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DCI Rachel King #3
Wrong Victim: DCI Rachel King, Book 3
A man is found dead in his bed, suffocated, covered in confetti and with his ring finger missing. Detective Rachel King informs his daughter and takes her to identify the body. But she's never seen the man before in her life.
What if you don't even know who the killer really wanted to murder?
Then a second murder. This time a woman, Alison, also suffocated and with her finger severed and confetti strewn over her body.
The team desperately search for a link before anyone else dies.
Meanwhile, someone has been running a property scam, selling dream houses that will never be built.
And the love of Rachel's life has disappeared. Is he really the mastermind of a people-trafficking gang? Or does Rachel have enemies on her own team?
A mystery full of stunning twists and with no one Rachel can trust.
What if you don't even know who the killer really wanted to murder?
Then a second murder. This time a woman, Alison, also suffocated and with her finger severed and confetti strewn over her body.
The team desperately search for a link before anyone else dies.
Meanwhile, someone has been running a property scam, selling dream houses that will never be built.
And the love of Rachel's life has disappeared. Is he really the mastermind of a people-trafficking gang? Or does Rachel have enemies on her own team?
A mystery full of stunning twists and with no one Rachel can trust.
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First published November 28, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
December 16, 2019
WRONG VICTIM is the third book in a brilliant crime series by best-selling author, Helen H. Durrant. These novels feature detective DCI Rachel King, a thirty-nine-year old divorced mother of two teenage daughters who lives next door to ex-husband Alan. Having enjoyed reading most of her novels, I look forward to starting the third book in this new series. The novel is set in the Cheshire, ten miles outside Manchester.
The novels in the DCI Rachel King Series Include:
1) Next Victim
2) Two Victims
3) Wrong Victim
A man is found dead in his bed, suffocated, covered in confetti and with his ring finger missing. Detective Rachel King informs his daughter and takes her to identify the body.
But she’s never seen the man before in her life.
Then a second murder. This time a woman, Alison, also suffocated and with her finger severed and confetti strewn over her body. Detective Rachel King, and her team are assigned to both cases.
Are the two killings connected?
Meanwhile, someone has been running a property scam, selling dream houses that will never be built. And the love of Rachel’s life has disappeared. Is he really the mastermind of a people-trafficking gang? Or does Rachel have enemies on her own team?
Rachel has her hands full, while investigating two murders, and raising two teenage daughters, Megan, and Mia, on her own. The building site is owned by Rachel’s secret ex- lover villain, Jed McAteer.
A mystery with a stunning twist and a race against time to save her career and stop further killings. Rachel cannot trust anyone.
This is a well-written crime fiction novel, with engaging characters for a new series that shows much promise.
Many thanks to the author, Joffe Books via Netgalley for my digital copy.
The novels in the DCI Rachel King Series Include:
1) Next Victim
2) Two Victims
3) Wrong Victim
A man is found dead in his bed, suffocated, covered in confetti and with his ring finger missing. Detective Rachel King informs his daughter and takes her to identify the body.
But she’s never seen the man before in her life.
Then a second murder. This time a woman, Alison, also suffocated and with her finger severed and confetti strewn over her body. Detective Rachel King, and her team are assigned to both cases.
Are the two killings connected?
Meanwhile, someone has been running a property scam, selling dream houses that will never be built. And the love of Rachel’s life has disappeared. Is he really the mastermind of a people-trafficking gang? Or does Rachel have enemies on her own team?
Rachel has her hands full, while investigating two murders, and raising two teenage daughters, Megan, and Mia, on her own. The building site is owned by Rachel’s secret ex- lover villain, Jed McAteer.
A mystery with a stunning twist and a race against time to save her career and stop further killings. Rachel cannot trust anyone.
This is a well-written crime fiction novel, with engaging characters for a new series that shows much promise.
Many thanks to the author, Joffe Books via Netgalley for my digital copy.
November 14, 2021
This is a 3.5 star read.
December 13, 2019
This is the 3rd book in the DCI Rachel King series by author Helen Durrant. Having read and enjoyed the previous two books in the series I was eagerly looking forward to this one and I wasn't disappointed.
Detective DCI Rachel King is a divorced 39 year-old mother of two teenage daughters. Her ex husband Alan lives next door in the Cheshire village of Poynton, ten miles from central Manchester. She is very good at her job, gets results but does make mistakes which adds to her appeal. One of mistakes was getting involved with a local villain who is still too close for comfort. The relationship is her big secret.
When a man is found dead in his bed, suffocated, covered in confetti and with his ring finger missing, Detective Rachel King informs his daughter and takes her to identify the body. The daughter states she’s never seen the man before in her life.
A second murder follows, a woman named Alison is also suffocated and with her finger severed and confetti strewn over her body. What is the link between the victims?
Helen Durrant books are quick reads mainly because they are very addictive and leave you eagerly turning each page wanting to know more.
This can be read as a stand alone but I would still recommend reading the other two books for added enjoyment.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Joffe for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Detective DCI Rachel King is a divorced 39 year-old mother of two teenage daughters. Her ex husband Alan lives next door in the Cheshire village of Poynton, ten miles from central Manchester. She is very good at her job, gets results but does make mistakes which adds to her appeal. One of mistakes was getting involved with a local villain who is still too close for comfort. The relationship is her big secret.
