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Helen Grace #3
The Doll's House
O corpo de uma jovem é desenterrado numa praia remota, mas o seu desaparecimento nunca tinha sido denunciado. Alguém a mantivera «viva» ao longo do tempo, enviando à família, regularmente, mensagens em seu nome.
Para a detetive Helen Grace, todas as provas apontam para um assassino em série, um monstro distorcido mas engenhoso e hábil — um predador que já matou antes.
À medida que Helen se esforça por destrinçar as motivações do assassino, ela compreende que se trata de uma verdadeira corrida contra o tempo. Uma única falha pode significar a perda de mais uma vida.
Para a detetive Helen Grace, todas as provas apontam para um assassino em série, um monstro distorcido mas engenhoso e hábil — um predador que já matou antes.
À medida que Helen se esforça por destrinçar as motivações do assassino, ela compreende que se trata de uma verdadeira corrida contra o tempo. Uma única falha pode significar a perda de mais uma vida.
434 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2015
715 people are currently reading
12754 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Arlidge
37 books4,236 followersM.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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,822 reviews
February 9, 2017
M.J. Arlidge is a master at amping up the suspense to pulse-pounding, anxiety-inducing levels. The short chapters, many of which culminate in shocking revelations, drive that frantic page-turning pace I can’t seem to get enough of. If I haven’t said this a hundred times already, I love short chapters.
Detective Helen Grace is an enigma. Three books in and I still can’t say that I definitively know who she is at her core or what's behind that tough exterior. The author sort of strings the reader along by revealing little glimpses, here and there, of Helen's damaging past and alluding to abuse. Which leads me to believe that one of these days, we're going to get a big payoff in the form of her whole heartbreaking story.
Despite not being privy to Helen’s every thought and feeling, rest assured you’ll find yourself rooting for her and her team to unravel the truth and stave off her critics. With two career-defining homicide cases under her belt, Detective Helen Grace has made a name for herself in the press and garnered some jealous haters along the way. People that are dead-set on bringing her down.
After a young woman goes missing and another is found dead, buried in the sand at a remote beach, the question becomes, is this the work of a serial killer? There's something about the calming waves and relaxing nature of the beach that made the thought of finding a corpse completely chilling. I don't know if I'll ever be able to stand with my toes in the sand and not conjure memories of this plot.
This isn’t a series that digs deep and delivers on the emotional aspects of the characters and you know what, surprisingly, I’m okay with that. The author more than makes up for it with the twisted and exciting police procedural storyline that unravels at an envious pace. A pace that sort of puts other suspense novels to shame.
Detective Helen Grace is an enigma. Three books in and I still can’t say that I definitively know who she is at her core or what's behind that tough exterior. The author sort of strings the reader along by revealing little glimpses, here and there, of Helen's damaging past and alluding to abuse. Which leads me to believe that one of these days, we're going to get a big payoff in the form of her whole heartbreaking story.
Despite not being privy to Helen’s every thought and feeling, rest assured you’ll find yourself rooting for her and her team to unravel the truth and stave off her critics. With two career-defining homicide cases under her belt, Detective Helen Grace has made a name for herself in the press and garnered some jealous haters along the way. People that are dead-set on bringing her down.
After a young woman goes missing and another is found dead, buried in the sand at a remote beach, the question becomes, is this the work of a serial killer? There's something about the calming waves and relaxing nature of the beach that made the thought of finding a corpse completely chilling. I don't know if I'll ever be able to stand with my toes in the sand and not conjure memories of this plot.
This isn’t a series that digs deep and delivers on the emotional aspects of the characters and you know what, surprisingly, I’m okay with that. The author more than makes up for it with the twisted and exciting police procedural storyline that unravels at an envious pace. A pace that sort of puts other suspense novels to shame.
December 31, 2017
Book 3 of the Helen Grace series. This one takes place nearly a year after the end of book 2, Pop Goes the Weasel. Helen’s team of detectives seems to be in a constant state of change. With a divided team, the unit is struggling to solve a missing person case. They quickly realize this latest missing woman may be tied to the investigation of two other women found buried on the beach.
This book has a slightly different feel from the two previous in the series. With less focus on Helen herself, more emphasis is on the character development of her team of detectives. This tells me the series is in for the long haul (yeah!). Perhaps future books will focus on one or more of the other detectives and give Helen a break in the action. Either way, count me in! I will be back for more as I am now diving straight into book 4 - Liar Liar.
A traveling sister read with Brenda and Susanne!
This book has a slightly different feel from the two previous in the series. With less focus on Helen herself, more emphasis is on the character development of her team of detectives. This tells me the series is in for the long haul (yeah!). Perhaps future books will focus on one or more of the other detectives and give Helen a break in the action. Either way, count me in! I will be back for more as I am now diving straight into book 4 - Liar Liar.
A traveling sister read with Brenda and Susanne!
January 1, 2018
4 Stars.
So Good! I just can't get enough of Helen Grace!
A woman’s body is discovered buried on the beach. Her family never knew she was missing. Even though they were no longer close, they kept track of her through the regular tweets that she posted on Twitter. Eerie right? Sends shivers down my spine for sure.
Meanwhile Ruby Sprackling wakes up somewhere unfamiliar. In a cold dark room. With no windows or lights. And she has no idea how she got there. And then she meets him, her captor. He is calm and soothing yet Ruby is terrified, as she knows that there is no way out. Soon Ruby’s family discovers that she is missing from her apartment. However after disappearing she tweeted that she took off because she couldn’t deal. And the tweets? They keep on coming. Sound familiar? The Spracklings however can’t believe that Ruby would just take off like that and they immediately contact the police.
DI Helen Grace and her team investigate, the body on the beach and Ruby’s disappearance. Things immediately feel awry to Helen - her team isn’t meshing and she doesn’t like it. It takes breaking a case to bring a team together and that is what Helen plans to do. With DC Brooks on maternity leave, DC Sanderson tracks down every lead thrown at her. Unfortunately for Helen, she is sidetracked from solving the case via politics at the station. DS Harwood has it in for Grace and she will take desperate measures to get her out. Helen Grace doesn’t want anything to do with politics and just wants to solve cases and that is what she plans to do.
The feel of the book is like ice. My bones were chilled. Of course, it could have been because of the cold dark room Ruby was kept in, or it could have been the stellar writing of M. J. Arlidge. Either way, I was glued to the storyline, holding my breath awaiting the stunning conclusion.
This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda and Kaceey. I had a blast reading it with them and am so glad they like M. J. Arlidge’s books as much as I do. Can’t wait for us to start Liar Liar next.
Published on Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram on 12.31.17.
So Good! I just can't get enough of Helen Grace!
A woman’s body is discovered buried on the beach. Her family never knew she was missing. Even though they were no longer close, they kept track of her through the regular tweets that she posted on Twitter. Eerie right? Sends shivers down my spine for sure.
Meanwhile Ruby Sprackling wakes up somewhere unfamiliar. In a cold dark room. With no windows or lights. And she has no idea how she got there. And then she meets him, her captor. He is calm and soothing yet Ruby is terrified, as she knows that there is no way out. Soon Ruby’s family discovers that she is missing from her apartment. However after disappearing she tweeted that she took off because she couldn’t deal. And the tweets? They keep on coming. Sound familiar? The Spracklings however can’t believe that Ruby would just take off like that and they immediately contact the police.
DI Helen Grace and her team investigate, the body on the beach and Ruby’s disappearance. Things immediately feel awry to Helen - her team isn’t meshing and she doesn’t like it. It takes breaking a case to bring a team together and that is what Helen plans to do. With DC Brooks on maternity leave, DC Sanderson tracks down every lead thrown at her. Unfortunately for Helen, she is sidetracked from solving the case via politics at the station. DS Harwood has it in for Grace and she will take desperate measures to get her out. Helen Grace doesn’t want anything to do with politics and just wants to solve cases and that is what she plans to do.
The feel of the book is like ice. My bones were chilled. Of course, it could have been because of the cold dark room Ruby was kept in, or it could have been the stellar writing of M. J. Arlidge. Either way, I was glued to the storyline, holding my breath awaiting the stunning conclusion.
This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda and Kaceey. I had a blast reading it with them and am so glad they like M. J. Arlidge’s books as much as I do. Can’t wait for us to start Liar Liar next.
Published on Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram on 12.31.17.
February 27, 2019
Much better than Pop Goes the Weasel #2. Helen Grace has the interfering journalist now under her thumb and she is doing well at dealing with all the individual egos at the Police Station. Gosh there are a lot of them! Everyone appears to be jealous of their role and prepared to do underhand and even illegal things to promote themselves.
Helen meanwhile gets on with the job and finds herself up against another serial killer. With the help of her team and lots of good old fashioned police work she manages to track him down. It is an excellent story, well paced and with lots of action.
A very enjoyable book indeed and I am definitely now hooked on this series!
Helen meanwhile gets on with the job and finds herself up against another serial killer. With the help of her team and lots of good old fashioned police work she manages to track him down. It is an excellent story, well paced and with lots of action.
A very enjoyable book indeed and I am definitely now hooked on this series!
June 3, 2019
Arlidge returns to offer readers another look into the world of psychological criminals and the ever-evolving life of DI Helen Grace. Set ten months after the harrowing end to the previous novel, everyone is still abuzz that Grace has nabbed two significant serial killers. When the body of a young woman is discovered buried in the sand at a semi-secluded beach, Grace wonders if there is another killer on the loose, but has little context. Authorities are baffled, especially when they discover the victim has been dead for over a year, but has kept up a strong social media presence in the intervening period. Meanwhile, when Ruby Sprackling awakens in a mysterious house, she cannot recall how she made it there. Remembering passing out after a night of partying, she is left to wonder what this windowless prison might be. Soon all becomes clear; she is being held captive by a man who continually refers to her as Summer and wants nothing more than to earn her affections. Like a doll trapped in a confined house, Ruby must learn more about her kidnapper and curry favour with him. However, this man must also learn more about Ruby, as he projects her persona out to the world, covering up her disappearance as a desire to get away from it all. The longer Ruby remains in custody, the more she learns about those who were detained before her. This is also something that DI Grace and the team discover, as they delve a little deeper into the past of their single murder victim. Grace is also juggling a personal search of her own, trying to locate and reconnect with her estranged nephew. Hitting a wall, she uses her persuasive power and desire to ignore a direct order from a superior to learn a little more. Grace comes head to head with her Detective Superintendent, leaving them at odds and Anti-Corruption to enter the picture. With little time to waste, a cat and mouse game ensues with a killer who is keen to cover his footprints and weasel his way into the lives of unsuspecting young women. Can Ruby be saved before it is too late, or will DI Grace have to face her fallible nature? Arlidge spins another great story that will keep the reader hooked throughout.
Arlidge has gambled significantly in this series. Not only has he chosen three very different sorts of crimes and built on them, but also has utilised a significant number of characters to push the plots forward. Fans of the series will realise that in this, the third novel, much of the Southampton squad has changed. The reasons for this are apparent throughout the previous two novels, which saw significant personal involvement of those under Grace's command. This character merry-go-round forces the reader not only to develop new bonds, but to not feel the shift takes away from the larger narrative. Arlidge uses much of the book developing at least two of these new characters, while also forcing DI Grace and DS Harwood to come to a head, leaving one in utter ruins. This does not, surprisingly, take away from the story or its scintillating nature, as the reader forges on and demands to be entertained. As I have mentioned previously, DI Grace's personal demons emerge in her secret personal life, which is addressed, though with less detail in this novel, as she makes some choices for her future. The thrills are embedded throughout these lightning-quick chapters and the story reaches a climax at just the right moment, keeping the killer masked until close to the end, another wonderful trait Arlidge uses in his stories. There is much to be said for the twists in the narrative, which leads readers to suspect a few possible characters until the kidnapper is uncovered. Arlidge does not shy away from presenting the horrid ways humans treat one another in the name of control, which remains evident throughout the pages of this novel. Just when you thought you had seen it all, or felt you were on firm footing...
Kudos, Mr. Arlidge for another great novel. I cannot get enough of these and I enjoy the varied nature of your crime-based approach.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Arlidge has gambled significantly in this series. Not only has he chosen three very different sorts of crimes and built on them, but also has utilised a significant number of characters to push the plots forward. Fans of the series will realise that in this, the third novel, much of the Southampton squad has changed. The reasons for this are apparent throughout the previous two novels, which saw significant personal involvement of those under Grace's command. This character merry-go-round forces the reader not only to develop new bonds, but to not feel the shift takes away from the larger narrative. Arlidge uses much of the book developing at least two of these new characters, while also forcing DI Grace and DS Harwood to come to a head, leaving one in utter ruins. This does not, surprisingly, take away from the story or its scintillating nature, as the reader forges on and demands to be entertained. As I have mentioned previously, DI Grace's personal demons emerge in her secret personal life, which is addressed, though with less detail in this novel, as she makes some choices for her future. The thrills are embedded throughout these lightning-quick chapters and the story reaches a climax at just the right moment, keeping the killer masked until close to the end, another wonderful trait Arlidge uses in his stories. There is much to be said for the twists in the narrative, which leads readers to suspect a few possible characters until the kidnapper is uncovered. Arlidge does not shy away from presenting the horrid ways humans treat one another in the name of control, which remains evident throughout the pages of this novel. Just when you thought you had seen it all, or felt you were on firm footing...
Kudos, Mr. Arlidge for another great novel. I cannot get enough of these and I enjoy the varied nature of your crime-based approach.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
September 27, 2018
Woo hoo! I was so excited to get my paws on book three in the Helen Grace series, she is one of my most liked female Detectives in the world of crime fiction. She did not let me down in this one either.
I rated the first book 4 stars, the second book 5 stars and this one gets 4.5 stars. This one only dropped half a star as I felt it lacked some of the thrills and pace that the last book did, I wanted a bit more grunt and terror (sick I know).
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.
Forget ever thinking of building sandcastles on the beach or paddling by the waters edge happily with your family. Nope, after reading of the finding of a human being buried deep in the sand, the beach does not seem like such a great place to visit.
The book cleverly moves between the thoughts and feelings of our captive woman, trapped in the most terrifying of situations and the interactions she has with her captor, a man who has the ability to flit between his version of love to rage in seconds. She is not in a good situation.
DI Helen Grace is piecing together a strange pattern, that after identifying the dead woman on the beach she learned that someone (the killer) has been sending texts and tweets for years, having it appear that she is still alive. Who goes to that extent? Out killer does, he's pretty sharp and not going to be an easy catch.
It's a great plot, the two story lines weave together as the book progresses and reveals begin to excite you as the reader. As with all the books in this series, it's an easy read that you can get stuck into straight away and read in one sitting. A stunning success story.
I had a weird perspective on the captor (bad guy) in this book, he really is light and shade and complex, I felt the author did a brilliant job on portraying him to be very unstable and impossible to read.
As the situation escalates and new information comes to light DI Helen Grace needs to pull out all the stops to solve the case and quit the game of cat and mouse. This one won't let you down if you have enjoyed either of the other two books. And guess what? Book four is on way too! Squeeeeeee!
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, many thanks.
I rated the first book 4 stars, the second book 5 stars and this one gets 4.5 stars. This one only dropped half a star as I felt it lacked some of the thrills and pace that the last book did, I wanted a bit more grunt and terror (sick I know).
