Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Wrong Hands.

I enjoyed the first book in the series, and I was pleased my request to read the sequel was granted.

Unconventional detective Declan Miller is back. With a pair of severed hands.

No worries, those aren't his hands. His hands are fine. But he's on the hunt for a murderer, and if he doesn't accomplish this task, many more bodies will fall.

Declan is his same old, sell deprecating self. Making jokes at inopportune times, Having conversations with his deceased wife, Harassing his wife's former boss for updates on the investigation into her murder.

Declan's jokes take some getting used to, and after awhile it starts to get annoying.

I was less of a fan of the sequel than the first book since The Wrong Hands is less of a mystery and more of a pursuit to tracking and locating a killer.

I enjoy the time Declan spends with his dancing friends, how they banter and discuss his case, often giving him helpful hints and ways to solve it.

It's a good juxtaposition against his colleagues and adds a dash of diversity and demonstrates he's a well rounded character, but then not many people keep rats as pets as well.

The series is a typical detective trope; Declan is unconventional and so is his partner, and his friends are smarter than most of his colleagues who are blathering idiots. No one is smarter than Declan.

I did like how Declan finally discovers who murdered his wife, a bit anti-climatic, in my opinion, but at least that mystery is wrapped up, providing some solace and closure for the vengeful detective.

The ending was bittersweet, but hopeful, and I wonder if the author will continue the series, though if he doesn't, the conclusion is satisfying.

I'd always wanted to try Billingham since I know he's highly regarded as writer, and commercially successful with it. The humour is a bit stodgy but I can see itc works in this story of two poor sods who've got involved with just the wrong guys. They steal a briefcase with odd real hands inside, and clock a police man watching. Detective Miller and partner Xiu go after the real target and nearly get outwitted. I had a hard time sticking with the lengthy unwinding of wit , and almost cartoon like character traits of Miller. So not quite right for this reader ..too obvious at times in a way.

A robbery going wrong leads to a hitman injured and a local businessman scorned. It's just another day at the office for Declan Miller - who is still reeling from the murder of his wife Alex. The briefcase disappears, and the hitman will do anything to find it - but can Miller stop him before it's too late?

This is another fantastic book by Mark Billingham - roll on the next one! 5*

Declan Miller is back, and he's every bit as irreverent and mildly childish as he was when I first made his acquaintance last year.
He still attends dance practice. He still has his pet rats, Fred and Ginger. And he's still talking to his dead wife, and hoping he will find out who killed her. In the meantime, there are other crimes to solve.
The book opens with a couple of conmen stealing a briefcase in the public toilets at Blackpool Railway Station. Unknown to them, the briefcase belongs to a contract killer who will stop at nothing to get it back, as it contains proof that he carried out a hit for one of Blackpool's crime bosses.
Murder and mayhem soon follow, with Miller inevitably at the centre of the mayhem.
The Wrong Hands is an hilarious romp. The black humour won't be to everyone's taste, but I love it. The Detective Miller books are a breath of fresh air, and I hope this isn't the last we hear from Declan Miller.
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this review.

I think I gave read everything that Mark Billingham has written, and his new character is just as good as Tom Thorne. Brilliant story with loads ooh twists and turns, lived that the wives get their own back and we find out who killed his wife. Can’t wait for the next one

I was looking forward to the second in this series after having really loved the first title. This did not disappoint and it was a totally gripping thriller. Great to see the characters developing.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mark Billingham’s new character DS Declan Miller, in the first of the series ‘The Last Dance’. I’ve always enjoyed reading Mark’s books, especially those in the Tom Thorne series so I wasn’t sure how I would take to a new lead character but I gradually warmed to him! Miller continues his antics in this second book and again, I found myself laughing out loud sometimes and feeling frustrated with his constant jokes at others. He’s a very different character but very likeable. The plot was engaging and interesting and had me hooked in after a few chapters. This book tied up a few loose ends and it was good to get a conclusion to his wife’s murder. I’m looking forward to reading more in the DC Miller series. Overall, a great read with lots of interesting characters

Detective Declan Miller is once again chasing down Blackpool's criminal element while also trying to solve the mystery of his wife's murder. Between his passion for ballroom dancing, pet rats, conversations with his wife's ghost, and unique sense of humor, Declan is obviously not your average detective. This book has a page-turning plot, a cast of full of interesting characters, and some sneaky laugh-out-loud humor to keep things (such a briefcase of severed hands) from getting too grim. I highly recommend this series and can't wait to read the next installment. #NetGalley. #TheWrongHands

The follow up to The Last Dance finds DS Declan Miller tackling the underworld of Blackpool and trying to solve the murder of his wife Alex who was murdered while on duty as a police detective. The dialogue between Declan and his dead wife who he sees at regular intervals is truly perfect.
Declan is a very unorthodox police officer with a sense of humour like no other character in a book ive ever read before,the banter between him and his partner Sara Xiu is one you cant help but wish you were apart of. His final goodbye to Alex pulls at the heart strings.
Fast paced,filled with humour and definitely original.
Even though everything was tied up at the end I hope there will be another outing for these characters in the future,maybe a crossover with Tom Thorne who knows.
The 23rd full length novel for this highly talented author,ROLL ON THE 24TH.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC.

