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The Dying Hours

A Tom Thorne Novel

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The Dying Hours

By: Mark Billingham
Narrated by: Mark Billingham
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About this listen

A cluster of suicides among the elderly. Such things are not unknown to the police and the deaths are quickly dismissed by the police as routine. Only one man is convinced that something more sinister is taking place. However, no one listens to Tom Thorne anymore. Having stepped out of line once too often, he's back in uniform and he hates it.

Patronised and abused by his new colleagues, Thorne's suspicions about the suicides are dismissed by the Murder Squad he was once part of and he is forced to investigate alone. Unable to trust anyone, Thorne must risk losing those closest to him. He must gamble with the lives of those targeted by a killer unlike any he has hunted before. A man with nothing to lose and a growing list of victims. A man with the power to make people take their own lives.

Tom Thorne returns in Billingham's most compelling thriller to date. The Dying Hours is a haunting portrait of London's dark heart, and the darker heart of a twisted killer bringing terror to its streets.

2014, Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, Long-listed

©2013 Mark Billingham Ltd (P)2013 Hachette Audio UK Crime Thrillers Modern Detectives Mystery Police Procedurals Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction

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Editor reviews

The Dying Hours by award-winning and best-selling crime thriller writer Mark Billingham is the latest addition to the highly acclaimed Tom Thorne audiobooks, narrated by the author. The world of Tom Thorne is bleak after a tough demotion from revered detective back to the desk. There’s a string of suicides only Thorne believes to be sinister. The community and his colleagues have turned their back on him, so he sets out to secretly hunt the elusive killer. But without back up, Thorne could end up in grave danger. The tension and suspense is unimaginable as you devour this story. Available now from Audible.
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as usual once I get into the storyline I have to have it on at all available times....not sure he would get away with half of the stuff he does in real life bit it makes for interesting storylines . can't wait for the next book

Another good book in the Thorne series

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Great story but the narration leaves a lot to be desired. It's missing something don't know what.
I there was a different narrator you could get lost in the book.
Woul read the author again but not listen to the story if the narrator was the same

Great story but looses a lot in narration

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I wasn't expecting much, but this has been a great story that I've listened to over the last month. Really gripping and decently developed with believable characters. The ending was worthy of the start- which is unusual in much crime fiction written today.

Surprisingly Good

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So glad Mark Billingham is reading his own novels. His accents are so spot on, even the subtle ones it makes it easier to identify the different characters. For me (I suffer from short term memory loss) it's invaluable. The plots always thicken as the story goes on, and yet he still manages to add excellent twists.

Another cracker from Mark

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When an author has a main character the books start to get a bit 'samey', padded out with situations from previous books. I thoroughly enjoyed the 'Dying Hours' it was crisp and slick, read by the author Mark Billingham, it is one of the best Tom Thorne books I have listened to, if not the best.

The main protagonist is an elderly man, not what you would usually expect, but the ways and means he has of disposing of his victims is to say the least, ingenious.

Very highly recommended.

Getting better all the time

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This book has an excellent story. It kept you glued from the very very beginning

Excellent story

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I have to say I was a bit sceptical at first about downloading a book narrated by the author without them being somebody 'famous' reading their own books or an autobiography. However, I'm glad to say that I thought Mark Billingham narrated this story perfectly. A well written story with subtle, believeable twists and turns, up to date and with good humour. I am rapidly becoming a Mark Billingham fan. Definitely recommend.

Great story, narrated well.

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Another gripping story by Mark with all the usual drama and intrigue but what happens now to Tom is this the end????

Could not turn it off

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I'd enjoyed some of the author's earlier Tom Thorne novels but felt that this one wasn't as convincing. There's a series of elaborated-contrived murders as par for the course in detective fiction but I thought the author over-did Thorne as the maverick detective breaking all the rules. It's a well-worn scenario of detective fiction that the central character has just been demoted owing to transgressions against the rules and that he's at logger-heads with his bosses, but in the book Thorne's actions verged on the plain stupid. I didn't find the resolution satisfactory, nor, surprisingly the author's narration. In a an earlier recording I thought he was good but in this one he rushed some of the text as if he wanted to get it over with, particularly in the earlier parts of the book. He improved as the story progressed.

A bit disappointing

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Don't think I'd put this up as one of MB's best, but better than some. I wondered how Thorne would adapt to life in uniform, and this tale seemed true to the character built up over the series. Not sure I completely buy the Helen/Alfie connection yet.
Mark Billingham's narration is very good - always nervous when an author reads their own work, but his characterisation works well.
A good addition to the Thorne series - will look forward to finding out more about the 'cliff hanger' in the next book.

Good solid Thorne book

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