This was another fantastic instalment of the Helen Grace series, this time we start with Helen adapting to those life changes that she's made in previous books and even though they were pretty big, there are still more things life has to throw her way to make her think about who she really wants to be.

This story delivers a devastating look at the reality for the trafficked migrant workers, those women, and occasionally men, who are smuggled into the country and into slavery under the false promise of a better life. It was interesting seeing the way both Helen and Charlie approached this case from their different starting points and I did wonder how long it would take for them to come together in the realisation they were both trying to find the same people.

This was a somewhat violent, fast paced thriller of a book which kept me turning the pages ever faster in a quest to get to the end and know that all is well in the Helen grace world again. That ending however, well, I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing if we pick it up where we left it or just get told of the repercussions!

This could have been read as a one off but it would be much better to read the series as then you understand the why's of Helen's past and the history of many of the other characters too and their relationships with Helen.

‘Into The Fire’ by M.J. Arlidge is an extremely dark novel following ex-DI Helen Grace in a quest for justice after witnessing awful violence and evidence of modern slavery. Paced somewhat differently from the whodunnits / police procedurals earlier in the series, due to Helen’s new position on the outside of law enforcement, this novel keeps blistering tension alive through deep emotional connections to exploited characters.

Anger-inducing and sad, with glimmers of hope and a strong female lead, this book gets four stars from me. The final chapter makes me excited for what might come next.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Helen Grace is an amazing character, and now she has left the force, but does she let fact get in the way ... NO SHE DOES NOT...

This is a plot that filled with drama and has so many twists and turns I just could not guess what would happen next.

It is a great read and the author has done a brilliant job for making this a one sit read for me...

All the stars..

#IntoTheFire #NetGalley
A good read.
Helen Grace is sure she made the right decision quitting her job as a detective. Until the day she looks out of her window to see a desperate young woman being pursued by two vicious thugs. Still a force to be reckoned with, Helen races into the night, swiftly downing the young woman's attackers. For a moment, it feels like Helen doesn't need her badge to do good, but as she leads her charge to safety, she's struck from behind, regaining consciousness just in time to see the terrified woman being driven off in a white van. Helen's determined to find the woman and save her, but begging her former colleagues for help gets her nowhere. It's clear that this time Helen is on her own. Racing against the clock, Helen soon discovers a whole group of vulnerable women who desperately need her help. But fighting crime as a maverick is a dangerous game. One that could cost Helen her life, and the life of those she holds most dear.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me an advance copy.

Another brilliant Helen Grace thriller of a book. Although Helen is now a retired police officer she just can’t help herself but get involved. A fast paced twisty turny storyline that had me hooked from the first page. I can’t wait for the next book. Hope we don’t have to wait too long. A solid 5 stars

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and orion publishers and the brilliant author M.J.Arlidge for an early copy of his book to read.

Another brilliant read from this author..Helen Grace is back after leaving the force,she in a relationship but its not all as it seems..she gets involved when a woman is being chased and she confronts them getting hurt she opens her eyes seeing the woman dragged into a white van...Will she find the information without being a cop or will she need help finding the culprits...another great ending an thrilling and intense read..looking forward to reading the next instalment...five stars...


This book will be reviewed on goodreads and Amazon and waterstones.

Tense, twisty, and gripping: M J Aldrige delivers another winner that moved me, kept hooked ahd hoping for the best
Well done
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What a great addition to the Helen Grace series, and this one is more hard-hitting as ever.
Helen is as fierce and determined as ever, but has she made the right decision by leaving the force?
Charlie, now a DI herself, must learn to trust her instincts and carry the weight of leadership.
Emilia reveals she's more than a tough journalist she reveals she has a heart and a drive that won't let her look away.
As their paths intertwine without any of the realising how much will they have to make sacrifices to do what's right.
This isn't just a police procedural its a story of three strong women all fighting their own battles and what happens when everything collides.
The subject matter makes this a compelling read. Yes, it's fiction, but tragically, it echoes what's happening all over the world, and the author handles it with care and urgency.
Can be read as a standalone. Just be ready to binge the rest.A cleverly written book is told from the perspectives of five different men leading you to think just how many versions are there to one woman,a loving kind person or a cold blooded killer one says shes sweet another says she dangerous just who is the true Katherine Cole?
A good read and a must for lovers of a good courtroom thriller that gets into your head and stays long after the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the Arc.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion publishing for the Arc

Former detective Helen Grace is back, and it’s clear that fighting the bad guys is never too far away from her life. When she spots a young woman trying to flee two men, her instincts cause her to jump into action, but it doesn’t quite end according to plan. Though bruised – and confused by what’s happened and annoyed that no one is taking her seriously – Helen is determined to do the right thing, even if it means getting further injured in the process. Can she rely on her former colleagues to help? Not exactly – they’ve got plenty going on too… it was a pleasure to read about Helen again and I really hope she’s back for a good long stretch.

Helen Grace is sure she made the right decision quitting her job as a detective. Until the day she looks out of her window to see a desperate young woman being pursued by two vicious thugs. Still a force to be reckoned with, Helen races into the night, swiftly downing the young woman's attackers. For a moment, it feels like Helen doesn't need her badge to do good, but as she leads her charge to safety, she's struck from behind, regaining consciousness just in time to see the terrified woman being driven off in a white van. Helen is determined to find the woman and save her.

Six months have passed since Helen Grace quit her job as head detective of Southampton M.I.T. But when she sees a young woman being violently attacked, she doesn't hesitate in helping to rescue her from the two thugs. But they knock her unconscious and Helen awakes to see the woman being driven off.

The action starts on the first page. There's quite a lot that takes place in this book. It's fast-paced, a roller coaster reas that filled with twists, it's gripping, and some might fond it a little bit emotional.

