All Fall Down by M.J.Arlidge #Review @mjarlidge @orionbooks

Today I’m thrilled to be sharing my review for All Fall Down, the latest book in the Detective Helen Grace series. I have followed this series since the first book and this is one series that never gets stale. Before I share my review here’s  the book description……

“You have one hour to live.”

Those are the only words on the phone call. Then they hang up. Surely, a prank? A mistake? A wrong number? Anything but the chilling truth… That someone is watching, waiting, working to take your life in one hour.

But why?

The job of finding out falls to DI Helen Grace: a woman with a track record in hunting killers. However, this is A case where the killer seems to always be one step ahead of the police and the victims.

With no motive, no leads, no clues – nothing but pure fear – an hour can last a lifetime…

I can’t believe I read the first book in the Detective Helen Grace series Eney Meeny way back in 2014 and now here we are at book nine! I used to read many crime series, some I lost interest in over time, others became a chore to read, but this series is one that grabs my attention every time and makes me impatient for the next book in the series. Although All Fall Down could be read as a stand-alone, but it’s worth bearing in mind like any long running series, you will have missed out on the backstories of some of the more established characters. 

Imagine receiving a phone call, and someone declares, “You have one hour to live.” Would you shrug it off? Put it down to a prank call? Or would you run for the hills and hire a bodyguard? That’s the premise for All Fall Down, once the victim gets ‘that’ call it’s all downhill from there! The big question is why? Helen and her team really have their work cut out, there are wrong turns, false leads, and a case of mistaken identity. As to the killer they are one twisted, cruel individual, and as slippery as a snake,  always staying one step ahead of the investigation team. Helen’s private life has also gets complicated, thanks to her relationship with fellow officer DS Joseph Hudson.

One of the things I really appreciated about All Fall Down is the way M.J Arlidge incorporates a book within a book, extracts from ‘One Dark Night’ are peppered throughout the book , I’m not going to reveal what the books about or how it fits into the plot, the less said the better,  as it will make your reading experience all the more thrilling. Its these chilling extracts that heighten the suspense, whilst urging  the reader onwards to unravel the connections. Short,  snappy chapters ensure the reader’s interest doesn’t waiver, and propel the story forward at a speedy pace. As you would expect from M. J. Arlidge there are some jaw dropping twists along the way. Although perhaps not as gruesome as previous books it’s a worthy addition to the series and one that made for an exciting read. 

• Print Length: 496 pages
• Publisher: Orion (11 Jun. 2020)

Buying link:  Amazon UK 🇬🇧

My thanks to the publishers for my Arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. 

Other books in the series

The book review café book of the month for **March 2020**

I normally post my book of the month at the beginning of each month, but unfortunately I’m a bit late with this post, but as the old saying goes “better late than never”. I hope you are all keeping safe and well, along with your family, loved ones and friends.

The reason I haven’t been around for a while is I have been really worried about Mr book review café aka Andy, he got tested through work for the Corona virus and unfortunately the test came back positive, so as you can imagine first came the shock and then the worry! He’s doing fine and due to be retested later this week, but the most worrying thing about it all is that this virus is the silent killer, my husband has had no symptoms apart from a loss of sense of taste and smell, no cough, no temp so he had no idea he had it, so it doesn’t take much imagination to see how easily it’s spread.

As usual I’m digressing here, and now to the point of this post, my book of the month for March 2020. I read some cracking books in March, but if I’m honest the book I’ve chosen was always going to be a contender for my book of the month, and it’s already one of my top reads of the year so far.

How do I choose my book of the month?

I choose a book I feel is particularly outstanding, a book that covers every aspect of what I look for in a read, an original  plot, great characters and a storyline that draws me in from the first page and keeps me in its grips until I reach the very last page. So without further ado here’s my book of the month for March….

The Memory Wood by Sam Llyod

I expected The Memory Wood to be a disturbing read, after all the plot is based on a child’s abduction,  what I wasn’t expecting was a read that was harrowing, and ultimately heartbreaking, I must admit I finished this book with a lump the size of a golf ball in my throat. Sam Lloyd has written a book that’s compelling, and one of the most original books I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommended. You can read my full review here….The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd

Highly recommended

You can read my full  reviews here…….

Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @BOTBSPublicity #BlogTour 

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel #BookReview @amyengle @niamh_anderson @HodderFiction #AuthorInterview #BlogTour

Mr Nice by John Nicholl #Review @nicholl06 #MrNice

Dead Wrong by Noelle Holten #BookReview @nholten40 #BlogTour @KillerReads @0neMoreChapter @BOTBSPublicity @HarperCollins #MustReads

Books I’m hoping to read this month

God knows! I’m really struggling to concentrate at the moment, so I really could be reading anything or nothing! But here’s some of the potential books that I hope to read this month.

 

 

 

 

 

A Gift For Dying by M.J.Arlidge @mjarlidge @MichaelJBooks #MustReads2019

Today I’m sharing my review for A Gift For the Dying by M.J.Arlidge, his first stand-alone psychological thriller, read on for my thoughts, but first the book description….

With just one look, she knows how and when you will die 

Nothing surprises Adam Brandt anymore. As a forensic psychologist, he’s seen and heard everything.

That is, until he meets Kassie.

Because she claims to have a terrible gift – with she looks into your eyes, she can see when and how you will die.

Adam doesn’t believe her, obviously.

But then a serial killer starts wreaking havoc across the city, and only Kassie seems to know where he’ll strike next.

Against all his intuition, Adam starts to believe her.

He just doesn’t realise how dangerous this trust might be . . 

I’ve long been a huge fan of M.J. Arlidge’s D.I Helen Grace series, so I was thrilled when I realised the author was publishing a new book A gift For The Dying. This is the author’s first foray into writing a stand-alone psychological thriller so I did have reservations after all “if it’s not broke why fix it?” and I do love my crime thriller reads. Once I had read the first couple of gripping chapters of A Gift For Dying any reservations I had melted away, this is one author who was born to write psychological thrillers.

Imagine having “the gift” (although personally I think in this case it’s more of a burden) when you look into someone’s eyes you could see how and when they will die, how the hell are you supposed to cope with that? Set in Chicago A Gift For Dying introduces the reader to Kassie a troubled teenager who claims she can see death before it happens. She is the prime suspect in a series of Gruesome murders and comes under the care of Adam Brandt a forensic psychologist who deals with some of the most damaged members of society.  As he tries to unravel the truth, he can’t help being sceptical, but as he learns more about Kassie he finds he has to question everything he believes, and take a leap of faith if he’s going to help Kassie.

What a fascinating character Kassie turned out to be on one hand she appears vulnerable, lonely and scared but her regular drug use make her troubled, unreliable and paranoid. The more imminent or painful the death the more Kassie feels it, so it’s no wonder the poor girl has issues! M. J. Arlidge has created a character who will capture your heart, you feel her fear, loneliness, and vulnerability and yet she’s  ballsy, and unwavering in her quest to bring an end to the serial killers gruesome crimes. The relationship between Kassie and Adams has so many layers and emotions attached to it, it’s one that becomes all the more intriguing as the plot progresses.

Part of the reason I enjoyed this book so much were the short snappy chapters, each one gives a sense of urgency, a need to read on to fathom out the direction the author was taking this nail biting read. The setting for this book is Chicago, an unusual departure for this author who normally sets his books in England. I love American fiction and this book feels very American with graphic and gory crime scenes that will make the more squeamish reader grimace frequently. and yet there’s also a great deal of emotion contained within this book something I wasn’t prepared for. A Gift For Dying contained real ‘OMFG I never seen that coming’ moments, seriously a couple of times I sat there in stunned silence! M. J. Arlidge has written the perfect psychological thriller, one that’s fraught with tension, fast-paced, with a spine tingling plot and engaging characters. Highly, recommended.

