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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk 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
An efficient and fast-paced police procedural, technically superb from its gripping opening to its climax. Billingham, who knows exactly what he's doing with his material, has the recipe just right (Guardian )
Another fine addition to Billingham's formidably assured body of work (Daily Mail )
The revelations about the killer are totally unexpected - and proof that Mark Billingham is still top of the tree (Express )
I found my heart racing as I read the last few chapters. I cannot remember the last time that happened to me while reading crime fiction...Tom Thorne is now definitely one of my favourite modern fictional detectives (The Bookbag.co.uk )
Another fine addition to Billingham's formidably assured body of work (Daily Mail )
The revelations about the killer are totally unexpected - and proof that Mark Billingham is still top of the tree (Express )
I found my heart racing as I read the last few chapters. I cannot remember the last time that happened to me while reading crime fiction...Tom Thorne is now definitely one of my favourite modern fictional detectives (The Bookbag.co.uk )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 50 people found the following review helpful
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?
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
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.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good police procedural
Mark Billingham's new novel "Bloodline" is the latest in the DI Tom Thorne series. Thorne, a Detective Inspector, has already worked on - 15 years in the past - worked on the... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Jill Meyer
Riveting
Well, if I am to judge by my two latest reads it gets ever more difficult to have excellent writing and compelling plots combined. Read more
Published 7 months ago by H. Lacroix
Good book
I am the unwitting member of a book reading group and never having read a Mark Billingham book before I was launched into the world of Tom Thorne. Read more
Published 9 months ago by R. Read
For fans of the series
Bloodline is the 8th book in the Tom Thorne series.
The cases that DI Tom Thorne and his colleagues investigate are usually serial killer cases with a twist. Read more
The cases that DI Tom Thorne and his colleagues investigate are usually serial killer cases with a twist. Read more
Published 9 months ago by elkiedee
Bags of blood
Blood Line is the first Billingham story I have read and so it's my introduction to Tom Thorne, the taciturn detective. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Noel
Blood Line (Book)
My Husband has just finished this book and said it was very good. He has gone on to read more Mark Billingham books.
Published 10 months ago by Jilly
Billingham never disappoints
"He remembered some movie where the cop would stand in the houses where people had been murdered and commune with the killer.... Read more
Published 10 months ago by E. Crowley
A gripping read!
A gripping read! Typical of the Mark Billingham thrillers, it is easy to read and grabs your attention from the start. Th book was in a great condition and arrived promptly. Read more
Published 11 months ago by LisaLoo
A good read - but
As always I did enjoy this foray into the world of DI Thorne and I thought that the personal theme that ran through the book was very good. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Alex Eavis
something missing
A routine murder, turns serial for Tom Thorne & his team and links back 15 years. For some reason this book didn't hold my attention as much as I wanted it to. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Bibliophile
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