Member Reviews

Another brilliant addition to the Helen Grace series. Edge of your seat thrills and as the series continues the thrill get better and better. Looking forward to reading more.

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Omg wow this book is amazing it's full of twists and turns it will keep you up all night I really enjoyed this book

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Another fabulous novel in the DI Grace series and as expected it is a real page turner. With a gunman on the loose Helen Grace certainly has her work cut out to bring the perpetrator down.
Highly recommend if you enjoy police procedural books

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M J Arlidge is a fantastic crime writer - one of my favouries, in fact. I can devour several in one binge, and there are few authors I can do this with. The Helen Grace novels are true page-turners.

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I am a huge fan of this series of books and this one doesn’t disappoint. The torment of the female protagonist is the narrative through line for me and her continued struggle make her a welcome addition to crime fiction.

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Again, this is another great novel starring the famous DI Grace. This novel is different from the other novels in that the timescale is set over 24 hours. However, it does not disappoint.

The plot is fantastic and i love Helen Grace. It is fast paced, great crime novel and i think the series overall is a great crime series

Once again M J Alridge has delivered a 5 star book! i cannot wait for the next one!

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I've just finished this book. Well I enjoyed every second of it.
On her way to work, DI Helen Grace, was almost knocked out from her bike by an Audi, her instinct was to follow the car but she caught something lying on the ground, so she went to see what was there and she was shocked to see a woman covered with her own blood, barely alive. At first she thought it was an accident, but a better look at the woman she realized it was more than that, the woman was deliberately murder. But why someone wants to kill a respectful wife and mother? It is an isolated murder or there will be others?
DI Helen Grace, has to deal not only with this case, but also with her own team. Could she trust them again? And most important, her team will be able to trust her again?

Love this series. Highly recommend it to read it in order

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Another great story in this series. A different pace than previously but still a gripping story. Great character development from previous titles in the series.

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Helen Grace......
What a fantastic read. Loved the survival instinct that Helen has within the prison system. Wrongly convicted and trying to stay alive at all costs. She still manages to get the job done and bring down another killer.
Looking forward the the next Helen Grace Installment.

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Every book in the Helen Grace series by MJ Arlidge is fast-moving, but ‘Love Me Not’ is the fastest of them all. The action happens, almost exclusively, in one day. It starts in the early morning when a commuter is shot on a rural road. Why kill a respectable wife and mother who has a socially-responsible job? As the day progresses there are more shootings around Southampton, each victim seems completely different from the others. Where is the pattern?
This story is different in that the action is not focussed so much on Helen Grace and, with the exception of a few references to previous books, can be read as a standalone story. There is a gunman on the loose, shooting people at random. Or is it two gunmen? As the victims start to pile-up, a pattern begins to emerge. Will the police identify the shooters in time to stop another murder? Why are the killers staying so close to Southampton? The point-blank callousness of the murders is chilling. When the answers are found, they are unfortunately all too believable. The reader, unlike the police, knows the who but not the why and that’s what keeps the pages turning.
As always with this series, the hunt for a killer is underlain by tensions within the police team. Some of these tensions are caused by Helen herself, as always a challenging, flawed but dynamic character. It is good to see continuing characters such as Charlie Brooks and Emilia Garanita.
I read this in 24 hours.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

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A blood-red sunrise

Just after 7 AM DI Helen Grace stumbles on a dead woman lying in a country road. She has been brutally shot for no apparent reason.

Two hours later

At gunpoint a shopkeeper is forced to close up by two assailants. Before the police can get inside a single gunshot rings out.

A rampage of revenge?

Over one long day the town of Southampton is terrorized by two young killers who appear to be killing at random.

For DI Helen Grace, it's a race against time. Uncover why they're doing this and who's next or always be a step behind - until the sun sets on this bloody killing spree.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous ones. Not sure whether it was because I’ve binge read the series, whether it was my mood (yes I’m very moody) or whether it was because DI Helen Grace herself was suffering from the ‘why do I do this job?’ Understandable that she’s depressed:: she’s still got a hangover from being in prison. The book is well written as always. I think I will read this one again in a few weeks to see whether I enjoy it more than I did this time. 3.5*

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'Love Me Not' by M. J. Arlidge is number 7 in the Helen Grace series but believe it or not it is the first in the series I have read.