When a man is found dead in his bed, suffocated, covered in confetti and with his ring finger missing, Detective Rachel King informs his daughter and takes her to identify the body. The daughter states she’s never seen the man before in her life.
A second murder follows, a woman named Alison is also suffocated and with her finger severed and confetti strewn over her body. What is the link between the victims?
Helen Durrant books are quick reads mainly because they are very addictive and leave you eagerly turning each page wanting to know more.
This can be read as a stand alone but I would still recommend reading the other two books for added enjoyment.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Joffe for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2019
Wrong Victim is the third book in the series featuring D.C.I Rachel King. As I have never read the others in this series I did find it difficult to begin with as it keeps mentioning a past trafficking case, but I soon found myself engrossed.
A man’s body is found in a care home, he has been suffocated, had his wedding ring finger removed and has confetti scattered on him. When his daughter goes to identify the body she is angry as this man is not her dad, who have they been paying for, to stay in the care home?
When another victim is discovered they realise there is a link to the two as they were both involved in a property scam. Is it revenge from one of their victims?
This is definitely a series you can sink you’re teeth into. A great whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the end.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
A man’s body is found in a care home, he has been suffocated, had his wedding ring finger removed and has confetti scattered on him. When his daughter goes to identify the body she is angry as this man is not her dad, who have they been paying for, to stay in the care home?
When another victim is discovered they realise there is a link to the two as they were both involved in a property scam. Is it revenge from one of their victims?
This is definitely a series you can sink you’re teeth into. A great whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the end.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
December 5, 2019
DCI Rachel King #3
A man has been found murdered in his care home. One of his fingers had been cut off and he's covered in confetti. Then Alison Longhurst if found murdered in the same way. What is the connection to the two murders? They also discover that the first victim is not who they believe him to be. There are links to a trafficking ring. Also, someone is trying to operate a property scam, selling houses that will never be built.
DCI Rachel King and Sargent Elwyn are back. This story will have you second guessing yourself. The pace is fast in this addictive story. I was pulled in quickly to the story. I like the authors style in writing these books. This is a really good police procedural series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Helen H. Durrant for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A man has been found murdered in his care home. One of his fingers had been cut off and he's covered in confetti. Then Alison Longhurst if found murdered in the same way. What is the connection to the two murders? They also discover that the first victim is not who they believe him to be. There are links to a trafficking ring. Also, someone is trying to operate a property scam, selling houses that will never be built.
DCI Rachel King and Sargent Elwyn are back. This story will have you second guessing yourself. The pace is fast in this addictive story. I was pulled in quickly to the story. I like the authors style in writing these books. This is a really good police procedural series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Helen H. Durrant for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2019
The man in the hospital bed who was found suffocated, covered in confetti with his ring finger missing is dead ... very dead. The only problem is that he wasn't who he said he was. He had exchanged places with another man.
So how does Detective Rachel King determine who the real target was?
Another body is found in the same condition, only it's a woman this time.
King and her team are desperately looking for the missing man ... and a link between the three men and one women.
The one clue they have leads to a property scam, selling houses that have never been built nor will they.
On a personal level, King's love of her life has disappeared after being accused of people trafficking. Rachel knows he is not guilty.... but someone on her team is determined to bring him down.
With no one she can trust, Rachel will have to go it alone.
This is a well written crime fiction, 3rd in the series. It is easily read as a stand alone, but as usual, I highly recommend starting at the very beginning. The characters are deftly drawn and it's been interesting to see how they have grown over time. Many twists and turns kept me riveted to the excellent story. A teaser of an ending has me not so patiently tapping my toes to get to the next book.
Many thanks to the author/ Joffe Books / Books n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 29, 2022
*Twists and Turns*
This instalment sees DCI Rachel King working to find the murderer of a man in a care home, his ring finger is missing and he is covered with confetti.
When there is another murder with the same circumstances as the first victim it points to a property scam. People are selling dream homes they never intend to build. People are losing their life savings and someone has to pay….
Things get messy when they realise the first murder was a mistaken identity, then the plot thickens. There is also a head honcho at play who never gets his hands dirty.
Rachel’s ex Jed a known criminal under the guise of reforming becomes useful when a personal threat is against her, by this head honcho.
Jed has also told her that there is a high ranking police officer who is working for the head honcho to make sure nothing ever sticks to him. Rachel guesses the wrong person.
Quite often she gets so pigheaded that she misses what is right in front of her. Her trusty
long suffering DS Elwyn
Pryce is no fool and is often the voice of reason.
Will they ever be able to finally get the head honcho and how will the high ranking officer deal with it……
This instalment sees DCI Rachel King working to find the murderer of a man in a care home, his ring finger is missing and he is covered with confetti.
When there is another murder with the same circumstances as the first victim it points to a property scam. People are selling dream homes they never intend to build. People are losing their life savings and someone has to pay….
Things get messy when they realise the first murder was a mistaken identity, then the plot thickens. There is also a head honcho at play who never gets his hands dirty.
Rachel’s ex Jed a known criminal under the guise of reforming becomes useful when a personal threat is against her, by this head honcho.
Jed has also told her that there is a high ranking police officer who is working for the head honcho to make sure nothing ever sticks to him. Rachel guesses the wrong person.
Quite often she gets so pigheaded that she misses what is right in front of her. Her trusty
long suffering DS Elwyn
Pryce is no fool and is often the voice of reason.
