This is another action packed, fast paced thriller. Set in over a 24 hour period. Di Helen Grace is running out of time trying to find out who is responsible for a group of killings in Southampton. With Helen throwing everything to find the killers. Helicopter armed forces unit etc. This story is a rollercoaster of a ride. Well done M J Arlidge your work just gets better with each book.

ARC received from: Netgalley

Rating: 4.5*

One-Sentence Summary: Helen Grace versus angst-fuelled, trigger-happy killers

Review: How are we on the 7th book in this series already? It seems like only yesterday that I first received Eeny Meeny as an ARC and was introduced to this excellent crime series.

After the traumatic events of Hide And Seek, Arlidge gives Helen Grace a more impersonal case to tackle in this book. The killing spree of two amphetamine-fulled young adults takes place over a 24-hour period and this, as well as the swapping of POVs, certainly helps keep the book fast-paced and action-driven.

Inevitably the perp doesn’t get captured without Grace getting hurt and putting herself in danger again but she gets off lightly compared to one of the members of her team leading her to ask her confident Charlie why she is still alive and walking around when so many people close to her are not.

All I can is that I hope Arlidge doesn’t make Grace pay the ultimate sacrifice any time soon as it would be a big disappointment to have this series come to an end.

Yet another breathtaking instalment from Di Helen Grace . Fresh out of prison and chasing criminals as only she can . A heart stopping rollercoaster of a book .

This is the quickest I've read any book in years, electrically paced I just couldn't put it down. Fantastic story brilliantly written with flawed hero versus deranged and damaged villain. Can't wait f or the n ext book.

Oh my life and fluffy ducks and fudgsicals. That, in case you are wondering, is my way of swearing without swearing, enthusiastic approval of the aforementioned tome. Fluff me, if this series doesn't just keep getting better and better. Yes. This is going to be a positive review. Sorry for that spoiler but best we get it out of the way now to save disappointment later ;)

Now I happened upon this series quite by chance. I was looking for something to read. It was set in Southampton. I have a depot in Southampton which I was about to visit. It fetl like Kismet. Or something. It was pretty fluffing fortuitous if nothing else because by choosing books by depot locations I stumbled upon a cracker of a series, to which this latest book, Love Me Not, is a more than worthy addition.

Different in pacing than the previous Helen Grace books it is set over a period of twenty-four hours. Yes just twenty-four hours in which a killer or killers set out to cause maxium carnage to a range of victims who seem to have little in common and certainly no logical reason to be on anyone's hit list. So is it a case of random targeting or something more sinister. This is what Helen and her team have to find out.

Now it is hard to say too much about the plotting without dropping in spoilers for previous books which I don't want to do if you haven't read any of them. Yes, technically this can be read as a standalone as it is a one off case with no links, victim or perpetrator wise, to previous stories. However there are heavy spoilers regarding the previous two books so at least read Little Boy Blue and Hide and Seek before embarking on this one. But why stop there. Do yourself a favour and read them all. You won't regret it.
What I will say is that there is an element of tension and mistrust within the team at present which means that they are not as cohesive a unit as they could be. Helen is smarting and resentful towards certain members of the team and this does impact upon them all with very serious repercussions. As for the killers? Well they are not exactly merciless but they certainly have a mission which they will not deviate from but you need to read to understand what that is. It will probably surprise you as you start to realise the truth and you'll need to keep a very open mind if you think you can call this any earlier than probably 65-70% through the story.

Due to the timeline and structuring of the book, the pacing is fast, probably faster than in previous books even. This is driven on by Arlidge's consistent use of short, punchy chapters and sparing and yet authentic dialogue. Physical descriptions of both people and setting are strong and really add to the book overall. People may be a little surprised or maybe even upset that many of the things that make Helen well, Helen, are not present in this story but given the timing and what she has been through, how she is portrayed and who she is this time is pitched perfectly in my humble opinion. Perhaps given time we will see more of the old Helen. She is still ably supported by Charlie Brooks, one of the few on her team she still trusts but even this pairing is feeling the strain a little. It adds a layer of conflict that Helen doesn't really need and keeps things on a knife edge.

