This won't be on my TBR for long.... :o)

DI Nicola Tanner needs Tom Thorne’s help. Her partner, Susan, has been brutally murdered and Tanner is convinced that it was a case of mistaken identity—that she was the real target. The murderer’s motive might have something to do with Tanner’s recent work on a string of cold-case honor killings she believes to be related. Tanner is now on compassionate leave but insists on pursuing the case off the books and knows Thorne is just the man to jump into the fire with her. He agrees but quickly finds that working in such controversial territory is dangerous in more ways than one. And when a young couple goes missing, they have a chance to investigate a case that is anything but cold...

While this didn't have my heart thumping like "Good As Dead" did or give me the shivers like "The Bones Beneath" I was still totally engrossed with my beloved Thorne.

Honour killings is a tough subject to cover but as ever Billingham does it credibly invoking the whole gamut of emotions in you along the way.
The characters are spot on (as usual!) Hendricks is a delight & I don't even dislike little Alfie. Tanner & Thorne make a good pairing, her ordered style of policing providing a good contrast for Thorne's more flexible approach.
Helen of course features once again but her part seems minimal with her pursuing an investigation regarding two young boys. I couldn't really see the point of this inclusion & it seemed unnecessary. However what I do know is that Billingham never pads his tales with extraneous details...& sure enough when their story was revealed it was rather a shock.

Roll on book 15....