Will they ever be able to finally get the head honcho and how will the high ranking officer deal with it……
December 5, 2019
Wrong Victim by Helen H. Durrant is the third in the Detective Rachel King series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Joffe Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DCI Rachel King is with the serious crime squad for east Manchester. Her team consists of: DS Elwyn Pryce, her long-time colleague and friend; DC Jonny Farrell, whose father is disappointed in his career choice; and DC Amy Metcalfe, who is a bit unreliable. Rachel and her ex-husband live beside each other, so their two teenage daughters have lots of support. Although Rachel knows she should not have a relationship with her first love Jed McAteer due to his criminal background, he is hard to forget. Only her partner knows of their relationship, and the fact that her youngest daughter is actually McAteer's.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
An old man is suffocated in a nursing home. His finger is cut off, and his body sprinkled with confetti. He is not who they thought he was.
A woman is murdered in her basement. Her finger is cut off, and her body sprinkled with confetti.
The trick for the team will be to determine how they are related, and if the man was even the intended victim.
Rachel has still not really left the last case behind. DCI Kenton is determined to find the missing Jed McAteer and charge him with human trafficking. Rachel is just as determined that Jed is innocent of that charge.
Meanwhile, Rachel's daughter Mia is starting to question the relationship between her mother and Jed.
My Opinions:
This series is a really easy read. The books are fast-paced, and straight-forward. Yes, there are twists, one of which I missed in this book, but there is nothing too deep. I consider them a great fill-in when I need something that doesn't make me think too hard. The writing is clear, and the plot good.
I am getting to like Rachel a little better, and although I still question her parenting skills, she at least tries to protect them.
The author again provided an appendix of British slang. It might be nice if they provided a foot-note with the definition, because in an e-book it's not easy to go to the back of the book all the time.
Again, it was an okay book, and I'll stick with the series.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
December 6, 2019
Wowza!! A dead body with scattered confetti and severed finger severed in a hospital bed followed by another of the same. Dective Rachel King got to investigating.
My first book by author Helen H. Durrant, though third in the series, it was a good standalone. I concentrated purely on the murder mystery part rather than their personal lives. The story started with twists right in the very beginning and continued on.
I found Rachel to be a strong character with a few vulnerabilities that brought more intrigue to the story. The writing kept the book moving at a fast pace with scams and corruption and mistaken identity. The author surely kept my pulse racing with each reveal. I sure was tempted to read the last few pages, not that I am admitting to doing it. But seriously, why can't I read the book backward? Like the main character Rachel, I don't have much patience.
The cohesive team, well strategized plot, fast pace made this a fun evening read.
My first book by author Helen H. Durrant, though third in the series, it was a good standalone. I concentrated purely on the murder mystery part rather than their personal lives. The story started with twists right in the very beginning and continued on.
I found Rachel to be a strong character with a few vulnerabilities that brought more intrigue to the story. The writing kept the book moving at a fast pace with scams and corruption and mistaken identity. The author surely kept my pulse racing with each reveal. I sure was tempted to read the last few pages, not that I am admitting to doing it. But seriously, why can't I read the book backward? Like the main character Rachel, I don't have much patience.
The cohesive team, well strategized plot, fast pace made this a fun evening read.
January 10, 2021
Book 3 of the DCI Rachel King series was my favourite by far. This time we follow Rachel and her team investigating the murder of a man found with his wedding finger cut off and sprinkled in confetti, if that isn’t confusing enough when his daughter is brought in to identify him she’s adamant that isn’t her father. Rachel is still piecing together pieces of the human trafficking storyline of book 2 and we follow on from that in this book. More villains , more notorious gangsters evading the police and another serial killer plus the madness of Rachel’s home life with her ex husband living next door , her two teenage daughters and her past relationship with villain Jed McAteer. This book had an exciting ending so I’m onto book 4 of 4 😊
December 6, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and Joffre Books for an ARC of this book. It took me a little bit to pick up where Book #2 left off as there were occasional references to prior scenarios. That being said, this is a stand alone murder mystery. Well actually multiple murder mystery.
I liked the plot of this book where initially the wrong person is murdered as two men switched identities. This leads Rachel and her team down two paths to find the murderer(s) as more bodies are found.
I really like the character of Elwyn, he's rational, logical and really works the case. And he's a good balance to Rachel who jumps to conclusions and runs on emotion. Unfortunately, I find Rachel herself somewhat irritating and wish her character was a little more like Elwyn.
I liked the plot of this book where initially the wrong person is murdered as two men switched identities. This leads Rachel and her team down two paths to find the murderer(s) as more bodies are found.
I really like the character of Elwyn, he's rational, logical and really works the case. And he's a good balance to Rachel who jumps to conclusions and runs on emotion. Unfortunately, I find Rachel herself somewhat irritating and wish her character was a little more like Elwyn.
September 1, 2021
Jam-packed read!
It’s amazing how much Durrant can fit into a novel. It starts with a couple of confetti murders and quickly becomes a complex scenario of scams, human trafficking, switched identities…all showing links to Jef McAteer.
DCI Rachel King is central to the entire saga, as is her relationship with Jed. So much happens - it’s not one you can skip a page or two.
Loved the surprise at the end! Now to find No.4.
It’s amazing how much Durrant can fit into a novel. It starts with a couple of confetti murders and quickly becomes a complex scenario of scams, human trafficking, switched identities…all showing links to Jef McAteer.
