Into the Fire

Helen Grace #13

by M.J. Arlidge, Elizabeth Bower (Narrator)

The brand-new gripping thriller from the million copy bestseller M.J. Arlidge

Nowhere to hide. No one to turn to. Nothing to lose.

Helen Grace is sure she made the right decision quitting her job as a detective. Until the day she looks out of her window to see a desperate young woman being pursued by two vicious thugs.

Still a force to be reckoned with, Helen races into the night, swiftly downing the young woman's attackers. For a moment, it feels like Helen doesn't need her badge to do good, but as she leads her charge to safety, she's struck from behind, regaining consciousness just in time to see the terrified woman being driven off in a white van.

Helen's determined to find the woman and save her, but begging her former colleagues for help gets her nowhere. It's clear that this time Helen is on her own.

Racing against the clock, Helen soon discovers a whole group of vulnerable women who desperately need her help. But fighting crime as a maverick is a dangerous game. One that could cost Helen her life, and the life of those she holds most dear...


PRAISE FOR THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER M.J.

'Chilling'
THE TIMES

'Addictive'
EXPRESS

'Truly excellent'
THE SUN

'Nobody does chilling suspense quite like M.J. Arlidge'
B.P. WALTER

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Ebooks, Fiction

Audible Audio

First published July 3, 2025

About the author

M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last 15 years, specialising in high end drama production. Arlidge has produced a number of prime-time crime serials for ITV In the last five years, and is currently working on a major adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans for the BBC.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

a fantastic series.. Helen Grace is back after she left the force she's in a relationship, but not all as it seems.she gets involved with a woman being chased by thugs.she gets hurt lying on the ground she sees the woman being dragged in a white van...Helen looks for the culprits and finds information she needs to try find out who took her..can she do this on her own or does she needs help with the old team.a Great ending..looking forward to reading the next instalment. a thrilling and intense read..five stars... highly recommended series...

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm obviously in the minority in my opinion/rating, as I notice a lot of 5 star reviews.

I was really looking forward to seeing how Helen was going to cope with being a civilian. However, I found it slightly preposterous that she would continue to throw herself into dangerous situations. Get beaten up numerous times and miraculously bounce back, sometimes within seconds of being concussed/almost killed, to then beat her attackers who are bigger and stronger. Of course it's convenient that they wait their turn to have a go at her, just like the ridiculous kung-fu movies of the 1980's.

I hope that, with the next book planned for July 2026, that maybe the focus moves away from Helen and onto Charlie, but that is probably doubtful, judging by the last sentence of this book......

[Bo Verhoef · Rating 4 out of 5]

MJ Arlidge blijft gewoon keer op keer goed. Wel vond ik dat Helen deze keer wel echt weer teveel had meegemaakt en het is een keertje klaar. Het verhaal zelf? Gruwelijk. Bah. Zo naar ook. Maar toch weer die cliffhanger hè. Geef me meer en meer please.

[Ina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Door het vuur is het 13 de deel in de Helen Grace serie. In dit verhaal is Helen getuige van een aanval op een jonge vrouw waar ze uiteindelijk het onderspit moet delven. Na wat speurwerk ontdekt ze dat ze te maken had met een criminele bende. Maar Helen is geen inspecteur meer want ze heeft haar ontslag gegeven en probeert op eigen houtje te handelen. Ondertussen heeft Charlie af te rekenen met een handel in mensensmokkel dat op een sisser afloopt en haar zelfvertrouwen een serieuze deuk geeft.
Het verhaal op zich is niet mis maar hoe ver kan een menselijk lichaam leed verdragen. Helen lijkt hier wel onverwoestbaar en het komt allemaal wat ongeloofwaardig over. Het boek eindigt wel met een cliffhanger en weten we zeker dat er nog een vervolg komt in de serie. Maar de auteur zal met een sterk verhaal uit de hoek moeten komen.

[Axellesbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5.
Plothole ontdekt, verhaal had weinig ‘body’. Weer zo’n onnodige twist in het persoonlijke leven van Grace. Ik denk dat het stilletjes aan tijd wordt dat deze serie tot een einde komt. Het beste is er ondertussen denk ik wel van af…

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

M.J. Arlidge returns with his latest in the Helen Grace series. It has been a busy few years for Helen Grace, leaving her to make the decision to quit, if only for her own sanity. When she sees a brutal assault, she regrets her decision and tries to get someone to take notice. She soon discovers a human trafficking ring in town and wants to break it open, hoping that she can make a difference while a civilian. Some of her former colleagues dismiss her, leaving Helen to ensure she takes matters into her own hands. Arlidge delivers a great addition to the series and keeps fans eager to see what’s to come!

Helen Grace gave significant time and effort while working for the police. She made the drastic choice to quit the force, ensuring her safety. However, when she sees a young woman being assaulted outside her front window, Helen rushes to help, as she would have done when working.

Rushing to stop the attackers, Helen is struck unconscious. When she wakes with a massive headache, she sees the woman being tossed into a white van that speeds away. Helen cannot sit idly by and tries to engage the assistance of her former colleagues, but is rebuffed. It’s time to take on the investigation on her own, citizen or not.

Using her power to pull intel out of others, Helen learns that the victim recently arrived from Türkiye and owed her arrival to people of nefarious means. Soon, other women come forward who were in the same position, and Helen pieces together a case that this is all tied to human trafficking. Getting answers and locating the guilty parties could be a bit more difficult. All the while, Helen receives shocking personal news! No one said that Helen was someone who followed the rules, even if her life were in danger. M.J. Arlidge keeps the tension high in this later instalment of a great series!

M.J. Arlidge has long been an author I followed with much excitement. This series builds on past novels with ease, using a strong narrative to guide the way. It builds without issue and adds a handful of effective characters to flavour the larger story. Plot points work well and keep the reader guessing as the twists add another layer of greatness. I am eager to see what’s to come!

Kudos, Mr. Arlidge, for keeping me on my toes throughout this read.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Silvie Klokgieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinds haar ontslag bij de recherche van Southampton probeert Helen Grace te ontdekken wie ze is nu ze niet langer achter criminelen aan hoeft te gaan. Maar als ze op een nacht getuige is van een aanval op een jonge vrouw springt ze er zonder na te denken op af. Als de vrouw na een korte worsteling in een busje verdwijnt, blijkt wat in eerste instantie een mishandeling leek onderdeel te zijn van iets veel groters en gruwelijkers.

In de haven van Southampton bereiden inspecteur Charlie en haar team zich voor om een grote crimineel bij de kraag te vatten. De Rotterdamse vrachtwagenchauffeur staat op het punt de haven binnen te rijden met een dozijn illegale immigranten, maar tot Charlies grote frustratie blijkt zijn vrachtwagen leeg te zijn. Ze zijn er overduidelijk in geluisd en Charlie weet niet of ze het in zich heeft om de rest van het onderzoek te leiden...

Dit dertiende deel is een klein beetje anders dan de voorgaande delen, want nu moet Helen Grace alles zonder haar vaste team doen en op een dag is ze getuige van een zware mishandeling. Helen raakt hierdoor betrokkeb bij een zaak die nogal duister is en ze probeert er alles aan te doen om achter de waarheid te komen...

Ook lees je veel over inspecteur Charlie. Zij heeft de rol van Helen Grace overgenomen en ze is bezig om een grote crimineel te pakken te krijgen, maar dit valt allemaal nog niet mee.

Ondertussen lees je nog meer verschillende verhaallijnen en Helen kruist ook weer het pad van Charlie. Vooral de frustratie die ze naar haar oude team voelt is goed voelbaar, maar ook in het privéleven van Helen gebeuren er verschillende dingen. Ze is en blijft een heel erg interessant personage.

De afwisseling in personages vond ik prettig en ook de verschillende verhaallijnen maakte het boeiend en niet langdradig.

