Mark Billingham je autorem, který se ponořil do světa detektivních románů poté, co nabral zkušenosti jako herec, televizní scenárista a stand-up komik. Jeho literární tvorba často zkoumá temnější stránky lidské povahy a společnosti, přičemž si zachovává osobitý styl, který je zároveň napínavý i poutavý. Využívá své všestranné zkušenosti k vytváření živých postav a spletitých zápletek, které čtenáře udrží v napětí až do samého konce. Jeho díla jsou ceněna pro svou schopnost proniknout do psychologie zločinu a lidské motivace.
The most shocking, gripping Tom Thorne thriller yet
The latest installment in the Tom Thorne series showcases Billingham's exceptional storytelling, delivering a gripping and shocking narrative that stands out as one of his finest works. The novel promises to engage readers with its intense plot and unexpected twists, highlighting the author's mastery in crafting compelling crime fiction.
Detective Inspector Tom Thorne hat endlich das Glück, nach dem er strebte. Doch mehrere Männer werden tot aufgefunden, verbunden durch mysteriöse Weingläser und eine Suche nach Liebe. Die Ermittlungen zeigen, dass ein perfides Spiel hinter den Morden steckt, und Thorne wird persönlich bedroht.
'Had me laughing out loud one minute and emotional the next. I'm excited to have found a new favourite detective' --- CLAIRE DOUGLAS This is one case Miller won't want to open . . . Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Still desperate to solve the murder of his wife, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands. Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne'er do well Wayne Cutler - a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife's death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of. Chuck in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.
THE FIRST NEW SERIES FROM #1 BESTSELLER MARK BILLINGHAM IN 20 YEARS. 'Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business' --- RICHARD OSMAN Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated... He's a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority - and he's the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller. A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out? Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle? 'Funny, moving, and full of surprises . . . an absolute treat' --- MICK HERRON 'Billingham blends caustic humour, raw emotion and rollercoaster thrills. His new series is bursting with wit, charm and intriguing, complex characters' --- JANICE HALLETT
Alice Frances Armitage, bis vor Kurzem Detective Constable bei der Mordkommission der Metropolitan Police im Norden Londons, weiß, wie man für Recht und Ordnung sorgt. Aber da, wo sie ist, nützt ihr das gar nichts. Nicht, weil es in Psychiatrien eben grundsätzlich chaotisch zugeht, sondern weil sie selbst Patientin ist. Seit ihr Kollege bei einem Routineeinsatz erstochen wurde, leidet sie an einer posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung. Der Alkohol und die Drogen haben sicher auch nicht geholfen, und nachdem Alice ihrem Freund eine Weinflasche über den Kopf gezogen hat, war es mit dem Verständnis ihres Arbeitgebers endgültig vorbei. Wenn sie die psychiatrische Akutstation wieder verlassen darf, will Alice ihre Wiedereinstellung durchboxen. Aber auch ohne Dienstmarke beginnt sie sofort Nachforschungen anzustellen, als einer ihrer Mitpatienten ermordet wird. Die Polizei will sie nicht einbeziehen, und so muss sie heimlich Beweise sammeln und sich auf die wenigen Kontakte verlassen, die sie noch hat. Alices Leben gerät endgültig aus den Fugen, als sie merkt, dass sie niemandem auf der Station trauen kann - am wenigsten sich selbst.
