Tom Thorne books in order

The Tom Thorne series by Mark Billingham follows Detective Inspector Tom Thorne through over 20 crime novels set in London, one of the longest-running detective series in British crime fiction.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Sleepyhead 2001 Mark Billingham Buy
2 Scaredy Cat 2001 Mark Billingham Buy
3 Lazybones 2003 Mark Billingham Buy
4 Segni di sangue 2004 Mark Billingham N/A
5 The Burning Girl 2004 Mark Billingham Buy
6 Lifeless 2005 Mark Billingham Buy
7 Buried 2006 Mark Billingham Buy
8 Death Message 2007 Mark Billingham Buy
9 Bloodline 2009 Mark Billingham Buy
10 From The Dead 2010 Mark Billingham Buy
11 Thorne at Christmas 2013 Mark Billingham N/A
12 Good As Dead 2011 Mark Billingham N/A
13 Good as Dead / The Demands 2011 Mark Billingham Buy
14 The Dying Hours 2013 Mark Billingham Buy
15 Ölüme 5 Kala 2013 Mark Billingham N/A
16 The Bones Beneath 2014 Mark Billingham Buy
17 Time of Death 2015 Mark Billingham Buy
18 Love Like Blood 2017 Mark Billingham Buy
19 The Killing Habit 2018 Mark Billingham Buy
20 Their Little Secret 2019 Mark Billingham Buy
21 Cry Baby 2020 Mark Billingham Buy
22 The Murder Book 2022 Mark Billingham Buy
23 What the Night Brings 2025 Mark Billingham Buy
24 Thorne at Christmas: A Short Story Collection 2013 Mark Billingham N/A

The Tom Thorne series is Mark Billingham’s flagship creation, following DI Tom Thorne through over 20 crime novels set in London. Starting with Sleepyhead in 2001, the series has run for more than two decades, with Thorne investigating murders, serial killers, and complex criminal conspiracies across the city.

Key titles include Scaredy Cat, Lazybones, The Burning Girl, Good As Dead, and The Murder Book. The series has been praised for its plotting, its portrait of modern London, and Billingham’s ability to keep the character fresh over such a long run. What the Night Brings (2025) is the most recent entry.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Tom Thorne series?

There are 24 books in the Tom Thorne series, published between 2001 and 2025.

What is the first book in the Tom Thorne series?

The first book in the Tom Thorne series is Sleepyhead, published in 2001.

Who is Tom Thorne?

Tom Thorne is a Detective Inspector with the Metropolitan Police in London. He is known for his stubbornness, his complicated personal life, and his determination to see justice done. He has appeared in over 20 novels since Sleepyhead (2001).

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