An excellent read. When Helen Grace is called to investigate a murder in an S&M club, she realises the victim is someone she has gone to for his professional services previously. She is determined to find his murderer, but the case starts to feel personal.
This is the first of the DI Grace books I have read, and due to the ending of this one I need to read the next book as soon as possible! However, I enjoyed it so much I have decided to go back to the start of the series as there is a lot of background information that would have helped me in the reading of this book. A highly recommended read.

My first book by the author and despite being the fifth book to feature her, my introduction to DI Helen Grace.
Set in Southampton you don’t ‘need’ to have read the previous books although there are comments and references and it would probably be best if you have.
The theme here is a murder set in the BDSM community and there are aspects that connect to DI Grace’s secret life in the same community. She tries to investigate while hiding this from her colleagues. And the investigation will take her into some very dark places.
I struggled with this, it lacked some logic and I had no empathy with the main character. While interesting to have her part of the scene she is investigating, I didn’t warm to her or think she was taking logical decisions. There is a bit of rivalry in her squad but this has no real relevance to the story but it did make me question her as a leader. So I didn’t like DI Grace and as a result I didn’t feel overly invested in what happens to her here. Be warned that this felt like the first of a two part story and you may feel the cliff-hanger ending is a little unsatisfying.

Thank you for letting me read this book. This was my first MJ Aldridge Book and the first time I have come across DI Helen Grace (must be something to do with the name Grace and Police as Roy Grace by Peter James is my favourite Detective). Although I didn't know anything about the background of Helen I got to grips with this Book 5 in the series from the off. This book didn't disappoint and was certainly a page turner. Now I'm hooked will have to get Book 6.

A bit gory, unless you are following the series.
An interesting crime thriller, although I hadn't read any of the previous books in this series. I had guessed from the things mentioned in the plot that there were previous books, and that did not affect my enjoyment. However, for me it was spoilt by the ending, which was a large cliffhanger. When I checked and saw that there were subsequent books, I could see why the author may have written it that way. However, this does mean that the book has to be read as part of a series, and I imagine that readers already into this series would really enjoy this and look forward to the next.

This is very a dark continuation of the series and the violent deaths which are linked to the local BDSM community make for compelling reading. As always, DI Helen Grace and her police team are in a race against time to find the perpetrator, but for Helen Grace the search is about to get very personal indeed.

I think this has been my favourite of this excellent crime series series to date. I literally read it, almost in one sitting, as I couldn't put it down until I had found out who was responsible for these horrific crimes.

An unexpected ending which I never saw coming. Can't wait for book 6 now.

Little Boy Blue

I enjoy Helen Grace as a character and it is always comforting to dive into a book where you already know the characters and their background. It's familiar and like going home.

This book was fast paced and gritty, exploring a dark underworld and the dangers that come along with being part of it. Despite enjoying the book, I did want to shake Helen at times and say "look after number one!!" I didn't love this story as much as I loved the previous three in the series, however I do believe there is still a lot more to see from Helen yet! And for that I am excited!

I was kindly sent a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I had never read any of the other Detective Helen Grace thrillers and maybe that is why I could not really relate to this book. I found the characters rather one dimensional and I didn't feel I got to know them at all. The story jumped from one character to another within the same chapter with little warning which I found confusing. The story was fairly interesting but I think I really needed to know more about Helen's background to appreciate it fully.

Can't get enough of MJ Arlidge, great story teller. Helen Grace is a force to be reconned with.
A very dark and disturbing story ,really well told, could not put it down