A novel from Mark Billingham is always a big deal for me as he is one of the best in the world at what he does. Last year, he stepped away from his immensely successful Tom Thorne series to introduce readers to Declan Miller, and I am so pleased to see the detective return for a second outing.

What is most unique about THE WRONG HANDS, in addition to Miller’s snarky dialogue, is that he continues to privately work the case involving the death of his wife and fellow detective, Alex, that all but consumed him in THE LAST DANCE. He doesn't care about his career or how he insults the division by obsessing over this. This boldness makes him a character truly worth rooting for.

"What I love most about THE WRONG HANDS is the consistently snappy dialogue. Declan Miller is such a unique protagonist, and his quick wit makes the series sing and zip along smartly."

Two thugs are aboard a train car trying to snatch a commuter’s briefcase in the hope that it’s filled with something valuable. Andy Bagnall and Keith Slack make a big mistake by choosing the wrong passenger for their minor heist: big-time hitman Dennis Draper. When they eventually escape with their “treasure,” they are shocked by what it contains --- a pair of severed hands and a ring engraved with the letters G and P.

Miller and his partner, Sara Xiu, are given an amazing gift when the briefcase bounces from one person to another and ends up in his lap. When Miller brings it into his precinct to have the hands checked out, he learns that they did not belong to anyone with the initials GP. So someone must have taken the ring from another kill and placed it on “the wrong hands.” Miller decides to start with the two warring crime lords in the area, one of whom could be responsible for his wife’s murder. That means meeting with Wayne Cutler, who he really doesn’t like, and Ralph Massey, a former drag queen who he doesn’t trust one ounce.

It is not long before one of the two thieves ends up on the kill list, as the man tagged as “Draper” no doubt wants his briefcase and revenge. That is exactly what happens when Andy’s body turns up. Miller and company must catch Draper (or whatever name he's going by) and stop his killing spree --- especially as they know that the briefcase is in the possession of the police.

There are so many quirky aspects of this novel that make the plot just hum and provide great chuckles. You have the mystery of the Crème Egg that someone obsesses over, a psycho welder with some strange proclivities, and my personal favorite: Draper and his ADHD way with lists and love of anything involving the classic British crime series "Midsomer Murders" and one of its stars, John Nettles.

Will everything come together for Miller before he gets himself fired for insubordination or some other charge? This is what keeps the book driving from chapter to chapter as you continue to pull for Miller to solve this bizarre case and finally get justice for his wife. Oh, I forgot to mention that Alex is a running character in this series in the form of a ghost that only Miller can see and hear. I told you this one is quirky!

What I love most about THE WRONG HANDS is the consistently snappy dialogue. Declan Miller is such a unique protagonist, and his quick wit makes the series sing and zip along smartly. It is such a contrast to Mark Billingham’s brilliant Tom Thorne mysteries, which is why readers keep coming back for more.