Sleepy Head Mark Billingham 2001 (british release)

The first thing I really noticed in this book was Billingham’s understanding of people. He has a great talent for making the characters feel real. The little snide comments made by Thorne, and the things he’s thinking are not that far from things that go on in my own head. He projects a keen sense of observation though his characters, And they seem as real as freinds of mine.

The pace of the book was also right on. It kept me wanting to read faster and faster, following the turns it took. The villain was not a typical slash ‘em up, and the reasoning in his head for doing what he was doing was a very nice touch. And the conclusion of the book worked wonderfully.

I also really liked the secondary narrative in the book. It added a very human element to the whole thing. This did not read like a first novel, and I hope it’s the first of many. I know I will be buying Mark Billingham’s books as soon as they come out from here on.

Coming from Morrow in July in the US.

Jon Jordan

Read the interview with Mark : http://www.mysteryone.com/MarkBillinghamInterview.htm