DCI Rachel King is central to the entire saga, as is her relationship with Jed. So much happens - it’s not one you can skip a page or two.
Loved the surprise at the end! Now to find No.4.
December 6, 2019
DCI Rachel King, divorced from Alan with two teen-aged daughters, works for East Manchester CID along with several other team members. This crime mystery begins with a call out to Hawthorne Lodge Nursing Home where an elderly resident, Francis Baslow, has been found murdered -- he was suffocated and his ring finger has been removed. In addition, confetti has been spread all over the tiny room. When the officers go to make the notification and bring in Baslow's daughter to ID him, she stuns by saying that the dead man is not her father. It's on! And a complicated case this turns out to be with links to a previous investigation involving human traffickers and the criminals responsible for that illegal activity. There's a lot going on in this police procedural with Rachel unsure of whom to trust and Jed McAteer has skipped town. Can the team unravel this murderous mess and solve their case? NO SPOILERS.
This is typical fare that has all the standard elements of this genre, including a female detective who is really starting to annoy me. She doesn't listen to anyone, has her own opinions, steamrolls over people and makes mistakes while trusting her "instincts." I'd like to get to know the other team members a bit better, especially DCI Mark Kenton and DC Elwyn Price. To be honest, the whole case wasn't really that interesting and it seemed drawn out and convoluted with some of them working at cross purposes, withholding information, etc. and though I've read and enjoyed the previous 2 books in the series, I was hoping that Rachel would have gotten her act together both personally and professionally by now. I'll give the series another shot with book #4, however, as things might be changing for Rachel given the last sentence in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.
This is typical fare that has all the standard elements of this genre, including a female detective who is really starting to annoy me. She doesn't listen to anyone, has her own opinions, steamrolls over people and makes mistakes while trusting her "instincts." I'd like to get to know the other team members a bit better, especially DCI Mark Kenton and DC Elwyn Price. To be honest, the whole case wasn't really that interesting and it seemed drawn out and convoluted with some of them working at cross purposes, withholding information, etc. and though I've read and enjoyed the previous 2 books in the series, I was hoping that Rachel would have gotten her act together both personally and professionally by now. I'll give the series another shot with book #4, however, as things might be changing for Rachel given the last sentence in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.
November 26, 2019
Wrong Victim is the 3rd book in the DCI Rachel King series. Where to start? First off I really enjoyed it and even though it's the first one of the series that I've read, I could relate to the primary characters and didn't feel that I had missed out on too much, therefore I'd say it is fine to read as a standalone.
A man is found dead in a nursing home, missing a finger and sprinkled with confetti. Who is he and how is his death connected to another victim? How did the killer/s even gain entrance to the home when a security code is needed to get in? I felt baffled but in a good way.
DCI Mark Kenton from Salford station is working on a trafficking case and the story becomes more interesting as for reasons yet to become known to us, the two cases become linked ...More dead bodies, mistaken identity, a planned project in the pipeline which unfortunately for some people didn't materialise, corruption ...plenty of suspects but I had no idea who or why! I thought this a very well written story that made for compulsive reading. I liked the believable characters and look forward to meeting them again when I read the rest of the series. I was really on edge whilst reading some parts - like watching a scary film and hiding behind a cushion! I was happy with the ending that I didn't see coming and which I thought all tied together perfectly. I have one downside and that's that I have been missing out; I wish that I had read this brilliant authors books earlier! Thank you for a fabulous read and one that I can highly recommend.
A man is found dead in a nursing home, missing a finger and sprinkled with confetti. Who is he and how is his death connected to another victim? How did the killer/s even gain entrance to the home when a security code is needed to get in? I felt baffled but in a good way.
DCI Mark Kenton from Salford station is working on a trafficking case and the story becomes more interesting as for reasons yet to become known to us, the two cases become linked ...More dead bodies, mistaken identity, a planned project in the pipeline which unfortunately for some people didn't materialise, corruption ...plenty of suspects but I had no idea who or why! I thought this a very well written story that made for compulsive reading. I liked the believable characters and look forward to meeting them again when I read the rest of the series. I was really on edge whilst reading some parts - like watching a scary film and hiding behind a cushion! I was happy with the ending that I didn't see coming and which I thought all tied together perfectly. I have one downside and that's that I have been missing out; I wish that I had read this brilliant authors books earlier! Thank you for a fabulous read and one that I can highly recommend.
December 28, 2019
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is the first of Helen H. Durrant's books I have read and I am now desperate to read her others! What an amazing ride this book is! Full of twists and turns and a case of mistaken identity thrown in the mix, I loved every page of it and devoured it in 2 days.
If you love crime fiction you definitely have to give this book a go.
This is the 2nd book in a series.
This is the first of Helen H. Durrant's books I have read and I am now desperate to read her others! What an amazing ride this book is! Full of twists and turns and a case of mistaken identity thrown in the mix, I loved every page of it and devoured it in 2 days.
If you love crime fiction you definitely have to give this book a go.
This is the 2nd book in a series.
Read
September 2, 2020The third in the series and I'm still not keen on the lead detective. She's growing on me a bit but I still find her quite unlikeable. However, the storytelling is so good I don't mind so much and am actually keen to see how my feelings change over the course of these stories. Very intrigued by the twist at the end and what it can mean for these characters. It's another fast paced drama and I do like how all the relationships work together. It's well written and easy to follow and I read it quite quickly which is a bit rare at the moment as I keep losing my reading joy. I have the next one to start so let's see where the journey takes us.