Er zijn betere en spannendere delen in deze serie, maar het totaal plaatje was dan wel weer interessant en het einde maakt mij dan wel weer heel erg nieuwsgierig! De schrijfstijl van Arlidge blijft ook gewoon super prettig!

Ik wil @boekerij heel erg bedanken voor het recensie-exemplaar en ik kijk uit naar het veertiende deel.

Beoordeling: 3,5/4,0 ⭐️

[Jerry Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

MJ Arlidge has written some good books but this isn’t one of them. I can appreciate the challenges of keeping a long running series fresh but, in my opinion, this failed to rise to the challenge.
Why? Too much graphic violence carried out on women. Characters recovering impossibly quickly from that violence. (If you were beaten with a bicycle chain, as frequently happens here, you would have life changing injuries and you would not be able to go to work the next day!) A comically incompetent police force. (Reacting to the same false tip off three times. No stab vests!) and far too many plot holes. (When Helen rushes out of a hotel room to help a woman being attacked why does her boyfriend not follow? Why does Helen tell a woman she’s barely met where a woman’s refuge is located? In which world does a newspaper publish allegations against a cleaning company hours after receiving a handful of unchecked allegations? Why are the police not interested in Helen’s evidence when they’re investigating the same crime? And, I haven’t got time to explain the sheer impossibility of a getaway from a fast moving articulated truck.)
Sorry, I know I’m at odds with lots of readers here, but this was a bit of a mess in my opinion.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️ Deze auteur kan altijd lekker vlot schrijven dus ik ging weer super snel door dit boek heen. Normaal vind ik deze boeken ook echt heel leuk maar gedurende het hele boek had ik nu een “gewoon leuk” gevoel vanwege de onrealistische situaties. Wel heel interessant onderwerp over mensenhandel, maar de voorgaande delen vond ik beter. Wel zieke cliffhanger weer dus volgende deel ga ik toch ook weer lezen

[Marije Postma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blij dat mijn bestie Helen Grace een onverwachte terugkeer heeft gemaakt. Zoals van MJ Arlidge gewend, was het weer een spannend en sterk geschreven boek. Wel veel verdrietige stukken er in dit keer 🥺

[Kim Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wederom heel duidelijk waarom dit echt m'n all time fave series is. Wat een banger weer en het einde vraagt zeker om een (hopelijk positief) vervolg. Kan niet wachten!

[Amber Saleemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite series! I waited a year for this one to come out and it really didnt disappoint! Although now I have to wait atleast another year for the next installment!
This one picks up about 6 months after the end of Forget me Not (which ended on a cliffhanger) I was so glad to get stuck back into it, seeing how Helen is faring. Which as usual is not great, but she always gets back up no matter what gets thrown at her. This book was tense and gripping from start to finish.

[Jacob Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a big fan of M.J. Arlidge’s Helen Grace series for a long while now, but his latest, Into the Fire, is definitely one of my favourites. Helen is at a bit of a cross roads in her life. She’s left the police force, and appears to be in a happy relationship with her new boyfriend. That is, until, everything is turned upside down, when she witnesses a horrific attack on a young woman. But because she’s no longer a serving police officer, she’s having to fight for her voice to be heard.

Helen Grace really does go on an emotional rollercoaster as does her longtime nemesis, Emilia Garanita. Emilia is coming to terms with the fact that her father is dying while he is in prison, despite never having got on with him, and openly hating him, due to the way he treated her. Both Helen and Emilia’s stories really do make this such an addictive read. Each time I got to the end of a chapter told from each of their perspectives, I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. In true Helen Grace style, the fight in her completely takes over and this is what made her such a brilliant detective. She will see a case through, no matter what the personal cost to her will be. And because she no longer has the protection of the police force in this book, there are lots of things that could go wrong for her. The stakes really couldn’t be higher for Helen here, and this is what makes this book so entertaining.

