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From The Dead (Tom Thorne #9)
It has been a decade since Alan Langford’s charred remains were discovered in his burnt-out car. His wife Donna was found guilty of conspiracy to murder her husband and served ten years in prison.
But just before she is released, Donna receives a nasty shock: an anonymous letter containing a photo of her husband. The man she hates with every fibre of her being – the man she...more
But just before she is released, Donna receives a nasty shock: an anonymous letter containing a photo of her husband. The man she hates with every fibre of her being – the man she...more
Paperback, 470 pages
Published
March 1st 2011
by Sphere
(first published January 1st 2010)
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‘From The Dead’ by Mark Billingham
Published by Little Brown, August 2010. ISBN: 978-1-4087-0075-4
When Donna Langford receives a photograph of her husband Alan, she is understandably shocked as she has just served 10 years in prison for organising his murder. Not having any love for the police she seeks out a private detective and finds Anna Carpenter who is keen and enthusiastic – this is her first real case. But Anna is inexperienced and out of her depth and so she contacts the detective who ha...more
Published by Little Brown, August 2010. ISBN: 978-1-4087-0075-4
When Donna Langford receives a photograph of her husband Alan, she is understandably shocked as she has just served 10 years in prison for organising his murder. Not having any love for the police she seeks out a private detective and finds Anna Carpenter who is keen and enthusiastic – this is her first real case. But Anna is inexperienced and out of her depth and so she contacts the detective who ha...more
In the 9th novel featuring detective Tom Thorne, Thorne has a rather different kind of case. Donna was in prison for ten years for organising the death of her gangster husband. But then she gets photos of her husband who is clearly alive and her daughter goes missing. As Thorne investigates the bodies start piling up he knows he's onto something.
I didn't like this novel as much as others in the series for a couple of reasons. One is that we know who the main villain is and there's very few twis...more
I didn't like this novel as much as others in the series for a couple of reasons. One is that we know who the main villain is and there's very few twis...more
I took a break from erotica to read a thriller snatched from Miz Nat’s bookshelf. Mark Billingham’s books featuring Detective Thorne always give me a juicy read, so I settled down with much eagerness last weekend to read about the cop’s latest exploits. He’s got a murder to unravel, except it was unravelled years ago and isn’t a murder after all. Well, not the guy who was supposed to be killed anyway. Yeah, some poor man copped it, and Thorne is ready to find out who he is—and where the original...more
Jul 12, 2012
Shaun
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Tom Thorne fans only
I enjoyed this book but only because it featured Tom Thorne. Had it been a standalone by any other author it would be a 2 star rating from me. This one saw Thorne travel to Spain to track down Alan Langford who was believed to have died in a burned out car after his wife organised his murder. Billingham really captured the setting well and it was very believable and enjoyable to read about Thorne in another country.
The book also introduces one of the best secondary characters his books have ever...more
The book also introduces one of the best secondary characters his books have ever...more
Blurb from the back cover
THE BODY
A decade ago, Alan Langford's charred ramins were discovered in his burt-out car. His wife Donna was found guilty of conspiracy to murder her husband and sentenced to ten years in prison.
THE LETTER
But just before she is released, Donna receives a nasty shock: an anonymous letter containing a photo of her husband. The man she hates with every fibre of her being - the man she paid to have murdered - seems very much alive and well.
THE RACE AGAINST TIME
How is it pos...more
THE BODY
A decade ago, Alan Langford's charred ramins were discovered in his burt-out car. His wife Donna was found guilty of conspiracy to murder her husband and sentenced to ten years in prison.
THE LETTER
But just before she is released, Donna receives a nasty shock: an anonymous letter containing a photo of her husband. The man she hates with every fibre of her being - the man she paid to have murdered - seems very much alive and well.
THE RACE AGAINST TIME
How is it pos...more
Got this latest Mark Billingham book from the library and remembered that I had been read the start of the book last Summer at a Crime festival I attended by the author himself. I have read all of Mark's books so far and enjoyed everyone of them. The detective is believable and not as flawed as some detectives can be in crime novels.
Two crime mysteries are followed through by the detective a case of a missing girl and the man who was accused of murdering her without a body being found and an ol...more
Two crime mysteries are followed through by the detective a case of a missing girl and the man who was accused of murdering her without a body being found and an ol...more
May 12, 2011
Dianne
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-british,
detective
An excellent Tom Thorne detective novel. Mark Billingham is an author whose work I really enjoy.