December 7, 2019
This is the third book in the series book featuring DCI Rachel King and is fast becoming one of my favourite series. It was effortless to slip back in to reading about characters that I had come to know very well. Rachel King is a working mother of two argumentative teenage girls, student Megan and schoolgirl Mia, with the strange living arrangement of having her ex-husband Alan living next door. Handy for childcare and home-cooked meals but sometimes she feels trapped by the past. Also looming large in her past is local crime baron Jed McAteer whom she dated as a student, then unexpectedly had an affair with the man years ago resulting in Mia, a fact that has only come to light recently. Jed has been making a big deal about becoming legit in recent years but Rachel still struggles to believe him and after the end of book two he is now, rightly or wrongly, a wanted man who has fled the country. Rachel is still stationed at East Manchester CID running a small team of DS Elwyn Pryce and DCs Jonny Farrell and Amy Metcalfe, and still waiting for the extra staff she has been promised. Elwyn is also a good friend to her and the only one who knows her secret about Jed. A man is found dead in his nursing home bed, suffocated, covered in confetti and with his ring finger missing. When his estranged daughter is taken to identify him she claims the man in the morgue is a stranger. The dead man would have died fairly soon anyway and had only been visited by the local vicar. The detectives soon establish the identity of the man but are none the wiser as to whether he was even the intended victim. Then a woman is murdered and left in similar circumstances. Is she linked to the first victim and did her part in a property scam give someone a motive for her killing? As new evidence is unearthed and the detective team start to make connections, Rachel finds that big parts of the investigation are being kept from her by a new boss. Whilst they are racing against time to prevent possible further deaths at the hands of an unknown killer, Rachel is forced to put her trust in the most unlikely places when she doesn't even know who her enemies are this time. There are lots of delicious twists in this story as the author keeps up the pace and delivers a great plot. This story works fine as a stand alone but I would recommend reading the series in order as some past events come back into play. As with the previous books there are plenty of threads ready to be carried onto another story, and I am hoping I won't have too long to wait for book 4. 5*
Read
November 21, 2019A man is found dead in a care home. Nothing too odd until it is discovered that one of his fingers is missing and that there has been confetti spread across his body. When he turns out not to be the person he checked in as DCI Rachel and Sergeant Elwyn and team have their work cut out. There are links to a trafficking ring and Rachel’s ex which she is keen to keep away from her new boss whom she has been warned is not to be trusted. There has been a scam around building properties that never existed and so more goes into the mix. I love these books. There is always a good solid plot to keep the grey matter working and nothing too gory or horrific to give you nightmares. Well rounded characters that you can easily take to that also have enough of a backstory to give them life without too much to detract from the main plot. Helen has a true talent and magic to envelop the reader quickly and easily and keep the plot flowing. This is part of a series but may stand alone however some of the back issues may then cloud the storyline- and why miss out on a wonderful series? A terrific, highly entertaining cleverly thought out read.
December 5, 2019
Third in the series and although it can be read as a standalone, it does help the reader slightly to have read the previous two especially where Detective Rachel King's personal life is at as well as her previous police role. We are given a murder, in a care home, of a man who was likely to die soon anyways. So why kill him, cut off his ring finger and scatter the body with confetti? Then there is a second one of a woman in her home. Is there a connection and of so what can it be? a previous case which Rachel had been working on pops up again which overlaps with the current one and although she is warned off, being Rachel she takes no heed. She heads for a few days in Spain to her friend's wedding and to recharge her batteries but then her children are threatened. She is not sure who to trust any more.
Great story line and written so that you want to find out what happens next with a good ending taht I didn't see coming. Overall 4.5*.
Thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC to review.
Great story line and written so that you want to find out what happens next with a good ending taht I didn't see coming. Overall 4.5*.
Thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC to review.
December 4, 2019
I really enjoyed this third book in the Detective Rachel King series. Rachel is investigating the murder of a man in a care home and dealing with a mole in her department. The character development is very good, the story is interesting, a quirky plot and it all adds up to another gripping read with a bombshell of an ending. I can highly recommend this series of books by a very good author. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC
November 25, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Wrong Victim, the third novel to feature DCI Rachel King of the Manchester Police.
When Francis Baslow is smothered in his care home Rachel and the team are puzzled about why someone would kill a dying man. They are even more puzzled when Baslow’s daughter says it isn’t him. The explanation takes a lot of investigation.
I thoroughly enjoyed Wrong Victim which has a great premise, a good explanation and several twists along the way, all written in an easy style that is simple to follow and allows the reader to get absorbed. It is told from Rachel’s point of view almost exclusively so the reader gets to make the discoveries alongside her and live her stress as she battles to solve the case. The novel is well thought out with reveals and twists, like the missing Mr Baslow, throughout, so it never flags and holds the interest. I liked the solution and found it very satisfying.
I still haven’t taken to Rachel King after three novels. I find her too quick to jump to often erroneous conclusions, based more often than not on her feelings rather than fact or logic. I think this portrays female stereotyping and is out of place in the modern professional police force.
Wrong Victim is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
When Francis Baslow is smothered in his care home Rachel and the team are puzzled about why someone would kill a dying man. They are even more puzzled when Baslow’s daughter says it isn’t him. The explanation takes a lot of investigation.