I really felt for Helen when she was trying to make her voice heard, especially to her former work colleagues who seem to think she might be making things up. I could really feel her exasperation at the lack of influence she was having. There are some nasty people in this book who will stop at nothing to make sure no one uncovers their secrets and who they are. This is what makes the situation for the people caught up with them, particularly dangerous. You can feel just how ruthless they are.

Into the Fire grabs you right from the first page and doesn’t let you go. M.J. Arlidge drops a few bombshells here that’ll have many readers sitting right on the edge of their seats. I really, really enjoyed it.

[Lauren Skelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

About 60% of this was a 3-star. It just didn't have that Helen Grace urgency of pace for me and the central crime wasn't really my cup of tea (I like multiple murders...) . But the last 30-40% was definitely more like what I've come to expect from this series, which has always unfailingly been 5-star worthy. So this one gets a 4. But I'm not happy about some of it. Not at all.

[Tonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed this series but this one was too violent for me. Helen seems to go from one vicious beating to the next and is back on her feet the next day.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

niet z'n beste boek.... ook zeker niet slecht, dat niet, maar had iets meer verwacht

[Emma Verbeke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️
Pffieww eindelijk uit… Minder spannend dan ik gewend ben van Arlidge en iets te langdradig ofzo

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[SuzannevHaaften · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weer een heerlijke thriller waarin alle verhaallijnen samenkomen. Het eind was een keer niet zo positief dat alles wordt opgelost, of toch wel? Net op het laatst durft Arlidge toch niet de knoop door te hakken, jammer, had het gewaagd gevonden als een van de hoofdrolspelers eens zou sterven.

[Nicky Mottram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio version of this book 📕- I normally love this authors books but I found this one fell a bit short. Extremely unbelievable in places and the series just wasn’t the same without Helen Grace as the DI .

[Anneke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Balen, voor het eerst een Arlidge waar ik niks mee heb. Geen leuke casus, niet goed uitgewerkte personages.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into The Fire by M.J. Arlidge published July 3rd 2025 with Orion Books and is described as ‘gripping and intriguing’. This is book 13 in the bestselling Helen Grace series, and admittedly my first, but let me immediately tell you two important facts – it is an absolute belter of a read and it can easily be read as a standalone.

Helen Grace quit her job as a detective, for reasons that are explained, and is a bit unmoored by her decision. Her life had been previously subsumed by the police force, where she had thrived in her role, but now she finds her days have no specific purpose and her long-standing connection to her old colleagues is fractured. As she actively considers one of her many options she becomes aware of a dramatic scene unfolding outside her hotel room where a young woman is being assaulted. Helen, without fear for her own safety, races out onto the street, unarmed and only half-dressed, but prepared to do what she can to help this struggling young woman. But, during the altercation, Helen is blindsided with a blow while the woman is bundled into the back of a white van disappearing into the night.

Helen Grace is a fighter but with no welcoming assistance from her old police acquaintances, she has to take her life in her hands and look for this woman herself. There is no love lost between Helen and many of her former colleagues which disappoints and frustrates her in equal measure but time is of the essence with any ruminating to be temporarily shelved. On board her Kawasaki, Helen can move around the streets at speed but she is lacking in leads until an unexpected incident occurs that provides her with a starting point.

In a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, Helen Grace is in a race against time. On her own she can only do so much but she is relentless and fully prepared to see this through at any price. As Helen peels back the layers she soon discovers that there are many women in need of her help, all trapped in a brutal existence. But can she be the one to rescue them?

Into The Fire is a heart-pumping, page-turning stonker of a read with a gutsy protagonist at its centre. Helen Grace is a fantastic character and, although I am not familiar with her trajectory over the previous books, I was completely sold on her authenticity and her sense of justice. Her passion for fighting the good fight and her belief in striving for truth and integrity is brilliantly depicted. With more than one pacey plotline weaving its way around this one central investigation, the reader is treated to a really exciting and sensational story, one that I guarantee will leave you hungry for more…

[Marieke Leest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een nieuwe Helen Grace! Eentje waar ik enorm naar uitkeek want wie het vorige boek gelezen heeft, weet dat Helen een drastische beslissing heeft genomen.

