In the aftermath of a volatile hostage situation several months ago, Tom Thorne finds himself bumped off the Murder Squad and demoted from a London Detective Inspector to a uniformed Patrol Cop. It's a continual struggle for Thorne to adjust, not only to the new work schedule, but to the limited scope of investigating he can do on cases.

When Thorne starts to question a series of suicides taking place among senior members of society, he's quickly told by his old squad to back off; the cases were not deemed criminal and they are not his concern. Of course, that doesn't stop Thorne; it only makes him more determined to investigate on his own time. What would it take for a killer to convince his victims to take their own lives -- and in varying ways? Though the odds are stacked against him, Thorne perseveres. What he finally discovers is beyond the realm of probability. Now, if Thorne can just prove his theory before more people die.

Even though it becomes apparent early on who the killer is, the plot progression and the final resolution of the intricate investigation is intensely captivating and exciting. Thorne is a complex man dealing with a past that continually causes him problems. THE DYING HOURS, Mark Billingham's 11th installment in this England-based series, is another potent police-procedural thriller that will please his legion of fans.