKES THE SHINING GIRLS BOOK YES The story of Harper a man who travels through time murdering girls & woman. Generally he meets then as children and gives them a momento then travels through time to find them again when they are older and kills them. One survives, Kirby, who is a reporter when she grows up and investigates the story with an unbeliving colleague, Dan, but they end up killing Harper. Didn't really enjoy this book, even though it was in a magazine as recommended. Weird far fetched story.
LIANE MORIARTY THE HUSBANDS SECRET KINDLE YES CECELIA FITZPATRICK Finds a letter her husband has written to be opened in the event of his death. Basically years ago he accidentally kills his girlfriend, Jane Another woman Tess & her small son go to stay with her mother in Sydney after finding out that her husband loves someone else. Rachel another much older woman who works at the school had a daughter who died years before who turns out to be the Jane killed by Cecelia's husband. The story revolves around the 3 women ending with Rachel accienttally knocking over another child. Good story but not amazing.
LINDA FAIRSTEIN THE KILLS BOOK YES Andrew Tripping assulted Paige Vallis prosecutor Alex Cooper is trying to find evidence then Paige is murdered. Alex has to discover the truth about a gold coin and events of the past. Really didn't like this book. Jan-17
LINWOOD BARCLAY FEAR THE WORST BOOK YES "Tim Blake's daughter Sydney is missing. Her best friend Patty finds out that they are actually sisters as Tim had been a sperm donor years ago.
Patty knows where Syd has run away to but doesn't tell anyone else.
By the time Tim finds Syd and it comes out that Patty is her sister, Patty is murdered in the following scuffle." I have read this before years ago as I vaguely remember it 1/7/18-5/7/18
LISA CUTTS BURIED SECRETS BOOK YES Milton Bowman a policeman & his wife Linda both die on the same day. Milton's end up being a tragic car accident on the way to work. His wife's actual killer is never detected but the son, Travis's best friend Aiden & his mum Jenny Bloomfield go on trial. Sean was the man who really murdered Linda who knew that Linda's real name had been changed from McCol and she was under police protection from her father being a villian years before. Aiden, Jenny's son ends up being convicted of murder and ends up in a cell with her Linda's brother. OK book, easy read. No rush to read any of her others. 19/1/18-24/1/18
LISA JACKSON CLOSE TO HOME BOOK YES Sarah McAdams moved her daughters Jade & Gracie back into her haunted family home. The story of the house unfolds & Jade discovers that her real father is Clint her mums teenage boyfriend. Teenage girls start disappearing, including Jade but are rescued in the end & Sarah, the girls and Clint start to re-build their lives. Good book, great twists.
LOUISE DOUGHTY APPLE TREE YARD
LOUISE DOUGHTY APPLE TREE YARD BOOK YES The story of Yvonne Carmichael who has an affair with Mark Costly which starts in the House of Parliament building. Yvonne, a scientist is brutally raped byanother scientist, George Craddock who continues to torment her. Mark goes round to his house to sort him out and kills him. There is a long courtroom case where they both deny having an affair after destroying mobile phones etc but CCTV show them in Apple Tree Yard. They both end up in prison. An excellent, intriguing story whoch keeps you guessing about what will happen until the vey end.
LUCIE WHITEHOUSE BEFORE WE MET THRILLER
LUCY DAWSON THE DAUGHTER BOOK YES Jessica & Ben's 5 year old daughter Beth falls off a climbing frame at school & dies. Coincidentally 1 of the teachers aqt the school is Simon Strallen who Jess had a brief fling with at the time her daughter is concieved. She keeps this to herself. Simon tells her that he's sure Beth was his, mannerisms etc but she has no way to prove who's she is. Simon's wife Louise confromts Jess about the affair and tells her to move away & leave Ben or she will reveal the truth so Jess does this & starts a new life. She marries Ed & has a baby son, James. Strange things start to happen & Louise Strallen turns into an alcoholic & dies. Simon silently stalks Jess all her life but Cara his daughter wants to get revenge for her mother as she knows that Simon has only ever loved Jessica. A confrontation at the end means that Cara accidentally stabs her own father instead of Jess but Simon then stabs himself to make it look like suicide. GREAT THRILLER. 1ST OF HER BOOKS I READ MADE ME WANT TO READ OTHERS 10/2/18-13/2/18
LUCY DAWSON WHITE LIES WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON HIS OTHER LOVER WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON EVERYTHING YOU TOLD ME WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON WHAT MY BEST FRIEND DID WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON YOU SENT ME A LETTER WISH LIST
LUCY DAWSON LITTLE SISTER WISH LIST
LYNDA BELLINGHAM THERE'S SOMETHING I'M DYING TO TELL YOU BOOK YES The story of the end of her life So moving.
