Reviews

From the Dead by Mark Billingham

mbfeeney's review against another edition

3.0

I've read a couple of the Thorne books and they are always a fairly easy read. Pretty much what you expect from a detective story set in London.

This one was no different. Billingham sets up the story well in the prologue that makes you wonder what's going on and slowly unravels the plot twists and red herrings.

The way Billingham swaps between Thorne's POV and that of the main "baddy" is very clever as you get to see both sides of the investigation as each side try and find out who's behind the photos and what the other side know.

I've never seen the TV adaptation of these books and I'm glad as they usually ruin the books for me, even though the main character is played by one of my favourite actors - David Morrissey.

The only complaint I have about this instalment is that my favourite character, Phil Hendricks, isn't in this one as much as others. I really enjoy the interaction between him and Tom Thorne.

I will no doubt read more of the series, but they're not up at the top of the list of "must buys".

newson66's review against another edition

1.0

This has to be one of the dullest, most pedestrian crime novels yet to be encountered. It is overly long and seems to plod on and on eventually grinding to a brain achingingly obvious conclusion. This months entry to the Eyre Highway awards.

sfoster2309's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

mxinky's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars. Again, solid, interesting plot, weird treatment of women and also Irish people.

andrew61's review against another edition

4.0

I think I say this every time I read another in the Tom Thorne series but the books just keep getting better and better and Thorne is up there as one of my favourite police officers with Rebus and Wallander.
Here a widow convicted 10 years ago of having her husband murdered when she is released from prison receives a photo of him happily smiling away for the camera next to the sea with a beer in hand. Thorne's investigation places him and anyone near him at personal harm leading to a thrilling climax. A cracking read.

booked_becki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

sophiewilliams's review against another edition

3.0

Not the strongest of this series, but good nonetheless. Thorne gets to go on holiday! Less interaction with the supporting cast.

anetq's review against another edition

4.0

A gangster comes back from the dead, just as his ex-wife/widow is about to get released for murdering him...
(I'm on a bit of a Thorne binge, and they are entertaining)

kingfan30's review against another edition

3.0

Ive not heard of Mark Billingham before let alone read the rest of the series. I'm guessing each book has a different crime with an underlying story running through them. I did not really feel like I had missed anything that may have gone on in previous books so this stood on its own really well. The crime it's self was an interesting one as you know from the beginning who did it, the thing is the police find this out 10 years down the line after phots are sent to the wife and the quest to track him down begins. As always there are inside men keeping secrets and the odd accident on the way to keep them quiet. It was pretty fast past and an entertaining read, more of a 3.5 really.

sparklebox1's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed this, knowing I had read a book out of sequence I thought that this may effect my enjoyment of the plot and character knowledge.
I quite like Thorne although his ability to deduce the criminal is somewhat clunky and hit and miss. Like most policemen his love life is fucked up and true to form he can’t make up his mind about what he wants, but this may just be a universal trait that most men have!
I didn’t agree with the authors choices of who got bumped off and was kinda hoping that the connections between these two would have developed into more and they could solve crime together.
Enjoyable and easy to start a relationship with this without through other titles ... here’s to a few more!