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D.I. Callanach #2
Perfect Prey
In the midst of a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach. He dies minutes later. In a crowd of thousands, no one saw his attacker. The following week, the body of a primary school teacher is found in a dumpster in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf.
DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads - until around the city, graffitied on buildings, words appear describing each victim.
It’s only when they realise the words are appearing before rather than after the murders, that they understand the killer is announcing his next victim ... and the more innocent the better.
DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads - until around the city, graffitied on buildings, words appear describing each victim.
It’s only when they realise the words are appearing before rather than after the murders, that they understand the killer is announcing his next victim ... and the more innocent the better.
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2017
1149 people are currently reading
4706 people want to read
About the author
Helen Sarah Fields
20 books2,572 followersWrites crime, mystery and thrillers. Loves historical fiction. Big horror fan. Goes back to one classic novel each month, to save her soul.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 930 reviews
June 28, 2017
So….2 big announcements to kick off this review. For the first time in ages I picked up a book that sent me into hiding so I could read uninterrupted by those pesky people who claim to be family.
Second, we have an early front runner for my world famous “ Dickhead of the Year ” Award * (* fiction category, not to be confused with the one bestowed on a real person). You know those characters you love to loathe? Well, keep your blood pressure meds nearby. This book has one that made me wish I could reach through the pages and smack the daylights out of. More on that later.
This is book #2 in the series & DI Luc Callanach has been in Edinburgh for 8 months now. It’s festival season & the downtown is hot, loud & heaving with music fans. In the midst of the crowd, a young man quietly sinks to the ground. Before long, Luc & his crew are on scene trying to figure out how a man was killed without anyone noticing.
Meanwhile, DI Ava Turner is called to a very different murder. There’s nothing subtle about this one. Only the question of who would want to kill a hospice nurse.
And that’s just the beginning of a spree that soon has Edinburgh’s panicked residents locking their doors. These aren’t your “typical” victims of crime & Luc & Ava are soon reeling from an abundance of bodies but few clues. To make matters worse, someone is leaking confidential info to the press. Adding to the fun is the presence of a cyber crime task force that is taking space & staff from the murder squad. It’s led by DCI Joseph Edgar (aforementioned DOTY award nominee), an ambitious cop intent on rekindling his history with Ava.
With Ava distracted by personal issues, Luc has no choice but to go outside the department for help & winds up with a couple of unlikely partners who add an interesting edge to the story.
What a great read. I’ve been waiting for this ever since I read “Perfect Remains”. Luc & Ava are complex, compelling characters & the fact it’s set in one of my favourite cities is a bonus. Much of the colourful peripheral cast is back, adding smart & humorous dialogue to the suspense. It’s a true head scratcher as the big picture slowly begins to take shape. The author provides several credible paths to follow & you’ll have to decide which trails lead to the killer & which are clever misdirection.
At the 3/4 mark, my condolences to anyone who tries to come between you & your copy. The pace ramps up as investigations reach a critical point with some of the answers falling into place. Others are reserved for the final pages as Luc & Ava deal with sudden changes to their personal & professional lives. An unexpected twist throws a spanner in the overall story line & guarantees I’ll be watching for book #3.
This works as a stand alone but I’d recommend reading the first one so you fully understand references made to the characters’ pasts. It’s the perfect “make-the-world-go-away” book, ideal if you’re stuck for several hours in a plane/train/automobile at some point this summer. Who knows, by the time you look up all bleary-eyed, you might be in another country. Bon voyage.
Second, we have an early front runner for my world famous “ Dickhead of the Year ” Award * (* fiction category, not to be confused with the one bestowed on a real person). You know those characters you love to loathe? Well, keep your blood pressure meds nearby. This book has one that made me wish I could reach through the pages and smack the daylights out of. More on that later.
This is book #2 in the series & DI Luc Callanach has been in Edinburgh for 8 months now. It’s festival season & the downtown is hot, loud & heaving with music fans. In the midst of the crowd, a young man quietly sinks to the ground. Before long, Luc & his crew are on scene trying to figure out how a man was killed without anyone noticing.
Meanwhile, DI Ava Turner is called to a very different murder. There’s nothing subtle about this one. Only the question of who would want to kill a hospice nurse.
And that’s just the beginning of a spree that soon has Edinburgh’s panicked residents locking their doors. These aren’t your “typical” victims of crime & Luc & Ava are soon reeling from an abundance of bodies but few clues. To make matters worse, someone is leaking confidential info to the press. Adding to the fun is the presence of a cyber crime task force that is taking space & staff from the murder squad. It’s led by DCI Joseph Edgar (aforementioned DOTY award nominee), an ambitious cop intent on rekindling his history with Ava.
