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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pregnant Questions,
By
This review is from: In the Dark: A Novel (Hardcover)
While this standalone novel departs from the excellent Tom Thorne series written by Mark Billingham, apparently he couldn't resist including his favorite protagonist in a cameo role. In this story, however, we are introduced to a whole new set of characters including Helen, a very pregnant policewoman, days away from giving birth.
Helen's significant other also is on the job. He is killed while on an apparent drug gang initiation, during which a new member shoots at a car that has flashed its headlights at the one in which he is a passenger. As a result, the victim's auto swerves into a bus stop smashing into Helen's mate and killing him. Helen then begins to look into her partner's recent activities, and to wonder whether he was on the take. Despite her swollen belly, Helen undertakes an investigation of her own, leading to all kinds of ramifications. The graphic descriptions of drug culture and the kids involved in the operations are matched only by the intricacy of the plotting. There is more than one twist when the story takes another turn. The novel is as well-written as anything the author has done, and highly recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Get ready for a surprise at the end,
By
This review is from: In the Dark: A Novel (Hardcover)
Billingham's first stand alone novel begins with five teenagers riding in a car, seemingly looking for a target to shoot in a gang initiation.
A woman sees their car without the lights and flicks hers, not knowing that this is the manner in which victims are chosen. Shots are fired into the car, the car swerves and crashes into a bus stop killing off duty police officer, Paul Hopwood. Paul's girlfriend, Helen Weeks, is also a police officer. Their child is almost due and Helen decides that the manner in which she can deal with her grief is to find the answers and perpetrators of Paul's killing. Besides Helen's investigation, the police are seeking the car and driver who killed one of their own. Additionally Frank Linnell,an underworld figure who believes that Paul was a friend, is in persuit of the killers. This group has resources that the police do not. This is an intelligent story that is told from three points of view, Helen's, Frank's and the guilt ridden teenager who reluctantly did the shooting. As members of the gang are found and things happen to them, Billingham lets the reader see the social pressures that force teenagers into joining gangs and the reprecussions that can change their lives. The plot driven story is well done and seems to be headed to a logical conclusion when Billingham pulls a surprise that no one could have forseen. The writer continues to impress. Recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thorne is better but this is ok.,
By Peter (Melbourne Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: In the Dark (Mass Market Paperback)
Mark Billingham is the creator of the likable character Tom Thorne, he has written 9 books featuring Thorne and has developed a strong following of fans who avidly read his work.
In The Dark is his first standalone novel and it is a very good addition to the bookshelves. Helen is pregnant, due in a fortnight or so, when she finds out that her husband was killed in an accident when a group of young gang members shot at a passing car, causing the driver to swerve into Helen's husband killing him. Although heavily pregnant, Helen (a police officer) decides to investigate the death. The combination of the crime investigation with the pregnancy is different. Is the book as good as a Thorne? Probably not but that could be because I am so fond of the Thorne series and it is much easier to get into a book which part of a series than a standalone. I would recommend this book if it is your first Billingham as you would get the feel for his style of writing but the Thorne series is even better.
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