I’m sorry to say that this book was not a good fit for me. There was a good idea behind it, but I don’t feel like it was executed well. It was way too long. I wish at least one of the characters would have been somewhat likable. It’s fine when a bunch of murder suspects are unlikable to spread the suspicion around, but even the detectives were unlikable.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A standalone book by Mark Billingham. A very talented author.
Based around 3 couples who meet while on holiday. Sinister secrets are revealed and you may just find you never truly know anyone.
A read full of suspense yet easy to read and follow. not overly complicated. Enjoyable.

A fabulous thriller of a read. It read well and kept me completely gripped. A well written plot with plenty of twists and Great characters

Thank you Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

It's not often I read to the end of a book where I struggle to find any redeeming qualities among any of the lead characters, but that is exactly the case here and, in reality, exactly the point. This is the story of three very, very different couples who meet on a holiday to Florida and who form a kind of holiday friendship that follows them home to the UK. So far so normal, and if this was simply a case of three odd couples finding themselves drawn into increasingly uncomfortable dinner parties, it would be a rather strange crime thriller. Unfortunately, their dream vacation was interrupted by the disappearance of a young girl, Amber-Marie who had also been staying at their resort, and this case follows them home, leaving readers in absolutely no doubt that at least one of the six knows more about the girl than they are admitting.

Mark Billingham has a knack for creating unforgettable and, in this case unlikeable, characters who really draw you into the story. The six individuals in this book, Angie and Barry, Marina and Dave, and Susan and Ed, are very different, not really the kinds of people you could imagine mixing if it were not for the typical energy of an overseas holiday. I didn't particularly warm to any of them, and it made for an interesting experience as the finger of suspicion should easily fall to any one of them in turn, especially the men. One a liar, one a very angry man and one who has far too much interest in the way the investigation seems to be going. Then again, the same could be said of Angie, who just tried too hard to be accepted, and Susan and Marina who are nursing their own demons. They are all damaged in their own way, each potentially capable of darkness.

The story is told in three parts, focusing on each couple in turn as it is there time to host a dinner party, reuniting the six. Mixed in amongst these increasingly fractious meetings, are scenes of the investigation which takes place across both sides of the Atlantic as a local Met Police Detective is drafted in to reinterview the couples. It draws focus back to the crux of the story, the disappearance of Amber-Marie, and opens the door to some scenes from the abductors point of view. The way in which the story is structured, slowly building the picture of the main suspects, at least in the reader's eyes, and the victims - Amber-Marie and her mother - is really effective, building the suspicion and the tension until we reach a very shocking conclusion that left me smiling. Or as much as you can when murder is involved anyway. With red-herrings littered throughout, elements of the author's police thriller writing credentials in play, this is one mystery that kept me guessing to the end, and I really enjoyed it.

Three English couples meet while on holiday in Florida. On the last day of their vacation a teenaged American girl goes missing and her body is discovered weeks later. After they return to England the couples begin to socialize, culminating in a dinner party from hell. Police from both England and the United States remain interested in the couples.

I had a hard time focusing on the first third of this book. The couples were quite bland and I couldn’t figure out why they kept getting together for dinner or drinks since they had nothing in common other than their vacation. They didn’t even particularly like each other. However, eventually cracks in their facades began to appear. They not only had secrets but some of the characters were really pretty peculiar. There are also occasional chapters from the point of view of the killer. I had the killer figured out, but I was way off on the “why”. Ultimately, the book entertained me and the ending was satisfying. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

This is my first book by this author and I thought it was a really good read. It had me gripped from the start and I was turning the pages frantically to find out what was going to happen next.

Three British couples meet on vacation. A 14 year old girl is found floating in the swamp near where they are vacationing. The couples return home and continue to hang out together. As time goes by they discover things about each other that are disturbing. When another teenager disappears near their homes could someone from the group have a dark secret. This is a quick read with lots of suspense that will keep you guessing. Thank you to net galley for a copy.

Rush of Blood … The perfect title for this novel!

I will keep things short!
This was my *coughs* first Mark Billingham novel.
I know, I know!!! What was I thinking? But the problem is solved and now I am eagerly expecting my next read from this well-known author!

Florida. I have never been appealed by the place. Mosquitoes, alligators, high temperatures. Yikes! But the author captured the place in a way that made me understand why people are so keen to get there. Unless of course, there is a murder.

And a murder you will find here! But it is not the only ‘surprise’ you get from Mr Billingham. Brits on a sunny beach. Three couples, very different, all seemingly happy. Each part gives you more hints and snippets of those characters’ lives, both in Florida and at home in the UK. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t smiling every time a part of London I know was mentioned. To me, it added a touch of realism that kept me drawn to the story throughout.

