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Helen Grace #1
Eeny Meeny
Two people are abducted, imprisoned, and left with a gun. As hunger and thirst set in, only one walks away alive.
It’s a game more twisted than any Detective Helen Grace has ever seen. If she hadn’t spoken with the shattered survivors herself, she almost wouldn’t believe them.
Helen is familiar with the dark sides of human nature, including her own, but this case—with its seemingly random victims—has her baffled. But as more people go missing, nothing will be more terrifying than when it all starts making sense....
It’s a game more twisted than any Detective Helen Grace has ever seen. If she hadn’t spoken with the shattered survivors herself, she almost wouldn’t believe them.
Helen is familiar with the dark sides of human nature, including her own, but this case—with its seemingly random victims—has her baffled. But as more people go missing, nothing will be more terrifying than when it all starts making sense....
421 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
1840 people are currently reading
33372 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Arlidge
37 books4,236 followersM.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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,330 reviews
December 20, 2017
Book one in a very successful series, starts out with a bang!
We are introduced to Detective Inspector Helen Grace. Both fierce and fearless, she leads her pack of detective’s with a strong-arm and iron will. She keeps most everyone in her life at arm’s length not allowing herself to give or feel closeness or love. So when the inevitable darkness creeps in, she has her own unique way to “punish herself” keeping the demons at bay. Temporarily.
The team is called in to investigate a series of missing couples that are given an impossible choice in order to gain their freedom. Disturbing mind-games being doled out by someone seemingly with a hidden agenda. So why does Helen feel these crimes are directed at her?
A chilling read that takes you down that dark road asking yourself the question, “What would I do? Can I ever really trust someone?”
Be prepared to feel a little uncomfortable...perhaps a bit squeamish.
With high expectations I‘m anxiously and quickly moving on to book 2 - Pop Goes the Wiesel.
A Traveling Sister read with Brenda!
Thank you for the recommendation Susanne!
We are introduced to Detective Inspector Helen Grace. Both fierce and fearless, she leads her pack of detective’s with a strong-arm and iron will. She keeps most everyone in her life at arm’s length not allowing herself to give or feel closeness or love. So when the inevitable darkness creeps in, she has her own unique way to “punish herself” keeping the demons at bay. Temporarily.
The team is called in to investigate a series of missing couples that are given an impossible choice in order to gain their freedom. Disturbing mind-games being doled out by someone seemingly with a hidden agenda. So why does Helen feel these crimes are directed at her?
A chilling read that takes you down that dark road asking yourself the question, “What would I do? Can I ever really trust someone?”
Be prepared to feel a little uncomfortable...perhaps a bit squeamish.
With high expectations I‘m anxiously and quickly moving on to book 2 - Pop Goes the Wiesel.
A Traveling Sister read with Brenda!
Thank you for the recommendation Susanne!
June 28, 2015
"On the floor by the phone you'll find a gun. It has one bullet in it. For Sam or for yourself. That is the price of your freedom. You must kill to live. Do you want to live, Amy?"
I've seen this concept done a few times already. Where the killer traps the people together with no food or water, gives them the only way out is though killing scenario. It's been done better with "Saw" and an episode of "Criminal Minds".
This book tries to move fast. Several characters get to be trapped in this hell but the book is moving so fast that you never get attached enough to care about them. It repeats itself so many times that I got bored.
I think the whole purpose of the book was to introduce the super/so called awesomeness of the main character Helen Grace. After all, now there is going to be a series. I think I'll skip those.
The story still could have been original but it jumped all over the place. You would start the chapter at one point of view and then suddenly it was someone else's point next. I hate that shit.
So if you want a basic run of the mill thriller this one might be for you. I think there are better ones out there.
I've seen this concept done a few times already. Where the killer traps the people together with no food or water, gives them the only way out is though killing scenario. It's been done better with "Saw" and an episode of "Criminal Minds".
This book tries to move fast. Several characters get to be trapped in this hell but the book is moving so fast that you never get attached enough to care about them. It repeats itself so many times that I got bored.
I think the whole purpose of the book was to introduce the super/so called awesomeness of the main character Helen Grace. After all, now there is going to be a series. I think I'll skip those.
The story still could have been original but it jumped all over the place. You would start the chapter at one point of view and then suddenly it was someone else's point next. I hate that shit.
So if you want a basic run of the mill thriller this one might be for you. I think there are better ones out there.
October 27, 2018
I loved this book starting out and then I just wanted to get to the end and find out who was the killer! I sort of fizzled out for some reason 🙁
I give DI Helen Grace 5 stars! She's totally awesome, tough and had a sh*t life growing up! Because of her I would gladly read other books in the series.
I think if you love thrillers, you would love this one!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I give DI Helen Grace 5 stars! She's totally awesome, tough and had a sh*t life growing up! Because of her I would gladly read other books in the series.
I think if you love thrillers, you would love this one!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
December 18, 2017
5 Stars.
A Nail Biter. In more ways than one.
“Eeny Meeny” is twisted and somewhat depraved. And for some crazy reason I absolutely loved it. DI Helen Grace is one tough copper. She has been through it all and she has seen the absolute worst of it, or so she thought.
Amy and Sam hitchhike home one dark, cold night, when they are picked up by a woman in a van. They are thrilled at first, and then they wake up somewhere else. In an old dive pool out in the middle of nowhere. They find a phone and a gun. The phone rings. Amy picks up. The gun has one bullet in it - for Sam or herself. It is time to choose, who lives and who dies. And that is how the game is played. Who is it worse for? The one who chooses to kill or be killed? Now that is a loaded question, pun intended.
DI Helen Grace and her team race against time to find the missing pair and then, it happens yet again. Is it random or are the individuals connected in someway and if so how?
Helen Grace is a brilliant copper and she is also one heck of a woman. Tough and extremely discipline and fallible as well. Her outlets are not the norm, at least not as far as I am concerned. That being said, I liked her a lot. Helen is a survivor and she thrives in the face of adversity.
For me, I couldn’t tear through this book fast enough. It was like I was eating a bag of potato chips, where I couldn’t eat just one chip. With “Eeny Meeny” I wanted to read this book as quickly as possible so I could start book two. M. J. Aldridge created a twisty turning crazy thriller here that had me grasping for breath waiting for its stunning conclusion. Kudos to M. J. Aldridge for this phenomenal psychological suspense.
Published on Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram on 12.17.17.
A Nail Biter. In more ways than one.
“Eeny Meeny” is twisted and somewhat depraved. And for some crazy reason I absolutely loved it. DI Helen Grace is one tough copper. She has been through it all and she has seen the absolute worst of it, or so she thought.
Amy and Sam hitchhike home one dark, cold night, when they are picked up by a woman in a van. They are thrilled at first, and then they wake up somewhere else. In an old dive pool out in the middle of nowhere. They find a phone and a gun. The phone rings. Amy picks up. The gun has one bullet in it - for Sam or herself. It is time to choose, who lives and who dies. And that is how the game is played. Who is it worse for? The one who chooses to kill or be killed? Now that is a loaded question, pun intended.
DI Helen Grace and her team race against time to find the missing pair and then, it happens yet again. Is it random or are the individuals connected in someway and if so how?
Helen Grace is a brilliant copper and she is also one heck of a woman. Tough and extremely discipline and fallible as well. Her outlets are not the norm, at least not as far as I am concerned. That being said, I liked her a lot. Helen is a survivor and she thrives in the face of adversity.
For me, I couldn’t tear through this book fast enough. It was like I was eating a bag of potato chips, where I couldn’t eat just one chip. With “Eeny Meeny” I wanted to read this book as quickly as possible so I could start book two. M. J. Aldridge created a twisty turning crazy thriller here that had me grasping for breath waiting for its stunning conclusion. Kudos to M. J. Aldridge for this phenomenal psychological suspense.
Published on Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram on 12.17.17.