Helen Grace ziet als gewone burger toevallig een misdrijf gebeuren en er dan meteen achterna gaat. Ze komt terecht in een netwerk van mensenhandel. Daarnaast heeft ze ook nog in haar privéleven met iets te dealen.

Charlie heeft de rol van Helen overgenomen bij de recherche. Een rol die haar opgedrongen wordt maar waar ze niet gelukkiger van wordt. Van zodra er iets misloopt in de zaak, heeft ze het gevoel dat ze haar job zou kunnen verliezen door de hoge pieten bij de politie. Ze zet dan ook alles op alles.

Een laatste verhaallijn is voor Emilia Garanita, de meedogenloze journaliste. Ze gaat haar vader opzoeken in de gevangenis. Hij vertelt haar dat hij niet lang meer te leven heeft maar nog een laatste goede daad voor zijn dochter wil doen.

De drie verhaallijnen lijken volledig aparte verhaallijnen te zijn. Maar kleine linkjes verklappen al snel dat ze onderdeel vormen van een groter geheel.

Normaal lees ik de boeken van Arlidge in een mum van tijd uit, zelfs de dikkerds. Maar nu heb ik me er toch een beetje door moeten worstelen. Het duurde toch een half boek voor het verhaal me te pakken kreeg. Het was vooral een actiethriller. En op het einde werd het wel heel spannend want zou Helen op tijd zijn?

Vlot geschreven? Zeker en vast! Spannend? Absoluut. Maar helaas sprak het verhaal me dus minder aan en miste ik Helen Grace als inspecteur. Charlie is een heel mooi personage maar zag ik liever als gewone rechercheur. En ook juist de band tussen Charlie en Helen is wat deze personages leuk maken. Deze keer heer Emilia Garanita een vrij groot aandeel in het boek en leren we de meedogenloze journalist ook op een andere manier kennen.

Voor wie van veel actie houdt in thrillers zal dit wel een aanrader zijn. Er zijn veel gewelddadige vechtscenes, achtervolgingsscenes en Helen Grace wordt meer dan eens in elkaar geslagen.

In ieder geval kijk ik desondanks met veel spanning uit naar het volgende deel in de serie. Ik wil weten hoe het verder gaat want de laatste bladzijden brengen veel vragen.

[beckys_book_blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 13th book in the Helen Grace series which starts with Eeny Meeney.
I have previously read and loved some of the other novels in this series so I was really looking forward to reading this. I wasn't disappointed. This was a dark, gripping thriller and I couldn't put it down.

Helen Grace has recently given up her job as a detective. When she sees a young woman being violently attacked outside her hotel room Helen rushes to help. She is knocked unconscious and as she comes round she sees the woman being bundled into a white van. Helen quickly becomes immersed in trying to uncover a human trafiking plot. This case is much harder however as Helen is no longer a detective and her colleague Charlie isn't so keen to listen or help her. Charlie is too busy desperately trying to fill Helen's shoes and prove she's up to the job.
This book has some really disturbing scenes. It's certainly a gritty read! I found the trafficking plot fascinating and believable. Helen certainly finds herself in some dangerous situations and I was willing her to uncover the whereabouts of the women before it was too late.
Although this is quite a chunky book it doesn't feel like it when reading. The short pacy chapters and the building suspense made me fly through this book. There are some shockimg scenes along the way too!
This book could easily be read as a stand-alone but
I'm looking forward to continuing the story in the next instalment.

[Sharon Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book.did not disappoint even though helen grace is no longer a police officer somethings never change. After spotting a woman who she is sure is being trafficked by a group of thugs can helen leave this alone or not. Without being a police officer how will she get on with trying to investigate on her own. Her personal life also has a few bumps in the road and things that may change her life for ever is she ready for this. Her relationship with Charlie is also strained can she make amends and get things back to how they were. Emillia her old enemy from the newspapers is also trying to deal with her past and her dad who has caused her nothing but stress is he honestly trying to make amends before he dies or do leopards never change their spots?

