I realised that this was at least the second book in a series (it's actually the third) part way in as there were numerous references to the past of one of the detectives Harry Lennox. that were affecting both his personal and professional decisions. I didn't enjoy the book as much as it did not stand alone as a story and I felt that as a reader you needed to be aware of what had gone before.

The plot line is solid - a woman is found murdered in grotesque circumstances and it seems that the body must be that of a woman who has been reported kidnapped and missing. But is this really her? When another young woman goes missing, the work to find out the correct identities and the reasons for the killing intensify.

So far, so good.....however, for me the characterisation is poor - the detectives are too naive and the villains are just so awful with no redeeming features. Dialogue is weak and some of the events are laughable - the female detective's new relationship, the denouement in the club at the end.....

The build up to the main reason for the killings (selling of body parts for surgery) is drawn out to the point where it is so obvious what is happening that you want to skip huge parts of the book.

Overall I felt that this was a good idea for a plot let down by poor writing and depth within the story. OK if you fancy a bit of nonsense on a flight!

I chose this book thinking it was the first book in a series. It's actually number 3 but it can be enjoyed as a stand alone.

When Detectives Lennox and Wilde are called to the discovery of a young woman's body the scene is like nothing they've seen before. She is dressed in elaborate Victorian clothing and wearing a painted facemask.

Making enquiries leads them to a woman reported as abducted 3 weeks before. Her husband paid a large ransom but she was never released.

And then another woman goes missing. Is there a connection?

I really enjoyed this book and I'll read the first 2 now as I liked the characters.

A very good book I'll recommend to all crime genre fans.

A good read, but nothing sparkling. The storyline was quite predictable, perhaps hinted at with the title. I really enjoyed reading it , and it was a very easy read but it had no ‘edge’ to it. I usually devour all her books, but this one seemed tame.

I never repeat the blurb. Quite enjoyed this but it was a little predictable in terms of the plot quite early on. A good ensemble of characters, as is typical of this writer. Enjoyable read.

Thank you Helen H. Durrant, Joffe Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. This is a fast paced murder mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting to read more. Detective Harry Lennox and Jess Wilde bring this story to life and their backstories and characters add dimension to the mystery. I love a good "who done it" and a book that makes you question everything and everyone and this one did not disappoint.

Another fabulous read from this amazing author. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. Spoiler…. I did think the title gave some of the game away, but that’s a minor detail. The police characters are well drawn and most of the villains are more than the 2D representations you often get in crime novels.

The Wrong Woman by Helen H. Durrant is the third in the Detectives Lennox & Wilde series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Joffe 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 Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde are detectives in Ryebridge in Northern England.  They have been working together for the last couple of years.  Harry's past is slowly coming to light, as we have learned that both his twin brother Paul and his father were killed in a suspicious fire in Scotland, while Harry was trying to take down a crime lord, who still wants Harry dead.  He had to escape the country, but is leery of setting down new roots, and longs for Scotland.  Jess just bought a house of her own.  The third member of their team is DC Colin Vance, and their boss is Superintendent Roderick Croft.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Harry and Jess are looking into the death of a woman who was found dressed up in an old Victorian dress and wig.  Her face is so beaten up that she is not identifiable.  DNA finally shows that she is Lori Lansing, who had been kidnapped 3 weeks ago.  Although her husband Adam paid the ransom, Lori was never returned.

Then another young woman, and a friend of Lori's,  is discovered missing.

At the center of this seems to be a new restaurant called Rainbows, and the owner is a well-known drug lord.  Blackwood seems to be branching out into real estate.  He also seems to have something to do with the private hospital where Jess's boyfriend now works.  Something is fishy.

Nothing is as it seems.

Meanwhile, Harry is still having issues settling down, and his past is about to rear it's ugly head again.


My Opinions:
I'm glad I have stuck with this series, because this was the best of them yet.  The writing was always good, but I had issues connecting with the characters.  That really changed in this book.

The ending, although somewhat predictable, makes me wonder how the series will progress, or if it will.

I found the mystery surrounding the dead body to be quite interesting, and I loved all the red herrings that were thrown in. 

So, overall, I am happy to say that the characters have finally grown on me, and as always these books are a nice, fast, and entertaining read.

This is the third book in the Harry Lennox and Jess Wilde series by author Helen H Durrant.

Detectives Harry Lennox and Jess Wilde are called on to investigate when the body of a dead woman is discovered dressed up like a Victorian doll. She’s wearing a long, white dress, a bloodstained blonde wig, and a mask with red, cupid-bow lips. When the mask is removed her face is beaten so badly it’s unrecognisable.

DNA identifies the victim as Lori Lansing, who was kidnapped three weeks ago. Her wealthy husband paid half a million pounds to secure her release, but he never saw his wife again. It’s not long before another young woman is reported missing and there are fears that a serial killer may be at large.

A good solid police procedural that made an exciting read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Joffe books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Another Durrant stunner!!! I love how the action is right from the start, all the twists and plenty of complexity without getting the reader lost. Love love love this!!!

Detectives Lennox and Wilde Thriller Series Book 3.

Detectives Harry Lennox and Jess Wilde have never seen anything like it. The dead woman is dressed up like a Victorian doll. She's wearing a long, white dress, a blood-stained blonde wig, and a mask with red; cupid bow lips. Beneath the mask, her face is beaten so badly it's unrecognisable.

