Eye for an Eye is a story of revenge. Revenge against men and women who have been perpetrators of horrendous crimes of child murders when they themselves were only children.
Here we have HM Probation Services responsible for ensuring these now released criminals out on licence are basically behaving themselves but also protecting their identities to prevent revenge attacks on their person. Somehow someone has obtained the new names and addresses of some of these now out of of prison and is sending them to members of the families that have vowed to take violent revenge, an eye for an eye.
Olivia one of the main characters is a probation officer responsible for one of these just released, there is often public outrage when released with the consensus being they have served too short a sentence and not paid for their crimes.
I did find the early part of the book a little confusing there did seem to be a large number of characters to keep track of, although certainly a good paced page turning thriller I can’t say any of the characters had a single redeeming quality, although there was some chink of light at the end for one.
A race against time to discover who is releasing the information and I was surprised by one big reveal high I really didn’t see coming.
Did I miss Helen Grace, very much so, but that said this was certainly and entertaining read and above all very thought provoking.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Such a thought provoking book, subject matter quite difficult. Do we believe that those who have committed truly horrific crimes should be given a new start, a new identity and allowed to live out their lives with no restitution? Is there a difference between justice and revenge? All of these questions are covered in this book and how as the reader do we sympathise with the victims families? It certainly made me think which is always the sign of a good book.....very different to the Helen Grace series but still good.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Eye for an Eye, a stand-alone thriller set in London.

Someone is leaking the new identities of child killers released after serving their sentences. Probation Officer Olivia Campbell is caught in the middle of trying to protect her charges and the hunt for both the vigilante killers and the leaker.

I like the Helen Grace novels so I was excited to be offered a copy of Eye for an Eye, but sadly I didn’t enjoy it at all for a variety of reasons and really struggled to get through it.

The novel is told from many different points of view, including victims and potential victims, murderers, vigilantes, probation officers and detectives investigating the leaks. The switches between the different voices are sudden and abrupt, normally at an interesting juncture, which leads to an almost constant flow of mini cliffhangers. No, this approach didn’t excite my curiosity or encourage me to read on, instead I found it annoying that there is no flow to the narrative and far too many voices to keep adequate track of. So much chopping and changes of perspective, often without warning, gives the reader, or gave this reader at least, so many convenient points to take a break.

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting from the novel, but it wasn’t what I got. I have no time for vigilantism and generally I like the idea of second chances, but this is a topic that feels way too weighty for fiction as I personally regard that as entertainment and pondering such questions is not my idea of entertainment. It is a longish novel that gives the author plenty of room to flesh out the characters and give a broad overview of the issues and how they affect each character in different ways. The author does a great job of examining the feelings and thought processes of every side, be it the child killers under threat, the vigilantes’ need for revenge or the stress on the probation officers and detectives. Unfortunately there is hardly a likeable character in the entire novel with it being all about them - does no one know how to take responsibility for their actions? Any tension there is, and I can’t say I was engaged enough to feel it comes from the pressure the characters experience as the situation veers more and more out of control for all of them.

I like police procedurals and the investigation side of crime fiction rather than the more psychological approach of examining thoughts, motives and actions throughout the novel, which I like only in a debrief so Eye for an Eye is not my kind of reading, although I think that the author’s desire to try something different is to be applauded and I think that it will find a wide, appreciative audience, it’s simply not for me.

Oh wow, what a read! Such a clever storyline, so intriguing, it pulls you in trying to work out who the mole is. It kept me guessing until the end. It certainly gives you an insight into how people are given completely new identities after committing horrific crimes when still being a child and then released into the general public.

Loved it!

