I’ve missed a couple of the books in the DI Helen Grace series but felt I quickly caught up on what had happened previously. Botanic is spreading across Southampton as there’s a serial killer on the loose. Someone is stalking the city and targeting those in their homes alone. Helen and her team are investigating but Helen herself is a hunted woman. I did enjoy this book and found it to be fast paced and edgy, however I feel it wasn’t as good as earlier books in the series. I would rate this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author for the chance to review.

A solid thriller with a strong female lead detective - albeit one with issues in her personal life. First one I’d read by this author which may mean I’m missing some of the backstory. Fairly predictable but with enough tension to keep me reading.

It's been a long wait, but the indestructible D.I Helen Grace is back with book number 11 in the series. It can be read as a standalone but I really recommend reading the whole series for the back story.
Reading this was like meeting an old friend who you haven't seen for a long time and you can easily slip back into conversation with. It is another fast paced thrilling ride and I am already looking forward to book number 12!
Highly recommended!

Another excellent, nail biting book following the life and work of DI Grace. Anxious of the threats Alex Blythe has made on her life, and a lack of confidence in her ability from her superior DS Alan Peters, Helen is on edge and losing confidence in herself. When a young mother is bludgeoned to death, a new investigation starts to take place. But with no apparent motive, and no support from above, Helen needs to think about acting more independently.
I loved this book and had to cover all but the line I was reading, for fear of reading ahead. Some very nasty chases and victims - I can’t wait for the next book!

The new instalment of the DI Helen Grace series continues at an electric pace! Following shortly after the end of Truth or Dare, Cat and Mouse picks up the story with Helen watching her back and jumping at shadows, convinced that an assassin is coming at any moment to finish the job her last adversary threatened... There is no time to recover though as Southampton finds itself once again at the mercy of a serial killer. This time, the killer enters houses and brutally murders the solo occupant - but there is no reason why that person should be the victim of such horrific crime and there is nothing that connects them... can Helen solve the case before the death toll climbs...?

As always with MJ Arlidge, you know that you are going to be taken on a ride with lots of twists and turns, some blood and gore (these books definitely aren't for the faint hearted!) and be right there at the front of the investigation with Helen Grace and her MIT. I enjoyed the development of some characters that have been there throughout the series but not had much "air time" before, particularly for Emilia Garanita (but will her change of perspective last?!). This is one of the best novels in the series and I absolutely flew through my ARC from Netgalley. Already impatiently waiting for the next one!

Another brilliant crime thriller from MJ Arlidge.
It’s great as always to catch up with Helen Grace and the team.
Helen is struggling at the beginning of the book as she knows someone is following her and trying to kill her. She knows it’s down to orders from Alex Blythe as he wants revenge.
There’s also a man breaking into people’s homes and killing them brutally with an axe so the pressure is on Helen to catch him.
There’s lots going on in this book and it’s a really gripping crime thriller.
I can’t wait for the next book.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Well Helen was definetely back with a bang brilliant page turner and just love the books

DI Helen Grace is back in total action mode as she sets out to solve the series of murders hitting Southampton. She risks life and limb but is also in deep trouble herself and at risk of not only losing her left but her livelihood . The chase is on at several levels .

I do love me a Helen Grace novel. Always dark, always packed with tension, stories that keep you absolutely gripped to the final page, and with a fictional detective who, in spite of her direct and sometimes prickly exterior, you cannot help but root for, what more can you ask for in a book? And believe me, you get all of that and more in Cat and Mouse, with a story that pushes Helen right to the edge, with a truly unexpected turn of events that could well threaten her career.

Now it's not unusual for Mr Arlidge to treat us to a killer whose method of dispatch is particularly torturous and unpleasant and this book is no exception. Home invasions and brutal murders, with victims who have no obvious links other than how they have been killed. We are present from the very start, voyeurs of a murder that is enough to make the skin crawl, and to have you checking all your door and window locks twice before heading to bed. Not that this would necessarily be enough to deter this particular felon, but it's certainly a situation to make you think. The opening is so tense, certain scenes playing out that made me hold my breath in nervous anticipation, wondering if the author could really do that dark ... Whether he did or not, you'll have to read to find out, but it was a nail-biting, pulse pounding few moments that's for sure.