TOM THORNE IS BACK . . . AND SO IS HIS WORST NIGHTMARE A gripping, grisly read. Mark Billingham is a terrific crime writer' ----- ANTHONY HOROWITZ Tom Thorne has it all. In Nicola Tanner and Phil Hendricks, Thorne has good friends by his side. He finally has a love life worth a damn and is happy in the job to which he has devoted his life... He has everything to lose. Hunting the woman responsible for a series of grisly murders, Thorne has no way of knowing that he will be plunged into a nightmare from which he may never wake. And he'll do anything to keep it. Finally, Thorne's past has caught up with him and a ruinous secret is about to be revealed. If he wants to save himself and his friends, he must do the unthinkable. PRAISE FOR MARK BILLINGHAM 'Mark Billingham is a master of psychology' Ian Rankin 'Fast-paced and twisting' Paula Hawkins 'At the very least it should reach the shortlist of this year's Booker prize' The Times
Strengthen students' understanding of key OCR GCSE topics and develop the vital skills required to attain the best results possible in the exams, with this expert-written Student Workbook. Written by experienced examiner Mark Billingham, this write-in Student Workbook:
It's rare for a young woman to die from a stroke and when three such deaths occur in short order it starts to look like an epidemic. Then a sharp pathologist notices traces of benzodiazepine in one of the victim's blood samples and just traceable damage to the ligaments in her neck, and their cause of death is changed from 'natural' to murder.The police aren't making much progress in their hunt for the killer until he appears to make a mistake: Alison Willetts is found alive and D.I. Tom Thorne believes the murderer has made a mistake, which ought to allow them to get on his tracks. But it was the others who were his mistakes: he doesn't want to take life, he just wants to put people into a state where they cannot move, cannot talk, cannot do anything but think.When Thorne, helped by the neurologist looking after Alison, starts to realise what he is up against he knows the case is not going to be solved by normal methods - before he can find out who did it he has to understand why he's doing it.
The shocking, original and completely unpredictable new novel from multi- million selling master Mark Billingham is a standalone thriller to keep readers up at night.
Thriller
Der allererste Fall für Tom Thorne, eine der legendärsten britischen Krimifiguren Im Sommer 1996 laufen zwei kleine Jungen von einem Spielplatz in den angrenzenden Wald – doch nur einer von ihnen kommt wieder heraus. Und er verliert kein Wort darüber, was im Wald geschehen ist. Von dem anderen Jungen fehlt seither jede Spur. Detective Tom Thorne nimmt sich des Falls an. Dieser gerät jedoch außer Kontrolle, als zwei Personen, die mit dem vermissten Jungen in Verbindung stehen, ermordet werden. Und so kämpft Thorne, während sich London auf die Ausrichtung der Fußballeuropameisterschaft vorbereitet, mit den Wirrungen dieses rätselhaften Falls – und mit den hässlichen Folgen seiner zerbrochenen Ehe …
A lavish signed, numbered, limited edition hardback of the groundbreaking first Tom Thorne novel by Mark Billingham, as he publishes his 20th novel - a prequel to the unforgettable 'Sleepyhead'.
Two boys run into the woods--but only one returns-- In the summer of 1996, two boys run from a playground into the adjoining woods, but only one comes out. DS Tom Thorne takes on the case--which quickly spirals out of control when two people connected to the missing boy are murdered. As London prepares to host the European Soccer Championships, Thorne fights to keep on top of a baffling investigation while also dealing with the ugly fallout of his broken marriage . . .
A searing, raw and honest memoir of television's greatest SAS veteran. Sergeant Major Mark 'Billy' Billingham recounts his life, twenty-seven years of military service as an elite soldier, and new-found fame on the hugely successful Channel Four series SAS: Who dares Wins.
The sixteenth book in the Tom Thorne series, from bestselling author Mark Billingham. 'Hugely intelligent and authentic' BELINDA BAUER, AUTHOR OF SNAP She says she's an ordinary mother. He knows a liar when he sees one. Sarah thinks of herself as a normal single mum. It's what she wants others to think of her. But the truth is, she needs something new, something thrilling. Meanwhile, DI Tom Thorne is investigating a woman's suicide, convinced she was driven to do it by a man who preys on vulnerable women. A man who is about to change Sarah's life. From number one, five-million-copy bestseller Mark Billingham comes a breathless new thriller starring Thorne and Tanner that readers will devour. PRAISE FOR MARK BILLINGHAM 'One of the great series of British crime fiction' THE TIMES 'An unconventional literary superstar' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Billingham is a world-class writer' KARIN SLAUGHTER 'A new Mark Billingham is always a treat' SUSIE STEINER 'Finely paced and polished procedural, with twists and turns galore' CARA HUNTER 'Perfectly executed and with a thoroughly unnerving twist' GUARDIAN 'Thorne is a terrific invention' IRISH INDEPENDENT 'Mark Billingham gets better and better' MICHAEL CONNELLY