With Ava distracted by personal issues, Luc has no choice but to go outside the department for help & winds up with a couple of unlikely partners who add an interesting edge to the story.
What a great read. I’ve been waiting for this ever since I read “Perfect Remains”. Luc & Ava are complex, compelling characters & the fact it’s set in one of my favourite cities is a bonus. Much of the colourful peripheral cast is back, adding smart & humorous dialogue to the suspense. It’s a true head scratcher as the big picture slowly begins to take shape. The author provides several credible paths to follow & you’ll have to decide which trails lead to the killer & which are clever misdirection.
At the 3/4 mark, my condolences to anyone who tries to come between you & your copy. The pace ramps up as investigations reach a critical point with some of the answers falling into place. Others are reserved for the final pages as Luc & Ava deal with sudden changes to their personal & professional lives. An unexpected twist throws a spanner in the overall story line & guarantees I’ll be watching for book #3.
This works as a stand alone but I’d recommend reading the first one so you fully understand references made to the characters’ pasts. It’s the perfect “make-the-world-go-away” book, ideal if you’re stuck for several hours in a plane/train/automobile at some point this summer. Who knows, by the time you look up all bleary-eyed, you might be in another country. Bon voyage.
March 12, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This was the second, powerful book in the DI Callanach series and am looking forward to the others which followed. The content is gruesome, graphic and at times I found it complicated while following some aspects of the investigation. Book 1 had two murders committed in the most horrific way. This plot involves two sadistic, psychopathic killers in a competition to decide which one can commit the vilest, deranged killings. The 'Mastermind' has set up this contest on the dark web, and members of the site vote on videos and descriptions of the dreadful murders.
DI Callanach, formerly of Interpol, has been on the Edinburgh crime squad for eight months. He is under pressure to solve four ghastly murders, identify the culprits, and prevent further abductions and killings. His friendship with DI Ava Turner has come under severe strain, her romantic feelings are directed elsewhere, and she is assigned to a separate part of this murder investigation. He cannot rely on help from the young, hard-working, enthusiastic police officer, Tripp, who has been moved to a different case. Detective Salter who previously helped Callanach is pregnant and ordered off any dangerous assignment
The people of Edinburgh are terrified. The victims have been good people who have been a credit to the community and have been publicized for their great works helping others. So far a volunteer for charity, a beloved teacher, a librarian, and a hospice nurse have been murdered.
In the meantime, a Cyber Force has been set up for the purpose of discovering who has been siphoning off funds from the wealthy and influential. Leading this team is an ambitious, despicable officer, Joe Edgar. A master-hacker, Ben Paulson, with extraordinary computer talents has been hired from America. He is suspected by Joe's team of being the criminal who is stealing funds. Tripp has been transferred to this unit.
Callanach has been pestered by a reporter, Lance Proudfoot, for information on the crimes. Callanach finds him very annoying until Lance gives him the first clues in the case. The categories of victims are identified by graffiti which has been written before their murders. Callanach ends up in an unexpected partnership with the reporter and the master hacker who is under suspicion by the Cyber Force. His assistants are kept secret from police authorities. This partnership leads them to a complex excursion into the dark web. The two killers are identified by their false internet names, but there is still much work to discover their true identities and to prevent them from committing further acts of grotesque torture and murder. They must also find out the moderator of the site and shut it down. The man in charge of this dark web site has his own personal motives for this bizarre, deadly contest.
They learn that the next victims are to be a lollypop lady (street crossing guard) and a human rights lawyer. Momentum tension and suspense intensifies. The search reaches an explosive conclusion. Not only Callanach and his assistants face extreme danger, but also, Detectives Ava Turner and C. Salter may not come out alive. Will the last two prospective victims be saved?
Recommended for readers who like a well-plotted, intense mystery with grotesque crimes and a solution aided by high tech means. I am hoping to read more books in this gripping series by Helen Fields.
This was the second, powerful book in the DI Callanach series and am looking forward to the others which followed. The content is gruesome, graphic and at times I found it complicated while following some aspects of the investigation. Book 1 had two murders committed in the most horrific way. This plot involves two sadistic, psychopathic killers in a competition to decide which one can commit the vilest, deranged killings. The 'Mastermind' has set up this contest on the dark web, and members of the site vote on videos and descriptions of the dreadful murders.