As always, the pacing in the book is top notch, playing out in fast, high impact chapters that really compel you on as a reader. It has that visual styling, the quick cut throughs that give us just enough action to keep up gripped and that kind fo oh lordy, cliffhanger ending that ensures you want to go straight onto the next chapter. That's one of the things I love about this series. It feels like a fast read. Not in a blink and you'll miss it, what happened to the book kind of way, but in a way that means your attention doesn't have time to wander, a real sign of the authors screen writing credentials coming to bear in the narrative. I always find I have a keen sense of place and of character, but never too much detail that it makes the story hang. Every part of the action is carefully chosen and use to full effect. That is critical in this particular book as not only are we faced with a set of almost impossible to solve crimes, there is a real shadow cast over Helen Grace too.

Now if you haven't read the preceding book in the series, Truth or Dare, then I would urge you to do so. Two very important threads of this novel link back to what happened before it, both of which put Helen Grace in significant danger and also put her off her stride. It's not often we see our intrepid Detective put a foot wrong, but it's fair to say that her attention is not fully on the job and the impact of that could prove deadly. She's no longer the strong and infalible woman we know, and that jumpiness, that fear and constant sense of threat that seeps from the page, also breaks through into her professional life.

The tension surrounding Helen is high, the impacts of her fear and her reactions potentially devastating, and with conflict coming at her from all angles, it's the first time in a very long time we have seen any sign of weakness. I really like Helen Grace, and her DS Charlie Brooks, but seeing her here, catching that frailty, does make her seem more human and more relatable. Don't fear - she's not all trembling hands and lily-livered in nature - there are some true Helen style scenes to thrill the ardent action fans, but we get to witness the insecure side of her too, and I kind of liked it. For a one off, moment in time kind of deal obviously. She's at her best when she is sharp as a tack, and there is plenty of evidence the old Helen is still right there, her true grit rising to the surface when it matters most.

With scenes of pulse-thumping action, a killer with dark and twisted notices, and a storyline so packed with tension and threat that you won't want to turn away this is another classic Helen Grace thriller and a fine example of why I love this series so much. Definitely recommended.

DI Helen Grace back for another complex murder investigation with sub plots it all races frantically along. Familiar characters both friend and foe feature as she struggles with trying to catch the perpetrator of these particularly gruesome axe murders. After several likely suspects a shock revelation provides the answers and an exciting chase and finish ending at sea! A good yarn as usual with more to follow presumably.

Panic spreads through Southampton as a silent killer targets those home alone.

DI Helen Grace leads the investigation, but her steps are being dogged by another ruthless killer keen for revenge.

Can Helen catch the killer before she herself is caught?


I love this series and will follow Helen and the MIT to the bitter end, however, of late I feel the stories and scenarios within them are becoming somewhat repetitive. I lost count of the amount of times Helen got knocked down and quickly got back to her feet to “give chase” in this book!

The appeal of these books, gruesome murders aside, was Helen Grace herself. She was so unorthodox and unique, unlike any other Detective I had read before. Her personal life was twisted, almost to the point of perverse, and equally as intriguing as the latest plot. Now, I find that she is becoming more mainstream, and apart from her throwing out the rulebook when it comes to her police work she is turning into a very generic protagonist.

All of that aside, I still enjoyed the book as I always do. I always say in my reviews for this series that anyone considering it should really start at the beginning rather than read as a standalone. I reiterate that again here, but this time I think it is really required as a lot of the storyline relates to goings on in book 10.