'One of the great series of British crime fiction' The Times From multi-million-copy number one bestseller Mark Billingham comes a twisting, unbearably gripping DI Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner thriller inspired by a dramatic real-life case. How do you catch a killer who is yet to kill? We've all heard about the signs: coldness, cruelty, lack of empathy. DI Tom Thorne knows the psychological profile of a psychopath all too well, so when pets start disappearing on suburban London streets, he sees a chance to stop a future murderer. 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. ---------- '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 '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 'An unconventionalliterary superstar' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'As ever with Billingham, a rich cast of characters and tense situations are marshalled with panache, leading to a final terrifying encounter' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Thorne is a terrific invention' IRISH INDEPENDENT ________________
'Groundbreaking and gripping'Sunday Times A BLOODY MESSAGE As DI Nicola Tanner investigates what appears to be a series of organised killings, her partner Susan is brutally murdered, leaving the detective bereft, and vengeful. A POWERFUL ALLY Taken off the case, Tanner enlists the help of DI Tom Thorne to pursue a pair of ruthless killers and the broker handing out the deadly contracts. A CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE As the killers target their latest victim, Thorne takes the biggest risk of his career and is drawn into a horrifying and disturbing world in which families will do anything to protect their honour. From number one bestseller Mark Billingham comes a masterful, intense crime novel that pits DI Tom Thorne against an evil beyond comprehension, yet shockingly real. ________________ 'One of the great series of British crime fiction' The Times 'Billingham is a world-class writer' Karin Slaughter
Perfekte psychologische Hochspannung! Fünf Menschen, die unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten, treffen sich jeden Montag im selben Haus. Es sind Süchtige, die sich auf der Suche nach Hilfe zufällig begegnet sind. In ihrer Mitte sitzt der Therapeut Tony De Silva, der eine ganz eigene Vergangenheit hat. In diesem Kreis offenbaren sich die fünf gegenseitig ihre dunkelsten Geheimnisse. Dabei gibt es nur eine Regel: Nichts von dem, was zwischen ihnen besprochen wird, darf jemals nach außen dringen. Selbst als einer der fünf tot aufgefunden wird, bricht keiner sein Schweigen. Doch zum Kreis gehört jetzt auch ein Mörder, der alles über die anderen weiß.
Die Wahrheit schneidet tiefIn einem einsamen Landstrich Englands werden zwei Schülerinnen als vermisst gemeldet – die Bewohner von Warwickshire sind erschüttert. Als der Familienvater Stephen Bates verdächtigt wird, beginnt die Presse eine gnadenlose Hetzkampagne. Dann wird im Wald eine verweste Leiche gefunden. Doch wo ist das andere Mädchen? Der legendäre Ermittler Tom Thorne und seine Partnerin Helen wollen die Wahrheit – wie schrecklich sie auch sein mag.»Mark Billingham ist Weltklasse und sein Ermittler Tom Thorne ist eine wunderbare Figur! Holen Sie sich die Bücher, so schnell Sie können!« Karin Slaughter
THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER You never know who's watching . . . Every Monday evening, six people gather in a smart North London house to talk about addiction. There they share their deepest secrets: stories of lies, regret, and above all, shame. Then one of them is killed - and it's clear one of the circle was responsible. Detective Inspector Nicola Tanner quickly finds her investigation hampered by the strict confidentiality that binds these people and their therapist together. So what could be shameful enough to cost someone their life? And how do you find the truth when denial and deception are second nature to all of your suspects? Full of betrayal, deceit and suspense, Die of Shame is the spectacular thriller from Sunday Times bestseller Mark Billingham. 'Mark Billingham is one of the greatest writers in any genre' Steve Cavanagh ________________ The outstanding new Tom Thorne thriller, THEIR LITTLE SECRET, is out now!
The Deal Tom Thorne is back in charge - but there's a terrifying price to pay. Stuart Nicklin, the most dangerous psychopath he has ever put behind bars, promises to reveal the whereabouts of a body he buried twenty-five years before. But only if Thorne agrees to escort him. The Danger Unable to refuse, Thorne gathers a team and travels to a remote Welsh island, at the mercy of the weather and cut off from the mainland. Thorne is determined to get the job done and return home before Nicklin can outwit them. The Deaths But Nicklin knows this island well and has had time to plan ahead. Soon, new bodies are added to the old, and Thorne finds himself facing the toughest decision he has ever had to make...Tom Thorne returns in this utterly gripping, brilliantly plotted thriller. The Bones Beneath is Mark Billingham's most ambitious and accomplished work to date.
