The Doll's House

The Doll's House ~ M. J Arlidge

This is the third installment of the Helen Grace series by the very talented author, M. J Arlidge. His books just keep getting better and better which I think is quite a difficult feat to accomplish.

It is definately recommended that you read these books in sequence ~ Eeny Meeny ~ Pop Goes The Weasel ~The Doll's House ~ Liar Liar (out September 2015) as the characters are developed further as you read.

Again, in this book "The Doll's House" the author has produced well rounded characters that you can either love or hate. Helen Grace is featured strongly and we, the readers, learn a little more of her background and get to know her past life a fraction more.

M.J Arlidge is one of my top favourite authors and I'm really looking forward to the fourth instalment (Liar Liar) which is out later this year.

Many Thanks to the author and his publishers via Net Galley for making this book available to me, in exchange for a fair and honest review. A great compliment to his previous books.

The Doll's House is one of the books I have most been looking forward to reading in 2015 and it did not disappoint in the slightest. The DI Helen Grace series is fast becoming one of my favourites (yes, another one!) but really, it is absolute top quality crime fiction with real longevity and so I can't wait for book four, Liar, Liar (which is out very soon, no torturous wait for us impatient crime fans). M.J. Arlidge is one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction, and his experience in television has translated extremely well, allowing him to write authentic crime novels with all those hallmarks that keep you glued to the screen, or in this case book!

This book has a rather compelling opening, as Arlidge sets the scene brilliantly, feeding you enough information but then holding the rest back, demanding that you read on. A young woman wakes up in cold, dark cellar with no recollection of how she got there, or who her captor is. DI Helen Grace is called to a remote beach, the body of a dead woman has been found, believed to have been dead for a couple of years, her family are perturbed as she has been communicating with them during that time (through technology only). Helen Grace is a little bit too quick to work things out at times, and does stray a little too close to 'Supercop' at times for my liking and she is soon on the hunt for a killer, and to save a young woman. The book moves at just the right pace, containing enough red herrings to keep you guessing (or at least it kept me guessing) and with enough going on in the background to make The Doll's House an action-packed read.

Where this book excels for me is in its characters, and their continued development. Helen in particular is an intriguing one, with enough about her to stand out from the crowd though there's a few things I'm not that keen on, certain visits that she makes to somebody for one and the story concerning her nephew which I have never been sure about in the past but which completely came into its own in this novel and it was brilliant. Usually in crime novels we have that camaraderie amongst the officers, yet a lot of the time in The Doll's House there's a lot of animosity and competitiveness amongst the team which I enjoyed, especially between Helen and her Superintendent. I do enjoy those moments where as a reader you can sit back and feel quite smug and let's just say that happened a couple of times in this book. Returning readers will be familiar with the character of Charlie, and I very much enjoyed the developments in this book with Helen and Charlie now they are friends again.

I don't know whether this series runs the risk of becoming a bit samey though, with Helen continually on the hunt for a serial killer. Most crime authors do start to mix things up after their introductory novels so I would like to see that here in the future, by perhaps taking Helen out of Southampton for a case or just doing something completely different. That said, when an author is capable of writing books this good, I'm not going to complain. You could say as crime fans we are spoilt for choice, but I'd say it's a case of seeking out those books that are a step above the rest, and Arlidge's books are definitely that. Seek them out if you haven't already, and if you have already read them then pick up The Doll's House and enjoy.

I think I have already left feedback for this! If not, I LOVED IT, just as much, if not more than the first two, Helen Grace totally rocks, and the whole storyline was just brilliant. Full review on my blog: http://reading-room-with-a-view.blogspot.co.uk

I'm not really much of a series reader - with a few noteworthy exceptions like Peter James' Roy Grace novels and Nicci French's Frieda Klein series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first Helen Grace book by M.J. Arlidge, Eeny Meeny, and reviewed it on my blog as "one to look out for", but less engaged by the second, Pop Goes The Weasel. I'm so glad though that I continued to read with the third book, The Doll's House, due for publication in paperback and for kindle on 12th February by Penguin. This was one of those books that keeps you up into the early hours, and I really loved it.

The story is very strong - a body found buried on a beach by a young family on a day out, the body of a young girl with dark hair, bright blue eyes and a bluebird tattoo on her shoulder. And it soon becomes clear that the girl was the victim of a serial killer, one who starves his victims to death, all with a similar appearance - and missing girl Ruby Sprackling also fits that profile. The story itself is darkly chilling, all the more so because we view it through Ruby's eyes as she tries to stay alive.

But in addition to that, we have the continuing struggles of DI Helen Grace - a complex and fascinating character, wrestling with her history of horrific abuse, fighting against the prejudiced views and downright dislike of her senior officers, sometimes not acting as professionally as she should. I particularly liked her relationship with her pregnant DC Charlie, drawn into the story, her complex dealings with her tormentor Jake, and her interactions with grieving father Daniel.

The background and motivation of the serial killer is exceptionally well done - made wholly believable, almost sympathetically drawn. And Helen's new team is quite fascinating - the competitiveness of the female officers who have to fight to be seen, her young black second in command working to gain the approval of his father.

The story is quite perfectly paced, the tension unremitting, and it all builds to an explosive climax:, an over-used expression it might be, but this book really was quite impossible to put down. When I wasn't reading, it was constantly in my thoughts - I was almost afraid something would happen to Ruby while I wasn't watching.

Well done M.J. Arlidge - you'd almost lost me there for a while, but I now can't wait for the next in the series. And there's not too long to wait - the fourth in this series, Liar Liar, is due out in September.