Donna Langford has finished a ten year prison sentence for contriving the murder of her husband and has settled in a small house in London with her ex-convict lover. But she receives several photographs, posted locally, of a man looking very like him, sunning himself on a beach in Spain happily enjoying a glass of beer. Convinced he is alive she hires a private detective Anna Carpenter, who liaises w...more
Donna Langford has finished a ten year prison sentence for contriving the murder of her husband and has settled in a small house in London with her ex-convict lover. But she receives several photographs, posted locally, of a man looking very like him, sunning himself on a beach in Spain happily enjoying a glass of beer. Convinced he is alive she hires a private detective Anna Carpenter, who liaises w...more
Female private detective Anna Carpenter encounters Thorne with a photo of a man who supposedly died 10 years ago in a murder ordered by the man's wife. The wife has now just been released from prison and is trying to make a new life for herself. At first Thorne isn't very interesting in the story, but Anna keeps nagging him to take a closer look at the case. A case that Thorne and his other detective colleagues remember very well. Very soon they have opened a
can of worms.
There are snitches, th...more
can of worms.
There are snitches, th...more
I picked this up after returning from a holiday in Spain where I read a lot of crime novels (well, three). I haven't read any Tom Thorne stories before and didn't know that there had been any TV adaptations.
Intriguing from the start, the pace is maintained throughout. There are a few interestings twists in the story but it is the central character, Tom Thorne, that will stay in my mind. The effect of the case on the life of the central detective in the story is well handled and I will be returni...more
Intriguing from the start, the pace is maintained throughout. There are a few interestings twists in the story but it is the central character, Tom Thorne, that will stay in my mind. The effect of the case on the life of the central detective in the story is well handled and I will be returni...more
I enjoyed this book, Mark Billingham has a remarkably good skill with words. When Donna, a woman who has served ten years behind bars for arranging her husbands murder, is released from prison, she starts to recieve photographs of her, supposedly dead hubby, enjoying himself in warmer climes. The pictures are recently taken, so she hires a private investigator, who in turn is forced to contact Tom Thorne, one of the cops who worked on the case when the charred body was found in a burnt out car.....more
I enjoyed this novel. It comes at the story from an unusual angle, in that the reader knows the identity and location of the criminal from quite early on, so the story focuses on the impact the original crime has on a range of characters. The story is about revenge, but it is also about the characters who are all well drawn and engaging. The detective, Thorne, is less cliched than some others and manages to have his human side without the overdone weaknesses that mar some others in the genre. It...more
Just as a woman is about to be released from prison for having her 'gangster' husband murdered she receives a photo through the post. It is a recent picture of him. She also discovers that her daughter, who went into foster care, has gone missing. Does her husband have her daughter? Anyone who might know something seems to get themselves involved in terrible accidents. The detective in charge of the case is DI Tom Thorne (who I believe appears in several of Billingham's books - though not read a...more
Apr 08, 2011
Tyrone
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-and-thriller,
reviewed
I always forget between releases, what an excellent crime writer Mark Billingham is. I also love that he uses his characters to have sly pokes at so the many formulaic crime fiction which fills the market place.
I like Thorne. He feels real, likes real if unfashionable music, has real concerns about his age and looks, feels what i suspect many of us would feel confronted with the acts of others.
I really enjoyed this addition to a generally excellent and consistent series. It takes Thorne away fro...more
I like Thorne. He feels real, likes real if unfashionable music, has real concerns about his age and looks, feels what i suspect many of us would feel confronted with the acts of others.
I really enjoyed this addition to a generally excellent and consistent series. It takes Thorne away fro...more
Always a thrill to dive into the life of Tom Thorne again. A fantastic character, who feels like an old friend every time I pick up the latest book by Billingham. The dry sense of humour, the fabulous plot twists, and the underlying goodness in a cop who is driven half crazy by his hatred of the scumbags he has to deal with are all utterly compelling. If you haven't been a follower, I recommend going right back to the first book Sleepyhead.. and enjoying the ride.
Strong central characters carry this one through a (at times) plodding plot.
There are a few twists in the story, but it's fairly linear, and a possible subplot turned out to be the biggest red herring in the book.
The peripheral characters feel a bit like they've come straight from Central Casting with a large dose of stereotype ladled on.
An uncomplicated, unchallenging read, but not likely to live with you long after you finish it.
There are a few twists in the story, but it's fairly linear, and a possible subplot turned out to be the biggest red herring in the book.
The peripheral characters feel a bit like they've come straight from Central Casting with a large dose of stereotype ladled on.
An uncomplicated, unchallenging read, but not likely to live with you long after you finish it.
I've enjoyed all Mark Billingham's books and this one was no exception. I love the way he writes his 'good' characters so flawed and human while at the same time his 'bad' characters are capable of good things despite their obvious shortcomings. If you want thought-provoking, ground-breaking literature then you're in the wrong place. But if you want an intelligent, entertaining, easy read then this is the book for you.