The astonishing thirteenth Tom Thorne novel is a story of kidnapping, the tabloid press, and a frightening case of mistaken identity. Tom Thorne is on holiday with his girlfriend DS Helen Weeks, when two girls are abducted in Helen s home town. When a body is discovered and a man is arrested, Helen recognizes the suspect s wife as an old school-friend and returns home for the first time in twenty-five years to lend her support. As his partner faces up to a past she has tried desperately to forget and a media storm engulfs the town, Thorne becomes convinced that, despite overwhelming evidence of his guilt, the police have got the wrong man. There is still an extremely clever and killer on the loose and a missing girl who Thorne believes might still be alive."
A cluster of suicides among the elderly. Such things are not unknown and the deaths are quickly dismissed by the police as routine. Only one man is convinced that something more sinister is taking place.However, no one listens to Tom Thorne anymore. Having stepped out of line once too often, he's back in uniform and he hates it. Patronised and abused by his new colleagues, Thorne's suspicions about the suicides are dismissed by the Murder Squad he was once part of and he is forced to investigate alone.Unable to trust anyone, Thorne must risk losing those closest to him. He must gamble with the lives of those targeted by a killer unlike any he has hunted before. A man with nothing to lose and a growing list of victims. A man with the power to make people take their own lives. Tom Thorne returns in Billingham's most compelling thriller to date. The Dying Hours is a haunting portrait of London's dark heart, and the darker heart of a twisted killer bringing terror to its streets.
In this 'chilling story that keeps you guessing to the last page', three couples who befriend each other on holiday may be hiding sinister secrets from each other (Daily Express) Three couples meet around the pool on their Florida holiday and become fast friends. But on their last night, their perfect holiday takes a tragic twist: the teenage daughter of another holidaymaker goes missing, and her body is later found floating in the mangroves. When the shocked couples return home, they remain in contact, and over the course of three increasingly fraught dinner parties they come to know one another better. But they don't always like what they find: buried beneath these apparently normal exteriors are some dark secrets, hidden kinks, ugly vices... Then, a second girl goes missing. Could it be that one of these six has a secret far darker than anybody can imagine? A brilliantly plotted, utterly gripping thriller about the danger of making friends on holiday, Rush of Blood is Mark Billingham's most ambitious and accomplished work to date. ________________ The outstanding new Tom Thorne thriller, THEIR LITTLE SECRET, is out now!
Raymond Garvey w okrutny sposob zamordowal kilka kobiet Schwytany i osadzony w wiezieniu umiera po nieudanej operacji guza mozgu Jego historia krwawa i brutalna daje poczatek nowej serii zabojstwPietnascie lat pozniej pojawia sie kolejny morderca ktory bierze za cel dzieci ofiar Gurveya Jest przebiegly bezlitosny i niepohamowany a na miejscu zbrodni pozostawia fragmenty starego rentgenowskiego zdjecia Inspektor Tom Thorne ktory dochodzi do siebie po rodzinnej tragedii musi jak najszybciej odnalezc i zapewnic bezpieczenstwo pozostalym przy zyciu dzieciom i odkryc tozsamosc zwyrodnialca zuchwalego genialnego seryjnego zabojcy z jakim Thorne nie mial wczesniej do czynienia W tej grze nic nie jest tym czym sie wydajeS
Detective Tom Thorne is forced to re-consider an old case when a grieving father takes one of Thorne's colleagues hostage. The man demands to know the truth about how his son died in prison; he is convinced the death was not an accident. What Thorne discovers will upend everything he thought he knew about the fate of those he's put away-- but will it be enough to end the hostage situation without violence? Published in the United States in 2012 under the title: The demands.
Ein schockierender Fall und ein einmaliger Inspector In der geballten Faust des Opfers befindet sich der abgerissene Fetzen eines Röntgenbildes. Es ist nicht die erste Leiche, die Detective Inspector Tom Thorne so vorfindet. Doch bisher ergibt das Puzzle keinen Sinn. Alle Spuren führen zu Raymond Garvey, einem der berüchtigsten Serienkiller in der Geschichte der Met, doch der ist seit Jahren tot. Hat sich jemand Garvey zum Vorbild genommen, oder verfolgt der Killer einen weitaus perfideren Plan?
The ninth book in the Tom Thorne series, from bestselling author Mark Billingham. It has been a decade since Alan Langford's charred remains were discovered in his burnt-out car. His wife Donna was found guilty of conspiracy to murder her husband and served ten years in prison. But just before she is released, Donna receives a nasty shock: an anonymous letter containing a photo of her husband. The man she hates with every fibre of her being - the man she paid to have murdered - seems very much alive and well. How is it possible that her husband is still alive? Where is he? Who sent the photo, and why? DI Tom Thorne becomes involved in a case where nothing and no one are what they seem. It will take him much further from his London beat than he has ever been before - and closer to a killer who will do anything to protect his new life. ________________ The outstanding new Tom Thorne thriller, THEIR LITTLE SECRET, is out now!
The eighth book in the Tom Thorne series, from bestselling author Mark Billingham. When a dead body is found in a North London flat, it seems like a straightforward domestic murder until a bloodstained sliver of X-ray is found clutched in the dead woman's fist - and it quickly becomes clear that this case is anything but ordinary. DI Thorne discovers that the victim's mother had herself been murdered fifteen years before by infamous serial killer Raymond Garvey. The hunt to catch Garvey was one of the biggest in the history of the Met, and ended with seven women dead. When more bodies and more fragments of X-ray are discovered, Thorne has a macabre jigsaw to piece together until the horrifying picture finally emerges. A killer is targeting the children of Raymond Garvey's victims. Thorne must move quickly to protect those still on the murderer's list, but nothing and nobody are what they seem. Not when Thorne is dealing with one of the most twisted killers he has ever hunted... ________________ The outstanding new Tom Thorne thriller, THEIR LITTLE SECRET, is out now!
Ein tödlicher Unfall führt zur Suche von Helen nach der Wahrheit über den Tod ihres Mannes Paul, der bei einem vermeintlichen Gangüberfall ums Leben kam. Als sie Hinweise auf dunkle Machenschaften entdeckt, beginnt sie, selbst zu ermitteln und stößt auf unerwartete Geheimnisse über Paul und seine Vergangenheit.
Now a major BBC TV drama, In the Dark is uniquely disturbing thriller from the number one bestselling creator of the Tom Thorne novels
International bestselling author Peter Robinson turns his razor-sharp instinct for crime writing to this unique anthology featuring the cream of crime fiction. With a selection of 15 stories featuring established bestsellers and new voices, The Penguin Book of Crime Stories is a compelling page-turner—the all-in-one read mystery lovers have been waiting for. This not-to-be-missed collection includes riveting stories by Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, Sara Paretsky, John Harvey, George Pelecanos, Eric Wright, Robert Sawyer, José Latour, Robert Barnard, and Mark Billingham. The talent found in these pages will not only keep you guessing, but will also keep you up at night.
The seventh book in the Tom Thorne series, from bestselling author Mark Billingham. THE MESSAGE DI Tom Thorne has seen plenty of dead bodies in his time. But when he starts receiving sick photos of murder victims on his mobile phone, he soon realises that the next body could be his. THE KILLER And even when the man who has been sending the photos is tracked down, the deadly threat remains, For some, the case is all but closed, but Thorne's nightmare is just beginning. THE TWIST Because someone else is masterminding the death messages. The most vicious psychopath Thorne has ever faced is able to manipulate others even behind bars, and time has only deepened the deadly grudge he has against the policeman who put him away... ________________ The outstanding new Tom Thorne thriller, THEIR LITTLE SECRET, is out now!
It appears that someone is targeting London's homeless community so DI Tom Thorne goes undercover amongst them. The information he gleans is that this is no random killer, it is someone with a specific list of victims.
Luke Mullen, sixteen-year-old son of a former high-ranking police officer, has disappeared, presumed kidnapped. While no-one quite dares to voice the fear that he could also be presumed dead, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is brought in to beef up the squad dedicated to locating the missing boy. The first thing the team looks for is anyone with a grudge against Luke's father, a man who has put a lot of tough villains away in his time. A list quickly emerges, but Thorne discovers that ex-DCI Tony Mullen has omitted the name of the most obvious suspect: a man who'd once threatened him and his family and who, after serving time for his original crime, is now the main suspect in a murder which has been unsolved for four years. Is this a simple oversight, understandable considering the trauma of his son's disappearance? Or is it something more telling? Aware that he hasn't the luxury of time, Thorne searches desperately for connections and leads, but learns that secrets are as easily buried as bodies, and that assumptions are the enemies of truth.
