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This Thing of Darkness (Fiona Griffiths Crime Thriller Series) Paperback – July 30, 2015

by Harry Bingham (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,328 ratings
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A hanged man, a stolen painting, an impossible crime

A marine engineer is found hanged in a locked apartment. Some artwork is stolen, then mysteriously returned. A security guard is found dead at the base of a Welsh cliff. When Fiona Griffiths is tasked to look through a stackload of cold cases, her bosses don't expect her to find anything of interest. But then she finds that an impossible robbery really happened. That a nailed-on suicide was anything but. That the dead security guard was almost certainly murdered. Before long, Fiona is embroiled in what will become the toughest case of her career so far - one that forces her to enter the heart of darkness, and a journey that will test her mental toughness to its very limits. This international smash hit murder mystery series is ideal for fans of Stieg Larsson, Gillian Flynn, Tana French ... and for anyone at all who loves their crime noir and their female protagonists strong, brave and smart.

Watch out for more titles in the Fiona Griffiths mystery series

When Fiona is called out to attend an incident in a remote country churchyard, she finds the corpse of a young woman, reverentially laid out in a howling October night. She suspects murder . . . but the truth turns out to be far worse. THE DEAD HOUSE. July 2016. Don't miss it!

What people are saying about British detective Fiona Griffiths and her crime thriller series

"Exceptional . . . Absorbing . . . Fiona's narrative sears the pages."—Kirkus Reviews "The most gripping crime novel I have read, maybe ever. DON'T read The Strange Death if you have a weak heart, unless you are bent on suicide by thriller."—Peter J Earle “Gritty, compelling . . . a [police] procedural unlike any other you are likely to read this year.”—USA Today “With Detective Constable Fiona ‘Fi’ Griffiths, Harry Bingham . . . finds a sweet spot in crime fiction . . . think Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander . . . Denise Mina’s ‘Paddy’ Meehan [or] Lee Child’s Jack Reacher . . . The writing is terrific.”—Boston Globe "Fiona Griffiths may be the most fascinating protagonist in fiction. She is similar to Lisbeth Salander, an intelligent but profoundly damaged young woman, but Fiona is less hostile and more curious, sort of a good guy sociopath. I couldn't put it down. This is definitely one of my very favorite thriller series. I love this character and I hope I have the chance to read many more. Harry Bingham is a genius and one hell of a writer."—Audrey, Top 500 Reviewer “A stunner with precision plotting, an unusual setting, and a deeply complex protagonist . . . We have the welcome promise of more books to come.”—The Seattle Times “A dark delight, and I look forward to Fiona’s future struggles with criminals, her demons and the mysteries of her past.”—Washington Post "The easiest five stars I've ever awarded a book. Fiona Griffiths is by far the most original fictional detective I’ve come across . . . [the book] made me feel breathless with worry, concern and eventually fear for Fiona."—Loretta Milan “An even more intense plot and richer character study than his first . . . Fiona’s past mental problems and her unconventional personality make her a distinctive lead.”—Publishers Weekly, (starred review) “Some of the most memorably staccato narration in the genre . . . [Bingham’s] remote, unquenchable heroine makes her stand apart from every one of her procedural brothers and sisters.”—Kirkus Reviews “Compelling . . . a new crime talent to treasure."—Daily Mail (London)
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  1. Book 4 of 6
    Fiona Griffiths Crime Thriller
  2. Print length
    524 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    July 30, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.19 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1515292347
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1515292340
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 30, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 524 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1515292347
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1515292340
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.06 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.19 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,328 ratings

About the author

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Harry Bingham

Harry Bingham

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I'm Harry Bingham. I write crime novels and love it. When I'm not doing that, I'm heavily involved in Jericho Writers, a pretty amazing company that does all kinds of amazing things with writers.

I live in Oxfordshire, England, but I spent a lot of my childhood in Wales, where my crime novels are set. Things I love apart from writing: wild swimming, rock-climbing, walking, & dogs. I have an absurdly large number of kids and I love my life.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,328 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Cathy G. Cole
5.0 out of 5 stars Book #4 in the best crime fiction series being written today
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2016
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Whenever I see those "all-time favorite" book lists, I avoid them like the plague. I just don't feel like putting all the books that have touched me deeply into an organized and rated row. (Yes, it is a lot like asking a mother to name her favorite child.) However, if someone asked me to name the best mystery series being written today, without hesitation I would say Harry Bingham's Fiona Griffiths. To date, there are four books, and I have given all four the highest possible rating. I can't say that about any other author I've read.

Yes, the setting of Wales adds texture and richness to the books. Yes, the mysteries are some of the most intriguing you'll ever come across. Yes, the pacing draws you inevitably forward, faster and faster. You have to know what happens, and you have to know now. But the best and brightest thing about Harry Bingham's superb series is the main character, Fiona Griffths.

At one time Fiona suffered from Cotard's syndrome, a rare mental illness in which an afflicted person holds the delusion that they are dead, either figuratively or literally. Fiona is one of the brightest people you'll ever run across, but Cotard's syndrome has colored every aspect of her life, and most especially in the way she interacts with other people. As can be seen in This Thing of Darkness, Fiona now has two superior officers who--though they may not really understand her-- can see her almost limitless potential as an investigator. To the best of their ability, they are now trying to groom her for bigger and better things. Will Fiona cooperate? Your guess is as good as mine.

I will warn you that this book does contain scenes of torture, and they do involve Fiona. They are tough to deal with but not impossible because we see these scenes through Fiona's eyes... those eyes that do not see the world as we do. There are also scenes of humor that bring needed warmth and laughter to the book, as when Fiona and Inspector Watkins conduct an interview together.

As different as Fiona is, she can also be very familiar. When she says, "Just when I see a barrier saying Do Not Cross, I have an almost overwhelming impulse to cross it," I understand because I've felt the same way many times.

