Part 10 of the stellar Helen Grace series finds her and the team in a city hit hard by a COVID-19 economic down turn. Criminals seemingly know nothing of social distancing. In particular there have been several brutal murders, with no evidence, no clear motive and 0 witnesses. Helen is feeling the pressure to get results but is hampered by a disenchanted and exhausted team, one of whom seems intent on bringing Helen down.

A great edition to the series. By including (but not harping on about) made this feel very current. I loved the way it unfolded although the last few pages had me very cross (how could he!?). This remains and look to remain one of my favourite crime series.

I've been collecting the DI Helen Grace series for quite some time but unfortunately I haven't had the chance to read any of them yet, deciding instead to jump straight into the deep end by reading book 10. Whilst I didn't feel disadvantaged at all as a reader new to the series, it is clear that the characters have a lot of history and this definitely made me more keen to find the time to pick up the earlier books. It reads brilliantly as a standalone though.

The story is multi-layered with Helen Grace and her team investigating a series of seemingly unrelated crimes in Southampton, a journalist spinning every story to show Grace in a bad light and the spark of dissension in the ranks. Grace needs to solve these crimes before she loses her job but with suspects having no links to victims, the police can't make any arrest stick. It seems like Grace has really met her match this time.

Truth or Dare really does have the wow factor. The plotting is exquisite and the writing is so vivid that I found myself fully immersed in the story. Helen Grace is already a well-established character but so many of her wonderful character traits came through loud and clear and I felt like I'd known her for years. The plot really is ingenious and I love how it finishes on a bit of a cliffhanger to leave readers chomping at the bit for the next instalment.

Fast-paced, intriguing and ingenious, Truth or Dare is absolutely fantastic. M.J. Arlidge has a new DI Helen Grace fan right here and I can't wait to read more. Don't miss this one!

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

Truth or Dare by M.J. Arlidge is the tenth book in the excellent DI Helen Grace series of books. Although part of a series this is a book that can easily be read as a standalone. With short, punchy chapters and an exciting and tension filled plot, this is a book that once started I did not want to put down. I’m a huge fan of these books and this latest installment did not disappoint in the slightest, in fact I would go as far as to say that this was the best one so far!

As a crime wave sweeps through the city, DI Helen Grace finds herself busier than ever before. But what starts out as a series of seemingly unconnected cases soon turns into something much more sinister, with Helen and her team finding themselves under pressure to solve the rising tide of cases before time runs out. With a complex plot and a storyline that keeps you guessing throughout, Truth or Dare is a book full of intrigue and suspense that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end.

Helen Grace is a fascinating character who keeps on going from strength to strength. I’m always excited when a new book by M.J. Arlidge is released and this one was every bit as good as I hoped it would be. And after that ending I hope it won’t be too long until we catch up with DI Helen Grace once again!

A fast paced police procedural that had me riveted from beginning to end, Truth or Dare is a book I would highly recommend. And even though it can easily be read as a standalone, I would say starting the entire series from the very beginning would make for a much richer and more rewarding reading experience.

An excellent addition to a wonderful series of books. Roll on the next one!

The latest book in the DI Helen Grace series by this fantastic author.

I have really enjoyed this series and found each book to be interesting in it’s own right. With each book telling a story (usually the crime being investigated) as well as continuing the story lines for each of the main characters.

However, this book I was extremely disappointed. I found it to be lacking in any real content. The crime seemed to be far fetched and then hurriedly tied together, very loosely, in a very weak ending.

I’ve given this book three out of five stars because I know that the author is capable of much better and I’m hoping this is just the one dodgy book most series seem to have.

If I had read this book first there’s not enough there that would of made me want to read the rest of the series. Good job I have an (apparently annoying) habit of insisting that I read books in order.

There is a crime wave in Southampton – a murder wave, in fact. What could be causing this escalation? It’s almost certainly not the work of one person, as the methods vary from body to body, the victims seem completely unconnected, and motives for their deaths are very thin on the ground. And yet the body count is steadily creeping higher…

DI Helen Grace’s overstretched team is charged with bringing order to the city, but she can barely keep order within the team. With her staunchest lieutenant on maternity leave, and one of her DS’s actively plotting her downfall, how high will the body count get before the killer – or killers – are brought to justice?

Another modern crime police procedural, the tenth in the DI Helen Grace series, but the first that I’ve come across. I tried it as I do like a good procedural and when NetGalley dangled it under my nose, I thought I’d take a look.

It’s an odd book, to be honest. Let’s be clear first off, it was a real page-turner, with a number of very effective thrills, twists and turns, and an interesting central character. I enjoyed it a lot, but I did feel I was missing something.

As I said, this was the first book I’d read in the series and some of the character bits either passed me by emotionally (when one character dies…) or seemed to be rather unrealistic (the plotting by her underling, without anything other than a quick recap of the history between them, seemed rather over the top). Helen’s near isolation within her team would have meant more, I think, if I knew the characters better.

It’s a decision every author has to make with recurring characters. Do you make each book completely standalone, with regards character development, or do you reward the invested reader? Clearly Arlidge has chosen the second option, which I completely understand, but did make me feel that I was not getting the full reward for that aspect of the story.