Hardcover: 480 pages

Publisher: Michael Joseph (7 Mar. 2019)

Buying links:   Amazon UK 🇬🇧       Amazon US 🇺🇸

M.J. Arlidge celebrates one million books sold in the #HelenGrace series @mjarlidge @PenguinBooks

As this is one of my all time favourite crime series I’m just sharing the fantastic news that M.J. Arlidge’s bestselling Helen Grace series has recently sold one million copies. This has been one of the most successful crime series in recent years and a stunning achievement for both author Matt Arlidge and publisher Michael Joseph.

Acclaimed thriller writer M. J. Arlidge recently celebrated sales of a million copies of his bestselling Helen Grace series with his editor Roland White, Publishing Director of Michael Joseph. Arlidge was presented with a ‘Penguin Donkey’ bookcase at their Strand offices to mark the incredible feat.

The series, which launched in 2014, has become something of a phenomenon. EENY MEENY was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club, it swiftly became a Sunday Times Bestseller and was the best selling crime debut of the year. It went on to sell in over 30 countries worldwide and has been optioned for development by the BBC. The subsequent books in the series have continued Matt’s early success, each one hitting the bestsellers lists and cementing the author’s reputation in the UK and internationally.

Arlidge began his writing career in television, and this background in screenwriting is credited with giving his novels the kind of plotting and pace that readers have found absolutely addictive. But it is his central character, Helen Grace that has really captured the imagination of fans, who last year voted her ‘Best Female Character’ in the 2017 Dead Good Readers awards.

 

M.J. Arlidge’s many fans won’t have long to wait for their next fix, as the eighth book in the series DOWN TO THE WOODS will be published on 20 September.

BIOGRAPHY OF M.J. ARLIDGE M. J. Arlidge is a novelist, screenwriter and producer. He is the author of the bestselling Helen Grace series. Arlidge began his career in television, producing a host of popular dramas, including Eastenders and Monarch of the Glen. Later he specialised in TV crime drama, particularly domestic thrillers, before moving from producing to screenwriting. He writes regularly for hit BBC series Silent Witness and his first original piece for television – Innocent – was show on ITV earlier this year to huge popular and critical acclaim. It starred Hermione Norris and Lee Ingleby and, with 7 million viewers per episode, was the most popular new TV drama so far this year.

And here’s the cover for the next book in the Helen Grace series Down To The Woods which is published on the 20th September 2018. 

**Weekly Wrap Up**

Good morning well it’s Sunday and thank goodness it’s a bank holiday weekend I’m hoping to catch up with some reading as the weathers meant to be rubbish. I have managed to read two books and a novelle this week, so much better than last week when I only managed to read one book.

Books I read this week

 

The next books on my TBR pile

Despite saying I was cutting back on blog tours I’ve some how managed to sign up for 11 tours during May and early June so I’m going to concentrate on getting them all read, I’m hoping I can then move on to my neglected TBR book shelf reads….watch this space 🙈

ARC’s I received this week

I only requested one book on the dreaded NetGalley this week, as I have so many books I want to read that are sat on my TBR pile.🙈

 

Book description
It’s happening again.

A mutilated body discovered in the woods.

A murderous plan conceived in the past.

A reckoning seventy years in the making . . .

Charlie Priest, ex-detective inspector turned London lawyer, is hired by influential entrepreneur Kenneth Ellinder to investigate the murder of his son. But Priest is no ordinary lawyer.

Brilliant, yet flawed, this case will push him, and those closest to him, to the edge. Priest traces the evidence back to the desperate last days of the Second World War.

Buried in the ashes of the Holocaust is a secret so deadly its poison threatens to destroy the very heart of the establishment. With more victims going missing, Priest realises that not everyone should be trusted.

As he races to uncover the truth, can he prevent history from repeating itself?

I also received this two fabulous books from Orenda books, I’ve already read Block 46 which is definitely going to be one of my top reads of 2017 and I’m hearing some amazing things about Exquisite so I’m really looking forward to reading this one for the blog tour. I have to say Orenda publish so many amazing books they are highly original and so well written they are a joy to read.