Back to the humans bringing this story to life. What a bunch! Fate has them at the same place when a young girl disappears. Witness statement taken, they think the only thing they are bringing back to England is a list of email addresses and the promise to keep in touch. How sweet. Through their meetings and dinner, we get to know them better, observe behaviours and look for hints of what has turned them into the people they are today. I admired the way the author kept me in the dark, always wondering who was hiding what. Thrown between slices of their life is another voice. A killer’s voice. Chilling, nothing is left to chance as they try to explain the reasons behind a disappearance … a murder. Nearing the end of the novel, I couldn’t figure out who was the culprit and, frustrated as I was, I must thank the author for challenging me this way!

The writing flows nicely and keeps you on your toes. This novel is light on the creepy side, which makes for a nice break from my usual creepy-stories-binge-reading, but it doesn’t take away the gripping aspect of Rush of Blood. My brain did its workout trying to find the solution to this mystery. Did it work? Nope! I failed!

I’d recommend Rush of Blood for a nice holiday break. You’d love looking suspiciously at the people next to you and wonder if what they’d be capable of!

What a ripping read! Billingham plays this perfectly, dropping hints here and there, leaving the reader suspecting everyone. As always, his dialogue is tight and insightful, and what he does best is explore the darkness that underlies ordinary relationships. Highly recommend this for a read you just can't put down.

First of all would like to thank netgalIery for letting me reveiw this book.

Well this is the first book of mark billingham I have read and won't be the last.

I wasn't sure of this book at first because of the storyline but it did not disappoint it was an easy read could put it down and pick it back up again and could get back into the story straight away.

I was shocked with the outcome was not expecting it what so ever very good writing.

'Rush of Blood' is the story of three British couples who meet while on holiday in Florida. As their holiday draws to a close, the daughter of another holiday maker, staying at the same resort, goes missing and is later found, murdered. The three couples return home to England and maintain a somewhat fraught and tenuous friendship, partly maintained by their shared proximity to the crime. As more is revealed about these six people, each flawed or damaged in some way, the reader begins to suspect each one in turn and even entertains the thought that perhaps more than one of these people may be guilty of this terrible crime. These suspicions are intensified when another young girl goes missing under similar circumstances, this time in England. The final outcome of the book is astonishingly unexpected. A gripping story that is difficult to put down. Thanks to Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a really good stand alone from Mark Billingham. More of a mystery than a thriller but well written with an excellent plot and great characters. Set in Florida, three couples meet around the pool and on the last night of their holiday, a child goes missing. A really clever book and a must read for lovers of mark Billingham. Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon and Goodreads.

Billingham plots like a mad scientist, It’s like driving down a long and curvy road with 1000m drops at either side, and wearing a blindfold at the same time.

Three British couples are on holiday when a young girl at their holiday destination goes missing. At first the enquiries are just routine and then as the net is drawn closer the reader realises that one of the six of them must be the guilty party.

The six of them start meeting up when they return to the UK in an attempt to cultivate their blossoming friendships. Of course the reality is that holiday friendships and romances are usually best left where they started in the first place.

As the story unfolds the reader is introduced to the possible suspects and their supposed alibis, whilst a zealous UK police officer uses the disappearance to make a name for herself. The US police are reluctant to listen to her extensive research until there is an update on the missing girl.

I really liked the way Billingham plays with the stereotypical assumptions and presumptions of his readers. I include mine in that statement. I wouldn’t be surprised if most readers thought the same thing during the process of elimination. Let’s just say, the conclusion was quite the revelation.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of Rush of Blood.*

Three quite diverse couples are on holiday in Florida. All being British they tended to meet up for a drink or a meal. On their last day Amber-Marie, a young girl with learning difficulties goes missing. They had all seen & spoken to her and her mother during their stay so they feel as if they are part of the drama. On the way home they exchange numbers/email addresses as you often do and return to their lives.

Angie starts the ball rolling by inviting everyone to dinner after they have been back for a while. We begin to get more of an insight into the couples. Someone knows more about Amber- Marie's disappearance - but who?

A trainee police officer, desperate to get on devotes a lot of time into investigating them after being contacted by the detective in Florida- who can't quite let go until a culprit is arrested.

I found this an easy book to read. Whilst not really finding any of the characters particularly likable I kept wanting to know more about them. I was kept guessing throughout the book. You'd think by now I'd be able to get it right but I didn't!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for a great read. Five stars from me.

Excellent mystery incorporating almost a " locked room" feel with a novel of social mores. Bellingham writes smooth prose and the book moves fast and is never boring and contains plenty of surprises. Highly recommended.

Secrets and lies make the best mystery novels. Billingham has written a pretty good one. I liked the concept of Brits on vacation in Florida rather than the Med or the South of France. The characters aren't as strong as they could be or as his usual but the plot line is decent. There are some red herrings but if you pay attention, you'll guess the killer. Thanks to Grove for the ARC. I admit I like the Thorne novels more than this standalone but it's good to see Billingham stretch his legs a bit and hopefully gain more readers.

