Buried By Mark Billingham

Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is assigned to investigate the disappearance of the son of former detective Tony Mullen. When evidence lead police to suspect kidnapping rather than a runaway, Thorne digs into Mullen's ex-cases for answers.

BURIED is a all about the human beings, their frailties, and a penchant for secrets, enhanced by characters who come alive through the writing of Mark Billingham. All the characterizations feel real and dimensional. It helps to have a sympathetic everyman protagonist. The slightly taciturn Tom Thorne, grieves for his father, has a love of country music, while is well-respected on the job has made enough enemies to him slightly off-balance. I liked that there while there was a love-interest, the relationship didn't take front and center. The star of the story was a well-plotted storyline with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning well into the night.

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