LYNDA LA PLANTE TWISTED BOOK YES Lena & Marcus Fulford's daughter goes missing. D I Reid investigates. A complicated story unfolds as it is unclear if Amy is just missing or dead. The housekeeper, Driver & Marcus's best friend are poisioned. Amy is founds after running off with her female art teacher. Lena has a multiple personality disorder after been abused by her father as a child. A good read that keeps you guesing about what has happened to Amy all they way till the end
LYNDA LA PLANTE SLEEPING CRUELTY BOOK YES SIR William Benedict funds the political career of Andrew Maynard who is found dead. Scandal erupts around him With the help of Justin & Laura Chalmers they plan revenge but all is not as it seems on William's island paradise. HAD GREAT PROMISE BUT WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTED. 13/3/17-21/3/17
M J ARLIDGE EENY MEENY BOOK YES INSPECTOR HELEN GRACE BOOK. 2 PEOPLE 1 HAS TO KILL THE OTHER 2 SURVIVE GRIPPING
M J ARLIDGE HIDE & SEEK BOOK OUT APRIL
M J ARLIDGE LIAR LIAR BOOK YES The 4th DI Helen Grace book. A series of fires and deaths lead The police to a disabled boy Ethan Harris and his girlfriend Naomie who made the fires and end up committing suicide at the same time but in different places. Great book, hopefully there will be another.
M J ARLIDGE LITTLE BOY BLUE BOOK YES Book 5 in the DI Helen Grace series. Starts with Helen's friend, Jake who she paid for abuse treatments being murdered in an S&M method. Next Max Paine, her next paid abuser is found dead and finally Angelique her last. Helen is being set up by her dead sister's son Robert who has been missing for months. He tells Helen near the end that he has been plannig to set her up for months. All the evidence points to Helen being the killer and she is arrested and locked up to the delight of her boss Gardam who she turned down and her nemisis reporter Emilia Garcia. Her 2 DCI's Joanne Sanderson & Charlie Brooks are in a power struggle but Brooks loyalties lie with Helen. This story will continue in the next book Brilliant book with a great cliff hanger ending. Can't wait for the next bbok. Read August 2016
M J ARLIDGE POP GOES THE WEASEL BOOK YES The 2nd in The Helen Grace series. Love these books just can't put them down.
M J ARLIDGE THE DOLLS HOUSE BOOK YES The 3rd DI Helen Grace book. Ruby wakes up in a dark celler. Another young woman is discovered dead & buried on a beach & then another. It's a race against time to find the kidnapper & see if Ruby is still alive. Helen finds her in the end. Love these books just can't put them down.
M J ARLIDGE LITTLE BOY BLUE BOOK YES Book 5 in the DI Helen Grace series
M J ARLIDGE LOVE ME NOT BOOK YES Daisy Anderson & her boyfriend, Jason Swift, are on a killing spree, except it's not Jason it's Daisy. She kills him too, her father & others who have crossed her path but is finally tracked down as she is about to shoot her mother Karen. Police officer Joanne Sanderson was killed too. Love the DI Helen Grace books, great thrillers. 23/10/17-1/11/17
MARGARET ATTWOOD TRILOGY LAST BOOK MADDADDAM NOT SURE IT WILL BE FOR ME??
