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The Doll's House
(Helen Grace #3)
by
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive f ...more
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive f ...more
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M.J. Arlidge is a master at amping up the suspense to pulse-pounding, anxiety-inducing levels. The short chapters, many of which culminate in shocking revelations, drive that frantic page-turning pace I can’t seem to get enough of. If I haven’t said this a hundred times already, I love short chapters.
Detective Helen Grace is an enigma. Three books in and I still can’t say that I definitively know who she is at her core or what's behind that tough exterior. The author sort of strings the reader a ...more
Detective Helen Grace is an enigma. Three books in and I still can’t say that I definitively know who she is at her core or what's behind that tough exterior. The author sort of strings the reader a ...more
Book 3 of the Helen Grace series. This one takes place nearly a year after the end of book 2, Pop Goes the Weasel. Helen’s team of detectives seems to be in a constant state of change. With a divided team, the unit is struggling to solve a missing person case. They quickly realize this latest missing woman may be tied to the investigation of two other women found buried on the beach.
This book has a slightly different feel from the two previous in the series. With less focus on Helen herself, mor ...more
This book has a slightly different feel from the two previous in the series. With less focus on Helen herself, mor ...more
4 Stars.
So Good! I just can't get enough of Helen Grace!
A woman’s body is discovered buried on the beach. Her family never knew she was missing. Even though they were no longer close, they kept track of her through the regular tweets that she posted on Twitter. Eerie right? Sends shivers down my spine for sure.
Meanwhile Ruby Sprackling wakes up somewhere unfamiliar. In a cold dark room. With no windows or lights. And she has no idea how she got there. And then she meets him, her captor. He is ca ...more
So Good! I just can't get enough of Helen Grace!
A woman’s body is discovered buried on the beach. Her family never knew she was missing. Even though they were no longer close, they kept track of her through the regular tweets that she posted on Twitter. Eerie right? Sends shivers down my spine for sure.
Meanwhile Ruby Sprackling wakes up somewhere unfamiliar. In a cold dark room. With no windows or lights. And she has no idea how she got there. And then she meets him, her captor. He is ca ...more
Arlidge returns to offer readers another look into the world of psychological criminals and the ever-evolving life of DI Helen Grace. Set ten months after the harrowing end to the previous novel, everyone is still abuzz that Grace has nabbed two significant serial killers. When the body of a young woman is discovered buried in the sand at a semi-secluded beach, Grace wonders if there is another killer on the loose, but has little context. Authorities are baffled, especially when they discover th
...more
Jan 22, 2015
Maxine (Booklover Catlady)
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Crime & Serial Killer Fans
Shelves:
crime-books-read,
could-not-put-down
Woo hoo! I was so excited to get my paws on book three in the Helen Grace series, she is one of my most liked female Detectives in the world of crime fiction. She did not let me down in this one either.
I rated the first book 4 stars, the second book 5 stars and this one gets 4.5 stars. This one only dropped half a star as I felt it lacked some of the thrills and pace that the last book did, I wanted a bit more grunt and terror (sick I know).
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no ...more
I rated the first book 4 stars, the second book 5 stars and this one gets 4.5 stars. This one only dropped half a star as I felt it lacked some of the thrills and pace that the last book did, I wanted a bit more grunt and terror (sick I know).
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no ...more
Much better than Pop Goes the Weasel #2. Helen Grace has the interfering journalist now under her thumb and she is doing well at dealing with all the individual egos at the Police Station. Gosh there are a lot of them! Everyone appears to be jealous of their role and prepared to do underhand and even illegal things to promote themselves.
Helen meanwhile gets on with the job and finds herself up against another serial killer. With the help of her team and lots of good old fashioned police work she ...more
Helen meanwhile gets on with the job and finds herself up against another serial killer. With the help of her team and lots of good old fashioned police work she ...more
Jun 02, 2019
Matthew
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Matthew by:
Andrea
Third time is the charm! I am really finally starting to get into the Helen Grace series. The first two were okay, and I have mainly stuck with them because my wife enjoyed them. With The Doll's House, she may have converted me!
This book did a great job of combining a creepy new mystery along with some of the ongoing storyline. If you have not read the first two books, the ongoing storyline stuff may be a bit confusing. Heck, even having read the first two books, I had to ask my wife for some re ...more
This book did a great job of combining a creepy new mystery along with some of the ongoing storyline. If you have not read the first two books, the ongoing storyline stuff may be a bit confusing. Heck, even having read the first two books, I had to ask my wife for some re ...more
Kaceey and I were lost in the dark, cold and damp musty coulee with Susanne joining us in reading The Dolls House.