I also received this beauty The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins from the awesome and very generous Linda Hill who blogs over at http://www.lindasbookbag.com this is another book I’m really looking forward to reading after reading Linda’s fabulous review, so thank you Linda 😘😘

Last week on the book review café

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/23/weekly-wrap-up-24/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/24/bloq-by-alan-jones-bookmarks-photos-alanjonesbooks-bookreview/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/26/love-me-not-by-m-j-arlidge-bookreview-mjarlidge/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/27/blog-tour-after-the-affair-by-jonathan-kaye-guestpost-jonathankaye000/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/28/the-quiet-man-by-james-carol-bookreview-jamescarolbooks-faberbooks/

Next week on the book review café

My book of the month

Their Lost Daughters by Joy Ellis #Review

The One Man by Andrew Gross #Review

#TopFiveThursday is back with another awesome blogger

**Blog tour** Block 46 by Johana Gustawasson #Review

Other news from the book review café

As a book blogger I’m honoured to read some fabulous books and humbled by the thought publishers put their trust in me to write an honest review. I was speechless (not a mean feat as Mr book review café will tell you!) when I opened my copy of Block 46 to see part of my review had been quoted,  especially as I loved this book, and it’s definitely one of my top reads of 2017, I think I may have already mentioned this once or twice 😂😂🙈

 

Love Me Not by M. J. Arlidge #BookReview @mjarlidge

Book description

She Loves Me
A woman’s body lies in the road. At first it looks like a tragic accident. But when Helen Grace arrives on the scene it’s clear she’s looking at a coldblooded killing. But why would anyone target a much-loved wife and mother?

She Loves Me Not
Across town, a shopkeeper is killed while his customers are left unharmed. But what lies behind the killer’s choices?

She Loves Me
Who lives? Who dies? Who’s next? The clock is ticking.

She Loves Me Not
If Helen can’t solve this deadly puzzle then more blood will be shed. But any mistake and it might be her own …

 Love Me Not by M.J Arlidge is the seventh book in the Helen Grace series, and personally I wouldn’t say it’s the best one in the series, but it’s a worthy contender. This book isn’t as dark as previous books in the series, but it’s certainly got the “thrilling” element that I enjoy so much in a crime thriller. The plot focuses on a series of murders that happen over a day. At first they appear to be random acts of terrible violence but it soon becomes apparent to Helen and her team they are anything but, what follows is an intense and heart thumping read.

The author expertly presents the reader with short, concise chapters time stamped over a twenty four hour period which give a sense of urgency to the plot. In Love Me Not we get to see a very different side to Helen’s personality she is suspicious and feels isolated from her team, which lead to conflict within her team. This book has a very different feel to previous books in the series, but I mean that in a good way it feels fresh and vibrate and made it all the more exciting to read.

As the killing spree intensifies Love Me Not makes for a chilling read , even more so when the reasons behind the killings are revealed. As the investigation intensifies this is very much a cat and mouse crime thriller that will keep you on tenterhooks until you reach the last thrilling chapter. This maybe the seventh book in the series but it’s still a series that has plenty to offer, the plots are surprising, the characters have evolved and M J Ardlidge writing shows no signs of getting stagnant or repetitive.

Print Length: 368 pages

Publisher: Penguin (18 May 2017)

Amazon UK 🇬🇧       Amazon US 🇺🇸

**Weekly Wrap Up**

I’ve only managed to read one book this week, I haven’t lost my reading mojo thankfully. I’ve had a week off and been far to busy to read. I might have only read one book, but it was a gripping one and very different to my normal reads, part history and part thriller.

I will be taking a regular social media free break one day every week as it certainly helps me to concentrate on my reading, and  I’m so easily distracted once I start trawling through Facebook and Twitter 🙈

 The One Man by Andrew Gross

Books I bought this week

 

Book description

They thought that they had all the power, until she took it from them.

A killer hunts abusive spouses, blogging about their sins post-kill. Soon the murders and the brazen journaling draws the attention of Police Scotland’s CID. This killer works with surgical preparation, precision and skill, using a unique weapon of her own and never leaves a trace of evidence behind.

Edinburgh’s DI Kathy McGuire, nearing the end of her career, begins the hunt for the murderer as a media frenzy erupts.

