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D.I. Callanach #6
Perfect Kill
He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.
Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.
Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…
DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.
With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride like no other, with the next gripping thriller from the number one bestselling crime author, Helen Fields. The perfect read for fans of M. J. Arlidge and Karin Slaughter.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2020
578 people are currently reading
3500 people want to read
About the author
Helen Sarah Fields
25 books2,663 followersWrites 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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February 13, 2020
EXCERPT: He froze. Something had hold of his left ankle. He breathed hard, twice, three times, tried to get to grips with his fear, then he lost it.
'Get off me!' he yelled, wrenching his foot upwards, trying to scrabble away. He hit a wall with his head shortly before his foot locked solid and his hip popped from its socket. The scream he let out was loud enough to wake the entire terrace where he lived. He rolled right, instinct kicking in, and the displaced hip shifted again back into the socket, easing the dreadful pain and allowing him to lean forward to take hold of whatever had his foot.
He didn't want to extend his hand. There was something about reaching his fingers out into the black void that seemed to be inviting a bite. Like slipping your hand into a murky river in the sort of place where, when animals attacked, the general reaction to the news was: 'What the hell did the idiot tourist expect?'
What Bart found was both less and more terrifying. His ankle was bound by a leather strap. There was no bogeyman occupying the darkness with him. Not one that had hold of his leg anyway. The strap was thick and sturdy, with a chunky metal link sewn through it. At the end of that, he realised miserably, was a chain. What was at the end of the chain, Bart wasn't sure he was ready to discover yet.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.
Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…
DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.
With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…
MY THOUGHTS: This is the first book in this series, which I have long had marked down to read, that I have read, and I had absolutely no trouble with needing a backstory to fill things in. So if, like me, you haven't previously read any of the series, don't let it put you off picking up Perfect Kill by Helen Sarah Fields. You won't regret it.
This is a delightfully twisty plot that is, in places quite horrific and gruesome.... just what I love. The descriptions are graphic, vivid and leave little to the imagination. The squalor in which the captives are held, the cruel and inhumane treatment by those holding them are all described with a stark realism.
The characters are perfectly portrayed - there is no over the top exaggeration. They all fit and contribute to a breathtakingly horrific tale of human trafficking.
The two main characters, D.I. Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are well matched. Ava is prickly and extremely hard on herself. She is also decisive and thinks on her feet. Luc is kind and thoughtful, with a quick wit and a genuine liking for people. There has obviously been a relationship between these two in the past that has left them wary of one another, but still able to work as a team.
There is a good mix of personal and professional life, with neither one outweighing the other, and which blend seamlessly with each other.
I am impressed by Perfect Kill. I am, this year, making a concerted effort to read complete series of books I have enjoyed. The DI Callanach series is joining the list. I already have Perfect Remains.
😊😊😊😊
#PerfectKill #NetGalley
A few of short passages from Perfect Kill by Helen Sarah Fields that I would like to share with you:
'I'm so glad we've always been friends. Mainly because as an enemy you're terrifying.'
'Do the letters DC in front of your name stand for Doesn't Concentrate?'
'You cremated dinner. It was a cruel and unusual act performed on innocent protein and carbohydrates.'
'Most human beings move forward only by realising what they don't want, rather than by experiencing a sudden revelation about what they are actually looking for.'
THE AUTHOR: Helen Fields originally studied law. After that, she worked as a barrister for over a decade. She is currently a successful author and also runs her media company with her spouse.
Fields first became a writer in print with the release of her first novel, Perfect Remains. It came out in early 2017 and quickly climbed through the ranks to become a best seller on Amazon. It is a crime mystery novel and the first in a series featuring a Scottish detective.
Helen Fields resides with her husband David in Hampshire. They have children together and two dogs. She has a deep love of licorice in addition to writing books and reading them.
She has also self published some of her fantasy books as part of her journey. Helen decided that she wanted to go even further and now has a literary representative.
Helen Fields is the creator and the author of the D.I. Callanach series. This engaging murder mystery meets crime fiction kicked off with the release of the first book, titled Perfect Remains. The novel came out in 2017 and was nominated for a McIlvanney Prize.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Perfect Kill by Helen Sarah Fields for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Get off me!' he yelled, wrenching his foot upwards, trying to scrabble away. He hit a wall with his head shortly before his foot locked solid and his hip popped from its socket. The scream he let out was loud enough to wake the entire terrace where he lived. He rolled right, instinct kicking in, and the displaced hip shifted again back into the socket, easing the dreadful pain and allowing him to lean forward to take hold of whatever had his foot.
He didn't want to extend his hand. There was something about reaching his fingers out into the black void that seemed to be inviting a bite. Like slipping your hand into a murky river in the sort of place where, when animals attacked, the general reaction to the news was: 'What the hell did the idiot tourist expect?'
What Bart found was both less and more terrifying. His ankle was bound by a leather strap. There was no bogeyman occupying the darkness with him. Not one that had hold of his leg anyway. The strap was thick and sturdy, with a chunky metal link sewn through it. At the end of that, he realised miserably, was a chain. What was at the end of the chain, Bart wasn't sure he was ready to discover yet.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.
Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…
DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.
With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…
MY THOUGHTS: This is the first book in this series, which I have long had marked down to read, that I have read, and I had absolutely no trouble with needing a backstory to fill things in. So if, like me, you haven't previously read any of the series, don't let it put you off picking up Perfect Kill by Helen Sarah Fields. You won't regret it.
This is a delightfully twisty plot that is, in places quite horrific and gruesome.... just what I love. The descriptions are graphic, vivid and leave little to the imagination. The squalor in which the captives are held, the cruel and inhumane treatment by those holding them are all described with a stark realism.
The characters are perfectly portrayed - there is no over the top exaggeration. They all fit and contribute to a breathtakingly horrific tale of human trafficking.
The two main characters, D.I. Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are well matched. Ava is prickly and extremely hard on herself. She is also decisive and thinks on her feet. Luc is kind and thoughtful, with a quick wit and a genuine liking for people. There has obviously been a relationship between these two in the past that has left them wary of one another, but still able to work as a team.
There is a good mix of personal and professional life, with neither one outweighing the other, and which blend seamlessly with each other.
I am impressed by Perfect Kill. I am, this year, making a concerted effort to read complete series of books I have enjoyed. The DI Callanach series is joining the list. I already have Perfect Remains.
😊😊😊😊
#PerfectKill #NetGalley
A few of short passages from Perfect Kill by Helen Sarah Fields that I would like to share with you:
'I'm so glad we've always been friends. Mainly because as an enemy you're terrifying.'
'Do the letters DC in front of your name stand for Doesn't Concentrate?'
'You cremated dinner. It was a cruel and unusual act performed on innocent protein and carbohydrates.'
'Most human beings move forward only by realising what they don't want, rather than by experiencing a sudden revelation about what they are actually looking for.'
THE AUTHOR: Helen Fields originally studied law. After that, she worked as a barrister for over a decade. She is currently a successful author and also runs her media company with her spouse.
Fields first became a writer in print with the release of her first novel, Perfect Remains. It came out in early 2017 and quickly climbed through the ranks to become a best seller on Amazon. It is a crime mystery novel and the first in a series featuring a Scottish detective.
Helen Fields resides with her husband David in Hampshire. They have children together and two dogs. She has a deep love of licorice in addition to writing books and reading them.
She has also self published some of her fantasy books as part of her journey. Helen decided that she wanted to go even further and now has a literary representative.
Helen Fields is the creator and the author of the D.I. Callanach series. This engaging murder mystery meets crime fiction kicked off with the release of the first book, titled Perfect Remains. The novel came out in 2017 and was nominated for a McIlvanney Prize.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Perfect Kill by Helen Sarah Fields for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 17, 2020
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Helen Fields and Avon Books UK for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Returning to this stellar police procedural series, I was eager to discover how Helen Fields would tackle some of the major cliffhangers she left for readers. She’s surely spun things around and developed a multi-pronged storyline that will keep series fans talking and the reader enjoying this one until the final page. With DI Luc Callanach on the outs with his boss at MIT Police Scotland, he has agreed to make his way to France and help out an old INTERPOL colleague. When they discover the remains of a body—its internal organs removed—Callanach is baffled about who or what might be lurking in the shadows. Some preliminary DNA traces it back to a missing Scottish boy, forcing Callanach to get on the phone with DCI Ava Turner, this aforementioned boss and past love interest. Turner takes the call and agrees to make the notification, but is working some cases of her own. Someone has discovered the body of a man, shot in the head. Found in a seedy part of Edinburgh, there are some obvious signs of trying to clean up the scene. Add to that, a young man has gone missing out of thin air and no one can make sense of it. While both cases progress, Callanach learns of an underground organ transplant ring and tries to infiltrate it, but must be extremely delicate, while DCI Turner’s leads send her on a few wild chases, including to a pig farm. Both Turner and Callanach must also tackle feelings from their recent amorous tiff and news of a friend that leaves them broken. With two additional underlying plots related to people in captivity, this book leaves little time to breathe or process. Fields has done it again, with a stellar piece of writing. Recommended to those who love this series and need another reason, as well as the reader who loves a police procedural that leaves it all out on the field (pun intended).
I discovered this series a while back and cannot get enough of it. The mix of Scottish and French beliefs adds depth to the story and a layer of humour I have not found elsewhere. Luc Callanach remains a wonderful protagonist, still smarting from some of his choices, but eager to help back in France. His police work is balanced nicely with an air of compassion, both for Ava, as well as those around him on the case. We do not get much more back story, or even processing what happened, but Callanach does well keeping things professional as best he can. Contrasting nicely with this is DCI Ava Turner, whose supervisory role has been violated again, but she is still trying to shake off the feelings she has for Callanach. Compartmentalising these is difficult, but she as a few major cases on her plate, let alone the news of a friend’s illness. Juggling all this, as well as professional interactions with Callanach begin the wear her down to the nub. Others make recurring or new appearances and keep the story fresh, from all angles. Fields has done well to develop some characters who pull the reader in, while others are surely repulsive enough that no one wants near them. The plot was strong and worked well for me, balancing a Scotland and France angle, tying things together effectively without muddying the waters too much. There is that ongoing Callanach-Turner strain that has kept the series on edge for a while, which does not dissipate here. As series fans scream for some resolution, they also bask in the awkwardness that continues throughout. I am eager to see where things are headed, as this series never disappoints.
Kudos, Madam Fields, for another stellar instalment in the series. I hope you have many more ideas for your crew!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Returning to this stellar police procedural series, I was eager to discover how Helen Fields would tackle some of the major cliffhangers she left for readers. She’s surely spun things around and developed a multi-pronged storyline that will keep series fans talking and the reader enjoying this one until the final page. With DI Luc Callanach on the outs with his boss at MIT Police Scotland, he has agreed to make his way to France and help out an old INTERPOL colleague. When they discover the remains of a body—its internal organs removed—Callanach is baffled about who or what might be lurking in the shadows. Some preliminary DNA traces it back to a missing Scottish boy, forcing Callanach to get on the phone with DCI Ava Turner, this aforementioned boss and past love interest. Turner takes the call and agrees to make the notification, but is working some cases of her own. Someone has discovered the body of a man, shot in the head. Found in a seedy part of Edinburgh, there are some obvious signs of trying to clean up the scene. Add to that, a young man has gone missing out of thin air and no one can make sense of it. While both cases progress, Callanach learns of an underground organ transplant ring and tries to infiltrate it, but must be extremely delicate, while DCI Turner’s leads send her on a few wild chases, including to a pig farm. Both Turner and Callanach must also tackle feelings from their recent amorous tiff and news of a friend that leaves them broken. With two additional underlying plots related to people in captivity, this book leaves little time to breathe or process. Fields has done it again, with a stellar piece of writing. Recommended to those who love this series and need another reason, as well as the reader who loves a police procedural that leaves it all out on the field (pun intended).
I discovered this series a while back and cannot get enough of it. The mix of Scottish and French beliefs adds depth to the story and a layer of humour I have not found elsewhere. Luc Callanach remains a wonderful protagonist, still smarting from some of his choices, but eager to help back in France. His police work is balanced nicely with an air of compassion, both for Ava, as well as those around him on the case. We do not get much more back story, or even processing what happened, but Callanach does well keeping things professional as best he can. Contrasting nicely with this is DCI Ava Turner, whose supervisory role has been violated again, but she is still trying to shake off the feelings she has for Callanach. Compartmentalising these is difficult, but she as a few major cases on her plate, let alone the news of a friend’s illness. Juggling all this, as well as professional interactions with Callanach begin the wear her down to the nub. Others make recurring or new appearances and keep the story fresh, from all angles. Fields has done well to develop some characters who pull the reader in, while others are surely repulsive enough that no one wants near them. The plot was strong and worked well for me, balancing a Scotland and France angle, tying things together effectively without muddying the waters too much. There is that ongoing Callanach-Turner strain that has kept the series on edge for a while, which does not dissipate here. As series fans scream for some resolution, they also bask in the awkwardness that continues throughout. I am eager to see where things are headed, as this series never disappoints.
Kudos, Madam Fields, for another stellar instalment in the series. I hope you have many more ideas for your crew!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
February 6, 2020
Having read the previous books in the series I was pleased to receive this ARC. I think this series is getting better and better, the last two have been absolute belters. The central characters are DCI Luc (Mr Dishy) Callenach and DCS Ava Turner from the MIT team in Edinburgh. Luc is back in his native France on secondment to Interpol and working with his old partner Jean-Paul. There are two cases that initially seem unconnected - in Paris illegal organ harvesting and in Scotland murders that turn out to be linked to people trafficking, in this case girls as sex workers. Although this is the sixth book in the series, the author does clearly explain prior events so it can be read as a stand-alone.
I love the characters in the series and in this one DS Lively proves to be a bit of a hero which I like. The banter between the team is great. The issues covered are very serious and it is a welcome relief to have an occasional injection of humour. They team are comfortable with each other, they’re loyal and they have each other’s backs. Luc and Ava have issues in their relationship but things are improving. The storyline is fantastic and it feels like you are watching an action movie that leaves you a bit breathless. It’s high octane throughout. The human trafficking part of the story makes you want to weep as the girls are seen as commodities as they are used, abused and disposed of. Elenuta is a trafficked girl from Romania and she is an outstanding character whose bravery is an inspiration. The organ harvesting part of the story is equally well told and the fact that people can prey on others when they are desperate adds another dimension to the story.
The ending is good with the future looking brighter for two of the victims in the story. There’s an other strand too, as Ava’s best friend Natasha, another terrific character, faces a battle with her health and I like the way she uses this to try to get Luc and Ava to sort themselves out. About time too!
Overall, an excellent story and I found I could not put this past paced thriller down and read it in one sitting.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for this ARC
I love the characters in the series and in this one DS Lively proves to be a bit of a hero which I like. The banter between the team is great. The issues covered are very serious and it is a welcome relief to have an occasional injection of humour. They team are comfortable with each other, they’re loyal and they have each other’s backs. Luc and Ava have issues in their relationship but things are improving. The storyline is fantastic and it feels like you are watching an action movie that leaves you a bit breathless. It’s high octane throughout. The human trafficking part of the story makes you want to weep as the girls are seen as commodities as they are used, abused and disposed of. Elenuta is a trafficked girl from Romania and she is an outstanding character whose bravery is an inspiration. The organ harvesting part of the story is equally well told and the fact that people can prey on others when they are desperate adds another dimension to the story.
The ending is good with the future looking brighter for two of the victims in the story. There’s an other strand too, as Ava’s best friend Natasha, another terrific character, faces a battle with her health and I like the way she uses this to try to get Luc and Ava to sort themselves out. About time too!
Overall, an excellent story and I found I could not put this past paced thriller down and read it in one sitting.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for this ARC
January 6, 2020
This is the first book I've read in this series but it worked fine as a stand alone. I found the main characters, DCI Luc Callanach and DCS Ava Turner of the Edinburgh Major Investigation Team interesting and engaging characters. Clearly they have had a past romantic relationship, but are currently separated. Luc, with both French and Scottish heritage is currently on secondment to Interpol in France where he has been trying to track a human trafficking operation. When a young man reported missing in Edinburgh turns up dead in France, Luc is called to the crime scene and finds himself liasing with Ava's team in Edinburgh to find the killers.
This is a very gritty thriller with graphic themes of sex trafficking and organ harvesting, that will not be for those who prefer their crime cosy. However, this is well written, gripping suspense that will have your heart in your mouth as you read about the horrors that are inflicted on the young men and women abducted and held captive and tortured by some very cruel and nasty criminals. A riveting read!
With thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for a digital copy to read.
This is a very gritty thriller with graphic themes of sex trafficking and organ harvesting, that will not be for those who prefer their crime cosy. However, this is well written, gripping suspense that will have your heart in your mouth as you read about the horrors that are inflicted on the young men and women abducted and held captive and tortured by some very cruel and nasty criminals. A riveting read!
With thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for a digital copy to read.
March 6, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Edinburgh student Bart Campbell awakes to find himself in a shipping container and tied down. He doesn’t remember how he got there or where he is going but he realises that nothing good can come from his situation.
DI Luc Callanach is working with Interpol in Paris, France looking into an illegal organ transplant operation when he comes across an emptied body. The body belongs to Edinburgh resident Malcolm Reilly who was recently reported missing by his family. He asks DCI Ava Turner who works for Major Investigation Team (MIT) in Edinburgh to speak to the family and to let them know what has happened to him.
DCI Turner is also working on the case of a man shot dead in his home in a shady part of Edinburgh. The body has been left but someone has tried to clean the area around it, why?
Could the three cases be linked somehow?
Perfect Kill is the sixth book in the ‘Perfect’ series by Helen Fields but the first book in the series that I have read. To be honest I didn’t even realise that it was the sixth in the series until I read it on Goodreads. I can confirm it can be read as a standalone as I never felt like I had missed out or didn’t understand any sections.
The plot is quite sinister in places and as well as the illegal organ operation there is also a prostitution ring in Edinburgh going on right under the detective’s noses and some of the scenes within in this subplot can get a little full-on, so be warned if women being attacked and killed for sport is a trigger for you.
