Southampton. Lawless. In the throes of a major crime wave which the police just can't get on top of.

Added to this, DI Helen Grace has to battle both an internal leak to the press and being seriously undermined by one of her team

Intriguing

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This story is part of the DI Helen Grace series, and it’s one of the best series I’ve ever read. Helen is a flawed copper working out of Southampton Central in the MIT department. And during this instalment we see the crime soar post covid. There seems to be an endless stream of car jackings, vandalism, thefts, and murders, and Helen can’t seem to find the culprits for any crime. Helen’s team also seem to be falling apart at the seams, as her continued feud with her deputy, Joseph Hudson, makes the rest of the team silently pick sides. Helen is determined to crack these cases, all the while Hudson follows his own leads, further creating problems within the team. Eventually we see Helen go back to the start of the crimes with fresh eyes and treating it as a new crime. These crimes all seem to be more than Helen can handle, but reordering the team is the only way forward.

This series is the best crime and police procedural set of stories I’ve ever read. I think Helen Grace makes the perfect leader, she’s unorthodox and does things her way, but she also gets brilliant results. I enjoyed the story of her and Hudson running throughout this book as we also get to glimpse the other side of Helen that worries and can be slightly vulnerable. These books always have short chapters, which make even better reading. The story flowed really easily, and the writing, as always, is excellent. I also live in Southampton which makes the visualisation of the story in the minds eye much easier. I would hugely recommend the whole series of these books to anyone who enjoys crime and police procedural with a good, strong female leader.

This is another winner in the Helen Grace series. it's a well woven story, told from different points of view, and filled with interesting characters. An intricate plot, with several murders, has Helen's team racing in circles to find the killer. There is plenty tension and drama, making this another great read from the author. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Another really good instalment in the series. I guessed the twist early on but I like how the story all unfolded and I enjoyed the ending - means I can’t wait for the next book!

I have been a fan of DI Helen Grace since book 1 so I excited to receive a copy of Truth or dare. It feels like meeting up with an old friend again.
There has been wave of different crimes going down in Southampton streets, none of which are linked together but it is DI Helen Grace and her team responsibility to solve them. The team is overwhelmed and struggling. But that is not her only problem. There is a leak on the team and after a brief secret affair and being rejected by Helen, DS Joseph Hudson wants to bring Helen down and take over the team.
This is another great episode in the series. Likeable characters, fast paced, lots of tension that I really enjoyed, and I just wanted to keep rooting for Helen in all the chaos. 5 stars from me.

I’ve followed the DI Helen Grace series from the beginning so was excited to read the latest instalment Truth Or Dare, although I did have some reservations. Why? I’m always worried when I pick up a long running series the authors going to run out of steam, after all there’s only so many different plots you can come up with before they begin to feel similar.

Helen and her team face what is probably their most complex and twisted case yet! Truth Or Dare opens with Helen and her team facing an unprecedented spate of brutal crimes, but they have no idea why, as there seem to be no connections between the cases. Things go from bad to worse when a local newspaper is keen to highlight the failings of Hampshire Police, but then a disturbing pattern emerges in the killings.

We see a very different side to Helen, gone is the super confident DI and in her place is someone who appears ‘battle weary’, she’s full of doubt and uncertainty and with growing discontent amongst her team, Helen doesn’t have an easy ride. The plot of this book is intricate, carefully and expertly executed.The chapters are short and snappy and leave you wanting more. Truth Or Dare is a worthy addition to the series it’s an engaging, intense, fast paced, thrilling read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Truth or Dare, the tenth novel to feature DI Helen Grace of the Southampton Police.

There has been a spate of murder in Southampton, but with nothing linking the victims and no obvious motive Helen and the team are floundering.

I enjoyed Truth or Dare to a point. The premise isn’t hard to guess, especially when it is told from multiple points of view and every character adds a little something initially to the picture and more as the action ramps up. That doesn’t actually matter as the excitement, tension and anticipation are all in the detail and that is well done with several twists and some totally unexpected events. It also ends in a potential cliffhanger, which the author may choose to pursue in the next novel but it would be acceptable if he left it as a threat.