DI Callanach, formerly of Interpol, has been on the Edinburgh crime squad for eight months. He is under pressure to solve four ghastly murders, identify the culprits, and prevent further abductions and killings. His friendship with DI Ava Turner has come under severe strain, her romantic feelings are directed elsewhere, and she is assigned to a separate part of this murder investigation. He cannot rely on help from the young, hard-working, enthusiastic police officer, Tripp, who has been moved to a different case. Detective Salter who previously helped Callanach is pregnant and ordered off any dangerous assignment
The people of Edinburgh are terrified. The victims have been good people who have been a credit to the community and have been publicized for their great works helping others. So far a volunteer for charity, a beloved teacher, a librarian, and a hospice nurse have been murdered.
In the meantime, a Cyber Force has been set up for the purpose of discovering who has been siphoning off funds from the wealthy and influential. Leading this team is an ambitious, despicable officer, Joe Edgar. A master-hacker, Ben Paulson, with extraordinary computer talents has been hired from America. He is suspected by Joe's team of being the criminal who is stealing funds. Tripp has been transferred to this unit.
Callanach has been pestered by a reporter, Lance Proudfoot, for information on the crimes. Callanach finds him very annoying until Lance gives him the first clues in the case. The categories of victims are identified by graffiti which has been written before their murders. Callanach ends up in an unexpected partnership with the reporter and the master hacker who is under suspicion by the Cyber Force. His assistants are kept secret from police authorities. This partnership leads them to a complex excursion into the dark web. The two killers are identified by their false internet names, but there is still much work to discover their true identities and to prevent them from committing further acts of grotesque torture and murder. They must also find out the moderator of the site and shut it down. The man in charge of this dark web site has his own personal motives for this bizarre, deadly contest.
They learn that the next victims are to be a lollypop lady (street crossing guard) and a human rights lawyer. Momentum tension and suspense intensifies. The search reaches an explosive conclusion. Not only Callanach and his assistants face extreme danger, but also, Detectives Ava Turner and C. Salter may not come out alive. Will the last two prospective victims be saved?
Recommended for readers who like a well-plotted, intense mystery with grotesque crimes and a solution aided by high tech means. I am hoping to read more books in this gripping series by Helen Fields.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2017
Helen Fields returns with an equally powerful follow-up novel that places Detective Inspector Luc Callanach in the centre of a truly baffling crime. When a murder is reported at a summer music festival in Edinburgh, D.I. Callanach is happy to take the lead in order to find the killer. However, the limited witness statements and video footage of use from the event leaves Callanach unsure of how to proceed. Soon thereafter, a piece of vandalism emerges, perhaps a reaction to the crime, as if the world needs a permanent memory of this summer crime. When a primary school teacher and librarian are murdered in short order, D.I. Callanach learns that they, too, are being listed on graffiti around town. An online journalist receives telling information that opens the investigation wide. Could these ‘tags’ have been made beforehand, as a precursor to the crimes? Also, with each crime being vastly different, might there be more than one killer on the loose, working in tandem? Callanach continues to struggle and turns to his fellow D.I., Ava Turner, whose past friendship with him seems to be clouding his judgment about what might follow for them. While Turner does not appear to feel anything romantic towards Callanach, the story’s protagonist stumbles trying to make sense of his feelings while a major murder case continues to haunt him. Turning to an unlikely source, Callanach takes to the world of coding and digital breadcrumbs, which causes many issues with other branches of Police Scotland. With the killer (or killers) continuing the rampage, Callanach must use all the resources at his disposal to stop the bloodshed, and pinpoint who might be the next victim. Fields has done it again, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat while pulling on a variety of approaches to allow the case to progress. Fans of police procedurals and crime thrillers will surely find something worthwhile in this novel, as well as the debut, which lays the groundwork for the complex life of D.I. Luc Callanach.
I recently discovered Helen Fields and am pleased to be able to promote her work here, which is a definite jolt of fresh air in a supersaturated genre. D.I. Callanach continues to present himself as a dedicated copper, though one who struggles with life outside the office. Choosing to throw himself into his work, Callanach seems keen on tracking down all the leads in his murder investigations, but is not able to pick up on the most subtle nuances in his personal life. He struggles with the stigma that chased him from INTERPOL while still trying to assert his rightful place in Police Scotland. The ongoing work and personal banter with D.I. Ava Turner takes on a new level of intrigue, something fans of the debut novel may enjoy, though it does tend to cloud the plot at times. Fields continues to use a strong cast of secondary characters to propel the story forward and uses a more veiled approach when dealing with the antagonist, the person pulling the strings on this murder spree. The story itself is strong and pulls on some genuinely intriguing technology to decipher the larger set of crimes, but also pushes the Luddite ‘tag’ system of graffiti, which caters to readers of all backgrounds. The reader can rest assured that there is not a textbook full of ‘techie’ language to cause confusion, though Fields does not dilute the form of crime fighting when necessary. I found myself unable to stop listening to the book at certain points, as the story captivated me until the very end. I will have to wait patiently until mid-January to get my hands on the third novel, but rest assured I will not let it collect much dust on by TBR list, for I am just that eager to sink my teeth into the next instalment of D.I. Luc Callanach and his unique style of crime investigation.
