Thorne is one of favourite characters so I was desperate to dive right into this one and it really didn’t disappoint.

This is the 19th in the Tom Thorne series and I would say it’s the best, gripping from start to finish with a great cast of characters.

Mark Billingham has a real skill for writing believable characters that you really care about.

In this book Thorne and his team are chasing a cop killer but they’re not sure they are on the right side anymore. Raced through to finish but then was upset I had no more to read. I really hope there is more to come in this series.

Cannot recommend this book (and the whole series) enough!

WHAT THE NIGHT BRINGS

Billingham is a genius writer, as he masterfully weaves between shocking crime scenes to emotional tear jerking ones.

The latest book in the detective Tom Thorne series is book #19 (and yes I’ve read the previous 18) so to say I was thrilled when my #NetGalley request for an eArc of this was accepted, well that would be a HUGE understatement.

I dove straight in; I mean it has being three years since the last Thorne outing, I couldn’t wait to be reacquainted with the detective as well as the rest of the team.

As expected Billingham again not only draws the reader in to this police procedural but has the capability of keeping you hooked and even questioning if there is the possibility of a 20th book;(Please say yes…but don’t leave it quite so long a wait)

But with this one being his best yet, can he better it ??

Thank you #NetGalley #LittleBrownBooks and of course the talented author #MarkBillingham for my eArc copy in exchange for my honest review.

#markBillinghan #TomThorneSeries #WhatTheNightBrings #book19

#author #MarkBillingham #policeprocedural #crimethriller #suspense #emotional #whimsical #serious #sensational #gripping #unputdownable #IsThisTheEnd

I have been a huge fan of Tom Thorne since Sleepyhead, and returning to him in What the Night Brings is an electrifying homecoming. Billingham has always struck a balance between gritty police procedural and intense character study: this latest novel delivers on both fronts. As you’d expect from Mark Billingham, the characterisation is razor-sharp. Thorne is as layered as ever — haunted, deeply moral and yet pragmatic. After 19 books, he’s still as compelling as any literary detective you’ll meet. I enjoyed Billingham revisiting Thorne’s dynamic with pathologist Phil Hendricks. Their friendship—based on mutual respect, occasional bickering, and a darkly comic sensibility adds warmth and light to an often dark and grim narrative. Pathologist Hendricks isn’t just key to the investigation team; he brings heart, insight, and sometimes uncomfortable truths to Thorne’s view of the world, reminding us why this pair have one of crime fiction’s most grounded friendships.

In terms of plot, this is Billingham on top form. Thorne Thorne, Tanner and Holland are a terrific team. They have to hit the ground running to find a serial cop killer. Billingham wastes no time plunging us into terrifying uncertainty — “Three dead coppers, Tom, maybe four by lunchtime.” From that chilling sentence, the chapters race by. There’s a steady escalation of tension, punctuated by quieter, character driven, moments. The unexpected twists and psychological layers make it much more than a straightforward police procedural.

Billingham makes us think about how justice, betrayal and vengeance intersect—not just in the minds of criminals, but within the police force itself. There’s moral ambiguity that lingers long after the final page, and the story never simplifies complex motives or human frailty.

In an era where public trust in policing is at an all-time low, and questions of accountability are top of the agenda, Billingham taps into these anxieties and questions He uses his narrative to explore uncomfortable questions: Do police officers also pay for systemic failures? How far does institutional loyalty go before it becomes blind allegiance? These themes resonate powerfully today, especially in relation to what’s gone on with the Met Police.

This is a book that grabbed me by the neck, made me care about the people on the page, and which won’t let go til’ the last sentence. What the Night Brings delivers everything I need from a crime thriller. From the electrifying opening to the emotional stakes and the moral quandaries, it’s vintage Thorne in stellar form and Billingham pushes him to his limits. For me, it’s the best one yet.

Verdict: Shocking, electrifying, emotional, Mark Billingham’s What the Night Brings spins Thorne’s finely honed instincts until his head (and mine) are spinning. This is a must read. A quarter of a century in the writing business and Mark Billingham is at the top of his game. Congratulations!

II used to be an avid reader of the Tom Thorne novels, but I admit that it’s been a while since I last picked one up.

However, I was super excited when I saw this new release on NetGalley to review, especially since the synopsis sounded so intriguing. And I can assure you, it does not disappoint!

As the story begins with four uniformed officers participating in a raid when they discover a thoughtful gesture: someone has left them doughnuts and a card thanking them for all they do. Yet, just a few hours later, three of the four officers are dead, and the fourth is left fighting for their life.

And it’s up to Thorne, Holland, and Hendricks to track down those responsible.

Yet, recent events have revealed a police force plagued by corrupt officers, including rapists and domestic abusers. And as a result, the public is hesitant to cooperate, and Thorne can't really blame them.