Published 3rd July 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #OrionPublishingGroup and the author #MJArlidge for my ARC of #IntoTheFire in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Into The Fire’ written by M J Arlidge in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Now that Helen Grace is no longer with the Southampton Central Major Incident Team her colleague and friend DI Charlie Brooks has been promoted and is leading the investigation into trucks coming into Southampton loaded with illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, Helen is on the track of a woman who she saw being brutally attacked by two men before throwing her into a white van and driven away at speed, and has given journalist Emilia Garanita details of women being used for slave labour hoping she can print the story and name those responsible. But Emilia intends bringing down the Dutchman who viciously maimed her when she was a child.

‘Into The Fire’ is a new exciting thriller with three threads running through the story involving female immigrants brought into the country illegally and used to make money for those in charge. I wondered what would happen to Helen now she’s no longer attached to the police and hoped she wouldn’t just disappear but she’s back with a vengeance in ‘Into The Fire’ with a plot that’s just as thrilling, if not more so, now that she no longer has the backing of her former colleagues and is having to work alone by facing thugs and putting her life at risk. The tension is palpable as Helen goes against those making money from illegal workers who want to stop her from prying into their lucrative business. I’d give this brilliant thriller more than five stars if I could and with the cliffhanger on the final page I very much look forward to finding out what’s going to happen to Helen next.

After the shock ending from the last book Forget me not. I couldn’t wait to dive into the next instalment of the Helen Grace series.
After quitting the force, Helen is living a quiet life and now in a relationship and Charlie is now head of M.I.T but still must live up to her old bosses’ standards.
When Helen see a woman beaten by thugs, she follows them to intervene. But get herself in danger and she is knocked on the head, but when she comes too. She finds the woman dragged into a white van. She vows that she will find this woman and help her. But her old colleagues are not forthcoming, so she decides to do a bit of detective work on her own. Not realising that she is putting herself in danger. She so used to have back up by her team in the Police but now she is on her own, makes her a bit vulnerable.
Wow this is book 13 in the fantastic series by M J Arlidge. I have read all the books in this fantastic series and amazed how the author keeps every story fresh and original. Which the same likeable characters we have come to know and love. Yet again the author has written a nonstop action filled thriller that will keep you entertained throughout. I hope in the next instalment Helen gets back to doing what she does best. 5 stars from me.

What a brilliant read in the Helen Grace series, perhaps the best yet. I have loved every book in this popular series and this is quite an exceptional read in book 13. It is gritty, hard hitting and jam packed full of suspense. There is so much action going on with the plotting centred around human trafficking, be aware there is a lot of violence in this gripping read but I can highly recommend the whole series. It has everything the reader could want from a crime thriller and an author at the top of his game. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Compelling and thrilling police work from the retired police officer Helen. There are a few different sub plots which made the story interesting and come together nicely. The plot I felt myself getting excited to solve involving the characters in every step of the way.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
Helen Grace is up there with my favourite characters of all time in a book, however I think the author got this one slightly wrong in taking her out of Hampshire's Finest. Personal opinion aside this is still a cracking read. The plot is gritty, the writing on point and the pace rapid. Human trafficking is never an easy subject to portray but MJ Arlidge has done a very good job indeed. The police procedural is still part of the story but being led by Charlie Brooks and the annoying but somewhat likeable Emilia Garanita is involved in her own interesting sub plot. The trio's worlds collide in a breathtaking climax that has you on the edge of your seat. A delicious cliff hanger which will hopefully see the formidable Helen Grace back where she belongs. All the stars for this one

Thanks to Mathew and NetGalley for allowing me to read Into the Fire before the publication date.

Close the door, turn off the phone and settle in to read this book in a single sitting..... the Helen Grace is back with a vengeance.

It is 6 months since D.I. Helen Grace resigned from the role she lived for as head of Southampton M.I.T.
After her resignation, Grace publicly criticised the senior officers in responsible for policing Southampton.

When she sees a young woman being violently attacked by thugs, Helen dives into the fray only to be knocked out. As she regains consciousness, she sees the thugs bundle the woman into a van and drive away.
When Helen reports what has happened at the police station where she worked, she is treated with disdain and the incident classed as low priority.

With no authority, Helen sets about making her own enquiries to trace the young woman.

Meanwhile, her nemesis, journalist Emilia Garanita, has received a request to visit her estranged father, Ernesto in Winchester Prison. Can she trust a word that Ernesto says or is he using her once again?

The storyline involves the topical subjects of people trafficking and NHS contracts, and includes some extremely violent and sadistic scenes.

It is a real page turner with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader engaged.

Helen Grace is back - and better than ever!. Helen has left the police force but continues to fight crime and injustice. She is determined to help the victims of a people smuggling gang but it proves difficult without the help of her ex-colleagues. She turns to her old adversary, crime reporter Emilia Garanita and we learn more of Emilia's personal history.
The plot is topical and realistic and the characters are believable. Like all the books in the series, this one is a gripping page-turner that I couldn't put down. The tragedy at the end of the book causes Helen to re-assess her future. Will she rejoin the police force? We will have to wait and see.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Did I read this in a day yes yes I did!
I absolutely adore this series and this did not disappoint it was fantastic
Literally could not put it down.
Helen is one of my favourite detectives !! Like how does the series keep getting better and better
Fast paced brilliant characters well thought out crime
Completely loved it. I loved seeing a different side to Helen too to be completely honest I’m still not over her time in prison she feels so real to me I’m still fuming of the in justice of it all.
This is probably one of my favourites in this series m
M J Arlidge is a genius at writing characters I completely adore so life like and relatable