The Wrong Hands cover art

The Wrong Hands

A completely unpredictable case awaits Detective Miller

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

The Wrong Hands

By: Mark Billingham
Narrated by: David Threlfall
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £15.99

Buy Now for £15.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

 'I'm excited to have found a new favourite detective' CLAIRE DOUGLAS

'Neat plot twists and a likable cast of offbeat characters, all served up with plenty of black humour' MAIL ON SUNDAY'

'Simply fantastic' LISA JEWELL
_______________

This is one case Miller won't want to open . . .

Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Still desperate to solve the murder of his wife, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands.

Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne'er do well Wayne Cutler - a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife's death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of.

Chuck in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.
_______________

What real readers say about The Wrong Hands

'Brilliant . . . Highly entertaining and a complete change from Tom Thorne, who I have enjoyed for years'

'The characters, structure and storytelling remain as strong as ever. An excellent, enjoyable read'

'A very good plot with plenty of humour'

'What a cracker'

'I love everything about Miller, and can't recommend The Wrong Hands highly enough'

'I really enjoyed The Last Dance, but this one was even better. DS Miller is such a brilliant character'

'Hilarious . . . The Detective Miller books are a breath of fresh air'

'A joy to read' Crime Thrillers Mystery Police Procedurals Suspense Thriller & Suspense Assassin Witty Feel-Good Crime Murder Marriage

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Silver - And the Sunday Cypher cover art
Falling Fast cover art
Bunburry 1-3 cover art
Rich Men, Dead Men cover art
Forgotten Bones cover art
Cold Granite cover art
A Long Time Dead cover art
The Murderer's Son cover art
A Winter Grave cover art
Blood and Guts cover art
The House in the Woods cover art
A Killing in November cover art
A Litter of Bones: A Scottish Crime Thriller cover art
Dead Simple cover art
The Turning of Our Bones cover art
The Viaduct Killings cover art

Critic reviews

Mark Billingham does edge-of-your-seat tension, wit and heart like no one else. The Wrong Hands has all that and more - it's simply fantastic
I adored everything about The Wrong Hands! Darkly funny with colourful characters and a clever, twisty plot that had me laughing out loud one minute and emotional the next. I love Mark Billingham's writing and I'm excited to have found a new favourite detective in the ballroom dancing, rat-loving DS Miller
There is a laugh on every page yet it is the depiction of Miller's furious grief that is most impressive and provides a heartbreaking finale
The second instalment of a fine, funny new series (John Connolly)
Neat plot twists and a likable cast of offbeat characters, all served up with plenty of black humour
Billingham's underworld convinces in its brutality, grubbiness and greed, and it is impossible not to cheer for Miller
Electrifying . . . Throw in a delightfully madcap plot and breakneck pacing, and readers are left with a caper they won't soon forget
Smart, decisive and funny as heck. Fabulously original, The Wrong Hands now joins its older sister as a star book . . . Gift-wrapped in Mark Billingham's fabulous style, The Wrong Hands plays a blinder
Get your hands on both novels to delight in quirky DS Miller
It would be worth your time and money getting your hands on both novels [The Last Dance and The Wrong Hands] to delight in quirky DS Miller
All stars
Most relevant
A perfect mix of crime fiction and comedy. Totally engaging characters portrayed really well by the narrator. Can't wait for the next in the series.

Totally entertaining

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
An audiobook, even when the author is brilliant, can be ruined by a sub standard narration. David Trelfall, unsurprisingly, is fantastic for this talented author’s work. Excellent plot continued from first book; amazing characters and superb regional accents. Thoroughly enjoyable, a must “read”

Excellent story and outstanding narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The way the narrator read the story and the funny innuendos made me chuckle. Also the characters were easy to relate to enjoyed the whole plot and story. Can’t wait till the next book is out !

The Wrong Hands

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
As a Blackpudlian who grew up ballroom dancing, this new dancing detective protagonist had a certain appeal for me. I loved the Last Dance and this sequel brings everything together.

Had it on preorder and it didn't disappoint. Highly recommended.

Brilliant sequel to the last dance

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It was a fantastic and funny book. Love the Author read all the books. can't wait for the next one.

The Wrong Hands

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews