Truth or Dare – MJ Arlidge (Helen Grace #10)

A crimewave sweeps through the city and no one is safe.

A murderous arson attack at the docks.
A brutal carjacking in a deserted car park.
A fatal hammer attack in a lonely country park.

Crimes without motive, without suspects, without leads.

Each crime is a piece of a puzzle – with many more pieces still to come. And as they gradually fall into place, Detective Inspector Helen Grace comes to realise just how twisted and devious this web of crime is – and how impossible it will be to stop it . . .
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About The Author:  M. J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last fifteen years, specializing in high-end drama production, including the prime-time crime serials TornThe Little House and Silent Witness. Arlidge also pilots original crime series for both UK and US networks. In 2015 his audio exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a Number One bestseller.

His first thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014.

My Review:

As a huge fan of MJ Arlidge’s Helen Grace books I jumped at the chance to organise the blog tour for book number 10 in this addictive series and obviously had to open the tour as well.  

This is the latest book featuring DCI Helen Grace and follows on shortly after All Fall Down.  If you haven’t read these books yet, I would strongly recommend starting with Book 1 as whilst they can be read as standalone, there is so much history and back story to this series it would be a shame to miss out.  I’ve listed all 10 books at the bottom of this page.

In Truth or Dare a spate of violent, seemingly unrelated murders are taking place all over Southampton but DCI Helen Grace and her team are struggling to find the connections, motives or killers.  With an alarmingly growing list of victims being killed, her team are beginning to feel the pressure which starts to affect Helen’s personal decisions and the morale of the team.

In this book Helen’s personal and professional life are exposed which appears to undermine her authority within her team and without her trusted friend and co-worker Charlie (who is on maternity leave) she appears lost and vulnerable, showing the reader another side to Helen’s complex life.  

Once again the author writes in short, pacey chapters which keeps the reader gripped and turning those pages eager to learn more.  Whilst the crimes are shocking and there are lots of twists and turns,  it’s the focus on Helen’s internal turmoil and her determination to catch the killers, even putting herself in danger, that give Truth or Dare that little bit extra for me.  I was literally rooting for Helen throughout – willing her to catch the killer(s) and prove everyone wrong about her.

If you are a fan of fast-paced, gripping police procedural thrillers than I highly recommend this series.

  •  Eeny Meeny
  • Pop Goes the Weasel
  • The Dolls House
  • Liar Liar
  • Little Boy Blue
  • Hide and Seek
  • Love Me Not
  • Down to the Woods
  • All Fall Down

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