October 2, 2019
i was approved for this book through netgalley at a time when i had a bunch of books i had to read for that program i read for, and right before i went home for easter. i brought three "littry" books with me, and this one on my NOOK, thinking vacation = lots of reading time, and i could plow through all of them no problem.
it didn't quite work out that way, as i had many personal-life traumas suddenly obstacling my path at the same time, and i wasn't able to concentrate on any of the books i was "supposed" to be reading. littry just wasn't cutting it for my diminished capacities of concentration. so i picked this one up, and it was exactly right for the state i was in: fast-paced, not intellectually challenging, with an engrossing plot and good squirmy violent bits.
it was just what i needed, but it's not the kind of book that's going to stay with you for long. it's a perfectly solid british police procedural, and great escapist candy for your brain, but it's not changing the map of police procedurals or anything. this is the first book in a series, but there's not that much time spent introducing the characters. in fact, i had to check to make sure that this was indeed the first book because there seemed to be backstory and character relationships implied without being explained. the relevant details eventually come to light, and it's preferable to have it done this way instead of just an info-dump of "here are the characters and their hang-ups," but at first i was a bit confused.
so, it's one of those passive serial killer-type novels, where people are put into elaborate "traps" with instructions from a voyeuristic psychopath, à la saw. in this case, the mastermind selects two individuals who are drugged, abducted, put in a locked room with a gun containing a single bullet and … left there. no food, no water, no further instructions, just two people slowly being pared down psychologically and reduced to their most primal instinct: survival at all costs. as soon as the gun is used and a corpse is cooling on the floor, the doors are opened and the newly-created murderer is released into whatever scarred and traumatized existence they can manage for themselves after having made a terrible choice: my life is more important than your life.
detective inspector helen grace is tasked with stopping this killer before they strike again, but she's also gotta deal with the media, the troubling behavior of the other detectives on her team, and her own personal demons. and when it starts to become clear that the victims have a connection to her own personal and professional past, the emotional toll increases and the need to solve the case becomes even more important.
i am a huge fan of elaborate death-games, so this is right up my alley, but unlike others of its kind, there's really only one elaborate death game, repeated over and over. and while the tension escalates because of the tightening spiral of closeness the victims have to grace, after a while i was just like "oh, this again." and it's written with intensity and horror, as thirst, hunger, cold, boredom and desperation break down the victims, but it lacks the punch that things like saw and se7en have, because it's a personal vendetta, without that satisfying philosophical drive motivating the killer to bring it home to the reader/viewer, the thing that allows you to assess your own life-choices.
but it does what it's meant to do: you have some horrible murders, some red herrings, plenty of fear and doubt and guilt, and a satisfying conclusion that leaves everyone a little damaged. it's a fine piece of dark entertainment, and then you can get back to some more smarty-pants books if you want. or not. you do what your reading heart tells you to do.
come to my blog!
it didn't quite work out that way, as i had many personal-life traumas suddenly obstacling my path at the same time, and i wasn't able to concentrate on any of the books i was "supposed" to be reading. littry just wasn't cutting it for my diminished capacities of concentration. so i picked this one up, and it was exactly right for the state i was in: fast-paced, not intellectually challenging, with an engrossing plot and good squirmy violent bits.
it was just what i needed, but it's not the kind of book that's going to stay with you for long. it's a perfectly solid british police procedural, and great escapist candy for your brain, but it's not changing the map of police procedurals or anything. this is the first book in a series, but there's not that much time spent introducing the characters. in fact, i had to check to make sure that this was indeed the first book because there seemed to be backstory and character relationships implied without being explained. the relevant details eventually come to light, and it's preferable to have it done this way instead of just an info-dump of "here are the characters and their hang-ups," but at first i was a bit confused.
so, it's one of those passive serial killer-type novels, where people are put into elaborate "traps" with instructions from a voyeuristic psychopath, à la saw. in this case, the mastermind selects two individuals who are drugged, abducted, put in a locked room with a gun containing a single bullet and … left there. no food, no water, no further instructions, just two people slowly being pared down psychologically and reduced to their most primal instinct: survival at all costs. as soon as the gun is used and a corpse is cooling on the floor, the doors are opened and the newly-created murderer is released into whatever scarred and traumatized existence they can manage for themselves after having made a terrible choice: my life is more important than your life.
detective inspector helen grace is tasked with stopping this killer before they strike again, but she's also gotta deal with the media, the troubling behavior of the other detectives on her team, and her own personal demons. and when it starts to become clear that the victims have a connection to her own personal and professional past, the emotional toll increases and the need to solve the case becomes even more important.
i am a huge fan of elaborate death-games, so this is right up my alley, but unlike others of its kind, there's really only one elaborate death game, repeated over and over. and while the tension escalates because of the tightening spiral of closeness the victims have to grace, after a while i was just like "oh, this again." and it's written with intensity and horror, as thirst, hunger, cold, boredom and desperation break down the victims, but it lacks the punch that things like saw and se7en have, because it's a personal vendetta, without that satisfying philosophical drive motivating the killer to bring it home to the reader/viewer, the thing that allows you to assess your own life-choices.
but it does what it's meant to do: you have some horrible murders, some red herrings, plenty of fear and doubt and guilt, and a satisfying conclusion that leaves everyone a little damaged. it's a fine piece of dark entertainment, and then you can get back to some more smarty-pants books if you want. or not. you do what your reading heart tells you to do.
come to my blog!
May 4, 2022
3.5 stars.
A fast-paced, dark and gruesome thriller!
What starts as seemingly random abductions turns into a sick, shocking and twisted game. DI Helen Grace’s team are working hard to find the person behind the crimes. People are being kidnapped in pairs and held captive until only one is set free.
This is a series I have wanted to read for a long time. Glad I finally got around to starting it as I can certainly understand all the hype even if it didn’t “wow” me. It’s off to a great start with the sharp writing, the short chapters (easy to fly through) and the terrifyingly unforgettable storyline. The characters are great! Helen Grace is at the head of it all and has a real dark side. Can’t wait to see where the series takes her!
Chapters move through multiple perspectives keeping the story fresh and intriguing. The writing flows extremely well with a quick pace to keep you on the edge of your seat. The book ends with a lot of action which I became slightly lost in. The first half of the novel had me gripped more intensely than the second half. Regardless, I felt invested and curious from start to finish. There are plenty of gruesome and shocking scenes that I’m having a hard time getting out of my head. Overall, an interesting and entertaining start to a new series!
A fast-paced, dark and gruesome thriller!
What starts as seemingly random abductions turns into a sick, shocking and twisted game. DI Helen Grace’s team are working hard to find the person behind the crimes. People are being kidnapped in pairs and held captive until only one is set free.
This is a series I have wanted to read for a long time. Glad I finally got around to starting it as I can certainly understand all the hype even if it didn’t “wow” me. It’s off to a great start with the sharp writing, the short chapters (easy to fly through) and the terrifyingly unforgettable storyline. The characters are great! Helen Grace is at the head of it all and has a real dark side. Can’t wait to see where the series takes her!
Chapters move through multiple perspectives keeping the story fresh and intriguing. The writing flows extremely well with a quick pace to keep you on the edge of your seat. The book ends with a lot of action which I became slightly lost in. The first half of the novel had me gripped more intensely than the second half. Regardless, I felt invested and curious from start to finish. There are plenty of gruesome and shocking scenes that I’m having a hard time getting out of my head. Overall, an interesting and entertaining start to a new series!
May 12, 2015
Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge – A Helen Chase Novel- is a 2015 NAL publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is my kind of thriller! Dark, twisty, with nail biting suspense!
Helen Chase, detective Inspector, has her hands full when a diabolical serial killer begins abducting people in pairs, dumping them in a dive pool, with a cell phone, and gun provided. The hostages will receive one call informing them they have the option of survival only if they kill their fellow prisoner. Initially, they fight to live, but after weeks of starvation, eventually, one of them will crack.
As usual, office politics rears it's ugly head, and it becomes clear a mole is leaking vital information, causing Helen to mistrust some of her best detectives. Then too, the reader will have to decipher Helen's own personal demons, which are really difficult to process.
This book is not for the faint of heart. The subject matter is disturbing, the violence graphic, and you won't be able to avoid having an emotional reaction to the games the killer is playing. Not only is this a gritty serial killer novel but also a psychological thriller. My mind was all over the place, being lead around by the nose, just like the characters in the book. It was a mind trip, an emotional roller coaster, with a shocking conclusion.
The story moved along at a quick pace, keeping me glued to my kindle. I even experienced a feeling of annoyance when I was interrupted a few times while reading this book. I couldn't put it down!
I didn't know how to feel about Helen Chase, to be honest. I have read many dark thrillers where the male protagonist has some dark past or haunting demons, and many female detectives that came from harsh circumstances, but never a female lead like Helen, who has some pretty disturbing habits. It will be interesting to see how her character develops from here on out. It's been a long time since I have read a serial killer novel this original. This is not a formulaic procedural!
I can't wait to read more in this series. 4.5 rounded to 5
This is my kind of thriller! Dark, twisty, with nail biting suspense!
Helen Chase, detective Inspector, has her hands full when a diabolical serial killer begins abducting people in pairs, dumping them in a dive pool, with a cell phone, and gun provided. The hostages will receive one call informing them they have the option of survival only if they kill their fellow prisoner. Initially, they fight to live, but after weeks of starvation, eventually, one of them will crack.
