Enough feeling, though. There was always enough left, and each time it was as though things were starting to … even out inside him. I'm always happy to see another book featuring DI Tom Thorne. I've read most, if not all, of this author's books ... feels like Thorne is almost family.

Mark Billingham on superb form. A finely paced and polished procedural, with twists and turns galore and an ending that will chill your soul. ( Cara Hunter, author of Close to Home) The mind of the strangulation killer is shown through vignettes. He describes what he feels about women, and about how appearances are everything. Thorne is (despite being a Homicide detective) tasked with looking into the violent killing of cats. He decides (in a leap which is taken on faith) that the perpetrator is killing cats as he "comes down" from killing women. In a further leap, he posits that the method of murder will be strangulation and manages to cobble together a group of unsolved strangulation murders to pin on the cat killer. (Of course, the murdered women do all turn out to have a common link eventually). I am so glad that Mr. Billingham didn’t go into the cat killings in depth. If there is anything I cannot tolerate, it is the indiscriminate killing of helpless animals – especially cats. I was so glad that the investigation turned to the murders people. Not that people are less important than cats, but, oh, what am I trying to say? I entered into Book #15, in one of my favourite police procedural series, with a lot of trepidation as it talks about a series of cat killings. Fellow animal lovers can rest somewhat easy as it is only a small piece of the book which is more of a reference point than a graphic telling.And of course, then at the end we’re left wondering how correct Thorne’s ‘workout’ theory was anyway…. MY THOUGHTS: Although I don't like reading about either drugs or animal killings, and this book contains both (nothing graphic!), Billingham has managed to produce yet another 4.5-star read for me. 15 books into the D I Tom Thorne series, and my respect for both the series and the author continues to grow. It is no mean feat to continue to grow the characters and come up with fresh and interesting plots after so many books.

The strength of the DI Thorne novels is in the knowledge that all of this could be real. The closing of the novel will please even the most discerning fan of the police procedural, and leave you yearning for more. ( Crime Fiction Lover) The killing of animals, cats,dogs, birds, together with fire starting and persistent bed wetting is one of the telltale traits that make up the characteristics that may help to identify serial offenders. Happily – errrr, sorry – there was a sense of trouble-in-paradise here. It’s sort of resolved at the end but I am kinda hoping there’s a story arc afoot and Thorne moves on. Or at least their relationship becomes more affectionate / loving / believable (or one I could care about). Groundbreaking ... a gripping, unsensational take on a type of crime that is happening more frequently than many of us realise A new Mark Billingham is always a treat and The Killing Habit hurls the reader straight into the action. Thoroughly enjoyable for being so very real. ( Susie Steiner, author of Missing, Presumed and Persons Unknown)

I stumbled across Mark Billingham’s Tom Thorne series at number 13. Amazingly it wasn’t a problem at all that I’d missed the first dozen and the two ( Time of Death and Love Like Blood) I’ve read since could easily be read as stand-alone novels for those who haven’t previously met the English homicide detective. (Bringing me to the 15th book in the series and my third!)

This is an excellent police procedural novel that brings together two excellent characters to give an added interest to this already excellent series.

Christmas Gifts

DI Thorne doesn’t want to take it too seriously when his is assigned a case of someone who is killing cats. But he knows that killing animals is often one of the signs of a serial killer in the making. He takes the case to liaise with Detective Superintendent Fulton from his old stomping ground in Kentish Town. When he sees the horrific pictures of what was done to the animals, he knows that he is on to something. Others are less convinced, so Thorne relies on DI Nicola Tanner to help him solve the case, before the culprit starts hunting people. The journey brings them face to face with a killer who will tear their lives apart. Thorne and Tanner’s intertwining investigation of what are two unconnected sets of killings is enthralling. Characterisation vivid, plotting outstanding. The Killing Habit by Mark Billingham will be published by Atlantic Monthly Press on 19 June and in Australia by Hachette on 12 June 2018. Mark Billingham on superb form. A finely paced and polished procedural, with twists and turns galore and an ending that will chill your soul.