This story is set in Ryebridge, North England. This time Detectives Lennox and Wilde have a new murder case to solve. This is another well written book that's filled with twists. This is a quick and easy book to read. The characters are well rounded and believable. I was guessing all the way through. I really like Lennox and Wilde, although they are exact opposites, they work well together. I liked how the story ended. I hope there's more books to come in this series.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffBooks and the author #HelenHDurrant for my ARC of #TheWrongWoman in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Joffe Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Wrong Woman’, the third in the Detectives Harry Lennox and Jesse Wilde series written by Helen H Durrant, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Three weeks after Lori Lansing is abducted and her husband Adam attempts to pay off those responsible, DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde are sent to investigate when a woman’s body is found dressed in Victorian clothing with her organs missing.

I’ve enjoyed reading ‘The Wrong Woman’ and meeting up with Jess and also Harry who has his foibles but is a hardworking and honest detective nonetheless. It has a gripping storyline with a case of mistaken identity, another body discovered and people disappearing. There’s drama and suspense as their investigations get them closer to the truth, and shock as Harry comes face-to-face with the man he left Scotland to avoid. The epilogue wraps everything up nicely but Harry is still undecided as to whether he’ll be staying in Ryebridge or returning to Scotland. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series to find out.

Helen has done it again - another good read with strong characters - its a story with a few strands but they all see to come together - Thanks for the advance copy

This is another good addition to the detectives Lennox and Wilde series. They are investigating the kidnapping of a young woman, who turns up dead dressed in period costume. The search for the killer takes them into the world of illegal body parts and an old enemy of Lennox appears on the scene. I liked the characterisation and the plotting, there were plenty twists and suspense. It was all wrapped up too neatly at the end but it's a good read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Detectives Harry Lennox and Jess Wilde are investigating the death of a woman with a tattoo, dressed like a Victorian doll. Her face is unrecognizable. A DNA match is made with a woman who was kidnapped a few weeks ago. Although her husband paid the ransom, she wasn't returned to him. But then another woman is reported missing.
The style of writing is unusual for a crime thriller as there are no swear words and some of the phrasing is quaint. It's rather like a 1950s police drama. It did detract initially, but the pace and intriguing situation won me over.

THE WRONG WOMAN is the third book in a new crime fiction series, (DI Harry Lennox/DS Jess Wilde #1 by best-selling author Helen H. Durrant. Having enjoyed the previous books in the series, I was looking forward to continuing with this new series.

THE DETECTIVES LENNOX & WILDE SERIES
Book1: The Guilty Man (2020)
Book2: The Faceless Man (2021)
Book3: The Wrong Woman (2023)

THE DETECTIVES

DI HARRY LENNOX began his career in Glasgow, but due to a traumatic incident, transferred to West Yorkshire and then Ryebridge. He blames a Scottish villain for what happened and is afraid that he’ll catch up with him. Harry is single, thirtysomething and has a chaotic lifestyle.

DS JESS WILDE is in her early thirties. She is unattached and keen to progress in her career. She gets on well with Harry. He doesn’t have much time for protocol, and this suits her. She is critical of how he lives. She has recently bought her first property locally.

DC COLIN VANCE is the newest member to the team.

The novel is set in Ryebridge, in the North of England, a perfect breeding ground for criminals.

Adam Lansing’s wife, Lori had been kidnapped three weeks ago, and her wealthy husband had put together a hefty ransom for her release. Adam started receiving letters each day with the final letter with instructions for where to leave the money and when. At the last moment, Adam became scared and contacted the police for help.

The kidnapper had promised that once the money was handed over, the torment would be finished…but Adam never got his wife back.

Detectives Harry Lennox and Jess Wilde were called to the scene of a dead woman, dressed up like a Victorian doll. She was wearing a long, white dress, a bloodstained blonde wig, and a mask. Beneath the mask, her face was beaten so badly it was unrecognizable.

Through DNA the victim was identified as Lori Lansing, who was kidnapped three weeks ago.

Then another young woman is reported missing.

Was there a serial killer on the loose?

This was a good suspense read, and a great continuation to a promising series.

Many thanks to the author, Joffe Books and Netgalley for my digital copy.

THE WRONG WOMAN by HELEN H. DURRAN is a strong mystery, suspense with all the twists and turns Ms Durrant brings to the story. This is the first book that I have read in this series, it was difficult to connect with Lennox and Wilde. Perhaps if I had read the first two books, they would have been more relatiable to me. All in all a good read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was everything you'd want in a thriller. It starts with a bang and keeps up the pa e throughout. The characters are well written and there are plenty twists and turns and things you didn't expect to happen! The perfect book to completely get lost in!

I have yet to read a book by this author that I didn't enjoy.

We return to Ryebridge in the North of England to Harry and Jesse as they conquer crime in this book three in the Lennox and Wilde series

This was a faced paced read that started as it meant to go one with murder ,mystery and intrigue.

A multi facet puzzle that come the end of the book was completed to a satisfying conclusion.

If I haven’t read all of Helen’s books, then there cannot be many that have escaped me. This latest offering, however, wasn’t enjoyed as much as the others, basically due to the main characters failing to grasp what had been said and putting things into place.
Still a decent read though and won’t put me off keeping an eye open for her next one.

Mystery and intrigue…talented author. The characters are likable and come alive on the pages. Trying to discover who is guilty is a puzzle. Red herrings…finally, the pieces fall into place. This is a good novel for escaping. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the author.