Kudos, Madam Fields, for keeping me hooked yet again. You are certainly one author that many should take note of and push other TBR novels aside to delve into this series.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I recently discovered Helen Fields and am pleased to be able to promote her work here, which is a definite jolt of fresh air in a supersaturated genre. D.I. Callanach continues to present himself as a dedicated copper, though one who struggles with life outside the office. Choosing to throw himself into his work, Callanach seems keen on tracking down all the leads in his murder investigations, but is not able to pick up on the most subtle nuances in his personal life. He struggles with the stigma that chased him from INTERPOL while still trying to assert his rightful place in Police Scotland. The ongoing work and personal banter with D.I. Ava Turner takes on a new level of intrigue, something fans of the debut novel may enjoy, though it does tend to cloud the plot at times. Fields continues to use a strong cast of secondary characters to propel the story forward and uses a more veiled approach when dealing with the antagonist, the person pulling the strings on this murder spree. The story itself is strong and pulls on some genuinely intriguing technology to decipher the larger set of crimes, but also pushes the Luddite ‘tag’ system of graffiti, which caters to readers of all backgrounds. The reader can rest assured that there is not a textbook full of ‘techie’ language to cause confusion, though Fields does not dilute the form of crime fighting when necessary. I found myself unable to stop listening to the book at certain points, as the story captivated me until the very end. I will have to wait patiently until mid-January to get my hands on the third novel, but rest assured I will not let it collect much dust on by TBR list, for I am just that eager to sink my teeth into the next instalment of D.I. Luc Callanach and his unique style of crime investigation.
Kudos, Madam Fields, for keeping me hooked yet again. You are certainly one author that many should take note of and push other TBR novels aside to delve into this series.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
September 5, 2018
I am on Sesame Street, saying "...and today's letter will be I." “I” as in intriguing, intricate, involved, interesting and impressive. Yeah, that pretty well sums up Helen Field's second D.I. Luc Callanach outing, Perfect Prey.
Four people are killed in different but horrific and spectacular ways. A crime wave that terrifies the citizens of Edinburgh unused as they are to such crimes. Multiple killers, one fiendishly clever killer or maybe both? D.I. Callanach is under tremendous pressure from all sides to make a quick solve. Unfortunately he is unable to depend on the steady presence of D.I. Ava Turner as she has gone to the dark side with DCI Joe Edgar from Scotland Yard and from her past. Edgar is in Edinburgh investigating a hacking group similar to the real life group Anonymous. Edgar is a true prick. (Note to self, change this for Amazon)
Callanach is a lad with some true psychological problems. One of them is thoroughly explained and demonstrated. Never saw this one in a fictional book before. At least not to this degree. Just can’t help remarking on this interesting but sad aspect of his life.
New characters appear who will hopefully make it into the next book; Bunny is Callanach’s new neighbor, Ben Paulson a world class computer maven and Lance Proudfoot an on-line crime blogger. The latter two are instrumental in helping solve the crimes.
The first half of the book is told as a straight police procedural. The second half descends into darkness and is told from various points of view, with only the ultimate motive withheld. The second half also includes partial trips down the rabbit’s hole into the dark net, a truly scary place to be and to understand.
I do have a few problems with the book. An undercover officer sleeps with a suspect. No, no and just no. Do writers not understand how this would totally compromise the case in court? Is entrapment not a British law concept? Not to mention making the U.C. basically a whore, sleeping with someone for material gain.
Another problem, minor and I may even have gotten it wrong. There is a reference to 21 days between first and second murder. Later there is a reference to four murders in two weeks. Editing or proofreading mistakes make me crazy. Since I obviously NEVR make ayn.
I also dislike the will they/won’t they scenario carried out more than three books.
“H” will be the next letter of the alphabet explored, as in highly original and highly recommend this Scottish police procedural. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment. This series will be a pleasure to follow.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Four people are killed in different but horrific and spectacular ways. A crime wave that terrifies the citizens of Edinburgh unused as they are to such crimes. Multiple killers, one fiendishly clever killer or maybe both? D.I. Callanach is under tremendous pressure from all sides to make a quick solve. Unfortunately he is unable to depend on the steady presence of D.I. Ava Turner as she has gone to the dark side with DCI Joe Edgar from Scotland Yard and from her past. Edgar is in Edinburgh investigating a hacking group similar to the real life group Anonymous. Edgar is a true prick. (Note to self, change this for Amazon)
Callanach is a lad with some true psychological problems. One of them is thoroughly explained and demonstrated. Never saw this one in a fictional book before. At least not to this degree. Just can’t help remarking on this interesting but sad aspect of his life.