The Dolls House is a disturbing, terrifying and chilling story that takes us into the mind of an abducted woman as she struggles with what she had to endure while being held captive. We found ourselves at the edge of the coulee cheering Helen on as she follows the trail to understanding the killer's motivation here in this story.
Somethings have shifted here within the team we love ...more
The Dolls House is a disturbing, terrifying and chilling story that takes us into the mind of an abducted woman as she struggles with what she had to endure while being held captive. We found ourselves at the edge of the coulee cheering Helen on as she follows the trail to understanding the killer's motivation here in this story.
Somethings have shifted here within the team we love ...more
I’m giving this book 4 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
House of Dolls was a very unexpected thriller for me , actually to be honest was my first ever thriller and I’m so happy with my choice .
I fell in love with the characters and their bravery what I can say is I’ll definitely read more Helen Grace series .
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
House of Dolls was a very unexpected thriller for me , actually to be honest was my first ever thriller and I’m so happy with my choice .
I fell in love with the characters and their bravery what I can say is I’ll definitely read more Helen Grace series .
The Doll’s House by M.J. Arlidge is a 2015 Penguin publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Ruby knew in her heart that she would go on suffering until the bitter end. There would be no escape for her, and this place- this strange doll’s house- would be her tomb.”
The Doll’s House is another solid addition in the Helen Grace series. While Helen finds herself searching for yet another serial killer, a case every bit as atmos ...more
“Ruby knew in her heart that she would go on suffering until the bitter end. There would be no escape for her, and this place- this strange doll’s house- would be her tomb.”
The Doll’s House is another solid addition in the Helen Grace series. While Helen finds herself searching for yet another serial killer, a case every bit as atmos ...more
I've now read the first three of the Helen Grace books. I must say my feelings are a mixed bag. I wasn't overly thrilled with this book. The plot involving the abduction of the girls was nothing new, the subplot with the jealous supervisor was cliche, and again Helen is the hero of the day. Like the previous books, chapters are short and quick. I began to feel like I could read the last sentence and get the gist of the whole chapter. I may pick up Book #4 at some point, but I'm in no hurry.
...more
Another brilliant book from this author so far loved all three books.a great serial killer book.helen grace and a new team,a body found on the beach.a girl taken and connected old cases.hooked from the start looking forward to the next read.highly recommend to crime lovers.
Thrilling and Addictive! The Detective Helen Grace series checks all my 'favorite' boxes!!
Ruby regretted her session at Revolution last night. Angry with life, she had been in a self-destructive mood, unable or unwilling to turn down the free drinks offered by hopeful lads. There had been pills and cocaine too—the whole thing had been a blur. But had she really drunk so much, taken so much, that she should feel this bad?
She turned over again, burying her throbbing head in the sheets. She had im ...more
Ruby regretted her session at Revolution last night. Angry with life, she had been in a self-destructive mood, unable or unwilling to turn down the free drinks offered by hopeful lads. There had been pills and cocaine too—the whole thing had been a blur. But had she really drunk so much, taken so much, that she should feel this bad?
She turned over again, burying her throbbing head in the sheets. She had im ...more
Another great thriller by M.J.Arlidge!!!
Fast-paced and full of cliffhangers this book was impossible to put down. I kept reading and reading hyperventilating as the mystery unraveled. This is the 3rd book in Helen Grace series. I haven't read the first 2 because I was told they weren't as good as this one. It didn't affect my reading even though there are a few major spoilers (such as the killers names from the first 2 cases). Our story begins with a girl waking up with a terrible hangover gradu ...more
Fast-paced and full of cliffhangers this book was impossible to put down. I kept reading and reading hyperventilating as the mystery unraveled. This is the 3rd book in Helen Grace series. I haven't read the first 2 because I was told they weren't as good as this one. It didn't affect my reading even though there are a few major spoilers (such as the killers names from the first 2 cases). Our story begins with a girl waking up with a terrible hangover gradu ...more
After reading the other books in this series I was so looking forward to getting my hands on this one so I was overjoyed to read it.
Its intense, its mysterious, it captures your interest from the start to finish. The reason I have dropped a star is that it didn't give me that heart thumping moments that the other books did. Don't get me wrong, it was ace, it was fab, but there was just something I felt was missing in the pace of the plot.
This author is on my top list of authors that I eagerly aw ...more
"The Doll's House", is the third book featuring Southampton detective Helen Grace. I would recommend that you read these books in sequence ~ Eeny Meeny ~ Pop Goes The Weasel ~The Doll's House ~ Liar Liar (out September 2015). The Doll's House is an action-packed read, a crime thriller with a strong focus on police investigation.
