Mark Billingham

Mark Billingham is an award-winning British author of crime fiction and television dramas. Born in Birmingham in 1961, Billingham has worked as an actor, journalist, and teacher before turning to writing full-time. He is best known for his series of crime novels featuring Detective Inspector Tom Thorne. The first book in the series, "Sleepyhead," was published in 2001 and won the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel. Billingham has since written over 20 novels in the Thorne series, as well as several standalone novels. Billingham's work is characterized by its gritty realism, psychological depth, and dark humor. He has received numerous awards, including the CWA Gold Dagger Award, the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award, and the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. Billingham's novels have been translated into over 30 languages and have sold over 10 million copies worldwide. He has also written for television, including the popular crime drama series "Thorne," which was based on his novels.