I really enjoyed this book. It got me hooked from the very first chapter and I galloped along with the story, eating up page after page until I had finished. Literally a one sitting kind of a book. Started at 19:00 finished at 01:00. There was no way I was walking away from it until I had reached the conclusion. I can't believe this was book seven. I can;t believe we are going to have to wait forever (well it will feel like it) for the next book in the series. I'm missing Helen already.

A tense, twisted and adrenalin pumping 5 stars from me.

Fantastic follow up to the last Helen Grace novel! Helen is all you could want in a slightly damaged heroine! The thriller is well thought out and excellently written, the plot will have you on the edge of your seat! Thrilling, gripping, and emotional. If you read one book this month, make it this one!

This book is not as dark as previous ones in the series, it seems to be about reconciliation and forgiveness. There is more involvement with team building and personalities, exploration of troubled pasts,abusive and neglectful childhoods and the sociologist in me asks is nature or nurture being debated here,when two people with similar backgrounds turn out so dissimilar in that one joins the police and the other kills all those she blames for her miserable and lonely life.
Daisy shares a similar background with Helen and this helps Helen fight her inner demons,which are her fear of betrayal and lack of trust.
I liked the idea of the chapters being timed,this added a sense of pace and the immediacy of police work,it increased the tension of the chase. My biggest surprise was Emilia Garanita , the journalist who believed that Helen was guilty,so when Helen was released and exonerated,she saw her reputation suffer. After suffering extreme fear at the hand of the killer,she almost underwent a personality change and didn't seem so hostile towards Helen and her team. Whether she will suffer a relapse in normal character by the next book remains to be seen.
I thought this book was almost like an emotional farewell,in that past wrongs and resentments were acknowledged and strong friendships were to be treasured.
There are more deaths than usual,but all had their role and reasons. The book is full of strong female characters,but that is not to say that the sisterhood all get on well together. I enjoyed this read and couldn't fault it on police procedures. I know that this series gets stronger and stronger and the next book is always eagerly anticipated. I have left this review on NetGalley today and thank you so much for my advance copy, my daughter is number 25 on her local library waiting list, such a shame!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the latest in the Detective Helen Grace series and slightly different to the rest of the books in the fact that this is told over a 24 hour period. A pair of brutal killers with no apparent motive are causing havoc on the streets of Southampton.

Another superb fast-paced page turner from M J Arlidge that fans will love. I am only going to give this book 4 stars as the last two in the series have been by far the best (Little Boy Blue and Hide and Seek).

“Love Me Not” by M. J. Arlidge is the seventh instalment in the Helen Grace series. I must admit that this is the first book in this series that I have read but I did not find it at all confusing. It read as well as a stand-alone, though I'm sure it would've been great to have some more background on the characters. Having said that, I did like the characters and did not find it difficult to connect with them.
The story was interesting enough, though it wasn't the type of novel that I would normally choose to read. Even though the novel was fast-paced and gripping, there were no surprises there, no guessing. And if I'm being honest I missed that.
Still, it was an enjoyable read for fans of action packed novels.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I was so excited to be given the opportunity to read one of my favourite authors, new book before it's release date.

And once again M J Arlidge you and DI Helen Grace have kept me reading through to the earlier hours, with all the twists and turns it is another gripping storyline. This book like the previous six is fast paced and finds Helen along with her colleagues not only tracking down a killer, while dealing with the repercussions from Helen's incarceration.

Thank you NetGalley, the Publisher and M J Arlidge for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

I was so excited to get a chance to read this before release. Thanks netGalley!
I love the series and love Helen Grace! This instalment didn't disappoint, I'm excited to see what happens next with helen after this book. Don't want to spoil it for anyone. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for an exciting and fast paced story!