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.
Forget ever thinking of building sandcastles on the beach or paddling by the waters edge happily with your family. Nope, after reading of the finding of a human being buried deep in the sand, the beach does not seem like such a great place to visit.
The book cleverly moves between the thoughts and feelings of our captive woman, trapped in the most terrifying of situations and the interactions she has with her captor, a man who has the ability to flit between his version of love to rage in seconds. She is not in a good situation.
DI Helen Grace is piecing together a strange pattern, that after identifying the dead woman on the beach she learned that someone (the killer) has been sending texts and tweets for years, having it appear that she is still alive. Who goes to that extent? Out killer does, he's pretty sharp and not going to be an easy catch.
It's a great plot, the two story lines weave together as the book progresses and reveals begin to excite you as the reader. As with all the books in this series, it's an easy read that you can get stuck into straight away and read in one sitting. A stunning success story.
I had a weird perspective on the captor (bad guy) in this book, he really is light and shade and complex, I felt the author did a brilliant job on portraying him to be very unstable and impossible to read.
As the situation escalates and new information comes to light DI Helen Grace needs to pull out all the stops to solve the case and quit the game of cat and mouse. This one won't let you down if you have enjoyed either of the other two books. And guess what? Book four is on way too! Squeeeeeee!
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, many thanks.
June 2, 2019
Third time is the charm! I am really finally starting to get into the Helen Grace series. The first two were okay, and I have mainly stuck with them because my wife enjoyed them. With The Doll's House, she may have converted me!
This book did a great job of combining a creepy new mystery along with some of the ongoing storyline. If you have not read the first two books, the ongoing storyline stuff may be a bit confusing. Heck, even having read the first two books, I had to ask my wife for some reminders of what happened! But, the fact that when it was done I found myself saying "I am glad the author didn't do this" or "I think it is awesome that this storyline turned out the way it did" shows that it was a decent novel for me.
Another awesome thing was that this was another book my wife and I listened to together. We had a road trip planned, so, while the kids watched SpongeBob in the back, we listened to our book. What was even more interesting was my wife had been looking for this book for the road trip but could not check it out because someone already had it out. That other person: ME!😄
If you like bizarre mysteries with unique detectives on the case, this series is worth checking out. If you are anything like me, the first book or two might be just so-so for you, but hopefully you experience the same renaissance that I did when you get to book three!
This book did a great job of combining a creepy new mystery along with some of the ongoing storyline. If you have not read the first two books, the ongoing storyline stuff may be a bit confusing. Heck, even having read the first two books, I had to ask my wife for some reminders of what happened! But, the fact that when it was done I found myself saying "I am glad the author didn't do this" or "I think it is awesome that this storyline turned out the way it did" shows that it was a decent novel for me.
Another awesome thing was that this was another book my wife and I listened to together. We had a road trip planned, so, while the kids watched SpongeBob in the back, we listened to our book. What was even more interesting was my wife had been looking for this book for the road trip but could not check it out because someone already had it out. That other person: ME!😄
If you like bizarre mysteries with unique detectives on the case, this series is worth checking out. If you are anything like me, the first book or two might be just so-so for you, but hopefully you experience the same renaissance that I did when you get to book three!
February 25, 2018
Kaceey and I were lost in the dark, cold and damp musty coulee with Susanne joining us in reading The Dolls House.
The Dolls House is a disturbing, terrifying and chilling story that takes us into the mind of an abducted woman as she struggles with what she had to endure while being held captive. We found ourselves at the edge of the coulee cheering Helen on as she follows the trail to understanding the killer's motivation here in this story.
Somethings have shifted here within the team we love and we don’t see as much from Helen in this one. There is a bit of difference in the dynamics here with the team and our guard went up when we start to see Helen butting heads with DI Harwood. We do see a new side to Helen that had us loving Helen even more as she struggles to find the balance between her job and her personal life. We also grew to love another character even more in this story.
Not the favorite of the three, however, we still raced through this one as fast as we could. We highly recommend.
For all my reviews featuring M.J. Arlidge please check out our Travelling Sister Blog
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
The Dolls House is a disturbing, terrifying and chilling story that takes us into the mind of an abducted woman as she struggles with what she had to endure while being held captive. We found ourselves at the edge of the coulee cheering Helen on as she follows the trail to understanding the killer's motivation here in this story.
Somethings have shifted here within the team we love and we don’t see as much from Helen in this one. There is a bit of difference in the dynamics here with the team and our guard went up when we start to see Helen butting heads with DI Harwood. We do see a new side to Helen that had us loving Helen even more as she struggles to find the balance between her job and her personal life. We also grew to love another character even more in this story.
Not the favorite of the three, however, we still raced through this one as fast as we could. We highly recommend.
For all my reviews featuring M.J. Arlidge please check out our Travelling Sister Blog
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
May 9, 2020
I’m giving this book 4 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
House of Dolls was a very unexpected thriller for me , actually to be honest was my first ever thriller and I’m so happy with my choice .
I fell in love with the characters and their bravery what I can say is I’ll definitely read more Helen Grace series .
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
House of Dolls was a very unexpected thriller for me , actually to be honest was my first ever thriller and I’m so happy with my choice .
I fell in love with the characters and their bravery what I can say is I’ll definitely read more Helen Grace series .
January 1, 2016
The Doll’s House by M.J. Arlidge is a 2015 Penguin publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Ruby knew in her heart that she would go on suffering until the bitter end. There would be no escape for her, and this place- this strange doll’s house- would be her tomb.”
The Doll’s House is another solid addition in the Helen Grace series. While Helen finds herself searching for yet another serial killer, a case every bit as atmospheric, dark, and downright creepy, as previous installments, for me it was the politics in Helen’s unit that took center stage.
Harwood’s drive to kick Helen out has become an obsession of epic proportions, luring otherwise good people into her web of deceit, and forcing Helen to take desperate measures, including the involvement of a very pregnant Charlie, who is on leave.
Helen’s nephew is MIA and she is desperate to make a connection with him, but even Helen can’t seem to find a clue as to what has become of him since discovering his true heritage.
This third book in the series gives us even more insight into the mysterious enigma that is Helen Grace. I have had mixed feelings about her character from the get go. She’s dark, very dark, but at the same time, she is a figure I couldn’t help but respect.
Over time, Helen’s character has seen some growth, but it’s never in a way I would have imagined. Her actions here continued to confuse me, but in spite of Helen’s self- sabotage she did make some solid breakthroughs.
Once again, the author spotlights the flaws of those working in law enforcement, which includes backstabbing, blackmail, and other wonderful measures taken to climb the ladder, to preserve self- glorification, and the snowball effect that has on the entire unit, and the ability to solve crimes, which for some people is a secondary goal, it would seem.
Our killer, is as usual, a real sicko, and we see one of the victims go through a harrowing life and death struggle, which makes for some very tense and suspenseful reading, despite the all too common serial killer trope.
I am satisfied with the conclusion of this one, although there are still a few lingering questions for Helen, but I have no doubt she will get all the wrinkles ironed out at some point. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, and can’t wait to see how things develop from here.
Overall, I found this Helen Grace outing to be another well written, gritty and absorbing thriller.
4 stars
“Ruby knew in her heart that she would go on suffering until the bitter end. There would be no escape for her, and this place- this strange doll’s house- would be her tomb.”
The Doll’s House is another solid addition in the Helen Grace series. While Helen finds herself searching for yet another serial killer, a case every bit as atmospheric, dark, and downright creepy, as previous installments, for me it was the politics in Helen’s unit that took center stage.
Harwood’s drive to kick Helen out has become an obsession of epic proportions, luring otherwise good people into her web of deceit, and forcing Helen to take desperate measures, including the involvement of a very pregnant Charlie, who is on leave.
