I have read all M J Arlidges book and always wonder will I ever be disappointed with one of his new ones. Safe to say I am not! A brilliant writer who captures the reader within the first few pages and keeps them in their grip right to the very end. Love the main character Helen Grace who features in this book and previous ones. When I started reading Love Me Not I thought I found out who was the villain in the first few pages so assumed the book wouldn't hold my attention. Wrong again! A well constructed plot that had lots of twist and turns and kept me guessing right the way through. I almost felt sorry for the villain as you find out a lot regarding their background and in a way helped the reader to see what had made them this way. A fantastic story as always so please keep them coming MJ Aldridge x

This is the 7th outing for Helen Grace who is back on the job after being unfairly incarcerated in her last book.
Although the book sees her hard at work in a tumultuous 24 hours in Southampton chasing what appears to be a pair of Bonnie and Clyde style killers, Helen is not the same woman she was. She feels embittered by her recent experiences, especially when it comes to dealing with her colleague, Joanne Sanderson who she has not forgiven for her role in her incarceration.
I really felt for Helen in this outing. She is trying to race against time to prevent an out of control killer but personally she feels she is very much on edge. The development near the end of the book marks a sea change for her I think, and I think a stronger woman will emerge.
As always I really enjoyed this novel, highly recommend!

This author never fails to deliver although I didn't find this book as thrilling as some of her other work it was still extremely entertaining. I now feel as if I know the characters personally and enjoy the mix of their personal and their professional lives. The storyline is current a young woman abandoned by her mother at a young age who was then repeatedly let down by society is finally pushed over the edge and decides to seek the only revenge she can. It was sad to lose one of the main characters but I guess it makes the books more unpredictable and reflects true crime.

I Love Helen Grace and have read the novel before this one. I must admit i didn't quite enjoy it as much as the previous Helen Grace book but still a great book. I think it was quite easy to work the plot out and not many surprises but still very well written.

DCI Helen Grace is out of prison and trying to get a grip on outside life and trying to trust others again after being wrongly accused. I haven't read any of the other books in this series but I don't think that hindered my enjoyability of this book.
I liked how this book took you over the course of just one day so instead of chapters you had the time of day which was a nice change. Helen is riding her bike along a country lane when she us nearly knocked off it by a speeding car, further up the road she comes across a woman in the middle of the road dead from two shotgun wounds to the chest, two hours later a pharmacist is shot dead and the hunt is on to catch the killer.
This was a fairly fast paced read and kept my attention throughout, the descriptions of the murdered victims was a little grim at times but added to the tense chase.
I would like to thank netgalley and penguin books for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

7th in the DI Helen Grace series. Every much as good as the rest. Real page turner.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review

It is early in the morning and DI Helen Grace is riding through the country roads when she is nearly knocked off her bike by a speeding car. She discovered a woman dying from gunshot wounds and this sets in motion the hunt for a murder. Later that morning a man is shot in his pharmacy and the hunt narrow down to a known petty criminal but when he is found dead Grace knows she has a spree killer on her hands.

I am a great fan of Arlidge's DI Helen Grace series and this latest episode doesn't disappoint. Here there is less about Grace and not much about the backstory as the plot is set over the course of a single day and is both frenetic and beautifully developed. Grace's relationship with her team is explored and the way that mental illness can send an individual over the top is handled delicately. Whilst the plot is sensational, it doesn't feel like that. Whilst this is a police procedural, it is of the highest calibre.

Another great story with DI Helen Grace who gives it her all. In crime solving.

Another completely gripping book by MJ Arlidge if you're after a dark series that will keep you turning pages - this is the one to go for !

I'm reviewing the book Love Me Not by M.J Arlidge (Helen Grace, #7) . After a stint in prison, Helen Grace is put through her paces as she comes up against a couple causing violence and mayhem in Southampton. Knowing it's a race against time, Grace and her team throw all they have at this case, hoping to crack it before things spiral completely out of control. Here are my thoughts about what I've read:

^^ I can hardly contain myself. This was an ebook copy from NetGalley and I read to 89% before I noticed how far in I was. Hence to say I enjoyed this story immensely and I'm already looking to find the backlist of this author. But hey, I'm getting ahead of myself. What made this such a great read for me?

^^ The writing was superb. Well-written. Race-against-the-clock stuff. The short timeline of everything happening in 24 hours made the whole read even more gripping.

^^ There was just something about his writing style I could relate to. Maybe because a lot of the (perhaps typically English?) expressions used in this book I use a lot myself. I don't know, but I felt like I connected. The narrative appeared comfortable and familiar. Oh my! Why have I not read the previous 6 books? Clearly, I don't need to have read them all first to enjoy this one. Although, come to think of it, there was a talk of Helen's earlier prison ordeal, but I'd forgotten about that in my race to finish the book, so it can't have affected the story - or at least my reading fun - if I've only just remembered it!

^^ Having not known what to expect when I picked up this book, my first impression of this theme was that is was rather like a Bonnie and Clyde episode, in a Natural Born Killers in England kind of way. A couple on a killing spree for seemingly no real reason than - they can. Then, as the story develops, we find out more about the antagonists and the real reason they are murdering innocent victims.

