An eccentric, feisty detective + an equally quirky partner + good parallel plot lines = a terrific first dance, not a last dance, in a series that should last a long time. The best book I have read this year with the only disappointment was it wasn’t a thousand pages longer. I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Current day various locales in the UK, primarily Blackpool and London
Characters: An exceptionally well-defined cast of characters featuring DS Declan Miller and his newly-assigned assistant, Sara Xiu. Declan is obstinate, quirky, dogged, humorous and plays perfectly against Sara, who is much younger and unlike him in most ways – particularly with her own set of unusual characteristics. Among Declan’s fascinating habits are his productive conversations with his recently deceased wife and his relationship with his intriguing dance group. The supporting cast is also developed well and not stereotypical.
Overview: Declan has returned, perhaps too early, from grieving his wife’s early death and is quickly involved in a complicated murder scene. Despite objections from supervisors, he uses his own methods to work the case and, always in the background, is his persistent attempts to solve the death of his wife. The parallel plots work well and keep the reader nicely off-balance.
Recommendation: I rate this book a full 5 stars. It would appeal to fans of detective stories, suspense, great plots, and intelligent fiction.
Extras: The UK vocabulary takes a little getting used to, but definitely adds to the local flavor of the story. This is proposed as the first in a new series by Billingham and it should have a long run.
In summary, a thorough recommendation and anticipation for the next in the series.
Thanx to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to provide this unbiased review.

After the death of his wife,and ballroom partner Alex, Declan Miller is back at work.His got a new partner D.S Sara Xiu who is a heavy metal lover and they are investigating a double murder at the Sands Hotel of a gangland family member Adrian Cutler and IT consultant Barry Shepherd.The evidence points to a hired gunman and a botched job.
As the investigation processes Miller reconnects with his old network-His ballroom dancing friends,homeless informant Finn and even the ghost of his wife who keeps showing up in his kitchen.
Before her death Alex had been investigating the Cutler family so things are complicated and as he gets closer to the truth he realises that the danger is walking right to his doorstep.
I'm such big fan of Mark Billingham so was excited to read the first book in a new series.Could it be as good as the Tom Thorne books?the answer is a big YES.
The new character Declan Miller is great with a really brilliant sense of humour which had me laughing out loud.Im looking forward to the next book in the series and getting to know the main characters more.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the ARC.

A new Mark Billingham series! Although I have always been a fan of Thorne, I knew I was in safe hands. This was a one day read for me. I loved it.

Miller is back to work but reeling after the death of his wife, Alex. Is it too soon? He needs something to do. Enter his new partner, Xiu or Posh as he nicknames her. She is unsure how to take his sarcasm and biting wit. Two murders in a seaside hotel is their first case. One is the son of gang family and the other is an IT executive. They couldn’t be any different. Is it related?

Along with this case, Miller is investigating the death of his wife albeit on the sly. She was shot under unknown circumstances and as a former policewoman, there is a lot of overlap. He spends his time on both cases using the criminal informants he knows for help.

The story moves at a good clip, is populated with an interesting cast that you definitely want to see in the next story. Thank you so much to Grove Atlantic and Net Galley for an Arc to review. I honestly couldn’t believe my luck.

This is the first book in a new series by author Mark Billingham. I am a big fan of the Tom Thorne series by the same author so was very interested to see how a new series would pan out.
The lead character is Declan Miller who has returned to work following the murder of his wife and amateur ballroom dancing partner Alex. On his return he is partnered with DS Sara Xiu and told to investigate the double killing of gangland family scion Adrian Cutler and IT consultant Barry Shepherd at the Sands Hotel. The initial findings suggest a contract killing and the search for the hitman reunites Miller his ballroom dancing friends. The case is complicated by the fact that Miller’s wife Alex had been investigating the Cutler family prior to her death which threatens to put his own life in serious danger.

It took me a while to get into the character Declan Miller with the touches of humour but it was still a promising start to what is hopefully another Mark Billingham series. I think possibly I was constantly making comparisons to the Tom Thorne series which I really enjoy.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an advance copy of The Last Dance, the first novel to feature DS Declan Miller of Blackpool Police.

Miller returns to work after the death of his wife and is immediately asked to investigate the shooting death of two men in adjoining rooms at the Sands Hotel. Is it a case of mistaken identity or are there more secrets to be uncovered? Miller and his new partner, DS Sara Xiu are determined to find out.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Dance, which is a fun read with a good mystery attached. Declan Miller is definitely not Tom Thorne, so it’s a new direction for both the author and the reader, a very welcome one in my eyes.

Miller is a strong character so the success of the novel is dependent on how readers view him. Personally I love him already and was sad when the novel ended, but only because it will take so long to see him again. I think it’s fair to call him unconventional with his ballroom dancing, wisecracking and evident disdain for his superiors, where he likes to cause trouble, because he can. I imagine that he’d be an absolute nightmare to work with, but in fiction he’s great. All the jokes cannot hide the fact that he is grieving, and I think the author does a great job of showing it in unexpected ways, or that he’s a smart detective when he engages his brain rather than his mouth, although when he doesn’t it can be very funny.