Well, at the moment Arlidge can do no wrong. I've enjoyed every Helen Grace novel so far, and the thrills just keep coming. Fast-paced, suspenseful; everything I've come to know and expect from Arlidge. The plot and pacing were brilliant and I just flew through Love Me Not. I also found it pretty relevant in soon-to-be Brexit Britain.

I will read anything by M J Arlidge and this book did not disappoint. Another instalment in the DI Helen Grace novels and I was hooked from the first pages. I can't get enough of this series!

I love M.J. Arlidge, I love Helen Grace and I was very excited to read Love Me Not. I enjoyed it and it is undoubtedly a thrilling read but I am sorry to say I did not enjoy it as much as the last couple in the series. It is still a great book, bit it felt like something was missing.

First the pros:
Helen is getting back on her feet after the events of the last two book and is back where she belongs.
The plot is good. It is tense and exciting and there are plenty of twists and turns and lots of action.
I really like structure, the short chapters and the multiple viewpoints, and the way it takes place pretty much over one whole day.
It is a very easy read; it's lean, with no padding or filler or faffing about (although sometimes a bit of finesse is nice!)

The cons:
To be honest, up to a certain point, it felt a bit like M.J. was phoning it in. Do you want a lot of Helen feeling at one with the world on her powerful motorbike? We've got you covered. Or in angst-ridden internal and external conflict? Yep. Is Emilia being a sneaky bitch? Frequently. Is Helen the only person who can single-handedly save a situation? You betcha.
Unfortunately the baddies were a bit caricatured.
Although there's no wasted time in the book - it takes a little over three hours to read - that does make it a little shallow. The DCs are all two-dimensional and interchangeable; there's no fleshing out of the characters for new readers (although why you would choose to pick up Book 7 in a series I don't know); and it was a little repetitive - at one point the word "adversary" is used five times in as many sentences which is poor and there were a lot of people "suddenly" doing, feeling or sensing things.

It sounds like I am really knocking this book and I don't mean to; it is still an enjoyable read but I hold M.J. Arlidge to his own very high standards (i.e. Books 1-6) and felt that this could have been even better. I am of course grateful to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read the ARC of Love Me Not. Rating: 3.5 stars.

An interesting read with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end!

I've read all the books in the DI Helen Grace series and she's a protagonist who's grown on me. Initially, I found part of her back story a little implausible, but bit by bit various threads of her life have been drawn together to form a very satisfying whole. Although this can be read as a standalone, there are many references to incidents in other books. Grace and her team members are growing as characters in each story and it's now like picking up with old friends. The reader is drawn into their lives and I have real empathy for some as their storyline develops.

This is a dramatic page turner, with a real sense of urgency. The narrative switches viewpoint as the tale unfolds, but it's against the clock with chapter headings showing the time as the day rolls on. There's what seems to be spree killing going on in Southampton and Helen Grace is under pressure to identify and capture the killers. But the body count mounts and with personal tensions within the team running high the police efforts aren't running as smoothly as possible.

There's a great sense of location, making it easy to visualise the Southampton setting. The plotting is tight and intricate, with enough surprises to keep the tension running throughout. More great storytelling.

My thanks to the publisher for an advance review copy via Netgalley.

Another fab installment of the Helen Grace series. Loved the 'real' time format it was written in. The chapters are short and sharp which enables a fast read.

Following events from the previous book, Helen Grace is back at Southampton Central. Fast paced with twists and turns throughout. Set over the course of just under 24 hours, Helen and her team are following the trail of victims left behind on the murderer's current spree. Seemingly unconnected, Helen must decipher the evidence and try to stop them in their tracks before it gets too far out of hand.

Book 7 in the Helen Grace series and it's a good one. I really love the character of Grace, vulnerable but strong and fearless. This series is improving all the time and fans will enjoy this book. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy.

Another amazing book in the M.J Arlidge DI Helen Grace series.

This book takes you on a police chase to hunt down a serial killer who is on a killing spree! As always, Arlidge grabbed my attention from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout!

'Hide and Seek' is still my favourite in the series but this book definitely does not disappoint!