The writing is superb and had me invested in the story from the very beginning. I was eager to know would Bart make it home ever again or would Elenuta, one of the prostitutes ever get away from the criminals keeping her and forcing her to entertain men daily.
This is one of those books that had me on the edge of my seat. It was horrific at times to read but that was mainly down to how realistic it was and how believable the situations were. I loved how eventually the cases worked their way together and also the moments of lightheartedness throughout which always came at a welcome moment.
The characters were plausible and likeable. I enjoyed both DI Callanach and DCI Turner’s working styles, even if they were completely different from one another. I also appreciated the setting and scenery of both Edinburgh and Paris.
If you are a fan of police procedural novels that have a more gritty, gory side to them then this is the book to read. I am now off to check out the others in the series.
Edinburgh student Bart Campbell awakes to find himself in a shipping container and tied down. He doesn’t remember how he got there or where he is going but he realises that nothing good can come from his situation.
DI Luc Callanach is working with Interpol in Paris, France looking into an illegal organ transplant operation when he comes across an emptied body. The body belongs to Edinburgh resident Malcolm Reilly who was recently reported missing by his family. He asks DCI Ava Turner who works for Major Investigation Team (MIT) in Edinburgh to speak to the family and to let them know what has happened to him.
DCI Turner is also working on the case of a man shot dead in his home in a shady part of Edinburgh. The body has been left but someone has tried to clean the area around it, why?
Could the three cases be linked somehow?
Perfect Kill is the sixth book in the ‘Perfect’ series by Helen Fields but the first book in the series that I have read. To be honest I didn’t even realise that it was the sixth in the series until I read it on Goodreads. I can confirm it can be read as a standalone as I never felt like I had missed out or didn’t understand any sections.
The plot is quite sinister in places and as well as the illegal organ operation there is also a prostitution ring in Edinburgh going on right under the detective’s noses and some of the scenes within in this subplot can get a little full-on, so be warned if women being attacked and killed for sport is a trigger for you.
The writing is superb and had me invested in the story from the very beginning. I was eager to know would Bart make it home ever again or would Elenuta, one of the prostitutes ever get away from the criminals keeping her and forcing her to entertain men daily.
This is one of those books that had me on the edge of my seat. It was horrific at times to read but that was mainly down to how realistic it was and how believable the situations were. I loved how eventually the cases worked their way together and also the moments of lightheartedness throughout which always came at a welcome moment.
The characters were plausible and likeable. I enjoyed both DI Callanach and DCI Turner’s working styles, even if they were completely different from one another. I also appreciated the setting and scenery of both Edinburgh and Paris.
If you are a fan of police procedural novels that have a more gritty, gory side to them then this is the book to read. I am now off to check out the others in the series.
March 7, 2020
I’ve seen lots of positive feedback for author Helen Fields’ D.I. Callanach series each named with ‘Perfect’ in its title but unfortunately I haven’t got around to reading any despite owning a couple. After securing an early copy of the highly anticipated sixth in the series - “Perfect Kill” - I jumped at the opportunity to see what all my fellow reviewers were talking about.
Starting exactly how I like stories in this genre to begin with - adrenaline fuelled intrigue and a captivating scenario, I was engrossed and addicted within the first few pages and knew this would be a series I would be going back to follow from the first book. You don’t need to worry about reading any of the first instalments as there plenty of background information to keep you in the loop about the characters, without overwhelming you in facts. Of course having now read this highly entertaining book I would recommend reading from the start purely for enjoyment. “Perfect Kill” has plenty of violence, gore and action to keep the hardiest of readers entertained (myself included) and has numerous subject matters to make the content compelling and original. I liked how the personal and professional areas were well balanced and I truly loved the relationship between Ava and Luc. I could go on and on but suffice to say, this was a five star read for me (I pity the next book I read after this) and without a doubt I will be digging out my copy of “Perfect Remains”, the first book in this superbly written police procedural series and I will be reading it very soon.
5 stars
Starting exactly how I like stories in this genre to begin with - adrenaline fuelled intrigue and a captivating scenario, I was engrossed and addicted within the first few pages and knew this would be a series I would be going back to follow from the first book. You don’t need to worry about reading any of the first instalments as there plenty of background information to keep you in the loop about the characters, without overwhelming you in facts. Of course having now read this highly entertaining book I would recommend reading from the start purely for enjoyment. “Perfect Kill” has plenty of violence, gore and action to keep the hardiest of readers entertained (myself included) and has numerous subject matters to make the content compelling and original. I liked how the personal and professional areas were well balanced and I truly loved the relationship between Ava and Luc. I could go on and on but suffice to say, this was a five star read for me (I pity the next book I read after this) and without a doubt I will be digging out my copy of “Perfect Remains”, the first book in this superbly written police procedural series and I will be reading it very soon.
5 stars
November 19, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
Firstly I have to say, I missed out on the first five books, an advantage to receive this book, an dis-advantage when you read the book and feel you have missed so much on the history of the series.
Perfect Kill is the sixth book in the D.I. Callenach series.
He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.
Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.
Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…
The central characters are DCI Luc (Mr Dishy) Callenach and DCS Ava Turner from the MIT team in Edinburgh. Luc is back in his native France on secondment to Interpol and working with his old partner Jean-Paul, they are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.
With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride like no other, with the next gripping thriller from the number one bestselling crime author, Helen Fields.
A powerful, strong, gory, shocking thriller that keeps going and two stories connect.
What I did enjoy so much as the last few chapters unfolded was, the gripping, tense suspense, then the touching comical moments, then some lovely light touches, no more said...
I feel I enjoyed this author, who I had not heard of before reading this book, do I now read book 1....
A good four stars, liked the writing of this author as well as the characters.
Firstly I have to say, I missed out on the first five books, an advantage to receive this book, an dis-advantage when you read the book and feel you have missed so much on the history of the series.
Perfect Kill is the sixth book in the D.I. Callenach series.
He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.
Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.
Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…
The central characters are DCI Luc (Mr Dishy) Callenach and DCS Ava Turner from the MIT team in Edinburgh. Luc is back in his native France on secondment to Interpol and working with his old partner Jean-Paul, they are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.
With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride like no other, with the next gripping thriller from the number one bestselling crime author, Helen Fields.
A powerful, strong, gory, shocking thriller that keeps going and two stories connect.
What I did enjoy so much as the last few chapters unfolded was, the gripping, tense suspense, then the touching comical moments, then some lovely light touches, no more said...
I feel I enjoyed this author, who I had not heard of before reading this book, do I now read book 1....
A good four stars, liked the writing of this author as well as the characters.
August 21, 2020
Well that was one of the darkest crime thrillers I’ve read and it was totally gripping. I loved it and would have liked to savour it for longer but I couldn’t slow down my reading.
DI Luc Callanach is in France on secondment, working with his former colleague Jean-Paul of Interpol because of his previous experience with them. They are investigating the French end of a human trafficking operation. While there, the body of a young Scottish man is found in Paris with all his organs missing. On the other side of the channel DCI Ava Turner and her remaining troops are finding bodies as well, in particular - the remains of three young women are found at a pig farm. Unsurprisingly the two cases are linked and the scope and scale of the criminal operation is breathtaking.
Ava, particularly, is run ragged while she vows to get justice for the women and is also supporting her dear friend, Natasha, through her cancer treatment. DS Lively also has a starring role in this book as he infiltrates as cruel prostitution ring to try and shut it down and save to women. The action is fast and furious as Luc, Ava and Lively dice with death to try and round up some of the worst villains in fiction. Of course it was unrealistic, that’s one of the reasons I prefer fiction - I can tell myself it’s only a story, its not real, even while I know some pretty shitty things happen in real life. The only downside of finishing this book is that now I have to wait for the next one to be written 😫.
DI Luc Callanach is in France on secondment, working with his former colleague Jean-Paul of Interpol because of his previous experience with them. They are investigating the French end of a human trafficking operation. While there, the body of a young Scottish man is found in Paris with all his organs missing. On the other side of the channel DCI Ava Turner and her remaining troops are finding bodies as well, in particular - the remains of three young women are found at a pig farm. Unsurprisingly the two cases are linked and the scope and scale of the criminal operation is breathtaking.
Ava, particularly, is run ragged while she vows to get justice for the women and is also supporting her dear friend, Natasha, through her cancer treatment. DS Lively also has a starring role in this book as he infiltrates as cruel prostitution ring to try and shut it down and save to women. The action is fast and furious as Luc, Ava and Lively dice with death to try and round up some of the worst villains in fiction. Of course it was unrealistic, that’s one of the reasons I prefer fiction - I can tell myself it’s only a story, its not real, even while I know some pretty shitty things happen in real life. The only downside of finishing this book is that now I have to wait for the next one to be written 😫.
October 27, 2019
A good solid crime thriller, with an exciting beginning, a gripping middle, and a fulfilling ending.
Although late to the Helen Field party, I didn’t feel I was a late comer as referencing to previous books in the series is minimal.
It was easy to get into it and to feel as though I’ve known them since the beginning.
A good read dealing with current and controversial topics.
4 stars.
