The Last Dance: 1 (Detective Miller Novels)

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The plot was flimsy, characters were flat. Miller is investigating organized crime but does not have a weapon to defend himself, not even a knife or a bullet proof vest. Knowing that his wife was assassinated or that Miller makes really bad jokes all the time, they should provided him with a vest for those reasons alone! A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out? Humor is essential in thrillers and crime books but face it this was no thriller or crime fiction, at best it was a cozy mystery. The book was not funny, the humor seemed forced throughout the story. The need for Miller to make “jokes” make me thought he had ADHD but the right term is Witzelsucht. Google it, it has a picture of Miller right next to it. See, this disease unfortunately is contagious. The jokes were unfortunately for this reader, not funny but horribly irritating.

To be honest I didn’t much warm to this new character of Marks. I love the Tom Thorne books so much that it will take a lot for another character to live up to him. A big part of it was the silly jokey nature of Miller. It is one of the reasons I gave up on Stuart MacBride as do people really talk and behave like that 24/7. With a distinctly loose relationship with reality and a new partner to deal with, can eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where more traditional police have found only an impossible puzzle? Not just a new, totally different, protagonist from Mark Billingham but also a massive change in writing style. The book is littered with constant corny, yet clever, jokes; some are laugh out loud funny. So very different from the Tom Thorne series.The narrative follows Declan’s, often eccentric, investigation into the double murder, whilst, at the same time, he attempts to glean information from the team investigating Alex’s murder. He manages to obtain information pertaining to the latter, although it poses more questions than answers. Even conversations with Alex's "ghost" don't get him much further. Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business' --- RICHARD OSMAN

A double murder in a seaside hotel sees grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out? Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business’— RICHARD OSMAN Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift InspirationOK, well . . . thank you all for coming.’ He manufactured that smile he’d been practising in the mirror before leaving the house. ‘I’ll try to keep this brief because we’ve all got crimes to solve . . . alcohol habits to support, gambling debts to pay off, whatever. So, just to say, my wife Alex, who some of you knew, is dead. She’s . . . dead. It’s a pisser, but there you are. A gritty, engaging novel that balances light with dark, offering wit and wisdom in equal measure. Billingham's new lead detective, DS Miller, never misses a step when it comes to solving crime. * Nita Prose, author of The Maid *

The Last Dance by Mark Billingham will be published in Australia by Hachette and available in late May 2023. Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle? [ My Review ] It’s always fun to get in on the ground floor of a new series. And in this case, fun is the operative word. The Last Dance introduces us to DS Declan Miller. He’s unconventional, to say the least. “Were you like this before your wife died?” “You’ll need to be more specific,” Miller said. “Annoying.” Xiu paused, but only to take a deep breath. She’d obviously compiled a healthy list. “Bloody minded. childish…” “Are you actually doing them alphabetically?” “Insensitive, inappropriate, pig-headed, rude…stupidly over-confident and completely dismissive of authority…Inattentive, flippant, sarcastic, annoying, erratic, unreliable, flaky—“

LoveReading Says

Declan gathers information from some unexpected sources like Finn, a homeless addict; and Chesshead, a criminal with a passion for the game. Declan debriefs his discoveries with the members of his dance team. His approach may not be conventional but it works for him. It is the relationships between these characters that will draw you into the book.

OK, that was a bit of a stab in the dark… let me have one more guess. Is it the fact that the man who invented Pringles had his ashes buried in a Pringles can? Original flavour, if you want to be precise.’ p162 Author Mark Billingham has been involved in many creative endeavors over the years. In his early days, he worked as an actor and as a stand-up comedian. These days he is known primarily for his successful DI Tom Thorne series along with standalones like Rabbit Hole. In his spare time, Billingham is a member of the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band composed of several crime authors performing classics like ‘I Fought the Law’ by The Clash. These varied activities appear to have influenced The Last Dance, first in his proposed new series about Detective Sergeant Declan Miller. Declan Millar is a right pain to work with, seemingly taking nothing seriously, flouting authority and deliberately taking things the wrong way to wind up his senior colleagues. To start with I found him funny, then increasingly irritating and finally, when understanding it was a coping mechanism, growing to like him. In spite of the flippant jokes there are genuine moments that will pique your curiosity about the cast surrounding Declan and you will want to know more about them. As The Last Dance beings a new series, we’re pleased there will be opportunities to delve deeper into some of these characters. It’s obvious at the end of the book that Billingham is setting the stage for the next book. Miller uses sarcasm and wit as a tool of his trade but underneath this humorous front is a man grieving and looking for justice. In parallel with his current case, he starts to unravel a few bits about his wife’s untimely death, leaving the series very much open for book 2.After 20 years and 18 Tom Thorne novels, Mark Billingham is going for a complete change of pace with this new series. Whereas Tom was a quite conventional character (although he had some weird friends), right from the first chapter we can see this new protagonist, Detective Sergeant and ballroom dancer Declan Miller is a total oddball. MY THOUGHTS: I loved this introduction to Detective Miller. He's the sort of man who is always out of step with everyone else. His partner, Xiu, describes him as annoying, bloody-minded, childish, insensitive, inappropriate, pig-headed, rude, stupidly over-confident, and completely dismissive of authority. Not to mention inattentive, flippant, sarcastic, erratic, unreliable and flaky. Yes, he's all of those things, but he is also wildly entertaining and kind of lovable. Hard-headed yet big-hearted, DS Declan Miller will have you on the edge of your seat - screaming with laughter one moment and surprise the next. Billingham blends caustic humour, raw emotion and rollercoaster thrills. His new series is bursting with wit, charm and intriguing, complex characters. Save The Last Dance for when you want a fast, fresh and totally absorbing read. * Janice Hallett *