I absolutely love the DI Helen Grace series, this being number 8. Just when you think you’ve worked it all out this author throws a curveball and off you go again. And when the killer is finally revealed you just can’t believe it! The characters are well bedded in now so with each new book it’s like meeting up with old friends. If you haven’t read this series yet then you are missing a treat - I have introduced Mr Arlidge to a few avid readers now and no one has been disappointed. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin UK for letting me read and review this book.

If you go down to the woods today you’re in for a big surprise... a surprise that Mr Arlidge as DONE IT AGAIN. What a life halting read. Drop the jobs. Make yourself a cuppa. And settle down with this excellent book.

The latest in this series, unfortunately felt there were a lot of loose ends and clues that didn’t amount to anything, which I found frustrating. Otherwise, a good thriller which leaves it open for the next instalment.

Having read many of this authors books I was pleased to get this one to read and review. Once again not disappointed an excellent read.

Pretty standard plot but nothing original. A little disappointing if I'm honest. Not a bad book just felt very meh after reading this.

The Helen Grace series by M.J. Arlidge is one of my favourites. Fantastic storylines with an easy to read style makes every one a winner for me.

Unfortunately I read this book a while ago and seem to have missed it when writing reviews. - sadly I cant remember enough detail to give a full review.
However, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC :-)

M. j. Arlidge improves with every book he writes and I think that this is his best so far. An excellent detective story full of twists and turns that holds your interest to the end. Well written, good characterisation and an excellent plot. Highly recommended.

This is the 8th book in the D.I Grace saga and I have to say it is not the best of the series. Something strange is happening in the New Forest, People are being murdered by a faceless stranger but what is the connection? Are these just random killings or something more sinister? Victims are found hanged and left to bleed to death. Is this a series of ritual killings? DI Grace need to negotiate the dark forest in order to investigate the murders and catch the perpetrator. Will she make in time, before any blood is shed? Will she survive or will she become a victim of the faceless killer?

I really enjoyed Eeny Meeny and Pop Goes the Weasel by this author, introducing us to the adventures of DI Helen Grace and her police colleagues in and around her Southampton police precinct. What I most enjoy about Matthew Arlidge’s books is the originality of his plots, so whilst we do have mostly the same cast of police characters, we are always presented with a completely different story line and this book is no exception. Down to the woods in the New Forest go a young couple, Tom & Melanie, on a romantic camping trip; in the morning Tom is unaccountably missing from their tent. The next we know is that DI Grace and her team are called out, as a body has been discovered in the woods hanging from a tree – but this is no suicide; Tom has been savagely killed with three deadly crossbow bolts. With no obvious motive or suspect, the police team is at a loss where to start this enquiry, when another camping couple is mysteriously targeted and Lauren Scott becomes victim number two of the crossbow killer. Trawling through their not inconsiderable list of previous sexual and violent offenders in the Southampton area gets the team nowhere, but eventually a tenuous connection is made between the two victims and the hunt is on for the killer! This is a well written and enjoyable book, with a good story and many twists and turns, with DI Grave herself being in serious danger, before the case is finally solved. Thanks go to NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.

Helen Grace and her team never fail to impress. Another gruesome and gory case brought to resolution by the team. I particularly enjoyed seeing Helen in a more'normal' role. Her life outside of work has always been so dark, almost as disturbing as her professional life. It was such a refreshing change to see her behaving in a more personable way and I really felt like this was exactly the right direction for her character to evolve. Additionally, members of her team's lives are moving forward, reflecting the natural progression of real life. The murder element is suitably convoluted and M J Arlidge cleverly muddles the path to discovering the killer by throwing a number of other, credible suspects at us. All in all another classy novel in an engaging series.

I really enjoy this series and realised I am so far behind  need to catch up. This latest release sees Helen called to a crime scene in the New Forest. It seems the killer displayed the body of Tom Campbell and its all pretty eerie and confusing at first glance. Helen is joined by Charlie (who readers of the series will know) along with the new boy DS Joseph Hudson.

The case soon becomes not just one murder but what looks like the work of a serial killer and the team have their work cut out for them as they peel back the various layers of the case. It certainly was reasonably paced but maybe not as engrossing as some of the previous ones in the series. 

This latest instalment felt a little different to the others in the series and I can't quite put my finger on why. It was still a great read and plenty of action, but for some reason it felt a little off kilter to me. That said, it was still a great book and deserving of 4/5 for sure. I love the addition of DS Hudson and think it will make future books VERY interesting and as usual the return of the character Emilia Garantina, the woman I love to hate.

M J Arlidge's books are amazing! Fast paced, full of drama and twists and turns and great characters. Down to the Woods didn't disappoint! It's creepy and keeps you guessing all the way to the end. I couldn't get through each chapter quick enough to find out who did it and why! I'd definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a fab thriller/crime series.

This is one if a number of books in theDI Grace series and the first one I have read.

There is a killer in the Forrest killing people using a crossbow and hanging them from trees, but who is he and why is he ritualistically Killy random campers in the New Forest.

DI Grace and her team are in the case chasing numerous dead ends until the killer is eventually found and tracked down. This book would have been better for me if I knew the back ground if the sub stories running through the book, I will now be reading from book one to bring me upto date.

If you go down to the woods today . . .
The last thing Tom Campbell remembers is camping in the New Forest with his girlfriend, Melissa. Now he is helpless, alone and consumed by fear, hunted through the woods by a sinister, masked figure...
When Tom's body is found, displayed with grisly relish, Helen Grace takes the case. But before she can catch her breath, a second victim is taken - a serial killer is on the loose.

It was OK. Just OK. I have read all books in the series and was kindly gifted the opportunity to read this for an honest review by Netgalley.

Maybe I'm just a bit bored of Helen Grace's frequent brushes with death which occur towards the end of every book in the series. I swear she has more lives than a cat!

But saying that, I know I will read the next one.

I love Helen Grace, with all of her flaws, demons and darkness. This book was very good and I enjoyed it immensely. I enjoyed the storyline with it's twists and turns, as I do every Helen Grace story. It's difficult to write a review without giving anything away. If you haven't read any of this series, I would advise starting with the first book. You won't be sorry if you do read them all, you're in for a treat, they're one of my favourite series'. I will certainly be reading the next in the series, in fact I can't wait.

Feeling like a very different book to the previous ones in this series, this was a much slower burn. With an excellent build up, red herrings and twists a plenty, this is an excellent addition to the series.

I'll be honest, this didn't instantly grip me like some books do, I found it a slow builder for me however once I'd got into it and the story was flowing I found that I was drawn in and I wanted to know what happened. It's the first book that I've read so was new to the DCI Grace series, that didn't matter though as there was no huge back story that made me feel that I needed to read the previous books to understand what was going on. I liked the main character and that's always a good sign in a series, I think I'd like to go back and read just to see what I've missed out on.

I love reading books from MJ Arlidge. This author never disappoints. A fantastic thriller from the start, keeping the reader hooked right from the word go. Recommended book.

As always a brilliant thriller from M J Arlidge.

Helen has a terrible time with her personal life and the pressures of work but somehow again manages to bring it all together and end up on top.

You could enjoy this as a stand alone or part of the series, be warmed if you read as a stand alone, at the end you will be compelled to read the rest