When a woman's body is found in a North London flat clutching a bloodstained sliver of X-ray, DI Thorne discovers that the victim's mother had herself been murdered fifteen years before by the infamous serial killer Raymond Garvey. When more bodies and more fragments of X-ray are discovered, a horrifying picture emerges: a killer is targeting the children of Garvey's victims...
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Amazon Review
Readers who have assiduously followed the upwards trajectory of Mark Billingham’s career -- and consider him their personal property -- are perhaps a touch resentful of the fact that he’s now one of the UK’s bestselling male crime writers. But it was only a matter of time before the mass of readers cottoned on to how on-the-nail such Billingham books as Lifeless and Buried are. Of course, his creation, the implacable DI Tom Thorne, is one of the most distinctive coppers in the genre, and has a legion of followers. After the much-acclaimed standalone In the Dark (in which Thorne took a back seat), Billingham's beleaguered copper is back in Bloodline, and it’s a welcome return.
Tom Thorne and his partner Louise have been trying to become parents, but then Louise suffers a miscarriage, which she finds devastating. Thorne tries his hardest to console her, but neither his words nor his actions seem to do the trick. At work, Thorne and his fellow detective Hendricks spend their time trading barbed one-liners, but they have a grim problem on their hands. There appears to be a disturbing parallel between several murders in the present and the gruesome career of serial killer, Raymond Garvey – but Garvey is dead, killed by a brain tumour. Thorne and Hendricks realise that a lethal individual is murdering the children of Garvey’s victims. It’s up to them to find out why – and quickly, before more innocent victims die.
The steady, understated accretion of tension is Billingham's strategy in Bloodline – as an author, he’s no believer in artificially manufactured climaxes every few chapters (as are some bestselling authors); Billingham, thankfully, is prepared to trust the reader’s patience and attention. And we’re in very capable hands. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Billingham is a world-class crime writer and Tom Thorne is a wonderful creation. Rush to read these books. --Karin Slaughter
Morse, Rebus and now Thorne. The next superstar detective is already with us - don t miss him. --Lee Child --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Morse, Rebus and now Thorne. The next superstar detective is already with us - don t miss him. --Lee Child --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
51 of 54 people found the following review helpful
By S. Lloyd
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have been counting down the days to the release of the next Tom Thorne novel. In Blood Line, Thorne is searching for a killer linked to a previous case - that of serial killer Raymond Garvey who murdered 7 women 15 years ago.
I think this is a 5-star read:
* Characterisation - If you have read all of the Thorne novels you will have shared his professional and personal ups and downs. Now we see a more sensitive side to him, particularly given through his inner most thoughts when on the train or listening to a CD.
Alongside Thorne are the credible and rich characters of Phil Hendricks, Louise Taylor and Carol Chamberlain - all of whom bring out a different dimension to Thorne's personality.
*Dialogue -- This is so natural. The humour makes you smile and in general is not linked to the crimes themselves. It reminded me a little of RD Wingfield in the respect of the realism put across through dialogue.
* The strength of the plot. You may work out some clues as you go along but this will not detract from the plot or spoil the twists.
* The pace - There are times when the pace slows down to match when the investigation is not moving as fast as Thorne would like. Then in the last few chapters I found that I was racing through them to keep up with Thorne's necessity for speed.
* The writing is quality. I thought the opening chapter and how this links in later gave great impact and the plot's realism enhanced by giving us different first-hand perspectives from various characters.
I only had one slight criticism and that is the murderer's motive did not seem to come strongly across to me as in previous Billingham novels. Overall this is well-written and visual - when's the TV series coming out?
I think this is a 5-star read:
* Characterisation - If you have read all of the Thorne novels you will have shared his professional and personal ups and downs. Now we see a more sensitive side to him, particularly given through his inner most thoughts when on the train or listening to a CD.
Alongside Thorne are the credible and rich characters of Phil Hendricks, Louise Taylor and Carol Chamberlain - all of whom bring out a different dimension to Thorne's personality.
*Dialogue -- This is so natural. The humour makes you smile and in general is not linked to the crimes themselves. It reminded me a little of RD Wingfield in the respect of the realism put across through dialogue.
* The strength of the plot. You may work out some clues as you go along but this will not detract from the plot or spoil the twists.
