And his behaviour that is prompted by his obsession is an interesting failing – it goes beyond just the “rogue detective” typical patterns. At least Thorne’s obsessive past (and case that made him somewhat infamous among his colleagues) creates an interesting refrain throughout the book that you want to know more about. This rogue, obsessive detective is something of a cliché among crime novels, and there is not much new with Tom Thorne. Thorne is a fairly archetypical “damaged detective” – he occasionally drinks more than he should, his personal relationships are a disaster, his professional relationships are marked by a grudging respect for him by colleagues that may not like him much personally, and he tends to disregard the rules when he finds them inconvenient. This novel serves as an introduction to DI Tom Thorne. It’s a fairly popular series that has about a dozen books in it as of the time of this review.

SLEEPYHEAD is the first of Mark Billingham’s DI Tom Thorne novels, based in modern-day London. And Thorne’s obsessive nature could jeopardize the force’s ability to catch the killer.

But DI Tom Thorne discovers the truth: Alison’s survival isn’t the mistake – it was the three women that have already died. The police believe that a killer who has been inducing strokes in victims through manipulation of pressure points in their head and necks has made his first mistake. Quick Review: A solid debut novel and intro to the series and Tom Thorne, with an intriguing premise.Īlison Willetts has survived a stroke that has left her alive but unable to communicate. Read this book for: modern crime fiction, police procedural, killers get personal, London-based detectives, thriller, disillusioned/damaged detectives

Mark billingham sleepy head