As usual, office politics rears it's ugly head, and it becomes clear a mole is leaking vital information, causing Helen to mistrust some of her best detectives. Then too, the reader will have to decipher Helen's own personal demons, which are really difficult to process.
This book is not for the faint of heart. The subject matter is disturbing, the violence graphic, and you won't be able to avoid having an emotional reaction to the games the killer is playing. Not only is this a gritty serial killer novel but also a psychological thriller. My mind was all over the place, being lead around by the nose, just like the characters in the book. It was a mind trip, an emotional roller coaster, with a shocking conclusion.
The story moved along at a quick pace, keeping me glued to my kindle. I even experienced a feeling of annoyance when I was interrupted a few times while reading this book. I couldn't put it down!
I didn't know how to feel about Helen Chase, to be honest. I have read many dark thrillers where the male protagonist has some dark past or haunting demons, and many female detectives that came from harsh circumstances, but never a female lead like Helen, who has some pretty disturbing habits. It will be interesting to see how her character develops from here on out. It's been a long time since I have read a serial killer novel this original. This is not a formulaic procedural!
I can't wait to read more in this series. 4.5 rounded to 5
February 10, 2017
I think I am going to love this series. I have heard so many great things about this series. This first book was just average to me. It wasn't anything that really made me intrigued. The worst part in reading a series is you have to read every book to get the whole experience of the series. Even though this book was just average, I am going to read the rest of the series. I liked Helen Grace and her character was done very well.
The title, Eeny Meeny, indicates that some hard choices are going to be made, but this one is incredibly hard. Arlidge begins with two victims in an unknown location. They have been drugged and dumped with no food, no water, no plumbing, no light. Once they awaken and finally give up yelling for help, a phone on the floor rings. One picks up the phone and is asked, "Do you want to live? One of you will kill the other and will be set free. The gun is on the floor near the phone." The phone is disabled as far as the victims being able to place a call. The victims go through psychological torture as they go from being revolted by the idea of killing or being killed, but eventually the choice is made.
Helen Grace is the Detective Inspector whose team is charged with resolving the grisly case, and too soon there is another missing pair, and then another. I thought this book was great in the beginning then happened to go flat and slow moving with clues gradually unveiled page by page, chapter by chapter. Can this possibly be random? Helen doesn't think so but the link is elusive. The reader learns tidbits about Helen's incredibly sordid and dysfunctional childhood, which explain her tendency to be a loner socially and a tireless detective, but could it possibly provide the link to these random kidnappings with such grisly outcomes? The questions, and the tension, lasts till the very last page of this novel. Detective Inspector Helen Grace has faced down her own demons on her rise to the top. As she leads the investigation to hunt down this unseen monster, she learns that it may be the survivors - living calling cards - who hold the key to the case.
There is more from Helen Grace, a tough and capable professional tormented by a dark side buried deep in her past. She and her team are all likable and capable, but the team definitely looks to Helen for inspiration and leadership.
The title, Eeny Meeny, indicates that some hard choices are going to be made, but this one is incredibly hard. Arlidge begins with two victims in an unknown location. They have been drugged and dumped with no food, no water, no plumbing, no light. Once they awaken and finally give up yelling for help, a phone on the floor rings. One picks up the phone and is asked, "Do you want to live? One of you will kill the other and will be set free. The gun is on the floor near the phone." The phone is disabled as far as the victims being able to place a call. The victims go through psychological torture as they go from being revolted by the idea of killing or being killed, but eventually the choice is made.
Helen Grace is the Detective Inspector whose team is charged with resolving the grisly case, and too soon there is another missing pair, and then another. I thought this book was great in the beginning then happened to go flat and slow moving with clues gradually unveiled page by page, chapter by chapter. Can this possibly be random? Helen doesn't think so but the link is elusive. The reader learns tidbits about Helen's incredibly sordid and dysfunctional childhood, which explain her tendency to be a loner socially and a tireless detective, but could it possibly provide the link to these random kidnappings with such grisly outcomes? The questions, and the tension, lasts till the very last page of this novel. Detective Inspector Helen Grace has faced down her own demons on her rise to the top. As she leads the investigation to hunt down this unseen monster, she learns that it may be the survivors - living calling cards - who hold the key to the case.
There is more from Helen Grace, a tough and capable professional tormented by a dark side buried deep in her past. She and her team are all likable and capable, but the team definitely looks to Helen for inspiration and leadership.
June 2, 2019
A decent, fast paced thriller. Love the short chapters! Not a whole lotta depth here, so if you enter expecting something deep and meaningful, you will leave disappointed.
Also, this books has some messed up characters doing some messed up stuff - may not be for the squeamish.
If you like a quick, throw away read with shocking scenes and shallow characters (I know there are some guilty pleasure seekers out there) add this book to your list!
Also, this books has some messed up characters doing some messed up stuff - may not be for the squeamish.
If you like a quick, throw away read with shocking scenes and shallow characters (I know there are some guilty pleasure seekers out there) add this book to your list!
April 24, 2019
In search of a new psychological thriller, MJ Arlidge came highly recommended. He did not disappoint with the ability to grab the reader and leave them gasping for air, even in this debut novel. Picture it, if you will: two people are confined in an area together with no way out, no food or water, and only a gun with a single bullet in its chamber. One must die so the other can live; the choice is theirs. When the first 'victim/perpetrator' is released, this story is presented to DI Helen Grace, who has a hard time fathoming this is anything but an elaborate cover-up for a murder. However, the emaciated body of this young woman who's sobbing out this tale leaves Grace to wonder if there might be some truth to the matter. When a second twosome go missing, Grace and her team rush to the scene, with a similar story coming to light. Soon, more sets of victims disappear and Grace comes to the realisation that she has a connection to at least one of the pair in each case. She cannot find the motive or how the group ties all together, but she knows there is no time to lose. When a leak occurs within the team, Grace pursues a secondary witch hunt to draw them out and remove the rotten apple from the team, only to discover that it, too, is a game that she is ill-equipped to play. As the kidnappings continue and Grace learns of the strong connection, she must find this killer and end the madness before more people are left to make the most dire of choices in a world full of selfish beings. A debut novel that will have the reader recommending it as quickly as possible, while scrambling to find the next in the series.
Arlidge creates a wonderful thriller that has all the elements for success. His narrative abilities keep the reader on the edge of their seat as they delve deeper into the world of torture and depravity. Using short chapters, the reader cannot help but forge on, seeking "just a little more" to quell their curiosity, before realising that they are well past the point of putting the book down. The crimes themselves, pulling on the heartstrings are sick aspects of everyone, offer the reader something to be glad they are safe from experiencing, but it is the contrast between these crimes and the protagonist's personal side that is truly the greatest lure. DI Helen Grace is anything but run of the mill when it comes to British police material. That Arlidge chose to take things down this path is by no means a mistake, nor is the development of a darker side to DI Helen Grace. The reader is subjected to this dark side from the start and things only become more complex. Arlidge pulls out all the stops at highlighting the struggle and depravity, though something leads me to believe that there is much more to come, with subsequent novels. The reader finds themselves locked away with the victims while also learning through a sub-plot about the killer's backstory. Arlidge knows how to thrill, yet does so in the most macabre way if only to leave the reader demanding more, hoping for something exciting to end the madness. Unfortunately, sometimes the madness is the light and the tunnel's darkness is all there is on offer.
Kudos, Mr. Arlidge for this powerful opening novel. I cannot wait to see how DI Grace handles subsequent cases and if the trauma that befell her is something from which she can heal.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Arlidge creates a wonderful thriller that has all the elements for success. His narrative abilities keep the reader on the edge of their seat as they delve deeper into the world of torture and depravity. Using short chapters, the reader cannot help but forge on, seeking "just a little more" to quell their curiosity, before realising that they are well past the point of putting the book down. The crimes themselves, pulling on the heartstrings are sick aspects of everyone, offer the reader something to be glad they are safe from experiencing, but it is the contrast between these crimes and the protagonist's personal side that is truly the greatest lure. DI Helen Grace is anything but run of the mill when it comes to British police material. That Arlidge chose to take things down this path is by no means a mistake, nor is the development of a darker side to DI Helen Grace. The reader is subjected to this dark side from the start and things only become more complex. Arlidge pulls out all the stops at highlighting the struggle and depravity, though something leads me to believe that there is much more to come, with subsequent novels. The reader finds themselves locked away with the victims while also learning through a sub-plot about the killer's backstory. Arlidge knows how to thrill, yet does so in the most macabre way if only to leave the reader demanding more, hoping for something exciting to end the madness. Unfortunately, sometimes the madness is the light and the tunnel's darkness is all there is on offer.
