Book Review: The Bones Beneath

 

The Bones Beneath is the 12th Tom Thorne novel by Mark Billingham and deals with a criminal first seen in the second novel; Scaredy Cat. As it is a series, The Bones Beneath follows on from The Dying Hours almost directly, so you do feel the need to read the previous novels in order to understand past events. It is a minor detail though and doesn’t detract from the main plot line.

In this novel, Thorne is coerced into taking a murderer (Stuart Nicklin) he had arrested a few years back during the events of Scaredy Cat, to locate a body of another previously unknown about victim. Stuart Nicklin shows no remorse over his actions and enjoys tormenting others especially Thorne who he sees as his ideal rival. Thorne wishes to get the job over as soon as possible, so that he can return Nicklin to the prison cell he belongs. There is also a side plot happening in-between with unknown characters, who are revealed at the end. The plot is set in Wales, and mainly on an isolated island that makes it hard to contact the outside world.

I was interested in this novel, as it pits Thorne against Nicklin again, and to see what the plot twist would be, as Billingham usually writes a good twist that you don’t see coming. I did enjoy reading it; however, I found the ending a bit lacklustre instead of the grand finale as the build-up had been hinting towards.

This is a perfect novel to read to pass the time with, and recommended for crime novel enthusiasts.