^^ Incidentally, there's even a quick mention of Eeny Meeny* in this book. Is this a reference to the first book of this series with the same title? (Helen Grace, #1)

*I've not read Eeny Meeny, but it's one of the old (Summer 2014 Richard and Judy Book Club reads), so I hope to get hold of a copy to read for the Richard and Judy BC Goodreads group challenge I'm currently hosting, as I loved this latest book, Love Me Not! (Helen Grace, #7)

Love Me Not is the 7th book in the DI Helen Grace series. I really enjoyed his book that takes place in real time over 24 hours. A woman's body is found by the side of the road, at first it seems like as accident but on closer inspection Grace realises this was cold blooded murder. Across town another death quickly happens. Are they linked? Helen and her team must find out and fast before
the body count starts to increase.

This is a fast paced thriller that had me hooked from page 1. I've always liked this series but feel this book has stepped up a notch.

I would give this 4.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, MJ Arlidge and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for the chance to review.

Loved the pace of this book. Very sad for Helen but loved having her back again. Less than 24hrs and so much sadness and violence

Helen Grace is back and Arlidge has mixed things up with this though provoking novel
This is the seventh in the Helen Grace series and after Helen's traumatic experiences in number six Hide and Seek) it's not surprising she feels vulnerable. Love Me Not has a different feel from Arlidge's previous books an I think that reflects his empathy with his main character.
Love Me Not is a psychological thriller with a difference. It starts out with a random shooting in the middle of nowhere and ends in an equally high octane manner. Helen and her team, in a fast paced race against time that is reminiscent of Simon Kernick's adrenalin-laced novels, must track and apprehend the person responsible for a spree of shootings around Southampton.
Through a combination of Helen Grace and the killer's eyes we are taken on a tour around Southampton into the countryside and as far as Hayling Island. The book opens with a vivid description of an autumnal Southampton, which makes the horror that is to follow all the more dramatic.



The action occurs over the course of a single day and makes for a breathtaking read as the stakes get higher and the body count grows. What I liked most about Love Me Not was the way that we really get to know the psychology behind the killing spree. As always, Helen selflessly puts herself in the front line although this time with an added vulnerability from her previous experiences which is poignant.
Arlidge's cast of characters are strong and well formed and it was with real delight that we are reacquainted with pugnacious journalist Emilia Garanita who also has some adjustments to make.
A great read!

Love Me Not (Helen Grace, #7)

Love Me Not is the 7th DI Helen Grace book, following her stint in prison DI Grace is back with a Bang!! when a women's body lies in the road it at first looks like an accident but when Helen grace riding on the same road and narrowly missing a car speeding away from the scene its clear that this is no accident but a shocking cold-blooded killing!

But little does Helen or her trusted friend and colleague Charlie Brooks know this is only the start of something that will shock them to the very Core and will not end until the heartless killer says so!

in town a shop keeper is killed while one of his customers and her baby are left unharmed what is the motive behind the killers choice of victims?

i wanted to write this review without giving to much away, i'm a huge fan of M.J. Arlidge and DI Helen Grace also i really like Charlie brooks and i have read all 6 of his previous books on Helen Grace now i've Finished the 7th and he didn't disappoint,each book is bigger and better the last and trust me they are hard to beat, Love me not is a truly shocking edge of your seat book with lots of twists and turns and a shocking twist that left me shouting out OMG NO on the train! i did not expect that and if i'm honest i'm still shocked by it and i'm left wondering why! not because it was bad but because it was OMG!

M.J. Arlidge is the reason i love reading so much his style of writing has me addicted and leaves you wanting more its also great to have strong women like Helen Grace And Charlie Brooks and the other women in the books and the front of the action, Love Me Not is a truly addictive unputdownable book that will shock you to the very core it will keep you up till late at night wanting to read every page in one go! thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for my copy

Another fantastic book about DI Helen Grace. Fast paced, gripping and tightly plotted you will want to read this in one sitting. Most of the action happens in one 24 hour period, which really builds up the tension. What I really love about Aldridge's books is the character development over the series. A total 5 star read. I can't wait for the next in the series.