* The pace - There are times when the pace slows down to match when the investigation is not moving as fast as Thorne would like. Then in the last few chapters I found that I was racing through them to keep up with Thorne's necessity for speed.
* The writing is quality. I thought the opening chapter and how this links in later gave great impact and the plot's realism enhanced by giving us different first-hand perspectives from various characters.
I only had one slight criticism and that is the murderer's motive did not seem to come strongly across to me as in previous Billingham novels. Overall this is well-written and visual - when's the TV series coming out?
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By ausGeoff
Format:Hardcover
Once again, Billingham has served up an excellently plotted and finely crafted crime thriller.
The ongoing "subplot" with Debbie and Jason added an extra depth to the ongoing storyline, but also didn't patronise Jason as an intellectually-challenged child. Debbie's fragility and determination, and total involvement with her son drew a totally convincing (minor) character for us.
Tom Thorne is -- as always -- painted with very deft strokes. Billingham manages to portray him as a man not without personal doubts and insecurities, but at the same time, avoids the cliché of the "troubled hero".
The action is well paced, and the suspense is also fine-tuned such that we almost have our "ah ha" moments simultaneously with Thorne. Whilst hinted at, none of the plot devices is really telegraphed ahead too obviously.
All in all, a thoroughly well-recommended book.
The ongoing "subplot" with Debbie and Jason added an extra depth to the ongoing storyline, but also didn't patronise Jason as an intellectually-challenged child. Debbie's fragility and determination, and total involvement with her son drew a totally convincing (minor) character for us.
Tom Thorne is -- as always -- painted with very deft strokes. Billingham manages to portray him as a man not without personal doubts and insecurities, but at the same time, avoids the cliché of the "troubled hero".
The action is well paced, and the suspense is also fine-tuned such that we almost have our "ah ha" moments simultaneously with Thorne. Whilst hinted at, none of the plot devices is really telegraphed ahead too obviously.
All in all, a thoroughly well-recommended book.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Phil Robertshaw
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
DI Tom Thorne is becoming one of the great characters in modern detective fiction. Over the course of the series that began with Sleepyhead, we've watched him evolve through various personal challenges, never losing his slightly world-weary, cynical approach to his life and career.
In Bloodline, Thorne is on the trail of a killer who is targeting the children of the victims of serial killer Raymond Garvey several years earlier. Garvey is now serving a sentence for his crimes but someone seems to be following in his footsteps. It's this intriguing premise which forms the core of the plot. Thorne is aided and abetted by a now familiar cast of colleagues: Brigstocke, Kitson, Holland, Hendricks and semi-retired Carol Chamberlain.
What makes this series so good is that the characters feel so much more real than in many regular police procedurals. The dialogue is realistic and the characters don't speak in cliches. Medical examiner Hendricks, Thorne's closest friend, is a perfect example, always adding a good deal of humour. Billingham's skills as a stand-up comedian lend themselves to his writing and balance the darker moments of his work. And perhaps because the characters do seem so much like real people, as a reader it's easy to grow to care for them.
Bloodline is another fine story with enough suspects, twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the very end. Whether read as a starting point to the series or in sequence with the rest, it's another highly enjoyable tale which should satisfy any lover of British crime fiction. Highly recommended.
In Bloodline, Thorne is on the trail of a killer who is targeting the children of the victims of serial killer Raymond Garvey several years earlier. Garvey is now serving a sentence for his crimes but someone seems to be following in his footsteps. It's this intriguing premise which forms the core of the plot. Thorne is aided and abetted by a now familiar cast of colleagues: Brigstocke, Kitson, Holland, Hendricks and semi-retired Carol Chamberlain.
What makes this series so good is that the characters feel so much more real than in many regular police procedurals. The dialogue is realistic and the characters don't speak in cliches. Medical examiner Hendricks, Thorne's closest friend, is a perfect example, always adding a good deal of humour. Billingham's skills as a stand-up comedian lend themselves to his writing and balance the darker moments of his work. And perhaps because the characters do seem so much like real people, as a reader it's easy to grow to care for them.
