8 May 2016

Review #423: Little Boy Blue (DI Helen Grace #5) by M.J. Arlidge



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged”

----Heinrich Heine



M.J. Arlidge, the bestselling English author, pens an exciting new thriller in his DI Helen Grace series, Little Boy Blue that is the fifth book in the series as it revolves around the life of DI Helen Grace getting sucked into yet another mind-boggling murder mystery and this time the killer preys on someone who is close to Helen Grace. But it is difficult for Helen to confess the fact that she knew the victim personally as that might open the door to her other life that she has kept hidden from the public eyes for so long.




Synopsis:

Detective Inspector Helen Grace is no stranger to tragedy. But when a body is found in a Southampton nightclub, the death cuts too close to the bone. Hiding her personal connection to the victim - and a double-life which must remain secret at all costs - Helen becomes a woman possessed, working her team around the clock to chase down every lead. As the killer strikes again, the investigation takes its toll not only on Helen but also her senior officers. Tempers flare, friendships fray and Helen faces an impossible choice. Confess her sins and lose control of the case? Or keep living a lie, protecting her darkest secrets, and risk getting trapped in this tangled web? But whatever she does, this killer will not stop until the truth is revealed: there are some fates worse than death.


Detective Inspector Helen Grace has got a new case- to find the killer who has murdered a man in a S&M nightclub, by luring the man with the prospect of BDSM. This victim is close to Helen but unfortunately Helen can't confess about it as that might put her a subject of mockery, joke and shame in the eyes of her colleagues. And as the killer strikes again, it is clear that the killer wants to unravel the other life of Helen which she has kept hidden from the eyes of her colleagues and friends. Will Helen fall for the killer's traps before she confesses about her secret life?

I've been fortunate enough to finally get my hands on the book by the master mystery storyteller, M.J. Arlidge. I know after reading this book, I definitely need to grab the previous books by this author. Nowadays it is so difficult to find a good crime fiction that will not easily give away the identity of the killer before its climax. And I'm so grateful that I finally found one such book that kept me questioning, anticipating and puzzling till the very end. Moreover, the primary character is equally complex like the plot and kept me on my edges with her unforeseeable moves.

The author's writing style is absolutely eloquent, laced with suspense and thrill. The narrative is highly engaging enough to keep the readers glued till the very last page. This fast-paced, gripping pot-boiler has an excellent and articulate plot that is easy to comprehend to for the readers. The author explains everything in this book so expressively that it is bound to make the readers feel like they are watching this whole intriguing story with their own eyes.

The mystery is tightly wrapped under thousands of layers of twists and turns that are unraveled eventually by the author. The plot is so addictive yet unpredictable that the readers are bound to search for the identity of the killer like a moth looking for a ray of light in the darkness. The author has depicted the story line strikingly by featuring adrenaline rushing action scenes and frightening events and scenes that will make the readers turn the pages of the book till the very end despite the vivid horror and raw violence.

The author here opens the lesser-known world of S&M widely and letting his readers to be enlightened by its knowledge. The author did a thorough research in this subject as he diligently portrays everything under this subject like the objects used for BDSM, the kind of sadistic people who involve themselves in this dark world, the painful tortures to achieve sexual pleasures, etc. Yes it might definitely frighten some readers with the in-depth details and it might excite a few readers.

The primary character, Helen Grace who is the protagonist of Arlidge's books, is highly well developed with her flaws, shortcomings, complexities and her emotions. Yes she is bound to make the readers hungry for action and non-nonsense drama. The author projects her so strongly into the story that it feels like she is getting inside the heads of the readers messing with it, in short, she will have that psychological grip inside the heads of the readers. The supporting characters are equally well-etched out with their flaws and negative attributes.

In a nutshell, this a must read page-turner that is captivating and highly thrilling from the first page to the very last where it ends with a cliffhanger that will make the readers look out for the next book in the series.

Verdict: A must read thrilling page-turner.

Courtesy: Thanks to the author, M.J. Arlidge's publicist, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. 
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Author Info:
M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last 15 years, specialising in high end drama production. Arlidge has produced a number of prime-time crime serials for ITV In the last five years, and is currently working on a major adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans for the BBC.
Visit him here 


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