Although late to the Helen Field party, I didn’t feel I was a late comer as referencing to previous books in the series is minimal.
It was easy to get into it and to feel as though I’ve known them since the beginning.
A good read dealing with current and controversial topics.
4 stars.
February 4, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up 4
DI Callanach #6
This story is set between Edinburgh and Paris and covers two cases 5hat are somehow linked. A young man is kidnapped in Edinburgh but he is reported as a missing person. DCI Ava Turner is working on the case. DI Luc Callanach now works in France helping Interpol. The investigations in France is around illegal organ transplants. Ava is also investigating a murder.
Once again I did not know that this book was part of a series when I requested it. It's dark and gruesome in places. The characters are believable. There are some funny but also some upsetting scenes. I do feel I have missed out on a lot of the background story by not having read the rest of the books in this series. I did enjoy the story.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Helen Fields for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DI Callanach #6
This story is set between Edinburgh and Paris and covers two cases 5hat are somehow linked. A young man is kidnapped in Edinburgh but he is reported as a missing person. DCI Ava Turner is working on the case. DI Luc Callanach now works in France helping Interpol. The investigations in France is around illegal organ transplants. Ava is also investigating a murder.
Once again I did not know that this book was part of a series when I requested it. It's dark and gruesome in places. The characters are believable. There are some funny but also some upsetting scenes. I do feel I have missed out on a lot of the background story by not having read the rest of the books in this series. I did enjoy the story.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Helen Fields for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2022
Again a perfect part in a perfect series!
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...
February 4, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
DI Callanach #6
The story is set between Edinburgh and Paris and covers two cases that are somehow linked. A young man is kidnapped in Edinburgh but he is reported as a missing person. DCI Ava Turner is working on the case. DI Luc Callanach now works in France helping Interpol. The investigation in France is around illegal organ transplants. Ava is also investigating a murder.
Once again I did ot k ow that this book was part of a series when I requested it. It's dark and gruesome in places. The characters were believable. There are some funny but also some upsetting scenes. I do feel I have missed out on a lot of the background story y it having read the rest of the books in this series. I did enjoy this story.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Helen Fields for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DI Callanach #6
The story is set between Edinburgh and Paris and covers two cases that are somehow linked. A young man is kidnapped in Edinburgh but he is reported as a missing person. DCI Ava Turner is working on the case. DI Luc Callanach now works in France helping Interpol. The investigation in France is around illegal organ transplants. Ava is also investigating a murder.
Once again I did ot k ow that this book was part of a series when I requested it. It's dark and gruesome in places. The characters were believable. There are some funny but also some upsetting scenes. I do feel I have missed out on a lot of the background story y it having read the rest of the books in this series. I did enjoy this story.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Helen Fields for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2020
What a brilliant read. It was engaging, it was engrossing and it was very well written. My first read by Fields and it certainly will not be my last. Despite starting at the end of a series, I have not been deterred – I need to get my hands on the rest of the books!
Fields has gone into so much detail in this story. She creates a criminal world that simply pulls you in. Initially I was uncertain where the story would be headed but, as the plot progressed, I was increasingly keen to find out more. At first I was a little put off by the subjects of human trafficking and prostitution. However, Fields’ depiction creates a chilling sequence of crimes that you want to see solved.
Whilst this is a series that follows Callanach, my favourite character was undoubtedly Ava. She is strong, brave and determined. I liked her witticisms and dedication – both to her best friend, Natasha, and her work. As the plot intensifies, I felt like Fields developed her character more and more – she has more of a presence than the dishy Callanach. I found myself desperate to see Ava succeed and solve the crimes – believing in her character and strength added to my enjoyment of the novel.
Set in both France and Scotland, I liked how the plot shifted between the two countries. Whilst it was clear how the missing persons was linked to the prostitution rings, I was more engrossed in witnessing the crimes being solved. Indeed, the undercover element from Callanach and Lively in particular, had me tense with fear of discovery.
From my perspective, it is evident how much time has gone into crafting this story. I cannot be more specific than this, but I felt like a lot of time has gone into making sure every element of the plot is “just so”. I think it based on the fact that there characterisation is developed, the different plot strands carefully considered and the crimes themselves so elaborate. This book seems like a labour of love that resounded from the pages. I guess what I am trying to say is this author devotion made me enjoy the story even more.
I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed reading this novel. The characters are convincing and the crimes are believable. It was equally chilling and thrilling, and I am excited to read more stories about Ava and Callanach.
With thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fields has gone into so much detail in this story. She creates a criminal world that simply pulls you in. Initially I was uncertain where the story would be headed but, as the plot progressed, I was increasingly keen to find out more. At first I was a little put off by the subjects of human trafficking and prostitution. However, Fields’ depiction creates a chilling sequence of crimes that you want to see solved.
Whilst this is a series that follows Callanach, my favourite character was undoubtedly Ava. She is strong, brave and determined. I liked her witticisms and dedication – both to her best friend, Natasha, and her work. As the plot intensifies, I felt like Fields developed her character more and more – she has more of a presence than the dishy Callanach. I found myself desperate to see Ava succeed and solve the crimes – believing in her character and strength added to my enjoyment of the novel.
Set in both France and Scotland, I liked how the plot shifted between the two countries. Whilst it was clear how the missing persons was linked to the prostitution rings, I was more engrossed in witnessing the crimes being solved. Indeed, the undercover element from Callanach and Lively in particular, had me tense with fear of discovery.
From my perspective, it is evident how much time has gone into crafting this story. I cannot be more specific than this, but I felt like a lot of time has gone into making sure every element of the plot is “just so”. I think it based on the fact that there characterisation is developed, the different plot strands carefully considered and the crimes themselves so elaborate. This book seems like a labour of love that resounded from the pages. I guess what I am trying to say is this author devotion made me enjoy the story even more.
I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed reading this novel. The characters are convincing and the crimes are believable. It was equally chilling and thrilling, and I am excited to read more stories about Ava and Callanach.
With thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2020
Perfect Kill by Helen Fields is the 6th in the Detective Luc Callanach series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Avon Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DI Luc Callanach is half French and half Scottish, living most of his life in France, and working for Interpol. A false rape allegation made by co-worker Astrid Borde, had him leave France, his job, his friends, his mother. He headed to Edinburgh to take command of a homicide team. He has adjusted to the change, making friends with a colleague, newly appointed DCI Ava Taylor, and finds an unlikely friend in a journalist. He may never be close with DS Lively. Other team members are DS Max Tripp, DC Janet Monroe and DI Pax Graham.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Luc has been in France for three months, as Scottish liaison officer to Interpol, tracking human traffickers.
Ava has her hands full in Scotland as bodies start to pile up, and a second young man has been reported missing.
It soon becomes evident that these young men may be headed to France, and young women from France are being sent to Scotland as sex slaves. So why are healthy young men being abducted, and are the two cases that Luc and Ava are working actually related?
Meanwhile, Ava's long-time friend Natasha is having some issues.
My Opinions:
I absolutely love this series. I truly recommend you read these in order, where you will get a good background of the relationships. Helen Fields is not afraid to provide vivid details of crimes, so as always, be warned that you will read some gruesome stuff. She also isn't afraid to show compassion, even in the most unlikely of circumstances. Again, this book dealt with a rather tough subject, but it was handled quite well.
The writing is excellent, and the plot, twists and all, kept me turning those pages.
I truly recommend you read these in order, where you will get a good background of the relationships. I like the characters, even the on again/off again romance between Luc and Ava. Everything feels real, because most of them are flawed, insecure, and yet determined individuals. I found myself liking DS Lively in this book, which was quite the surprise for me!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
November 15, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy of of Perfect Kill, the sixth novel to feature Edinburgh based DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callenach.
Luc is on secondment to Interpol in France investigating a people smuggling ring while Ava’s recently quiet life in Edinburgh is shattered by a two murders, one with links to France. What they discover is far broader than either could have imagined.
I thoroughly enjoyed Perfect Kill which is an engrossing, if rather stomach churning, read. It is not for the faint hearted with graphic violence and cruelty and an amazing proposition that makes a kind of sick sense. No, I’m not going to tell you what it is but it’s very clever and you’ll never guess but yuck.
The novel itself is told in several voices with Luc and Ava carrying most of it in their separate and combined investigations and two other characters telling their story as well, Bart Campbell who wakes up confined in a dark space and Elenuta who is living as a sex slave. Initially I found it quite confusing as where Bart and Elenuta fit in but quickly came to appreciate the additional depth they provide, giving the reader context and a different, more detailed perspective on the investigation. Their stories also allow the reader to measure the progress the police are making. I found it quite compulsive reading with their despair and not quite extinguished hope adding an emotional dimension.
The police investigation is non stop. It is split between what Luc is doing in Paris and what Ava is doing in Edinburgh. Unsurprisingly for fiction their investigations soon come together and end in a couple of major action scenes with Ava kicking serious butt.
Throughout it all there is the ongoing thread of Ava and Luc’s will they, won’t they relationship. I must admit that I find this rather tedious in comparison with the high octane level of the rest of the novel. I just wish they’d decide and we can stop the excavations of Ava’s psyche.