New characters appear who will hopefully make it into the next book; Bunny is Callanach’s new neighbor, Ben Paulson a world class computer maven and Lance Proudfoot an on-line crime blogger. The latter two are instrumental in helping solve the crimes.
The first half of the book is told as a straight police procedural. The second half descends into darkness and is told from various points of view, with only the ultimate motive withheld. The second half also includes partial trips down the rabbit’s hole into the dark net, a truly scary place to be and to understand.
I do have a few problems with the book. An undercover officer sleeps with a suspect. No, no and just no. Do writers not understand how this would totally compromise the case in court? Is entrapment not a British law concept? Not to mention making the U.C. basically a whore, sleeping with someone for material gain.
Another problem, minor and I may even have gotten it wrong. There is a reference to 21 days between first and second murder. Later there is a reference to four murders in two weeks. Editing or proofreading mistakes make me crazy. Since I obviously NEVR make ayn.
I also dislike the will they/won’t they scenario carried out more than three books.
“H” will be the next letter of the alphabet explored, as in highly original and highly recommend this Scottish police procedural. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment. This series will be a pleasure to follow.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 4, 2018
Bloody hell!!! This was amazing. If you like Chris Carter’s books, you will, in all probability, like this one too.
A man is stabbed to death at a music festival right in the midst of a huge crowd. A woman is crushed to death by her heavy closet. Another woman is suffocated by her own scarf. A man is skinned to death. Edinburgh is a war zone and bodies are piling up!
And what do these victims have in common? They are all do-gooders and charity workers.
Are the murders committed by one individual or are there multiple killers with a taste for gore? Is there going to be a fifth victim?
D.I Callanach and Turner must race against time and get themselves entangled in a game of cat and mouse to stop the carnage.
This was an enjoyable page-turner! Can't wait to read the next one in the series.
A man is stabbed to death at a music festival right in the midst of a huge crowd. A woman is crushed to death by her heavy closet. Another woman is suffocated by her own scarf. A man is skinned to death. Edinburgh is a war zone and bodies are piling up!
And what do these victims have in common? They are all do-gooders and charity workers.
Are the murders committed by one individual or are there multiple killers with a taste for gore? Is there going to be a fifth victim?
D.I Callanach and Turner must race against time and get themselves entangled in a game of cat and mouse to stop the carnage.
This was an enjoyable page-turner! Can't wait to read the next one in the series.
August 9, 2018
The first thing I want to say is this book is incredibly gruesome and graphic. If you are easily upset by cruelty to humans and animals, pass this one by.
The second thing I want to say is that this book at one point goes deep into the darknet where human perversities abound. There is some tech speak that might make your eyes glaze over or bore you to tears, but I think you’ll get the gist of how difficult it is to enter the darknet in the first place and that you don’t ever ever want to go there.
DI Luc Callanach and DI Ava Turner each have multiple murder cases that are burgeoning the entire police force. Scotland Yard has drawn off resources, including Tripp, for a cybercrime investigation, and there’s no budget for overtime. Callanach gets outside help from a journalist, Lance Proudfoot, and an experienced hacker, Ben Paulson.
The roots of this book start in the crimes, but it branches contain so many interesting side stories. Turner's mother, Luc's new neighbor, DCI Joe Edgar, DC Salter's pregnancy, and many more make this feel realistic and give it some basic humanity. Even Sergeant Lively shows some compassion! Then there’s Superintendent Overbeck, the boss from hell.
The story is long and involved, and the last 25% or so is intense. It does have some problems. I felt a couple of times that a conclusion was reached without enough evidence, or maybe I just wasn’t ready to accept what I read at face value. I had a little bit of confusion with Ben and Lance and all the phone calls with Callanach.
I liked this enough to continue with the next book, but I think I’ll read something not as dark as this one in between.
The second thing I want to say is that this book at one point goes deep into the darknet where human perversities abound. There is some tech speak that might make your eyes glaze over or bore you to tears, but I think you’ll get the gist of how difficult it is to enter the darknet in the first place and that you don’t ever ever want to go there.
DI Luc Callanach and DI Ava Turner each have multiple murder cases that are burgeoning the entire police force. Scotland Yard has drawn off resources, including Tripp, for a cybercrime investigation, and there’s no budget for overtime. Callanach gets outside help from a journalist, Lance Proudfoot, and an experienced hacker, Ben Paulson.
