Sleepyhead (Tom Thorne, #1)

Title: Sleepyhead (Tom Thorne, #1)

Author: Mark Billingham

Published in: 2001

Date read: 14th September 2019

Score: 5/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Sleepyhead" by Mark Billingham, published in 2001, is the debut novel in the acclaimed Tom Thorne series. It introduces the complex and often cynical London detective, DI Tom Thorne, as he faces a chilling case involving a serial killer who leaves his victims alive, but in a horrific, vegetative state.

The story opens with the discovery of Alison Needham, a young woman found in her bed, seemingly asleep. However, it quickly becomes clear she is in a deep, irreversible coma, the victim of a calculated attack that has deprived her brain of oxygen, leaving her with locked-in syndrome. She is fully aware but completely unable to move or communicate.

Thorne is assigned the case, and his dedication is immediately evident. He's a maverick detective, haunted by his own past and often at odds with his superiors, but driven by a fierce sense of justice for the victims. He's particularly disturbed by the cruelty of the crime: the killer doesn't just take a life, but traps it in a living death.

As Thorne investigates, a second victim is found in an identical state. This confirms a chilling pattern and escalates the urgency of the investigation. The media quickly dubs the perpetrator the "Sleepyhead Killer." Thorne realises that the killer is leaving behind subtle clues, almost taunting the police, and appears to have a unique signature connected to the victims' dreams or subconscious.

Thorne delves into the victims' backgrounds, searching for any common thread that might explain why they were targeted. He consults with experts in neurology and psychology, trying to understand the killer's motive and methods. The detective finds himself in a desperate race against time, trying to decipher the killer's macabre game before another innocent person is condemned to this living nightmare.

The novel is a tense psychological thriller, exploring the darkest corners of human depravity and the profound suffering inflicted upon the victims and their families. Thorne's personal life, including his strained relationships, also plays a role, adding depth to his character. The climax sees Thorne closing in on the cunning and disturbing killer, leading to a tense confrontation where the detective must risk everything to stop the "Sleepyhead" from claiming another mind.

Comments:
Excellent book, Mark Billingham is definitely now in my authors to go back to.

Books that we've read by Mark Billingham (1):
Sleepyhead (Tom Thorne, #1) (2001)