Delightful and very enjoyable - 5 star

 

DS Tom Thorne is determined to find a young juvenile Kieron Coyne who has disappeared, suspected abduction,  whilst playing in his local park with best friend Josh supervised by his mum Cat and Josh’s mum Marie. Thorne is haunted by a similar case from the past, a case in which he hesitated and his indecisiveness has horrific and far reaching consequences. 

Cry Baby is a prequel and for fans of Tom Thorne gives a glimpse of a much younger but still very dedicated officer of the law. The nostalgic rewind to  a much simpler period in time makes for very enjoyable reading. We smile at the mention of the earliest mobile not so much a phone but a brick! We lament England's 96 Euro challenge, sympathize with Gareth Southgate’s famous missed penalty, and applaud a well disciplined German team who once again stifled the cries of ardent English fans who truly believed that finally football was coming home.

One of the strongest and most memorable characters appearing in all the Thorne novels is Phil Hendricks, maverick pathologist, adorned in tattoos, body jewelry, and piercings. It is delightful to see how the unconventional partnership of Thorne and Hendricks, will lead to a very long lasting, warm, and respectful relationship both at work and in their personal lives. The writing of Billingham is concise and clear and Cry Baby is a delight to read from start to finish.