DIs Ava Turner and Luc Callanach must catch a serial killer in Edinburgh. The killer is tagging building structures with info about the victims before they are even killed, making this an especially difficult case . It's gritty and suspenseful. A good read for fans of procedurals .

Another excellent read in this superb crime series. I just love this series so much. It’s like meeting back up with old friend. A fantastic crime thriller series,

This is the 2nd book in the DI Luc Callanach series and can be read as a standalone. Very dark and pretty horrific in places.

The first in the series was much better but both books are too long and descriptive, I lost interest quickly and am not interested in picking any more books up in this series.

Oh My God. This book is phenomenal! I think I actually liked it more than Perfect Remains, the first in the series featuring DIs Luc Callanach and Ava Turner.

Perhaps it was the return of these familiar and hugely likeable characters that made this book stand out for me. This time they're investigating some horrific murders which is turning Edinburgh into a murder zone. And they really are horrific to read about - I was wincing many times (this is something this book has in common with Perfect Remains). Helen Fields does not hold back but it's not just one long gore-fest at all, although she does manage to come up with some pretty twisted ways of causing death.

Perfect Prey is perfectly plotted. The author brings together many different threads and deftly weaves them together. The fact that one of these threads is about the dark web makes it all the more exciting and very current, although also all the more scary as well.

As I hurtled towards the end I just could not put this book down. I found it completely absorbing and absolutely thrilling and I was practically on the edge of my seat. Talk about ramping up the tension!

Although Callanach and Turner are the main characters, I have to say that I love the other Police Scotland officers. Detective Superintendent Overbeck, in particular, is just such a fantastically unpleasant person and I found myself smiling whenever she was in a scene. I'm also hoping the journalist, Lance Proudfoot, might pop up again in future books as he more than proved himself worthy of a second outing.

I don't often stick with series but this is one that I definitely will stick with. The storylines are brilliant and inspired and when you combine that with the dishy Luc then it's just win-win.

I can't wait to get to Perfect Death and I note there is book 4 on the horizon, which makes me extremely happy indeed. This series is just superb.

A spectacular read, with gruesome crimes and brilliant characters. I love this series of books and am excited for the next one!!

Alas it was archived before I got chance to read it.

This is such an exciting book. I loved every minute and was thoroughly entertained by the gripping story, the vivid and oh so human characters, and the cleverly crafted twists. This author really knows how to write for the reader, rather than the publisher, and has created in this book a plot so ingenious, so intricate, yet so real-life and believable, that I was totally immersed, totally enthralled. It really is a perfect crime thriller and anyone who enjoys that genre will love this.

This is the first novel I have read by this author and although it is the 2nd book in this series it did not detract from my enjoyment or my understanding. The book is full of gruesome murders, excellent interesting characters and together with a well paced plot make a very entertaining read.

The first gruesome murder takes place at a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach left to die and although there are thousands of potential witnesses no one sees the attacker. A week later a primary school teacher is found in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf. DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads and are left clueless until graffiti is spotted around the city describing each victim. They come to realise the words are appearing before the murders and are an announcement of the next victim.

A very good read that I would highly recommend.

I would like to thank Avon Books and Net Galley for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant. Helen Fields really knows how to right a thriller. I was gripped from start to finish. I really like the characters, the style of writing and the sense of humour. Edinburgh is a perfect atmospheric setting. I am looking forward to reading the next book.

Gripping story, well written, and literally unputdownable!!!!! I love the pairing of the tortured, handsome french detective, with the stand offish, independent partner, the underlying story of almost a romance between them, that never comes to the fore, only ever hinted at, while the main story, the gory, creepy, and downright scary murders that are happening grips you and makes you feel that you cant wait to finish the story! A literal page turner.

This is the second gripping novel from this author. Based in Edinburgh, it has multiple murders all motivated by an original and very modern purpose. The use of the darknet is superbly undertaken. The police characters are as convincing as in the earlier book although I can never understand why all detectives in all such stories have to have abnormal private lives!

There are lots of Thriller series, some are better than others; The D.I Callanach series is without doubt one of the best.

Undeniably my favourite series at the moment. The two lead characters in D.I Callanach and D.I Ava Turner are superbly written the chemistry between the two really works and rarely seems forced. Although I did find Ava in the background for a large amount of the book, but I suppose that was the point.

As with the first book I found the story unique and fasinating. I do wonder what kind of a mind the Authour has to come up with such gruesome and dare I say clever ways to commit murder. The whole story was well thought out kept me reading and wanting more. Sleep who needs it?
As with all my reviews I wont go into the plot for fear of giving anything away but I was getting very frustrated with Avas behaviour and couldn't work out which way it was going, but I was so relieved by the end of the book.