But McGuire might have met her match…What has led this killer to take the law into her own hands? Is the woman accountable really a cold-hearted killer or a desperate vigilante?

 

Book description

Tom Cheever is an IT specialist, a recovering alcoholic, and a single dad. Molly, his ten-year-old daughter is his whole life. But one ordinary morning, Tom discovers that Molly’s not in her room.
Gone. Vanished.

Police are called, a search party goes out, and Tom, already struggling with staying sober, finds himself coming undone. As hours become days without any sign of Molly, everyone she knows is called into question, including Tom himself.

As he tries to desperately piece together what could’ve happened, Tom realizes that nothing is quite as it seems. Will Molly be found in time? Or will Tom have to face the rest of his life not knowing what happened to his little girl?

ARC’s I received this week

Book description

Roy Grace, creation of the CWA Diamond Dagger award winning author Peter James, faces his most mysterious case yet in Need You Dead.

Lorna Belling, desperate to escape the marriage from hell, falls for the charms of another man who promises her the earth. But, as Lorna finds, life seldom follows the plans you’ve made. A chance photograph on a client’s mobile phone changes everything for her.

When the body of a woman is found in a bath in Brighton, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is called to the scene. At first it looks an open and shut case with a clear prime suspect. Then other scenarios begin to present themselves, each of them tantalizingly plausible, until, in a sudden turn of events, and to his utter disbelief, the case turns more sinister than Grace could ever have imagined.

Book description

Eleanor, Richard and their two young daughters recently stretched themselves to the limit to buy their dream home, a four-bedroom Victorian townhouse in East London. But the cracks are already starting to show. Eleanor is unnerved by the eerie atmosphere in the house and becomes convinced it is making her ill. Whilst Richard remains preoccupied with Zoe, their mercurial twenty-seven-year-old lodger, Eleanor becomes determined to unravel the mystery of the house’s previous owners – including Emily, whose name is written hundreds of times on the walls of the upstairs room.

Book description

Robin and Sarah weren’t the closest of twins. They weren’t even that similar. But they loved each other dearly. Until, in the cruellest of domestic twists, they were taken from one another. Now, in her early 30s, Robin lives alone. Agoraphobic and suffering from panic attacks, she spends her days pacing the rooms of her house. The rest of the time she watches – watches the street, the houses, the neighbours. Until one day, she sees something she shouldn’t…

And Sarah? Sarah got what she wanted – the good-looking man, the beautiful baby, the perfect home. But she’s just been accused of the most terrible thing of all. She can’t be around her new family until she has come to terms with something that happened a long time ago. And to do that, she needs to track down her twin sister.

But Sarah isn’t the only person looking for Robin. As their paths intersect, something dangerous is set in motion, leading Robin and Sarah to fight for much more than their relationship…

I also got sent two “Top Secret” Arc’s…….my lips are sealed for now 🤐

Last week on the book review café

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/16/blog-tour-last-breath-by-robert-bryndza-bookreview-bookouture-robertbryndza/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/17/the-abattoir-of-dreams-by-mark-tilbury-bookreview-bloodhoundbook-mtilburyauthor/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/18/dead-woman-walking-by-sharon-bolton-bookreview-authorsjbolton/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/19/dead-souls-by-angela-marsons-bookreview-bookouture-writeangie/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/20/cover-reveal-the-art-of-fear-by-pamela-crane-giveaway-nholten/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/21/blog-tour-sleep-tight-by-caroline-mitchell-review-bookouture-caroline_writes/

Next week on the book review café

After The Affair by Jonathan Kaye **Blog tour**

The Quiet Man by James Carol #Review

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens #Review

Love Me Not by M J Arlidge #Review

I’m back with a **Weekly Wrap Up**

Well I’m back after nearly a two week break from social media and blogging (apart from the blog tour posts I already agreed to) and I must say its done me the world of good, no frantically trying to share and retweet posts, spending hours trawling through social media in fact it just reinforced to me how much time I spend on my iPad when I could be reading.

