THE DYING HOURS

Born in England’s West Midlands, Mark Billingham has a voice that is wonderfully authentic for the task at hand. He delivers this well-written police procedural with verve and storytelling skill. He’s good at emphasis, clear in his characterizations, and flawless in his pacing. His experience as an actor, stand-up comic, and screenwriter clearly informs his narration. As a tough, put-upon cop bucks the authorities who are busily sweeping things under the rug, the listener will find the plot extraordinarily believable. Billingham’s Tom Thorne series has received numerous accolades in the UK with less attention from American audiences. Although the eleventh in the series, this entry is a good place for listeners to become acquainted with this crime writer as author and narrator. D.R.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2013]