Helen’s nephew is MIA and she is desperate to make a connection with him, but even Helen can’t seem to find a clue as to what has become of him since discovering his true heritage.
This third book in the series gives us even more insight into the mysterious enigma that is Helen Grace. I have had mixed feelings about her character from the get go. She’s dark, very dark, but at the same time, she is a figure I couldn’t help but respect.
Over time, Helen’s character has seen some growth, but it’s never in a way I would have imagined. Her actions here continued to confuse me, but in spite of Helen’s self- sabotage she did make some solid breakthroughs.
Once again, the author spotlights the flaws of those working in law enforcement, which includes backstabbing, blackmail, and other wonderful measures taken to climb the ladder, to preserve self- glorification, and the snowball effect that has on the entire unit, and the ability to solve crimes, which for some people is a secondary goal, it would seem.
Our killer, is as usual, a real sicko, and we see one of the victims go through a harrowing life and death struggle, which makes for some very tense and suspenseful reading, despite the all too common serial killer trope.
I am satisfied with the conclusion of this one, although there are still a few lingering questions for Helen, but I have no doubt she will get all the wrinkles ironed out at some point. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, and can’t wait to see how things develop from here.
Overall, I found this Helen Grace outing to be another well written, gritty and absorbing thriller.
4 stars
March 13, 2024
This is my second book by this author and it was a not-put-down one.
A young woman is kidnapped from her apartment and is kept in a cellar room that is decorated as a doll's house. The body of another young woman is found on a beach.
Detective Inspector Helen Grace has a history of catching serial killers and she suspects that behind this crime stands again a serial killer. Soon she discovers prof for her suspicions.
Helen has a few suspects in these cases and it is tough for the reader to decide who is the real criminal. The situation is even harder as Helen's boss plays games behind Helen's back.
This book is worth reading and deserves its rating.
A young woman is kidnapped from her apartment and is kept in a cellar room that is decorated as a doll's house. The body of another young woman is found on a beach.
Detective Inspector Helen Grace has a history of catching serial killers and she suspects that behind this crime stands again a serial killer. Soon she discovers prof for her suspicions.
Helen has a few suspects in these cases and it is tough for the reader to decide who is the real criminal. The situation is even harder as Helen's boss plays games behind Helen's back.
This book is worth reading and deserves its rating.
August 10, 2016
I've now read the first three of the Helen Grace books. I must say my feelings are a mixed bag. I wasn't overly thrilled with this book. The plot involving the abduction of the girls was nothing new, the subplot with the jealous supervisor was cliche, and again Helen is the hero of the day. Like the previous books, chapters are short and quick. I began to feel like I could read the last sentence and get the gist of the whole chapter. I may pick up Book #4 at some point, but I'm in no hurry.
September 27, 2018
Another brilliant book from this author so far loved all three books.a great serial killer book.helen grace and a new team,a body found on the beach.a girl taken and connected old cases.hooked from the start looking forward to the next read.highly recommend to crime lovers.
August 6, 2019
Thrilling and Addictive! The Detective Helen Grace series checks all my 'favorite' boxes!!
Ruby regretted her session at Revolution last night. Angry with life, she had been in a self-destructive mood, unable or unwilling to turn down the free drinks offered by hopeful lads. There had been pills and cocaine too—the whole thing had been a blur. But had she really drunk so much, taken so much, that she should feel this bad?
She turned over again, burying her throbbing head in the sheets. She had important stuff to do today—her mum was coming round soon—but suddenly Ruby couldn’t face any of it. She just wanted to hide away from the world, cocooned in her hangover, safe from the intrusion of family, responsibility, betrayal and tears. She wanted her life to go away—for a couple of hours at least.
Putting her head under the pillow, she groaned quietly. It was surprisingly cool underneath—cooler than usual—and for a moment she felt refreshed and soothed. This would be a good hidey-hole for a litt—
Something wasn’t right. The smell. What was it about the smell of the sheets? They smelled . . . wrong.
Alarm started to burrow through her hangover. Her sheets always smelled citrusy. She used the same fabric softener her mum did. So why did they now smell of lavender?
Ruby kept her eyes closed, the pillow clamped over her head. Her brain ached fiercely as it spooled back over last night’s events. She had snogged a guy, flirted with a few more . . . but she hadn’t gone home with anyone, had she? No, she had made it back to her flat alone. She remembered dropping her keys on the table, drinking water straight from the kitchen tap, taking some Nurofen before flopping into bed. That was last night, wasn’t it?
She could feel her breathing becoming shallow now, her chest tightening. She needed her asthma inhaler. Stretching out her arm, she groped for the bedside table—drunk or not, she always left her inhaler within easy reach. But it wasn’t there. She reached out farther. Nothing. The table wasn’t bloody there. Her hand collided with the wall. Rough brick. Her wall wasn’t like th—
Ruby pulled off the pillow and sat up. Her mouth fell open, but only a weak gasp came out—her body frozen in breathless panic. She had gone to sleep in her nice, cozy bed. But had woken up in a cold, dark cellar.
********
The Doll's House by M.J. Arlidge is the third book in the Detective Helen Grace series and another adrenaline pumping, thrilling audiobook! Helen Grace is a unique, gritty, damaged character but despite her painful past, or maybe because of it, she's one of the fiercest, top detectives in Southampton. But trouble always finds her, constantly challenging, sometimes impending, her ability to stay on the force, much less work the cases her way. But she's a tough nut to crack and she'll get her man, or women, one way or another or die trying! My heart rate spiked, as always, as Helen closes in on her quarry hoping beyond hope that she can get there in time to save the victim(s) of unspeakable crimes.
Or...
Will things go badly wrong?
I am listening to this series in audiobook format, all of which have been performed by the brilliant, five star narrator, Elizabeth Bower! In this book she's accompanied by an additional narrator, Scott Joseph, whose performance accentuated the story perfectly! The audiobooks never fail to ramp up the excitement, tension, and terror!
I love M.J. Arlidge's original, heart pounding, inescapable, gut wrenching storylines as the conclusions of each book leave me tense, breathless, and thrilled! More than that, though, I always end up craving more of the fierce Helen Grace!
Ruby regretted her session at Revolution last night. Angry with life, she had been in a self-destructive mood, unable or unwilling to turn down the free drinks offered by hopeful lads. There had been pills and cocaine too—the whole thing had been a blur. But had she really drunk so much, taken so much, that she should feel this bad?
She turned over again, burying her throbbing head in the sheets. She had important stuff to do today—her mum was coming round soon—but suddenly Ruby couldn’t face any of it. She just wanted to hide away from the world, cocooned in her hangover, safe from the intrusion of family, responsibility, betrayal and tears. She wanted her life to go away—for a couple of hours at least.
Putting her head under the pillow, she groaned quietly. It was surprisingly cool underneath—cooler than usual—and for a moment she felt refreshed and soothed. This would be a good hidey-hole for a litt—
Something wasn’t right. The smell. What was it about the smell of the sheets? They smelled . . . wrong.
Alarm started to burrow through her hangover. Her sheets always smelled citrusy. She used the same fabric softener her mum did. So why did they now smell of lavender?
Ruby kept her eyes closed, the pillow clamped over her head. Her brain ached fiercely as it spooled back over last night’s events. She had snogged a guy, flirted with a few more . . . but she hadn’t gone home with anyone, had she? No, she had made it back to her flat alone. She remembered dropping her keys on the table, drinking water straight from the kitchen tap, taking some Nurofen before flopping into bed. That was last night, wasn’t it?
She could feel her breathing becoming shallow now, her chest tightening. She needed her asthma inhaler. Stretching out her arm, she groped for the bedside table—drunk or not, she always left her inhaler within easy reach. But it wasn’t there. She reached out farther. Nothing. The table wasn’t bloody there. Her hand collided with the wall. Rough brick. Her wall wasn’t like th—
Ruby pulled off the pillow and sat up. Her mouth fell open, but only a weak gasp came out—her body frozen in breathless panic. She had gone to sleep in her nice, cozy bed. But had woken up in a cold, dark cellar.
********
The Doll's House by M.J. Arlidge is the third book in the Detective Helen Grace series and another adrenaline pumping, thrilling audiobook! Helen Grace is a unique, gritty, damaged character but despite her painful past, or maybe because of it, she's one of the fiercest, top detectives in Southampton. But trouble always finds her, constantly challenging, sometimes impending, her ability to stay on the force, much less work the cases her way. But she's a tough nut to crack and she'll get her man, or women, one way or another or die trying! My heart rate spiked, as always, as Helen closes in on her quarry hoping beyond hope that she can get there in time to save the victim(s) of unspeakable crimes.
Or...
Will things go badly wrong?
I am listening to this series in audiobook format, all of which have been performed by the brilliant, five star narrator, Elizabeth Bower! In this book she's accompanied by an additional narrator, Scott Joseph, whose performance accentuated the story perfectly! The audiobooks never fail to ramp up the excitement, tension, and terror!
I love M.J. Arlidge's original, heart pounding, inescapable, gut wrenching storylines as the conclusions of each book leave me tense, breathless, and thrilled! More than that, though, I always end up craving more of the fierce Helen Grace!
July 3, 2018
Another great thriller by M.J.Arlidge!!!
Fast-paced and full of cliffhangers this book was impossible to put down. I kept reading and reading hyperventilating as the mystery unraveled. This is the 3rd book in Helen Grace series. I haven't read the first 2 because I was told they weren't as good as this one. It didn't affect my reading even though there are a few major spoilers (such as the killers names from the first 2 cases). Our story begins with a girl waking up with a terrible hangover gradually realising she is not sleeping in her room but in a dark cellar. How creepy is that? The book is cleverly narrated, the story being told by different perspectives which makes it easier for the reader to understand and get to know the characters. I particularly enjoyed the chapters told from the serial killer's perspective. In crime stories we don't often get the chance to see inside the monster's head, what their dark thoughts are, why they choose to kill the way they kill. Their M.O is usually explained in a single chapter. This is not the case here. I almost felt sorry for this perpetrator.
Even though I found Liar Liar much more interesting, I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it. I am already a big fan of Arlidge! Spine-chilling, gruesome crime stories!
Don't miss it!
Fast-paced and full of cliffhangers this book was impossible to put down. I kept reading and reading hyperventilating as the mystery unraveled. This is the 3rd book in Helen Grace series. I haven't read the first 2 because I was told they weren't as good as this one. It didn't affect my reading even though there are a few major spoilers (such as the killers names from the first 2 cases). Our story begins with a girl waking up with a terrible hangover gradually realising she is not sleeping in her room but in a dark cellar. How creepy is that? The book is cleverly narrated, the story being told by different perspectives which makes it easier for the reader to understand and get to know the characters. I particularly enjoyed the chapters told from the serial killer's perspective. In crime stories we don't often get the chance to see inside the monster's head, what their dark thoughts are, why they choose to kill the way they kill. Their M.O is usually explained in a single chapter. This is not the case here. I almost felt sorry for this perpetrator.
Even though I found Liar Liar much more interesting, I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it. I am already a big fan of Arlidge! Spine-chilling, gruesome crime stories!
Don't miss it!
May 1, 2016
I am swimming against the tide on this book, as I did with the previous book I read by the same author.
Ruby wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. As she explores her place of captivity she finds a cache of letters from previous captives.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it means she is searching for a deadly predator who has killed before.
I kept waiting to feel the tension, the excitement, but it just never happened. Perhaps if they had just stuck to the main thread of the story in a little more detail it may have been better. I like a little more depth to my characters than happens here. The on-going rivalry between Helen and Ceri Hardwood was extraneous and unnecessary and detracted from what should have been a great nail-biting read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Corp for an ARC of The Doll's House in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Ruby wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. As she explores her place of captivity she finds a cache of letters from previous captives.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it means she is searching for a deadly predator who has killed before.
I kept waiting to feel the tension, the excitement, but it just never happened. Perhaps if they had just stuck to the main thread of the story in a little more detail it may have been better. I like a little more depth to my characters than happens here. The on-going rivalry between Helen and Ceri Hardwood was extraneous and unnecessary and detracted from what should have been a great nail-biting read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Corp for an ARC of The Doll's House in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
July 21, 2016
After reading the other books in this series I was so looking forward to getting my hands on this one so I was overjoyed to read it.
Its intense, its mysterious, it captures your interest from the start to finish. The reason I have dropped a star is that it didn't give me that heart thumping moments that the other books did. Don't get me wrong, it was ace, it was fab, but there was just something I felt was missing in the pace of the plot.
This author is on my top list of authors that I eagerly await each book.
Imagine waking up somewhere not knowing how you got there and as this intensifies as it goes on its nail biting.
I had moments of intense times reading this and then short bursts of.....c'mon...c'mon....
Maybe that was down to me for wanting it to hurry along.
But its certainly not a book to be missed.
I have been late in coming to the table with this as it slipped down my kindle, I have a notepad but it fell apart and I had to rewrite my 'to read' books out and this one slipped me by.
Never mind, everything comes to those who wait right?
I was provided a copy of this from Penguin via Net Galley who I need to thank
December 28, 2016
Mais um livro deste autor que eu adorei. Devorei-o num instante. Sem duvida que a escrita é cativante e a história também. O 4º já lá está em casa, para ler muito, muito em breve. A saga de Helen Grace continua
April 15, 2015
"The Doll's House", is the third book featuring Southampton detective Helen Grace. I would recommend that you read these books in sequence ~ Eeny Meeny ~ Pop Goes The Weasel ~The Doll's House ~ Liar Liar (out September 2015). The Doll's House is an action-packed read, a crime thriller with a strong focus on police investigation.
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, cold and alone, with no recollection of how she got there. She fears for her life.
“She realized now that she was his toy. She was his plaything in this doll’s house where everything that looked real was fake.”
DI Helen Grace is called to a remote beach, the body of a dead woman has been found, believed to have been dead for a couple of years. But her family has been receiving texts and tweets on behalf of the dead woman. Helen Grace soon finds herself on the hunt for a killer, trying to save a young woman's life in the process.
Again in this novel, we follow Helen Grace and her team, as she attempts to find a serial killer , racing against time. But after reading Eeny Meeny and Pop Goes The Weasel I have to say that I would have liked to be a little more frightened reading this novel, as I was reading his first two novels, but being an avid reader of crime thrillers/serial killers, the effect might be wearing thin.
The strength of this novel is through its range of characters, the regulars plus some new ones, all have their own story to tell. Emilia, Jake, Charlie and Helen Grace herself are all developed further, and the short chapter format briskly moves the story along.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and look forward to book #4, in September with the return of D.I. Grace in "Liar Liar".
My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin books for the ARC of this book.
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, cold and alone, with no recollection of how she got there. She fears for her life.
“She realized now that she was his toy. She was his plaything in this doll’s house where everything that looked real was fake.”
DI Helen Grace is called to a remote beach, the body of a dead woman has been found, believed to have been dead for a couple of years. But her family has been receiving texts and tweets on behalf of the dead woman. Helen Grace soon finds herself on the hunt for a killer, trying to save a young woman's life in the process.