This was a good book. The characters were good and there was great plot. There were lots of twists, turns, and shocking turns of events.

Mark Billingham is, of course, a superbly clever writer who is exceptionally gifted in immersing us in his stories but this is right up there with the best of his best.
Continuing from The Last Dance, Declan Miller is still driven by solving his wife's murder alongside solving a new and darkly twisted murder, when a pair of dismembered hands show up inside a briefcase. What follows is an expertly woven who-dunnit and police procedural that kept me reading at a furious pace.
Underpinning all the action is the sweet, tender, humourous nature of Declan himself who is openly grieving the loss of his beloved wife and figuring out how to live life without her. I love the group of friends Dec has around him, they're all unique and full characters in their own right and all have stories to tell. I love that there isn't a stereotype among them - from his police partner to his step-daughter, no one fits into any kind of trope nor becomes a mundane sidekick - everyone is vital and everyone is creatively and authentically written.
To say anything about how this book ends would be to give away spoilers, however, it's rare that I feel so deeply satisfied by the end of any novel. No part of me wishes for anything different and I like to think that any men reading this who may be grieving themselves will connect in some way - to see a police officer, someone we would all imagine to be the definition of a tough guy, give such time and space to the depth of his loss, the impact it's had and the way he navigates his way through every challenge he faces.
Whilst I do see how this would be happily read as a stand-alone, I don't think I'd have enjoyed it as much without having read 'The Last Dance' first as it really set the emotional tone for me and was the reason I was so invested in 'The Wrong Hands' before I even read the first word.

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham is the second book in the Detective Declan Miller series. I read The Last Dance last year and loved it and was very keen to read the follow-up book.

Miller is an unconventional police officer. He rides around Blackpool on a scooter, is a ballroom dancer in his spare time and talks to his dead wife. He also has a sense of humour that is pure Marmite - you either love it or hate it. I personally love his sense of humour and observations and for me they really make the book.

This book, The Wrong Hands, is a new case for him solve with with his partner Xui. From the beginning, it’s fast-paced and sprinkled with humour. There’s also the backstory carrying over from the first book - who is responsible for murdering Miller’s wife who was also a serving police officer. If you haven’t read the first book, you’ll get up to speed on the back story in this book. There are also the familiar faces of Cutler and Massey two rival Blackpool kingpins.

The book is tinged with a sadness and is quite moving with Miller grieving his wife’s death and his frustration at the lack of headway made into the investigation. However Miller’s humour really balances that out. I really hope that there’ll be a third instalment of this series - I’ve really come to care about Miller.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Grove Atlantic, for making this ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Couldnt get past page 10. The write up made it sound great, reading it..no interest no desire to try to finish it. Zero stars

I love this series! I wasn't familiar with Billingham prior to the first Declan Miller novel, but I'm an absolute devotee ever since... Billingham has a marvelous ability to combine snark, dry wit, brutal reality, and spot-on pacing into a detective novel that reads like perfection. Declan Miller is a delight - a curmudgeon with a heart of gold who, like all the best detective protagonists, is a little bit broken but far from out of the game. I loved watching the underlying storyline with his (dead) wife develop. The interplay between the current case and longer-standing mystery of his wife's murder is handled deftly, with bits and pieces teased out and tossed about in ways that seem casual but are anything but. I love the "Dance Club" series of behind-the-scenes teammates that support Miller, the pair of crooks that are his constant foils and sometime-allies, and the originality of his death-metalhead partner is brilliant. The supporting cast really helps flesh out the world that Billingham has built here, and it gives the whole universe a depth and breadth that makes it leap off the page. This would make a fabulous BBC series!!