The roots of this book start in the crimes, but it branches contain so many interesting side stories. Turner's mother, Luc's new neighbor, DCI Joe Edgar, DC Salter's pregnancy, and many more make this feel realistic and give it some basic humanity. Even Sergeant Lively shows some compassion! Then there’s Superintendent Overbeck, the boss from hell.
The story is long and involved, and the last 25% or so is intense. It does have some problems. I felt a couple of times that a conclusion was reached without enough evidence, or maybe I just wasn’t ready to accept what I read at face value. I had a little bit of confusion with Ben and Lance and all the phone calls with Callanach.
I liked this enough to continue with the next book, but I think I’ll read something not as dark as this one in between.
May 31, 2023
Да, да и да! Само да я взема от панаира и наснимам и ще споделя по-подробно мнение. Очаквах да ми хареса и боже, чудно пише тази Хелън Фийлдс. А от благодарностите накрая на книгата искам да я познавам, да си бъбрим и да я гушна 🤩
July 23, 2020
"Deze serie met Ava en Luc heeft echt een groot potentieel om tot één van mijn favorieten te gaan behoren. "
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
September 20, 2018
4.5 Stars
Perfect Prey was even better then Perfect Remains. I am loving this series so far, it is taking over my life. All I want to do is shut out life stuff and read these books in peace. God, why does life get in the way of my reading!!??
Review to come.
Perfect Prey was even better then Perfect Remains. I am loving this series so far, it is taking over my life. All I want to do is shut out life stuff and read these books in peace. God, why does life get in the way of my reading!!??
Review to come.
September 12, 2023
„О,БОЖЕ МОЙ!“. Това бе първата ми мисъл, след като прочетох и последната страница от „Съвършена плячка“. Втората бе „Любимата ми Ирса Сигурдардоттир определено си има конкуренция“.
Втората част от поредицата на Хелън Фийлдс за инспектор Люк Каланак е още по-скандална, шокираща, напрегната .. абе, още по-добра. След „Съвършени останки“ си мислех, че Фийлдс няма как да надгради писането и разказа си, но жестоко съм се лъгал. Също така Ирса ми беше пример за скандални убийства, които са на ръба на прекаляването и шокирането. Е, Хелън Фийлдс в тази книга, смея да твърдя, че беше не по-малко брутална. Още в първите 20 страници на книгата имаме две убийства, а всяко следващо в книгата става все по-брутално и шокиращо от предното.
Ако в първата част, още в началото знаехме убиеца и неговите мотиви, и дори влязохме в неговата глава, като придобихме представа как разсъждава един психопат, то тук мистерията беше почти до самия финал. А пътят до този финал беше осеян с много проливане на кръв.
След двете книги от Хелън Фийлдс, които прочетох, определено мога да я заявя, че тя има афинитет към психопатите. И по-конкретно, мисля, че ѝ е любопитно как разсъждават, какво ги провокира да действат по определен начин, какви може да са мотивите им за убийствата, които извършват. В „Съвършена плячка“ тя ни запознава с цели три броя, които действат по различен начин, мотивите им са тотално различни, но ги обединява едно – желанието да се пролива кръв.
Ще се повторя в мнението си от предния път, но за мен Хелън Фийлдс си остава много добра в това, да успява да вникне в психологията на своите герои. Независимо дали говорим за убийци психопати или полицаи, които са кретени и комплексирани кариеристи. Тя умее да изгражда героите си толкова добре, че читателят се привързва към тях и ги приема за реални личности. Личности, които те ядосват, мразиш ги, обичаш ги, става ти тъжно за тях.
„Съвършена плячка“ наистина много ми хареса. Хареса ми мотивът за убийствата. Всичките. Хареса ми развоя на личните истории в книгата. Хареса ми надграждането на историята във всеки един аспект – опознаваме все повече Ава Търнър и Люк Каланак. Разбираме още повече за миналото им и как действията в него се отразяват на бъдещото им. Хареса ми финалът, който е реалистичен. Въпреки че ми се искаше един „Дисни финал“. Защото някои герои го заслужаваха. Но за жалост в живота не винаги получаваме това, което искаме и не всяка история има щастлив край.
И, за да не ставам многословен, ще обобщя, че очаквах книгата да ми хареса, но не чак толкова. Хелън Фийлдс е успяла да напише книга, която да те държи на тръни до последното изречение и да те накара да съпреживееш всяка една сцена, заедно с героите. Препоръчвам горещо!
Втората част от поредицата на Хелън Фийлдс за инспектор Люк Каланак е още по-скандална, шокираща, напрегната .. абе, още по-добра. След „Съвършени останки“ си мислех, че Фийлдс няма как да надгради писането и разказа си, но жестоко съм се лъгал. Също така Ирса ми беше пример за скандални убийства, които са на ръба на прекаляването и шокирането. Е, Хелън Фийлдс в тази книга, смея да твърдя, че беше не по-малко брутална. Още в първите 20 страници на книгата имаме две убийства, а всяко следващо в книгата става все по-брутално и шокиращо от предното.