Kudos, Mr. Arlidge for this powerful opening novel. I cannot wait to see how DI Grace handles subsequent cases and if the trauma that befell her is something from which she can heal.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
March 5, 2015
Eeny Meeny by J. Arlidge is a serial killer thriller/crime thriller, set in and around the city of Southampton, a typical inner city. The story centers around a series of double kidnappings, where one captive is called upon to make a life or death decision. Eeny Meeny grabs you and doesn’t let go until you reach the end, when the killer is revealed.
The victims were drugged, abducted, starved and forced to commit murder.
“She made me do it.”
They receive a distorted phone call that said, “Do you want to live? On the floor by the phone you’ll find a gun. It has one bullet in it. For Sam or for yourself. That is the price of freedom. You must Kill to Live.”
They were in prison…and no way out. The gun still sits there. And then the trust begins to diminish.
This novel is the first in the new series featuring Detective Inspector Helen Grace. Helen has problems of her own and in many ways is a damaged individual who is fighting her battle from her past, but chooses to deal with it by burying herself in her work. And then she is assigned the case.
But as the book continues Helen starts to realize that the victims are linked to her and that this may be personal. Helen is assisted by two great characters Mark and Charley who both have problems of their own. Mark has lost his marriage and access to his daughter and Charley is pregnant.
This novel will keep you guessing as to who the killer is. I never saw it coming. The book has an intriguing plot, terrific characters and is written with short chapters that lead you to keep on reading. Then the structure started to bother me. Short chapters are fine, especially when you basically have a chapter for each POV switch. But then multiple POVs and different scenes started appearing in a single chapter, which made the chapter breaks feel less important. It is for that reason, I rate this book at 3.5 or 4.
This is a great first novel and I am looking forward to the next book from this author.
The victims were drugged, abducted, starved and forced to commit murder.
“She made me do it.”
They receive a distorted phone call that said, “Do you want to live? On the floor by the phone you’ll find a gun. It has one bullet in it. For Sam or for yourself. That is the price of freedom. You must Kill to Live.”
They were in prison…and no way out. The gun still sits there. And then the trust begins to diminish.
This novel is the first in the new series featuring Detective Inspector Helen Grace. Helen has problems of her own and in many ways is a damaged individual who is fighting her battle from her past, but chooses to deal with it by burying herself in her work. And then she is assigned the case.
But as the book continues Helen starts to realize that the victims are linked to her and that this may be personal. Helen is assisted by two great characters Mark and Charley who both have problems of their own. Mark has lost his marriage and access to his daughter and Charley is pregnant.
This novel will keep you guessing as to who the killer is. I never saw it coming. The book has an intriguing plot, terrific characters and is written with short chapters that lead you to keep on reading. Then the structure started to bother me. Short chapters are fine, especially when you basically have a chapter for each POV switch. But then multiple POVs and different scenes started appearing in a single chapter, which made the chapter breaks feel less important. It is for that reason, I rate this book at 3.5 or 4.
This is a great first novel and I am looking forward to the next book from this author.
July 6, 2016
Eeny Meeny by MJ Aldridge is a dark creepy yes i said CREEPY thriller that had me spell bound i could not put this one down.
The story starts in a town South hampton where two people at a time are kidnapped & told to choose which one of them will die, How could someone choose?
A girl emerged from the woods barely alive her story was beyond belief but it was TRUE every single word of it.
Days later another desperate escapee is found & a pattern starts to emerge , whoever is kidnapping the victims has a grudge against DI Helen Grace.
WOULD YOU RATHER LOSE YOUR LIFE OR YOUR MIND?
DI Grace has faced down her own demons on her rise to the top as she leads the investigation to hunt down the psychopath, she finds that it may be the survivors living calling cards who hold the key to the case.
Meanwhile as she digs further & further into the case charlie & Mark are the next on the perps hitlist will they survive or will bothy die by the sword!!
I loved this book so much the characterisation of DI Helen Grace was wonderfully written & the rest of her team were really believable . She was a strong no nonsense woman that lived the police force.
A great debut for me have the next on my wishlist.
The story starts in a town South hampton where two people at a time are kidnapped & told to choose which one of them will die, How could someone choose?
A girl emerged from the woods barely alive her story was beyond belief but it was TRUE every single word of it.
Days later another desperate escapee is found & a pattern starts to emerge , whoever is kidnapping the victims has a grudge against DI Helen Grace.
WOULD YOU RATHER LOSE YOUR LIFE OR YOUR MIND?
DI Grace has faced down her own demons on her rise to the top as she leads the investigation to hunt down the psychopath, she finds that it may be the survivors living calling cards who hold the key to the case.
Meanwhile as she digs further & further into the case charlie & Mark are the next on the perps hitlist will they survive or will bothy die by the sword!!
I loved this book so much the characterisation of DI Helen Grace was wonderfully written & the rest of her team were really believable . She was a strong no nonsense woman that lived the police force.
A great debut for me have the next on my wishlist.
August 10, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“When you’re a prisoner, the days seem endless and hope is the first thing to die.”
Boy I really don’t have many good things to say about this one. Let’s start with the most glaring problem – the entire plot was very much . . . .
The “game” begins when two people are abducted. Once the captives wake up from the sedative they’ve been given they find they are trapped somewhere and left with only a gun and a single bullet. It is up to one of them to murder the other, at which time the survivor will be freed.
Upon the release of the first survivor Detective Helen Grace and the local police force come on the scene – only to realize this will be an endless game of more people going missing and more sole survivors emerging from captivity unless they can figure out who is the mastermind behind the abductions.
According to the blurb, Eeny Meeny was going to be "dark, twisted, thought-provoking" . . . .
Maybe it will be for some of you, but for me it was . . . .
The main problem I had was this was a book that didn’t require a whole lot of pages in order to tell the story. There are books that demand four or five or eight hundred pages for the telling, but a far-fetched mystery is rarely one. Not to mention the choppy paragraph style. A book with 420 pages should not have 100+ chapters. And if it does? The breakdown of said chapters needs to be thought out a lot more than this – multiple narrators, locations, flashbacks, etc. all contained in the same chapter made for very little cohesion.
There was also waaaaay too much talk and not enough action. When you’re not only dealing with a serial killer, but one who gets off on torturing the victims with both the “only one will get out alive” scenario as well as leaving them with zero food or water things could have gotten really twisted. Instead, there was one tasty little scene that made me want to lose my lunch . . .
along with a ton of filler. I get that the main point of this story was to introduce/be able to continue on with the “Helen Grace” character, but when said character breaks ALL protocol, the chances of her continuing her career as a detective would be slim to nill . . . .
And dare I forgot to mention that ending and the “whodunit.” Seriously???? The reader might not have been privy to enough information to figure out the bad guy, but for criminy sake HelenKeller Grace should have known who it was almost immediately. Way to be an awesome detective . . .
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
“When you’re a prisoner, the days seem endless and hope is the first thing to die.”
Boy I really don’t have many good things to say about this one. Let’s start with the most glaring problem – the entire plot was very much . . . .
The “game” begins when two people are abducted. Once the captives wake up from the sedative they’ve been given they find they are trapped somewhere and left with only a gun and a single bullet. It is up to one of them to murder the other, at which time the survivor will be freed.
Upon the release of the first survivor Detective Helen Grace and the local police force come on the scene – only to realize this will be an endless game of more people going missing and more sole survivors emerging from captivity unless they can figure out who is the mastermind behind the abductions.
According to the blurb, Eeny Meeny was going to be "dark, twisted, thought-provoking" . . . .
Maybe it will be for some of you, but for me it was . . . .
The main problem I had was this was a book that didn’t require a whole lot of pages in order to tell the story. There are books that demand four or five or eight hundred pages for the telling, but a far-fetched mystery is rarely one. Not to mention the choppy paragraph style. A book with 420 pages should not have 100+ chapters. And if it does? The breakdown of said chapters needs to be thought out a lot more than this – multiple narrators, locations, flashbacks, etc. all contained in the same chapter made for very little cohesion.
There was also waaaaay too much talk and not enough action. When you’re not only dealing with a serial killer, but one who gets off on torturing the victims with both the “only one will get out alive” scenario as well as leaving them with zero food or water things could have gotten really twisted. Instead, there was one tasty little scene that made me want to lose my lunch . . .
along with a ton of filler. I get that the main point of this story was to introduce/be able to continue on with the “Helen Grace” character, but when said character breaks ALL protocol, the chances of her continuing her career as a detective would be slim to nill . . . .
