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D.I. Callanach #8

No One Left Alive

Not yet published
Expected 8 Oct 26
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368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 8, 2026

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About the author

Helen Sarah Fields

25 books2,877 followers
Writes crime, mystery and thrillers. Loves historical fiction. Big horror fan. Goes back to one classic novel each month, to save her soul.

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5 stars
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9 (39%)
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for Tara E. (on health hiatus).
240 reviews92 followers
August 10, 2026
Fourteen houses stand empty, silent and abandoned. No suspects, no clues, only darkness lingering.

When a fierce snowstorm isolates the remote Scottish village of Cape Wrath, Sammy returns home for New Year’s to find her mother dead and every other house eerily quiet. There are no signs of forced entry, no witnesses left behind, and no murder weapon in sight. The entire village has vanished without a trace.

As Luc Callanach and Ava Turner race against time to piece together the final moments of the dead, they uncover a chilling truth: the killer knew the village intimately, anticipated the storm, and meticulously planned every move. With snow obscuring evidence and fear spreading beyond the Highlands, one question haunts them—if no one is left alive, who then walked away, and what will they do next? This book has it all: brilliant characters, tension, twists. It hits hard and doesn't let up until the last page—No One Left Alive begins with a shocking murder scene and maintains relentless momentum throughout. The tension is almost tangible as the author puts her characters through harrowing challenges. The story takes Luc and Ava on a frantic race across northern Norway, aided by Luc's former Interpol colleague, Jean-Paul. Sam Lively, Christie Salter, and the rest of the team are doing everything they can in Scotland. The high-stakes danger is everywhere, making it impossible to put the book down.

I enjoyed revisiting Luc and Ava; their dynamic bond is brilliantly developed and remains one of the series' standout strengths. Although part of a larger series, this book (book 8 of 8) features a self-contained case, making it ideal for standalone reading. Fields masterfully weaves the characters' shared history without overwhelming new readers. This novel is a must-read for longtime fans and an excellent starting point for newcomers. The ending provides a satisfying and exhilarating conclusion that leaves you eager for more. Highly recommended! Expected publication date in Canada and the US. November 24, 2027

Thank you, Random House UK, for providing an advanced reader's copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Ceecee .
2,897 reviews2,437 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 3, 2026
DI Luc Callenach #8
New Year, Cape Wrath, Sutherland, Scotland
The whole team, headed by DCI Ava Turner, assemble in Sutherland in the far north west of Scotland to investigate horrific murders in Cape Wrath. That in itself is a shock, as the worst that happens here is usually petty thieving. The crime scenes are appalling and shocking and is one of the worst this experienced team has ever seen. Tracking the killer is a nightmare owing to the adverse weather. However, this very bad scene is only going to get a whole lot worse and the race is on to find the perpetrator and discover if anyone walked away, if so, where are they?

Oh my goodness, the start! As usual Helen Fields ramping it up a few notches so wow, just wow! I have loved this series since book one and adore the characters of the ridiculously handsome
luc (I imagine he has Grégory Fitoussi’s equally handsome face) and beautiful Ava and I have followed their complex on/off relationship. In book 7 they so nearly make it but for the shocking events that take place which are referenced here. All the characters are really good and so well portrayed. This one (I hope it’s not the last but I suspect it is) is much bleaker and darker than the previous ones, not least because the horrifying events unfold at Hogmanay and in a stunningly beautiful area not known for violent crime. If I ever return to Durness/Cape Wrath I’ll be sure to be more careful!**

This book really is a shocker and it starts that way and the shockwaves keep on coming, to sharp intakes of breath from me and the odd naughty escaping my lips. The pace is fast and it hits the ground running from the beginning, rarely letting up and at times the tension is almost unbearable. The author sure puts her characters through the wringer and of course, a tongue lashing from Chief Superintendent Daisy Overbeck is not for the faint hearted. That woman is something else.

It becomes a race across Europe, with Sam Lively et al doing their utmost in Scotland with Luc and Ava, ably assisted by Luc’s former Interpol colleague, Jean-Paul. At times, the danger levels are off the charts and setting the book aside for real life to intrude is hard.

The emotional and psychological toll and impact of it all is done very well, as this is a horror show of epic proportions, with twist after twist. As for the ending, Helen Fields, what are you doing to me?? I have tears running down my face!

Overall, it’s a gripping, buckle up, brace yourself rollercoaster and I love it. It’s a brilliant series and if it is the ending, I’ll be very sorry but it’s gone out with one enormous bang.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin, Random House Uk, for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

** The first time I went to Durness, before the advent of the North West 500, we left our car in a car park to explore a well known beauty spot. For reasons I can’t fathom other than stupidity, I left my car door open with my handbag on the front seat. Still there, door open, handbag where this dummy had left it, when we got back! That’s how safe it is lol 😂
Profile Image for Kirsten.
194 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 30, 2026
Thrilling, dark and utterly compulsive, No One Left Alive delivers wave after wave of shocking revelations, convincing red herrings and unexpected twists.

