Sleepyhead

The first novel in the Tom Thorne series introduces a gripping and unsettling hunt for a serial killer who leaves his victims trapped in their own bodies, alive but unable to move or communicate. When one young woman survives in a state resembling locked-in syndrome, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne must piece together a pattern that is as chilling as it is unconventional, racing to understand the killer’s logic before he strikes again. Blending psychological depth with taut procedural detail, this debut established Mark Billingham as a leading voice in British crime fiction. Dark, intelligent, and emotionally charged, it will appeal to readers who enjoy complex investigators and serial-killer thrillers with a strong moral undercurrent.