I thoroughly enjoyed Wrong Victim which has a great premise, a good explanation and several twists along the way, all written in an easy style that is simple to follow and allows the reader to get absorbed. It is told from Rachel’s point of view almost exclusively so the reader gets to make the discoveries alongside her and live her stress as she battles to solve the case. The novel is well thought out with reveals and twists, like the missing Mr Baslow, throughout, so it never flags and holds the interest. I liked the solution and found it very satisfying.
I still haven’t taken to Rachel King after three novels. I find her too quick to jump to often erroneous conclusions, based more often than not on her feelings rather than fact or logic. I think this portrays female stereotyping and is out of place in the modern professional police force.
Wrong Victim is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
December 23, 2019
Fantastic
I absolutely love Helen H Durrant. Her books are so gripping and I can't put them down. I didn't think I was going to like Rachel King, but Helen has developed another great Detective who won't be beaten or bought
I absolutely love Helen H Durrant. Her books are so gripping and I can't put them down. I didn't think I was going to like Rachel King, but Helen has developed another great Detective who won't be beaten or bought
May 25, 2024
I enjoyed this twisty British crime thriller. There was a great plot, characters that suited each role and a great sense of place. The past was mixed with the present, while the tension and suspense kept the pace fast,
I have the box set and recommend all three stories.
I have the box set and recommend all three stories.
December 5, 2019
This is book 3 in the brilliant Detective Rachel King series by Helen Durrant.
A sick old man in a nursing home is found murdered with confetti sprinkled over him and his wedding finger missing. Who would want to kill a man who is dying and what is the confetti all about? These are just a few of the questions that Rachel King and her team need to find answers to but as they delve into the victim's life they open Pandora's box and are faced with shocks and more secrets than they ever expected.
Rachel King is a character who grows on you. She is in love with Jed but he lives on the wrong side of the law (or does he) so her feelings have to be kept locked inside. She relies heavily on her partner Elwyn and as everyone seems to have secrets he is the only colleague she is able to trust. In the previous book we saw her at loggerheads with Kenton, a detective from a nearby station. This very rocky relationship is carried through to this book as Rachel is forced to work with him. But can she trust him? Who can she trust?
Elwyn comes accross as the dependable type the voice of reason. He is not easily ruffled and is a perfect character to offset Rachel's lack of patience.
Jonny takes a bigger role in the story as he develops his detective skills we see more of his gut instinct come to the fore as he gains the confidence to act on his hunches.
The story is fast paced as I expect from Helen Durrant. There are many twists and turns as we are taken on a journey through mistaken identity, corruption, drugs and revenge. But knowing the why doesn't mean the who will be revealed it is all a very tangled web that Rachel and her team have to untangle to find the right path to cracking the case.
A very gripping page-turner and well deserving of the 5 stars
Merged review:
Brilliant
This is book 3 in the brilliant Detective Rachel King series by Helen Durrant.
A sick old man in a nursing home is found murdered with confetti sprinkled over him and his wedding finger missing. Who would want to kill a man who is dying and what is the confetti all about? These are just a few of the questions that Rachel King and her team need to find answers to but as they delve into the victim's life they open Pandora's box and are faced with shocks and more secrets than they ever expected.
Rachel King is a character who grows on you. She is in love with Jed but he lives on the wrong side of the law (or does he) so her feelings have to be kept locked inside. She relies heavily on her partner Elwyn and as everyone seems to have secrets he is the only colleague she is able to trust. In the previous book we saw her at loggerheads with Kenton, a detective from a nearby station. This very rocky relationship is carried through to this book as Rachel is forced to work with him. But can she trust him? Who can she trust?
Elwyn comes accross as the dependable type the voice of reason. He is not easily ruffled and is a perfect character to offset Rachel's lack of patience.
Jonny takes a bigger role in the story as he develops his detective skills we see more of his gut instinct come to the fore as he gains the confidence to act on his hunches.
The story is fast paced as I expect from Helen Durrant. There are many twists and turns as we are taken on a journey through mistaken identity, corruption, drugs and revenge. But knowing the why doesn't mean the who will be revealed it is all a very tangled web that Rachel and her team have to untangle to find the right path to cracking the case.
A very gripping page-turner and well deserving of the 5 stars
A sick old man in a nursing home is found murdered with confetti sprinkled over him and his wedding finger missing. Who would want to kill a man who is dying and what is the confetti all about? These are just a few of the questions that Rachel King and her team need to find answers to but as they delve into the victim's life they open Pandora's box and are faced with shocks and more secrets than they ever expected.
Rachel King is a character who grows on you. She is in love with Jed but he lives on the wrong side of the law (or does he) so her feelings have to be kept locked inside. She relies heavily on her partner Elwyn and as everyone seems to have secrets he is the only colleague she is able to trust. In the previous book we saw her at loggerheads with Kenton, a detective from a nearby station. This very rocky relationship is carried through to this book as Rachel is forced to work with him. But can she trust him? Who can she trust?
Elwyn comes accross as the dependable type the voice of reason. He is not easily ruffled and is a perfect character to offset Rachel's lack of patience.
Jonny takes a bigger role in the story as he develops his detective skills we see more of his gut instinct come to the fore as he gains the confidence to act on his hunches.
The story is fast paced as I expect from Helen Durrant. There are many twists and turns as we are taken on a journey through mistaken identity, corruption, drugs and revenge. But knowing the why doesn't mean the who will be revealed it is all a very tangled web that Rachel and her team have to untangle to find the right path to cracking the case.
A very gripping page-turner and well deserving of the 5 stars
Merged review:
Brilliant
This is book 3 in the brilliant Detective Rachel King series by Helen Durrant.
A sick old man in a nursing home is found murdered with confetti sprinkled over him and his wedding finger missing. Who would want to kill a man who is dying and what is the confetti all about? These are just a few of the questions that Rachel King and her team need to find answers to but as they delve into the victim's life they open Pandora's box and are faced with shocks and more secrets than they ever expected.
Rachel King is a character who grows on you. She is in love with Jed but he lives on the wrong side of the law (or does he) so her feelings have to be kept locked inside. She relies heavily on her partner Elwyn and as everyone seems to have secrets he is the only colleague she is able to trust. In the previous book we saw her at loggerheads with Kenton, a detective from a nearby station. This very rocky relationship is carried through to this book as Rachel is forced to work with him. But can she trust him? Who can she trust?
Elwyn comes accross as the dependable type the voice of reason. He is not easily ruffled and is a perfect character to offset Rachel's lack of patience.
Jonny takes a bigger role in the story as he develops his detective skills we see more of his gut instinct come to the fore as he gains the confidence to act on his hunches.
The story is fast paced as I expect from Helen Durrant. There are many twists and turns as we are taken on a journey through mistaken identity, corruption, drugs and revenge. But knowing the why doesn't mean the who will be revealed it is all a very tangled web that Rachel and her team have to untangle to find the right path to cracking the case.
A very gripping page-turner and well deserving of the 5 stars
February 19, 2020
Definitely a book that works your imagination!
What a great read this book is, I thought I had a pretty good idea where this story was going from the beginning, after the discovery of a murdered, elderly man in a care home, how wrong was I?
There's so many twists and turns, blind alleys and false leads you can't afford to take your eye of the ball for a minute. Its exciting gruesome and totally addictive.
Characters are a brilliant mix and well thought out personalities. I have become big fan of Rachel and her team, their personalities are so believable I'd like to become a member of her team!
Certainly not an easy case to crack, but very well thought out plot that just keeps on giving right up till the end. I loved it!
What a great read this book is, I thought I had a pretty good idea where this story was going from the beginning, after the discovery of a murdered, elderly man in a care home, how wrong was I?
There's so many twists and turns, blind alleys and false leads you can't afford to take your eye of the ball for a minute. Its exciting gruesome and totally addictive.
Characters are a brilliant mix and well thought out personalities. I have become big fan of Rachel and her team, their personalities are so believable I'd like to become a member of her team!
Certainly not an easy case to crack, but very well thought out plot that just keeps on giving right up till the end. I loved it!
December 5, 2019
4 stars
An elderly and very sick man is found murdered in his bed in a care home. When his daughter arrives to identify him, it is not her father. Who is the unknown man? And where is Francis Baslow? DCI Rachel King and her team have a mystery on their hands.
They finally learn that the dead man was Joseph Wignall, not the Baslow they thought he was. When another murder is committed, the police learn that the woman and Wignall were business partners in a shady enterprise. A third partner, Sam Graham, in their shady little partnership is missing and the police can't seem to locate him.
As the police continue to investigate, they make progress. A little scrap of paper gives them the vital clue they need to capture the perpetrator.
This is a well written and plotted novel as are all of Helen Durrant's books. It is easy to read and easy to follow. It has engaging characters that are well described. It was my first DCI King book. I liked the novel and will continue to read Ms. Durrant for as long as she chooses to wrte.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Merged review:
4 stars
An elderly and very sick man is found murdered in his bed in a care home. When his daughter arrives to identify him, it is not her father. Who is the unknown man? And where is Francis Baslow? DCI Rachel King and her team have a mystery on their hands.
They finally learn that the dead man was Joseph Wignall, not the Baslow they thought he was. When another murder is committed, the police learn that the woman and Wignall were business partners in a shady enterprise. A third partner, Sam Graham, in their shady little partnership is missing and the police can't seem to locate him.
As the police continue to investigate, they make progress. A little scrap of paper gives them the vital clue they need to capture the perpetrator.
This is a well written and plotted novel as are all of Helen Durrant's books. It is easy to read and easy to follow. It has engaging characters that are well described. It was my first DCI King book. I liked the novel and will continue to read Ms. Durrant for as long as she chooses to write.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
An elderly and very sick man is found murdered in his bed in a care home. When his daughter arrives to identify him, it is not her father. Who is the unknown man? And where is Francis Baslow? DCI Rachel King and her team have a mystery on their hands.
They finally learn that the dead man was Joseph Wignall, not the Baslow they thought he was. When another murder is committed, the police learn that the woman and Wignall were business partners in a shady enterprise. A third partner, Sam Graham, in their shady little partnership is missing and the police can't seem to locate him.
As the police continue to investigate, they make progress. A little scrap of paper gives them the vital clue they need to capture the perpetrator.
This is a well written and plotted novel as are all of Helen Durrant's books. It is easy to read and easy to follow. It has engaging characters that are well described. It was my first DCI King book. I liked the novel and will continue to read Ms. Durrant for as long as she chooses to wrte.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Merged review:
4 stars
An elderly and very sick man is found murdered in his bed in a care home. When his daughter arrives to identify him, it is not her father. Who is the unknown man? And where is Francis Baslow? DCI Rachel King and her team have a mystery on their hands.