A Fantastic plot with fantastic characters, Highly recommended and I cant wait for book 3.

The second instalment in this Edinburgh based crime series is even better than the first was.
A standout novel in a crowded genre the author balances a dark, twisted plot with Scottish humour and strong characters.

What a great book! Totally engrossing with lots of action. Unputdownable. I will be looking for other books by this author. Definitely recommended.

I’m admittedly a big fan of that TV Series Criminal Minds. Thanks to them I have lights all over the house at night both inside and outside, double lock and check my doors before I go to bed, have electrical tape over my laptop camera and own 2 labs that would bark at Jesus if he walked in the door among a few other security precautions. Short of having steel doors come down around my home I have done what I can to make myself feel safe.

Helen Fields could write episodes for that show that will leave no one feeling safe as her series starring DI Callanach just gets to that place under your skin where you realize it’s not so crazy after all to want to go live deep in the woods away from humanity.

Perfect Prey is the second starring Callanach and I encourage you to read the first before jumping into this one.
Fields knows how to write law enforcement characters that don’t come off one dimensional and you actually become interested in how they’re going to solve the case. She creates people whose energy just bounces off the page and turns even her settings into their own kind of living creation. You become immersed in a world that is unraveling before your eyes to the point that you want to encourage the detectives to stop the madness from destroying “your” city.

She has a real talent for misdirection, red herrings and dropping the truth on you in a way that you couldn’t believe you didn’t see coming beforehand but at the same time is completely credible so it makes sense.

I highly suggest that when you get towards the end you demand to be left alone, lock yourself away with plenty of food and drinks to keep you going because you won’t want to pull yourself away.

When you finally are done keep an eye out for the third in her series, Perfect Death, it’s already available in the UK and out in the States in January 2018.

I have no idea why I haven't read anything by this author before now. I could not put this book down. I know that's something that all people say about books, but seriously, I had a hard time setting it aside to eat dinner. I'm going to be reading all the other books by her in the next few months.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

The second in the terrifying DI Callanach crime series and this one is even better than the first book. The book starts off with a bang with a murder scene and does not slow down after that. Worth your effort and I sincerely hope a third book is already in progress!

I loved Perfect Prey. Helen Fields writing has moved up a level from Perfect Remains which I also liked. Edinburgh citizens are being murdered in particularly gruesome and sadistic ways. DI Callanach and DI Turner are under increasing pressure to stop a madman, but is it a man? No spoilers here! I read this over two days, recommended.

Perfect Prey is book #2 in the DI Callanach crime series. I haven't read the first book in the series, but didn't have a problem jumping into this one. There were occasional references to book #1, but nothing that would distract from the current story.

The mixture of vicious murders, deep web aspects and a secondary team trying to take down an activist group brought some interesting and complex aspects to the plot. I was pulled into the mysteries of the uniquely gruesome murders immediately and really liked the evolution of the plot.

DI Luc Callanach was an interesting character and I liked how he broke protocol to get help from outside the department. There were numerous interesting primary and secondary characters that were fun to read about and added depth to the novel.

The novel also introduced a character, Joe Edgar, who personified the "upwardly mobile who do anything to get ahead" person. He was definitely a good character to dislike and you couldn't wait for him to get his comeuppance. He was also an ex-boyfriend of Ava and trying to re-establish the relationship with an engagement.

Which brings us around to Ava. I did take an immediately dislike to Ava. Maybe if I had read book #1 I would have had different feelings for Ava, but I didn't. You would have to be clueless not to see what Edgar was about and Ava basically let it happen with the dinners and the darlings. I disliked her for how she treated Luc. Even though Luc was a work friend and not a social friend, he was not a work acquaintance, which after she allowed Edgar to dominate her life, is how she treated him. Plus there was a fight leading to her slapping Luc and it felt very contrived. I thought she deserved his comments. The slap was a physical assault on another officer. I hate these type of females. Every time she was in a scene I was disappointed in her. She tended to view things differently than everyone else but not necessarily better. She needed to take a good look in the mirror and ditch her attitude and find some brain cells. The only thing she correctly identified was another woman's pregnancy. There were some personal issues with her mother's illness and there was some redemption towards the end, but too little too late for me to like her character. OK, sorry about the rant but she is the reason the book got 3 stars instead of 4.

This was a fast paced read that was difficult to put down. I am definitely interested in the next book in the series. Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books for an ARC.