I’m a huge fan of M J Arlidge and always keep an eye out for his new releases. Best known for the Helen Grace series, I believe this is his first stand alone novel, and it’s a goodie!

There’s a lot of characters in this one, so initially it did take me a while to wrap my head around them all but once I did, it wasn’t an issue and I was able to easily distinguish between them.

I found the plot compelling, an interesting story where criminals who have been given new identities, have their whereabouts leaked to their victim’s families. It certainly gave me food for thought on what I would have done if I was in that scenario. Probably nothing, because I’m a mouse 🐭🤣

There’s plenty of gore and descriptive content regarding murders (we all know I love that stuff) but perhaps not for the faint hearted. I really enjoyed it overall, perhaps a tiny bit long at 544 pages but that’s just me preferring shorter reads at the moment. I also think it would make an excellent book club pick, the debates and discussions would be really interesting 👏🏻

A good read, dark subject matter but very compelling and gripping. I always enjoy the author's books and will look out for more.

I enjoyed this book but I found it pretty difficult to keep with all of the characters and struggled working out who was who. I also found some of the crimes that were committed quite difficult to read about. It was well written and had a good premise and left you thinking about a lot.

I do so love a read by Arlidge and this was no exception. 'Eye For An Eye' is a very dark and at times, gory read. However, if you can get past this it is also a thrilling read, full of dark secrets and an even darker sense of justice. Not only is this a fantastic thriller, it is also thought provoking and got me thinking about the justice system.
I should not have been surprised but I was to see how many twists Arlidge throws in. They only served to make this already exhilarating read even better.
I honestly do not think Arlidge can do anything wrong. This is a stupendous read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy.

In “Eye for an Eye”, M.J. Arlidge weaves a gripping narrative that delves into the complexities of identity, justice, and the blurred lines between criminal and victim. The novel introduces us to a select group of nine criminals who have been granted lifelong anonymity due to the heinous nature of their crimes. These individuals are given new identities, new homes, and a chance at redemption. But what happens when someone starts exposing their true identities to the families of their victims?

The plot revolves around three central characters, Emily, Jack and Russell, All three share a dark secret—they are among the nine criminals with hidden pasts. Their safety depends on their anonymity, but when their true identities are threatened, chaos ensues. Probation officer Olivia Campbell finds herself caught in the crossfire as she grapples with the fallout from these revelations. As the hunt for the mole intensifies, vigilante killers are unleashed, seeking their own form of justice.

The author masterfully builds tension throughout the novel, leaving readers questioning who deserves justice and who gets to decide. The moral dilemmas faced by the characters are thought-provoking, and the twists keep the pages turning.

I didn't really enjoy this book. It was largely depictions of a series of brutal attacks, strung together with a bit of police work, but mostly it was about the possible victims before and after they got their rough justice. I prefer more of the police work and less of the violence, personally.

I've read quite a few of M.J. Arlidge's other books and what always strikes me is that they seem to be set in a world quite remote from real UK law. Basically if you commit a terrible crime but if you have a really good reason for it, you can in fact get away with it. I like there to be consequences for characters, not an unbelievable deus ex machina to ensure a happy-ish ending.

Please can we also acknowledge that if you hit a woman in the head and ribs for an hour with a hammer, she is probably going to die. If she doesn't, her first concern isn't going to be EMERGENCY DENTISTRY.

I really don't like the way Arlidge writes either - it always sounds like he has swallowed a thesaurus, with really odd word choices that seem out of place (do ordinary people really use the word obfuscation in a sentence?) and with characters never merely saying anything if they can counter or moan it instead. It's the sort of writing we were encouraged to do in junior school and it always reads very clumsily to me now.

A good read
A stand-alone book
Love the D.I Helen Grace series
But not sure about this one
Not one of my favourites
Thanks NetGalley

I liked the short chapters, which were sectioned into days. The different narrators (accused, families of the victims, probation officers, police officers) kept the story moving at pace.
At over 500 pages, I felt it was a bit on the long side and the story could have been condensed to shorten the overall length of the novel, or the length could have been increased and the story split across two novels.

Before I get onto my review can we just take a moment to stare at the cover! I mean, just WOW. Perfectly captivating and sinister.. who wouldn't want to pock that up from a bookshelf?

Right, now that's done... onto the guts of the book!

Now I'm a big fan of the authors Helen Grace series so when this book landed in my inbox I gave a little squeal of joy. Even though a standalone, I knew how exceptional the writing would be!

The book starts with a bang.. a dark, chilling and violent first chapter is guaranteed to get the reader drawn in immediately and my God did it grab hold.

In the UK there are 9 criminals that have been given lifelong anonymity. A new identity, a new address, a new job, a new life. All loving their lives under the radar, getting on like 'regular' people. But, those that have been left behind to deal with the aftermath and grief of their crimes can never move on, stuck with the feeling that justice was mever served!

Now their heinous crimes are catching up with them, they are being hunted but by who and how were they found when only the smallest select group of people have ever known their whereabouts and new identities.

The multiple POVs did at times get muddled bit brought about so many emotions. Sympathy, empathy, anger and disgust. Whilst the story may be fiction, this tale shows the truth behind the constant stress and frustration the Peobabtion Officers must have to cope with on a daily basis whilst having to keep their personal feelings in check.

I love how the concept raises real questions on morals. As a victim, if you were handed the location and identity of the sick and twisted criminal that had ruined your life, would you go after them and get vengeance or would you let things lie? It seriously made me think long and hard about what I would do and in all honesty my first instinct scared me!

Do offenders deserve a second chance? Do they deserve to live a 'normal' life once their sentence has been served? Do they deserve rehabilitation? So many questions arise reading this book and I'd highly recommend as a Book Club read!

Dark ✔
Gripping ✔
Unputdownable ✔

This by far has got to be my favourite book by this author and I'll be recommending over and over.

Massive thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing for the ARC.

Wow I just loved this book was gripped from beginning to end! A thriller that you can’t put down told with amazing characters as well!

This is a standalone book and not part of the author's popular Helen Grace series. Only 9 criminals have ever been granted lifelong anonymity from their crimes. Their identity should be top secret, only known to the select few in the Probation Service. However it looks like their details are being leaked to the families of their victims as one by one they are being found dead. If you were handed details of the person who killed your loved one would you want justice to be served, or should they be able to live the rest of their life in anonymity having served their time?

This was a great read, jumping straight into the action when a man is chased down by 3 masked men. Fingers are being pointed around the Probation Service and we get to meet both Probation workers and the people they are there to help. There are a lot of characters, but it's written well and easy to keep up with. It does pose some moral questions as to what I would do if I was in the same position as the victim's families and I was left wondering how each person would react as the book moved on. I have to admit for feeling sorry for one or two of the 'criminals' who seemed to show remorse for their crimes, but then there were the others who obviously hadn't learnt anything at all.

The book moves along at a fast pace and keeps the action and suspense high throughout. There are some twists and turns in the story and I was left trying to work out who was leaking the information as it certainly isn't obvious! The theme of the book created some discussion as I read as to whether anonymity for offenders is morally right, and made me realise how much it can affect the victim's families. It was definitely a gripping and tension filled read throughout. Would recommend!

This is a stand alone book which for me did not work nearly so well as the Grace detective stories. The characters were a little stereotypical and it read like it was set in the 1970’s but it wasn’t.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Orion Publishing for approving me for an ARC of this book.

🤔 M.J. Arlidge has chosen a topic that some would deem quite controversial. Should children, that have committed horrific crimes, be given anonymity when they are released into the real world? Going into this I had my mind made up about criminals and what I believe should happen on release but this story definitely made me pause and reflect on certain aspects.

👨🏻‍🤝‍👩🏻What I found very clever was how it all unfolded. Told from multiple POV we get to see how the actions of young criminals affect all. Whether we were hearing from the victim’s family, the criminal, the police officer or the probation officer you could guarantee that each viewpoint was well established and realistic.

🕵🏻‍♀️At the centre of the story is the mystery surrounding who was revealing this sensitive information and why. I can honestly say that whilst I had guessed the red herrings I didn’t figure out the final reveal until it was fully intended. This tells you all you need to know about M.J.Arlidge’s clever prose.

⭐I have been a huge fan of M.J. Arlidge’s Helen Grace series and this standalone did not disappoint. It’s a slow-burn mystery that forces its readers to question their morals and builds to a big finale.

An interesting story from the author of the Helen Grace detective novels. This standalone book follows the investigation into leaked information about the new identities of people released from prison after serving sentences for horrific crimes. Messages are being sent to relatives who believe that justice has not been served following the murders of their loved ones allowing them to take their own revenge.
The plot has many threads and a good few red herrings before its conclusion. An examination of perceptions of justice in society.

Can people really rehabilitate? Are some people just born evil? Should we follow an eye for an eye? Or should we turn the other cheek?


Arlidge is back and this book is a masterpiece! I don’t know that a written review could do this justice, but I will wholeheartedly give it a go. This is an author I adore, An Eye for an Eye instantly shot up the TBR when it was announced. I haven’t been disappointed.

Lifelong anonymity is often a controversial topic, everyone has their own opinions and beliefs around the subject. Arlidge has created characters who are protected under this and created a plot that is unpredictable, perfectly paced and jaw dropping.

Russell, Jack, Emily are all protected because of the heinous, vile and sickening acts they committed. However, as always the World Wide Web brings big problems for these individuals when their real identities and locations are leaked.

Olivia is a probation officer caught up in the midst of this one. However, following an affair with her superior, she has her own issues to contend with. As this unravels, it becomes more addictive. I loved everything about this book. I was caught up on the events and unable to predict where this was going.

Arlidge is a hugely talented author. This is a brilliant read from beginning to end. I loved the characters who really keep you invested. I found elements quite thought provoking.

This is a book I have devoured in just one sitting with no regrets. I only wish I could read this for the first time all over again. This is a brilliant read and a must for the TBR.

9 criminals, all notorious for the awful things they have done, are all living 'normal' lives on the outside. They've done their time but have lifelong anonymity to protect them from revenge. But someone knows their secrets and isn't adverse to passing this to the shattered families of their victims.

Thought provoking, but ultimately not this writers finest work. The parts about the criminals are compelling, but the 'mystery' of who is unmasking them isn't that mysterious. It's hard to put down, but the conclusion is a bit unsatisfactory

I did not finish this book as I did not think it was as cohesive as his DI Grace books and it fell really flat for me to the point I did not want to pick this book up at all

It's not a book for the faint of heart and there's a lot of darkness. It will bring you to some very dark places and keeps you on the edge.
You will not be able to put it down even when it's so out of your comfort zone to be into space.
But I loved it as it's well plotted, solid, and tense story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

My review:

I’m a huge fan of MJ Arlidge’s series featuring DCI Helen Grace and have also enjoyed his other standalone A Gift For Dying, I was very excited to start his latest standalone Eye For An Eye, especially having organised his blogtour for Orion in July and reading all the glowing reviews from my fellow bloggers.

This book is NOT for the faint hearted whilst I thoroughly enjoyed it, I have to warn readers that despite being topical and thought-provoking, this book contains some highly disturbing scenes and themes including child abuse, child murders, paedophiles and serial offenders.

Written in short, sharp, pacy chapters, narrated by several main characters, Eye for An Eye is about a group of dangerous, notorious criminals who have served their sentences and been released back into society under a new identity. They now have jobs, homes, families, living a “normal” life and their heinous pasts are hidden from everyone except their probation officers.

However, their identities are being leaked to the victims families and justice is being served on these vicious criminals by vigilante killers.

With the police trying to hunt down these killers, the probation officers trying to protect their clients, the criminals trying to avoid being outed and the victims families desperate for revenge, Eye for An Eye is a thought-provoking book which makes the reader question their own values and morals.

It’s not an easy read as mentioned above due to the subject matter, but the violence and scenes are not gratuitous however disturbing they are.

I sped through this book on my kindle and didn’t realise it has 534 pages until I prepared this review, which just proves how much I enjoyed it.

If you are a fan of gritty, topical and thought-provoking crime thrillers, then you should definitely read this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I couldn’t get into this one at all, was a real shame as I’ve read other books by this author and loved them, I really struggled to with all the different characters and lost who was who and lost interest about 30% of the way in.