Even though she is not a police officer you still get a lot of investigating and police procedural. I was shocked with the route Helens personal life took. I felt for Emilia and her relationship with her father is never an easy thing to deal with especially when you look at how he treated his own children. I do hope in the future helen could return to her old haunting ground. The end of book left me speechless and I'm hoping things get sorted for the people involved I won't say too much as will give things away. I think there will definitely be more as we need to know visser gets his ending he deserves. This series has lost none of its punch the characters may of moved on but Helen is still as driven as ever.

[Amanda Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading this book to see how Helen Grace was dealing with being a normal civilian after quitting the force in the last book.

This had a good story and it was good to be back with the crew. Emilia featured heavily in this book, unlike the last and her part in the story was interesting this time as she is forced to confront her past. Helen Grace can never really be out of the loop though, this time although not in the force anymore she still manages to put her life on the line.

I enjoyed reading the book but did feel that it lacked something that the previous books had. I’m still interested to read the next book next year to see what happens next though.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[Martine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Grace heeft ontslag genomen uit het korps en dat wordt haar niet in dank afgenomen, ook niet door haar collega/vriendin Charlie die probeert de boel recht te houden. Wanneer ze denkt eindelijk de liefde te hebben gevonden wacht haar een onaangename verrassing. Desondanks kan ze het niet laten zich het lot van migrantenvrouwen die als slaaf worden ingezet onder erbarmelijke omstandigheden aan te trekken en de strijd aan te gaan tegen de mensensmokkelaars. Emilia Granita bezoekt haar stervende vader in de gevangenis en zweert zich te wreken op de man die haar verminkt heeft. Alles vloeit samen in een bloedstollende finale waarbij geen van de drie hun leven nog zeker is. Actueel, spannend en in een rotvaart geschreven. Met een kanjer van een cliffhanger op het einde van het boek.

[Cath · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thirteen books deep and this series has finally lost me. What once felt gritty and compelling now comes across as shallow, heavy-handed, and frankly a bit dumb. The plotting feels lazy, the character work tired, and the political commentary is so blunt it overwhelms the story rather than serving it.

DI Grace has long outstayed her welcome. There’s no development left, no tension, no sense that this character has anywhere interesting to go. At this point, killing her off might be the boldest and most honest move the series could make.

I really wanted to like this — I enjoyed the earlier books — but this one finished me. I won’t be continuing.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into The Fire by M.J Arlidge

I can't believe I've got to wait for the next book to find out what happens next.

This is a very fast pace, thriller, with so much going on with each chapter, it keeps you on the edge of the sit the whole time. At one point I was in tears while reading this.

This is a must read if you've read the rest of the DI Helen Grace series and if you haven't why not?

This is my favourite book in the series and I can't wait for the next book.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book #13 of the Helen Grace series. We are back in Southampton and Helen has now left the force. She doesn't seem to have any regrets about her decision until one day when she sees a young woman being beaten by two men. She begins to investigate the attack herself when no one at her former Station is interested in looking into it.

I love Helen's character and always loved the air of authority that came from her when she was working as a Detective Inspector. Now she's no longer a serving police officer, she still gives off the same air but it's not so easy for her to investigate on her own. Helen isn't only struggling with her work decisions though and when she finds life throwing another curve ball at her she finds she may need to make some sacrifices. I have to admit, I really felt for Helen in this book - she has so many things going wrong for her! Charlie, who has had to step up into Helen's shoes, is also feeling the pressure and I didn't take to her as much as I have done previously - probably because of how she is treating Helen!

The storyline is fast paced and straight into the action with a group of people traffickers. I enjoyed the dual storyline with journalist Emilia Garanita and thought the author cleverly weaved the two storylines together. Helen is a great character - strong, loyal and feisty - and whilst I've enjoyed her being out of the police, I much prefer her at the helm of the Murder Investigation Team giving out the orders! Hopefully she'll reconsider her decisions and reclaim her throne! Would recommend!