I worked Monday-Friday throughout the experiment and still managed to read, wait for it………..8 books and I’m half way through the 9th.……..yes the book review café has found her reading mojo and what a treasure trove of books I’ve read. Some of theses books are for blog tours in May, so I really achieved a lot in my two weeks off…… blog tour reviews, books that have been sat on my bookshelf that I’ve really wanted to read, and new to me authors. So I definitely feel a social media break every now and then works for me.

Books I read

Books I’ve bought

Certain criminal cases have a life of their own. Despite the passage of years they continue their hold on the public imagination, either because of the personalities involved, the depravity of the crime, doubts over whether justice was done, or the tantalizing fact that no one was ever caught…

Now John Douglas, the foremost investigative analyst and criminal profiler of our time, turns his attention to eight of the greatest mysteries in the history of crime, including those of Jack the Ripper, The Boston Strangler and JonBenet Ramsey. Taking a fresh look at the established facts, Douglas and Olshaker dismantle the conventional wisdom regarding these most notorious of crimes and rebuild them – with astonishing results.

 

1944. Physics professor Alfred Mendl is separated from his family and sent to the men’s camp, where all of his belongings are tossed on a roaring fire. His books, his papers, his life’s work. The Nazis have no idea what they have just destroyed. And without that physical record, Alfred is one of only two people in the world with his particular knowledge. Knowledge that could start a war, or end it.
Nathan Blum works behind a desk at an intelligence office in Washington, DC, but he longs to contribute to the war effort in a more meaningful way, and he has a particular skill set the U.S. suddenly needs. Nathan is fluent in German and Polish, he is Semitic looking, and he proved his scrappiness at a young age when he escaped from the Polish ghetto. Now, the government wants him to take on the most dangerous assignment of his life: Nathan must sneak into Auschwitz, on a mission to find and escape with one man.

The One Man, a historical thriller from New York Times bestseller Andrew Gross, is a deeply affecting, unputdownable series of twists and turns through a landscape at times horrifyingly familiar but still completely compelling.

 

TWO GIRLS GO TO A PARTY, ONLY ONE RETURNS ALIVE
Toni, the surviving teenager, is found delirious, wandering the muddy fields. She has been drugged and it’s uncertain whether she’ll survive. She says she saw her friend Emily being dragged away from the party. But no one knows who Emily is or even if she’s still alive. . .
Meanwhile the drowned body of another girl has been found on an isolated beach.
And how does this all relate to the shocking disappearance of a little girl nearly a decade ago, a crime which was never solved? The girl’s mother is putting immense pressure on the police to re-open the high-profile case.

EACH ONE OF THEM IS SOMEONE’S DAUGHTER AND THE POLICE MUST GIVE THEIR FAMILIES JUSTICE AND CLOSURE

DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evansof the Fenland police are stretched to the limit as they try to bring the perpetrators of these shocking crimes to justice.
There is evidence of an illegal drinking club run by a shadowy group of men, who are grooming teenagers. And the team come across a sinister former hospital called Windrush which seems to house many dark secrets.
Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the shocking ending.

 

The past is never far away.

Michael Tate has not had an easy life. With his father in prison, and his mother dead, Michael was sent to Woodside Children’s Home.

Now an adult, Michael wakes up in hospital from a coma suffering from amnesia and paralysis. Confused and terrified, he is charged with the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, Becky. He also learns he attempted to end his own life.

Detective Inspector John Carver is determined that Michael is sent to prison.

With no way of defending himself, Michael is left in his hospital bed awaiting transfer to remand.

But then strange things begin to happen and his childhood comes back to haunt him.

Can Michael ever escape the past?

Will he ever discover the truth about Becky’s murder?

And why is DI Carver so eager to make him suffer?

I couldn’t resist adding Remember Me by Lynda Renham to my TBR pile after reading Jo’s fabulous review for this book over at https://mychestnutreadingtree.wordpress.com

A new neighbour becomes a new friend. She looks up to you. She admires you, but is it you she wants? You begin to wonder if she wants your husband, or even your child. But then you realise, she wants your life.