MARK BILLINGHAM DIE OF SHAME BOOK YES A group of people at a help group run by Tony. Heather, Chris, Diana, Caroline & Robin. They all confess their wrong doings. It turns out that Heather dated a married man for ages after leaving her boyfriend. He refuses to leave his wife in the end. Heather goes back to her ex boyfriend and lies saying that this guy had raped her. He murders the man a few days later. The murdered man is actually Caroline from the group father. She ends up murdering Heather. A slow read but good bit at the end. Jul-18
MARTIN BODENHAM GENEVA CONNECTION KINDLE YES Drug barons put their money through a UK based private equity firm run by John Kent. Very male dominated. OK but don't read anymore of his books.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK ALL DRESSED IN WHITE BOOK YES Amanda Pierce was supposed to be marrying Jeff Hunter but disappeared the night before the wedding. Jeff was the main suspects he was due to inherit from Amanda's trust fund. His new wife Meghan who was Amanda's best friend was also under suspicion after thier quick wedding. it turned out to be one of Jeff's best friends, Nick who was so jealous of Jeff and had been rejected by Amanda in the past and another girl from the past who he also murdered and he tried to murder Meghan too. Great thriller kept you guessing until the end. 4/4/2018-8/4/18
MARY HIGGINS CLARK THE CINDERELLA MURDERER WISH LIST
MICHAEL PUNKE THE REVENANT BOOK YES The story of human endurance over American wilderness.Trapper Hugh Glass is in a group and badly mauled by a bear. Expecting him to die the rest of the trappers move on leaving 2 men, Bridger & Fitzgerald to bury him when he dies. They take his posessions and leave before what they think will be his certain death. He makes a miraculous but slow recovery and tracks these 2 men. It is losely based on true men and events. Glass is eventually killed by indians years later, Bridger runs his own business and Fitzgerald dies. I really enjoyed this book, amazing detail.
MICK HERRON SPOOK STREET BOOK YES "What happens when an old spook loses his mind? Does the Service have a retirement home for those who know too many secrets but don’t remember they’re secret? Or does someone take care of the senile spy for good? These are the questions River Cartwright must ask when his grandfather, a Cold War–era operative, starts to forget to wear pants and begins to suspect everyone in his life has been sent by the Service to watch him.
But River has other things to worry about. A bomb goes off in the middle of a busy shopping center and kills forty innocent civilians. The agents of Slough House have to figure out who is behind this act of terror before the situation escalates" SLOUGH HOUSE SERIES BOOK 4. A GOOD READ 17/9/18-18/9/18
MO HAYDER RITUAL BOOK YES Jack Cartwright is trying track down the owner of 2 severed hands found near a property in Bristol. Flea the police diver gets involved and they find out that her friend is behind the macabre black magic involved in this brutality. A good but nasty thriller 19/9/18-22/9/18
MICHAEL CRICHTON TIMELINE BOOK YES Based on a time travel story of a machine that goes back into the 1600's. Kate & Chris & Merek have to go back to rescue a professor. Which they do. OK but didn't like it as much as Mike said I would. Was glad to finish it. 26/09/18- 11/10/18
KATHRYN HUGHES THE KEY BOOK YES Sarah is poking around and collating historical information in a disused mental asylum called Ambergate before it is torn down. She finds old suitcases one of which contains a note saying your baby is alive. The parellel sotry goes back to the time when Amy is sent to the asylum after a breakdown when her mum died and dad re-married. She falls for Dr Lambourn who takes her out and takes advantage of her. No one belives her when she says Dr LAmbourn is the father of her child. When the baby is born after a difficult birth she is told the baby is dead and the Dr has left the asylum. She is kept there for 27 years! Sarah's father is Dr Lambourn and together they end up finding Amy again and the disabled child Joseph. Good interesting, moving story. 16/10/18-23/10/18
LINDA GREEN THE LADT THING SHE TOLD ME BOOK YES 2 stories in parallel. The grandma who had been raped and had a child when she was young but she didn't know that when her mother had given it away only hours later the baby was smothered to death. The house she lived in was left to her great-grandaughter after she died but the family dicovered so many bones in the garden didn't want to live in the house but found out that the next door neighbour John was not safe with children. MOVING 8/11/18-29/11/18
K L SLATER THE SECRET KINDLE YES Sisters Alice & Louise once were close. Archie arrives at Alice's to be looked after and she suspects her sister of abusing the boy. It turns out it's all to do with his gambling father Good thriller 16/11/18-/17/11/18
MARK BILLINGHAM IN THE DARK BOOK YES The story of bent copper Paul, who dies after being mowed down at a bust stop, his very pregnant partner, Helen who is also a copper. Gang lads ask Theo the newest member, to shoot at a random car which he thinks causes the crash when in fact Helen uncovers the truth that it was a set up to look like an accident when in fact Paul was deliberately targeted. The gang members in turn are shot dead one by one. Good story, although gang wars was not really my kind of topic. 1/4/19-9/4/19
AUTHOR TITLE TYPE READ OVERVIEW COMMENTS DATE READ
The story of bent copper Paul, who dies after being mowed down at a bust stop, his very pregnant partner, Helen who is also a copper. Gang lads ask Theo the newest member, to shoot at a random car which he thinks causes the crash when in fact Helen uncovers the truth that it was a set up to look like an accident when in fact Paul was deliberately targeted. The gang members in turn are shot dead one by one.
