Sleepyhead: The Tom Thorne Novels
Ebook
Overview
His first three victims ended up dead. His fourth was not so fortunate . . .
Alison Willetts is unlucky to be alive. She has survived a stroke, deliberately induced by a skillful manipulation of pressure points on the head and neck. She can see, hear, and feel and is aware of everything going on around her, but is completely unable to move or communicate. Her condition is called locked-in syndrome. In leaving Alison Willetts alive, the police believe the killer made his first mistake.
Then DI Tom Thorne discovers the horrifying truth; it isn’t Alison who is the mistake, it’s the three women already dead. The killer is getting his kicks out of toying with Thorne as much as he is pursuing his sick fantasy, and as the detective zeroes in on a suspect, he finds himself pushed to his personal and professional limits . . .
This is the “exceptional” first novel in the long-running series by an international bestselling author (George Pelecanos).
“The best thriller debut of the year.” —Rocky Mountain News
“A world-class crime writer.” —Karin Slaughter
Praise for Sleepyhead:
“Who would have thought a stand-up comedian could write a British police procedural as good as those produced by crime queens Elizabeth George and Ruth Rendell?” —USA Today
“Brilliantly conceived and superbly plotted, with complex characters, deft twists, and an ending that’s both shocking and oppressive. A must-read.” —Booklist, Starred review
“Billingham’s flawless plotting and the steadily increasing sense of fear combine to make this one of the best debut novels of the year. Going from 0 to 60 in record time, his next book is on my must read list.” —Rocky Mountain News
“A new twist to the twisted mind of a psychopath—an exciting debut novel.” —The Baltimore Sun
“Billingham’s turn as a novelist, might be his most successful career move.” —The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
“A sensational debut.” —The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
“An assured chiller. Disturbing and thrilling . . . with memorable characters and bundles of atmosphere. Britain now has its own forensic crime maestro.” —The Guardian
“A terrifically stylish debut novel.” —The Independent on Sunday
“There’s not much you can fault Sleepyhead on. Disturbingly original.” —Time Out London
A brilliantly dark and different new crime novel.” —Manchester Evening News
“After reading only the first few pages of Sleepyhead I had my first nightmare in years. I woke up in the early hours shaking and sweating . . .” —Birmingham Post
“Sleepyhead is the kind of novel that has you checking the locks and shutting the windows.” —Ireland on Sunday
“With Sleepyhead, Billingham leaps to the upper echelons of British crime fiction in a single bound.” —John Harvey, author of the Resnick series
“Don’t make any plans for the weekend when you buy it - because you won’t be leaving the house until it’s finished.” —FHM
“Ideal for those who like big goosebumps to go with their glowing tans.” —Elle (UK)
Praise for Mark Billingham:
“Billingham is a world-class crime writer and Tom Thorne is a wonderful creation. Rush to read these books.” —Karin Slaughter
“Billingham is one of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today.” —Gillian Flynn
“Billingham’s books are as compulsively readable as Michael Connelly’s.” —George Pelecanos
“With each of his books, Mark Billingham gets better and better. These are stories and characters you don’t want to leave.” —Michael Connelly
“Mark Billingham is one of my favorite new writers.” —Harlan Coben
“Morse, Rebus, and now Thorne. The next superstar detective is already with us—don’t miss him.” —Lee Child
- Title: Sleepyhead
- Author: Mark Billingham
- Series: The Tom Thorne Novels
- Publisher: Grove Press
- Print Publication Date: 2018
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Pages: 400
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9780802193261, 9780802121509, 0802121500, 0802193269
- Resource ID: LLS:9780802193261
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-04-21T13:14:38Z
Mark Billingham has twice won the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award and also won the Sherlock Award for Best Detective Created by a British Author. His books, which include the critically acclaimed Tom Thorne series, have been translated into twenty-five languages and have sold over four million copies. He lives in London.