Perfect Kill is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Luc is on secondment to Interpol in France investigating a people smuggling ring while Ava’s recently quiet life in Edinburgh is shattered by a two murders, one with links to France. What they discover is far broader than either could have imagined.
I thoroughly enjoyed Perfect Kill which is an engrossing, if rather stomach churning, read. It is not for the faint hearted with graphic violence and cruelty and an amazing proposition that makes a kind of sick sense. No, I’m not going to tell you what it is but it’s very clever and you’ll never guess but yuck.
The novel itself is told in several voices with Luc and Ava carrying most of it in their separate and combined investigations and two other characters telling their story as well, Bart Campbell who wakes up confined in a dark space and Elenuta who is living as a sex slave. Initially I found it quite confusing as where Bart and Elenuta fit in but quickly came to appreciate the additional depth they provide, giving the reader context and a different, more detailed perspective on the investigation. Their stories also allow the reader to measure the progress the police are making. I found it quite compulsive reading with their despair and not quite extinguished hope adding an emotional dimension.
The police investigation is non stop. It is split between what Luc is doing in Paris and what Ava is doing in Edinburgh. Unsurprisingly for fiction their investigations soon come together and end in a couple of major action scenes with Ava kicking serious butt.
Throughout it all there is the ongoing thread of Ava and Luc’s will they, won’t they relationship. I must admit that I find this rather tedious in comparison with the high octane level of the rest of the novel. I just wish they’d decide and we can stop the excavations of Ava’s psyche.
Perfect Kill is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
February 11, 2020
I have so much love for this series! Great characters, twisty plots with a good dose of horror. It’s one I often recommend and pre order with every added instalment. Perfect kill certainly did not disappoint!
DI Luke Callanach is back home in France. After being in Scotland for so long he’s surprised how much he’s missed it. The country, the language and his old partner Jean Paul. They are working closely with Interpol after the body of a young male has turned up completely hollowed, missing all the vital organs. Instantly convinced he is a victim of illegal organ harvesting, they quickly get to work. A second healthy young man fitting the same body type has gone missing from Edinburgh in similar circumstances. Could he be the next victim?
Meanwhile DCI Ava Turner is in Edinburgh running her team with her hands full. One man has been shot, people are missing and human remains have been found. All the evidence points to sex trafficking.
It soon becomes clear as the cases collide and a horrific discovery is made. Men and women are being kidnapped and smuggled to France. When they arrive trafficked women are being sent back to Scotland in the same filthy crates. A mass operation between two countries. Can Turner and Callanach put aside their awkward but romantic feelings aside and work together again?
This really is not for the faint hearted. It runs so much deeper than the average organ harvesting or sex trafficking story. The chapters that focus on the victims divulge the true horrors that are happening behind closed doors. Horrific unimaginable acts at the hands of pure evil as if their current circumstances aren’t dire enough. People without a slither of empathy or compassion. Truly shocking but completely addictive! 5 stars from me. ✨
DI Luke Callanach is back home in France. After being in Scotland for so long he’s surprised how much he’s missed it. The country, the language and his old partner Jean Paul. They are working closely with Interpol after the body of a young male has turned up completely hollowed, missing all the vital organs. Instantly convinced he is a victim of illegal organ harvesting, they quickly get to work. A second healthy young man fitting the same body type has gone missing from Edinburgh in similar circumstances. Could he be the next victim?
Meanwhile DCI Ava Turner is in Edinburgh running her team with her hands full. One man has been shot, people are missing and human remains have been found. All the evidence points to sex trafficking.
It soon becomes clear as the cases collide and a horrific discovery is made. Men and women are being kidnapped and smuggled to France. When they arrive trafficked women are being sent back to Scotland in the same filthy crates. A mass operation between two countries. Can Turner and Callanach put aside their awkward but romantic feelings aside and work together again?
This really is not for the faint hearted. It runs so much deeper than the average organ harvesting or sex trafficking story. The chapters that focus on the victims divulge the true horrors that are happening behind closed doors. Horrific unimaginable acts at the hands of pure evil as if their current circumstances aren’t dire enough. People without a slither of empathy or compassion. Truly shocking but completely addictive! 5 stars from me. ✨
October 13, 2019
The sixth book in the DI Callanach series by author Helen Fields.
This is a crime series set in Edinburgh, Scotland and features the disgraced French police officer D.I. Luc Callanach and D.C.I. Ava Turner.
The handsome Luc Callanach and Ava Turner are working on separate cases that are soon to become connected. Luc is in France and Ava is in Scotland but they are investigating the disappearance of men and women being shipped to France in exchange for women trafficked into Scotland.
This one is not for the faint hearted and can be quite gruesome at times but nevertheless a very entertaining read. After the love break-up of Luc and Ava they are both treading a little easy with each other and hiding their true feelings by continuing to work in a professional manner. This is an excellent series that for me not only has good plots but an additional bonus with the on off relationship of the main characters.
The more you read of this series the more you will know and like the characters which helps make this a great read and an exceptional series.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is a crime series set in Edinburgh, Scotland and features the disgraced French police officer D.I. Luc Callanach and D.C.I. Ava Turner.
The handsome Luc Callanach and Ava Turner are working on separate cases that are soon to become connected. Luc is in France and Ava is in Scotland but they are investigating the disappearance of men and women being shipped to France in exchange for women trafficked into Scotland.
This one is not for the faint hearted and can be quite gruesome at times but nevertheless a very entertaining read. After the love break-up of Luc and Ava they are both treading a little easy with each other and hiding their true feelings by continuing to work in a professional manner. This is an excellent series that for me not only has good plots but an additional bonus with the on off relationship of the main characters.
The more you read of this series the more you will know and like the characters which helps make this a great read and an exceptional series.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ This is an INTENSE novel with two brutal storylines that converge. Unforgettable characters who experience the worst in this world. Fields always draws on real life crimes that our defense mechanisms flare up for self preservation.
This book deals not only with human trafficking, sexual assault and rape but black market organ transplants and an underground world we wish only existed in books and novels.
There are certain “facts” of the novel that made me twitch when it came to an additional layer of cancer. The facts are incorrect and I’ll only say that with treatment Stage II breast cancer has a 90+% survival rate for most. The ONLY reason I bring this up is I don’t want anyone to feel as if they should be go for the mammograms. Early detection is vital to survival.
That being said, it’s not the main focus at all.
Every character so fully developed and has a backstory. I love this about the author. All storylines have closure and more often than not you feel for a character a bit more deeply. Who knew I could have such affection for Detective Lively?
I believe there’s only one more book in the Perfect series. I’m sad yet relieved. I think these are some of the most graphic and intense storylines I’ve ever read despite reading this genre for decades. I think it’s time for a lot of cozy stories 😅😁😊☺️ and beach read for this summer month.
This book deals not only with human trafficking, sexual assault and rape but black market organ transplants and an underground world we wish only existed in books and novels.
There are certain “facts” of the novel that made me twitch when it came to an additional layer of cancer. The facts are incorrect and I’ll only say that with treatment Stage II breast cancer has a 90+% survival rate for most. The ONLY reason I bring this up is I don’t want anyone to feel as if they should be go for the mammograms. Early detection is vital to survival.
That being said, it’s not the main focus at all.
Every character so fully developed and has a backstory. I love this about the author. All storylines have closure and more often than not you feel for a character a bit more deeply. Who knew I could have such affection for Detective Lively?
I believe there’s only one more book in the Perfect series. I’m sad yet relieved. I think these are some of the most graphic and intense storylines I’ve ever read despite reading this genre for decades. I think it’s time for a lot of cozy stories 😅😁😊☺️ and beach read for this summer month.
February 16, 2020
Fast-paced and full-on gritty crime thriller with strong characterisation and sharp writing.
Perfect Kill is the sixth outing in Helen Fields’ series and despite serving as my introduction to a well-established series it made for a convenient stand-alone with all necessary backstory drip-fed along the way. I suspect this is because the characters are well-developed and credible, giving their interaction and work as a cohesive unit an authentic feel. DCI Ava Turner heads up the Major Investigation Team in Edinburgh with team member, DI Luc Callanach, on temporary secondment to Interpol in Paris.
DI Callanach is working on a human trafficking case and the discovery of the corpse of young Scot, Malcolm Reilly, minus his internal organs on a Paris building site makes it horrifyingly apparent what he is dealing with. When twenty-year-old responsible Edinburgh student, Bart Campbell, vanishes out of character it adds a chilling impetus to his investigation. Meanwhile back in Edinburgh DCI Turner has her hands full with missing Bart and the vicious murder of an unsavoury character in Wester Hailes that the locals are unwilling to talk about. Readers get to see where things are headed with chapters following Bart as he is packed into a shipping container and kidnapped Romanian, Elenuta, is held as a sex slave and forced to work for a brutal pimp with a depraved sideline for the women he controls.
The book gets off to a flying start as DCI Turner and DI Callanach are thrust into sinister investigations on both sides of the Channel and from here on in the pace is frenetic and the story immersive. The narrative throughout is told in the third-person with the bulk of the chapters spent following Turner and Callanach at either end of the investigation with occasional excerpts from the perspective of kidnapped Bart Campbell and trafficked Elenuta. These glimpses into their situations add meaning to the police operations with the plot progression tight and the background information to the crimes making it evident that the author knows her stuff.
