This book is not much of an advert for group therapy! Five recovering addicts meet every Monday night at the home of their therapist Tony for a group session, until one of them is murdered. This is a Nicola Tanner book, although Tom Thorne appears in the last chapter. I found it a compelling read and it kept me guessing - I thought I knew who did it, but I was wrong. ( )

Nice of Tom to make an appearance at the end. ( )

4.5 stars.

Die of Shame, a standalone mystery by Mark Billingham, is an intriguing whodunit that also offers a fascinating peek into the world of recovery and addiction.

Each week, five disparate, recovering addicts attend a group therapy session in the home of their therapist Tony DeSilva. Robin Joffe, is an anesthesiologist who managed to salvage his career but not his marriage after he became addicted to drugs. Heather Finlay is both a recovering alcoholic and drug addict and she has also had a bit of trouble with a gambling addiction. Diana Knight used alcohol to cope with her divorce and now dealing with her daughter’s enmity and her ex-husband’s impending fatherhood with his girlfriend, she has turned into a compulsive shopper. Chris Clemence’s sobriety is tenuous as he struggles to secure housing and finds himself in financial straits due to his inability to maintain a budget. Newcomer Caroline Armitage is battling an addiction to prescription painkillers while also trying to take control of her overeating. Tony DeSilva is no stranger to addiction since he, too, once had a substance abuse problem but his current issues are much closer to home. His marriage is strained and his teenage daughter Emma is battling a few demons of her own. He is stunned to learn about the murder of one of his patients and much to Detective Inspector Nicola Tanner dismay, he is extremely protective of the remaining members of the group. Although DeSilva refuses to divulge any information about his clients or their last session, DI Tanner tirelessly works to solve the murder.

From very different walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds, the therapy group members have forged a friendship of sorts outside of their sessions. They gather after their weekly meetings to discuss what happened during that evening’s therapy session and they also offer one another additional support. Some of the members have formed secondary friendships and they sometimes spend time together in purely social settings. After Caroline joins their weekly sessions, the dynamic between the original members begins to shift as she befriends everyone and while some of the changes are positive, tempers flare and suspicions grow after a few whispered suggestions stir up conflict.

Nicola has her work cut out for her during the murder investigation. DeSilva is not the only person who is not talking since the remaining support group attendees also adhere to the strict confidentiality guidelines for their sessions. However, bit by bit, Nicola begins to piece together the last therapy session that the victim attended and she is convinced the murder is somehow connected to this meeting. Although she has a viable working theory, obtaining the proof to back up her supposition is easier said than done, but Nicola tenaciously keeps working the case.

In addition to the chapters dedicated to the investigation and the various relationships among the therapy group, there are a few chapters that feature visits between an inmate and a mystery visitor. Their discussions are quite fascinating but it is impossible to understand how they figure into the murder and subsequent investigation. However, the intrigue surrounding these chapters becomes crystal clear when the killer’s identity is eventually revealed.

Die of Shame is a riveting mystery with a somewhat unusual storyline. Quite different than the typical police procedural, the novel mainly focuses on the characters and their struggles with the addiction. Mark Billingham once carefully conceals the perpetrator’s identity and motive for the crime with some brilliant misdirects and clever red herrings. Although not every thread is neatly wrapped up, readers will be satisfied with the novel’s conclusion. All in all, it is an absolutely phenomenal whodunit that fans of the genre are sure to love. ( )

One of the best books Billingham has ever written; gripping thriller that had me guessing up until the very end. And set in my neighbourhood in London! ( )

In leafy North London a therapy group convenes every Monday evening. Each member of the group has their own demons and their own secrets, even the therapist. When one of the group is murdered, DI Nicola Tanner and her team investigate but although they quickly realise the key to the mystery lies within the group they struggle to make sense of what happened.

This book is a variation of the 'closed room' mystery in that all the suspects may have had a motive and that is the way that the story progresses. In a narrative that switches from past to present, Billingham builds that back story and also the investigation. However although the murderer is revealed to the reader, the police investigation is not quite so fortunate and I quite liked this twist. Unfortunately I didn't really get into the book which is unusual for one of Bellingham's'. I found the characters all very unsympathetic and the writing quite pedestrian at times. ( )