Book Review: Lifeless

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Lifeless     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Mark Billingham
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: Tom Thorne # 5
William Morrow 2005, US Edition 2006

In LIFELESS the reader has the rarest of experiences - to be immersed in a novel written by an author coming fully into his own. We first met Billingham's protagonist London cop Tom Thorne in SLEEPYHEAD as he worked on a case involving a unique serial killer. Those who enjoy suspense fiction and also read the morning newspaper are very aware that a serial killer is a relatively rare challenge for a large urban police department. So an author wishing to expand on a continuing character and wishing to keep the action fresh must find new avenues for that character.

At the conclusion of Billingham's previous entry, THE BURNING GIRL, Thorne experienced a personal tragedy. At personal and professional loose ends, he is floundering as LIFELESS opens. When men "sleeping rough" on the streets of London are being found brutally kicked to death, Thorne volunteers to go undercover and join the ranks of the homeless surviving on soup kitchens for meals and sheltered doorways for beds. In small snippets of information, Thorne begins to learn enough from his time on the streets to direct the police of his permanent assignment in their investigation. But Thorne also begins to feel at home and comfortable with his place among those who sleep rough.

At once an engrossing crime story with truths drawn from front pages worldwide, and a deeply satisfying character study of a man at the crossroads, LIFELESS will hold you captive until the last page. It's not going to be easy to wait for the next installment in the life of Tom Thorne.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM