Mark Billingham shares his favourite books
The novelist and actor shares works by Mark Lewisohn, John Connolly and Gillian Flynn

The actor and crime writer will be talking about his latest novel, "What the Night Brings", at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate (17-20 July).
The Beatles: All These Years – Vol. One, Tune In
Mark Lewisohn, 2013
The first volume in a trilogy that promises to be the definitive biography of The Beatles. Meticulously researched, it provides an eye-opening portrait of postwar Britain; buttoned-up and grey and more than ready for John, Paul, George and Ringo to bring some life and colour.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Book of Lost Things
John Connolly, 2006
This is a funny, terrifying and deeply moving story about a boy who escapes a traumatic existence by losing himself inside the books on his shelf, by an author best known as a writer of dark crime fiction. It's a remarkable story about childhood and, ultimately, the transforming power of stories themselves.
Sharp Objects
Gillian Flynn, 2006
When Camille Preaker is forced to revisit her own horrific past, she uncovers enough disturbing secrets to rattle even the most battle-hardened of crime readers. This is "Peyton Place" as reimagined by David Lynch, with a devastating final twist, and I read it with something approaching envy that a debut novel could be so good.
The Big Blowdown
George P. Pelecanos, 1996
This tale of Washington's immigrant community from the early 1930s through to 1959 has an epic sweep. Young men take hard decisions in a city which goes to war and then struggles to recover from it. Gripping and heartbreaking in equal measure.
The Death of Sweet Mister
Daniel Woodrell, 2001
Shug Akins is a lonely overweight 13-year-old, living in a dirt-poor Missouri town. A slice of southern gothic with a bittersweet taste that will stay with readers long after they've finished its 200 pages. A gorgeous and terrible story of innocence corrupted, by a writer who deserves a far bigger readership.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Properties of the week: grand rural residences
The Week Recommends Featuring homes in Wiltshire, Devon, and East Sussex
-
Kiefer / Van Gogh: a 'remarkable double act'
The Week Recommends Visit this 'heroic' and 'absurd' exhibition at the Royal Academy until 26 October
-
Heads of State: 'a perfect summer movie'
The Week Recommends John Cena and Idris Elba have odd-couple chemistry as the US president and British prime minister
-
The Red Brigades: a 'fascinating insight' into the 'most feared' extremist group of 1970s Italy
The Week Recommends A 'grimly absorbing' history of the group and their attempts to overthrow the Italian state
-
Jurassic World Rebirth: enjoyable sequel hampered by plot holes
Talking Point The latest dinosaur reboot captures the essence of the original – but leans too heavily on 'CGI-heavy set pieces'
-
Summer in Seattle: Outdoor dining like nowhere else
Feature Featuring a patio with a waterfront view, a beer garden, and more
-
Film reviews: F1: The Movie, 28 Years Later, and Familiar Touch
Feature An aging race car driver gets one last chance, a kid struggles to survive in this '28 Days Later' update, and a woman with dementia adjusts to her new life
-
Diane Arbus' Constellation is the largest-ever collection of her work
Feature Park Avenue Armory, New York City, through Aug. 17