I am a big fan of M.J. Arlidge’s Helen Grace series, so was intrigued to read this stand-alone book which centres on the probation service and specifically the part which deals with the relocation of offenders; most notably here offenders who were children when they committed these crimes. The crimes themselves are especially heinous – most involve child murder or exploitation and those who are responsible for the welfare of these ex-offenders also have to ensure that their behaviour, once relocated, gives no cause for concern.

This is quite a big book, but Arlidge uses his trademark short chapters and fast paced narrative to drive the different stories forward. We hear from bereaved parents, from probationers and from police officers. Each has a perspective, and the grief, burning desire for revenge and jaded cynicism of each comes through strongly.

There are a lot of characters in this story, each with their own perspective, but it’s easy to distinguish them. What isn’t easy though, is to find anyone who evokes a strong sense of empathy. Sympathy yes, especially for the bereaved parents, but when they start to be driven by rage, it’s hard to accept that fighting violence with violence is the right way to go.

This is a violent book with some uncomfortable insights into the way that parents can abuse their own children and it certainly does make you consider the whole nature v nurture debate as well as to understand the erosion of normality from under the feet of those who have the responsibility of ensuring that these ex-offenders keep to the straight and narrow.

Verdict: I’m honestly not sure I can say I liked or enjoyed Eye for an Eye, though it did provide some food for thought. Raising questions of vigilante justice, rehabilitation and the resources available to our probation service, it certainly provides enough twists and turns to keep you hooked.

In Eye for an Eye, we follow a diverse cast of characters who are connected by the probation service. Protected by identity changes and support from caseworkers, they should be safe, but when one is found brutally attacked, the rest begin to get nervous. Is it a coincidence, or are they in danger?

This was a beast of a book! Over 500 pages of lots of characters and interweaving stories, it had some dark themes that, should you want to check for trigger warnings, I recomend doing so. It did take some time to get into and quite a bit of concentrating due to the amount of characters and their separate stories, but it was well worth it.

I was utterly gripped by Eye for An Eye, it is such a fascinating concept, balancing a fine line between some people's desire for 'justice' and for others' approach to redemption and giving criminals another chance in life.

I like a story that bounces between a wide range of characters, knowing that it will all come together later. We get that in spades here, with the lifelong criminals Emily, Jack and Russell, plus the Probation staff, police investigating the murders, the victims' families, MPs and more, all of who have their own chapters and own storylines. It kept me on my toes but each storyline was well defined from the others so I could keep track of who was who.

The fundamental moral dilemma was always central in the story-telling. It really leaves the reader thinking about what their own approach might be if they were ever in such a precarious situation.

M.J. Arlidge also brilliantly portrays the way that the effects of crime ripple out to affect so many people; as well as the victims' loved ones, the criminals' own families were also hugely affected by society's reaction to them, whether deserved or not which was a take I'd not considered before.

This story came in three parts for me. Just like any normal book really, a beginning, middle and end.

The beginning I was really intrigued with. It's a story that follows people out on probation and how the probation services work. These people have committed heinous crimes, have served their time and are now walking free under a different identity. This happens in the real world, and its one of those arguments that divides people. Is it right?

There is a lot of characters to contend with at the start of this book and it does take some concentration, but once your in full flow it's perfectly fine.
M J Arlidge is a master with the short punchy chapters, which makes reading his stories easy to do the classic "one-more-chapter".

I did find towards the middle that I was losing concentration slightly with the story, I just wanted to get to the conclusion. For me the story was a little bit too long. But, remember I'm a reader that only has little pockets of time to read.

This didn't stop me reading, and I'm glad I did carry on as the ending was full of action and just what I wanted.

What you'll find when reading Eye For An Eye is the moral compass journey that you go on. The crimes that were committed were awful and I was rooting for the vigilantes. But, then I had a little ounce of sympathy when the punishment was handed out. I felt sorry for them, but what they did they deserve it surely? An Eye For An Eye?

Arlidge doesn't hold back in his descriptions of the punishment and crime and that's why I will always pick up a book he writes. Eye For An Eye will make you think, will make you wince and will keep you guessing as to who's dishing out the information.

Emily is a recently single parent to teenage son Sam, Jack is about to start a new life and a new job and Russell has finally found love, all different people but with one thing in common; they have all committed crimes so heinous that they've been given new identities, moved to a new home where nobody knows who they were, all for their own protection. Except someone does know who they are and they are determined to share this information with the people that are looking for justice; the families of their victims, but two wrongs don't make a right, or do they?

Eye for an Eye is the new standalone thriller which follows the lives of criminals who have served time for the crimes they committed and now they're being released back into society, into a world where some might not believe their sentence was severe enough for the terrible things they did and so take it upon themselves to ensure justice is done, I think anyone that was faced with this dilemma would also be questioning their morals. The premise of this thriller is well thought out and the different events so intricately woven together to eventually bring you face to face with the person behind all the leaks, and what a surprise that was! This is a very compelling read with graphic descriptions, in parts, of the crimes carried out, so definitely not one for those with a squeamish nature.

I'd like to thank Orion Publishing and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

The first M J Arlidge stand alone thriller and what a thought provoking book it is. All characters are well drawn with the pacing and different POV this is a must read. Thank you Orion,,Netgalley and the author for letting me read this ARC.

Really enjoyed this book. Raw, gritty and pretty disturbing at times. Very authentic characters and a fast paced storyline. This book would be cracking as a TV drama!

I’ve read all of MJ Arlidge’s books. This was the first stand alone one. All I can say is, “wow!!” Very hard at times when you read the crimes that were committed but brilliant written and very thought provoking

Eye for an Eye, a new thriller by M.J. Arlidge. And what kind of thriller! I was sucked into this story from the start and couldn't wait to finish it. It came out today and I received it from Orion Publishing Group via Netgalley.

We follow different people but they are all somewhat connected. Most of them or not even who they say they are. They are protected by the law even though they committed heinous crimes. Leaks about their identity are a terrible business but it happens. Now, even the worst criminals, protected by a new identity, aren't safe.

I've liked all books by Arlidge so far. The Helen Grace series is an amazing series and this stand alone book is absolutely brilliant. The entire vibe, the thrill, the constant fear and, somehow, compassion for the worst criminals. That's what this book is. The characters are brought to life and you get to know them and feel with them even though your mind says 'no, they are awful people, don't feel sorry for them', you somewhat do. The story is absolutely relatable. Who wouldn't want to get revenge for a murdered family member?

If you're into brilliant thrillers that take away a good night's sleep, grab a copy of this one!

5/5⭐

4.t stars

There is nothing more thought provoking than a book than explores a polarizing moral dilemma, and, boy, does Eye for an Eye raise some thorny issues.

Its premise is compelling.

An online vigilante group is revealing the names and locations of child offenders who have committed heinous crimes, served their time and been rehabilitated back into the community with new identities. Now adults, these individuals are living under the close protection of the probation service but are being picked off one by one, as those they wronged most seek retribution.

I admit to struggling through the early chapters of this, as Arlidge sets out to present the situation from multiple viewpoints, including the police, the probation officers and their terrified charges, and those conducting the revenge attacks. Thankfully, the characters quickly assumed distinct shape.

The plot centers around the urgency of the investigation into the vigilante group and the source of the leaked, highly confidential information. This is well constructed and involves a raft of unexpected twists and a shocking reveal at the end.

But, it was the characters who made this such a tense, exhilarating read for me, as it was impossible not to be sucked into forming an opinion about their actions.

Two, in particular, drew my sympathies: the father, who had never recovered from the abduction and brutal killing of his disabled daughter; and the woman, who 20 years previously was responsible for the deaths of her two little sisters. Should we blame him for wanting revenge? Should we blame her, once we know her childhood history of abuse and neglect?

It’s a hornets’ nest of moral dilemmas. And Arlidge pokes at it relentlessly. My opinions vacillated wildly, as more and more was revealed about the protagonists and their stories. And I’m still thinking about them.

This was my first novel by Arlidge, but I am hugely impressed with his writing and shall be coming back for more.

