Books like Lifeless by Mark Billingham

Former homicide detective Tom Thorne’s career is on the skids after a critical mistake on his last case and the suspicious death of his father. Offered a prolonged leave, he is tempted to step away from the force. But the city’s most destitute citizens are being stalked: three homeless men have been hanged and the gruesome scenes leave banknotes pinned to their chests. With nothing left to lose, Thorne volunteers to hunt the killer, slipping back into the streets he once patrolled as a beat cop and homicide officer. In the grim world of the homeless, a brutal new wave of deaths and a chilling connection to a fifteen‑year‑old atrocity could claim not only the victims but also the detective’s fragile life and sense of hope. Set in contemporary London, the novel follows Thorne’s investigation into the murders that blend the city’s outer fringes with its hidden criminal underworld. As his past and present collide, Thorne must confront his own demons while navigating moral grey areas and the relentless pressure from his former police colleagues. "Lifeless" explores themes of decay, redemption, and the fine line between justice and obsession in an unforgiving urban landscape.

First publish date: 2005