Another complex and gritty installment in the Perfect series, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. If you're a fan of escapist, police procedural books with high drama levels, this is definitely a series worth giving a go.

At times, the police procedural gets subverted in favour of more personal drama, which can mean that you have to suspend your disbelief at the lack of common sense/professionalism shown and just go with the flow of the narrative. But overall this works well in off-setting the dark and graphic nature of the crimes explored in the book, and serves to build the tension between characters for the various subplots going on.

I would say that, unlike other books in this series, I did end up skipping some parts. With a focus on suicide, the reader is occasionally confronted with quite long monologues on a character's depression and suicidal thoughts/attempts - this is absolutely a subject worth writing about and publishing responsibly, but I felt it could have been explored with a slightly defter touch; having a couple of pages covering a person's suicidal thoughts felt overwrought and I, personally, don't think it added to the dramatic tension or plot development.

We got to see a lot more of Luc and Ava working and hanging out together, which is great, and some big revelations happen which mean I now can't wait for the next book in the series...

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Helen Fields' new "Perfect Crime", the fifth book in the "Perfect" series. Hail, hail, the gang's all back: Luc Callanach, Ava Turner, Lively, Tripp, Janet Monroe, Daisy (Daish!?) "Evil Overlord" Overbeck... and even Lance Proudfoot in this continuation of the excellent series featuring the transplanted French/Scottish DI "Supermodel" Luc Callanach.

This time around, they're investigating the death of a man whose involvement with Luc and his family goes way, way back, as well as the deaths of a number of people who had previously attempted (but either failed or changed their minds) suicide, and Ms. Fields introduces possibly one of her weirdest serial killers!

The action is fast and furious in this outing - right out of the gate. What looks like a clear case of suicide turns out to be someone who had previously attempted and was talked down in public view; while Luc is back early from a visit to France to visit a man in a nursing home suffering from Alzheimer's- someone from his parents' past.

This fifth installment of the series is simply as good if not better than the previous four; and we get a glimpse into Ava and Luc's private lives - with some shocking twists.

Highly recommended as a stand alone novel, but much more satisfying if you've read the previous installations.

A character driven procedural that takes place in Edinburgh. Luc reports to Ava and there is a level of romance and sexual tension as they navigate their feelings for one another. Meanwhile, a serial killer is on the loose targeting people who have attempted suicide. Detailed and we'll drawn in plot, I am new to this series but would definitely read more.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

Another brilliant book in this great series. A very dark and compelling read which has you wondering how can this be possible. Ava and Luc are still working together as a team but for how long? Ava is shell shocked when Luc admits what has been happening in his private life, she is also extremely annoyed that he hasn't confided in her. She is prepared to back him and help him in whatever way she can, that is until she finds something that freaks her out. Can their relationship ever be the same again?

I always wait with anticipation for the new book from Helen Fields as they form part of the best crime/thriller series I’ve read. This is the fifth instalment and I do recommend that they are read in order.

I’ve given this 4 stars (not the usual 5 stars) because, for me, the plot didn’t grip me as much as the previous ones did. I didn’t feel that the victims being sought because they had been suicidal was a strong story, and the culprit was too annoyingly obvious - something I hadn’t felt with the other books.

Luc and Ava’s on-off relationship needs to be addressed once and for all - they are both adults but their playground tactics need to stop. I really hope they do get together properly, but as this is the fifth book, the time has come to make it official or just simply be colleagues and be done with it.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was seeing more of Overbeck - I love her attitude and wittiness. More of her please!

All in all, not the best book in the series but I’m still very much looking forward to the next instalment.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon UK for my advanced copy.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy of Perfect Crime, the fifth novel to feature DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner of the Edinburgh Police.

When Counsellor Rune Mclure stops Stephen Berry from committing suicide it seems like a win but when Stephen is found dead a few weeks later at the foot of Tantallon Castle nobody doubts it was suicide until the pathologist notices some anomalies. When more bodies of people with a history of self harm turn up the team have no doubt they are hunting a serial killer. In the meantime Luc is the last man to see a murder victim, a man he has a grudge against, before he is murdered and comes under suspicion.

I thoroughly enjoyed Perfect Crime which is a good procedural with a couple of interesting subplots. The novel is mostly told from Ava and Luc’s points of view with the odd foray into the unnamed killer’s thoughts. Normally I’m not a big fan of this approach but it works well here. The killer has an unusual mindset so what he has to say is more interesting than the usual drivel and had me hooked. The switch between Ava and Luc is more pertinent in this novel than others as they have differing views on certain subjects so it gives the reader a wider perspective. I liked the two main plots, both of which are well conceived and original, as they had me guessing throughout and I still didn’t have a clue until the reveals. I found myself feverishly turning the pages to find out what was coming next.

I was less convinced by the emotional aspects of the novel. Luc and Ava have been fighting an attraction for the whole series but in this novel it’s a case of one step forward and two steps back. At some points it seems to take over the novel and worse, it seems contrived.

Perfect Crime is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Going into this novel I did not realize it was part of a series but I needn't have worried as the characters are fleshed out and this reads as a stand-alone book (though I'll certainly read more of Fields)! Lots of plot lines, including an unresolved rape case from the past, several "suicides" that are suspicious, tension in the department, relationship issues, and a freakish murderer. Add to this many grisly scenes that may make you cringe a little, and you have a police procedural that is engrossing and fast-paced. Not all the characters are likable, and some have questionable judgement, but overall it was a satisfying read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for giving me the chance to read the book in exchange for an honest review.

I had not read any of the series of books before and was surprised to find it was number 5 in the series.

I really enjoyed the majority of the book, I thought it was well researched and treated the subject of suicides and would-be suicides with empathy, dignity and respect. Their was another story running alongside the main one, which unfortunately I found far fetched towards the end, which is a huge shame as I think it diminished the book.

There are two things I took exception to, one being the way DCI Ava Turner covered for DI Callanach, not suspending him when she should have done, and the general way he could seemingly get away with anything, the way he spoken down to her etc. came across as very arrogant. Finally, DI Callanach's character comes over as obsessive, bordering on stalker like, especially the way he took items from her home, I'm not sure what the author has planned for this character but unless he is going to be a major threat eventually, think it should be toned down, made for uncomfortable reading.

On the whole a good read.

The perfect crime is a pretty perfect mystery! When I began this novel, I did not realize that this novel was a part of a series. No worries- the author brings the reader up to date pretty quickly so that this can definitely be read as a standalone novel. I felt that I really understood Luc Callanach and his relationship with Ava who is now his boss. The basic premise is that several unrelated "suicides" are gradually discovered. In each case the victim had tried to attempt suicide before. Hence, the detectives working on solving the case are perplexed whether they are dealing with a string of suicides or is a more sinister plot at hand? The mystery grew in a natural way and I really wasn't certain who the culprit was. This was definitely well crafted so that there were several candidates in my mind for the murderer and all were viable. I liked the complexity of Luc's relationship with Ava and can't wait to see how it evolves in future books. This is a definite "recommend"!

Full review to be published online in mid May.

PERFECT CRIME us the fifth book in Helen Fields delicious crime thriller/police procedural series "D I Callanach". There are two crimes being investigated; one being that of the death of Stephen Berry. His death looks on the outset to be a suicide suicide after his failed attempt from a bridge previously; but when other bodies turn up in similar circumstances ie appears they committed suicide but is that actually the case?

The perpetrator of Callanach's mothers rape was found murdered, Callanach becomes the main suspect after he has visited him at the nursing home where he is suffering from dementia.

Again another gritty mystery to get to grips with and the relationship between Luc and Ava is built on, getting to know more about both of them, I really like their characters and feel like I know them personally. Great addition to an addictive series.

An absolute must read..... the story starts with a desperate man wanting to end his life and threatening to jump from a bridge when a good Samaritan reaches out to him and talks him into having a reason to live.... but is the good Samaritan all he seems

When bodies start turning up Callanach and turner start looking into their backgrounds and find a link to them all that takes everyone by surprise

I highly recommend this book to all fans of Helen Fields new and old

Another installment of the Callanach series, which really should be called the Turner series!
This one has an even bigger focus on the Luc-Ava will they-won’t they story than the previous books, which I’m sure many people will be happy with... as it’s what we all keep reading for!
Plus, more Overbeck! A genuinely funny character!
Possible spoilers from here...
The criminal/hunt for the killer element was just ‘ok’ for me this time round. I know it was intentional by the author, but the number of clangers Ava dropped was annoying. There was some serious counting chickens before the eggs had hatched, which felt like huge police procedure breaches rather than ‘oh, I shouldn’t have done that’. (Taking their eyes off Janet Monroe... Eh?!)
The idea of luring a killer out & Lance saving the day felt a bit too familiar from a previous story. When is he going to get his honourary detectives badge?!
Plus, another character making another significant reappearance made my eyes roll slightly. Still, at least that one is resolved now.
Not quite a return to form (the debut novel being the most enjoyable got me), but much better than the low point of Perfect ‘Knuckles’ Death.
I know it was all part of the story development and to show us her vulnerability, but I do hope Ava quits with the ‘oh god I’m so gross who’d fancy me with my unshaven legs’ routine in the next book. She’s a DCI for goodness sakes, so she clearly knows what’s what and that she’s physically and intellectually very attractive.
Well, I appear to have just slated the book.... But I did enjoy it, honest! I’m a sucker for a will they-won’t they :)

I’ve read & loved all the previous books in this series & this was no exception.

So dark & gruesome I was hooked immediately.

Love the ongoing story of Ava and Luc. Can’t wait to hear of their adventures in the next book.

This is the 5th book in the DI Callanach series by author Helen Fields. I am really enjoying this series featuring lead character Luc Callanach who left a promising career at Interpol under a cloud to prove himself with a new team in Edinburgh. These books can be read as stand-alone novels but treat yourself and read them from the start in order to get the full picture.
In this novel Stephen Berry is about to jump off a bridge but is prevented from his suicide by the intervention of a counsellor. A week later, Stephen is found dead at the bottom of a cliff and DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are brought in to investigate whether he jumped or whether he was pushed. As investigations proceed they discover additional would be suicides, a woman found dead in a bath, a man violently electrocuted. These deaths are not what they may at first seem and a more sinister plot is in place.
Another excellent plot and lots of back stories to entertain and absorb. Excellent series.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this not knowing it was the fifth in a series, so I don't have the same long-standing relationship with the characters as others who have read the previous books. There is a bit of exposition in the first few chapters to get you up to speed, but it's somewhat abrupt and there's a lot of plot holdover that you're expected to swallow if you're just jumping in. In hindsight I would have started at book 1, but it didn't make the experience impossible to deal with.

More than just past events, there's established character relationships that, for me, didn't really come together. Luc and Ava's relationship makes zero sense to me. She's his boss, but he is incredibly condescending, controlling and at times creepy to her. Some of their interactions are too inappropriate to be believable for even a workplace romance, so as a reader to be asked to believe they're not romantically involved, but just have a really close friendship, is too much. Maybe they earned this in the previous books, but there was no payoff with them as a standalone.

Luc isn't the only one who is weirdly territorial about his boss. Apparently another officer and a witness just can't help themselves and immediately have to try to disrupt a working relationship with her and act on their attraction to her. Between the two cops white-knighting for her favor and the doctor hitting on her mid-interview...there's a lot of below the surface misogyny to take in. And Ava chides herself for "giving off signals" to these men--No girl! Don't say that!

As for the murders and premise itself, I thought it was a really interesting idea. A killer targeting people who had failed suicide attempts like a bitter grim reaper--very intriguing! I liked how there were entire chapters devoted to going into the mindset of the suicidal victims before they died. You really get to see them as people instead of as just bodies waiting to be discovered. And the psychological unravel of the killer is something
I definitely didn't see coming.

I liked it on the whole, but the investigative angle more so than the interpersonal conflict.

What a brilliant addition to the series . Dark and twisted while action packed as always . Brilliant delicious dark story that draws you in and doesn't let you go . Can't wait for more from this series

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

Helen Fields is fast surpassing her peers in the thriller field if you excuse the pun! Her DI Luc Callanach series gets better and better and Perfect Crime will not disappoint. Our killer is targeting would be suicide victims and murdering them in unusual and gruesome ways. Meanwhile, Luc is implicated in the death of a nursing home resident. A man he believes raped his mother and may as a result even be his own father. Trouble follows Luc Callanach but that's why we like him. An excellent read. Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy.

4 and 1 / 2 stars

DI Luc Callanach is back in his latest adventure in seeking a killer. His boss DCI Ava Turner is there to assist him in his investigation.

Stephen Berry is about to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge, but a kindly suicide prevention officer talks him down. Now a mere week late, Stephen is dead by falling from a cliff top. Suicide or was he pushed? Luc and Ava are assigned to look into the case. What they discover is far worse than just one person’s death – or murder as it was later discovered.

Luc and Ava begin their investigation and soon it grows very serious indeed as more suspicious “suicides” turn up. Some methods of death are so outrageous as to hardly be believed. As they follow leads and clues, they zero in on a suspect. Newspaper journalist Lance Proudfoot joins the team doing surveillance and notices some very interesting things about a potential the suspect.

In an exciting and action-filled denouement, the case is drawn to a conclusion. A near tragedy is averted.

And a real bombshell is dropped at the close of the book…

Ms. Fields’ books just keep getting better and better. This is perhaps the best one yet. I do recommend that they be read in order of the publication to get the full backstories of the individual characters. There were some surprises in this book, the biggest one being the identity of the killer. Caught me out on that one! The book is well written and plotted and although it started out a little slowly, it picked up nicely as the police investigation got going. I like Luc and Ava but they really need to work on some issues if they are going to continue to work together. The team, for the most part gets along well and I appreciate that. I don’t like stories in which the police officers are backbiting and lying to one another. Well done, Ms. Fields and please write another in this series soon!

I want to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK/Avon for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review.

I started this book on 3/1 and finished it on the same day. I just had to keep reading it.

I was so thrilled to get this as an ARC and couldn’t wait to get my teeth into the story. The characters are one of my favourite duos, lovely Ava and the dark, handsome Luc. Over beck I think her bark is worse than her bite. She did make me laugh a few times.

The team are faced with suicides, but they are not all that they seem. They are carefully executed murders with no forensic evidence. I have to say though, from the outset I knew who the perpetrator was, I’d worked it out, but I’m not saying any more!

There is a lot going on in this book, and having read all the others, some outstanding matters were addressed, but again I’m not saying any more.

My thanks to Helen and to Netgalley for the ARC, can’t wait for the next one Perfect Dark. Hope it’s out soon 😊