I continuously see people reading and/or recommending Arlidge's novels so when I was approved to receive an ARC of 'Love Me Not' I was very excited to finally read some of his work.

Not long into the novel I realised I had made a mistake requesting a book which was so far into a series. You could read it as a stand alone but I would not suggest doings so as I struggled to differentiate between characters and not much was given on their back stories (Obviously this would of been done in the many other books in the series.) Take away my lack of enthusiasm for the characters, how was the plot? I found the plot almost tedious. I'm assuming the detective in this series is supposed to be the best of the best? But all I kept seeing were silly mistakes. If you knew someone was about to be targeted for murder would you really check they were ok and then just leave them without any police protection? The whole thing read very unrealistic to me and I found the lack of police intervention so frustrating.

I still rated 'Love Me Not' 3 stars as on my scale 3 stars represents Ok/average and it was an ok, easy read. It wasn't amazing or anything special though which was very disappointing when I have heard so many positives regarding M. J. Arlidge's work.

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Helen Grace at her best yet again. A gripping read. The desperate hunt by Helen and her team for the murderers of random civilians.

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Wow, I didn’t want to put this down. To begin with I didn’t like Helen but throughout the book I came to realise she was just trying to do her best. Showing the time throughout the day was genius. I would recommend this to anyone. Was a great and riveting read that kept me interested all the way through. I am not sure if I should have felt sorry for Daisy or not! Don’t think I did to be fair, she was ruthless and uncaring. That said I would look for more of these types of books.

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Book 7 in the DI Helen Grace series and yet again MJ Arlidge has written a corker of a book. This was a fast paced crime thriller and one that will have you racing through the pages. It's set in real time over 24 hours and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

I would recommend you read the other books in the series before this one but of course I'm sure most of you have already read this fabulous series.

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Just when I think I've read the best MJ Arlidge can offer, he comes and ups the anty. This book was even better than the Helen Grace's before, and considering how good they were, this book is bloody brilliant! I absolutely love the Helen Grace series, and can not wait for the next book. Please don't let us wait too long!

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This is the latest in the Detective Helen Grace series, book number 7 and it is slightly different to the rest of the books because this story is told over a 24 hour period.

A pair of brutal killers with no apparent motive are causing havoc on the streets of Southampton.

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 cold-blooded killing. But why would anyone target a much-loved wife and mother?

Across town, a shopkeeper is killed whilst his customers are left unharmed. What lies behind the killers choices?

Who lives? Who dies? Who’s next? The clock is ticking. If Helen can’t solve this deadly puzzle then more blood will be shed. But any mistake and the life that may be shed may be her own.

The slaughters have been carefully planned and both victims and crime scene venues meticulously selected and planned. They have already been marked out with an odious graffitied serpent emblem. There will be no deviation from the plan; it is set in stone and all of the victims are to be killed in a single day of carnage, terror and merciless brutality.

There is an element of tension and mistrust within the team and with Helen still smarting and resentful towards certain members of the team this has an impact upon them all with very serious repercussions. With glimpses into the mind of DI Helen Grace we also get short background stories of the victims, which gave a glimpse into their lives and adds depth to the story on a more personal level.

The book is filled with action, chases and multiple twists and turns that keep you turning the pages well into the night. Fast paced, highly addictive and possibly my favourite book in the series so far!

It is not essential to read the first 6 books in this series (even though i recommend you do as they are all brilliant books!) but there are references made to past events from the book before, but if this is your first M. J. Arlidge novel i can guarantee after reading this you will soon be racing to read the other books!

A brilliant read, roll on book 8!

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I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the latest Helen Grace book from Netgalley as I have been an avid follower of the Southampton saga and Grace's fall and rise so I was really looking forward to getting stuck into Love Me Not.

I was not disappointed.

Grace is showing her depth as a character and her softer side is staring to appear after her stint in Holloway but she still kicks butt!

A scarily real life event takes place in Love Me Not and made me question the motives behind the craziness in the World.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 7th book in the series - not so sure it would be an easy pick up for people unfamiliar with the Grace story, but I flew through it!

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This was a light, easy read. Quite a formulaic story all in all. Enjoyable for a holiday read.

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The mark of a really good read is if you begrudge putting it down to get on with your day and this story had me gripped. I wondered though if I had missed some of a series of stories about DI Grace with the references to previous traumas in her life. Another cop story involving an officer with "issues" but no less enjoyable

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