A pretty good read with lots of action. Held my attention throughout.

Thank you Netgalley, bookouture and the publisher for allowing me to read this. Wow as ever Mark Billingham does not let us down. A gripping storyline from start to finish to keep us hooked. Lots of twists and turns, some unexpected, right throughout!! I love Mark Billingham's books and this one did not let me down.

This was a great read with an extra bonus. I had no idea there was such a thing as honour killings. The act of killing a family member in certain religions because they are not "respectful". Such as women who want to wear makeup, go out to bars, etc. That was very enlightening and jaw dropping for me.

The book went at a pretty fast pace and was very enjoyable. I really liked the characters, Tanner and Thorne. Tanner was a very hell bent woman and she was bound and determined to find the killers of her partner. Thorne was a likable character and I would definitely read another book wherein he is the main character.

Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Thorne is back! Having read and loved all previous books in the series I couldn't wait to get stuck into this one, it's like meeting old friends again.
The subject of honour killings is the theme of this book and handled with respect and sensitivity.
DI Nicola Tanner's partner is brutally murdered in what Nicola believes was a case of mistaken identity. Investigating honour killings and perhaps coming too close for comfort, she suspects a duo of killers for hire, and asks Thorne to help her. As she's on compassionate leave, she has to stay in the background and let DI Thorne do his usual excellent job.
When 2 young people mysteriously disappear, they fear the worst and the deadly game of cat and mouse is on.
Wow, the great story and stunning ending make this for another irresistible read. If you haven't read the series, do yourself a favour and do so!

This is a very clever and intelligent procedural/thriller with the topical story line of honor killings. I haven't read all of the series and it wasn't a problem as both Tom and Nicola are complete characters in this latest installment. While both of them could be perceived as cliche (rebels/quirks, etc), they are actually more real than you might expect- and highly sympathetic. I rooted for Nicola in particular (she's a great addition to the series). There are enough twists to keep you guessing but this never gets too complicated. Perfect plot driven book for travel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Always a joy to spend some time with Tom Thorne, definitively for me one of the best fictional detectives on the scene currently, with Love Like Blood Mark Billingham tackles a sensitive and I think very important subject with a healthy dose of reality and genuine consideration. That plus giving us a banging great read as always.

Much less a whodunnit and much more a twisted tale to the full truth of the matter, Tom is pulled into a contrary situation by Nicola Tanner (see Die Of Shame ) who having suffered a horrific personal lost is determined to bring those responsible to justice. Convinced it is tied into a theory she was investigating she hopes Thorne will show his usual disregard for procedure and follow the leads unconsidered in the main investigation. So there we begin..

What I love generally speaking is the way this author brings a strong emotional core to the centre of all the stories he writes – the ongoing interpersonal relationships (I’m the biggest fan of Phil you will find) are always layered beautifully into each individual plot, whilst the supporting cast are given just as much depth. The writing is always immersive and completely addictive – as a reader you genuinely live with these people for a while. No different with Love Like Blood which I read fast, often angrily, the best reads are the ones that grip you by the heartstrings, not letting go and send you through a gamut of emotions as you head towards the finale. And this finale had me clutching my hair.

Honor Killings are very real, difficult to talk about, difficult to pin down, Love Like Blood is obviously researched and there is a huge authenticity to it that sends you on that emotional journey. I’d like to point out that when I read the Authors Note after finishing the book I had actual tears in my eyes, it made me look back on what I had just read with slightly different eyes.

Overall a really excellent, entertaining yet hugely thought provoking read that I would actually like to throw at everybody. Read it. Even if you are new to the series I see no reason you couldn’t start here.

There is no life…

Highly Recommended.

**Review Also Available on Goodreads, Amazon UK and Amazon US**

It was brilliant to have another Tom Thorne story to read! It seems way too long since the last one! This lived up to all expectations. Tom, along with another detective, Nicola Tanner, are drawn in to investigating so called honour killings in the Sikh, Muslim and Hindu societies. As always, things are not always done by the book! It's a great read and I thoroughly recommend it. I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next Tom Thorne. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

This was a well-written, though lackluster, entry in a series I love. It was great to see Nicola Tanner and Thorne interact, but the honor-killing backdrop wasn't my favorite topic. I did still mention the book on my blog post about new releases out last week, as it is still better than many books out there.

This was a typical Mark Bilingham book - full of action, suspense and twists, although the subject matter was unusual. I liked the tandem of Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner and can't wait for more from one of my favourite authors.

I love the fact that Tom Thorne seems a little more approachable / sociable in this instalment! A great thriller, as always

There aren't many authors that can get to book fourteen of a series and keep the characters relevant and fresh birt Billingham had nailed it. There's more focus on the crime and less on Thorne self destructing which is welcome as I've become quite fond of him (note to self don't get so attached to fictional characters). I wonder is DI Tanner going to be a return character? Excellent well researched story as always.
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For the 14th in the Tom Thorne series Billingham has produced an enthralling crime novel, with honour killings at its crux. Made even more poignant by the Author's Note at the back of the book outlining scary statistics surrounding honour based crimes Love Like Blood is loosely based on the death of Banaz Mahmoud who was killed in 2006 when she was just 19 years old.

