Ok. Less of Scotland being beaten by England, Mark. I watched that game. Gary McAlister should have scored. BTW I kept expected this book to be a bit like 'Ashes to Ashes'. ( )

I think it takes a lot of confidence for a writer of an established series of books to go back to write a plausible prequel, and it must be particularly challenging in the crime milieu. Mark Billingham has pulled it off successfully here, presenting us with an earlier case from the career of his jaded, tenacious protagonist, Detective Inspector (although here still a Sergeant) Tom Thorne.

I have actually lost touch with the Thorne series, although I certainly enjoyed the early volumes (especially Sleepy Head and Scaredy Cat), not least because several of them were set in areas of north London with which I am familiar. I can confirm the accuracy of Billingham’s description, and found the contrast between Muswell Hill and Highgate on the one hand, and Archway and Holloway on the other to be especially poignant.

This book takes us back to 1996, with football coming home (or not as the case might prove to be) in the shape of Euro96. Mobiles are described as ‘portable phones’ and are still far from common (or even particularly portable), and email is still in its rudimentary stages. Everybody seems to smoke … all the time, and anywhere.

Even this early in his career, Thorne is haunted by past cases. Ten years previously he had been instrumental in identifying a serial killer, but had been unable to apprehend him before he killed his wife, their three daughters and then himself. Those memories become additionally vivid when he finds himself working on the case of Kieron, a young boy who had disappeared while playing with a friend in Highgate Woods, even though his mother was close at hand.

Billingham is always adept at building the tension. In this case, there are additional factors to be considered. Kieron’s mother has her own secrets, and her husband is currently in prison serving a sentence for a serious assault. Some of her neighbours have their own secrets, too. The investigation is far from straightforward, and there are strong tensions among the detectives, which become more taut when it becomes obvious that someone is leaking stories to the press.

This shows Billingham back on mid-season form, and it is a worthy addition, or rather, introduction, to the Thorne series. ( )

DS Tom Thorne is determined to find a young juvenile Kieron Coyne who has disappeared, suspected abduction, whilst playing in his local park with best friend Josh supervised by his mum Cat and Josh’s mum Marie. Thorne is haunted by a similar case from the past, a case in which he hesitated and his indecisiveness has horrific and far reaching consequences.
Cry Baby is a prequel and for fans of Tom Thorne gives a glimpse of a much younger but still very dedicated officer of the law. The nostalgic rewind to a much simpler period in time makes for very enjoyable reading. We smile at the mention of the earliest mobile not so much a phone but a brick! We lament England's 96 Euro challenge, sympathize with Gareth Southgate’s famous missed penalty, and applaud a well disciplined German team who once again stifled the cries of ardent English fans who truly believed that finally football was coming home.
One of the strongest and most memorable characters appearing in all the Thorne novels is Phil Hendricks, maverick pathologist, adorned in tattoos, body jewelry, and piercings. It is delightful to see how the unconventional partnership of Thorne and Hendricks, will lead to a very long lasting, warm, and respectful relationship both at work and in their personal lives. The writing of Billingham is concise and clear and Cry Baby is a delight to read from start to finish. ( )

Cry Baby by Mark Billingham is the prequel to the bestselling police procedural Sleepyhead, a novel featuring Detective Superintendent Tom Thorne. The year is 1996 and two young boys playing in a park disappear together in the nearby woods and only one child comes back. The other has vanished without a trace and it seems the remaining child is traumatized and cannot talk about the incident. DS Thorne heads the team searching for the child and within a few days two people who had connections with the children are murdered. This is an absorbing and well-developed crime drama. What I found especially interesting was the difference in electronic policing tools of 1996 compared to what is available today. This was a most enjoyable and unpredictable read. Highly recommended. Thank you to Grove Atlantic for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This is the 17th book in Mark Billingham's long running and much loved DI Tom Thorne series. Now, although it is technically number 17, it's actually a prequel to the first book in the series - Sleepyhead. So.....faithful fans like myself will be thrilled to explore an early Thorne in Cry Baby. And new readers can make this their first book and discover this addictive series.

Cry Baby opens with Thorne dreaming of a past case - one where he didn't arrive in time. He's determined to not have the same outcome with this latest crime.

1996. Two young boys are playing hide and go seek in the wooded area of a park. The mom charged with watching the pair takes her eyes off them 'for just a second'. And only one boy comes out of the woods. A witness swears he saw the boy getting into a car with a man. And as anyone knows, the clock is ticking for Kieron's safety.

The two moms come from different worlds, but they each seem to have secrets and pasts they don't share. Billingham gives us lots of red herrings and possible whodunits along the way to the final pages. I was sure I knew who it was, but was happily proven wrong. Very well plotted. It was interesting to see Thorne try to solve the case using only technology and tools available in 1996.

We meet coroner Phil Hendricks (also a long running character) and witness the beginning of the friendship between Phil and Tom. Thorne's personal life is also part of Cry Baby - his marriage is over, but he's having trouble accepting it.

This has long been one of my favorite series and I loved seeing the beginning. Can't wait for number 18! ( )