The characterisation of the police team is exceptionally well done and one aspect that made the novel so engrossing was how easily I was able to get to grips with each distinctive officer and appreciate how the entire team’s work comes together. DCI Turner and DI Callanach clearly have history and I felt this was handled maturely and with limited angst which certainly didn’t intrude on the investigation. DS Lively plays a significant role in the Scottish side of the investigation and the focus of the novel is on teamwork and not just the heroics of protagonists Ava and Luc. The characters are all relatable and for me this adds to the appeal of the series enormously, making me want to spend more time in their company!
As the novel heads into the climax I did feel that quite a bit of the action became far-fetched with the plot relying too heavily on coincidence, although this is par for the course with much of the crime thriller genre. I was rather sceptical that the police would immediately link Bart’s disappearance with Malcolm Reilly fate and DCI Turner’s identification of a suspect with no hands or head was beyond fortuitous! The level of violence, swearing and the nature of the investigations make for a gritty and graphic read and about as far from cosy crime as possible! A well-disguised twist into the close that caught me off guard made for the icing on the cake of an entertaining read.
Although Perfect Kill made for a compelling stand-alone it has convinced me that this is a series I really need to follow and as such I will be heading straight to book one to catch up!
Perfect Kill is the sixth outing in Helen Fields’ series and despite serving as my introduction to a well-established series it made for a convenient stand-alone with all necessary backstory drip-fed along the way. I suspect this is because the characters are well-developed and credible, giving their interaction and work as a cohesive unit an authentic feel. DCI Ava Turner heads up the Major Investigation Team in Edinburgh with team member, DI Luc Callanach, on temporary secondment to Interpol in Paris.
DI Callanach is working on a human trafficking case and the discovery of the corpse of young Scot, Malcolm Reilly, minus his internal organs on a Paris building site makes it horrifyingly apparent what he is dealing with. When twenty-year-old responsible Edinburgh student, Bart Campbell, vanishes out of character it adds a chilling impetus to his investigation. Meanwhile back in Edinburgh DCI Turner has her hands full with missing Bart and the vicious murder of an unsavoury character in Wester Hailes that the locals are unwilling to talk about. Readers get to see where things are headed with chapters following Bart as he is packed into a shipping container and kidnapped Romanian, Elenuta, is held as a sex slave and forced to work for a brutal pimp with a depraved sideline for the women he controls.
The book gets off to a flying start as DCI Turner and DI Callanach are thrust into sinister investigations on both sides of the Channel and from here on in the pace is frenetic and the story immersive. The narrative throughout is told in the third-person with the bulk of the chapters spent following Turner and Callanach at either end of the investigation with occasional excerpts from the perspective of kidnapped Bart Campbell and trafficked Elenuta. These glimpses into their situations add meaning to the police operations with the plot progression tight and the background information to the crimes making it evident that the author knows her stuff.
The characterisation of the police team is exceptionally well done and one aspect that made the novel so engrossing was how easily I was able to get to grips with each distinctive officer and appreciate how the entire team’s work comes together. DCI Turner and DI Callanach clearly have history and I felt this was handled maturely and with limited angst which certainly didn’t intrude on the investigation. DS Lively plays a significant role in the Scottish side of the investigation and the focus of the novel is on teamwork and not just the heroics of protagonists Ava and Luc. The characters are all relatable and for me this adds to the appeal of the series enormously, making me want to spend more time in their company!
As the novel heads into the climax I did feel that quite a bit of the action became far-fetched with the plot relying too heavily on coincidence, although this is par for the course with much of the crime thriller genre. I was rather sceptical that the police would immediately link Bart’s disappearance with Malcolm Reilly fate and DCI Turner’s identification of a suspect with no hands or head was beyond fortuitous! The level of violence, swearing and the nature of the investigations make for a gritty and graphic read and about as far from cosy crime as possible! A well-disguised twist into the close that caught me off guard made for the icing on the cake of an entertaining read.
Although Perfect Kill made for a compelling stand-alone it has convinced me that this is a series I really need to follow and as such I will be heading straight to book one to catch up!
March 13, 2020
Hurray!! I enjoyed completely finishing all the books in Perfect series, its not going to end now any how. I will grab the next one when it comes out...
Callanch & Ava investigating on Human Traficking and the body piles up with increase in the count and they need to find out the race & murderers soon before they ends the life of next.
Too many characters roundabout but still i am connected to the stories with no flaws, just jawdropping
Happy with Callanch still pivots this series..
If this one compared to Perfect Prey then Perfect Kill leads me to the lions den's but still i like perfect prey the second best in the series.
Some of the Series Memories evaporates (Ava & Callanch - Watching Late night Vintage Movies together in Cinema, spending time beside with popcorns, Lively Sarcastics and overback commanding)
Callanch & Ava investigating on Human Traficking and the body piles up with increase in the count and they need to find out the race & murderers soon before they ends the life of next.
Too many characters roundabout but still i am connected to the stories with no flaws, just jawdropping
Happy with Callanch still pivots this series..
If this one compared to Perfect Prey then Perfect Kill leads me to the lions den's but still i like perfect prey the second best in the series.
Some of the Series Memories evaporates (Ava & Callanch - Watching Late night Vintage Movies together in Cinema, spending time beside with popcorns, Lively Sarcastics and overback commanding)
April 28, 2025
*Unputdownable*
This is the sixth book of seven in the Di Callanach series. In this instalment, DCI Ava Turner and Di Luc Callanach work separate cases in Scotland and France.
Di Callanach, will be working with his former best friend in France for Interpol, liaises between France and Scotland. He is investigating the discovery of a Scottish national’s body. This also provides Luc with an opportunity to confront demons from his past.
Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, Ava faces the difficult task of dealing with the victim’s parents.
A heinous group of men, whom I refer to as a sorry excuse for men, are involved in a horrific operation. They are hosting a race where lowlife men sign up to chase women, with carte blanche to do anything to them, even kill them.
Callanach also uncovers another barbaric operation under the guise of being legitimate.
Things take a dangerous turn when a significant event occurs, putting both DCI Turner and Callanach in a race against time. There is a link with both cases. Many lives are at stake, and they face danger as they fight to save lives across Edinburgh and France.
I wouldn’t recommend reading this before bed; I stayed up because I needed to know what happened.
This is the sixth book of seven in the Di Callanach series. In this instalment, DCI Ava Turner and Di Luc Callanach work separate cases in Scotland and France.
Di Callanach, will be working with his former best friend in France for Interpol, liaises between France and Scotland. He is investigating the discovery of a Scottish national’s body. This also provides Luc with an opportunity to confront demons from his past.
Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, Ava faces the difficult task of dealing with the victim’s parents.
A heinous group of men, whom I refer to as a sorry excuse for men, are involved in a horrific operation. They are hosting a race where lowlife men sign up to chase women, with carte blanche to do anything to them, even kill them.
Callanach also uncovers another barbaric operation under the guise of being legitimate.
Things take a dangerous turn when a significant event occurs, putting both DCI Turner and Callanach in a race against time. There is a link with both cases. Many lives are at stake, and they face danger as they fight to save lives across Edinburgh and France.
I wouldn’t recommend reading this before bed; I stayed up because I needed to know what happened.
April 4, 2022
PERFECT KILL is the sixth book in the DI Callanach series and the one that I liked the least. It is barely a 3-star book (i.e., isn’t poor enough to deserve a 2.5 rating, but not good enough to warrant a 3.5 one either.)
These are the defects that bother me:
1. Easily missed individuals are abducted from Scotland so their body parts can be used in France. The theft of body parts for medical transplants is a real problem, a serious problem, but such thefts almost always involve poor people from countries in the developing world. By changing the type of individuals exploited this way, the author has turned an authentic tragedy into a farce.
2. The cannibalism of body parts to provide magical “cures” or good fortune is a current real problem in several parts of Africa. Yet the author has modified the story in such a way that the consumers of these cannibalistic medicines are white French citizens. Again this turns a real problem into a farce. Had the purchasers been African immigrants, the story would have had at least some semblance to the real-world tragedy. But then DI Callanach’s life wouldn’t have been endangered; instead of being a participant, he would have remained an investigator.
3. The trafficking of women from Baltic nations in the U.K. is a real problem, but then the author had to go “over-the-top” with “The Race”. The abuse and degradation of human trafficking was not enough; the author went for another unrealistic plot line simply for its shock value.
Was there anything about the story that I liked? Yes, surprisingly I enjoyed the short visit with Dr. Moretti-Russo. She also was “over-the-top”, but she was humorous, and if an author is going to use unrealistic characters and/or plots, at least they should be humorous.
Also, DS Lively again saved the day on several occasions because he is not extraordinary — just an overweight plodder with a quick wit.
Now that I’ve read six books in the series, I realize that the ones I like best are the ones that feature psychos and their victims — books one, four, and five. The author, Helen Fields, portrays psychos and their victims very well. There, she can use hyperbole — go for shock — and the reader doesn’t feel used. When she uses exaggeration with non-psychotic characters, the story line becomes preposterous.