A fast paced and gripping novel, DI Thorne once again teams up with Nicola Tanner (first introduced in Die of Shame) when her partner is brutally murdered. Love like blood has all the hallmarks of a great read, snappy dialogue, well developed characters and an engaging plot line, but on top of that add the weightiness of Banaz Mahmoud to the mix and you have a whole new layer to think about. Oh, and when you think 'it's in the bag', wait for the twist - I really didn't see that one coming!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

When DI Nicola Tanner’s partner is killed at her own home, she enlists the help of DI Tom Thorne to catch the culprits. Convinced that the murder has occurred as the result of a case Tanner has been working on, Thorne soon finds himself drawn into the disturbing world of honour killings as he embarks on a hunt for a pair of contract killers who he suspects have killed before.

Love Like Blood is the fourteenth of Mark Billingham’s Tom Thorne books, a series that is showing no sign of losing its touch. Never one to shy away from emotive issues, Billingham deals with probably the most controversial to date with the subject of honour killings. We find out quite early on in the story that the perpetrators are mercenaries who, with the aid of a go-between, are killing and disposing of people whose families feel have brought shame upon them. This potentially explosive topic is dealt with in a sensitive manner and the author has obviously done extensive research on the subject, drawing his inspiration from the real-life murder of Banaz Mahmod in 2006.

In Nicola Tanner, we have a worthy accomplice for Thorne – a woman who, despite threats on her life, will stop at nothing to bring the perpetrators to justice. I had to admire her tenacity, even if at times I feared for her safety! For me, though, the best relationship throughout the Thorne series is the one he shares with the tattooed, pierced pathologist, Phil Hendricks – two men who, on the surface, appear to have nothing in common but who are the best of friends. It was interesting to see how well Tanner and Hendricks got on and hope that we get to see more of Nicola Tanner in future books.

There are several twists in the story that make you cast doubt on some of the characters, keeping you interested right until the end, making this a highly recommended book.

There is something doubly appealing about crime fiction with a strong contemporary feel and Mark Billingham has chosen this, his fourteenth book in the Tom Thorne series to highlight honour killings. The fact that he does this within a brilliantly constructed mystery certainly makes for compelling reading.
DI Nicola Tanner is on compassionate leave after the death of her partner who was murdered inside their shared home. Having worked with Thorne when he makes a brief appearance  in Die of Shame, she seeks him out convinced that those in charge of the investigation into Susan’s death are not interested in her belief that her murder was a case of mistaken identity, and it is actually her own life they meant to take.
The relationship between Tanner and Thorne is brilliantly handled as they work off the grid to find out the truth. When a couple of teenagers go missing Thorne and Tanner fear their own families know more than they are letting on but are they reading too much into the case?
I was delighted that Hendricks, the gay pierced and hugely sarcastic doctor who carries out the post mortems on any of the stray bodies that are sent in his direction, was back to lighten the plotline when it all becomes a bit too dark. Black humour is infinitely better than no humour at all and in all honesty, whilst she might have had ample reason to be so, Tanner is the most entertaining of detectives.
Thorne is in the form of the fictional detective is more than happy to bend the rules to suit himself although with the normally rule-abiding Tanner pushing him to do more, he has the occasional doubt about whether this is the right thing to do in this instance.
You might fear from the earlier paragraphs that this is a worthy piece of crime fiction that is tackling a sensitive subject with little knowledge of the issues. Not so. Mark Billingham has clearly researched his subject matter speaking to those who have been part of those families where the younger generation are resistant to following the rules their parents are keen to uphold for fear of becoming outcasts in their own community. The idea that murdering your own child to protect the family’s reputation is rightly abhorrent to many even within these communities, but sadly not to all. Whilst Mark Billingham more than nods his head at the former, this is not a book that preaches, he lets his characters display the emotions that echoed in my own mind but managing to steer clear of a commentary that didn’t fit the natural direction of the investigation being undertaken.
As has been the case with each of the Mark Billingham books I have read the pace is fairly furious, if you are anything like me, you will not want to put this book aside even though you are in much need of a breather from the latest piece of action. The plot is complex and involved with enough facts to underpin the occasional surprise the author springs on his reader. Just the way I like my crime fiction.
I'd like to thank the publisher Grove Atlantic for allowing me to read an advance copy of Love Like Blood ahead of publication on 20 June 2017. This honest review is my thanks to them and to Mark Billingham for an in-depth look at an issue brilliantly threaded through a captivating crime novel.