Again in this novel, we follow Helen Grace and her team, as she attempts to find a serial killer , racing against time. But after reading Eeny Meeny and Pop Goes The Weasel I have to say that I would have liked to be a little more frightened reading this novel, as I was reading his first two novels, but being an avid reader of crime thrillers/serial killers, the effect might be wearing thin.
The strength of this novel is through its range of characters, the regulars plus some new ones, all have their own story to tell. Emilia, Jake, Charlie and Helen Grace herself are all developed further, and the short chapter format briskly moves the story along.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and look forward to book #4, in September with the return of D.I. Grace in "Liar Liar".
My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin books for the ARC of this book.
May 6, 2015
The 3rd book in the Helen Grace series by M.J.Arlidge. I had this series recommended to me by my Goodread friend Sue and loved the first book 'Eeny Meeny' and have very quickly read the other two books. I thought this book was the best yet, maybe due to been more familiar with the main characters but it had a good fast plot and lots of action. Like a lot of novels there are two story lines going on but everything eventually makes good sense after a lot of twists and complications. If you are already familiar with this series then this is a sure bet if not I suggest you start the series from book one. I believe the 4th book in the series is out in September so I eagerly look forward to that.
October 3, 2018
Διαβάζοντας το 3ο βιβλίο με πρωταγωνίστρια την Έλεν Γκρέις, παρατηρώ την εξελίξη της γραφής του συγγραφέα αλλά και πόσο πιο ολοκληρωμένοι είναι πλέον οι χαρακτήρες του βιβλίου.
Η Έλεν, παρότι η επιτυχία τη δουλειά της είναι σαφής, τα προβλήματα που έχει με τους ανωτέρους της, συνεχίζονται. Η συνοχή της ομάδας της δεν είναι κι η καλύτερη, αλλά καταφέρνει να την κάνει να λειτουργήσει.
Η ιστορία μου άρεσε περισσότερο από τις προηγούμενες και μπόρεσα να καταλάβω κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης τα κίνητρα του δολοφόνου.
Η Έλεν, παρότι η επιτυχία τη δουλειά της είναι σαφής, τα προβλήματα που έχει με τους ανωτέρους της, συνεχίζονται. Η συνοχή της ομάδας της δεν είναι κι η καλύτερη, αλλά καταφέρνει να την κάνει να λειτουργήσει.
Η ιστορία μου άρεσε περισσότερο από τις προηγούμενες και μπόρεσα να καταλάβω κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης τα κίνητρα του δολοφόνου.
August 30, 2021
Oh, Arlidge, ce faci?
Alt volum fain? Alt criminal nemilos? Alte victime inocente.. alt caz rezolvat cu succes de Helen Grace :) Treeeebuie sa o cititi numaidecat!!
A fost oarecum mai alerta si mai interesanta fiindca am avut ocazia sa vedem mai mult in mintea criminalului :) Si asaaa buna, plina de tensiune.. la un moment dat mi-a crescut pulsul super mult :))
Imi place ca ne da inside-uri si la personajele noastre, care acum apar in fiecae volum - Helen & Charlie, dar ca si cunoastem personaje noi.
In plus, nu stii la ce sa te astepti.. iti faci tu x teorii in minte, dar nup, n ai cum sa ghicesti :))
Stilul de scriere te face sa te atasezi pana si de criminal.. :)) dar te face sa simti de toate si treci prin toate starile.
Acum sunt super curioase sa citesc continuarea, fiindca am ramas cu niste intrebari.
Cartile sunt parte dintr-o serie si recomand sa fie citite in ordine, daaaar, avand in vedere faptul ca in fiecare carte e alt criminal, se pot citi si random :) Dar desigur, o sa aveti cateva spoilere :)
Alt volum fain? Alt criminal nemilos? Alte victime inocente.. alt caz rezolvat cu succes de Helen Grace :) Treeeebuie sa o cititi numaidecat!!
A fost oarecum mai alerta si mai interesanta fiindca am avut ocazia sa vedem mai mult in mintea criminalului :) Si asaaa buna, plina de tensiune.. la un moment dat mi-a crescut pulsul super mult :))
Imi place ca ne da inside-uri si la personajele noastre, care acum apar in fiecae volum - Helen & Charlie, dar ca si cunoastem personaje noi.
In plus, nu stii la ce sa te astepti.. iti faci tu x teorii in minte, dar nup, n ai cum sa ghicesti :))
Stilul de scriere te face sa te atasezi pana si de criminal.. :)) dar te face sa simti de toate si treci prin toate starile.
Acum sunt super curioase sa citesc continuarea, fiindca am ramas cu niste intrebari.
Cartile sunt parte dintr-o serie si recomand sa fie citite in ordine, daaaar, avand in vedere faptul ca in fiecare carte e alt criminal, se pot citi si random :) Dar desigur, o sa aveti cateva spoilere :)
April 12, 2018
I have just finished The Dolls House by M J Arlidge & this was a little bit different to the first two books which I really enjoyed this one was more on Helens team development which I enjoyed although I would have loved more dynamics between Helen's character & her team, I did thoroughly enjoy this as it was a page turner, the short chapters helped with the plot.
Ruby was held in a cellar it was cold & dark & was being held captive by an unknown mad man she had asthma & was struggling to breath, the longer she was held the more she feared she was going to die there, eventually she felt her sanity was waning & her whole being going to the abyss but she was a fighter BUT WILL SHE SURVIVE??
Meanwhile Helen was looking into multiple bodies of young women who turned up dead as the case deepens Helen finds that there is one thing they all have in common a Bluebird tattoo on their left shoulder WHY A BLUEBIRD?? that is what Helen & her team are going to find out??
All I can say this is one good fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I just love Helen's character which we are still finding out about she is one tough lady who will stop at nothing to find Ruby & the truth.
I didn't like Ceri Harwood she had her own agenda & Helen had to fight every inch to get anything done even use Helen's nephew against her. I will leave it now as I do not want to spoil it for new readers 4 solid stars.
Ruby was held in a cellar it was cold & dark & was being held captive by an unknown mad man she had asthma & was struggling to breath, the longer she was held the more she feared she was going to die there, eventually she felt her sanity was waning & her whole being going to the abyss but she was a fighter BUT WILL SHE SURVIVE??
Meanwhile Helen was looking into multiple bodies of young women who turned up dead as the case deepens Helen finds that there is one thing they all have in common a Bluebird tattoo on their left shoulder WHY A BLUEBIRD?? that is what Helen & her team are going to find out??
All I can say this is one good fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I just love Helen's character which we are still finding out about she is one tough lady who will stop at nothing to find Ruby & the truth.
I didn't like Ceri Harwood she had her own agenda & Helen had to fight every inch to get anything done even use Helen's nephew against her. I will leave it now as I do not want to spoil it for new readers 4 solid stars.
November 13, 2015
Fourth in this series, this one does well as a stand-alone, although I would highly recommend starting with the first book. Detective Helen Grace does have a history ...one you don't want to miss out on.
Detective Grace and her team are chasing yet another serial killer.
Young women with long dark hair and baby blue eyes are being abducted. When their bodies are finally found, the medical examiner determines that they starved to death. They also all sport the same bluebird tattoo .. something they didn't have before being taken.
Grace's immediate supervisor isn't buying it. At this point she is so jealous of Grace she can't see straight. She will do anything she can to discredit her, or better yet, find a way to get rid of her permanently .. even if it mean blackmailing one of her own team.
But Grace, no matter how horrendous her background, is very strong and able to function quite well at her job, and fighting against the powers that be, at the same time.
As with all this author's books, this one is well written with a plot and subplots to keep you engaged and turning pages just as fast as you can. All the major players ..and the secondary characters.. are very well fleshed out. You can follow their growth as friends ..or enemies ... through each book.
Love the book, love the series, love the characters. 5 Stars.
