The Last Dance: A Detective Miller case - the first new Billingham series in 20 years

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He’s not all fun and games. He has mixed with some pretty scary characters, people in rival crime families, and one of the murder victims is a son from one. So is the other family responsible? And if so, what about the other murder – in the room next door in the hotel? A mistake? Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham—the very best in the business.”— Richard Osman, #1 bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club 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? I listened to the audio book and enjoyed the silly “dad” joke type humor in the book! The main character is lovable, real, and hilarious as he goes through some tough times. I’m

It's always fun to read what would be the start of a new series. The Last Dance introduced an interesting character in Detective Sergeant Declan Miller. He definitely grated on my nerves in some parts of the story but the writer was able to flesh him out by giving insight to the grief he carries due to personal loss. His off-key jokes and quips sometimes didn't land for me but when they did - boy were they a hit. In the beginning, I was a little frustrated at Miller’s jokiness, that often seemed out of place (and was), but as I got to know him, I appreciated him and – dare I say it? – his professionalism. There is nothing slapdash about his attitude to crime. He’s a cop for the right reasons. Morse, Rebus, and now Thorne. The next superstar detective is already with us—don’t miss him.”— Lee Child 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.Will this eccentric, offbeat sleuth find answers where more traditional police have found only a puzzle? His new partner is a woman who looks Chinese, but he knows better than to ask. He’s not completely uncouth and generally his banter is offensive only when he intends to be. His relationship with her is more awkward than expected because she doesn’t get his humour or his jokes. Being silly doesn’t work with her.

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. Miller’s exchanges with everyone he encounters, his new partner Sara, the criminals he investigates and eventually questions, are imbued with sarcasm (testament to Billingham’s stint as a stand-up comic). And yet there’s a scene with Finn which broke my heart, for both of them. Equally masterful are Miller’s conversations with his wife’s ghost, conjured out of loneliness and heartache. Yet they’re witty and fun. How does he do that? This whiplash alternating between pathos and bathos makes Billingham’s novel memorable. Does it skirt tasteless? Not for this reader, who adores British comedy shows and humour. But for others? I don’t think so: Miller’s grief reads genuine; his moral core, believable. A great start to a new series from Mark Billingham. I love the Tom Thorne series so had to give this a go, and I wasn’t disappointed. Mark Billingham has brought a rare and welcome blend of humanity, dimension, and excitement to the genre.”— George Pelecanos

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Three British couples meet by chance during a vacation in Sarasota, Fla., in this intricate psychological thriller from Billingham (Die of Shame). They share fruity drinks and promise to Continue reading » As what is clearly the first book in a series, I will be more than happy to return to find out how Miller and Xiu are getting on. In Billingham's thrilling eighth crime novel featuring London police detective Tom Thorne (after Death Message), Thorne welcomes the distraction of a new case after his girlfriend, Det. Insp. Louise Continue reading »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. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with Bellingham’s writing or his characters. Aficionados of our language or just plain grammar nerds will love this. A gritty, engaging novel that balances light with dark, offering wit and wisdom in equal measure. Billingham’s new lead detective, DS Miller, may not be able to dance, but he never misses a step when it comes to solving crime.”— Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid 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. 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.