Reviews

Death Message by Mark Billingham

appalonia's review against another edition

4.0

I really love the character of Tom Thorne, the tough DI who insists on doing things his own way, and often pays a hefty price. But of course he never learns. This book will reward long-time fans by bringing back a couple of villains from earlier stories. And I’m glad we finally learned what really happened to Tom’s father. I only wish the author had shown a scene between Hendricks and Thorne at the end. The close friendship enjoyed by the two is one of the central threads of the series, and I ended the book worrying that it would remain fractured.

fat_girl_fiction's review against another edition

3.0

This was the most recent Thorne book I have read, and I really enjoyed it. My only criticism is that at the beginning of the book you know who it is that is commiting the murders, therefore this one is more about the why and the capture, rather than the who and the chase. However, the ending is sublime and offers answers to Thorne, of a personal nature.

book_telle's review against another edition

4.0

4.5/5

Well, I didn't expect that.

neilsb's review against another edition

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

2.75

escapeebee's review against another edition

5.0

Another great read, good mix of storylines and plots and some very tense scenes towards the end! Was a different set up, knowing the bad guy early on but one that worked. High up there with the rest of Mark Billingham's books and definitely one of my favourites.

alienconspirest's review against another edition

3.0

Better to start from the beginning of any crime series this included.

vkemp's review

4.0

Tom Thorne is a policeman's policeman. He rarely breaks the rules and almost always gets his man. After he receives the first photograph on his mobile, it takes a few days to find the body. Then he starts receiving videos of the victims before they are killed. Who is killing the bad guys for him? Who is targeting the police, including Tom's friend and colleague, Phil Hendricks? This is the seventh of Billingham's great police procedurals, featuring DCI Tom Thorne.

scottish_kat's review

3.0

I liked re-visiting some old characters and tying up some loose ends but the connection between the two cases that signaled from the very start was going to lead the resolution of the main case was too coincidental for my taste.

I'm concerned about how much further Thorne can go without being sacked / jailed / committed to a mental hospital.

There have been better Thorne books, and there have been worse.