When Sammy returns to her remote village on New Year's Eve, she is met with tragedy. In the aftermath of a devastating snowstorm, she discovers that her mother has suffered a gruesome death. The investigation that follows unravels a complex web of secrets, creating a tense and gripping mystery.

I really enjoyed returning to Luc and Ava. Their dynamic is exceptionally well written and continues to be one of the series' greatest strengths. Although this is part of a wider series, the central case is self-contained, making it easy to enjoy as a standalone. Fields expertly weaves in the characters' shared history without overwhelming new readers.

A gripping novel that will satisfy long-time fans of the series while also providing an excellent entry point for those discovering it for the first time. The ending is also great and provides a brilliant conclusion to the instalment.
Profile Image for Sarah Bloomfield.
289 reviews18 followers
August 7, 2026
I loved this latest book from Helen which is part of a series but I would say could be read as a standalone.

This book starts off with an enormous bang on New Years Eve in a remote village that has been cut off by a storm. Sammy returns to her family home and quickly discovers something sinister when she finds a body. Before long the body count stacks up in the village but who is behind these atrocities and why did they do it?

Ava, Luc and the rest of the Scottish police force set out to solve the mystery and what follows is a rapid race around not only Scotland but Europe as well as they close in on the perpetrator.

This book is dark, unsettling and extremely twisty with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure and for me it had everything I love in a book. Fans of the series will most certainly enjoy this after the long wait and I'd highly recommend it to them as well as readers new to this author.

Many thanks as ever to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.
Profile Image for Big Bertha.
488 reviews35 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 29, 2026
New Years Eve, Sammy Baird arrives back at her family home in a tiny village on the north west coast of Scotland to a house that's eerily cold and silent. Its not long before she finds the first body.

I flew through this one, a cleverly plotted and intriguing police procedural that twists and turns as the Police Scotland team headed up by Ava Turner and Luc Callanach try to piece together not just one murder but a whole village that's silent and still.

New to the series I thought I might struggle not having read the previous novels but I found it easy to get into and difficult to put down. A well balanced mix of police procedural, suspense and drama with great characters and an intriguing storyline. I liked it so much I've already gone back to the start of the series and I'm midway through Perfect Remains.

My thanks to Random House UK for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Farah G.
2,457 reviews32 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 24, 2026
Helen Fields' latest offering is the chilling tale of the aftermath of a snowstorm that cuts off a remote Scottish village, only for the first arrival there after the storm to discover that her mother is dead and the entire village is unnaturally silent.

It turns out that there is no one left alive, no witnesses to what actually happened, and no clear explanation as to the motive and means of the murders that have been committed here by a very cunning, stone cold killer... What are the authorities to make of it all?

This is a clever, original, and intriguing piece of story telling that will appeal to most thriller readers.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Sarah.
493 reviews35 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 5, 2026
I’d given up on there ever being another DI Callanach thriller after Luc’s devastating injuries at the end of ‘One for Sorrow’ so I was delighted to see that Luc and Ava have returned to our shelves after four years, albeit as emotionally confused as ever.

After the trauma experienced in the previous novel, Luc and Ava have agreed to go their separate ways but this doesn’t stop them working together – with some misgivings. In this tale they are sent to Cape Wrath to investigate a village massacre over the Christmas holiday period, accompanied by the usual seasonally appalling weather. It seems clear pretty early on that this is the work of a Norwegian incomer who has also kidnapped two teenagers before fleeing to mainland Europe. In all probability he is heading home, but why when there is no one there on whom he can rely?

A Helen Fields novel is not for the fainthearted. She doesn’t shy away from violent perpetrators and twisted minds. However, she is also known for her intricate plots and effective red herrings and ‘No One Left Alive’ is no exception here. Was I pleased to catch up with Luc, Ava and their police comrades? Yes, and it seems possible that the series will continue to develop. Is this one of Fields’ best? No, I don’t think so. It’s difficult to believe that the perpetrator can be quite so successful in both their planning and their realisation (trying hard not to include spoilers here!). In contrast, the final pages are also a little too saccharine for my taste.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers Penguin for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
685 reviews41 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 28, 2026
One of my favourite series, and one of my most anticipated next instalments after the explosive finale of One For Sorrow.

A devastating opening, a remote Scottish coastal town the scene of a bloody mass killing, No One Left Alive. No spoilers (given the cliffhanger at the end of One For Sorrow) the team are tracking the suspect across Europe, two steps behind, hunting for information and following the trail of the dead.

It’s dark, it’s bloody, the signature threat and tension is there with these characters you know and love.

An absolute must read if you’ve followed the series this far, if not quite one of my absolute favorites in this consistently great series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers
1,520 reviews29 followers
July 31, 2026
4⭐️

Book 8 DI Callanach

Love this series. We’ve waited awhile for the next instalment.

A tiny remote Scottish village is the scene for this serial killer thriller. It’s deliciously dark which is what I love.
It becomes an international thriller.

