Book Review - In the Dark by Mark Billingham

Synopsis:  A rainy night in south London. A gun is fired into a car, which swerves onto the pavement and plows into a bus stop. It seems that a chilling gang initiation has cost the life of an innocent victim. But the reality is far more sinister. . . .

One life is wiped out and three more are changed forever: the young man whose finger was on the trigger, the ageing gangster planning a deadly revenge, and the pregnant woman who struggles desperately to uncover the truth. How will she, two weeks away from giving birth, now cope in a world where death is an occupational hazard?

In a city where violence can be random or meticulously planned, where teenage gangs clash with career criminals and where loyalty is paid for in blood, anything is possible. Secrets are uncovered as fast as bodies, and the story's final twist is as breathtakingly surprising as they come.

First Line:  "It's a dry night, but the road is still greasy from the shower a few hours before; slick as it's sucked under the headlights, and there's not too much traffic rattling across the cracks in a main drag that's probably the worst-maintained in the city."

Random Quote:  "Thing is, we only get to know these people after their deaths; after the poor buggers have been shot or stabbed and what have you.  We don't even know what they look like, not really.  Not their expressions, not how they walked and talked, not how they were.  Sometimes, we find out all sorts of shit, rooting around in the nooks and crannies.  We get to know what they were really like, even when we're not looking for it.  And sometimes, so do the people they've been living with."

Postwar Prefabs, South London - Image by Jon's pics via Flickr

Review:  This is a gripping thriller that is very difficult to put down.  The book tells the story of a death that appears to be one thing (a gang initiation shooting), but is something else altogether.  The author is not afraid to humanize all of his characters - from Helen, the pregnant cop trying to solve the mystery of her fiance's murder to Theo, a gangbanger who might decide to change his life.  The characters and situations were compelling and readable and I empathized with just about all of them, even though all of them were full of flaws. 

This is the first stand-alone from an author who writes a police inspector series that I haven't read.  I'm going to have to go find his other books since many readers say they're better than this one and I really enjoyed this one.  If you're looking for a thriller that will keep you entertained and turning pages, this is a good one.

Reading Challenges:  Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010, 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, Typically British Reading Challenge