I love the plot. It was as fast as I could turn the pages to see what was coming next. There are developments, twists and turns that took me by surprise and some unexpected secrets. The solution when it came was breathtaking in its simplicity and had me wondering how I never thought of it. It’s class and showcases an author at the top of his game.

Miller has a very creative vocabulary that may confuse non UK readers, but it’s probably best to assume that there is some kind of insult involved. He made me laugh out loud on so many occasions.

The Last Dance is a great read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Oh so different than Tom Thorne books!

I admit, it took me a couple chapters to get into the swing of things but that is due to Miller being so different. Miller returns to work after his wife's death. He gets paired with a new partner Xiu. They immediately get called out to a double murder at a hotel. One death is the son of a known mobster and the other appears to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. I loved the characters that we met along the way. The mystery is good and I didn't have a clue.

What is so different is Miller. He's hilarious. It takes Xiu awhile to warm up but you can tell it's going to be a good pairing. All through the book, new facts that may or may not have anything to do with the murder appear. His wife's death, friendships with street people and other assorted folks. It's up to the reader to decipher if these facts and folks are relevant.

Happy to hear that there will be more. And Thorne is not done.

I really enjoyed it! I have read the author 's other series with Thorne and had also loved it. This series is completely different! I have laughed a lot, even though it was sometimes not that funny but it gives Miller, the main character, a realistic touch, I felt. I love his friends and his new partner: it seems delightful to be with them. Very pleasant. The plot is gripping, had no idea as to the conclusion (which is good)! The end is such that I definitely want to read the next book, and the next one.... I thought it was a shame that Miller is surrounded by his own grief (he had lost his wife six weeks earlier), as it is so often the case in crime books. However, I now wonder if this doesn't involve something else.... Can't wait for the next book!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

3.75/5 stars! This is a new detective series. The premise was intriguing but I was worried about a book that starts off with a grieving cop heading back to work far too early. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how captivating the story was. There was a great deal of humor interspersed throughout the story and Miller was a likable character. I think it was funny that the early assumption is that the mafia boy was the intended target of the crime. This book had a twist that I didn't see coming, but also ended in a way that basically forces you to read the sequel, which is a bit frustrating for some readers. Overall, a good start to a new series.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Mark Billingham is one of the three authors whose books got me reading UK Crime obsessively a few years ago. I've read all but one of his previous twenty plus books, I was eager and curious to read this one.

Mark Billingham's first new detective series since Thorne, swapping gritty urban London for Detective Miller's Blackpool.

Detective Miller's wife was recently murdered, it's his first day back on the job when a double murder case comes in.

There's a lot of humour, it's frequently a very funny book. Miller's character is fantastic, with plenty of quirks and quips. The plot was ok.

This would make a great TV drama and I applaud Mark Billingham for trying something completely different.

It takes an exceptional comedy tinged crime novel to really win me over, this wasn't it, but it's an entertaining read overall.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic

Detective Declan Miller returns to work only 6 weeks after the murder of his wife, also a detective. He is partnered with new DS Sara Xiu, and their first case is the double murder of two seemingly unrelated men in a hotel. The men had rooms next door to each other and as far as the investigation goes, they didn’t know each other. It is surmised the intended target was Adrian Cutler, part of the local crime family, and the man next door, IT consultant Barry Shepherd was perhaps a case of mistaken identity. Both had been shot in the head with the same weapon.
To be honest I didn’t much warm to this new character of Marks. I love the Tom Thorne books so much that it will take a lot for another character to live up to him. A big part of it was the silly jokey nature of Miller. It is one of the reasons I gave up on Stuart MacBride as do people really talk and behave like that 24/7.
Miller has a lot of endearing traits including his pet rats and his friendship with Finn a young girl who lives on the streets. But for me he needs to dial back the jokes. Of course the book ended on wtf moment so I will be reading the next instalment, but unlike the Thorne books I don’t think I will be buying a print copy of this one.
Funnily I had notes here for the publishers about a big loophole I had found in the first few chapters, but by the end it turned out to be the twist to discovering who the killer was,

#TheLastDance. #NetGalley

I wish to sincerely thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Last Dance by Mark Billingham
This was a wonderful read. What a fantastic new character we have in Declan Miller
I love his quirks and his wit!
The storyline is tough and gritty with some laugh out loud moments at Millers thoughts and sayings
I love his sidekick Xiu, pronounced "jus" and that he thinks of her as posh gravy
She is a feisty character who you're rooting for throughout
There's also Finn his sort of stepdaughter. A homeless addict with the heart of a warrior
The criminals are just as interesting. Cutler and Massey et all will be foes who are sure to feature again
The dancing aspect of the storyline is just lovely ( being a massive Strictly fan myself)
A truly brilliant new series!. can't wait for more from our heroes
Read in just over one day. missed some appointments.. Really well worth every moment
Highly recommended escape with a bunch of quirky and very likeable characters

Brilliant. Billingham has again created a character who is flawed but so appealing that you can’t help but back him as he goes about solving crimes in his own peculiar way. Other characters are just as appealing and the plot itself lives up to every expectation Billingham fans have developed over years of enjoying the Tom Thorne series. I hope this is the start of a new series - I already feel very invested in these characters!