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, cold and alone, with no recollection of how she got there. She fears for her life.
“She realized now that she was his toy. ...more
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, cold and alone, with no recollection of how she got there. She fears for her life.
“She realized now that she was his toy. ...more
The 3rd book in the Helen Grace series by M.J.Arlidge. I had this series recommended to me by my Goodread friend Sue and loved the first book 'Eeny Meeny' and have very quickly read the other two books. I thought this book was the best yet, maybe due to been more familiar with the main characters but it had a good fast plot and lots of action. Like a lot of novels there are two story lines going on but everything eventually makes good sense after a lot of twists and complications. If you are alr
...more
Fourth in this series, this one does well as a stand-alone, although I would highly recommend starting with the first book. Detective Helen Grace does have a history ...one you don't want to miss out on.
Detective Grace and her team are chasing yet another serial killer.
Young women with long dark hair and baby blue eyes are being abducted. When their bodies are finally found, the medical examiner determines that they starved to death. They also all sport the same bluebird tattoo .. something the ...more
Detective Grace and her team are chasing yet another serial killer.
Young women with long dark hair and baby blue eyes are being abducted. When their bodies are finally found, the medical examiner determines that they starved to death. They also all sport the same bluebird tattoo .. something the ...more
Apr 27, 2016
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice*
rated it
liked it
I am swimming against the tide on this book, as I did with the previous book I read by the same author.
Ruby wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. As she explores her place of captivity she finds a cache of letters from previous captives.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone h ...more
Ruby wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. As she explores her place of captivity she finds a cache of letters from previous captives.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone h ...more
“If I want to get out of here, I have to be the one to save myself.”
----Cheryl Rainfield
M.J. Arlidge, the bestselling English author, has penned an engrossing and chilling thriller in his DI Helen Grace series, The Doll's Housethat is the third book in the series. This story opens with a young woman's abduction in a cold cellar with a cold captor, whereas on the other hand, one body of a young woman who looks very similar to the abducted girl has been discovered and the infamous detective Hel ...more
----Cheryl Rainfield
M.J. Arlidge, the bestselling English author, has penned an engrossing and chilling thriller in his DI Helen Grace series, The Doll's Housethat is the third book in the series. This story opens with a young woman's abduction in a cold cellar with a cold captor, whereas on the other hand, one body of a young woman who looks very similar to the abducted girl has been discovered and the infamous detective Hel ...more
I have just finished The Dolls House by M J Arlidge & this was a little bit different to the first two books which I really enjoyed this one was more on Helens team development which I enjoyed although I would have loved more dynamics between Helen's character & her team, I did thoroughly enjoy this as it was a page turner, the short chapters helped with the plot.
Ruby was held in a cellar it was cold & dark & was being held captive by an unknown mad man she had asthma & was struggling to breath, ...more
Ruby was held in a cellar it was cold & dark & was being held captive by an unknown mad man she had asthma & was struggling to breath, ...more
A real page Turner. Very enjoyable. The ending was a little unimaginative and unbelievable however. It made me wonder how much research M.J. Arlidge had done regarding house fires.
Dec 02, 2015
Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-2016
I've discovered a passion for audiobooks this summer thanks to long working hours. The Doll's House was one that made the hours a bit more bearable.
The Doll's House is book 3 in the Helen Grace series and this time, Helen has to find a kidnapped girl and fight a battle with her boss that has taken a dislike to her and will try to get her off the team no matter what. What so special this case is that the kidnapper has done this before, taken a girl and then pretended through tweets and text mess ...more
The Doll's House is book 3 in the Helen Grace series and this time, Helen has to find a kidnapped girl and fight a battle with her boss that has taken a dislike to her and will try to get her off the team no matter what. What so special this case is that the kidnapper has done this before, taken a girl and then pretended through tweets and text mess ...more
While still a huge fan of this author as well as this series, I have to admit that this was not my favorite read.
It reads quick and easy, (I read this in under a day) with short chapters of no more than 5 pages each. As with the other books, there is a main plot with several sub plots taking place at the same time. Usually this works for me, but not this time. With the introduction of so many new characters, the main protag Dectective Helen Grace ended up getting lost in the shadows, and I foun ...more
It reads quick and easy, (I read this in under a day) with short chapters of no more than 5 pages each. As with the other books, there is a main plot with several sub plots taking place at the same time. Usually this works for me, but not this time. With the introduction of so many new characters, the main protag Dectective Helen Grace ended up getting lost in the shadows, and I foun ...more
5 Stars
HOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY!!