As a regular reader of the Helen Grace series, I was not disappointed with this latest book. The familiar faces are still there and the story moves along at a good pace. There are several subplots to keep the interest going and several changes of direction in the main plot . As always Helen overcomes what seems to be insurmountable odds and triumphs in the end with the aid of her long-time sergeant and friend Charlie.
Another very good book from a very good exponent of modern British crime writing

DI Helen Grace is back and she doesn’t disappoint!
There is a killer on the loose targeting people home alone , the killings are vicious and Grace and her team are under pressure to get a result.
Grace as usual has her own demons to deal with, and her superior officer is just biding his time to dismiss her from her post .
The book is fast paced as always and definitely kept me hooked.
Helen Grace is a complex character and she is a marmite character you either love her or hate her. She is a stalwart character , a renegade and one of a kind but certainly not infallible.
I recommend kicking of your shoes , sitting in your favourite chair and losing yourself in the whirlwind world of DI Grace and her team . You won’t regret it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping novel...

wow where to start with this one...

the first victim was at home and asleep in bed, but just not quite asleep as she hears her husband come home.. she finally relaxes enough to let go and sleep....but she wont wake up the next morning as she is butchered in her room...

her husband will find her and his nightmare will begin

D.I helen grace is in charge of the investigation but she has a killer breathing down her neck trying to murder her and with the murder investigation stalling another victim is found....

with no connecting evidence between the two cases....

oh my word i couldnt put this book down, so much happening and red herrings galore, this made for a thrilling read

cant wait to see what is next from this author

Another cracking addition to this addictive series. Yes, this book can absolutely be read as a stand alone, but, to fully appreciate the characters, I’d highly recommend you all - they are so good.

For anyone who enjoys a fast paced police thriller, these books have it all.

There’s a senior detective, Helen Grace,, who is successful and resourceful and a strong leader, but, with her own demons. Then there’s the weak, political senior officer who wants Helen out. He’s not the only one with a grudge to bear ; there’s also a fellow officer who betrayed Helen in a previous book and who is back for significant revenge. In and amongst this, is a gruesome murderer. All characters are well written and interesting and the storyline romps along.

It’s a riveting tale that definitely kept me engaged.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orión publishers for the opportunity to preview.

I read many many books, most of them offered to me by the publishers, and I can honestly say, hand on heart, this author NEVER disappoints. This series of Helen and her team is so gripping, exciting and really holds your attention. I felt sick in some parts, praying that all would be well and things would turn out ok! It’s a book full of action, deceit, murders etc and it’s one that will hold your attention from beginning to end.

I think I’ve missed the previous two, simply because my TBR pile is mounting and so are my ARCs! However, saying that I found it easy to slot into the storyline even though I didn’t know what had gone on before. It appears that some miscreant is out to get Helen, her old adversary Emilia is back, and there’s murders to be solved. Her boss is out to get her and is making life extremely difficult.

This is a fabulous book penned by a great author, and those of you who watch television will see his name up in lights when viewing crime thrillers.

My thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

DI Helen Grace is back....if you have never read any of these I cannot urge you enough to pick them up....So I couldn't wait to start this one. Grisly from the beginning but page turning, thrilling, high octane, absolutely brilliant, I couldn't put it down !!!! Will Helen Grace get to the bottom of it all???? If she can't then no one can.

Once I got my head around who was who I couldn’t put it down, each time you think one more chapter never happens.
It’s fast paced and amazing written you really get to love and care about each person. Can’t wait for more from this author.

What a great series this is. Another brilliant story featuring the seemingly indestructible DI Helen Grace but has her luck finally run out? Investigating the horrific and brutal murder of a young mother in her home in suburban Southampton she has to be on top of her game to solve this appalling crime. With previous cases also coming back to haunt her, danger is lurking everywhere. However, a breakthrough seems to solve the murder or was it all too straightforward? As the twists keep coming, Helen finds herself fighting on several fronts, not least with her own boss who appears jealous of her past success and enjoys putting her down at every opportunity. However, her strong team are always supportive and they are determined to solve this extremely nasty crime. With twists galore and tension that has you checking you’ve locked your doors, this dramatic book will keep you reading long into the night. Be warned you will be listening for every creak and bump as you do.

I think I could spend a couple of weeks re reading this series, starting again at the beginning and working my way through. I have loved every book which I do think should be read in order to reap the benifit. There is a dangerous killer at large who strikes in the dead of night, when he knows the victims will be alone. I love the way the story unfolds the brilliant descriptions held my attention from start to finish. Helen is still coming to terms with her last big case where the killer escaped but vowed to get someone to do his bidding and kill Helen. She knew that it was no idle threat and was terrified at what may become of her.