And I should mention something about the plot – the villain’s plot, that is. It does stretch the bounds of believability that the villain could get everyone to do the things necessary for everything to work. There’s something of the supervillain about the bad guy/girl – I think that I prefer my villains a little more grounded.

This does sound negative, doesn’t it, but believe me, this is an effective thriller, and an enjoyable read, and I certainly wouldn’t rule out coming back to the series to fill in some of the gaps – or to find out what happens next…

Having read the last Helen Grace book I was keen to read this one too.

This time Grace is up against it, Southampton has been hit by arson, murder, theft and racial hate crime, this crime wave needs greeting head on - but there seems to be connections between the crimes that can’t be ignored. But her team isn’t working as such anymore and it’s adding extra pressure to an already tension filled situation.

As the investigations mount up, and the questions go unanswered Grace feels like she’s losing control. The answers are there, but because her team aren’t working together, they are being joined up like they should. She needs to regain the helm and solve these crimes.

Helen Grace is a good officer, shes thorough and precise. Despite everything shes up against and the powers that be, shes desperate to get to the bottom of these incidents - with so many people involved, will she manage to solve them before her seniors lost faith as she’s beginning to doubt her self now as well.

Great characters and sense of place, police procedurals don’t come much better than this.

A good thriller, though hard to follow due to poor editing - it jumped from scene to scene and different characters with no warning at times, hopefully this because it’s an ARC and this will be rectified in the printed book

As much as I enjoyed the story, the poor formatting and nasty animal cruelty at the end spoilt it for me - sorry but there was no need for this.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

Another great book in the DI Helen Grace series. A fast paced page turner which had me guessing all the way through. A crimewave hits Southampton and DI Grace is in the thick of it. She also has to deal with unrest in her team and a particular person who is out to get her. This book kept me guessing all the way along and I liked the way each section started with He or She and we didn’t know who it was about until we read on further.
There were lots of twists and turns in this book which added to the excitement. The cliff-hanger ending has left me waiting for the next book with baited breath, hope its not too long to wait

Wow! What a book! For the first 1/3 I was secretly bemoaning the language of the book, the words not the explicitness...seemed very simply written...but this tome gradually but firmly pulled me in relentlessly...and I read the last 150 pages in 2 hours! Lots of interest in here, multiple murders...seeming dead ends...conflict between two of the main Police characters...and finally, a suspenseful and satisfying ending...or is it?
I dont usually go into a series of books at Number 10, but the author does not rely heavily on information from previous in the series, so it made no odds to enjoying...a fantastic read! Many thanks to the Publisher, Netgalley.co.uk, and the author for the chance to read this superb book!

Thanx to netgalley for letting me review this book, i have loved all of m.j.arlidges books, not quite sure why i couldnt get in to this one, it has everything,, murder, car jackings, arson .........

TRUTH OR DARE is the tenth book in M.J. Arlidge’s Southampton-set police procedurals featuring D.I. Helen Grace, his dedicated, if unorthodox, series protagonist. This time D.I. Grace is faced with a spate of unsolved, and seemingly unconnected, murders and violent crimes. Under pressure from her superiors and from the local press, to whom her former lover, and ambitious deputy, D.S. Hudson, is feeding information aimed at bringing Grace down, Helen struggles to make sense of the crimewave and, perhaps, to save her career.

The investigation into the crimes is engrossing as D.I. Grace becomes increasingly convinced that these are not random occurrences, that there is a link between them, if only she could find the connection. But it is the subplot involving Hudson’s machinations that really drives the novel along. Hudson is a deliciously drawn character and, for me, the real antagonist. Possessing investigative skills but no empathy, and driven by self-interest, Hudson wants to lead the department and will stop at nothing in his campaign to remove Helen Grace. There is more than a touch of Iago in Hudson as he foments suspicion and mistrust in the team and encourages his superiors, already wary of adverse publicity and irritated by their D.I.’s unconventional approach, to see the team’s apparent failings as Grace’s alone. I became more and more frustrated and angry, but no less entertained, by Hudson’s success in undermining his boss.

As you might expect from an author so well-versed in TV crime dramas, the novel is very televisual and moves at an rapid pace. TRUTH OR DARE is an exciting and engaging book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Now if you've followed me for a while you will know that anytime someone asks for thriller recommendations, I will always say M J Alridge's Helen Grace series. So, when the email came through to be a part of the blog tour for the newest installment I was quick to reply. Many thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for inviting me onto the tour and to Orion Books for my gifted copy.

I've followed Helen Grace right from the start and I'm pretty much invested in her life now. I feel a part of her family and just want the best for her. So I was very enraged with a few of the characters in this storyline. Seriously can Helen Grace catch a break? She is a good detective I hate when people are out to make her life hell. Don't mind a few serial killers giving her the run around, but her own team 🙄

Along with dealing with some underhand tactics from her so called close knit team. She has to deal with a crime wave that's sweeping through Southampton. There are lots of crimes happening, and all seem unrelated. But!! Are they?