But as the body count rises, Thorne, Holland, and Hendricks find themselves embroiled in even more corruption. With each horrifying revelation, they are left questioning if there is anyone within the force they can truly trust.

And with intricate subplots, realistic and relatable characters, gallows humour, great pacing, and a jaw-dropping ending. This is the Tom Thorne I remember, and it’s the reason I love police procedurals so much.

I would happily recommend this book, even to first-time readers!

Tom Thorne is about to get the most difficult case in his career.
Police officers are being murdered, and it appears to be an avenging angel is the perpetrator. Is it a case of murder or justified retribution.
When Thorne and his partner Nicola Tanner start to dig deeper, they unearth secrets that will change the police forever, and the aftermath will be so devastating, that life will never be the same again for Tom Thorne.
Mark Billingham has always been a very fine writer and his books are always of the highest quality, but this latest book is on another level. I can’t think of anything he’s done better.
This really is a hard-hitting story that the reader will literally read with their mouth wide open in surprise. This is crime fiction on another level, and a book I very much recommend.

An excellent return of Tom Thorne after Mark Billingham
Took a little time away to launch his new series and a welcome return to.

Following up closely after the events of The Murder Book, the book has lots of back story from the previous books but can also be read as a standalone.

Mark Billingham is fine form as this story of corrupt cops getting killed is really very good. It’s Billingham at its best.

With returning characters plus the usual bunch and plenty of wit to cut the darkness, this is a cracker in a long running series and it shows there is plenty of life in Thorne yet

I have always been a fan of the Tom Thorne, and once again was not disappointed. Someone is killing members of the police, and Tom and his team are hunting for the killer. This was a tense, unbelievable and thrilling read.

Five huge stars for this brilliant crime thriller.
I’ve read all the books in the Tom Thorne series and this is definitely one of the best.
When the Police start to become a target, and some killed, Thorne and Tanner work hard to find the person behind this.
Some information about their past comes to light, and they also learn soneone has been tampering with evidence, but did these people deserve to die?
I can’t say too much more as I really don’t want to spoil this brilliant story.
This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
Many thanks to Little Brown Book group for the opportunity to read this book.

I think Mark Billingham is such an underrated author. If you love a police procedural then he really is the other for you, I don’t think anyone does it better.

This book is an absolute rollercoaster. Twist after twist, and so action packed. I can’t recommend enough.

I love Tom Thorne. 4 police officers die after eating poisoned doughnuts, why? Another policeman is enticed to a wood and attacked. Who is doing this and why? How many more will die, What has been covered up in the past by a senior officer and who is it. Lots of twists and turns along the way and I can admit I cried at a Tom Thorne book.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘What The Night Brings’ written by Mark Billingham in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

While a criminal is being arrested for murder, four police officers standing nearby die after eating doughnuts. DI Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner are called in to investigate but as the number of deaths increases it becomes apparent that there’s a connection between the victims and that someone close to the police investigation is involved. It’s now up to them to identify the person responsible before more police officers are targeted.

I know I most likely say it every time I read a thriller by this author but ‘What The Night Brings’ is the most fantastic and definitely the most nail-biting ‘Thorne’ thriller to have been written. DI Tom Thorne and his partner DI Nicola Tanner chase up every lead, with the assistance of DI Dave Holland and their friendly pathologist Phil Hendricks, the tension becomes palpable until they eventually realise who’s been masterminding the criminal activities from the start. Thank you, Mark Billingham, for writing this exceptional thriller that’s gripped me from the first page to the last and has given me cause me to use up my supply of tissues. I know all good cops have to retire at some time but I can’t imagine life without Tom Thorne in it so I’m hoping there’ll be a book twenty in the future.

I love the Tom Thorne series and this episode did not disappoint. Very well written . Lots of backstory which is very much my cup of tea. Had me guessing the ultimate culprit until the very end which is a plus. Plenty of suspense throughout. Look forward to the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Tom Thorne is back and this time it's personal. Police officers are being murdered on his patch and it's down to Tom and his team to find the culprit. The death of police officers is bad enough but Tom soon uncovers the motives behind the killings, which makes the situation a whole lot more unpalatable. What transpires is shocking, but all too readily believable in the current climate.

What the Night Brings is another excellent Mark Billingham novel, whether read as part of the Tom Thorne series or as a stand alone.

Excellent Tom Thorne tale with lots of characters from previous episodes making welcome reappearances. The murders of several police officers start things off with poisoned doughnuts start it off. It seems they are revenge attacks and after a further murder in a local park the theory is proved correct after a young woman comes forward with a shock revelation. It all twists and turns brilliantly and the shock revelations at the end leave one gasping.