Another great Billingham book. A thriller not to be missed
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review

In Mark Billingham’s suspenseful crime novel, Rush of Blood, three British couples meet at a Florida resort, and in spite of the fact they are all quite different, they spend their days and evenings together on the beach, at the mall and at various bars and restaurants. Just as the holiday concludes, Amber, a young girl from Georgia who is also staying at the resort with her mother disappears. While the mother frantically looks for her child, the three couples lounge by the pool; it’s their last day. Why should they spend it chasing after a girl who was a bit of a nuisance to the holidaymakers?

The three couples return to their lives in England while the search for Amber rages on in their absence. Then her body is found and a murder investigation begins. In Florida, the investigation is headed by Detective Jeffrey Gardner, and for the purposes of tying up loose ends, he asks the British police for some follow-up information from the three couples. Trainee Detective Constable Jenny Quinlan is assigned to the task as it’s considered a very minor job, but Jenny doesn’t see it that way; she takes it seriously. Then when another girl similar to Amber goes missing in Kent, it seems that the six holiday makers have moved from being witnesses to being suspects.


Mark Billingham takes us into the lives of the three couples: the obnoxious Ed whose job in the publishing industry is in a downward spiral and his teacher wife, Sue. Then there’s builder Barry and his second wife Angie. Finally there’s would-be actress/writer Marina and her boyfriend Dave–a very mismatched couple.

When the three couples parted ways in Florida, there were some airy promises made about exchanging e-mails and keeping in touch. Angie is the one who pushes keeping the connection almost as though the unsolved crime leaves unfinished business between them. The novel goes back and forth between the couples and the three dinners they have together back in Britain, and we view the “Sarasota Six” as they see themselves but also as they are seen by others. Ed, with his constant sexual innuendos, is clearly the alpha male, and Dave’s fascination with crime is supposed to be seen as creepy (we crime readers can understand), but the relationships between the women are not so easy to define. TDC Quinlan finds them all a bit weird

Barry Finnegan was clearly capable of snapping without much provocation. Ed Dunning was a sleazebag and Dave Cullen was just downright creepy.

Some chapters are also told by the killer, and of course we try to guess the masked identity. I loved the novel’s premise of the holiday that goes wrong and the plot structure which shows the couples trying to sink back into normalcy but that happy state evades them. The relationships between the couples are well done and highlight the competitiveness through the dinners. The weakness for this reader resides in the way that it seems fairly obvious, through the process of elmination, who the killer is. The plot breadcrumbs to the solution were so obvious that I knew it couldn’t be that simple and guessed the identity of the killer fairly early on.

Luck and lies then, that’s about the size of it. The other thing, the ‘why’, well that’s not really for me to say, is it? Anyway, I’m not sure I could put it into words that made sense and how could anybody? Whatever it is that makes your blood race and puts your hands where you know they really shouldn’t be.

The thing that opens the cage.

Here’s Cleo’s review.

Review copy

Mark Billingham has written another stellar stand-alone, setting up this one with a beach vacation in Florida where three London couples become friends. On the last day of their vacation a young girl disappears, and eventually turns up dead. Thinking that the friendship they struck up in Florida could continue back home, each couple takes turns hosting the other couples for dinner and the girl’s disappearance is a frequent topic of conversation. No one in the group of couples is likable and as Billingham gradually reveals more about each of them, it seems any one of them could be capable of murdering the girl in Florida and then another in England. Billingham’s exceptional character development and intricate plotting kept me in suspense until the very end, and his singular wit and humor were present throughout the story. I miss reading about Tom Thorne, but as he has done in previous stand-alones, Billingham cleverly includes a nod to Thorne. I loved the character of Jenny Quinlan, a Trainee Detective Constable in London, and would like to see her in a series of her own. For devoted readers of Billingham, this is a great addition to his work, and for those who haven’t discovered him yet I highly recommend you do!

My review was posted on Goodreads on 2/15/17.

Three British couple meet by the pool on holiday in Florida they enjoy meals and drinks together. On the last night of their holiday they hear that Amber Marie Wilson a 13 year old girl has gone missing, she was with her mother Pattie Lee and just wandered off. Jeffrey Gardener is the officer in charge of the case in Florida.
When the three couples leave Florida there's still no sign of Amber Marie. Once home they decide to stay in touch meeting up for dinner parties. Meanwhile Jeffery contacts Jenny Quinlan a rookie cop in U.K. With big ambitions asking her to check the couples statements.
Then another girl goes missing in U K is it a coincidence or is one of our couples responsible?
This is my first ever Mark Billingham book and I really enjoyed it I have seen him on varies tv programs and didn't know what to expect. Look forward to reading more of Marks books.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.