This was an amazing book. I highly recommend it to everyone. Great characters and a great plot. I will be looking for more books by this author. The book is superbly written. Lots of twists, turns and shocking turns of events. Quickly becoming a go to author for me!!!! If you love to read a book and be shocked by the ending then check out this author for sure. You will love this book and this author

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "The Wrong Hands", the second book in the Detective Declan Miller series. Having read and totally enjoyed "The Last Dance", I was eager to get my hands on this one - and I was not disappointed. "The Wrong Hands" is just as intriguing and quirky as was the first book.
It's not long after the events in "The Last Dance" that we take up with Detective Miller and his partner, Xiu (she of the death-metal fixation and he of the ballroom dancing hobby). And once again, most of the peripheral characters from book one make appearances, with his dancing cohort dispensing words of wisdom and support.
Declan is still determined to get to the bottom of his wife's murder, and hope is held out in the person of Massey, ex-drag queen Coco Pops, who claims to have knowledge that will bring to light what happened; the only catch is that Massey wants Declan to neutralize one of the criminals that inhabit their little part of the world.
"The Wrong Hands" starts off with an almost comical petty scam going terrifically wrong and ending up with the McGuffin that is 'the wrong hands' and a briefcase absconded with - and they are proof of a gangland execution needed in order to collect the killer's payday. All of the participants in the theft of the briefcase find themselves in mortal danger.
The main theme of the book is Miller and Xiu's attempts to find and arrest a contract killer, whose main quirk is that he uses aliases with the same two initials and who, of course, is willing to do anything to retrieve the briefcase, get paid, and get out of dodge.
There are many twists and turns along the way to the end of the story - some comedic, some terrifying - and there is betrayal on a grand scale.
Will Declan get the information that leads to finding out who killed his wife, or will he have to continue to harass the detectives charged with leading the investigation? Read the book and find out.
Highly recommended, but read "The Last Dance" first. You'll thank me.

This is the second book in the Detective Declan Miller series and one not to be missed.
I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Blackpool, England, present day
Characters: Detective Declan Miller, his equally quirky partner, Sara Xiu, fellow detectives of various capabilities, and a supporting cast of devious, loathsome characters
Overview: Miller keeps pet rats, plays piano, dances with a serious group of friends, constantly irritates people with his inappropriate humor and rude comments, and carries both ends of a recurring dialogue with his wife who was murdered in one of his prior investigations. In other words - a character you have to like. He still grieves for his wife and is determined to find her killer, but he has a job to do and this case involves a pair of severed hands in a briefcase. Complicating the assignment is the on-going battle of rival criminal gangs, both intent on getting the briefcase for different reasons, and both with intriguing leaders.
Recommendation: I rate this book 5 stars
Extras: While it is not necessary to read the first excellent book in the series, it may be helpful to establish some of the characters’ backgrounds. The writing contains a significant amount of local dialect and British humor, which, while making the story authentic, at times distracts from the reading. Nonetheless, it is an excellent, complex tale and one that, hopefully, will have many sequels.
Thanx to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the opportunity to provide this candid review.

I have to admit that I was a tad disappointed when Mark Billingham put Tom Thorne into abeyance to introduce us to Declan Miller. I initially found it slightly hard to take that Dec's murdered wife was a character to whom he chatted in the course of the first novel in this series. However, any doubts have now been completely removed, and long may this series continue. The writing is a joy, sharp and funny, the pairing of Miller and Xiu works very well, and the plotting is excellent. A great read!

About 20 years ago (!) someone gifted me a signed copy of Sleepyhead purchased from a silent auction. They thought it sounded like a novel that was right up my alley. I was hooked from that moment forward. Mark Billingham can do no wrong. Everything he writes is enjoyable.

This is the second book in a new detective series where the detective is a wise ass, foxtrot dancing widow with a past that quite literally haunts him. (In a good way I guess). What I love about Mr Billingham’s writing is that not only is a cracking good detective story, I find myself laughing out loud at the corny jokes and thoughts of Detective Miller. His writing puts me in mind of the greatly missed genius that was Reginald Hill. High praise indeed. It is a difficult combination to find.

So come for the detective story but stay to enjoy the lively banter between Miller and Xiu and the motley assortment of criminals in Blackpool. I’m not giving a synopsis of the book, but suffice it to say hands play a big role here.

Thank you thank you to Netgalley, Grove Atlantic, and the author for a chance to read an ARC of this book. I quite literally whooped with happiness when I got the email. Keep them coming please, Mr. Billingham. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Review: I did not mean to fall into another English detective / Police procedure novel as I cannot stand them. Trivialities and scenes with hyper-focused intent and the rambling innanities between people slows the movement like a slug at a salt lick.

This novel seemed forced in a few ways. Characters did not seem genuine, coupled with constant lame attempts at humor. The shambling detective with a corse personality is a play made by many before. In the first few chapters there are so many names and nick names that you can't keep them all straight. I want an easy read after a hard days work where I don't have to labor at tracking characters.

Hard pass on this series.

Rating: DNF