What the Night Brings

The novel opens with the arrest of a major crime figure, Nicholas Cresswell. Always slippery and managing to avoid serious jail time, Cresswell has finally been arrested for murder—and DI Tom Thorne of the London Metropolitan Police couldn’t be happier.

However, when four uniformed officers attending the arrest are killed in a particularly malicious way, Thorne is devastated by the loss of their young lives and knows this is an act of vengeance and retribution. Further deaths follow and set Thorne, DI Nicola Tanner, and DI Dave Holland of the Major Investigation Team racing to find the perpetrator.

The Met is currently scrambling to restore public trust after corruption was found within the ranks and is also dealing with criticism for its lack of action in addressing crimes against women. Thorne is concerned that not all the corrupt cops have been weeded out and doesn’t know who he can trust—especially as the killer seems to have information he could only have gotten from someone within the department.

The investigation becomes darker and even more dangerous as it progresses in this tale of vengeance and betrayal. The plot is tight and gritty, packed with gripping action and plenty of twists. It is perfectly paced as it ramps up the tension toward an ending guaranteed to shock the reader. Despite the dark plot, there are flashes of humor running through the novel. The characters are all realistically drawn, complete with well-developed relationships—especially Thorne’s friendship with the larger-than-life, tattooed and pierced pathologist Phil Hendricks, whose jokes and smutty cracks add some levity as the two of them exchange banter. Although not without his flaws and not always loved by his fellow officers, Tom Thorne is an excellent detective—the sort of intuitive and dogged investigator you’d want looking into the murder of someone you know.

Although I enjoy Billingham’s Declan Miller series, this is the first novel I’ve had the pleasure of reading in his Tom Thorne series. I found it worked fine as a stand-alone, but I’m sure those who follow the series will get added enjoyment from knowing the main characters well. It’s a superb thriller and an absolutely compelling read with a cracker of an ending. I’m now looking forward to diving into the rest of the series.

With thanks to Grove Atlantic for a copy of the book