In my opinion Mark Billingham's Love Like Blood is this years must read novel. It is superb!
Love Like Blood is a tense read about honour killings inspired by the horrific murder of 19 year old Banaz Mahmood in 2006.
Banaz was murdered by hit men paid for by her uncle and father because she fell in love with the wrong man. A man who ten years later, grief stricken killed himself.
The sad thing is this tragedy is not an isolated event and the CPS suspects many more incidences of 'honour' related crimes occur, than are reported.
For me, this cut to the heart. Being in a mixed race marriage myself and living and working in inner city Bradford for over 30 years, this book spoke to me. Billingham says it like it is.
His rage against these atrocious crimes, which include female genital mutilation, forced marriage and murder, is palpable. However, his respect and sensitivity to the religions is faultless. No blame is attached to the religions purportedly practiced by the murderers. Instead, Billingham places the blame firmly at the feet of the monsters who pay for these acts to be committed under the banner of their faith.
I have the utmost respect for any author who takes on a difficult, controversial subject... but, that is our job as writers.
Crime fiction writers are notorious for exploring the less palatable happenings in our society and I hope that Billingham's book will contribute to an increased awareness of these horrific acts without laying blame en masse on those who peaceably follow their faith.
As Billingham himself says '...The crime fiction novel is uniquely placed to look at the world and to reflect it through the crimes people commit. We tell you a good story, yes, but we also shine a light into some of the darker corners of society and comment on their contemporary political and social issues.'
In his previous book Die of Shame their was a slight crossover between detectives Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner and I am delighted to say that in Love Like Blood the pair are reunited.
Tanner, grief-stricken after the murder of her partner and under threat herself, convinces Thorne to help her investigate honour killings. I found Love Like Blood immensely readable, compelling and gut wrenching. A superior read from one of our best loved crime writers. Bloody Well Done Mark!!!!!!

I loved this book and really hope it helps with awareness.
The subplots intertwine beautifully and the relationship between Tom and Helen is further cemented when he shows a softer side.

The book blurb does a good job of describing the main story line of #14 in the Tom Thorne series. DI Nicola Tanner is convinced her partner’s murder was a case of mistaken identity & she was the real target. Tanner has a theory about some recent honour killings in London. It’s a sensitive subject & she hasn’t exactly endeared herself to members of the religious communities involved.
When she’s put on compassionate leave, some of her colleagues are hoping a little time away will help ease tension between the victim’s families & police.

But Nicola has other plans. She figures her partner was killed because she was getting too close. All she needs is another cop willing to help, someone with a fluid regard for the rules who won’t mind colouring outside the lines if necessary. Someone like….oooh, I don’t know….Tom Thorne, maybe.

They met on a previous case (“Die of Shame”) & although Tom is initially reluctant, Nicola isn’t above playing the sympathy card to get him on board. Besides, there’s a good chance one of his old unsolved homicides is related.

“Nuff said about the main plot line. There are plenty of zigs & zags to keep you guessing, especially when you throw in several characters with questionable loyalties. But what really grips you is the subject matter. People of all religions find the concept of honour killings difficult to understand. Here, we are privy to the domestic situations of young men & women who are caught between parents’ traditional expectations & the freer lifestyle that a big city like London has to offer. The book also looks at the challenges faced by police when they attempt to investigate the crimes. Finding someone from the community willing to break the code of silence is difficult. If they press too hard, they may be accused of cultural insensitivity or racial prejudice. It’s a political hot potato that leaves both sides frustrated & many of the cases end up unsolved (see author’s comments at the end for a sobering dose of reality).

But this is not a sermon about who’s right & who’s wrong. Instead, Billingham personalizes the issue by giving us relatable characters of all stripes who are just trying to live their lives. There are some nice twists along the way & he reserves a couple of whoppers for the final pages. One in particular, I gotta say….man, I did NOT see that coming.

As usual, we get to enjoy Tom trading insults with ME Phil Hendricks over a few pints. I love Phil. If Lisbeth Salander & Quincy had a child (ok, a much younger Quincy) Phil might be the result. More time is given to Tom’s personal life & we get a closer look at his relationship with Helen as well as the challenges faced by 2 cops living under one roof.

It’s an intricately plotted & pacey story that keeps you turning the pages to see how it all shakes out. Picking up one of these books is like running into old friends & I look forward to #15.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for the arc of this book.
I have only recently started reading Mark Billingham books but I am a huge fan already! Have read a couple of Tom Thornes and all of his most recent stand alone books, this is a follow up to Die of Shame which was brilliant! Tom Thorne hooks up with Nicola Tanner from Die of Shame to solve the murder of her partner Susan which Nicola believes is connected to her recent investigations of honour killings. Plenty of preconceptions challenged in this book, and a great storyline with plenty of twists and unexpected turns throughout. Great read, would thoroughly recommend.

I am a massive Mark Billingham/Tom Thorne fan. Having read all his books, the man characters are all like long, lost friends and I can never wait to 'catch up' with them. This book didn't disappoint. It combined the characters of Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner, who was introduced to the readers in his last book, Die of Shame.

I found the storyline very gripping and certainly didn't anticipate the twist at the end. This book is an excellent crime novel and anther one by Mark Billingham that I couldn't put down! Can't wait for the next one.

A good read but just didn't enjoy the storyline in this one as much as previous books.