Didn't they suffer enough the first time: thrills with a twist😲

4.5🌟stars
The plot is cunningly constructed, with excerpts from one character's recently-published account of a harrowing crime inserted to provide detailed background for a current spate of murders that chillingly involve the earlier crime's victims. I don't recall reading Arlidge's works previously and I am glad that I spotted this one; it's my kind of crime story😊.

Female police detectives Helen Grace and Charlie Brooks are smart, powerful role models. DS Joe Hudson, Grace's latest lover and fellow speed enthusiast, works the angles looking for career advancement, a dogged reporter finds a weak point to exploit for inside information and Helen's boss suffers silently as her competence is questioned. Hudson is a character to watch, with his egotism, impetuosity, simmering anger and resentment. The play of squad politics is a great element that adds to the drama, but the real heart of the story is a chain of murders that hark back to a violent crime against five schoolchildren eight years prior. Why and how the connection: that's the mystery for Helen Grace and co. to solve before the death toll mounts.

I thought the character count was kept to a manageable number and the frequent change of point of view kept the story rolling at a fast pace. Plenty of suspense concludes with some nail-biting action and a twist. This one is part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone. Still, now that I've had a glimpse into Helen Grace's life, I want to come back!

Thanks to publishers Orion and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review and opinions expressed are completely my own.

I can't believe that I haven't come across these books featuring Helen Grace before. Nevertheless, even though this was a long way into the series I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very difficult to put down. What an amazing list of characters, police officers and a very original and gripping story line. I highly recommend this book, but if you haven't read any others in this series then do start at number one which I'll be doing straight away. Brilliant read and very clever.

Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

The 9th book in the series and a welcome addition. The short, quick to read chapters make this a fast moving book from the get go. Recommenced you read the whole series before picking it up to get a bit of a back story but having accidentally started the series with book 4, I can honestly say you can read this as a stand alone and get through it.

It was great to revisit old characters and enjoy the book and series once more.

This is one my favourite authors loved how the book started and ended and how they become friends. The only down fall I found was it jumped from one person to the next so got bit confused which person was talking.

I absolutely love the DI Helen Grace series. If you were in danger you’d want this character on your side. The story is gripping and moves along quickly. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming which for me is a sign of a good book and creative author. Without a doubt this is a book to read this year.

Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

All Fall Down
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for a fair review.
Before I start, I confess that I was a little bit disappointed by the last book in this series. However, even a slightly inferior book from this author is better than some of the other offerings out there. I am extremely pleased to announce that this one has returned to previous high levels.
A fast-moving book from page one, through to the last. Written in short, quick to read chapters, that mean you are constantly thinking just one more chapter. As ever DI Grace is thoughtful and inciteful, with lots of action. Great well-developed characters, lots of twists and turns, with a very exciting climatic ending.
Overall a great addition to this wonderful series, highly recommended.

All Fall Down is the latest in the DI Helen Grace series. Justin Lanning receives a phone call telling him he has one hour to live. This is not Lanning's first time being threatened. As a student on a field trip he and a bunch of his classmates are held captive by a sadistic loner. Four of the students eventually escape but one does not. The killer escapes and is never seen again. Everything points to him having returned and the nightmare for the now four adult students has begun all over again. I enjoyed this latest installment in the Helen Grace series though I did not find it as gripping as previous books. Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy.

What an amazing book I have read other books in the Helen Grace series but this was for me by far the best yet.It starts with a phone call and then follows a fast paced ,compelling story full of twists and turns such a good crime thriller and the ending well I didn't see that coming !! Can't wait for the next book in the series .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for an advanced copy of this book.

As usual another brilliant book from M.J. Arlidge. I have loved the Helen Grace series from the very first book and this one didn’t disappoint. Kept me engrossed and guessing from beginning to end.

Helen Grace is going full throttle in this thriller from MJ Arlidge. When you get the telephone call telling you that you have one hour to live.
Full of twists and turns in an excellent storyline that keeps you guessing. Perfect for any thriller fan to read.
I could have read this in one sitting - brilliant.

This is the ninth book in the DI Helen Grace series and I was wondered whether it could live up to the previous books.

The book starts basically with a phone call saying “you have an hour to live”. Bang and you are straight in to a very fast paced but wonderful story. You start to get a little glimpse of a new relationship for Grace which looks promising and I was desperate for that to develop in a good way for her. The story centres around a group of five teenagers who get held kidnapped and captive after getting lost on a DofE expedition. Four of them escape and unfortunately one never makes it home. It would appear that their kidnapper, who disappeared when they escaped, is back and taking them out one by one.