Ако в първата част, още в началото знаехме убиеца и неговите мотиви, и дори влязохме в неговата глава, като придобихме представа как разсъждава един психопат, то тук мистерията беше почти до самия финал. А пътят до този финал беше осеян с много проливане на кръв.
След двете книги от Хелън Фийлдс, които прочетох, определено мога да я заявя, че тя има афинитет към психопатите. И по-конкретно, мисля, че ѝ е любопитно как разсъждават, какво ги провокира да действат по определен начин, какви може да са мотивите им за убийствата, които извършват. В „Съвършена плячка“ тя ни запознава с цели три броя, които действат по различен начин, мотивите им са тотално различни, но ги обединява едно – желанието да се пролива кръв.
Ще се повторя в мнението си от предния път, но за мен Хелън Фийлдс си остава много добра в това, да успява да вникне в психологията на своите герои. Независимо дали говорим за убийци психопати или полицаи, които са кретени и комплексирани кариеристи. Тя умее да изгражда героите си толкова добре, че читателят се привързва към тях и ги приема за реални личности. Личности, които те ядосват, мразиш ги, обичаш ги, става ти тъжно за тях.
„Съвършена плячка“ наистина много ми хареса. Хареса ми мотивът за убийствата. Всичките. Хареса ми развоя на личните истории в книгата. Хареса ми надграждането на историята във всеки един аспект – опознаваме все повече Ава Търнър и Люк Каланак. Разбираме още повече за миналото им и как действията в него се отразяват на бъдещото им. Хареса ми финалът, който е реалистичен. Въпреки че ми се искаше един „Дисни финал“. Защото някои герои го заслужаваха. Но за жалост в живота не винаги получаваме това, което искаме и не всяка история има щастлив край.
И, за да не ставам многословен, ще обобщя, че очаквах книгата да ми хареса, но не чак толкова. Хелън Фийлдс е успяла да напише книга, която да те държи на тръни до последното изречение и да те накара да съпреживееш всяка една сцена, заедно с героите. Препоръчвам горещо!
October 1, 2020
Whilst the first D.I. Luc Callanach novel was a slow burning introduction to the French detectives 'fish out of water' arrival in Edinburgh, this follow up thrusts the reader straight into murder and gore from the very first page.
From a fatal stabbing at a music festival to a school teacher brutally murdered a week late, the Scottish capital is starting to gain an unwanted reputation.
Callanach and Turner soon realise these attacks are bring tagged in advance as graffiti is appearing on the streets.
This cat and mouse case becomes a race against time as the police try to thwart another victim falling prey to these killings.
This series is really starting to grow on me as the relationship between Callanach and Turner continues to fascinate.
Some of the murders are quite horrific and certainly not for the squeamish!
I tried using Whispersync for the first time and while the idea of being able to skip between Kindle and Audible seemed perfect as I wanted to get stuck into the investigation, but frustratingly the two didn't seem to want to sync up and I'd continually had to keep skipping forward to my place again.
Think I'll stick to a trusty paperback for the rest of the series!
From a fatal stabbing at a music festival to a school teacher brutally murdered a week late, the Scottish capital is starting to gain an unwanted reputation.
Callanach and Turner soon realise these attacks are bring tagged in advance as graffiti is appearing on the streets.
This cat and mouse case becomes a race against time as the police try to thwart another victim falling prey to these killings.
This series is really starting to grow on me as the relationship between Callanach and Turner continues to fascinate.
Some of the murders are quite horrific and certainly not for the squeamish!
I tried using Whispersync for the first time and while the idea of being able to skip between Kindle and Audible seemed perfect as I wanted to get stuck into the investigation, but frustratingly the two didn't seem to want to sync up and I'd continually had to keep skipping forward to my place again.
Think I'll stick to a trusty paperback for the rest of the series!
June 28, 2023
Много ми хареса книгата…страхотен, разтърсващ трилър! 🤩🤩🤩
April 26, 2022
Perfect Prey - a gory soap opera
2.5 stars rounded to 3.
I’m perhaps the outlier here. My friends loved this book.
But… goodness… I just can’t believe.
What a slow burn.
And how disappointing.
I did struggle with this one. It did not grab my attention like the first book, which I read in one sitting.
Within the first 20% of the book we have 4 people murdered.
The details of each killing are gory.
Regardless, I was completely bored and I felt like quitting.
