valerie92's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
harleyqueen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A man is kidnapping women with specific body traits and their bodies are turning up with bluebird tattoos. Can helen find the killer before his next captive dies . Would have been a 5 but the mild incest is a big nope
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Confinement
Minor: Incest
booknookie's review against another edition
4.0
You can read a complete and a more detailed review at my blog.
I was skeptical about this book. I liked the first one in the series, but the second got pretty low rating by me. I am however happy that I choosed to read it anyway because it was really good. There is one thing I have an issue with however. And that is all the drama.
There is 5 female characters in this book who have some kind of issue with one another. There is jealousy and other stuff that just brings the story down. I hate drama and I hate office politics. Bringing this two together and it brings it all down for me and I am ashamed over the female genus because I know that this happens in the real world. However, it was still nice to get some kind of closure on the whole Grace and Harwood fiasco and I hope the drama is now over.
I was skeptical about this book. I liked the first one in the series, but the second got pretty low rating by me. I am however happy that I choosed to read it anyway because it was really good. There is one thing I have an issue with however. And that is all the drama.
There is 5 female characters in this book who have some kind of issue with one another. There is jealousy and other stuff that just brings the story down. I hate drama and I hate office politics. Bringing this two together and it brings it all down for me and I am ashamed over the female genus because I know that this happens in the real world. However, it was still nice to get some kind of closure on the whole Grace and Harwood fiasco and I hope the drama is now over.
denaiir's review against another edition
5.0
This series keeps delivering and I'm completely hooked.
M.J. Arlidge is excellent at managing the suspense. The mix of short chapters, multiple points of view, believable characters, twisted killers and office politics make each volume immensely entertaining.
I love how the author distills clues and details about the characters' personal lives, without ever breaking pace in the main investigation. The fact that we only get to know the characters little by little, but always at a steady pace, makes me crave for more. This one had me completely hooked with the feud between Helen Grace and Ceri Harwood and I enjoyed the addition of the new coppers, especially DC Sanderson, and they feel a little like family now after 3 books.
And the balance is achieved perfectly between the investigation, the development of characters and the point of view of the serial killer. Of course serial killers are my favorite kind of criminals to read about, and the nervous pacing of the investigation works perfectly with the deranged minds of each perpetrator examined in this series. All storylines are twisted and the pace is so perfect that it can't compare to other crime novels.
I am still listening to this series in audiobook format, performed by the excellent Elizabeth Bower. Scott Joseph joined her for this installment and his performance of the killer's chapters made the story pop even more, a brilliant audio version!
M.J. Arlidge is excellent at managing the suspense. The mix of short chapters, multiple points of view, believable characters, twisted killers and office politics make each volume immensely entertaining.
I love how the author distills clues and details about the characters' personal lives, without ever breaking pace in the main investigation. The fact that we only get to know the characters little by little, but always at a steady pace, makes me crave for more. This one had me completely hooked with the feud between Helen Grace and Ceri Harwood and I enjoyed the addition of the new coppers, especially DC Sanderson, and they feel a little like family now after 3 books.
And the balance is achieved perfectly between the investigation, the development of characters and the point of view of the serial killer. Of course serial killers are my favorite kind of criminals to read about, and the nervous pacing of the investigation works perfectly with the deranged minds of each perpetrator examined in this series. All storylines are twisted and the pace is so perfect that it can't compare to other crime novels.
I am still listening to this series in audiobook format, performed by the excellent Elizabeth Bower. Scott Joseph joined her for this installment and his performance of the killer's chapters made the story pop even more, a brilliant audio version!
bobbityboo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The premise is great but the execution could have been done better. It took a long time to get into the book because of the writing style.
I read that the writer used to write for TV and you can tell in his books. It is as though he has written perspectives for each character and presumes we can see them before he tells us who they are.
The chapters are short (which normally I love) but they are very short. Most are only 2-3 pages long. Each chapter is from a different person’s perspective.
(This may have been made a little harder for me as I realised I was reading the books out of order. This is the 3rd in a series)
It was really hard to grasp who’s view each tiny chapter was from as their defining feature (a place related to them, a name, an emotion etc) was not mentioned until at least the 2nd paragraph in each chapter. This made it very difficult to depict in your mind.
As the book went on, this improved slightly but I only started settling in to it around halfway through. Before that, it was like the book started over again every few pages.
The plot was good, the ending was fine and the words written are easy to read. If you are used to this writing style and you like short chapters, you’ll like this book. Just, start with number one in his series. You may have an easier time :)
bdeering's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
scnole2021's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
shelbymarie32's review against another edition
5.0
I received an arc form netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
So before going in to this book I knew it was going to be good. That in the least I would probably enjoy it. I was in the mood for a mystery/thriller and I was extremely surprised when I began reading this. I read almost 100 pages in one sitting. I just did not want to put this down.
This book is very well written and has that style of writing that just draws you in and makes you forget your reading and its like a movie in your head. Next thing you know you read over 100 pages in two and a half hours and it felt like no time at all. The character development is very goo but it is the third book in this series so it would be rather strange for the characters to not already be established.
I have yet to read the first two book and I was still able to jump right in and follow along with out being confused. The plot of this book was so great. I think everyone loved a good cat and mouse chase with a serial killer. But what made this great was all of the points of views you got to see. Including the victims and the killers.
Over all this book was absolutely outstanding. It gave me everything I wanted from it and more. I look forward to reading the other books in this series. Hopefully soon.
So before going in to this book I knew it was going to be good. That in the least I would probably enjoy it. I was in the mood for a mystery/thriller and I was extremely surprised when I began reading this. I read almost 100 pages in one sitting. I just did not want to put this down.
This book is very well written and has that style of writing that just draws you in and makes you forget your reading and its like a movie in your head. Next thing you know you read over 100 pages in two and a half hours and it felt like no time at all. The character development is very goo but it is the third book in this series so it would be rather strange for the characters to not already be established.
I have yet to read the first two book and I was still able to jump right in and follow along with out being confused. The plot of this book was so great. I think everyone loved a good cat and mouse chase with a serial killer. But what made this great was all of the points of views you got to see. Including the victims and the killers.
Over all this book was absolutely outstanding. It gave me everything I wanted from it and more. I look forward to reading the other books in this series. Hopefully soon.
diogoafsimoes's review against another edition
5.0
Com personagens envolventes e cativantes, numa história e enredo só como o autor consegue fazer, o drama e mistério são constantes. Especialmente quando próximos do final, em que recusar virar a página é um verdadeiro crime...
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
The Doll's House is another chilling installment in M.J. Arlidge's DI Helen Grace series. In this outing, Helen and her team's latest homicide investigation is linked to the recent disappearance of a young woman.
The discovery of the body of a young woman buried on a beach is just the beginning of Helen's latest case. After discovering her identity, she is stunned to learn the girl's family did not file a missing person's report since the victim has apparently been sporadically tweeting and sending text messages. Certain she is not the perpetrator's first victim, a careful search of missing person's reports yields a couple other suspicious disappearances and Helen convinces her superiors to go back to the beach to look for more graves. Discovering two more bodies, Helen and her team are sure that Ruby Sprackling's recent disappearance is most likely connected to their case and they are soon in a race against time to find her before it is too late.
Helen's squad is still a bit unsettled as new members transition in to replace the detectives who have left. She has a few trusted investigators that she relies on, but she worries there is a lack of cohesiveness among the group. However, by the time the various pieces of the investigation begin to fall into place, the squad is finally working together as a team as they frantically try to save Ruby from her abductor.
Helen's relationship with her boss DS Ceri Harwood is still acrimonious and they continue to butt heads as Helen tries to convince her that their current cases are connected. She does not let Harwood's resistance hold her back from following the various leads, but her refusal to co-operate means Helen must occasionally subvert her boss's authority which causes more friction between them. Ceri's professional jealousy clouds her judgment on more than one occasion and she eventually makes a decision that she later comes to regret when things begin to spin out of control.
While most of plot centers around the investigation, Helen's personal life plays small, but pivotal, roles in the storyline. Her search for her missing nephew continues and she makes a few missteps once she uncovers new evidence about him. Helen also feels a startling connection to one of the victim's fathers and she is surprisingly candid with him about her past. This vulnerability softens the tough as nails investigator and peels back yet another layer of this multi-faceted character.
The Doll's House is another spellbinding addition to the DI Helen Grace series. The addition of new members to the team keeps the series fresh and Helen continues to evolve which keeps her character from becoming stagnant. The mystery is intriguing and M.J. Arlidge's skillful utilization of red herrings and misdirects ingeniously conceals the perpetrator's identity until the novel's conclusion. An outstanding police procedural that will leave fans impatiently awaiting the next installment in this superb series.
The Doll's House is another chilling installment in M.J. Arlidge's DI Helen Grace series. In this outing, Helen and her team's latest homicide investigation is linked to the recent disappearance of a young woman.
The discovery of the body of a young woman buried on a beach is just the beginning of Helen's latest case. After discovering her identity, she is stunned to learn the girl's family did not file a missing person's report since the victim has apparently been sporadically tweeting and sending text messages. Certain she is not the perpetrator's first victim, a careful search of missing person's reports yields a couple other suspicious disappearances and Helen convinces her superiors to go back to the beach to look for more graves. Discovering two more bodies, Helen and her team are sure that Ruby Sprackling's recent disappearance is most likely connected to their case and they are soon in a race against time to find her before it is too late.
Helen's squad is still a bit unsettled as new members transition in to replace the detectives who have left. She has a few trusted investigators that she relies on, but she worries there is a lack of cohesiveness among the group. However, by the time the various pieces of the investigation begin to fall into place, the squad is finally working together as a team as they frantically try to save Ruby from her abductor.
Helen's relationship with her boss DS Ceri Harwood is still acrimonious and they continue to butt heads as Helen tries to convince her that their current cases are connected. She does not let Harwood's resistance hold her back from following the various leads, but her refusal to co-operate means Helen must occasionally subvert her boss's authority which causes more friction between them. Ceri's professional jealousy clouds her judgment on more than one occasion and she eventually makes a decision that she later comes to regret when things begin to spin out of control.
While most of plot centers around the investigation, Helen's personal life plays small, but pivotal, roles in the storyline. Her search for her missing nephew continues and she makes a few missteps once she uncovers new evidence about him. Helen also feels a startling connection to one of the victim's fathers and she is surprisingly candid with him about her past. This vulnerability softens the tough as nails investigator and peels back yet another layer of this multi-faceted character.
The Doll's House is another spellbinding addition to the DI Helen Grace series. The addition of new members to the team keeps the series fresh and Helen continues to evolve which keeps her character from becoming stagnant. The mystery is intriguing and M.J. Arlidge's skillful utilization of red herrings and misdirects ingeniously conceals the perpetrator's identity until the novel's conclusion. An outstanding police procedural that will leave fans impatiently awaiting the next installment in this superb series.