The murder investigation, however, is only half the novel and the other half, running concurrently, is all about Police politics and personality clashes. It is, perhaps, a measure of the author’s skill that I’m team Helen all the way, so I actually found what happens to her in this novel distressing and stressful. The vindictiveness of some characters knows no bounds and the self interest of others isn’t far behind. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t like it and I certainly didn’t find it entertaining. However, for the less snowflakey it is interesting, tense and, to a certain extent, redemptive.

Helen Grace is burdened and slightly unsure at the start of this novel, due to the nature of the case and the backstabbing from her colleagues. It is unusual but short lived as she starts to see a pattern and regains control.

Truth or Dare is a good read that I can recommend.

It’s always exciting when the next Helen Grace book makes an appearance. Can it possibly be as good as the last one? The answer is a resounding yes. Gripping from the first page to the last. Like meeting up with an old friend

I have loved getting to know the character of DI Helen Grace, and believe me, that is no easy task, not even when her life is laid out in a series of books. She is a woman who who has kept herself protected from others, letting only a select few in, and when you hear her backstory, what happened when she was a child, and consider all of the subsequent events in her life, it's probably understandable. It's also something that serves to add a layer of conflict to an already complicated case as the very people she should be able to rely on, her team, are starting to turn against her, and all thanks to a certain DS Joseph Hudson. When it comes to Helen Grace, it's fair to say that most of her relationships are ... complicated.

Speaking of complicated, this case is perhaps one of the most twisted and complicated that Helen has faced yet and that is really saying something. This is not a series known for its straightforward and everyday crimes. Faced with increasing violence across the city, and an ever growing number of unexplained deaths and crimes, Helen and the team are really up against it. Instead of pulling together they are pushing apart from the inside out, and the powers that be aren't exactly all on Helen's side either.

The tension and pressure really start to build from early on in this book, both from a personal and investigative point of view, and for once we see a very vulnerable and uncertain Helen, her confidence continually knocked, and her usual determination and fire dimmed. We see the occasional ember of her usual fire, but she is by no means blazing as strongly as we are used to. With Hudson on her back and adding pressure, and her long term nemesis Emilia Garanita taking every opportunity to undermine her performance in the press, it looks as though Helen is slowly starting to fall apart. With Charlie on maternity leave Helen becomes quickly isolated and there are echoes of Little Boy Blue in the way she slowly loses the support of the people around her.

This book contains many shocking twists, although is bolted around a premise that some may recognise. I guessed where the story was leading fairly early on, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book, as it was less about the who and more about the 'how in the hell will Helen convince anyone else she isn't going mad' of the investigation. Her instincts are sound, her ability to persuade others, not so great. There was still room for the odd surprise and the ending left me with a very satisfied smile, knowing that this isn't really over yet. Helen Grace has the ability to cultivate enemies like some people grow flowers in their garden, and this adds jeopardy and suspense to the story.

Pacing is spot on as always, with short sharp chapters and the odd cliffhanger moment where all seems lost. This is a book where the why may confound you far longer than the who, but the journey to uncover it all is exhilarating and well worth it. With double crossing, backstabbing and subterfuge rife, suspicious characters littered throughout the book, and MJ Arlidge's cunning ability to misdirect even the keenest eye, this is bound to be another hit amongst fans of the series. It's left me hungry for more and hoping we don't have to wait long to find out what fresh hell Helen will be facing next.

Another fantastic installment in the D.I Helen grace series.

As with the rest of the books in the series, truth or dare was really well written.

These books are always such fast paced reads, with really short chapters which keep you gripped.

I was trying to guess who the killer was throughout this book but I still didn't see the ending coming.

As always, I loved the characters especially D.I Helen grace.

My only complaint with this book was that there were so many separate stories and plot lines going on at once, which meant that times it got confusing and difficult to follow.