These are the defects that bother me:
1. Easily missed individuals are abducted from Scotland so their body parts can be used in France. The theft of body parts for medical transplants is a real problem, a serious problem, but such thefts almost always involve poor people from countries in the developing world. By changing the type of individuals exploited this way, the author has turned an authentic tragedy into a farce.
2. The cannibalism of body parts to provide magical “cures” or good fortune is a current real problem in several parts of Africa. Yet the author has modified the story in such a way that the consumers of these cannibalistic medicines are white French citizens. Again this turns a real problem into a farce. Had the purchasers been African immigrants, the story would have had at least some semblance to the real-world tragedy. But then DI Callanach’s life wouldn’t have been endangered; instead of being a participant, he would have remained an investigator.
3. The trafficking of women from Baltic nations in the U.K. is a real problem, but then the author had to go “over-the-top” with “The Race”. The abuse and degradation of human trafficking was not enough; the author went for another unrealistic plot line simply for its shock value.
Was there anything about the story that I liked? Yes, surprisingly I enjoyed the short visit with Dr. Moretti-Russo. She also was “over-the-top”, but she was humorous, and if an author is going to use unrealistic characters and/or plots, at least they should be humorous.
Also, DS Lively again saved the day on several occasions because he is not extraordinary — just an overweight plodder with a quick wit.
Now that I’ve read six books in the series, I realize that the ones I like best are the ones that feature psychos and their victims — books one, four, and five. The author, Helen Fields, portrays psychos and their victims very well. There, she can use hyperbole — go for shock — and the reader doesn’t feel used. When she uses exaggeration with non-psychotic characters, the story line becomes preposterous.
September 7, 2022
Recensie volgt @ The BookbabePerfecte Moord ~ Helen Fields
Ambo Anthos, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ik ben echt zo'n verschrikkelijke fan van de boeken van Helen Fields! Ook dit keer stelt ze mij absoluut niet teleur. Het verhaal zit geweldig in elkaar, kleeft weer met gruwelijke details aan elkaar, en zuigt je vanaf de eerste pagina in het verhaal. Soms vraag ik me echt af hoe iemand dit soort bizarre verhalen kan verzinnen, en toch nog als een 'normaal mens' door het leven kan gaan. Er zitten scenes is die het geweldig in een film zouden doen, en ook zo goed zijn omschreven dat je de film eigenlijk al voor je ziet. Het is wederom geen verhaal voor tere zieltjes, maar je kan gelukkig met een gerust hart het boek uiteindelijk weer dichtslaan. En naast de case blijft het verhaal van Luc en Ava om van te smullen. Ik kan niet wachten tot we begin 2023 weer verder kunnen met Perfecte Wraak!
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Ambo Anthos, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ik ben echt zo'n verschrikkelijke fan van de boeken van Helen Fields! Ook dit keer stelt ze mij absoluut niet teleur. Het verhaal zit geweldig in elkaar, kleeft weer met gruwelijke details aan elkaar, en zuigt je vanaf de eerste pagina in het verhaal. Soms vraag ik me echt af hoe iemand dit soort bizarre verhalen kan verzinnen, en toch nog als een 'normaal mens' door het leven kan gaan. Er zitten scenes is die het geweldig in een film zouden doen, en ook zo goed zijn omschreven dat je de film eigenlijk al voor je ziet. Het is wederom geen verhaal voor tere zieltjes, maar je kan gelukkig met een gerust hart het boek uiteindelijk weer dichtslaan. En naast de case blijft het verhaal van Luc en Ava om van te smullen. Ik kan niet wachten tot we begin 2023 weer verder kunnen met Perfecte Wraak!
www.facebook.com/thebookbabecisz
February 6, 2020
This is the 6th book in a crime thriller series featuring DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner. Although most of these stories are set in Edinburgh, Scotland, as they work for the MIT there, Luc is currently assigned in France as Scottish liaison officer to Interpol working on tracing a human trafficking case. A Scottish national's body had been found in Flandres and all that remained of the young man was a shell -- most of his internal organs had been removed. It seems that there is something more sinister going on that might tie into a missing persons situation that Ava is dealing with. From the backroom, filthy brothels where the trafficked women are used and abused to the sterile interior of a quasi operating theater, this is a complicated investigation that is grisly and chilling.
If you haven't read the previous five books in the series, I'd urge you to start at the beginning. This is a really good collection that has compelling characters, fabulous plots, and interesting settings. The writing is top-notch and the author spins the tales and lavishes us with incredible details. The relationship between Luc and Ava is quite complex and their history together is checkered with a bit of drama, but it works well. I do enjoy these books and they are very absorbing often requiring that I read them from cover to cover in a single sitting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. I hope that #7 is in the works but I understand that Helen Fields is writing a standalone novel coming in February of 2021.
If you haven't read the previous five books in the series, I'd urge you to start at the beginning. This is a really good collection that has compelling characters, fabulous plots, and interesting settings. The writing is top-notch and the author spins the tales and lavishes us with incredible details. The relationship between Luc and Ava is quite complex and their history together is checkered with a bit of drama, but it works well. I do enjoy these books and they are very absorbing often requiring that I read them from cover to cover in a single sitting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. I hope that #7 is in the works but I understand that Helen Fields is writing a standalone novel coming in February of 2021.
November 21, 2020
In the beginning I was feeling a little ambivalent about this book. The writing is just as excellent as it was in the previous books in this series but I found the shock factor a little over the top in this one. Near the beginning the descriptions of events were very graphic and more gruesome than anything in the previous books. Don't eat your lunch while you're reading it! The writing became a little less macabre after the first couple of jolts. Once again there were multiple story lines and I wondered how they would ever be wrapped up in approximately 400 pages but wrapped up they were. Although I've read all the previous books, I'm pretty sure this one could be read as a stand-alone. I recommend the entire series though! It almost felt like this could be the end of the "Perfect" series and I for one am quite satisfied with the ending. But, if there's another book I'll definitely read it. I give Perfect Kill 4-1/2 Stars only because I was put off by the level of violence near the beginning.
As a bonus, there was an excerpt from the author's new stand-alone novel being released next year which sounds like a good read. Can't wait.
I also have to comment on the cover which I found very eye-catching. The juxtaposition of the beautiful butterfly within a circle of barbed wire captures the essence of this book perfectly.
As a bonus, there was an excerpt from the author's new stand-alone novel being released next year which sounds like a good read. Can't wait.
I also have to comment on the cover which I found very eye-catching. The juxtaposition of the beautiful butterfly within a circle of barbed wire captures the essence of this book perfectly.
April 3, 2025
Helen Fields delivers again. Perfect Kill is sixth book in D.I. Callanach series and it delivers on all levels. Brilliantly written with gripping multi-layered perfectly executed plot, it's a triumph.
The strengths of that series is not just in the writing or stories themselves, but also in brilliantly delivered characters. And it's not just Luc and Ava but all the secondary characters that we get to know. Fields creates perfectly fleshed out cast of characters that make those stories so captivating. To me it's not just about finding the perpetrator but more importantly finding justice and some sort of peace for those affected by the crimes carried out. I really enjoy that aspect of those stories.
Perfect Kill was just perfect and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
The strengths of that series is not just in the writing or stories themselves, but also in brilliantly delivered characters. And it's not just Luc and Ava but all the secondary characters that we get to know. Fields creates perfectly fleshed out cast of characters that make those stories so captivating. To me it's not just about finding the perpetrator but more importantly finding justice and some sort of peace for those affected by the crimes carried out. I really enjoy that aspect of those stories.
Perfect Kill was just perfect and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
February 25, 2025
After reading and immensely enjoying Profile K I immediately went looking for other books of this outstanding author. I found Perfect Kill, book 6 in the Turner and Callanach series. Luckily this book can be very well read as a standalone for there is just enough background information to follow the personal lives of Turner and Callanach to understand what’s happening between them while they are both trying to solve some gruesome murders.
A very gripping story about human trafficking in all its gory details. It shows how some people have absolutely no morale and will do anything to earn (a lot of) money. In between this story we read how Ava and Luc are trying to come to terms with their not-so-easy relationship, and the severe illness of one of their best friends.
Four stars instead of the five I gave it because on second thought I could have done with a bit less long conversations between Ava and Luc. It’s time they make a decision!
A very gripping story about human trafficking in all its gory details. It shows how some people have absolutely no morale and will do anything to earn (a lot of) money. In between this story we read how Ava and Luc are trying to come to terms with their not-so-easy relationship, and the severe illness of one of their best friends.
Four stars instead of the five I gave it because on second thought I could have done with a bit less long conversations between Ava and Luc. It’s time they make a decision!
August 3, 2022
Bart Campbell weet dat de kans klein is dat hij dit overleeft. Hij zit namelijk al uren opgesloten in een container en kan zich niet meer precies herinneren wat er is gebeurd. Het is duidelijk dat hij is gedrogeerd en in Edinburgh is ontvoerd en dat hij zich nu op een containerschip bevindt. Wat hij niet weet, is dat hij onderweg is naar Frankrijk, waar hem een gruwelijk lot wacht.