My thanks to the author / Berkley Publishing Group /NAL / NetGalley who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Detective Grace and her team are chasing yet another serial killer.
Young women with long dark hair and baby blue eyes are being abducted. When their bodies are finally found, the medical examiner determines that they starved to death. They also all sport the same bluebird tattoo .. something they didn't have before being taken.
Grace's immediate supervisor isn't buying it. At this point she is so jealous of Grace she can't see straight. She will do anything she can to discredit her, or better yet, find a way to get rid of her permanently .. even if it mean blackmailing one of her own team.
But Grace, no matter how horrendous her background, is very strong and able to function quite well at her job, and fighting against the powers that be, at the same time.
As with all this author's books, this one is well written with a plot and subplots to keep you engaged and turning pages just as fast as you can. All the major players ..and the secondary characters.. are very well fleshed out. You can follow their growth as friends ..or enemies ... through each book.
Love the book, love the series, love the characters. 5 Stars.
My thanks to the author / Berkley Publishing Group /NAL / NetGalley who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
July 11, 2023
Povestea e clasică, obsesia pentru o persoană moartă care duce la răpirea și uciderea unor fete care-i seamănă, încercarea de a aduce înapoi ce ai pierdut. Ceea ce mă deranjează este faptul că în fiecare volum Helen ajunge să fie sabotată de superioriul ei, nu înțeleg ce rost au aceste episoade.
June 12, 2017
“If I want to get out of here, I have to be the one to save myself.”
----Cheryl Rainfield
M.J. Arlidge, the bestselling English author, has penned an engrossing and chilling thriller in his DI Helen Grace series, The Doll's Housethat is the third book in the series. This story opens with a young woman's abduction in a cold cellar with a cold captor, whereas on the other hand, one body of a young woman who looks very similar to the abducted girl has been discovered and the infamous detective Helen has reached the spot, only to find stark connection with the abducted girl's case, little did she knew that besides hunting for a serial killer, her job as a detective in he force would turn out to be so challenging.
Synopsis:
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.
And as Helen struggles to understand the killer's motivation, she begins to realize that she's in a desperate race against time.
A young woman named Ruby, with a messed up social life, disappears out-of-the-blue, and little did Ruby knew that her getting point drunk would cost her life so dearly and that she would become a captive in a cold dark cellar only to be fed and clothed by her crazy captor. But she must escape from this psychopath who keeps calling her Summer. Helen Grace and her team has arrived on the beach where the body of a young woman has been discovered and clearly the body shows signs of starvation. Although Helen's department is reluctant to see a connection between Ruby's abduction and the body of an unidentified young woman, even though both the victims have uncanny resemblance in their outlook. Despite of her department's challenges, her bonding with her new boss and fighting off the ghosts from her past, Helen must find out where Ruby is before the body count begins increasing.
So as promised, I'm finally picking up the previous books by this author and trust me, this series needs to be read in a proper order, otherwise, the readers like me, who are reading the series in a disorderly fashion, might fail to get a clear portrait as well as perspective of such an excellent protagonist that crime fiction rarely ever produce. Helen is one such character who will intrigue as well as make the readers feel sympathy towards her. And hats off to this brilliant author to craft out such a hero like Helen. Helen's complexity just like the plot's multiple layers will keep the readers on their edges till the very last page.
The author's writing style is absolutely eloquent, laced with tight suspense and gripping tension. The narrative is highly engaging enough to keep the readers glued till the turn of the very last page. This fast-paced, spellbinding pot-boiler plot is easy to comprehend to from the readers' perspective, or I can say that the the readers will blend well with the course of the story. The author explains everything in this book so expressively that it is bound to make the readers feel like they are watching this whole intriguing story right before their own eyes.
The mystery is tightly wrapped under thousands of layers of twists and turns that are unraveled gradually by the author. The plot is so addictive as well as unpredictable that the readers will be anticipating to learn about the identity of the killer like a moth looking for a ray of light in the darkness. The author has depicted the story line strikingly by featuring adrenaline rushing action scenes and frightening events and scenes that will make the readers turn the pages of the book frantically despite of the vivid horror and raw violence.
The primary character, Helen Grace who is the protagonist of Arlidge's books, is highly well developed with her flaws, shortcomings, complexities and her emotions. Yes she is bound to make the readers hungry for action and no-nonsense drama, trust me, she is areal hero, who will take on any challenge thrown her way in a headstrong fashion. The author projects her so strongly into the story that it feels like she is getting inside the heads of the readers messing with it, in short, she will have that psychological grip upon the readers' minds. One of the other characters, Ruby, is another flawlessly projected woman, who too plays with the readers' minds by reflecting the horrifying days in captivity, that will force the readers to feel like something worse is going to happen right after the turn of this page.
In a nutshell, this a must read page-turner that is captivating and highly riveting from the very first page till the very end that climaxes with an unnerving cliffhanger and to know that, readers must pick up the next book in this crime fiction series.
Verdict: A creepy and chilling thriller that needs to be savored slowly and gradually.
----Cheryl Rainfield
M.J. Arlidge, the bestselling English author, has penned an engrossing and chilling thriller in his DI Helen Grace series, The Doll's Housethat is the third book in the series. This story opens with a young woman's abduction in a cold cellar with a cold captor, whereas on the other hand, one body of a young woman who looks very similar to the abducted girl has been discovered and the infamous detective Helen has reached the spot, only to find stark connection with the abducted girl's case, little did she knew that besides hunting for a serial killer, her job as a detective in he force would turn out to be so challenging.
Synopsis:
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.
And as Helen struggles to understand the killer's motivation, she begins to realize that she's in a desperate race against time.
A young woman named Ruby, with a messed up social life, disappears out-of-the-blue, and little did Ruby knew that her getting point drunk would cost her life so dearly and that she would become a captive in a cold dark cellar only to be fed and clothed by her crazy captor. But she must escape from this psychopath who keeps calling her Summer. Helen Grace and her team has arrived on the beach where the body of a young woman has been discovered and clearly the body shows signs of starvation. Although Helen's department is reluctant to see a connection between Ruby's abduction and the body of an unidentified young woman, even though both the victims have uncanny resemblance in their outlook. Despite of her department's challenges, her bonding with her new boss and fighting off the ghosts from her past, Helen must find out where Ruby is before the body count begins increasing.
So as promised, I'm finally picking up the previous books by this author and trust me, this series needs to be read in a proper order, otherwise, the readers like me, who are reading the series in a disorderly fashion, might fail to get a clear portrait as well as perspective of such an excellent protagonist that crime fiction rarely ever produce. Helen is one such character who will intrigue as well as make the readers feel sympathy towards her. And hats off to this brilliant author to craft out such a hero like Helen. Helen's complexity just like the plot's multiple layers will keep the readers on their edges till the very last page.
The author's writing style is absolutely eloquent, laced with tight suspense and gripping tension. The narrative is highly engaging enough to keep the readers glued till the turn of the very last page. This fast-paced, spellbinding pot-boiler plot is easy to comprehend to from the readers' perspective, or I can say that the the readers will blend well with the course of the story. The author explains everything in this book so expressively that it is bound to make the readers feel like they are watching this whole intriguing story right before their own eyes.
The mystery is tightly wrapped under thousands of layers of twists and turns that are unraveled gradually by the author. The plot is so addictive as well as unpredictable that the readers will be anticipating to learn about the identity of the killer like a moth looking for a ray of light in the darkness. The author has depicted the story line strikingly by featuring adrenaline rushing action scenes and frightening events and scenes that will make the readers turn the pages of the book frantically despite of the vivid horror and raw violence.
The primary character, Helen Grace who is the protagonist of Arlidge's books, is highly well developed with her flaws, shortcomings, complexities and her emotions. Yes she is bound to make the readers hungry for action and no-nonsense drama, trust me, she is areal hero, who will take on any challenge thrown her way in a headstrong fashion. The author projects her so strongly into the story that it feels like she is getting inside the heads of the readers messing with it, in short, she will have that psychological grip upon the readers' minds. One of the other characters, Ruby, is another flawlessly projected woman, who too plays with the readers' minds by reflecting the horrifying days in captivity, that will force the readers to feel like something worse is going to happen right after the turn of this page.
In a nutshell, this a must read page-turner that is captivating and highly riveting from the very first page till the very end that climaxes with an unnerving cliffhanger and to know that, readers must pick up the next book in this crime fiction series.
Verdict: A creepy and chilling thriller that needs to be savored slowly and gradually.
December 13, 2020
A real page Turner. Very enjoyable. The ending was a little unimaginative and unbelievable however. It made me wonder how much research M.J. Arlidge had done regarding house fires.
August 22, 2016
I've discovered a passion for audiobooks this summer thanks to long working hours. The Doll's House was one that made the hours a bit more bearable.
The Doll's House is book 3 in the Helen Grace series and this time, Helen has to find a kidnapped girl and fight a battle with her boss that has taken a dislike to her and will try to get her off the team no matter what. What so special this case is that the kidnapper has done this before, taken a girl and then pretended through tweets and text messages that she is still alive and well and that she just doesn't want to have any contact with her family. And, it works like a charm until a dead body is discovered and an observant police think that there is something rotten with a missing girl, despite the text messengers that her family gets.
I loved listening to this book, and I found myself enthralled with the story. I was worried that Helen would get into trouble because of her, let's say, not that legal way of trying to find her nephew. And, it doesn't help that her boss is hell-bent on bringing her down. I did love the big confrontation between them both.
As for the case itself. It's scary to think of how easy it is to fake that someone is alive and well by having someone's phone. The kidnapper is a real psycho and the last part was very thrilling to listen to. If you have read the previous books will you love this book, and it works well as a standalone as well, even though some events from the past is mentioned.
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
The Doll's House is book 3 in the Helen Grace series and this time, Helen has to find a kidnapped girl and fight a battle with her boss that has taken a dislike to her and will try to get her off the team no matter what. What so special this case is that the kidnapper has done this before, taken a girl and then pretended through tweets and text messages that she is still alive and well and that she just doesn't want to have any contact with her family. And, it works like a charm until a dead body is discovered and an observant police think that there is something rotten with a missing girl, despite the text messengers that her family gets.
I loved listening to this book, and I found myself enthralled with the story. I was worried that Helen would get into trouble because of her, let's say, not that legal way of trying to find her nephew. And, it doesn't help that her boss is hell-bent on bringing her down. I did love the big confrontation between them both.
As for the case itself. It's scary to think of how easy it is to fake that someone is alive and well by having someone's phone. The kidnapper is a real psycho and the last part was very thrilling to listen to. If you have read the previous books will you love this book, and it works well as a standalone as well, even though some events from the past is mentioned.
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
January 26, 2025
4,5 ⭐️
Am citit cartea împreună cu @floryreads și mi-a plăcut să o dezbatem împreună 🩷
Seria își păstrează ritmul alert, iar autorul nu dezamăgește nici cu acest volum. Dacă ar fi să fac un top al celor trei volume, Ghici ce-i în cutie ar fi pe locul 1, Ghici cine moare primul pe locul 2 și Casa păpușilor pe locul 3.
Avem de față un criminal bolnav care răpește femei asemănătoare, cu părul negru și ochii albaștri. Avem perspectiva lui Ruby, pe care o obliga să-l iubească și să se îmbrace și să se poarte după bunul lui plac, în timp ce este înfometată și ținută într-o pivniță. Victimele au povești de viață triste, iar motivația criminalului este și ea la fel de tristă…
Helen Grace e mai dispusă ca niciodată să-l prindă pe criminalul misterios, dar Ceri Harwood îi pune bețe în roate și se folosește de unii membrii ai poliției ca să o șantajeze. Apar Sanderson și Lucas, două agente de poliție pe care le-am adorat, dând dovadă de mult curaj în anchetă. Charlie urmează să aibă un rol important(nu vreau să-l divulg), iar viața ei se schimbă. E foarte greu să nu dai mici spoilere atunci când vorbește despre o serie în care cărțile sunt legate unele de altele, deci mă străduiesc să nu o fac.😅
În final, lucrurile încep să se așeze având loc dezvăluirea criminalului, dar și o relatare mai detaliată a trecutului său. Totuși mi-ar fi plăcut să se dezvolte mai mult povestea din trecutul său, care mi s-a părut dureros și trist. Arlidge are un stil aparte, de a te face să compătimești criminalii cu sânge rece. Trebuie să cititi seria, dacă nu ați făcut-o până acum.
Am citit cartea împreună cu @floryreads și mi-a plăcut să o dezbatem împreună 🩷
Seria își păstrează ritmul alert, iar autorul nu dezamăgește nici cu acest volum. Dacă ar fi să fac un top al celor trei volume, Ghici ce-i în cutie ar fi pe locul 1, Ghici cine moare primul pe locul 2 și Casa păpușilor pe locul 3.
Avem de față un criminal bolnav care răpește femei asemănătoare, cu părul negru și ochii albaștri. Avem perspectiva lui Ruby, pe care o obliga să-l iubească și să se îmbrace și să se poarte după bunul lui plac, în timp ce este înfometată și ținută într-o pivniță. Victimele au povești de viață triste, iar motivația criminalului este și ea la fel de tristă…
Helen Grace e mai dispusă ca niciodată să-l prindă pe criminalul misterios, dar Ceri Harwood îi pune bețe în roate și se folosește de unii membrii ai poliției ca să o șantajeze. Apar Sanderson și Lucas, două agente de poliție pe care le-am adorat, dând dovadă de mult curaj în anchetă. Charlie urmează să aibă un rol important(nu vreau să-l divulg), iar viața ei se schimbă. E foarte greu să nu dai mici spoilere atunci când vorbește despre o serie în care cărțile sunt legate unele de altele, deci mă străduiesc să nu o fac.😅
În final, lucrurile încep să se așeze având loc dezvăluirea criminalului, dar și o relatare mai detaliată a trecutului său. Totuși mi-ar fi plăcut să se dezvolte mai mult povestea din trecutul său, care mi s-a părut dureros și trist. Arlidge are un stil aparte, de a te face să compătimești criminalii cu sânge rece. Trebuie să cititi seria, dacă nu ați făcut-o până acum.
February 16, 2016
While still a huge fan of this author as well as this series, I have to admit that this was not my favorite read.
It reads quick and easy, (I read this in under a day) with short chapters of no more than 5 pages each. As with the other books, there is a main plot with several sub plots taking place at the same time. Usually this works for me, but not this time. With the introduction of so many new characters, the main protag Dectective Helen Grace ended up getting lost in the shadows, and I found I really missed her.
There just wasn't anything new here. Even the antagonist left me underwhelmed.
I still have high hopes that Detective Grace will be back in full glory in the next segment Liar Liar as she is too strong of a character to remain in the shadows for too long.
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in change for an honest review
It reads quick and easy, (I read this in under a day) with short chapters of no more than 5 pages each. As with the other books, there is a main plot with several sub plots taking place at the same time. Usually this works for me, but not this time. With the introduction of so many new characters, the main protag Dectective Helen Grace ended up getting lost in the shadows, and I found I really missed her.
There just wasn't anything new here. Even the antagonist left me underwhelmed.
I still have high hopes that Detective Grace will be back in full glory in the next segment Liar Liar as she is too strong of a character to remain in the shadows for too long.
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in change for an honest review
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