My thanks to netgalley and publishers Penguin for my advance reading e-copy.

A highly enjoyable page turner with DI Helen Grace. I like the term 'unputdownable' which this most definitely was! I'm looking forward to the next 😊

The Doll's House is the latest Helen Grace crime thriller from the prolific M.J.Arlidge,this the third in series being published barely 9 months after the first.
It seems to be almost compulsory these days for the opening chapter of a crime novel to begin with someone finding themselves in a room wondering how they got there and indeed this is where we are introduced to Ruby,desperately searching her memory. Meanwhile on Carsholt Beach a family outing comes to an abrupt end when a grisly discovery is made and Helen Grace and her not so merry band are on the case. Much of the book is about office politics,backstabbing and plotting amongst Grace's squad to a degree that would have impressed Machiavelli and worryingly despite those involved being police officers legality doesn't appear to be an issue.
The Doll's House is pacey and exciting with strong characters, the machinations of various police characters intent on stitching each other up don't detract from the main plot and you're basically getting two storylines for the price of one. Those characters are believable and Arlidge gives us personal insights into their lives which explain their behaviour as part of the team. Likewise the perpetrator,his victims and their loved ones who all play more than a walk on part with a couple of lines.
This was my first Helen Grace book and that was my only problem with it.The relationships between the various police characters have obviously already developed in the previous books and The Doll's House contains several "spoilers" for those who haven't read them. I enjoyed it enough to have bought the previous books straight after reading this one despite knowing pretty much how they end up but I'd recommend others to start on book one ,Eeeny Meeny, and work their way up to this one. It does work as a standalone but you won't get the full background into the various alliances and enmities that play such a big part in the story if this is your first choice..
An excellent read,M.J. Arlidge has quite rightly very quickly made a name for himself with this extremely successful series that The Doll's house will only reinforce.

I have to say from the start reading this book I am so glad I accidentally stumbled on Mark last year which resulted in me reading eeny meeny and .I can compare finding this author to a finding a rare diamond. In my opinion mark is getting better with every book he writes and I fir one I am a big fan.

The team are investigating two stories Helen is investigating a body found on a beach apparently still tweeting behind the grave whilst the rest of the team are investigating a disappearance of a young girl ruby these stories are brilliantly linked together with Helen and her colleague Sanderson detective skills and from here the story is fast paced and had me turing the pages.

The story is told from various people views Ruby, Helen, the killer I like that we get a varied narration of the book. Along with the two stories running side by side we have Helen trying to locate her nephew which is heavily influenced story in this book

This book is written in the style of the first two books but with this book we have a bit more depth into the story we have personal issues and stories of Helen's past rather than just catch a killer book like I think book one was. I can see growth and development in the characters I especially liked the development of Charlie and Helen's friendship now and I think the character Helen is brilliantly written. The only thing I wish was that she would give Jake a chance. I am very looking forward to book 4 now more than ever

I've read all the books in the Helen Grace series now. This one was the best so far in my opinion. I love how we get drawn in to the back stories and personal lives of the characters, whilst also being taken on a roller coaster ride with the suspenseful and gritty plot. I thought the last few chapters were really taut and exciting and the pages practically turned themselves. I am really looking forward to the next instalment in this brilliant series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this pre-published copy.

In this twisty british police procedural, we follow three women as they attempt to survive the fallout from questionable choices.
Ruby wakes up to find herself locked in a cellar, hand picked to play a role in the fantasy of a seriously delusional kidnapper. She had been getting her life back on track after a series of bad decisions. But as the days pass, she realizes there is a very real chance that life is gone.
DI Helen Grace is dealing with life in the spotlight following the capture of a serial killer. Personally & professionally, it's been a tough go & she needs to get back to some proper detective work. She's called to a remote beach after the discovery of a young woman's body. When the autopsy reveals startling facts, she realizes this may be much more than a singular tragedy,
DS Ceri Hardwood is tired of the media darling status showered on DI Grace. She has painstakingly dismantled & rebuilt her major incident team, carefully selecting detectives who are loyal to her. Now if she could just find a way to push Grace out, she'd have complete control of the Southampton department. As multiple story line unfold, all three women take turns as narrator. In alternating chapters, we are privy to their individual thoughts & actions as their lives intersect. Despite different backgrounds & social status, they have more in common than you'd think. Each is smart & resourceful. And all three are willing to sidestep the rules to get what they want.
This is a fast paced thriller with more than enough to hold your attention. Fans will appreciate returning members of the cast mixed in with new faces. The author does a good job of including personal details for a large number of them. These snapshots of their lives away from the job help define the character, roving explanations for their behaviour & motives.
Sharing narration duties is our resident bad guy. We won't know his identity 'til the end but what we do know is he last saw reality in the rearview mirror a long time ago. And he's Creepy...that's right, with a "C".
But the centre of the story is Helen. She's a complex woman who has more success in her professional life. She's impulsive with a tendency to be more bull-in-the-china-shop than ballerina, which results in a few tight spots. It can sen implausible until you take into account her history. A difficult childhood & personal tragedy have left her damaged with a self destructive streak that makes dangerous situations almost seductive.
Her personal struggles & office politics make up a large part of the plot as the investigation plays out. By the end, the lives of everyone in her circle are altered & there's no clear list of winners & losers. It's a well paced read written with fluid style that keeps you turning the pages to see how it all shakes out.
This is the third book featuring detective Helen Grace. While reading them in order gives you a more detailed history of the characters & their relationships, it can still be enjoyed as a solid stand alone police procedural.