Wow M J Arlidge has done it again. This book definitely makes you think. Sometimes people do such horrendous crimes that the Judge awards them life long anonymity. Should they be able to make a new life for themselves while the families that were on the receiving end of their crimes carry on suffering each and every day. Someone high up decides that they should not be able to move on so easily and starts to leak their new lives to the families that are suffering from their crimes. What would you do if your Mother, daughter or son had been brutally murdered and you now knew where to find the person responsible. People start receiving texts and then they have a new struggle should they act on this information or will it just make them exactly like the people they hate so much.
This book lets you see it from all sides the family left behind and also the lives of the people doing the awful things and their families too. Are all these people born evil or have things happened to them to make them this way.
A great thought provoking read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow, I really enjoyed this book. My first read by @M.J.Arlidge and won’t be my last. Just brilliant.
Such a thought provoking and compelling read. It’s well written with great interesting characters and a few good twists and turns. Written in short chapters and different POV’s draws you right into the story. It had me hooked from the first page, terrified and enthralled in equal measures. A rollercoaster of a read I couldn’t put down.
This psychological thriller is a real page turner. Definitely a must read. Highly recommend.
Thank you #NetGallery and @OrionPublishingGroup @orionbooks for an arc of #EyeForAnEye in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.
Book publishes 20 July 2023.

This book captured me for one of many reasons: 1) I am a big fan of MJ Arlidge and specifically the DCI Helen Grace novels so when i saw this stand alone I had no doubts that it would be a captivating read. 2) I work within the criminal just service and so was curious as to how accurate it was. 3) I do enjoy a thriller and this seemed a little different to those typically popping up recently.

For me this gets a 4*. I enjoyed it. Thoroughly. And M J Arlidge's writing does not disappoint. The accuracy of the information - isn't too far off. But there were times when I was reading this thinking..."well that would never happen". I am also still trying to work out the 9 criminals it mentions in the synopsis...it led me to wonder whether it was basing some of this in fact and so I then looked to work out the actual ex-offenders who have been given lifelong anonymity...I only know of 7. That said though, the reasons I initially requested to read this were correct. It was a captivating and as always a fantastically paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns as it went through. I also only have one or two criticisms overall - there is inconsistency in the amount we hear about different characters and their actions and deaths. The final retribution seemed rushed, and we barely are privy to this. The lead up to the 'who dunnit' at the end seems to build and build and although we find out who, there is no real clarity on why or if the reason is all that is mentioned, then it seems a substandard and mediocre setting of justifications at best. We are told about a few characters, in some detail too - but they don't particularly have any bearing on the story itself and feel almost fillers. Penny, Rachel, Alison being a few to name. I appreciate it helps us achieve some depth with the main characters but could this have been done in other ways. Some tightening of this would have shifted me easily to a 5* as I did enjoy the change in viewpoint and it's nice to see the Probation Service being mentioned as an often forgotten service - even if it does point out all that is lacking.

A side note - this ARC was marred with grammatically and formatting errors which often made it difficult to read. We would just between lead characters in not only the same paragraph but sometimes in the same line - causing confusion and the need to re-read to check who it was talking about. Hopefully that will be ironed out for publishing.

This is going to get people talking about the subject matter... and it's an important conversation...
But I digress... This book is so much more than I thought I was getting from the blurb. It weighs in at around 550 pages but it really didn't seem that long reading it. It practically read itself off the page...
So... this book is all about reformed criminals. The worst of the worst sometimes. But ones that, for various reasons, are now deemed safe for release. Safe as long as their identities remain hidden. Granted lifelong anonymity. Think Thompson and Venables of Poor wee Jamie Bulger infamy. And looked after by a dedicated team. Their identities protected and guarded. At a great cost, I hasten to add!
Until they start being leaked... and, as you can imagine, these people, these "reformed" characters, are still the most hated by not only their victims, including friends and family, but also by the general population... But it is to the friends and family that the information is leaked... With obvious consequences... It then becomes a race against time to stop the leak before more damage is done...
This is not a pretty story. It's also hard to work out where my emotions lie. I am not a fan of vigilante behaviour and I do believe that in certain circumstances a person can be rehabilitated. But also there are those who will take advantage of the anonymity and play the system and/or re-offend... This book contains all these scenarios and more. And that's what makes it quite a brave and controversial book. Moral dilemmas aplenty. Great food for a book club discussion!
As far as what I took from the book, the author quite cleverly leaves it up to the reader to make their own minds up on what is happening. I couldn't personally find any agenda hidden between the lines and that it itself is also impressive given the subject matter.
And don't forget, in amongst all this stuff is also a cracking case to be solved. Who is the leak and why? And that side of things kept me guessing all the way through and left me satisfied at the end.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is a great read that will certainly cause some debate.
There are several people in the book who have committed evil crimes and are now released under new identities.
Most of them were young when they committed the crimes and have now put this behind them and created a new life. However someone is leaking details of their new identities to the victim’s families and the sitting back and watching what happens next.
It’s hard to know what you would do if you came face to face with the person who killed your loved one and this book looks at the differing reactions people can have.
This is a gripping thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

As someone who loves Arlidge’s series about DI Helen Grace, I absolutely jumped at the chance to read this standalone crime thriller. I know what to expect from Arlidge – high concept, fast-paced and often gruesome stories that quite frankly don’t allow time for sleep!

This book was all those things, but also genuinely thought-provoking too.

The story focuses on several people living seemingly ordinary lives – a young mother, a man starting out on a new job, another man falling in love. However, they are all living under false identities, having been granted top secret lifelong anonymity after serving time for their past crimes. When their identities start to be revealed and murder is committed, the police and probation service face the fact that there may be someone leaking information from within…

Because of the nature of the story – with lots of different strands – I found this quite fragmented at first as I got to grips with each of the ex-criminals and their new lives. Once that was established, I got genuinely caught up in the lives of some of the characters and the perilous existence they had, especially once killers seeking revenge started to find out their new identities.

For me, this book raised all kinds of questions about crime, punishment and revenge. The police and probationary service clearly have a duty to protect those who have served their time for their crimes, but Arlidge also presents the perspective of their victims’ families to muddy the waters. As a reader, it is totally understandable why they would be seeking revenge, especially when the details of their shocking crimes are detailed. It certainly makes you think about being in the shoes of someone grieving a person lost to crime – and whether the police can ever deliver true justice. I found my sympathies shifting quite often during this book!

It’s worth saying that the crimes detailed are often very brutal and grim; I especially found the child abuse stories very disturbing and there were definitely some parallels with real-life, awful crimes like the Jamie Bulger case. The crimes are horrifying and really make you think about the nature of evil and possible redemption.

As with all of Arlidge’s books, this one was tough to put down once I’d got immersed in the different stories. I did wonder how they would all come together in the end and – no spoilers – absolutely wasn’t disappointed with the way that Arlidge kept the twists coming right to the satisfying end.

I’d recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed Arlidge’s books before, or who enjoys pacey, lively crime fiction. There’s much to keep you reading here, especially as you find yourself drifting into some of the moral conundrums thrown up by the subject matter.

Another great page turner from M.J. Arlidge.
The story is a psychological thriller with the theme of revenge running through it.
Someone is leaking the new identities of offenders who have been granted lifelong anonymity.
The leaks are made to the families of the victims, who are looking for retribution .
The story is fast paced and had me at the first page .
The writing is excellent and all the characters had depth even if they weren’t amiable.
A different read from Arlidge but still the usual high octane page turner that kept me guessing.
Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group.

Definitely a page turner, Eye for an Eye is an intriguing revenge thriller with interesting characters fighting moral dilemmas that mostly end in violence.

Child killers released back into society then revealed by an unknown source sets the background and then its a rollercoaster through the narrative.

I enjoyed it, the only downside being it was a bit predictable.

Well, where to start really. First off this is classic M J Arlidge in the pace of the narrative and the gruesome violence meted out in the course of the book, but make no mistake this is very different to the Helen Grace series. Secondly this book is a really thought provoking tale. Nobody really comes out of it well and there are so many different viewpoints to consider.

Here we have people who committed serious crimes when young who have subsequently been released into the community under anonymity rules BUT via a text message the bereaved families start to get texts informing them of the new identity and location the released person has. The question is what will they do about it.

This book explores the lives of a number of victims and perpetrators of crime, it digs into the media response, to the actions of the police and probation service, and the quality or otherwise of the delivery of services to protect the community.

What I think makes this book so interesting is that it demonstrates that the world is not made up of black and white, the media in general polarises opinion but here the author has time to explore issues in more depth, tell the back stories and to highlight that change can, and does happen. It explores grief, trust, blame, retribution and how satisfying or otherwise that can prove to be. A good lesson to be learned for everyone from so many perspectives. This book will foster great debate as it confronts very difficult topics and moralities.

Something slightly different from this authour, but all the key components are here. This includes but not excluding a strong story, a fast and evolving narrative and characters that bounce into life.
The vividness and starkness of people and darkness are ever present and portrayed brilliantly as ever.
This is one not to slip past you as this book deserves to be read and enjoyed.

Very grateful to the publishers for allowing me to read this early, it was an absolute pleasure to read this author again.