And dare I forgot to mention that ending and the “whodunit.” Seriously???? The reader might not have been privy to enough information to figure out the bad guy, but for criminy sake Helen
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
August 12, 2018
"Eeny Meeny" by M. J. ArlIdge is the first in the Helen Grace series and wow! - what an eye opener to grab your attention. I was advised to start this exciting series from the beginning and I'm glad I did. Each book takes you through the career of D.I. Helen Grace and the murders and serial killers she encounters in her work and this first one in the series introduces you to her intriguing personality and to why she is the tough, no nonsense cop she has become. I anticipate all of the stories will be as excellent as this one and as Helen's career progresses you'll want to know of her from the very beginning, keeping the timeline in order. I've never encountered a policewoman quite like her and I did endear to her by the end, she is exceedingly unusual, in a way you can only discover if you read the book. The storyline is very unique and complements the introduction of Helen seamlessly. I was engrossed from start to finish and really can't wait to read more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and very twisted police procedural, I found it very hard to put down and I will make sure I read every book in this exciting series.
"Eeny Meeny" is everything I want and have come to expect from a serial killing/police procedural, in parts quite gruesome and distressing but with professional and polished writing and diverse and interesting characters.
Short, sharp and pacy chapters keep you racing through the pages, I highly recommend this author but agree that for maximum enjoyment you should start with this the first one (though of course this one can be read as a standalone) in an incredibly compelling and addictive series.
5 fabulous stars!
I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and very twisted police procedural, I found it very hard to put down and I will make sure I read every book in this exciting series.
"Eeny Meeny" is everything I want and have come to expect from a serial killing/police procedural, in parts quite gruesome and distressing but with professional and polished writing and diverse and interesting characters.
Short, sharp and pacy chapters keep you racing through the pages, I highly recommend this author but agree that for maximum enjoyment you should start with this the first one (though of course this one can be read as a standalone) in an incredibly compelling and addictive series.
5 fabulous stars!
March 23, 2018
Isn't it great when you just stumble upon another really good series by accident! I can tell this one is going to be a really, really good series.
Helen Grace is outwardly an extremely capable and talented woman who always does her job and does it well. Inside she is damaged by earlier experiences, as main characters in crime books usually are! Helen however does not soothe her emotions with alcohol as is customary. She takes a different and very personal path.
There are a lot of deaths in Eeny Meeny and they are beyond gruesome. I tried not to absorb some of what I was reading especially as I have a bit of a phobia about maggots. This is not a book to be read while you are eating. The success of the book is due to the well described police work and the tension that builds as the murders proceed. By the end I was racing through the pages as I so wanted the last two victims to survive.
Altogether a very rewarding read and the next book is already on my list!
Helen Grace is outwardly an extremely capable and talented woman who always does her job and does it well. Inside she is damaged by earlier experiences, as main characters in crime books usually are! Helen however does not soothe her emotions with alcohol as is customary. She takes a different and very personal path.
There are a lot of deaths in Eeny Meeny and they are beyond gruesome. I tried not to absorb some of what I was reading especially as I have a bit of a phobia about maggots. This is not a book to be read while you are eating. The success of the book is due to the well described police work and the tension that builds as the murders proceed. By the end I was racing through the pages as I so wanted the last two victims to survive.
Altogether a very rewarding read and the next book is already on my list!
February 16, 2016
3.5 stars
I was really looking forward to reading this debut series police procedural, introducing the smart and strong Detective Helen Grace. While I can't say that I was disappointed, I did have some issues with the book that held me back from giving it a higher rating.
Here's some of what I did like:
-Like most all protags, Detctive Grace comes across smart and powerful, a loner. But the author allows the reader to get to know the other side not shown to anyone else. This made her a lot more 'real' to me. (Although I do hate the stereotype that all strong, independent women have to ride motorcycles)
-I thought the flashbacks thrown in from the antagonist's point of view where very powerful and telling.
-The author spent just the right amount of time explaining the technical aspects to the plot, where a lot of authors can be very heavy-handed with this. I didn't feel like I was being lectured, yet I didn't feel like a dummy either.
For some reason, I'm a big fan of books that have short, quick chapters. When done right, I think it helps keep the plot moving forward at a quick pace, makes it easier to get invested in the characters, and silly as it sounds, there is something satisfying about completing a chapter, like crossing off an item on a to-do list. (I know, probably TMI) I think the use of short chapters here worked really well in helping to manage the sub plots going on and the introduction of so many characters. On the downside, I think it fell flat on timelines. I struggled with figuring out how many days had passed since the last chapter, which was important in helping to understand just how dire the victims situation really was.
The other disappointment for me was in the ending. The whole book was a build-up to the ultimate reveal and confrontation. I was looking forward to seeing how these 2 adversaries would spar as well as what new secrets would be revealed. But nothing...like a popped balloon it was over that quickly and left me feeling cheated and wanting more. There seemed too much of a disconnect that didn't seem relatable to me.
But, all-in-all I think this was a solid start to what could be a very promising series.
is already in queue and I'm hoping things only get better from here.
August 5, 2019
Wowza!
This psychological game brings a whole new meaning to EENY-You live. MEENY-They die.
What would you decide?
******
When I came to, my head was pounding. Blood coated my mouth. I wasn’t in the warm van anymore. I was in a cold, dark space. Was I dreaming? A noise behind me made me start. But it was only Sam stumbling to his feet.
We’d been robbed. Robbed and dumped. I scrambled forward, clawing at the walls that enclosed us. Cold, hard tiles. I crashed into Sam and for a brief moment held him, breathing in that smell I love so much. Then the moment passed and we realized the horror of our situation.
We were in a disused diving pool. Derelict, unloved, it had been stripped of the boards, signs and even the steps. Everything that could be salvaged had been. Leaving a deep smooth tank that was impossible to climb out of.
Was that evil shit listening to our screams? Probably. Because when we finally stopped, it happened. We heard a mobile phone ringing and for a brief, glorious moment thought it was someone coming to rescue us. But then we saw the phone’s face glowing on the pool floor beside us. Sam didn’t move, so I ran.
Why did it have to be me? Why does it always have to be me?
“Hello, Amy.”
The voice on the other end was distorted, inhuman. I wanted to beg for mercy, explain that they’d made a terrible mistake, but the fact that they knew my name seemed to rob me of all conviction. I said nothing, so the voice continued, relentless and dispassionate:
“Do you want to live?”
“Who are you? What have you done to u—?”
“Do you want to live?”
For a minute, I can’t reply. My tongue won’t move. But then:
“Yes.”
“On the floor by the phone you’ll find a gun. It has one bullet in it. For Sam or for yourself. That is the price of your freedom. You must kill to live. Do you want to live, Amy?”
I can’t speak. I want to vomit.
“Well, do you?”
And then the phone goes dead. Which is when Sam asks:
“What did they say?”
***
Sam is asleep beside me. I could do it now.
********
Wowza!!
Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge put an icy hand around my throat, freezing my breath and making my blood run cold. It's an exhilarating, terrifying, horrific, and absolutely unputdaownable psychological thriller!
The emotions the characters go through were masterfully crafted in a way that pulled my emotions along with the victims and investigators throughout the book. Sucked in, I was along for the ride with no way to stop the speeding psychological game!
The fear that turns to terror, the agonizing pain of trying to justify how and what you'll do to survive over another's fate. The crushing pain that the survivors have to live with. This is an intense, barbaric, horrific story, coupled with the the drive to find the person responsible for such a crime. Helen, Charlie, and the rest of her team feel the crushing blows as the case progress. of such barbaric crime, the disbelief, the confusion ,desperation,fury,to solve this case and get justice for the victims, survivors and the ones cruelly ripped from their lives their families. why the one carrying out such a lack of caring could do this to thier victims.
This moves at a breakneck speed.
This audiobook edition had me pinned to my chair, stiff with terror, a pounding heart, and adrenaline running rampant through my veins. This, this is how it's done! Completely riveting, unputdownable!
Narrator, Elizabeth Bower, brought the characters and the emotions to a whole new level, easily earning 5★'s!
It's books and audiobooks like this that feeds my desire, my addiction for reading!! I can not wait to continue reading/listening to this entire series! Brilliant!! Explosive and cruel. Helen is a no holds barred character. Charlie, Mark are original characters.
This set my nerves buzzing as the waves of adrenaline shot up, receided, then spiked again, over and over again! What a rush!
When narrator spoke the very last words I started listening to the next audiobook in this series, pop goes the weasle without pause!
And yes, I've already purchased audiobooks 3 and 4 in this series!!
⚠ Warning!
Start this at your own risk you're going to want to sit in a comfy chair with drinks and snacks at hand, then put a do not disturbe sign on the door until you've read the last page!
This psychological game brings a whole new meaning to EENY-You live. MEENY-They die.
What would you decide?