The book starts with a bang and hurtles along at a phenomenal speed. I didn’t want to put it down and it was a true “whodunnit” for me. I also felt that DI Helen Grace could be hailed as the next female James Bond. She has it all, charisma, love interest and an incredible knack for seeking out the baddies! I loved this book and will eagerly await book 10.

I must admit I got very excited when I saw that there was a new instalment in the Helen Grace series having followed this from the beginning, hard to believe we are now on to No. 9.

This was a classic who dunnit scenario involving the survivors of a brutal captivity when they were teenagers, 5 went into Daniel King’s house but only 4 made it out alive… although Daniel King was never caught, it was presumed he was dead BUT is he back to finish the job?

Roll 8 years later and Justin, Callum, Maxine and Fran are getting on with their lives, some more successfully. Justin did very well for himself and one night while leaving his office, he receives a phone call, “you’ve only one hour to live”, Justin passing this off as a prank call heads home….. only for Grace and her team to be called in to the scene of crime of Justin’s body….

Maxine has just written a book about their experience in captivity which is believed to be at the heart of the reasoning behind this murder… the others are now panicked, can Grace & her team figure out what is going on to save the rest and make them survivors yet again!

Absolutely loved this, it was a great murder mystery, creepy as hell with the victims receiving a call first of their impending doom but who is behind it, can King still really be alive? Clear your schedule because once you start this book you will not want to put it down, it’s a case of I have to know… although there were plenty of red herrings along the way to throw Grace off, the finale was nothing short of spectacular. Highly recommended and if you haven’t started the Helen Grace series yet, you are in for an absolute treat.

This is the 9th book in the Helen Grace series by author MJ. Arlidge and although I would recommend reading the whole series would work as a stand alone.
This is a fast moving story with plenty of action, good strong characters and a well thought out plot. The fast pace starts right from the start when someone receives a phone call saying they have one hour to live. The book starts at a break neck pace and keeps going right to the end.
There are lots of twists and turns that will be appreciated by followers of this author and I am pleased to say this is a great addition to this exciting series.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Orion Publishing Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t believe I read the first book in the Detective Helen Grace series Eney Meeny way back in 2014 and now here we are at book nine! I used to read many crime series, some I lost interest in overtime, others became a chore to read, but this series is one that grabs my attention every time and makes me impatient for the next book in the series. Although All Fall Down could be read as a stand-alone, but it’s worth bearing in mind like any long running series, you will have missed out on the backstories of some of the more established characters. 

Imagine receiving a phone call, and someone declares, “You have one hour to live.” Would you shrug it off? Put it down to a prank call? Or would you run for the hills and hire a bodyguard? That’s the premise for All Fall Down, once the victim gets ‘that’ call it’s all downhill from there! The big question is why? Helen and her team really have their work cut out, there are wrong turns, false leads, and a case of mistaken identity. As to the killer well their one twisted, cruel individual, and as slippery as a snake always staying one step ahead of the investigation team. Helen’s private life has also got complicated, thanks to her relationship with fellow officer DS Joseph Hudson.


One of the things I really appreciated about All Fall Down is the way M.J Arlidge incorporates a book within a book, extracts from ‘One Dark Night’ are peppered throughout the book , I’m not going to reveal what the books about or how it fits into the plot, the less said the better,  as it will make your reading experience all the more thrilling. Its these chilling extracts that heighten the suspense, whilst urging  the reader onwards to unravel the connections. Short,  snappy chapters ensure the reader's interest doesn’t waiver, and propel the story forward at a speedy pace. As you would expect from M. J. Arlidge there are some jaw dropping twists along the way. Although perhaps not as gruesome as previous books it’s a worthy addition to the series and one that made for an exciting read. 

Review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

I have read all of the Mr Arlidge's books, and once again I wasn't disappointed. He has a way of involving the reader from the beginning and not letting them go until the very end! Highly recommended.
TB

Oh it is good to be back in the company of Helen Grace and her team. Not because there is any chance the book is going to give me the warm and fuzzies - far from it - but because I can pretty well guarantee I am going to get a book that is entertaining, gripping, infused with great characters, edginess and a mystery that is going to keep you on edge and guessing right to the end. Which is what I got when I started reading All Fall Down.