I love Alridge's style of short sharp chapters, it makes whizzing through the story easier. You get to the end of one chapter and think yep just one more chapter. Before you know it you're flying through and knee deep in a crime wave you have to solve.

Truth Or Dare is the tenth installment in the series, you can easily read it as a standalone. However, personally I'd urge you to get the first nine books and immerse yourself into the life of Helen Grace. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to Orion Crime and Netgalley for this advanced copy of the latest in the DI Helen Grace series. This series gets better and better with each book. The story grips you from the first page to the last and does not let go. The underlying tension between Helen and Joseph really gets to you but without totally dominating or spoiling the story. This is a series to get stuck into but remember to breathe and come up for air because once you start , you won't be able to put the books down. Brilliantly written and full of all the twists and turns you have come to expect from MJ Arlidge. 5 stars all the way.

Truth or Dare is a 10th instalment in the Helen Grace series and it seems that even the author is becoming bored with it. A big part of the story is dedicated to the ‘office politics’ at the station and whilst some of the old characters appear very briefly, it seems it’s just for the sake of being mentioned as they are part of the series, having no relevance to the story line. The whole book seems sketchy and contrived, I almost gave up on it half way through but felt disloyal to the author and Helen Grace as I’ve read all the other books. Maybe it’s time for something different, Mr Arlidge!

Another gripping story by M.J Arlidge. I love the Helen Grace books and this one is just as thrilling and I couldn't put it down. Twists and turns within the investigation and friction in her team means I was guessing the whole way through.

The book starts with Helen and her team dealing with a crime wave in Southampton and no clues about the perpetrators. Joseph Hudson is being openly hostile towards Helen and behind the scenes he is manipulating things so make Helen look bad and getting members of the team onside.
The story is what we have come to expect from this author, fast paced and gripping right up-to the ending.

I have read all of the Helen Grace books by M J Arlidge and I was lucky to receive this book from netgalley. Helen has been having problems with her deputy and is feeling left out from the team so she carries on on her own trying to solve numerous seemingly unrelated crimes. Unputadownable book, will now have to wait for the next instalment.

Another DI Helen Grace book and a good read. Following the break up of her relationship with DS Joseph Hudson, the team is divided as he tries to gain more control and bring her down. There are lots of unrelated murders taking place and she needs to find the link.

A good thriller and one that keeps you thinking as to why the murders are taking place and who is doing them.

I love the DI Helen Grace series, but for some reason I found that I struggled to get into the story at first this time. If anyone else is the same please stick with it it’s definitely worth it. Once it gets going it’s fast paced to the end leaving you waiting for the next book in the series.
Helen has a lot going on in her life during this book. Firstly she’s without her DS Charlie who is still on maternity leave. Having seen her mistake getting with DS Joseph Hudson and breaking it off, Joseph is doing everything he can to undermine her. Team morale is at an all time low, and suddenly there’s lots of unexplained crimes happening. Helen has her work cut out to get on top of her work load, and make sure her career is safe and on course.

"So much bloodshed, so much heartache of late, yet so little to go on. Recently, Helen had felt like she was swimming with one hand tied behind her back, drowning in a rising tide of violence and brutality."

Helen and her team are under pressure. They are facing an unprecedented crime wave following the Covid-19 Pandemic; seemingly unrelated crimes without motive and leave few clues. Things feel out of control and they are yielding few results, which the press aren’t letting them forget. But then evidence emerges that suggests these crimes could be linked. Could one mastermind really be behind it all? Pulling the strings like a twisted puppeteer? And, more importantly, can Helen find and stop them?

Gripping, atmospheric and addictive, this 10th installment in the fantastic DI Helen Grace series was every bit as compelling as the previous books. I devoured it quickly, unable to put it down once I’d started reading. I always enjoy coming back to a series I love and being immersed in the familiar world and characters that the author has created. Helen and her team have been part of my reading world for a decade now and I’ve enjoyed following their journey and watching them solve crimes over the years.

In Truth or Dare Helen is facing some of her greatest challenges yet. Not only is she facing the rise in crimes that are difficult to solve, but there is also mounting tension between herself and her team, particularly her and former lover Joseph Hudson, who is determined to undermine her at every turn. She finds herself not only fighting crime, but fighting for her career and reputation. I loved the extra tension this created and how you are constantly wondering if this could be the end for our beloved but beleaguered detective. I won’t spoil the surprise about whether or not it is. You’ll have to read it for yourself and find out. And while this could be read as a standalone, I do highly recommend the whole series. It’s one you won’t regret adding to your TBR.

One of the things I love about M. J. Arlidge is that he knows how to set the scene so vividly that it is like you’re watching it on a TV screen. You feel like you are there with the characters, feeling every moment of tension, frustration, despair and disappointment. He also smoothly juggles multiple plot lines, effortless weaving them together in surprising ways. I always fall for his red herrings as he expertly sends the reader looking in the wrong direction before blindsiding you with the jaw-dropping truth.

Tense, twisty, dark and cunningly crafted, Truth or Dare is another unmissable thriller from the brilliant M. J. Arlidge.