I love reading books by Mark Billingham, I am always hooked as soon as I start reading and gripped until the end.

"The Wrong Hands", is the second novel in the new DS Declan Miller series by Mark Billingham. The series was launched in 2023, with "The Last Dance" and "The Wrong Hands", commences shortly after the finish after the first novel.
Now, while it is not essential to read both books, I would recommend doing so in order to gain a good understanding of the relationships between Miller and his colleagues, especially Sara Ziu and the background to the murder of his wife Alex.
This time around, we are familiar with the antics of Fred and Ginger (rats), and the crime fighting duo of Ratman and Posh gravy. While, Fred and Ginger did appear numerous times, and are growing on me, I was disappointed by the few mentions of "Ratman and Posh (gravy)". After all, when you have such a cool nickname, why not use it more often? 😆use it more often?
Our protagonist is one DS Declan Miller, a member of the Blackpool police force and recently bereaved. And Miller is ... well, he can be difficult. That's not necessarily a bad thing and does add to the comedy of the storyline. I like the character but there is no doubt that he could probably start an argument with fresh air in an empty room. Now, that's not to say that Miller is rude or unpleasant (he certainly is not racism, homophobic etc and actually is very sweet when dealing with Finn), but his gift for deliberately drifting off the point is incredible. Miller interviews grieving families, and airs his disappointment at the lack of biscuits. Not to mention his funny comments towards his boss about his unrequited love when discussing his behaviour. This adds a lighthearted and increasingly amusing dimension to the storyline. Though I can imagine that some readers could find him frustrating and to be fair, Xiu clearly has saintly levels of patience.
Once again, we have a complex murder, a set of missing (and recovered) hands and plenty of double-dealing. Not to mention a hired killer, who has an obsession with Midsomer Murders and writing lists, and plenty of fox-trots. (And yes, if you are a fan of MM, then there are plenty of references here to make you laugh - especially with some of their more ludicrous murder scenarios).
Another entertaining crime novel from one of the best writers in the business.

With many thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for this free arc and I leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
I absolutely worship the ground Mark Billingham walks on so super excited to get my hands on the second instalment in the Declan Miller series. I adored the Last Dance which took us in a totally different direction to his Tom Thorne novels and this follow up is just as brilliant. Billingham really shows off his comic talents with sublime dialogue and the balance in the relationship between Miller and Xiu is spot on. A perfectly plotted storyline ends with the conclusion of what happened to Alex. (You will need to read the first one) A truly wonderful read from the Master and I hope this is a series that continues. A ten star read!

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

Miller and Xiu are without a doubt my new favourite crime fighting pair, with the perfect mix of clever sleuthing and hilarious banter (albeit much of it is done in their minds). This instalment in their story is another winner, with Billingham proving he can achieve even more than the dizzy heights of his previous series. Taking readers to the heart of the British underworld, Billingham, brings every exchange to life with exquisite detail. As a bonus, the Marathon/Snickers joke is comedy gold.

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC. I read this author regularly, and his writing NEVER disappoints me...

The Wrong Hands is the second novel in the Detective Miller series by Mark Billingham, and it is a wild ride of dark humor, suspense, and twists. Miller is an unconventional detective who has a knack for getting into trouble and talking to his dead wife's ghosts. When a young man shows up at his door with a briefcase containing two severed hands, Miller sees an opportunity to get closer to the truth about his wife's murder. But he also gets entangled in a web of lies, violence, and corruption involving a ruthless fast-food mogul, a Midsomer Murders-loving hitman, a psychotic welder, and a woman obsessed with a Crème Egg.

Billingham delivers a fast-paced, witty, and original thriller that keeps the reader guessing until the end. The characters are quirky, flawed, and memorable, and the plot is full of surprises and twists. The Wrong Hands is a unique and intriguing mystery that will appeal to fans of crime fiction, black comedy, and British humor.

Declan Miller is back for his second outing in this new series from Mark Billingham. Mark is perhaps one of my favourite authors and his character Tom Thorne is my favourite “not real” person.
I didn’t really warm to this new series and the character of Declan Miller, but I think I was trying to compare him too much to Tom Thorne and he isn’t, he is a completely new identity. The Wrong Hands isn’t as “jokey” as the first novel…The Last Dance and I enjoyed it all the more for that.
When a briefcase is delivered to Detective Miller he finds it contains a pair of severed hands. Miller knows this will be the work of Wayne Carter, a gang boss whom Miller assumes had something to do with his wife’s death. Now all he has to do is connect the two.
All the gang from book one are back, the dance group, his dead wife’s daughter and the assortment of characters he works with., plus his nightly visits from Alex, his murdered wife.
It’s a good read and I can see this series getting better with each book, I just hope Thorne doesn’t get forgotten.

#TheWrongHands. #NetGalley

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham (DS Miller #2)- In this second outing Billingham continues with a tightly crafted story that never fails to surprise with every twist and turn. At the center is a briefcase holding evidence of a crime that everyone is trying to get hold of. What happens is a notch above most police procedurals and leads to a well received ending. Quite different than his Tom Thorne thrillers, Billingham shows his skill at characters and audacious plots. A winner! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

I’m a big fan of the Thorne series and really enjoyed the first book in the new series. I was excited to get a preview copy from NetGalley and the publisher. It is very good. The main new story gets a little convoluted but is interesting and entertaining. I enjoyed that the continuing mystery from book one seems resolved and not being drug on forever. Very interested in how book 3 will move the characters forward.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This begins with a hilarious scene set in a public toilet during which a briefcase is stolen from a contract killer by a minor thief. The contract killer is very keen to retrieve the briefcase so he can get paid for his latest job, and soon it falls into Declan's hands. As in the first instalment of this series, Declan discusses the case with his dead wife Alex, goes ballroom dancing, plays with his pet rats, and makes terrible jokes. Disappointingly, Declan's partner Sara seems to be beginning to get some of his jokes and even made one or two of her own.

This is a very funny book and, provided you buy into the reason for the retrieval of the briefcase (is proof of this sort ever really required?) then a great read. My only quibble was that the mystery of how Alex died (which again carries over from the first book) didn't seem very integrated into the main story. The end of the book makes me wonder if this series will continue...

Recommended.