Bloodline is another fine story with enough suspects, twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the very end. Whether read as a starting point to the series or in sequence with the rest, it's another highly enjoyable tale which should satisfy any lover of British crime fiction. Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Shops a lot
Format:Paperback
My first Mark Billingham novel and I loved it. Full of suspense, well written, gripping plot. I'm definately going to order more of his books.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By E. Crowley
Format:Paperback
"He remembered some movie where the cop would stand in the houses where people had been murdered and commune with the killer....For Thorne, it just came down to wanting to know something about the victim...Something simple and stupid would usually do it. A picture on a bedroom wall. The biscuits they kept in the kitchen cupboard or the book that they would never finish reading...As for what went on in the mind of the killer, Thorne was happy knowing just enough to catch him and no more."
Emily Watson has been brutally murdered. There is no sign of forced entry so the obvious conclusion is that Emily knew her killer. As expected, the first suspect is her husband, but when a time of death is narrowed, George Watson has a perfect alibi. A teacher at a nearby school, George comes home for lunch everyday, stays an hour, and returns home for the day in mid-afternoon, except on Wednesday when he supervises a chess club. Emily is killed on a Wednesday; the killer has taken the time to know the Watsons' schedule. Clutched in the palm of her hand, is a piece of film cut from an xray. When other bodies are discovered, killed in the same way, another piece of the xray folded into the palm, the police, and the public, realize there is a serial killer at large. As the identities of the victims, male and female, are revealed, the murders take on an even more bizarre element. Each victim is the child of a woman murdered by Raymond Garvey over fifteen years ago. Garvey has died in prison but there are no shortage of books written about the murders. Someone is using the information about the Garvey killings as a script for these new murders.
Garvey killed seven women.... Read more ›
Emily Watson has been brutally murdered. There is no sign of forced entry so the obvious conclusion is that Emily knew her killer. As expected, the first suspect is her husband, but when a time of death is narrowed, George Watson has a perfect alibi. A teacher at a nearby school, George comes home for lunch everyday, stays an hour, and returns home for the day in mid-afternoon, except on Wednesday when he supervises a chess club. Emily is killed on a Wednesday; the killer has taken the time to know the Watsons' schedule. Clutched in the palm of her hand, is a piece of film cut from an xray. When other bodies are discovered, killed in the same way, another piece of the xray folded into the palm, the police, and the public, realize there is a serial killer at large. As the identities of the victims, male and female, are revealed, the murders take on an even more bizarre element. Each victim is the child of a woman murdered by Raymond Garvey over fifteen years ago. Garvey has died in prison but there are no shortage of books written about the murders. Someone is using the information about the Garvey killings as a script for these new murders.
Garvey killed seven women.... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thorn Series
Bloodline, as usual Thorn gets straight to work using everything at his disposal to catch a killer. More often than not the killer is clever and believes what he is doing it right,... Read more
Published 2 days ago by Sequentis
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another good book
Good story with a nice twist at the end. A little slow in placed but perhaps this is realistic. Good character descriptions with real life scenarios.
Published 3 days ago by Carole H
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just love Thorne
brilliant as always, nothing more to say. I hope Mr Billingham never runs out of material for DI Thorne I'd be lost without him
Published 4 days ago by jogie
4.0 out of 5 stars
really good easy read
I'd read Lazybones before this and enjoyed that, this was just as good. I'm not a detective novel reader normally but I'm pleasantly surprised how good these books are. Read more
Published 18 days ago by severed head
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent read
Really enjoyed the twists and turns, the pace and buildup to the finale. It was well written and cleverly plotted
Published 1 month ago by ginger
5.0 out of 5 stars
another great Tom Thorne book. Once started ..couldn't put it down
Great book just about to start the next one. ...One little niggle ....you don't shuffle the cards in 3 card brag until someone plays a prial. (3 of the same type .. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Len West
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another top story from Mark Billingham
I've now read four or five of Mark's Tom Thorne stories and none have disappointed. Great plot, great finish and quite emotional
Published 1 month ago by Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bloody alright.
Brilliant, I couldn't put it down, gosh, he is a brilliant author, lets have more from him. Mark is on a par with Peter James.
Published 2 months ago by M. R. Thomson
5.0 out of 5 stars
More please Mr Billingham!
I have never read a Mark Billingham book I haven't liked and this is no exception. Tom Thorne has to be one of my all time favourite detectives. Read more
Published 2 months ago by JOYCE
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Another great Tom thorn novel. Gripping and suspenseful. A great under mystery. Would recommend to any lover of this genre.
Published 3 months ago by Doug frew
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