My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I’m really confused, in fact I’m wondering if I was sent a different version of this book to the one other reviewers received. From about 30% it just seems very disjointed, as if chunks have been removed. For example, in one chapter about Olivia and Jack, Olivia says ‘let’s make the call.’ This is immediately followed by ‘She stabbed wildly at the phone, hammering the buttons. Emily had one eye on the road …’. What’s Emily doing there??!!
In another chapter where Emily is speaking on the phone to Marianne, we suddenly have ‘Mike had never broken the law before …’. In another chapter, Chandra and Isaac Green were discussing Andrew Baynes, followed immediately by ‘Who the fuck do you think you are?’ and we’re back with Jack and his foreman. Then at one point Olivia goes to Jack’s house: … she hurries inside and says ‘Why Jack? Why would you do that?’. She was apoplectic, stunned by what she’d just heard. ‘I’ve told you why,’ Jack moaned … No, sorry, he hadn’t told her anything! Clearly part of the conversation is missing.
By the time I was halfway through it was all getting very confusing. Having not read an M J Arlidge book before, I just wonder if it is his particular style of writing? Whatever, it doesn’t work for me I’m afraid. This could have been a good read if it had been edited and proofread.
The book was far too long, contained too many awful characters, and there was too much unnecessary repetition, gore, and violence. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this, and I’m happy for the author that other reviewers seem to love it!

What happens when the criminals who commit despicable acts have served their sentence and are released back into public life? When their crimes are so appalling that they are given new identities and must live a lie for the rest of their lives?
What happens if their new identities are released and relatives of those they killed are given their new details?
Probation Officer Olivia Campbell is faced with these questions when someone begins to leak confidential information designed to keep these criminals safe. The hunt for the whistle-blower will leave no stone unturned but with over half of the population happy about the killings there is no shortage of suspects.
This is a gripping and powerful book that poses a moral dilemma for the reader. Is it ever okay to take another life and under the same circumstances what would you do?
I have followed MJ Arlidge since I read the first Helen Grace book. His writing is totally absorbing and he takes you on a real journey with the characters. He has been on my “must read” list since then. This book has the same intensity and is as unputdownable as his Helen Grace books.
Utterly brilliant.

Starts with a bang, and keeps on going….
A brilliant psychological thriller with a story that delves into the world of anonymity for the perpetrator of a crime once they have been released.
We are quickly introduced to a female parole officer and a number of people who have had a new identity following a horrendous account. From early on, I feel there are similarities, probably in purpose between the books fictional characters and crimes that have happened in real life.
In this superbly written novel, vigilantes, and family members of victims, all seek revenge on the people who committed serious and horrific crimes but have been released. With personal details released to the public, by an individual, “Whoever they are, they’re on the side of the angels”, the stopwatch starts on quests for revenge.
The book is written well and you don’t necessarily know the main vigilante until nearer the end as a number of suspects are shown.
I really enjoyed this novel, my only negative would be that with the writing being so good, you almost feel compassion for the people who are running from their pasts… well until there crimes are revealed. There could be triggers here as rape and child abuse and mentioned.

Emily is a devorcee with a teenage son. Jack has just started out in a new town with a new job. Russell has met someone and is really secure in his life. But they all have a secret and that secret is about to be shared with the one person in the world that shouldn’t know it. This stand alone psychological thriller by M J Arlidge is a real page turner. A fabulous book that had me hooked from page one, terrified and enthralled in equal measures.

Confusing, unnecessarily long and a bit lost.

I’m not sure that this was the best direction for M J Arlidge. At points I felt like he was writing like another author (namely John Marrs) rather than being true to himself and his own personal style.

Tackling multiple characters pov’s and storylines whilst also treading a fine line of debate. This book is no small read, at around 500 pages it is certainly lengthy. The chapters are short and punchy so it’s definitely a page turner however not a thrilling read. It started with quite a bit of gumption but swiftly afterwards became very dull and plodding only to revive itself towards the end. Of which, I skimmed which I’ll explain why…

I’m just confused as to what the whole central theme was trying to achieve. There were a lot of instances that were perfect for book clubs and social debates but as a story, one that’s meant to thrill and enthrall it did little more than annoy. Yes these people have served their given time and understood why they were incarcerated. But the crimes that they committed were so heinous I struggle to feel any empathy for them on their release. I felt like Arlidge was trying to demonstrate a ‘nature vs nurture’. But in my eyes they were despicable people who really showed no signs of changing, so good riddance!

I think for a book like this to succeed you need to play to the obvious reader’s reaction and then use it to show how their misconceptions are not fully grounded. I don’t think personal circumstances and feelings alone are enough to convince a sitting crowd that a unrepentant killer is forgivable.

Which leads me on the characters themselves. They’re all horrid. Even the ones that aren’t meant to be are just not very nice. Sometimes you can love a horrible character but in this book I didn’t find myself drawn to any of them. Other than their crimes or their position in authority they were all a bit vacuous.

So all in all I’m left a bit disappointed and uneasy with my comments because I’m not sure exactly what I’ve just read. Sorry M J but I like Helen Grace so much more!!

A very different type of book which explores the witness protection programme.

I absolutely loved this book and raced through it.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the arc

5 stars

This was an interesting read - it kept me engaged and kept me guessing but it was very graphically violent in places. The characterisation was good - characters were not necessarily black or white but we're allowed to be shades of grey and you rooted for those who had done wrong on occasion as much as the wronged. I would recommend it.

If you only read one book this year make it this one. The subject matter is a little disturbing because the victims had all committed heinous crimes as children only to be released and given new identities at the age of 18. It is certainly thought provoking and will have you questioning yourself as to how you feel about this.
Aside from that though it is a really great mystery thriller. There are several people in the frame and until the very last chapter I had no idea who the perpetrator was. It really came as a shock when they were exposed.
M.J Arlidge's Helen Grace series comes highly recommended and is deserving of 5 stars all the way but this book shows how well he can write standalone, psychology/mystery thrillers. If I was able to give it more than 5 stars I would.

Brilliant book and just keep getting better as the books come out, fantastic storyline and definitely one of the best I’ve read this year

I often find the more books an author writes the less I seem to like them, not this time! It took me a few chapters for it to sink in that Helen Grace didn't feature in this stand alone. But what a book it was. It covers the issue around retribution when someone does you wrong. Is it ok to harm someone else in that situation? What would you do if you could take revenge on someone who had killed a loved one? To be able to write about characters in such depth and show their flaws and beliefs making the reader feel they know them is such a skill. I couldn't stop reading this book until the end. Please keep them coming.

An interesting departure for MJ Arlidge.
A series of characters who had murdered as children are having their new identities revealed and being killed.

Where is the leak in the Probation Service?

Not as enjoyable as the Helen Grace books but enjoyable nonetheless

Well, this one certainly makes you think!!
A story covering lots of characters that each have their own story to tell, with some of those characters revealing the horrific crimes they committed whilst children. This will certainly be a book that for some, is triggering and will provoke memories of some horrific crimes committed by children in real life & I couldn't help but draw comparisons to the real life abduction and murder of Jamie Bulger.
As the story develops, the reader explores the unresolved anger of the victim's family members , as well as peeking into the present day life of the criminal, who after serving their time are released into the community under the care of the probation service, with new identities hiding them from the horror they inflicted as children.
While I was obviously reeling by details of the crimes that were committed, I felt torn because some of the characters had grown into likeable and relatable adults and they had created a new life, free from the crimes of their past and while I was rooting for one in particular, 'Emily', I could also understand the family's anger and wish to hunt her down and inflict their own pain in revenge.
I finished the book within 2 days but I pondered over it for a while and I can't help but wonder how would I feel if it was revealed that one of my friends was living with a horrific secret? It's difficult to imagine, but this book certainly provokes difficult questions about people living in these circumstances in real life.
Despite all the thoughts, I did enjoy this and it was a nice change from the series that MJ has written recently.

I would like to thank netgalley, and Orion publishing group,and the brilliant author M.j.arlidge for an early copy of his book.


A brilliant author, he has a fantastic series Helen Grace which I really enjoy reading,This is a standalone read. This book starts with criminals who's past is catching up with them they have changed there identity undercover they are targeted,There crimes are horrific should they be allowed to live a normal life..they are hunted down by who? Theres the victims and there families do they deserve justice..This book really makes you think. it's a long read his books are long really worth reading. A five star book for me.looking forward to more of his books.

This book will be reviewed on goodreads, Amazon, waterstone's.

Well ... this book certainly makes you think. Might just challenge your sense of justice and morality too. It's a subject matter that I'm sure we've all thought, if not talked, about in our lifetime. About what constitutes justice. Whether or not you believe that those who have committed what can only be judged to be heinous crimes ever deserve to be paroled or that they should be subject to a true life sentence. For those who commit the worst crimes, especially as young children, the idea of them being given a new identity, a clean slate as it were, often doesn't sit will with people and that, in a nutshell, is the premise of this particular book.

For me the most obvious parallel with this story is that of the murder of James Bulger, and the new identities offered to his two killers on their release, one of whom went on to reoffend. If you know anything of James' story, you'll have an idea of the direction the author takes. Whilst James' parents chose not to seek revenge on their son's murderers, you have to wonder what could have happened had they chosen otherwise and, faced with the same circumstances, how would you have acted? M.J. Arlidge really does pose a very interesting question here about the distinction between justice and revenge and what you might do to avenge a loved one. And it makes this a very unusual read as, on the surface at least, learning what we do about the victims, it does make them less than sympathetic as characters.

The book opens in dramatic style and, as at this point we have no real context as to why this particular person has been targeted for violence, it does really get the mind whirring. In fact by placing readers in the role of voyeur, with our point of view taken from that of the victim, it puts us in a very strange position. I could find some sympathy for them, understood where some had tried hard to put their past behind them. But the more we learn, the harder it is to maintain that sympathy and I found that I also had sympathy for the aggressors. Could understand the source of their rage even if I didn't condone or forgive their actions. There is one victim I found I had more sympathy for than most but, in nearly all cases, there was some history there, a case for the nature v nurture debate which pushed me to really challenge my ideas of right and wrong.

This is an intriguing book, with pacing that ebbs and flows. It is naturally rich in emotion and often hard hitting. The author has a grate ability for creating characters who make us feel a gamut of emotions, and for creating situations that both enrage and enthral, and this is no exception. It has a very different feel to the Helen Grace series, so don't expect to find yourself bonding with the characters in quite the same way. That said, I did like DI Chandra Dabral, but didn't envy her task of trying to find out just who might be the source of the leak which gave up the new identities of the victims to the families they had wronged. There are many other characters, such as Probation Worker, Olivia Campbell, who we spend a considerable amount of time with, and learning about the impact of their jobs on their personal lives adds a layer of authenticity to the book, giving us a break from the dark side of what we are reading.

This is a very layered story, so much so that it enables the perpetrators, much like the people they are stalking to hide in plain sight. The final reveal, when it comes, is perhaps not as surprising or shocking as it should be. There are some very heavily charged scenes of tension and drama which I would expect from this particular author, moments that have you holding your breath, hoping for a more positive outcome that seems possible at times, but always leading us towards a satisfying conclusion. Definitely recommended for fans of books that not only entertain, but really make you think too.

In Eye For An Eye, we step away from Helen Grace and join a completely new group of characters for a fascinating and incredibly well plotted story. It is clear from the blurb that this novel poses a moral dilemma for the reader and I loved that I was given so much to think about in such a gripping story.

MJ Arlidge introduces us to quite a lot of characters in the first few chapters, so it took me some time to get my head around who was who, but once I did, I became really interested in their lives and their background stories. I love the way the author develops these stories throughout the novel and I really wanted to know more about the characters and what they had done and why. I also enjoyed meeting the probation team, getting a glimpse into the work they did as well as their personal lives, which were almost as complicated as those of their clients!

It's clear from the outset that the crimes these characters have committed are some of the worst possible crimes, and MJ Arlidge does not hold back on detail so Eye For An Eye may not be for the faint hearted, but the vividness of the violence really brought the book to life for me, emphasising both the horrific nature of the original crimes and the strength of the revenge.

Eye For An Eye is a novel which hooked me from the beginning, and with short chapters and so many layers to the story, the pace is relentless and I couldn't stop thinking about the book even when I wasn't reading. As the novel reaches the ending, the tension is palpable and I was desperate to see what would happen. There were a few surprises to keep me on my toes too.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good stand-alone thriller, it took a little time to get into, but worth it in the end. A recommended read.