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A review by jen_meds_book_reviews
What the Night Brings: A Tom Thorne Novel by Mark Billingham
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Right. I will just start this review by saying 'whaaaaaaaaat?'. Now I have that out of my system, we can all move on and I'll answer no more questions about the book ...
Seriously though, after what poor old Tom Thorne went through in the past book, if you thought his next case was going to be easy, or that mark Billingham was going to ease us all in gently, then you really haven't been following the series at all, have you? I mean, to a degree, it all seems okay. A successful bust putting a very dangerous criminal behind bars ... As far as opening scenes go, so far so tame. But a very innocuous moment takes a very dark turn when three Police Officers are left dead with a four in critical condition. The only thing that Thorne, his colleague Nicola Tanner, and their team are focused on from that point on is the where and the why of it all. Dark, emotional and, most of all, deadly, this is one case that none of us are going to forget for a while.
What a story. And one that is so hard to review as I really do not want to spoil anything for people who have yet to read the book, or catch up on the series for that matter. It is classic Thorne. all of the characters we have grown to love are there, as is the brilliant banter between Thorne and his colleagues, especially Hendricks, which is quite often needed in this case as it takes a few dark turns. Mark Billingham employs such skilful misdirection that just when you think you know what is happening, when you can put your finger on a suspect, turns out you are completely and utterly wrong. The books taps into some very current affairs, the premise being all too depressingly familiar. Again, hard to discuss too much without a few spoilers, but with dead Metropolitan Police officers, it doesn't take too much of a journey into your imagination to figure out which direction part of the story takes.
I was left with mixed emotions about the perpetrator of the wrongdoings in this book. There is no forgiving what they do - no one, no matter what, is above the law, and their idea of justice is somewhat extreme. But, I can kind of see how they got to where they were. Always better ways of making your point than murdering people, as two wrongs never make a right. But it was one of those moral quandaries that Mr B is so good at posing, leaving me wondering at what point your average person might snap. There is a clear Yin to the perp's evil Yang, and this is where my full sympathies lay. But still ... Did make me think.
With gripping action, brilliant characters, and humour that takes the edge off the darkest moments in the book - and there are some quite dark moments - the pacing and flow of the story fell just right for me. I was left feeling a mixture of anger and emotion, as well as jaw dropping astonishment by the ending of the book, and, when all is said and done, who needs more than that? I've yet to read a Thorne book I haven't loved, and this is right up there with the best. As for what comes next - and there surely will be a next - well, I await that with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. God I hope the wait is not too long. Definitely recommended. Fans of the series will just eat it up.
Seriously though, after what poor old Tom Thorne went through in the past book, if you thought his next case was going to be easy, or that mark Billingham was going to ease us all in gently, then you really haven't been following the series at all, have you? I mean, to a degree, it all seems okay. A successful bust putting a very dangerous criminal behind bars ... As far as opening scenes go, so far so tame. But a very innocuous moment takes a very dark turn when three Police Officers are left dead with a four in critical condition. The only thing that Thorne, his colleague Nicola Tanner, and their team are focused on from that point on is the where and the why of it all. Dark, emotional and, most of all, deadly, this is one case that none of us are going to forget for a while.
What a story. And one that is so hard to review as I really do not want to spoil anything for people who have yet to read the book, or catch up on the series for that matter. It is classic Thorne. all of the characters we have grown to love are there, as is the brilliant banter between Thorne and his colleagues, especially Hendricks, which is quite often needed in this case as it takes a few dark turns. Mark Billingham employs such skilful misdirection that just when you think you know what is happening, when you can put your finger on a suspect, turns out you are completely and utterly wrong. The books taps into some very current affairs, the premise being all too depressingly familiar. Again, hard to discuss too much without a few spoilers, but with dead Metropolitan Police officers, it doesn't take too much of a journey into your imagination to figure out which direction part of the story takes.
I was left with mixed emotions about the perpetrator of the wrongdoings in this book. There is no forgiving what they do - no one, no matter what, is above the law, and their idea of justice is somewhat extreme. But, I can kind of see how they got to where they were. Always better ways of making your point than murdering people, as two wrongs never make a right. But it was one of those moral quandaries that Mr B is so good at posing, leaving me wondering at what point your average person might snap. There is a clear Yin to the perp's evil Yang, and this is where my full sympathies lay. But still ... Did make me think.
With gripping action, brilliant characters, and humour that takes the edge off the darkest moments in the book - and there are some quite dark moments - the pacing and flow of the story fell just right for me. I was left feeling a mixture of anger and emotion, as well as jaw dropping astonishment by the ending of the book, and, when all is said and done, who needs more than that? I've yet to read a Thorne book I haven't loved, and this is right up there with the best. As for what comes next - and there surely will be a next - well, I await that with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. God I hope the wait is not too long. Definitely recommended. Fans of the series will just eat it up.