******
When I came to, my head was pounding. Blood coated my mouth. I wasn’t in the warm van anymore. I was in a cold, dark space. Was I dreaming? A noise behind me made me start. But it was only Sam stumbling to his feet.
We’d been robbed. Robbed and dumped. I scrambled forward, clawing at the walls that enclosed us. Cold, hard tiles. I crashed into Sam and for a brief moment held him, breathing in that smell I love so much. Then the moment passed and we realized the horror of our situation.
We were in a disused diving pool. Derelict, unloved, it had been stripped of the boards, signs and even the steps. Everything that could be salvaged had been. Leaving a deep smooth tank that was impossible to climb out of.
Was that evil shit listening to our screams? Probably. Because when we finally stopped, it happened. We heard a mobile phone ringing and for a brief, glorious moment thought it was someone coming to rescue us. But then we saw the phone’s face glowing on the pool floor beside us. Sam didn’t move, so I ran.
Why did it have to be me? Why does it always have to be me?
“Hello, Amy.”
The voice on the other end was distorted, inhuman. I wanted to beg for mercy, explain that they’d made a terrible mistake, but the fact that they knew my name seemed to rob me of all conviction. I said nothing, so the voice continued, relentless and dispassionate:
“Do you want to live?”
“Who are you? What have you done to u—?”
“Do you want to live?”
For a minute, I can’t reply. My tongue won’t move. But then:
“Yes.”
“On the floor by the phone you’ll find a gun. It has one bullet in it. For Sam or for yourself. That is the price of your freedom. You must kill to live. Do you want to live, Amy?”
I can’t speak. I want to vomit.
“Well, do you?”
And then the phone goes dead. Which is when Sam asks:
“What did they say?”
***
Sam is asleep beside me. I could do it now.
********
Wowza!!
Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge put an icy hand around my throat, freezing my breath and making my blood run cold. It's an exhilarating, terrifying, horrific, and absolutely unputdaownable psychological thriller!
The emotions the characters go through were masterfully crafted in a way that pulled my emotions along with the victims and investigators throughout the book. Sucked in, I was along for the ride with no way to stop the speeding psychological game!
The fear that turns to terror, the agonizing pain of trying to justify how and what you'll do to survive over another's fate. The crushing pain that the survivors have to live with. This is an intense, barbaric, horrific story, coupled with the the drive to find the person responsible for such a crime. Helen, Charlie, and the rest of her team feel the crushing blows as the case progress. of such barbaric crime, the disbelief, the confusion ,desperation,fury,to solve this case and get justice for the victims, survivors and the ones cruelly ripped from their lives their families. why the one carrying out such a lack of caring could do this to thier victims.
This moves at a breakneck speed.
This audiobook edition had me pinned to my chair, stiff with terror, a pounding heart, and adrenaline running rampant through my veins. This, this is how it's done! Completely riveting, unputdownable!
Narrator, Elizabeth Bower, brought the characters and the emotions to a whole new level, easily earning 5★'s!
It's books and audiobooks like this that feeds my desire, my addiction for reading!! I can not wait to continue reading/listening to this entire series! Brilliant!! Explosive and cruel. Helen is a no holds barred character. Charlie, Mark are original characters.
This set my nerves buzzing as the waves of adrenaline shot up, receided, then spiked again, over and over again! What a rush!
When narrator spoke the very last words I started listening to the next audiobook in this series, pop goes the weasle without pause!
And yes, I've already purchased audiobooks 3 and 4 in this series!!
⚠ Warning!
Start this at your own risk you're going to want to sit in a comfy chair with drinks and snacks at hand, then put a do not disturbe sign on the door until you've read the last page!
April 25, 2022
Eeny Meeny is an action-packed, dark and twisted story with a game so disturbing and more twisted than our main character, flawed and strong Detective Helen Grace and I have ever seen before. I raced against time along with Helen as she searched for the killer behind these games. I ignored life around me and turned the pages as fast as I could right to the end. Not stopping with this story I quickly grabbed the second book Pop Goes the Weasel and dived into as fast as I could. I highly recommend.
For all my reviews featuring M.J. Arlidge please check out our Travelling Sister Blog
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
For all my reviews featuring M.J. Arlidge please check out our Travelling Sister Blog
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
August 1, 2019
Ό,τι πρέπει για τις διακοπές του καλοκαιριού, αν δεν είστε από εκείνους τους περίεργους τύπους που φρικάρουν κάθε φορά που διαβάζουν για serial killers, ειδεχθή εγκλήματα και καταστάσεις απόλυτης φρίκης. Δεν αποτελεί δα και τομή στο είδος του (πότε ήταν η τελευταία φορά που συνέβη κάτι τέτοιο;), αλλά, τουλάχιστον, κρατά το ενδιαφέρον σου αμείωτο. Επιγραμματικά, ας πούμε ότι πέρασε τον πήχη, έστω κι αν ήταν τοποθετημένος χαμηλά (σε επίπεδο πανελληνίου πρωταθλήματος εφήβων - νεανίδων).
January 3, 2015
Reading this book reminded me why I don't usually read books like this. They reminded me that humans are so fucked up and life is so depressing.
But that said, it was a gripping book with quite a few unexpected twists up to the very end and it did live up to the premise. So, I do recommend it but now I'm going to watch cat videos on YouTube because I need something to cheer me up.
But that said, it was a gripping book with quite a few unexpected twists up to the very end and it did live up to the premise. So, I do recommend it but now I'm going to watch cat videos on YouTube because I need something to cheer me up.
December 23, 2020
This is a promising start to a popular series. DI Helen Grace is a fierce and dedicated detective with her own demons from her troubled past that she deals with in her own special way. She leads a good team of young detectives but they are all stumped up when they come up against a series of crimes involving the kidnapping of pairs of people, who are then confronted with a horrendous choice. All the victims are different and there seems to be no connection between them, so Helen is struggling to see how these crimes can be stopped.
The plot is dark and can make the reader wonder what they would do put in the same horrible situation as the victims. The perpetrator is not obvious, although we do hear the thoughts of a disturbed and damaged individual now and again throughout the novel, but their motives are not clear until they are confronted by Helen. An intriguing plot with an original main character who definitely deserves a second look in the next book in the series.
The plot is dark and can make the reader wonder what they would do put in the same horrible situation as the victims. The perpetrator is not obvious, although we do hear the thoughts of a disturbed and damaged individual now and again throughout the novel, but their motives are not clear until they are confronted by Helen. An intriguing plot with an original main character who definitely deserves a second look in the next book in the series.
November 24, 2014
I have been bumping up this book to read for ages. Finally I got to read it. I would like to thank GOODREADS first reads for my copy.
This was a cleverly written thriller. It starts off very good, nothing like a book I have ever read before anyway, kept my brain ticking over.
I can now see what all the hype is about this book by M J Arlidge as sometimes when things are hyped up you get excited and expect more than it can deliver, right? In this case, its a true hype, it is what it is.
Very clever, and I am glad I have got around to finally reading this.
There are police procedures in there that are done so well, its not yawn yawn material and then the ending....well.....the ending, I didn't expect that!
Great work.
This was a cleverly written thriller. It starts off very good, nothing like a book I have ever read before anyway, kept my brain ticking over.
I can now see what all the hype is about this book by M J Arlidge as sometimes when things are hyped up you get excited and expect more than it can deliver, right? In this case, its a true hype, it is what it is.
Very clever, and I am glad I have got around to finally reading this.
There are police procedures in there that are done so well, its not yawn yawn material and then the ending....well.....the ending, I didn't expect that!
Great work.
September 25, 2019
Great read, but the author got carried away a little bit in the last few chapters.
April 9, 2014
Kind of disappointing. Loved it to start with - the premise is intriguing and the characters are terrific. Helen Grace is fascinating.
Then the structure started to bother me. Short chapters are fine, especially when you basically have a chapter for each POV switch. But then multiple POVs and different scenes started appearing in a single chapter, which made the chapter breaks feel kind of arbitrary.
Some crime books introduce the reader to cast of characters and offer them the chance to figure our "whodunnit". Some crime books take a more realistic approach and put you in the shoes of the police, identifying and then hunting down a perpetrator previously unknown to them. No spoilers, but this book can't really seem to make up its mind which it is, which I found unsatisfying.
In the end, it all gets wrapped up rather quickly. The final act of the book in particular feeling disjointed and rushed. Maybe the editor directed the author to tighten it up?
Wish I could give a half star, because it wasn't THAT bad . . . I won't be recommending this book to anyone, but I'll also be checking out this author's other works with interest.
With thanks to the publisher for an electronic ARC.