Harry Bingham is the first writer who's been able to write scenes that take place on board ship that made me seasick, so be forewarned. He also made me nervous about a purchase Fiona made-- an uneasy foreshadowing of what's to come in book five, The Dead House? Unfortunately I'll just have to wait and see.

If you haven't read any of the books in this series, I urge you to do so, and you need to start with the very first book, Talking to the Dead. If you do that, Fiona will make sense-- and then you will be as hopelessly hooked as I am. Fiona Griffiths is as wild and wonderful in her own way as Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander is in hers. I can't recommend Fiona-- or this entire series-- highly enough.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Still sharp
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2021
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Sharply written, with complex plots and a great nutjob central character, there has been no drop off in quality in this series. Recommended.
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audrey frances
5.0 out of 5 stars 4th in a fantastic series
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2015
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Fiona Griffiths is a Welsh detective with an unusual neurological condition: she thinks she's dead. This is one of my favorite series and Fiona is an incredible character.

This is one of those series that you really should read in order, not only because the first person narrative frequently refers to past events and characters, but also because Fiona's personal arc is a major development across the stories, and that aspect adds such depth to the series that you'll be depriving yourself of immense joy if you're not letting yourself appreciate her journey.

Right now Det. Griffiths is being pressured by her superiors to take a Sargeant's exam at the same time she's placed on duties that are very difficult for her. The way she tackles her problems and cases is what makes these books so enjoyable, and this latest instalment is no exception. Not only despite her condition, but even because of it, she is remarkably effective at her job even as she seems so at sea in the world. There are similarities to the great detective himself, and the solutions and action are just as rewarding.

Books in the series are: Talking to the Dead; Love Story, With Murders; The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths; and This Thing of Darkness.

This is a superb series and Fiona is a remarkably captivating character.
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Kenneth C. Mahieu
5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best Crime Fiction series out there. Terrific !
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2015
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"This Thing of Darkness" (TD) is the 4th in the Fiona Griffiths series by Brit Harry Bingham, and it's the best in the series. The plot is very clever, there are two rather long scenes with very high tension, very well done, and the 512 pages just zip along. Fiona has been looking at cold cases and two have just caught her eye when she is temporarily assigned to catalog 3000+ bits of evidence in a rape case. Fi manages to spend some of her "free time" pursuing the cold cases.

Fiona is a very bright constable on the homicide squad, who likes to do her own thing. She is a bit of a Lone Ranger who doesn't exactly keep her bosses advised of all the details of her investigations but she is smart enough to get away with it - and she produces results. More than she takes credit for. She is not ambitious and must be virtually forced to take the sergeant's exam - with a very interesting scene during the summary and analysis of the results by her department head.

Another real plus for TD is its treatment of two activities I knew little about but found very interesting to read, and if anybody had told me ahead of time I would be fascinated with rock climbing and laying undersea cable I wouldn't have believed it. But TD is a great read not only for what is there, but also for what isn't. In TD, Bingham has put less emphasis on Fi's malady, her unknown past, her father, and her ex-boyfriend, and I think these are all positive changes. Bottomline, this is one of those too rare books where you know "it's a winner" after the first dozen pages. I have read, or at least considered, just about every crime fiction series out there, and in my books, this is the very best. I am not a fan of the character Lev, who does make another appearance, but it's somewhat minimal so OK with me. What I would like to see in Fiona #5........a little bit less of Fiona as "Superwoman" who knows all, gets it all done by herself, is never wrong etc etc, and secondly a new romance partner, gender TBD. We'll see.....
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Top reviews from other countries

Daniel Bouchard
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good books. Great author
Reviewed in Canada on May 8, 2022
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Very good book
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Robbayl Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars FASCINATING FIONA
Reviewed in Spain on April 24, 2019
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I have read a lot of the authors who regularly appear on the Amazon crime suggestions but having read the first four books consecutively I have to say that these are my favourites by a country mile.
Like a lot of these detectives she is damages but in a unique way. Someone made a comparison with Lisabeth Salander. I can see why but its not really valid in my opinion mostly because Salander does not attempt to work within the constraints of the Police or normal rules of behavior. Fiona wants to be normal but mostly is not. In a sense she is on a different plain tot the people around her. She is totally unique.
Long may she continue.
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Romke
5.0 out of 5 stars My new hero
Reviewed in France on November 24, 2018
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WOW! This is my first read of a Fiona Griffith book, and I'm hooked. Fiona is a great character, and so much more interesting than most other female detectives. The plot is wild but plausible. Now I'm starting to read books 1 to 3 in the series, before going on after this one, book 4. Thanks to the author/publisher to make these books so affordable, which makes binge-reading possible.
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Olly
5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner in the Fiona Griffiths series. Murder mystery ...
Reviewed in Australia on May 19, 2017
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Another winner in the Fiona Griffiths series. Murder mystery solved by a quirky Welsh cop who works "just" inside the rules.
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Mary Holland
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best mystery series publishing today
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2015
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I enjoy this series so much I couldn't wait a month for the American edition—I ordered the paperback from the U.K. Fiona is a wonderful character and yes, she does share some characteristics both physical and emotional with Lisbeth Salander (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). But the books are strongly Welsh (Fiona would hate it if I said English) and they are police procedurals with Fiona's mental problems and attitude adding a nice twist. I loved her coping with boring procedural detail and I really enjoyed the locked room mystery of the burglaries. The weakest part of the story is the climax on the ship because the suspense and tension aren't sustained to the end. But This Thing of Darkness is a great addition to a classic series and I can't wait for the next one where, hopefully, we'll find out more about the mystery of Fiona's birth. As several other reviewers have said, don't begin here. Read the series from the beginning and especially the third book, The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths
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