However, apart from that I really enjoyed this book. The ending was really interesting. I look forward to carrying on with the rest of the series

TW: murder, violence, racism and suicide

Oh my word!!! A new Helen Grace is always a cause for celebration and the plot and internal politics between the police here are fabulous. In my opinion, the only thing that was boring here was the concentration on the motor biking experiences . We know Helen is a biker, but we don’t need to know every tyre move.
Also, I was affected by the death of a main character in this book and I felt that a funeral service would have been appropriate; instead of using it as a mere plot device. Many readers, like myself, have been following this series from the beginning and expect more in the development of the main characters who we have rooted for from the start. Great plot but maybe needs more development of the main characters. However, this is a five star read as are the previous books in this series. I think I’m so picky because I’m imagining these fictional characters as real! I am agog to read the next in the series. Fantastic storytelling.

I have enjoyed all of the Helen Grace series
As always it's full throttle all the way through, you don't get chance to come up for air
You can't put it down
With unsolved crimes, unrest in her team and a cliff hanger ending
You are left wanting more

Thank you Netgalley, M. J. Arlidge and Orion Publishing Group

Another great instalment in the Helen Grace series. I have read and enjoyed every single book in this series and this was no exception. A fast paced storyline with a twist at the end I wasn’t expecting. A few murders coupled with Helens own personal struggles make for a good read. Although this can be read as a stand-alone I recommend reading the series from the beginning as they are all so good. Bring on the next book!

Well another smash hit for this series. This left me breathless and ended with such a twist!! Absolutely brilliant. #TruthorDare #NetGalley

I did not enjoy this book I'm afraid to say. Like many long running series they become a bit boring after a while. Too much focus on the personal lives and I hated the backstabbing between officers. Not what i'm looking for in a book.

I received this arc through net galley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Having read all the Helen grace books I couldn't wait to get into this new one, we see chaos in Southhampton with lots of different crimes occuring which seems to suggest the police have lost control of the city.

By the end we realise it is all the work of one man, I loved this book but am itching to read the next one with the cliff hanger we were left with at the end of Truth or dare.

DI Helen Grace returns to investigate a spate of brutal crimes - murder, arson, car jacking. Initially it just seems a crime wave has hit, but Helen and her team deduce deeper and finds there are links between the crimes and the victims. Can they figure out the missing link? All this is happening while DS Hudson instigates a revenge campaign against Helen, trying to force her out of the Force.
Unusually, quite a slow start to this instalment with all the initial sub plots, but soon comes together for a great read and suspenseful ending.

Having read the previous books in the DI Helen Grace series I was thrilled to discover this latest title.

As anticipated this had me hooked from the outset and did not disappoint. Several murder cases and Helen's own struggles at work made this an engrossing tale.

This could be enjoyed as a stand alone book but to be appreciated fully I'd recommend reading the complete series. It's well worth it.

4.5 stars

Not my favourite in this series. What links the murders which are occurring in Southampton,the team already divided struggle to find any clues. Couldn't quite get to grips with the story,found it somewhat unbelievable.

Truth or Dare is another rollercoaster of a read in the D I Helen Grace series, each book seems to dial up the action and suspense and they just keep getting better and better.
Helen certainly her work cut out for her, this time fighting on all fronts, from the rising amount of murders occurring and the plans of a so called colleague to bring about her downfall.
The tension and drama increase at speed with murders to solve with no apparent links to each of them Helen is been pressurised by her seniors to solve the cases this time without the support of Charlie her DS who is on maternity leave. DS Hudson , once her lover is now determined to turn her team against her, conspiring and giving information to the awful reporter and bane of Helens life to do as much damage as they can to bring her down.
There are so many twists and turns, I couldn’t work out who was the culprit/s and if Helen would survive this power play to remove her. As it all comes together it is worse than anyone could imagine, it is a story that will thread its way into future books with this great police officer, and hopefully quickly for my own sanity.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.