Then the structure started to bother me. Short chapters are fine, especially when you basically have a chapter for each POV switch. But then multiple POVs and different scenes started appearing in a single chapter, which made the chapter breaks feel kind of arbitrary.
Some crime books introduce the reader to cast of characters and offer them the chance to figure our "whodunnit". Some crime books take a more realistic approach and put you in the shoes of the police, identifying and then hunting down a perpetrator previously unknown to them. No spoilers, but this book can't really seem to make up its mind which it is, which I found unsatisfying.
In the end, it all gets wrapped up rather quickly. The final act of the book in particular feeling disjointed and rushed. Maybe the editor directed the author to tighten it up?
Wish I could give a half star, because it wasn't THAT bad . . . I won't be recommending this book to anyone, but I'll also be checking out this author's other works with interest.
With thanks to the publisher for an electronic ARC.
March 12, 2017
The first in a multiple part series featuring detective inspector Helen Grace; this is a promising debut with all that good cop thrillers are known for. The author delivers what the synopsis suggests - and more.
The story is well paced and the chapters are kept short to ensure the readers attention is held throughout. Although this was quite different to the usual style of thriller I read, I enjoyed it nonetheless and felt Helen's character was well developed. As ever, it's pleasing to read a thriller with a strong female protagonist.
Although there are multiple characters to keep track of, the authors writing is well thought out enough to make it easy for the reader to decipher. There are a few red herrings as one might expect of this genre, and the mystery element of the story keeps you guessing until the big reveal. The ending is both satisfying and frustrating at the same time, which of course entices the reader to read the next instalment of the Helen Grace series - which I fully intend on doing.
A challenging, thought provoking read ideal for fans of murder mystery.
The story is well paced and the chapters are kept short to ensure the readers attention is held throughout. Although this was quite different to the usual style of thriller I read, I enjoyed it nonetheless and felt Helen's character was well developed. As ever, it's pleasing to read a thriller with a strong female protagonist.
Although there are multiple characters to keep track of, the authors writing is well thought out enough to make it easy for the reader to decipher. There are a few red herrings as one might expect of this genre, and the mystery element of the story keeps you guessing until the big reveal. The ending is both satisfying and frustrating at the same time, which of course entices the reader to read the next instalment of the Helen Grace series - which I fully intend on doing.
A challenging, thought provoking read ideal for fans of murder mystery.
October 4, 2019
Book 1 in the Helen Grace series.
What a great read this turned out to be. From the first page it grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go until the very end. What we have is a killer plot with lots of head scratching and lots of tension.
Lots of police procedural come with flawed characters but this police station is almost dysfunctional. There is a character that needs a bit of S&M to feel normal. Then there’s the obligatory alcoholic and last but not least there’s the one who is leaking secret information to the outside world.
As the story unfolds we get an understanding of what lies behind the S&M and the alcoholism. The secret leaking is just down to old fashioned greed.
Someone is abducting couples, locking them in empty rooms with no food or water. They are given a gun and told if they want to get out of this alive one of them will have to kill the other. On the death of one of the abductees the survivor is released back into the outside world. Once released the survivor soon discovers that being the survivor is worse that not surviving.
This is no slow burner the tension is there right from the get go.
Before the WTF end, heads will roll, trust will be eroded, fingers will be pointed and friendships will need to be strong if they are to survive.
This was almost a 5 star read but in the end I opted for 4.5 rounded down to 4 stars.
What a great read this turned out to be. From the first page it grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go until the very end. What we have is a killer plot with lots of head scratching and lots of tension.
Lots of police procedural come with flawed characters but this police station is almost dysfunctional. There is a character that needs a bit of S&M to feel normal. Then there’s the obligatory alcoholic and last but not least there’s the one who is leaking secret information to the outside world.
As the story unfolds we get an understanding of what lies behind the S&M and the alcoholism. The secret leaking is just down to old fashioned greed.
Someone is abducting couples, locking them in empty rooms with no food or water. They are given a gun and told if they want to get out of this alive one of them will have to kill the other. On the death of one of the abductees the survivor is released back into the outside world. Once released the survivor soon discovers that being the survivor is worse that not surviving.
This is no slow burner the tension is there right from the get go.
Before the WTF end, heads will roll, trust will be eroded, fingers will be pointed and friendships will need to be strong if they are to survive.
This was almost a 5 star read but in the end I opted for 4.5 rounded down to 4 stars.
April 14, 2016
Two people are kidnapped, locked in a room with a gun and only one of them will walk out alive. Detective Helen Grace must find out who the kidnapper is, but as more people get kidnapped the hunt becomes more and more intense as the police try to figure out what links the kidnappings together...
I usually find no problems with reading books out of order nowadays. But, in this case, I kind of regret that I read Pop Goes the Weasel before I read Eeny Meeny. Why? Because a bit of the enjoyment of reading this book is gone because I knew who the person is who is behind the kidnappings. Don't get me wrong, the book was great, but I knew what would happen at the end of the book and that's just a takes away some of the thrills of the ending when everything is revealed. Despite that, I enjoyed reading about the hunt for the kidnapper.
I'm glad I read this because now I understand Helen and Charlies strained relationship in the sequel. I also look forward to reading more books in this series since it has become a favorite of mine.
I usually find no problems with reading books out of order nowadays. But, in this case, I kind of regret that I read Pop Goes the Weasel before I read Eeny Meeny. Why? Because a bit of the enjoyment of reading this book is gone because I knew who the person is who is behind the kidnappings. Don't get me wrong, the book was great, but I knew what would happen at the end of the book and that's just a takes away some of the thrills of the ending when everything is revealed. Despite that, I enjoyed reading about the hunt for the kidnapper.
I'm glad I read this because now I understand Helen and Charlies strained relationship in the sequel. I also look forward to reading more books in this series since it has become a favorite of mine.
June 3, 2020
So what is Eeny Meeny about? This novel is a classic cop vs. serial killer story; in this case, Detective Helen Grace vs. an anonymous serial killer. Is a story almost entirely devoid of character development, but this only bothered me for the first couple chapters: it quickly becomes clear that this book isn’t meant to be a character study.
So what exactly makes Eeny Meeny great? A strong female lead, a story unburdened by unnecessary details, a satisfyingly twisted villain, short chapters that keep you turning the pages as quickly as you can… these are just a few of the things I loved about this book. Mainly, this book is fun. (As much as a book about a serial killer can be.) Bring it with you on your next vacation, and you’ll fly through it before you arrive at your destination. It will leave you wanting more, and it will keep you hooked. At the end of the day, that’s what makes a great thriller.
This book really had some great twist and turns and I was pretty socked to learn who the killer was and why. There was some shocking stuff that happened at the end as well and things were a little sad. There was also some strange things going on with Helen Grace too as she really has some problems. Overall though I like Helen Grace and I can’t wait to see how her character evolves with each book.
So what exactly makes Eeny Meeny great? A strong female lead, a story unburdened by unnecessary details, a satisfyingly twisted villain, short chapters that keep you turning the pages as quickly as you can… these are just a few of the things I loved about this book. Mainly, this book is fun. (As much as a book about a serial killer can be.) Bring it with you on your next vacation, and you’ll fly through it before you arrive at your destination. It will leave you wanting more, and it will keep you hooked. At the end of the day, that’s what makes a great thriller.
This book really had some great twist and turns and I was pretty socked to learn who the killer was and why. There was some shocking stuff that happened at the end as well and things were a little sad. There was also some strange things going on with Helen Grace too as she really has some problems. Overall though I like Helen Grace and I can’t wait to see how her character evolves with each book.
October 4, 2014
2.5 stars.
This was an interesting one for me, can't say I've read a book like this before. But that's ok, as it's not my usual genre. Two people picked by a crazy perpetrator, one will live and one will die. Detective Inspector Helen Grace is at the fore, trying to solve this crime that seems to be turning into a serial killing. She's a hard woman and we get to know that her life has been terrible as a youngster. She isn't the most likeable character but I didn't have a problem with this as there's obvious reasons for it. The writing style was fine, the twists and turns were making me really want to finish, but in the end I did work out the main part, and I don't normally. This was a bit of fun, I don't really know how to describe it. I did want to keep reading, mostly to find out what was to become of the whole sordid affair. I loved the characters Charlie and Mark. Lovers of thrillers who don't mind some descriptive violence would probably enjoy this, I enjoyed the psychological aspect more.