The fourth book in the Tom Thorne series, from bestselling author Mark Billingham. A MAN WHO KILLS FOR MONEY X marks the spot - and when that spot is a corpse's naked back and the X is carved in blood, DI Tom Thorne is in no doubt that the dead man is the latest victim of a particularly vicious killer. A BRUTAL VENDETTA This is brutal turf warfare between north London gangs. Organised crime boss Billy Ryan is moving into someone else's patch, and that someone is not best pleased. A COP WHO IS PLAYING WITH FIRE And when an X is carved on DI Tom Thorne's front door, he knows the smouldering embers of this case are about to erupt into flames... __________ Read what everyone's saying about the heart-racing Tom Thorne series: 'Literary superstar' Mail on Sunday 'Ingenious' Guardian 'Ground-breaking' Sunday Times 'Mark Billingham gets better and better' Michael Connelly 'A cracking read . . . I couldn't put it down!' Shari Lapena 'A damn fine storyteller' Karin Slaughter 'Twisted and twisty' Linwood Barclay 'One of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today' Gillian Flynn 'The next superstar detective is already with us. Don't miss him' Lee Child
Detective Inspector Tom Thorne ("Scaredy Cat") returns in this third entry of Billingham's chilling series. This time, Thorne is on the trail of a killer who preys upon serial rapists in London.
V ošuntělém hotýlku na severu Londýna byla nalezena mrtvola.Tou obětí byl muž, který byl před pouhými deseti dny propuštěný z vězení, kde si odpykával trest za sexuální zločiny. Někdo nad ním vynesl a vykonal vlastní trest. Vrah vskutku neponechal nic náhodě – dokonce pro svou oběť objednal pohřební věnec... Když je krátce poté nalezeno zmasakrované tělo dalšího sexuálního násilníka, policie dochází k přesvědčení, že vraždil stejný člověk. Svůj akt pomsty měl zjevně promyšlený do posledního detailu a v jeho uskutečnění mu nemohlo nic zabránit. Jak ovšem vrah přilákal své oběti na místo, kde na ně čekala krutá smrt? S kým se tam ti muži vlastně chtěli sejít? Policisté naráží na hradbu neodbytných otázek – a pak naleznou svazek dopisů...
První oběť sledoval vrah z nádraží až domů a tam ji uškrtil před očima jejího dítěte. Tentýž den byla nalezena mrtvola druhé ženy, usmrcené stejným způsobem. Inspektor Thorne brzy zjišťuje skutečnost, že pachatelé jsou dva. Jeden zabíjí s chladnou myslí, druhý jako by byl posedlý šílenstvím – a touhou napodobit svůj morbidní vzor. Thorne pochopí, že se musí při pátrání zaměřit na brutálnější polovinu vražedné dvojice a do té doby, než pachatele dopadne, musí žít s mučivou jistotou, že každá další nalezená mrtvola bude někde mít věrnou kopii…
In een riskante operatie jaagt een Londense politie-inspecteur op een seriemoordenaar die wellicht niet alleen werkt.
Ve městě začala řádit bestie, která nechce, aby její oběti žily — ale ani aby zemřely. První tři ženy, které si vrah vybral, skončily mrtvé. Čtvrtou nepotkalo takové štěstí… Alison Willetsová vyšla ze setkání s brutálním psychopatem živá, ale neschopná pohybu či komunikace. Policie zprvu usuzuje, že se vrah dopustil první chyby, když nechal Alison naživu, ale pak inspektor Thorne objeví hrůznou pravdu: že pro pachatele byly nezdarem ony tři mrtvé ženy — a že ve svém zvrhlém jednání hodlá pokračovat. Thorne se pouští do nelehkého honu na muže, který je ve své zrůdnosti naprosto nevyzpytatelný a hraje si s ním jako kočka s myší. A Alison Willetsová, jediná osoba, která zná klíč k zabijákově identitě, Thorneovi v pátrání pomoci nemůže…