4.5 stars, rounded up.
I usually start every series book review with an advisory to read the previous books first. I think with this series, due to the complex character history, backstory and development, it is especially important to do so as, although the main crime being investigated is self-contained, there is so much more to be had from this book apart from just that. Also, if you haven't read the previous books and intend doing so, please do not read further as this review may contain spoilers.
A woman is travelling to work one morning when she come across something a little strange. Fast forward a little and Helen Grace is travelling the same road and, after avoiding a car speeding away, comes across the body lying in the road. Then, a shopkeeper is gunned down, leaving his customers unharmed. Someone clearly has an agenda, a hit list. But why, and who's next?
Helen is fresh out of jail and picking up the pieces of her life once again. The experience has clearly changed her as she appears to be a little more subdued in this book compared with previous. For obvious reasons, her relationships with her police colleagues have also changed and there is a wee bit of an atmosphere around certain people and her treatment of them. Another person affected by Helen's prior "fall from Grace" (sorry but it had to be done!) and bounce back, is journalist Emilia who is also trying to pick up the pieces of her previous life, her pastures new having wilted somewhat.
One of the things I do like about this series is the setting. I live in the next city over from Southampton so most of the places depicted in the books are familiar to me and I do so enjoy familiarity and connections with the books I read. So much so that I can even just about ignore the intense rivalry that my city has with the aforementioned setting which should have me reeling away from it.
The crime itself was quite intriguing and a bit politically topical at times. Is it my imagination or are a lot of authors including more social/moral stuff in their books these days? Anyway, it all happens in just one day - so frenetic is the game of cat-and-mouse that the author weaves. We have the police just a small step behind the perpetrators, frantically trying to catch-up, overtake and bring them down, getting ever closer as each layer of intrigue is uncovered with every new clue found. Yes, a wee bit formulaic at times, but there was enough that was new to me that it was well able to keep my attention solidly throughout.
Pacing was fast from the get-go and didn't really let up until the end making this an incredibly difficult book for me to put down, meaning that I was still reading well into the wee hours. Sorry to my boss for me being a bit sluggish at work the next day.
One thing I do have to mention though is that I am hoping that this new, quieter, questioning, uncomfortable Helen doesn't stick around too long though. I do understand the need for it as you just can't forget what she's been through and change is inevitable but, personally speaking, I miss the old Helen and hope she bounces back soon. For this reason, this book isn't my favourite of this series, hence dropping half a star but, as my reservations can all be justified by what has gone before, I have still rounded it up to five. Hopefully book 8 will reward my generosity!

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Love Me Not, the seventh in the Helen Grace series, is another winner for author M.J. Arlidge. Helen is back at work following her release from prison. But she is not the same person; prison has changed her, made her doubt herself and all those around her. Taking charge of her department again, she finds herself uncertain that she can lead people she doesn't trust and as a result overcompensates, and commands and belittles rather than leads.

But there's not much time to adjust, a pair of serial killers are taking down victims at an alarming rate, and Helen is determined to discover who they are, what the victims have in common, and to stop the killings as soon as possible. Along the way, Helen learns more about herself, and starts to function with her team again.

She still has it - Helen still has it! And I want MORE!!!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book.

This is book number 7 in the Helen Grace series. Whilst it can be read as a standalone book, it does make sense for continuity of the story to read the series in order.

Helen comes across a body in the road on her way to work one morning. What appears to be a car-jacking gone wrong turns into a killer on the loose. Someone is going round with a sawn off shotgun and shooting people dead at point blank range. Why and who is doing this? It’s down to Helen, freshly released from prison, and her team to work this out and fast!

So excited for this book. I love Helen Grace and it was great to catch up with her again. This book is set over 24 hours in real time. You get to find out who is doing the killing quite early on in the story, but you don’t find out why until much later. It’s great to have Helen back where she belongs, leading her team and on more than one occasion straddling her big motorcycle in favour of a police pool car! Helen does have a few demons to put to rest though, the big one being having to work with DS Joanne Sanderson who was convinced of Helen’s guilt in the previous book.

The story focuses on a ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ storyline – two young people on a killing spree, but for what reason? The story is fast paced, with short chapters which kept the interest going page after page. There are so many murders, and some of the descriptions are a bit gruesome, but you just keep ploughing through to get to the end to find out how the hell Grace and her team are going to stop this pair.

This story is on a par with the classic fast paced American crime writers such as James Patterson….actually, this story and this whole series is much better! Set in the UK, it’s in places that are recognisable with people you feel like you know. Give me Helen Grace over Alex Cross any day!!

Five stars!

Love me not follows our favourite policewoman on a hunt of a murderer on the streets of Southampton. It follows the usual vein and is an enjoyable gripping read as always

The following is my review as posted on Goodreads and Amazon.

I have to say I'm fairly addicted to this series by M J Arlidge. When you do find yourself a few books in, it does feel like you have been on a journey with various characters. The books can be read as standalones but there's enough of a running theme to warrant starting from book one.

That all said we're here at the latest release and a few months have passed since the previous book. DI Grace is now back at work in her role where she should be but still struggling to shake off the aftermath of her stint in prison and all that entailed there. Grace is not dealing well with the fact that some of her team and lost faith in her and still harbors grudges as she throws herself back into work. DS Sanderson is bearing the brunt of it as she was the one that instigated of lot of what happened to Grace.

Grace and her team are now on the the hunt for a pair of killers that appear to be trigger happy as they take down victims without a shred of remorse. Grace finds herself constantly tracking where the couple will head next as it quickly turns into a game of cat and mouse. Though not the strongest book that Arlidge has produced, Love Me Not was still a very readable book which had me glued until the last page. There is plenty of action and suspense with a bucketful of tension thrown in the mix. In fact much of the story arc is told over a very short timeline with made it feel all the more gripping.

It's been noted that Grace's character was different here as she was moodier than ever and her judgement seemed off. Given what she had been through though ...... give the woman some slack ....... I'd still want her on my team fighting my corner with every inch of her difficult 'get out of my way, I have a job to do' self!

Thanks go out for my review copy.

Recommended.