This was an interesting one for me, can't say I've read a book like this before. But that's ok, as it's not my usual genre. Two people picked by a crazy perpetrator, one will live and one will die. Detective Inspector Helen Grace is at the fore, trying to solve this crime that seems to be turning into a serial killing. She's a hard woman and we get to know that her life has been terrible as a youngster. She isn't the most likeable character but I didn't have a problem with this as there's obvious reasons for it. The writing style was fine, the twists and turns were making me really want to finish, but in the end I did work out the main part, and I don't normally. This was a bit of fun, I don't really know how to describe it. I did want to keep reading, mostly to find out what was to become of the whole sordid affair. I loved the characters Charlie and Mark. Lovers of thrillers who don't mind some descriptive violence would probably enjoy this, I enjoyed the psychological aspect more.
May 31, 2016
Η γενική ιδέα της ιστορίας είναι πολύ καλή, ενδιαφέρουσα και δυνατή. Επίσης η πλοκή ξετυλίγεται και αυτή με ενδιαφέροντα τρόπο. Τα κεφάλαια είναι μικρά κ ακολουθούν εναλλάξ την οπτική γωνία των θυμάτων, του απαγωγέα και της επιθεωρήτριας που έχει αναλάβει την υπόθεση, έτσι έχουμε μια σφαιρική ματιά.
Αυτό που με ενόχλησε είναι ότι δεν είναι 100% αληθοφανές.
Το αστυνομικό τμήμα μοιάζει να διοικείται από παιδάκια. Ας το αναλύσω λίγο.
Αφήνουν ελεύθερο έναν δολοφόνο πριν ελέγξουν αν τα στοιχειά ταιριάζουν με τα λεγόμενα του. Βλέπουμε να τον αφήνουν κ μετά καπάκια να φτάνουν στο γραφείο του ιατροδικαστή και να τσεκάρουν. Δικαιολογία συγγραφέα: Δεν υπάρχει. Γιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
Επίσης, έχουμε το θύμα το οποίο έχει αναγκαστεί να σκοτώσει ένα άλλο θύμα αφού έχει περάσει 2 εβδομάδες σε άθλιες συνθήκες -κ φαντάζομαι καταλαβαίνετε ότι προφανέστατα θα βγάλει ψυχολογικά θέματα οπότε προφανέστατα οι δικοί του άνθρωποι επιβάλλεται να είναι ενήμεροι- , κ ρωτάει η μητέρα του, «τι συνέβη στο παιδί μου;» απάντηση της αστυνομίας, «καλύτερα να σας τα πει όταν νιώσει έτοιμη.» Ε; Μιλάμε για απαγωγή και φόνο!!!! Τι όταν είναι έτοιμη;;;; Τι το ψάχνω; Γιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
Εν τω μεταξύ τι δηλώνουν στους δημοσιογράφους;;; Για κάποιο λόγο οι δημοσιογράφοι γνωρίζουν ότι τα θύματα έχουν σκοτώσει τα θύματα! Αυτό το ανακοινώνουν!!! Αλλά δεν ανακοινώνουν τους λόγους, δηλαδή ότι εξαναγκάστηκαν! Δηλαδή τα θύματα στιγματίζονται ως δολοφόνοι, αλλά για ποιο λόγο; Πως μας το δικαιολογεί ο συγγραφέας; Δεν μας το δικαιολογεί! Γιατί ΕΤΣΙ θέλει!!!
Το άλλο; Τα θύματα είναι χωρίς τροφή και νερό μέχρι να σκοτώσουν, υποφέρουν από έντονη αφυδάτωση και πολλαπλά προβλήματα στα όργανα, αλλά πότε τους παράσχουν πρώτες βοήθειες; Οοοοοχι αγάπη μου, πρώτα θα περάσεις μια τραμπουκική ανάκριση από την αμαζόνα Ελεν στο αστυνομικό τμήμα κ μετά θα φωνάξει τον γιατρό να σε τσεκάρει! Ναι γιατρό, όχι νοσοκομεία και περιττές μπούρδες (αν και το πρώτο θύμα το πήγαν στο νοσοκομείο. Δόξα τον Θεό και την αμαζόνα Ελεν!!). Είμαστε Σπαρτιάτες κ όποιος δεν την παλεύει στον Καιάδα, ��ιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
Υποπτεύονται διαρροή από μέσα και η αμαζόνα τι κάνει; Κατηγορεί 3 διαφορετικούς συναδέλφους! Εσύ το έκανες! Τι δεν το έκανες εσύ; Τότε εεεσύ το έκανες!!! Μπαίνεις σε διαθεσιμότητα σου καταστρέφω την ζωή κ.λ.π. Τι δεν το έκανες εσύ; Τότεεεε αυτός το έκανε!!! Επαγγελματισμός στα ύψη!!!
Ναι θα μου πείτε δεν είναι και τόσο καινούρια όλα αυτά. Πιθανότατα στη ΕΛ.ΑΣ. κάπως έτσι θα εξελίσσονταν τα γεγονότα αλλά για Λονδίνο δεν με πείθει. Ναι κ βάζω χαμηλή σχετικά βαθμολογία για χαζολεπτομέρειες γιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
Αυτό που με ενόχλησε είναι ότι δεν είναι 100% αληθοφανές.
Το αστυνομικό τμήμα μοιάζει να διοικείται από παιδάκια. Ας το αναλύσω λίγο.
Αφήνουν ελεύθερο έναν δολοφόνο πριν ελέγξουν αν τα στοιχειά ταιριάζουν με τα λεγόμενα του. Βλέπουμε να τον αφήνουν κ μετά καπάκια να φτάνουν στο γραφείο του ιατροδικαστή και να τσεκάρουν. Δικαιολογία συγγραφέα: Δεν υπάρχει. Γιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
Επίσης, έχουμε το θύμα το οποίο έχει αναγκαστεί να σκοτώσει ένα άλλο θύμα αφού έχει περάσει 2 εβδομάδες σε άθλιες συνθήκες -κ φαντάζομαι καταλαβαίνετε ότι προφανέστατα θα βγάλει ψυχολογικά θέματα οπότε προφανέστατα οι δικοί του άνθρωποι επιβάλλεται να είναι ενήμεροι- , κ ρωτάει η μητέρα του, «τι συνέβη στο παιδί μου;» απάντηση της αστυνομίας, «καλύτερα να σας τα πει όταν νιώσει έτοιμη.» Ε; Μιλάμε για απαγωγή και φόνο!!!! Τι όταν είναι έτοιμη;;;; Τι το ψάχνω; Γιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
Εν τω μεταξύ τι δηλώνουν στους δημοσιογράφους;;; Για κάποιο λόγο οι δημοσιογράφοι γνωρίζουν ότι τα θύματα έχουν σκοτώσει τα θύματα! Αυτό το ανακοινώνουν!!! Αλλά δεν ανακοινώνουν τους λόγους, δηλαδή ότι εξαναγκάστηκαν! Δηλαδή τα θύματα στιγματίζονται ως δολοφόνοι, αλλά για ποιο λόγο; Πως μας το δικαιολογεί ο συγγραφέας; Δεν μας το δικαιολογεί! Γιατί ΕΤΣΙ θέλει!!!
Το άλλο; Τα θύματα είναι χωρίς τροφή και νερό μέχρι να σκοτώσουν, υποφέρουν από έντονη αφυδάτωση και πολλαπλά προβλήματα στα όργανα, αλλά πότε τους παράσχουν πρώτες βοήθειες; Οοοοοχι αγάπη μου, πρώτα θα περάσεις μια τραμπουκική ανάκριση από την αμαζόνα Ελεν στο αστυνομικό τμήμα κ μετά θα φωνάξει τον γιατρό να σε τσεκάρει! Ναι γιατρό, όχι νοσοκομεία και περιττές μπούρδες (αν και το πρώτο θύμα το πήγαν στο νοσοκομείο. Δόξα τον Θεό και την αμαζόνα Ελεν!!). Είμαστε Σπαρτιάτες κ όποιος δεν την παλεύει στον Καιάδα, ��ιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
Υποπτεύονται διαρροή από μέσα και η αμαζόνα τι κάνει; Κατηγορεί 3 διαφορετικούς συναδέλφους! Εσύ το έκανες! Τι δεν το έκανες εσύ; Τότε εεεσύ το έκανες!!! Μπαίνεις σε διαθεσιμότητα σου καταστρέφω την ζωή κ.λ.π. Τι δεν το έκανες εσύ; Τότεεεε αυτός το έκανε!!! Επαγγελματισμός στα ύψη!!!
Ναι θα μου πείτε δεν είναι και τόσο καινούρια όλα αυτά. Πιθανότατα στη ΕΛ.ΑΣ. κάπως έτσι θα εξελίσσονταν τα γεγονότα αλλά για Λονδίνο δεν με πείθει. Ναι κ βάζω χαμηλή σχετικά βαθμολογία για χαζολεπτομέρειες γιατί ΕΤΣΙ!
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