Billingham continues his move away from whodunnits into less formulaic crime fiction, by which I mean books about crime and criminals that don't depend upon mystery so much as upon character and social observation. Very good, and although the ending was not entirely unpredictable, there was a genuinely shocking development at one point that floored me with its ruthless audacity.
Entertaining if predictable crime thriller. I've never read a Tom Thorne (he's the main character) book before and to begin with I thought I could have a new favourite author. The concept for the story was compelling and the writing was sharp, with characters you felt for; but towards the end it veered into London cockney crime caper territory, with predictable results. A good holiday read but not a classic.
I don't usually like to read a series out of order, but I won a copy of this in a giveaway and decided to read it even though it is 9th in the series. I really enjoyed it. Great story, great writing, great characters. What more could you want? I've already started the first in the series and added the author's name to my growing list of favorites. Highly recommend.
I love Mark Billingham. I've read several Tom Thorne books now and return to his world, like slipping into my favourite pair of jeans.
Thorne and his colleagues are funny, interesting and each of them have their own unique points and individualities. Being allowed inside Thorne's head I feel is a privilege and a very exciting and amusing place to be. His thoughts make the story come alive.
The story itself is certainly an interesting one after an infamous London gangster, thought to be dead is di...more
Thorne and his colleagues are funny, interesting and each of them have their own unique points and individualities. Being allowed inside Thorne's head I feel is a privilege and a very exciting and amusing place to be. His thoughts make the story come alive.
The story itself is certainly an interesting one after an infamous London gangster, thought to be dead is di...more
DI Thorne's latest crime story is a belter. A criminal, who appears to have died in a hit organised by his wife, is photographed in Spain. Before you know it DI Thorne is on the case and what a convoluted and twisted case it is! Billinghman writes like a dream and the characterisation of the driven detective is brilliant.
I'm a big fan of the Thorne series and was able to pick this up since I'm on holiday in the UK. The primary plot line is quite engrossing and Billingham does a nice job of describing Thorne's overarching angst. The switch to the Spanish venue was a nice touch at the finish of the book.
This is my first book by Mark Billingham, so perhaps if I had gotten to know Thorne from earlier books I might have connected to his character a little better. The story line is good, but I found the book was overly long. I felt that the story moved along too slowly.
Apparently this is one of the Tom Thorne, British detective, series. Abused wife conspires to kill her husband, goes to jail for his death, and then finds out he faked it. I liked it - will look for earlier ones.
Jan 11, 2012
Harvey
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-mystery-read-in-2012
Excellent entry in this fine contemporary British police detective series.
Tom Thorne is curmugeonly and hard to take sometimes but he is a bulldog of a detective and really cares for the victims. In this one, a misidentified body from a 10-years-ago murder leads to more murder and mayhem. Told almost exclusively from Thorne's POV, the usual homicide squad crew plays less of a role than usual. Thorne's budding friendship w/ a young female PI adds to the mix.
Billingham keeps the story moving at a...more
Tom Thorne is curmugeonly and hard to take sometimes but he is a bulldog of a detective and really cares for the victims. In this one, a misidentified body from a 10-years-ago murder leads to more murder and mayhem. Told almost exclusively from Thorne's POV, the usual homicide squad crew plays less of a role than usual. Thorne's budding friendship w/ a young female PI adds to the mix.
Billingham keeps the story moving at a...more
A meaty book. There's lots going on and, visually, it hits the mark. For me, it's too much of a 'boy' book; I can tell it's a male author. However, it entertained me enough to finish it.
the book was ok- bit slow going and I didn't find as entertaining as his other books
it just felt that he concentrated too much on thornes personal dealings and feelings thn the crime
it just felt that he concentrated too much on thornes personal dealings and feelings thn the crime
To say that this novel was nothing short of a huge disappointment would be the understatement of the century. The usually, at least, mildly, entertaining Billingham, has written some good, solid, crime novels since his debut some ten years ago. He's created a well respected central character in Tom Thorne, and won many honours, but this, well, this was plain rubbish. To create a premise, woman has her husband killed, goes to prison, only to receive a photo of him alive and well and living in Spa...more
I love the Tom Thorne books but it took me a long time to finish this one,it was really good until it got to the parts where Tom was in Spain and then i got bored reading all the information about the scenery and the Spanish traditions.I put the book away a couple of times and read something else but today i decided to just get on with it and finish the book.The Adam Langford story line was really good and had quite a sad conclusion really but i felt that the ending to the Adam Chambers story wa...more
An enjoyable read with the usual predictable twists and turns. Not as fast paced and exciting as other Tom Thorne books. Not sure if it's me getting jaded or is Thorne ready for retirement?
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Also writes as Will Peterson with Peter Cocks.
Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001. Mark lives in North London with his wife and two children.
More about Mark Billingham...
Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001. Mark lives in North London with his wife and two children.
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