They finally learn that the dead man was Joseph Wignall, not the Baslow they thought he was. When another murder is committed, the police learn that the woman and Wignall were business partners in a shady enterprise. A third partner, Sam Graham, in their shady little partnership is missing and the police can't seem to locate him.
As the police continue to investigate, they make progress. A little scrap of paper gives them the vital clue they need to capture the perpetrator.
This is a well written and plotted novel as are all of Helen Durrant's books. It is easy to read and easy to follow. It has engaging characters that are well described. It was my first DCI King book. I liked the novel and will continue to read Ms. Durrant for as long as she chooses to write.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
November 21, 2019
It took me a while to remember the previous book in the series, but when I got going it all came back to me.
This is another explosive tale with Rachel at the helm and her trusted sidekick Elwyn. Jonny is coming to the fore as well, he’s turning out a good detective, and of course her old adversary Kenton. There’s a lot going on and there’s a mole in the department. I must say, I knew who it was straight away, it was easy to work out , but I didn’t know who was behind the murders. Poor Rachel doesn’t know who to trust, and who’s blocking her investigation.
I do enjoy catching up with the same characters and seeing what they get up to, especially as this one again, is set around where I used to live, so it makes it all the more interesting for me. Longsight was grim when I lived in Manchester, and I went to school in Didsbury, so I know the area quite well.
Can’t wait for the next one.
My thanks for the ARC and to Helen, and Joffe Publishers.
This is another explosive tale with Rachel at the helm and her trusted sidekick Elwyn. Jonny is coming to the fore as well, he’s turning out a good detective, and of course her old adversary Kenton. There’s a lot going on and there’s a mole in the department. I must say, I knew who it was straight away, it was easy to work out , but I didn’t know who was behind the murders. Poor Rachel doesn’t know who to trust, and who’s blocking her investigation.
I do enjoy catching up with the same characters and seeing what they get up to, especially as this one again, is set around where I used to live, so it makes it all the more interesting for me. Longsight was grim when I lived in Manchester, and I went to school in Didsbury, so I know the area quite well.
Can’t wait for the next one.
My thanks for the ARC and to Helen, and Joffe Publishers.
November 22, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
This is the 3rd book in the Detective Rachel King series and another good one.
A sick old man is found dead in his care home, murdered, with one of his fingers cut off and strewn with confetti. Having only been visited by a clergyman, it's hard to figure how the killer got into the facility, which is password protected. When they discover, via his daughter, that this man is not who they thought he was, the police believe there's a connection with a people smuggling case. Rachel delves into the mystery with her usual doggedness, despite her boss's warnings to lay off...he'll take care of it, but she ignores him. Her partners Elwyn and Jonny are back as well; it's like meeting old friends. The ending had a surprise in store for us, a big change is coming in Rachel's personal life and I for one can't wait for the next book. Definitely recommended.
This is the 3rd book in the Detective Rachel King series and another good one.
A sick old man is found dead in his care home, murdered, with one of his fingers cut off and strewn with confetti. Having only been visited by a clergyman, it's hard to figure how the killer got into the facility, which is password protected. When they discover, via his daughter, that this man is not who they thought he was, the police believe there's a connection with a people smuggling case. Rachel delves into the mystery with her usual doggedness, despite her boss's warnings to lay off...he'll take care of it, but she ignores him. Her partners Elwyn and Jonny are back as well; it's like meeting old friends. The ending had a surprise in store for us, a big change is coming in Rachel's personal life and I for one can't wait for the next book. Definitely recommended.
December 6, 2019
Wrong Victim by author Helen H. Durrant is another good mystery in the DCI Rachel King series. This is the third book but can be easily read as a stand-alone book with no problems understanding the characters or plot. Although questions from the preceding books about Jed will be answered, DCI Rachel King must first try to solve the murder of a very ill man in a care home. Why would someone want to murder a man who was already dying? The case gets a bit strange when the identity of the victim is discovered. Rachel wants to find out if there are any connections to people in a previous case of human trafficking. More bodies are found and this leads to more confusion about the motive for the murders. Rachel must discover how the switched identities affect the real estate fraud she feels is the motive behind the murders.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 2, 2019
The third in the Rachel King series by Helen Durrant. I didn't feel that I had missed anything by not reading the previous two books and am glad that I didn't need to read them.
I didn't feel any empathy for any of the characters, none of them had any depth to them. As a team they didn't really seem to be working together just doing there own thing.
The holiday to Malaga just felt off. First Rachel says she hasn't any luggage only hand luggage and then she talks about a case? Would a woman get into an unknown car just because someone new her name and she was a police officer, don't buy that.
There was too much talking to members of the public and too much information being given out when it shouldn't have been.
Nothing was credible and it was all very rushed and convoluted.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.
I didn't feel any empathy for any of the characters, none of them had any depth to them. As a team they didn't really seem to be working together just doing there own thing.
The holiday to Malaga just felt off. First Rachel says she hasn't any luggage only hand luggage and then she talks about a case? Would a woman get into an unknown car just because someone new her name and she was a police officer, don't buy that.
There was too much talking to members of the public and too much information being given out when it shouldn't have been.
Nothing was credible and it was all very rushed and convoluted.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.
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