I can now say without a shadow of doubt that this is my new favourite detective series. Helen Grace is back and this time she's got some strong supporters in DC Joanne Sanderson and my favourite DC Charlene ‘Charlie’ Brooks. First of all, girl love!! After being a lone wolf for so long and having quite the rocky friendship with Charlie at the beginning of this series Helen has gotten this little girl gang of supportive women that have her back. I ...more
HOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLY!!
I can now say without a shadow of doubt that this is my new favourite detective series. Helen Grace is back and this time she's got some strong supporters in DC Joanne Sanderson and my favourite DC Charlene ‘Charlie’ Brooks. First of all, girl love!! After being a lone wolf for so long and having quite the rocky friendship with Charlie at the beginning of this series Helen has gotten this little girl gang of supportive women that have her back. I ...more
On I went straight to book three and whilst not as good as Pop Goes The Weasel, still a really good read.
A young woman wakes up. Initially uncertain of where she is - till she realises that she's all alone in a cellar that is cold, dark and fearful. Why is she there, how did she get there? Realisation dawns when her kidnapper makes an appearance before her and she can see the room has been set up like a proper room with dilapidated furniture and fake objects trying to mimic what's real in a thor ...more
A young woman wakes up. Initially uncertain of where she is - till she realises that she's all alone in a cellar that is cold, dark and fearful. Why is she there, how did she get there? Realisation dawns when her kidnapper makes an appearance before her and she can see the room has been set up like a proper room with dilapidated furniture and fake objects trying to mimic what's real in a thor ...more
Jan 25, 2017
Ammar
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crimes-mystery,
read-in-2017
Very good another really well written novel in the Helen Grace series.
Off to the next one. Better review in a day or so.
Off to the next one. Better review in a day or so.
This is a nice fast paced series about Helen Grace and her team trying to solve mysteries and murders. I love the fact that the books are not stand alones, but the story continues only with different cases. I do think the other two books before this one were better, I'll explain to you why.
This review was first posted on BiteIntoBooks Blog
Pros
Fast paced: The standards for a fast paced book in this series are high. You have short chapters and a lot of action and some great cliffhangers in this bo ...more
This review was first posted on BiteIntoBooks Blog
Pros
Fast paced: The standards for a fast paced book in this series are high. You have short chapters and a lot of action and some great cliffhangers in this bo ...more
I became a fan of the Helen Grace series and its lovely dark detective, from 'Eeny Meeny'. It is great to be able to get my hands on the latest one and see the return of Helen.
The story takes us into the world of a captive and simultaneously we see the investigation into the death of a woman found buried on a beach. We follow a young woman waking up in a cellar. She is cold and alone. Slowly she realises that she has been taken from her life by a madman and she fears for her life. A body is foun ...more
The story takes us into the world of a captive and simultaneously we see the investigation into the death of a woman found buried on a beach. We follow a young woman waking up in a cellar. She is cold and alone. Slowly she realises that she has been taken from her life by a madman and she fears for her life. A body is foun ...more
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and was looking forward to the third instalment. As ever, a crime thriller with a strong female protagonist is a rare find so I continue to enjoy Helen Graces' character.
I found this instalment a little tiresome if I'm absolutely honest. It started off well but the ongoing saga of Ruby and her desperate attempts to stay sane and escape her captor were not as thrilling as I would have liked. The tension between Helen and an old workplace nemesi ...more
I found this instalment a little tiresome if I'm absolutely honest. It started off well but the ongoing saga of Ruby and her desperate attempts to stay sane and escape her captor were not as thrilling as I would have liked. The tension between Helen and an old workplace nemesi ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Grace Thrillers | 3 | 24 | Apr 15, 2018 06:18PM | |
| Books Ever After: Pluk een roos - Extra vervolg thriller/Detective mei 2017 | 64 | 61 | May 31, 2017 11:58PM | |
| 2015 Reading Chal...: The Doll's House by M.J. Arlidge | 1 | 25 | Feb 17, 2015 02:13PM |
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“The ties that bind a parent to a child can never be broken; however awful their relationship might be, those ties just are.”
—
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“Sanderson suppressed a smile. She loved watching Helen when she had her game face on. Because she was tall, athletic and pretty, people thought she would be genial and pleasant – and often she was. But there was a steel within Helen and an unwavering focus that unnerved people under interrogation. They could find no way to distract her, no purchase of any kind with which to drag the interrogation to areas where they felt more secure. She looked at you with such intensity and such purpose – Sanderson had seen many a criminal give up the ghost before they had even begun.”
—
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