DI Duke Lyons

A missing girl. A killer on the streets. Two detectives with axes to grind.

DI Duke Lyons is a man on the edge. Between his failed marriage, the pressures of policing, and a ruthless nemesis taunting him, his hard-earned sobriety is being tested.

When seventeen-year-old May Whitehead vanishes from the streets of Halifax, Lyons thinks he’s seen it all before; just another runaway teen with a chaotic home life.

But his new partner, DS Annie Lockley, isn’t convinced. Newly transferred as a punishment, and desperate to prove herself, she believes May is the latest target of a sadistic predator stalking vulnerable sex workers.

As the investigation deepens, the dark truth behind May’s disappearance becomes clearer, and more personal, than either detective could have imagined.

With a growing body count and an uneasy partnership, Lyons and Lockley must find a way to work together before the killer can strike again.

The Last Days of May is the gripping debut crime thriller from Billy Brightburn. This fast-paced novel, peppered with dark humour, is the first in a series featuring DI Duke Lyons and is perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, JD Kirk, LJ Ross, Christopher Brookmyre, and David J Gatward.