From the Dead

Written by Mark Billingham

Narrated by Paul Thornley

When Donna Langford receives a recent photo of her ex-husband she gets the shock of her life: she's just spent ten years in prison for organising his murder. After seeing the photo himself, DI Tom Thorne refuses to believe the man is still alive. Then a prison inmate Thorne interviews is murdered, and he starts to understand that Langford is alive and ready to kill anyone who could threaten his new life...

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Audio
• Release date: Aug 19, 2010
• ISBN: 9781407423319

Mark Billingham

Mark Billingham is the author of nine novels, including Sleepyhead, Scaredy Cat, Lazybones, The Burning Girl, Lifeless, and Buried—all Times (London) bestsellers—as well as the stand-alone thriller In the Dark. For the creation of the Tom Thorne character, Billingham received the 2003 Sherlock Award for Best Detective created by a British writer, and he has twice won the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. He has previously worked as an actor and stand-up comedian on British television and still writes regularly for the BBC. He lives in London with his wife and two children.

Reviews for From the Dead

[maneekuhi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4 1/2 stars, completed 6/18,9th book in series, 9th I've read.3/4 of the way thru I was to score this a 4 or lower. This is a bit slimmer than the usual, almost seemed like he was going thru the motions. And a good and interesting character is killed, which got the author off the hook of how to separate this character from the book - but I still don't think the murder was necessary nor enhancing to the storyline in any way. There were two stories simultaneously and it appeared one might be resolved in a future book, but it ended with an unexpected and very satisfying twist, involving what appeared to be someone wrongly accused of murder. Then the "main" story wrapped up - it was about a woman who went to jail for hiring a killer to burn her husband to death in his car. Soon after she is released from jail, she starts to receive current photos of guess who. AND the cop who sent her to jail (guess who) is back on the case, trying to resolve the photo mystery.

[tina1969_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this review may contain spoilersWhen Donna Langford receives a very recent photo of her ex-husband in the post, she gets the shock of her life. Because she's just spent ten years in prison for organising his murder. When her daughter goes missing, Donna believes there can only be one man responsible and hires Anna Carpenter, a determined young private investigator, to find him. DI Tom Thorne worked on the Alan Langford case, so when Carpenter brings the photo to him, he refuses to believe that the man whose body was found in a burned-out car ten years before can still be alive. But when a prison inmate that he and Anna interview is viciously murdered, Thorne starts to understand that Langford is not only alive, but ready to get rid of anyone who could threaten his comfortable new life in Spain... I love the Tom Thorne novels, because I love the very sexy Tom Thorne. He is a great character, very down to earth and a good copper. Reading these novels in order has made me friends with the characters. I have got to know them, their likes and dislikes. When I read these novels I feel like I am putting on some comfy clothes and snuggling up. The crimes are down to earth and not fussy, easy to follow and with a guessing game thrown in. I will be looking forward to seeing the first two novels on tv with David Morrissey playing Thorne.

[stevealdous · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Okay addition to the Tom Thorne series, which loses its way a little with an abrupt change of emphasis two-thirds through.

[teresa1953_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great book from Mark Billingham. Tom Thorne is a mesmerising character....flawed and interesting! The plot line was engaging and this was a real page turner. You would think that a writer would be unable to keep up the pace and standard after several novels, but Mark Billingham just gets better and better. Next week sees the premiere of "Sleepyhead" on Sky 1 and I am hoping that David Morrissey can capture Thorne's character. The author has been quoted as believing that Morrissey is the actor he always has in mind when he writes about Tom Thorne. We will have to wait and see!

[gcilib_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read all of Mark Billingham's novels and I love the character of Tom Thorne. He's intelligent, but he makes mistakes, which makes him feel very real. Billingham's stories always keep me guessing until the very end and this book did not disappoint.

[picardyrose · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable mystery about a dead man who isn't really dead. But other people are.

[downtownlibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mark Billingham gets better all the time. Memorable characters and moral depth enhance the excellent plot. If you like British police procedurals, do not miss the DI Thorne series.

[everfresh1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting characters but uneven narrative. Sometimes slow, especially when the action moved to Spain (it felt like some travel book). Otherwise, good police novel.

[runner56_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lets get one thing straight here...I think DI Thorne is a real "prick" of a man. He is self centred, egotistical ,driven,and treats female company in the most despicable manner. Louise his latest partner is ignored by him, he is always working and likes to avoid conversation and her compnay preferring to drink with his mates and refusing to recognize that it is him and him alone that is the constant cause of his relationship breakups. In this latest romp he has the company of a young lady called Anna Carpenter and he actually believes that he could have a relationship with her, that she really likes this super cool egotistical cop this real man old enough to be her father!...well DI Thorne get your act together and recognize that you have faults...lots of them...and if not sorted soon you will be left a sad old man....there I've got that off my chest and it is undoubtly down to the writing talents of Mark Billingham that I can feel such a strong hate for Tom Thorne. This is a first class detective story that starts with the gruesome recalling of an old case that DI Thorne thought was "buried" in the past. There are lots of surprises and a great action story that takes place in both the UK and Spain but the real star is the characterization of DI Tom Thorne this flawed copper with the bloodhound ability to find his man...leaving misery and destruction in his path! Great stuff.....look forward to the next outing!

[moosenoose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my first Mark Billingham novel and my first in the Tom Thorne series so I have not read the collection in order. However, that did not detract from the storyline in any way. The book caught my attention in the shop as I recognised the name of the author from the recent TV adaption on Sky1. I like how Thorne is impatient, grumpy, annoying and has faults, rather unlike some the American super-cops you often find in fiction novels. I have to say that some of the twists I did not see coming, and some of the characters that I suspected to be the 'bad guy' turned out not to be, which was a good surprise and made this book even more enjoyable. I will certainly be collecting the remainder of the series, hopefully in order this time!

[jkdavies · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Coincidences abound in reading this book - similarities to my last read (The Long Firm), with action in Spain at the end. I am not reading this series in order so am sometimes missing chunks of backstory (no idea who Louise is)
Overall though, a pleasant addition to the series and a nice read...

[eyejaybee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Entertaining, but disappointingly predictable, and rather a let-down after Billingham's previous works.