When Sharni and Tom move into 24 The Pines, it seems like Clare and Chris have the perfect neighbours. Sharni is always there to help, especially with childcare for Clare’s two-year-old, Ben. But Clare can’t shake off the feelings of anxiety that assail her whenever Sharni is near. Is Clare just being overprotective, or are her feelings justified? As Sharni‘s influence touches everyone around her, Clare finds herself fighting for her sanity as well her family.

ARC’s I’ve received

Last week on the book review café

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/14/blog-tour-the-escape-by-c-l-taylor-review-authorinterview-callytaylor-helenasheffield/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/04/16/blog-tour-last-breath-by-robert-bryndza-bookreview-bookouture-robertbryndza/

Next week on the book review café

Cover reveal and a fabulous Giveaway The Art Of Fear by Pamela Crane

**Blog tour** Sleep Tight by the awesome Caroline Mitchell

The Abattoir Of Dreams by Mark Tilbury #Review

Dead Souls by Angela Marsons #Review

Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton #Review

**Weekly Wrap Up**

Oh dear oh dear! I have only managed one book this week, the good news…. my neck is much better so I’m back to work, but the bad news is it means I have little time to read. So after much consideration I’ve come up with a solution which will hopefully give me more time to read, no im not retiring! I’ve decided I spend too much time browsing social media so for one day a week I’m not going to log in to Twitter, Facebook etc or share posts. I love to support fellow bloggers but some evenings I spend much of the evening sharing posts, RT, liking, and commenting. I’m  sure every blogger on the planet knows what I mean here, so I’m going to use this one day a week to use as reading time only. I’m sure I will be itching to turn on my IPad but I’m going to give it a go. I’m not scheduling any posts next Tuesday so if you see me pop up on social media I’ve failed miserably 😂

what I read this week

Book description

Babs had all the world ahead of her, until she got pregnant and the father did a runner. Salvation comes in the form of a man who’ll look after her. Or so she thinks. Stan Miller is really the devil in disguise… and over the next twenty years, Babs will have reason to regret she ever met him.

Starting in the 70s, BLOOD MOTHER is the second thrilling installment in the Flesh and Blood series, capturing a London that was very different from today but where some things still hold true: be careful what you wish for, and watch out for who you trust…

Book post I received this week

 

Book description

She Loves Me
A woman’s body lies in the road. At first it looks like a tragic accident. But when Helen Grace arrives on the scene it’s clear she’s looking at a coldblooded killing. But why would anyone target a much loved wife and mother?

She Loves Me Not
Across town, a shopkeeper is killed while his customers are left unharmed. But what lies behind the killer’s choices?

She Loves Me
Who lives? Who dies? Who’s next? The clock is ticking.

She Loves Me Not
If Helen can’t solve this deadly puzzle then more blood will be shed. But any mistake and it might be her own …

This weeks ARC’s

Method 15/33 by Shannon Kirk

 

Book description

Imagine a helpless, pregnant 16-year-old who’s just been yanked from the serenity of her home and shoved into a dirty van. Kidnapped…Alone…Terrified.

Now forget her…

Picture instead a pregnant, 16-year-old, manipulative prodigy. She is shoved into a dirty van and, from the first moment of her kidnapping, feels a calm desire for two things: to save her unborn child and to exact merciless revenge.

She is methodical—calculating— scientific in her plotting. A clinical sociopath? Leaving nothing to chance, secure in her timing and practice, she waits—for the perfect moment to strike. Method 15/33 is what happens when the victim is just as cold as her abductors.
The agents searching for a kidnapped girl have their own frustrations and desires wrapped into this chilling drama. In the twists of intersecting stories, one is left to ponder. Who is the victim? Who is the aggressor?

The Quiet Man by James Carol

I love this series and Faber & Faber granted my wish over on the dreaded NetGalley, so how could I refuse 🙈

Book description
The hugely popular Jefferson Winter series returns in a gripping new thriller.

In Vancouver, the wife of a millionaire is dead following an explosion in her own home. Everyone thinks her husband is responsible, but former FBI profiler Jefferson Winter isn’t so sure.

