“Mark Billingham is a first-rate British crime writer who is too little known in this country. . . . The police procedural is a deceptively simple genre. You need a crime, a cop, suspects, complications and finally a solution. The art, of course, lies in the ingenuity of the crime, the depth of the characterizations and the quality of the writing. Billingham excels in all regards.” —Patrick Anderson, Washington Post

“Billingham’s ninth Tom Thorne thriller sees our hero working on a case in which a man long dead appears to be very much alive—to the chagrin of his wife, who had paid to ensure his expiration.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Once again, [Billingham] has written a deep police procedural with significant insights into the characters. . . . Written with smoothness and urbanity, the plot moves forward in unexpected ways. Recommended.”—Theodore Feit, The Midwest Book Review

“[A] fine, well-plotted work . . . Billingham’s dark humor, often shot through with irony, is in full play here.”—Joe Hartlaub, Book Reporter

“A chillingly clever criminal boosts this intelligent procedural.”—Publishers Weekly

“A nice mix of police procedure and chatty scenes, and some nice scenery.”—Salem Macknee, Charlotte Observer

Praise for Mark Billingham

“With each of his books, Mark Billingham gets better and better. These are stories and characters you don’t want to leave.”—Michael Connelly

“Morse, Rebus, and now Thorne. The next superstar detective is already with us—don't miss him.”—Lee Child

“Billingham is one of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today.”—Gillian Flynn

“Mark Billingham has brought a rare and welcome blend of humanity, dimension, and excitement to the genre.”—George Pelecanos

“Billingham is a world-class crime writer and Tom Thorne is a wonderful creation. Rush to read these books.”—Karin Slaughter

“Mark Billingham is one of my favorite new writers.”—Harlan Coben

“Billingham leaps to the upper echelons of crime fiction in one bound.”—John Harvey