Ava Turner en Luc Callanach werken ieder aan hun eigen zaak, totdat blijkt dat de mensen die naar Frankrijk worden vervoerd, worden geruild tegen mensen die naar Schotland worden verhandeld. Er staan mensenlevens op het spel en het is aan Luc en Ava om ze te redden.
'Perfecte moord' van Helen Fields is het zesde deel van de D.I. Callanach-serie en persoonlijk vond ik dit het minste deel. Het verhaal begint met Bart die opgesloten zit. Ook lees je weer snel over Ava en Luc. In het begin voel je de nodige spanning en was ik benieuwd welke richting het verhaal op zou gaan.
Helaas vond ik het verhaal al redelijk snel in spanning afnemen en op de een of andere manier werd het verhaal niet interessant genoeg voor mij. Er kwamen wel weer een aantal heftige details van slachtoffers voorbij en dat maakte het verhaal weer een beetje boeiend. Wat ook wel redelijk oké was, was het privéleven van Ava en haar beste vriendin Natasha. Maar dit alles was toch niet spannend genoeg en soms had ik stiekem zelfs een heel klein beetje moeite om verder te lezen...
Jammer, want normaal ben ik dit niet gewend en ben ik behoorlijk positief over de boeken van Helen Fields. Ik denk dat het toch door het onderwerp kwam, want de schrijfstijl was (zoals gewoonlijk) erg fijn en ook waren er weer verschillende verhaallijnen en perspectieven. Helaas, het kan natuurlijk niet altijd even positief zijn, maar ik blijf lekker doorgaan met boeken lezen van deze auteur!
Beoordeling: 3,0 ⭐️
Ava Turner en Luc Callanach werken ieder aan hun eigen zaak, totdat blijkt dat de mensen die naar Frankrijk worden vervoerd, worden geruild tegen mensen die naar Schotland worden verhandeld. Er staan mensenlevens op het spel en het is aan Luc en Ava om ze te redden.
'Perfecte moord' van Helen Fields is het zesde deel van de D.I. Callanach-serie en persoonlijk vond ik dit het minste deel. Het verhaal begint met Bart die opgesloten zit. Ook lees je weer snel over Ava en Luc. In het begin voel je de nodige spanning en was ik benieuwd welke richting het verhaal op zou gaan.
Helaas vond ik het verhaal al redelijk snel in spanning afnemen en op de een of andere manier werd het verhaal niet interessant genoeg voor mij. Er kwamen wel weer een aantal heftige details van slachtoffers voorbij en dat maakte het verhaal weer een beetje boeiend. Wat ook wel redelijk oké was, was het privéleven van Ava en haar beste vriendin Natasha. Maar dit alles was toch niet spannend genoeg en soms had ik stiekem zelfs een heel klein beetje moeite om verder te lezen...
Jammer, want normaal ben ik dit niet gewend en ben ik behoorlijk positief over de boeken van Helen Fields. Ik denk dat het toch door het onderwerp kwam, want de schrijfstijl was (zoals gewoonlijk) erg fijn en ook waren er weer verschillende verhaallijnen en perspectieven. Helaas, het kan natuurlijk niet altijd even positief zijn, maar ik blijf lekker doorgaan met boeken lezen van deze auteur!
Beoordeling: 3,0 ⭐️
February 4, 2020
This was one shivery read. The scenes described were so realistic, I felt I was present right there.
This was a police procedural with Luc Callanach and Ava Turner both investigating different crimes yet they found it to be linked. The book had human trafficking, organ harvesting, abuse and debasement of women along with hard work and determination of the cops.
My first book by author Helen Fields, I was blown away by the subplots. There were many and varied, and the author brought them all together as the pages turned. Human abuse and trafficking are difficult topics for me to read, they fired my blood right up. Kindle screen was tapped as I wanted to get to the end. I wanted the abusers found and hung dry.
The author's writing was fabulous, even with a topic I usually skim read, I was pulled to read this. I have to be honest, some things made me cringe, and I couldn't bring myself to read the acts done on men and women. For me, it was pretty graphic.
The dark psyche of the real world was shown in the subplots, but there was light at the end of the tunnel when the cops tighten the noose on the gang. Both the main characters were well etched, this was a new series for me, yet I didn't have much catching up to do.
A gritty hard-hitting thriller with graphic scenes showing the underbelly of the society well weaved in a police procedural with superfluous writing where suspense is raised with each chapter.
This was a police procedural with Luc Callanach and Ava Turner both investigating different crimes yet they found it to be linked. The book had human trafficking, organ harvesting, abuse and debasement of women along with hard work and determination of the cops.
My first book by author Helen Fields, I was blown away by the subplots. There were many and varied, and the author brought them all together as the pages turned. Human abuse and trafficking are difficult topics for me to read, they fired my blood right up. Kindle screen was tapped as I wanted to get to the end. I wanted the abusers found and hung dry.
The author's writing was fabulous, even with a topic I usually skim read, I was pulled to read this. I have to be honest, some things made me cringe, and I couldn't bring myself to read the acts done on men and women. For me, it was pretty graphic.
The dark psyche of the real world was shown in the subplots, but there was light at the end of the tunnel when the cops tighten the noose on the gang. Both the main characters were well etched, this was a new series for me, yet I didn't have much catching up to do.
A gritty hard-hitting thriller with graphic scenes showing the underbelly of the society well weaved in a police procedural with superfluous writing where suspense is raised with each chapter.
February 18, 2020
Goodness gracious me. Where do I even begin?
In Perfect Kill, the reader gets a double dose of depravity as DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach work separate cases. Ava and her team are up in Scotland, while Luc has joined up with a former colleague at Interpol in France. Soon these cases will collide, with lives at stake on both sides of the Channel.
Few people manage to come up with the most evil and disturbing characters quite the way Helen Fields does. Characters that get under your skin, characters that make you want to take a really long shower, characters that have you glaring at the pages of the book, wishing you could hurt them somehow. They are truly vile and utterly despicable.
The reading experience is elevated by putting the reader right there, in the middle with the potential victims. We meet Bart, who wakes up one morning and realises he isn’t in his cosy bed at his mother’s home. Instead he finds himself chained in a dark and windowless place, location unknown. And then there’s Elenuta from Romania, who came to Scotland with the promise of a better life. Need I say more?
Some of these chapters are immensely uncomfortable to read. I winced, I felt sad and angry, I feared for these characters’ lives. These chapters are upsetting, powerful, raw and brutal. I often needed a moment to recover from the horror and brutality, the absolutely horrendous ways some people treat other people for sheer pleasure and entertainment, for money, and all the while it unfortunately all felt so incredibly realistic and believable. It’s sadly easy to imagine that these things do actually happen and these thoughts will linger on your mind long after you’ve finished the book.
So, not exactly for the faint-hearted, I suppose, but that’s something I’ve become used to from Helen Fields. Perfect Kill has many themes that haunt modern society, which lift this book to a whole other level in the crime fiction genre. The “Perfect” series has always been able to stand out from the crowd but this latest addition is really something else altogether. Gritty and raw, I perversely loved every minute of it. I’m not entirely sure what that says about me.
Due to lack of time, I often need to make the tough decision to drop a series because I can no longer keep up but I feel quite confident that this series right here will never be one of them. It is just that good and all that’s left for me to say is : bring on book seven!
In Perfect Kill, the reader gets a double dose of depravity as DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach work separate cases. Ava and her team are up in Scotland, while Luc has joined up with a former colleague at Interpol in France. Soon these cases will collide, with lives at stake on both sides of the Channel.
Few people manage to come up with the most evil and disturbing characters quite the way Helen Fields does. Characters that get under your skin, characters that make you want to take a really long shower, characters that have you glaring at the pages of the book, wishing you could hurt them somehow. They are truly vile and utterly despicable.
The reading experience is elevated by putting the reader right there, in the middle with the potential victims. We meet Bart, who wakes up one morning and realises he isn’t in his cosy bed at his mother’s home. Instead he finds himself chained in a dark and windowless place, location unknown. And then there’s Elenuta from Romania, who came to Scotland with the promise of a better life. Need I say more?
Some of these chapters are immensely uncomfortable to read. I winced, I felt sad and angry, I feared for these characters’ lives. These chapters are upsetting, powerful, raw and brutal. I often needed a moment to recover from the horror and brutality, the absolutely horrendous ways some people treat other people for sheer pleasure and entertainment, for money, and all the while it unfortunately all felt so incredibly realistic and believable. It’s sadly easy to imagine that these things do actually happen and these thoughts will linger on your mind long after you’ve finished the book.
So, not exactly for the faint-hearted, I suppose, but that’s something I’ve become used to from Helen Fields. Perfect Kill has many themes that haunt modern society, which lift this book to a whole other level in the crime fiction genre. The “Perfect” series has always been able to stand out from the crowd but this latest addition is really something else altogether. Gritty and raw, I perversely loved every minute of it. I’m not entirely sure what that says about me.
Due to lack of time, I often need to make the tough decision to drop a series because I can no longer keep up but I feel quite confident that this series right here will never be one of them. It is just that good and all that’s left for me to say is : bring on book seven!
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