June 3, 2010
If somebody could explain to me what I did with my common-sense I'd be very grateful. I have this list of favourite authors, and a tendency to hoard their books. Makes no sense whatsoever when I think about it, but IN THE DARK got caught in the daftness and lurked on the shelves here for much much longer than it should have.
A standalone novel, IN THE DARK is a thriller with an unexpected scenario and an interesting twist. As the blurb outlines, there's a car crash in the night. A driver is forced off the road, into a bus stop. A man (in this case a policeman) is dead. His partner, a policewoman, wants to know why. Why him, what was he doing just before he died, who on earth was the man she thought she knew, how will she explain who he was and what happened to their very soon to be born child.
IN THE DARK is not just the story of her investigation into her partner's death, it's also very much a story about relationships, complications, unfinished business and how people deal with grief. You can just about taste Helen's desperation to do something, investigate, find the truth, anything rather than just sit and grieve for her partner. As she acknowledges an affair she has had, and the affect that it had on their partnership, she also starts to realise that there are things about Paul that she may not know. Despite a very advanced pregnancy she doesn't want to let it go, let other's seek the truth, her policewoman's instinct is too strong, and her need to be involved overwhelming. What stays with me still after I've finished reading this book is the way that Billingham has written such a finally balanced portrayal of this woman. The other thing that has stayed is how sudden death can leave such an emotional minefield behind.
That's not to say that this book isn't a thriller at the same time. The investigation has a pace of it's own, which is enhanced by the knowledge that as Helen's baby is due very soon, her deadline is immovable. Interspersed with Helen's search for the truth there are other stories, other people involved that night. The impact of gangs and crime is an angle which is explored, but interestingly not completely demonised.
Combine a lot of elements that worked really well as the story progressed, with some final twists and turns as the book draws to a close, and this was one of those excellent thrillers that really makes you stop and think. Serves me right for taking so long to read IN THE DARK. Note to self: try not to make the same mistake with the next book - series or not.
A standalone novel, IN THE DARK is a thriller with an unexpected scenario and an interesting twist. As the blurb outlines, there's a car crash in the night. A driver is forced off the road, into a bus stop. A man (in this case a policeman) is dead. His partner, a policewoman, wants to know why. Why him, what was he doing just before he died, who on earth was the man she thought she knew, how will she explain who he was and what happened to their very soon to be born child.
IN THE DARK is not just the story of her investigation into her partner's death, it's also very much a story about relationships, complications, unfinished business and how people deal with grief. You can just about taste Helen's desperation to do something, investigate, find the truth, anything rather than just sit and grieve for her partner. As she acknowledges an affair she has had, and the affect that it had on their partnership, she also starts to realise that there are things about Paul that she may not know. Despite a very advanced pregnancy she doesn't want to let it go, let other's seek the truth, her policewoman's instinct is too strong, and her need to be involved overwhelming. What stays with me still after I've finished reading this book is the way that Billingham has written such a finally balanced portrayal of this woman. The other thing that has stayed is how sudden death can leave such an emotional minefield behind.
That's not to say that this book isn't a thriller at the same time. The investigation has a pace of it's own, which is enhanced by the knowledge that as Helen's baby is due very soon, her deadline is immovable. Interspersed with Helen's search for the truth there are other stories, other people involved that night. The impact of gangs and crime is an angle which is explored, but interestingly not completely demonised.
Combine a lot of elements that worked really well as the story progressed, with some final twists and turns as the book draws to a close, and this was one of those excellent thrillers that really makes you stop and think. Serves me right for taking so long to read IN THE DARK. Note to self: try not to make the same mistake with the next book - series or not.
January 11, 2010
A really interesting read. This is the first book I've read by Mark Billingham and I'm very impressed by his writing ...
A lot of the reviews had spoken about an unbelievable twist and I jus figured it would be predictable considerin the hype about it (never one for a pre-determined twist) ... however, the twist was just what the novel needed. If it's thought of wthout actually reading the bookt hen maybe yeah, u'd think it was typical however Mark Billingham's writing was amazing and never gave any inclination to the forth-coming twist...
All the characters had a likable factor to them, especially Theo and Frank. I know those two were meant to be bad guys in a way but they had real character you know. Theo was sensitive and was so different from his friends, which made him stand out among the crew ... i respected him actually.
Frank was a whole new person ... his status and superiority was the key to his cleverness really ... getting other people to do his dirty work was just part of a rich person's life. Laura was a great twist ! I never saw it coming!! It gave him character .. and yes, I have yet to try his scrambled eggs lol they sounded delicious.
I think I may have to read another one of Mark Billingham's novel :) ... it was a thrill to read.
A lot of the reviews had spoken about an unbelievable twist and I jus figured it would be predictable considerin the hype about it (never one for a pre-determined twist) ... however, the twist was just what the novel needed. If it's thought of wthout actually reading the bookt hen maybe yeah, u'd think it was typical however Mark Billingham's writing was amazing and never gave any inclination to the forth-coming twist...
All the characters had a likable factor to them, especially Theo and Frank. I know those two were meant to be bad guys in a way but they had real character you know. Theo was sensitive and was so different from his friends, which made him stand out among the crew ... i respected him actually.
Frank was a whole new person ... his status and superiority was the key to his cleverness really ... getting other people to do his dirty work was just part of a rich person's life. Laura was a great twist ! I never saw it coming!! It gave him character .. and yes, I have yet to try his scrambled eggs lol they sounded delicious.
I think I may have to read another one of Mark Billingham's novel :) ... it was a thrill to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2009
I can't say I actually enjoyed this book, although I couldn't stop reading! Much of the time, I found the characters and settings depressing and unpleasant - I really couldn't empathise with characters like Easy and even Theo and Javine. Helen was a realistic and likeable character, though. The choice of title was very fitting for the events of the novel, as most of the characters (and the reader) were 'in the dark' about reality for most of the novel. There are many twists and turns in the plot and it is only at the end that the links are revealed. The harshness of the gang culture makes uncomfortable reading at times. Frank Linnell is a strange character, creating conflicting responses at different stages in the novel; although clearly a criminal, he inspires sympathy in many ways - his seemingly genuine friendship with Paul, his desire to homour Paul's memory, his kindness to Helen, his despair about modern life, his delusional relationship with Laura. This is what makes the book so clever: it plays with perceptions and distorts reality, so that you never quite know who to trust.
October 13, 2017
The final twist is brilliantly clever & shocking says the front cover....the biggest shock to me was that it wasn't a DI Tom Thorne tale as I was expecting!
Thorne or no Thorne, this is a gripping tale that will have you hooked. Helen Weeks is an intelligent & likeable character (I'd like to see her featured again in future books) who is trying to discover the truth behind a tragic accident, which appears to have been an act of teenage gang violence. For me, the gang is made far more chilling by the fact they are so young....a well written & accomplished tale.
The only (slight) critcism I'd have is the ending wasn't perhaps the surprise it should have been as the front cover leads you to expect the unexpected!
Thorne or no Thorne, this is a gripping tale that will have you hooked. Helen Weeks is an intelligent & likeable character (I'd like to see her featured again in future books) who is trying to discover the truth behind a tragic accident, which appears to have been an act of teenage gang violence. For me, the gang is made far more chilling by the fact they are so young....a well written & accomplished tale.
The only (slight) critcism I'd have is the ending wasn't perhaps the surprise it should have been as the front cover leads you to expect the unexpected!
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