The Last Dance
A Detective Miller case - the first new Billingham series in 20 years
Published on 18. January 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-1-4087-2635-8 (ISBN)
Description
THE FIRST NEW SERIES FROM #1 BESTSELLER MARK BILLINGHAM IN 20 YEARS.
DON'T MISS THE NEXT BOOK IN THE DETECTIVE MILLER SERIES, THE WRONG HANDS, OUT NOW!
____________
'A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business' RICHARD OSMAN
'An unmitigated joy from the very first page to last' DAILY MAIL
'Funny, moving, and full of surprises . . . an absolute treat' MICK HERRON
'This new series is bursting with wit, charm and intriguing, complex characters' JANICE HALLETT
'Deserves a big fat ten' THE TIMES
____________
Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated...
He's a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority -- and he's the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller.
A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out?
Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle?
____________
WHAT REAL READERS SAY ABOUT THE LAST DANCE
'DS Miller is a wonderful, quirky character with whom I share a sense of humour. I laughed a great deal'
'An author who is anything but a one-trick pony'
'Quirky, yet dark in places, Some laugh-out-loud moments that startled bus passengers sitting close by'
'Very amusing and entertaining. I love Tom Thorne and now I love Declan Miller too'
'If you are a Billlingham fan you will know it's worth reading, and if you are new to this author, I'm sure you will become a fan!'
DON'T MISS THE NEXT BOOK IN THE DETECTIVE MILLER SERIES, THE WRONG HANDS, OUT NOW!
____________
'A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business' RICHARD OSMAN
'An unmitigated joy from the very first page to last' DAILY MAIL
'Funny, moving, and full of surprises . . . an absolute treat' MICK HERRON
'This new series is bursting with wit, charm and intriguing, complex characters' JANICE HALLETT
'Deserves a big fat ten' THE TIMES
____________
Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated...
He's a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority -- and he's the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller.
A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out?
Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle?
____________
WHAT REAL READERS SAY ABOUT THE LAST DANCE
'DS Miller is a wonderful, quirky character with whom I share a sense of humour. I laughed a great deal'
'An author who is anything but a one-trick pony'
'Quirky, yet dark in places, Some laugh-out-loud moments that startled bus passengers sitting close by'
'Very amusing and entertaining. I love Tom Thorne and now I love Declan Miller too'
'If you are a Billlingham fan you will know it's worth reading, and if you are new to this author, I'm sure you will become a fan!'
Reviews / Votes
Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business * Richard Osman * Funny, moving, and full of surprises, The Last Dance will delight Mark Billingham's old readers, and have new ones flocking to him in droves. An absolute treat. * Mick Herron * Billingham has clearly enjoyed the challenge of exploring new territory and portraying new characters. His fans may rest assured that his highly accomplished performance deserves a big fat ten. * The Times * Hard-headed yet big-hearted, DS Declan Miller will have you on the edge of your seat - screaming with laughter one moment and surprise the next. Billingham blends caustic humour, raw emotion and rollercoaster thrills. His new series is bursting with wit, charm and intriguing, complex characters. Save The Last Dance for when you want a fast, fresh and totally absorbing read. * Janice Hallett * Billingham's Tom Thorne series set the bar very high indeed, but The Last Dance is well up to standard - funny, moving and expertly plotted * Guardian * Billingham is back with the first instalment of a highly promising new series * Mail on Sunday * Brimming with wit, expertly paced, and wholly enjoyable - The Last Dance is a showcase of Billingham's exceptionally gifted storytelling. Mark Billingham is at his best! * Karin Slaughter * A gritty, engaging novel that balances light with dark, offering wit and wisdom in equal measure. Billingham's new lead detective, DS Miller, never misses a step when it comes to solving crime. * Nita Prose, author of The Maid * A captivating combination of humour, emotion, mystery and tension, The Last Dance is everything you could wish for in a new detective series. Sharp and funny, with hidden layers, just like Detective Declan Miller himself. * Andrea Mara * Fresh, funny, fantastic, this is the sickeningly talented Billingham at his best. * Abir Mukherjee * It is an unmitigated joy from the very first page to last - and reminds the world just why Billingham is one of Britain's greatest crime writers * Daily Mail * The author's first new series in 20 years is superb - he hits the spot again * Sun * DS Miller is a wonderfully warm and witty character who, at times, made this reader laugh out loud * Mirror * This captivating thriller is lighter in tone than the Thorne novels but no less enjoyable for that * Daily Express * This new post-Inspector Tom Thorn character from multi-award-winning author Mark Billingham is an absolute winner, and a hoot to boot * Irish Independent * Reliable crime-fiction veteran Billingham delivers gentle laughs and darker emotions in a pacey plot shaped by its unique location * The Oldie * This captivating story features a new Billingham character - DI Declan Miller, who is nothing if not eccentric . . . Superbly constructed, it underlines just how good a crime writer he is. * Daily Mail * A clever and engaging murder mystery * Canberra Weekly * An entertaining police procedural featuring a new investigator, DS Declan Millar. Billingham may have made him as miserable as his predecessor DI Tom Thorne but he provides a lot more jokes this time to lighten the novel * Literary Review (Books of the Year) *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Little, Brown Book Group
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
278 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4087-2635-8 (9781408726358)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2023
Sphere
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Mark Billingham has twice won the Theakston Old Peculier Award for Crime Novel of the Year, the Sherlock Award for the best detective created by a British writer and in 2026 he was awarded the Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger for an outstanding lifetime contribution to the genre. Sleepyhead and Scaredy Cat were made into a hit TV series on Sky 1 starring David Morrissey as Tom Thorne, and a series based on the novels In the Dark and Time of Death was broadcast on BBC1. Mark lives in north London with his wife and two children.