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.