This is an exceptional book, my first by Mark Bellingham. It certainly won’t be my last. This story about the killing of police officers is fast paced, dark, convoluted and has great twists along the way. The final twist is so clever.
The characterisation is excellent, I really enjoy reading about fully fleshed- out characters, and these were all so well drawn. I was completely gripped by this book, could not put it down, and will be looking for more of this author’s work. I can’t believe Ive only just found him! I’m off to find another one right now.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book. Highly recommended

Right. I will just start this review by saying 'whaaaaaaaaat?'. Now I have that out of my system, we can all move on and I'll answer no more questions about the book ...

Seriously though, after what poor old Tom Thorne went through in the past book, if you thought his next case was going to be easy, or that mark Billingham was going to ease us all in gently, then you really haven't been following the series at all, have you? I mean, to a degree, it all seems okay. A successful bust putting a very dangerous criminal behind bars ... As far as opening scenes go, so far so tame. But a very innocuous moment takes a very dark turn when three Police Officers are left dead with a four in critical condition. The only thing that Thorne, his colleague Nicola Tanner, and their team are focused on from that point on is the where and the why of it all. Dark, emotional and, most of all, deadly, this is one case that none of us are going to forget for a while.

What a story. And one that is so hard to review as I really do not want to spoil anything for people who have yet to read the book, or catch up on the series for that matter. It is classic Thorne. all of the characters we have grown to love are there, as is the brilliant banter between Thorne and his colleagues, especially Hendricks, which is quite often needed in this case as it takes a few dark turns. Mark Billingham employs such skilful misdirection that just when you think you know what is happening, when you can put your finger on a suspect, turns out you are completely and utterly wrong. The books taps into some very current affairs, the premise being all too depressingly familiar. Again, hard to discuss too much without a few spoilers, but with dead Metropolitan Police officers, it doesn't take too much of a journey into your imagination to figure out which direction part of the story takes.

I was left with mixed emotions about the perpetrator of the wrongdoings in this book. There is no forgiving what they do - no one, no matter what, is above the law, and their idea of justice is somewhat extreme. But, I can kind of see how they got to where they were. Always better ways of making your point than murdering people, as two wrongs never make a right. But it was one of those moral quandaries that Mr B is so good at posing, leaving me wondering at what point your average person might snap. There is a clear Yin to the perp's evil Yang, and this is where my full sympathies lay. But still ... Did make me think.

With gripping action, brilliant characters, and humour that takes the edge off the darkest moments in the book - and there are some quite dark moments - the pacing and flow of the story fell just right for me. I was left feeling a mixture of anger and emotion, as well as jaw dropping astonishment by the ending of the book, and, when all is said and done, who needs more than that? I've yet to read a Thorne book I haven't loved, and this is right up there with the best. As for what comes next - and there surely will be a next - well, I await that with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. God I hope the wait is not too long. Definitely recommended. Fans of the series will just eat it up.

This crime thriller is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. There is plenty of suspense and plot twists throughout this book which will keep you guessing.

It was a good read but I did find it difficult at times to understand who was being discussed when using christian names and then swapping to surnames. I was a little disappointed with the end as it felt abrupt and gave no conclusion to an aspect of the story which I was invested in but all in all a great thriller to read. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

Fast paced, with lots of twists and turns, leading to a conclusion you won’t see coming.

Although this is part of the Tom Thorne series it can be read as a stand alone.
When it appears that members of the police force are being targeted Tom Thorne and his team must crack into action to solve this crime, before anything else happens!

Although I did enjoy this, some bits did seem a little convoluted and unbelievable, when parts of this book centred around falsifying evidence, they didn’t really have a whole lot of evidence for what they were proposing happened.
Some parts were quite predictable, but the ending may well surprise you. I don’t want to give anything away but one part wasn’t really concluded that I would have liked to know the outcome.

All in all well written and kept you wanting to read to know what was going on.

3.5 stars

I get so excited at the sight of a new Mark Billingham book and I couldn't put this one down.
Tom Thorne is back! We begin with Tom attending a late night arrest of a suspect. Passing the time of day with four constables at the scene of the arrest, the next day Tom is horrified to hear what happened to those officers next.
Twists and turns follow to root out corruption at the heart of the Met.
I really don't want to spoil anything for other readers, so have been deliberately vague with this review. You must read it yourself!

Attending the arrest of a suspect late at night Tom Thorne chats to four uniformed officers. By the following morning three of them are dead and Thorne is caught up in a deadly pursuit to find the killer before more officers are targeted.
As Thorne and his team begin to investigate it becomes clear that one of the dead officers was hiding a chilling secret, one that could be the reason he was killed.
Is it a vigilante with a grudge against the police or is it more personal. As the body count grows it becomes clear that the killer knows far more than he should, but who is giving him the information and why?
This is a case that will test the whole team like never before and could bring Thornes whole world crashing down.
If you want an edgy, fast paced, unputdownable crime thriller this is the one.
It's an absolute masterclass in how to keep the reader gripped, there are shocking twists and turns and the ending is just brilliant.