The method is too perfect; the lack of mistakes, uncanny. He’s seen a series of carefully orchestrated murders – once a year, on exactly the same day, a woman dies in a situation just like this one.

That date is fast approaching and Winter knows another victim has been selected. Can he identify the quiet man before he strikes again?

Books I’ve bought

I haven’t bought any book this week, Shock! Horror! But I treated myself to a year’s subscription of True Crime Magazine. Going back a few years ago I only ever read true crime books, I like to think they give me insight in to why people do such terrible things, I’m not sure they answer all my questions by any means but I do find them an intriguing read.

Last week on the book review café

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/03/06/blog-tourthe-good-daughter-by-alexandra-burt-extract-giveaway/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/03/07/the-promise-by-casey-kelleher-bookreview-caseykelleher-bookouture/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/03/08/blog-tour-dead-embers-by-matt-brolly-guestpost-matthewbrolly-fayerogersuk/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/03/09/evies-year-of-taking-chances-by-christie-barlow-review-christiejbarlow-bookouture/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/03/10/top-five-friday-with-the-book-review-cafe-thewowfactor/

Next week on the book review café

Rupture by Ragnar Jónasson – review

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens

#TopFiveThursday

Top Five Friday- Crime books stand-alones

**Blog tour** Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski

 

 

Hide And Seek by M.J. Arlidge #Review

 

Book description

Detective Inspector Helen Grace has spent her whole life running.

From the past. From herself. From everyone who’s ever tried to get close to her.

She’s spent her whole life hiding.

Behind the badge. Behind her reputation as one of the country’s best detectives. Until – framed for murder – she became one of its most high-profile prisoners.

Now there is nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

Because HMP Holloway is a place of dark days and long nights with dangers at every turn. Despised by the inmates and reviled by the guards, Helen must face her nightmare alone.

And then a carefully mutilated body is found in a locked cell.

Now Helen must find a ruthless serial killer. Before the killer finds her.

*****Before you read my review I will warn you it inevitably contains spoilers, and if you are planning to read the series or haven’t read Little Boy Blue yet I would hate to spoil it for you*****

 

This is the sixth book in the Helen Grace series and for me it was by far the best one yet, it’s a cracker and one I devoured in a day (yes it really was THAT good). In Hide And Seek the reader meets DI Helen Grace who is now an inmate of Holloway Prison, wrongly accused of murder, she finds herself behind bars along side women she has previously put away for their crimes. Despite Helen being on the wrong side of the law it doesn’t stop her investigating a series of gruesome murders that take place within the prison.

M. J. Arlidge does a very convincing job of portraying life in prison, dismal, dangerous and fraught with tension, it certainly sounded horrifyingly realistic. Hide And Seek shows a very different side to Helen’s character, she’s as vulnerable as the next person in an environment where there’s danger at every turn. A detective serving a prison sentence isn’t going to have an easy time of it as Helen soon learns, she has to fight to exist along side violent inmates who would like nothing better than to see Helen get her comeuppance. I had some real nail biting moments as Helen came up against some of the more hardened inmates, and seeing her at her most vulnerable made for a riveting read. Once the body count starts rising we see the determined and tenacious Helen at her best, one who isn’t afraid to kick ass to find the killer. I must admit I did miss Helen’s interaction with her colleagues when I first started reading Hide And Seek, but this soon passed.

There is one person left battling for Helen and that’s her work colleague Charlie Brooks, and she is like a dog with a bone trying to get her bosses name cleared, she’s stubborn and determined which results in her putting both her job and her personal relationship in jeopardy. There are a few red herrings thrown in to keep the reader guessing, which certainly added suspense to the plot.

This latest book is fast paced, gritty and just when you think you’ve worked out who the perpetrator is, the author throws in another suspect. I think the author has yet again added another fabulous read to this excellent series, and I would certainly recommend this book to crime lovers, and for readers who are looking for something new to read I would highly recommend the Helen Grace series.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️out of 5

Hardcover: 384 pages

Publisher: Penguin (8 Sept. 2016)