It’s not my favourite book in the series. I realised early on who was behind it. Although I got one of the relationships wrong.
On at least two occasions the author where the situation called for dialogue instead went off into some descriptive piece that felt most disjointed to the situation.
Plenty of bodies, and things going on, with some misdirection.
I’m not sure if this is the last book in the series. It’s a good place to leave it.

I had this book for free from NetGalley
1,368 reviews13 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 2, 2026
What a long wait we have had after the cliffhanger in One For Sorrow, but Luc and Ava are back - although not as a couple! It has been so long I had forgotten the end of the last book in the series.
Despite the awkwardness they are thrown into a new case which is time sensitive and has the pair chasing around Europe, risking their lives once again. Was good to revisit other members of the team too - particularly Sam Lively.
I could quite happpily have lived without the final chapter!
As ever, this is not for the faint hearted. There are twists and turns galore. Well written. Well plotted.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Helen Fields/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Linda Wilson.
751 reviews10 followers
Read
August 12, 2026
We've been waiting a long time for this next in the Luc Callanach series, so I was very excited to read this. It certainly didn't disappoint. At the end of the last book we were left not knowing whether Luc had survived an explosion so it was a relief to see him back, though he and Ava still hadn't resolved their relationship issues! This story sees them investigating a horrific mass murder in a remote Scottish village. Bodies have been discovered with terrible injuries and 3 people are unaccounted for. The team follow a trail across Europe ending in a final showdown on a remote Norwegian island. This is a real page turner that will keep you guessing to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Profile Image for Chrissie.
933 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 4, 2026
Set in the remote Scottish Village of Cape Wrath ,a young women returns home to find her Mother murdered and every other resident in the village gone .It's an eerie almost locked room mystery on a village wide scale with DI Luc Callanach and Ava Turner investigating a crime that appears impossible to explain .I haven't read the previous books in the series but it is a good standalone book .Fast paced ,great characters a few twists and a lot of suspense a really great read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC
409 reviews8 followers
July 26, 2026
I’d given up hoping for another Ava and Luc book but my wishes were answered.
This was quite a dark storyline, and different to other books in the series, but still with the usual characters and a few more but not set just in Scotland this time.
This was seriously unputdownable - so much so I finished it far too quickly.
Brilliant ending and I’m NOT doing spoilers.
More Luc and Ava please 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
27 reviews
July 30, 2026
It's been a long time since book 7 so I was delighted to find the series continuing.. A dark book with the usual mixture of gruesome bodies and the on/off relationship of Luc and Ava. A captivating read and seeing the layers revealed to give insight of the person responsible for the slaughter of so many innocent people. This book will certainly keep the reader hooked and I cannot praise it enough. A compelling read.
Profile Image for Fiona Pullen.
Author 4 books24 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 4, 2026
I haven't read the previous books in this series but I enjoyed this book as a standalone without knowing the background of the characters.

It definitely has a standout premise, a whole village gruesomely murdered! I did guess the twist early on but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book and seeing how it all unraveled. It was fast paced and intriguing.

I will definitely looked out for earlier books in the D.I Callanach series.
Profile Image for Natalie.
939 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 2, 2026
It's been FOUR long years since the last Ava Turner/Luc Callanach series that ended with a horrific ending that left me half pissed off and half 'this is genius'. And its so good to be back in this world. I couldn't put this book down. The mystery had all the twists and turns that make for an engrossing police procedural (even if I kinda worked out one twist fairly early on). The tension and the pacing were flawlessly executed. However, at times it gets a bit too melodramatic with the more emotionally charged scenes between Ava and Luc. Also the a press conference near the end where the characters explain too much detail about the suspect/s that would prejudice a case, I'm surprised it was included.

There's a shadow of bleakness hanging over thanks to what happened in the previous book. Ava is a woman committed to her job, but the toll has been high for her, especially her relationship with Luc, and you wonder how long she will remain in the job. These two have been through the wringer and I really appreciate that the author includes these details as it makes the series realistic. The ending though was much needed and I really hope we get more books, but, given the possible foreshadowing, I wonder if this series is going to come to an end much sooner (I hope not!).
89 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 2, 2026
Simply superb! Couldn't put this one down as it was totally gripping from start to finish.

Part of a series, but easily read as a standalone.

Highly recommend!!!!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for chapter1.page1.
642 reviews10 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 12, 2026
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
Review to follow
287 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 9, 2026
A 5 star read for me.

DI Luc Callenach’s team including DCI Ava Taylor are sent to Cape Wrath to investigate a series of murders in this tiny hamlet where all the inhabitants, bar one, are dead or missing.

The deaths are horrific and the crime scenes shocking to this seasoned team. With the weather also against them, the team have to hunt down the prime suspect and the two missing teenagers.

The hunt takes them across Europe with Sam Lively, the sergeant headed up the Scottish investigation and Luc, Ava and Jean-Luc, their Europol link, following a trail of bodies to Norway.

Fast paced, full of shocks and an ending I never saw coming!

A gripping read - read in one day, I could not put it down.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews