Very intriguing! Detective Helen Grace has to deal with her personal life, work competition, and a case that is killing one women at a time.

Her boss want to get rid of her, but she doesn't let herself fall easily. It is great to see women leadership in this book.

The case, the one that the book is about, is full of surprises. All four women kidnapped have similar physical traits, but their personalities are very different. Helen Grace has to go deep into their stories to find a common path, and we get to know how problematic the kidnapper really is.

3.5 stars

In this twisty British police procedural, we follow three women as they attempt to survive the fallout from bad choices. It all depends on how you define "survival".
 
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 questionable decisions. But as days pass, she realizes there is every chance that life is gone.
 
DI Helen Grace is uncomfortable 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 some surprises, she realizes this may be much more than a singular tragedy.
 
DS Ceri Hardwood is tired of the media darling status accorded DI Grace. She has painstakingly dismantled & rebuilt her major incident team, carefully selecting detectives who will be 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 lines unfold, all 3 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 3 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 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, providing explanation for their behaviour & motives.
Sharing narration duties is our resident bad guy. We don't know his identity 'til the end but we do know he lost touch with reality 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 (is that redundant?) who has 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 seem implausible until you take into account her history. A difficult childhood & personal tragedy (must haves for good detectives, apparently) 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, perfect for a road trip or long flight. 
 
This is the third book featuring Southampton detective Helen Grace. While reading them in order gives you a more detailed history of the characters & their relationships, this can still be enjoyed as a solid stand alone.
 
My thanks to Netgalley for providing this ARC.
 
 
 
 
 

4,5 sterren

Another great one, really enjoyed. Loving starting to see the character development as well, especially of Helen and Charlie.

Giving it 3 stars but think it was a bit clunky. Premis was good however a few weird inconsistencies let it down (how did the neighbour have Helens number, why was there perfume in a bed that a girl was away from from over a year etc). The end was a bit tedious......but getting there was reasonably enjoyable.

I'm quickly becoming "obsessed" with Arlidge and his writing. He is fantastic. The third book in his DI Grace series and it is just as good as book 1. What does concern me, however, is the imagination Arlidge uses to craft his thrillers. How is he coming up with this stuff? Of course I wonder that about Steven King as well. I'm interested in the process Arlidge uses to create these thrillers and how they affect him psychologically - if at all. But moving on.
DI Helen Grace has had a rough couple of years, to avoid spoilers all I will say is read books 1 and 2 before this one to get the full picture. She's lost a couple of key detectives, has a boss who would like nothing more than to get rid of her, controversy keeps following her around and she keeps dodging it - but for how much longer? Called to a secluded beach after a body is discovered buried deep Grace is on the cusp of another serial killer, maybe. While she's at the beach one of her detectives is sent chasing a missing girl case. But certain parts of this girl's life is matching up with certain parts of the buried girl's life and suddenly the missing person's case becomes a hunt for a girl before she is also buried. Grace feels the pressure to find this girl before she becomes another victim of some sick person's fantasy. In the meantime, Helen's personal life continues to hold drama as her boss is out to get her fired and her lonely life continues to be the source of intrigue for others.
I love what Arlidge is doing with the character of Helen Grace and the other supporting characters in these books. Only a few keep "surviving" from title to title and I love the development of Helen's relationship with each. Arlidge writes a detailed, and creepy, thriller - brilliant in so many ways.