The book begins as the author means to go on - bringing that intrigue and tension that is going to hook the reader. A lone character, not one I could immediately warm to, who is faced with a broken down lift, a phone call and the ultimate threat - you have one hour left to live ... If this was a TV show, it would be time to queue the dramatic music. Now you might think you know what comes next, or can guess, but you'd probably be wrong. And that is the author's skill - keeping the suspense building to the point you think you can relax before bringing those moments designed to shock.

Now I will be honest - this did not feel as fast paced as some of the previous books, and the body count and mode of dispatch perhaps not as grotesque as some of it's predecessors either. That does not mean the author has softened, or gone easy on the characters, and the more i read, the more apparent the complexity of the victim's lives became. Their tale was one I sort of recognised, one that I could guess the direction the story was leading, but there was still that last little bit of mystery that was kept well hidden until the end of the book. The dramatic reveal that tips everything on its head, blindsiding not only the characters but the readers as well.

After everything Helen has been through, there was a moment that i thought maybe, just maybe, Mr Arlidge might be finally about to give her a break. If you want to know if that is the case and she looks set to get a happy-ish ending, you'll need to read for yourself but I am guessing from the parting chapter, her story is far from over yet. But seeing her here, back with Charlie and the team who support her, did feel like dropping in on old friends. We get to learn a lot more about relative newcomer to the team, DS Joseph Hudson, and the development of his relationship with Helen. He's a dark horse that one, competitive and determined, and that is all I will say. He is certainly interesting and I'm dying to see what comes next between the pair.

If you have missed Helen Grace, as I have, then this is a more than welcome return to the streets of Southampton and the high profile high energy investigations that we all love. It is a book that keeps the chills coming, the pages turning and the attention focused on just what will happen next and how far the characters will go to get what they want. There are times I found myself slack jawed, mainly with disbelief at their stupidity to be honest, and others where I was on the edge of my seat. But I was hooked, right to the end, and left most definitely needing more.

I'm a big fan of the Helen Grace series and I think this is right up there with one of the best - a very enjoyable story with a great ending. I love the development of the main characters - especially Helen and Charlie - and can't wait for the next one. Highly recommended.

I’ve read all the previous DI Helen Grace books so was excited to receive this proof copy to review. All Fall Down contains all the elements that make books by this author such compelling reads.
If you like fast moving crime thrillers you will surely like this.
In this novel Helen and her team are investigating the murder of Justin who was once part of a group of teenagers held captive by Daniel King, a sadistic killer. Has King returned to finish the job?
Whilst at school Justin, Callum, Maxine and Fran have been taking part in a Duke of Edinburgh Award trek when fog descends. Taking shelter in strange recluse King’s house, they are captured by him and threatened with death.
Roll on 8 years and the group have escaped and are leading normal lives. Justin is a successful businessman but one day he is threatened when leaving work, being told on the phone he has one hour to live.
Maxine has written a book about their experiences and this is about to be published. Has this spurred the killer to return after vanishing and evading arrest?
Maxine’s narrative from her forthcoming book is inserted into the main body of the novel to “explain” to the reader what happened all those years ago.
As well as the fast moving investigation where there are few clues and many red herrings Grace also has to deal with a difficult personal situation as she is having a relationship with one of her colleagues. At first this is going well but then she begins to feel uneasy after she discovers some background information about her lover.
I liked the dynamic between Grace and Joseph- there is something slightly off about him which the reader can see but it is not clear to Grace until well into the book.
I did not guess the outcome or “whodunnit” so the book definitely kept me on my toes and eager to read to the end.
This is a great addition to the DI Helen Grace series and although it would work as a stand alone it would be better to read after the earlier books as the characters’ backgrounds do add to the rhythm of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Once you start you just won't want to put it down, as it's a brilliant read and a great addition to the series which is one of my favorites. A serial killer who notifies his victims of their impending death is something quite different and the first victim ignores the warning as nothing more than a prank, a decision he won't live to regret. I love how the author inserts little snippets of the history and trials and tribulations of the main character Helen Grace who has had a far from perfect life so far. My heart was in my mouth as I waited with bated breath for the jaw-dropping conclusion. If like me you love a nonstop full-on crime thriller then this is a must read.

I love MJ Arlidge! Helen Grace is on the case again and BAM this one is a gripper! I couldn't put it down and these books just get better and better. I recommend MJ Arlidge to everyone!