The flow was a bit slow and the interaction between the investigation team was simply horrible, and the characters’ personalities felt different from the first book, especially Ava Turner, who was so strong and independent, and here she just became one of those who succumbs to a relationship.
I did feel that I was reading a draft, rather than the final product. And it looked like that pages from a different book were inserted by mistake.
There was a soap opera drama that did not belong here.
What happened?
Anyways… later the story did get better (but not the interaction) and more intense, when they discovered a dark web site promoting a contest for the vilest crime.
The first book of this series was a solid 5 stars for me. The author raised the bar with that one.
I have 6 more books by this author sitting on my shelves, that I purchased some time ago.
Hopefully it won’t be so disappointing.
2.5 stars rounded to 3.
I’m perhaps the outlier here. My friends loved this book.
But… goodness… I just can’t believe.
What a slow burn.
And how disappointing.
I did struggle with this one. It did not grab my attention like the first book, which I read in one sitting.
Within the first 20% of the book we have 4 people murdered.
The details of each killing are gory.
Regardless, I was completely bored and I felt like quitting.
The flow was a bit slow and the interaction between the investigation team was simply horrible, and the characters’ personalities felt different from the first book, especially Ava Turner, who was so strong and independent, and here she just became one of those who succumbs to a relationship.
I did feel that I was reading a draft, rather than the final product. And it looked like that pages from a different book were inserted by mistake.
There was a soap opera drama that did not belong here.
What happened?
Anyways… later the story did get better (but not the interaction) and more intense, when they discovered a dark web site promoting a contest for the vilest crime.
The first book of this series was a solid 5 stars for me. The author raised the bar with that one.
I have 6 more books by this author sitting on my shelves, that I purchased some time ago.
Hopefully it won’t be so disappointing.
September 19, 2017
This is the first novel I have read by this author and although it is the 2nd book in this series it did not detract from my enjoyment or my understanding. The book is full of gruesome murders, excellent interesting characters and together with a well paced plot make a very entertaining read.
The first gruesome murder takes place at a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach left to die and although there are thousands of potential witnesses no one sees the attacker. A week later a primary school teacher is found in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf. DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads and are left clueless until graffiti is spotted around the city describing each victim. They come to realise the words are appearing before the murders and are an announcement of the next victim.
A very good read that I would highly recommend.
I would like to thank Avon Books and Net Galley for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The first gruesome murder takes place at a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach left to die and although there are thousands of potential witnesses no one sees the attacker. A week later a primary school teacher is found in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf. DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads and are left clueless until graffiti is spotted around the city describing each victim. They come to realise the words are appearing before the murders and are an announcement of the next victim.
A very good read that I would highly recommend.
I would like to thank Avon Books and Net Galley for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2021
This book is the second book to this series,I was sorting out my books on kindle and forgot about this series.I enjoyed this read.Its set in Edinburgh and I live not far away from the capital.DI Luc Callanach and DI Ava Turner trying to solve four Murders with no clues as the murders where completely different but is there a connection and how do they find the evidence. A long read but would highly recommend this series.looking forward to book three.
June 21, 2020
I wish I could give this book more stars as it was brilliant. It started off very quickly and kept going right until the end. It was exciting, twisty and very graphic. This book would make a great series going by this one and the first one I read. If you like crime novels which keep you reading until the last page, then this one is definitely for you.
June 6, 2023
Уау, много, ама много ми хареса.
August 20, 2019
4.5 stars.
This series is seriously good. I remember bits of this one, it was utterly gripping and as the killings are to do with the dark web it is all very disturbing too. The dark web seems to be the electronic sewer of the world. Do yourself a favour and read this series, OK there are some yucky bits at times but they're not too bad and writing is very sharp.
This series is seriously good. I remember bits of this one, it was utterly gripping and as the killings are to do with the dark web it is all very disturbing too. The dark web seems to be the electronic sewer of the world. Do yourself a favour and read this series, OK there are some yucky bits at times but they're not too bad and writing is very sharp.
August 20, 2017
Perfect Prey is book #2 in the DI Callanach crime series. I haven't read the first book in the series, but didn't have a problem jumping into this one. There were occasional references to book #1, but nothing that would distract from the current story.
The mixture of vicious murders, deep web aspects and a secondary team trying to take down an activist group brought some interesting and complex aspects to the plot. I was pulled into the mysteries of the uniquely gruesome murders immediately and really liked the evolution of the plot.
DI Luc Callanach was an interesting character and I liked how he broke protocol to get help from outside the department. There were numerous interesting primary and secondary characters that were fun to read about and added depth to the novel.
The novel also introduced a character, Joe Edgar, who personified the "upwardly mobile who do anything to get ahead" person. He was definitely a good character to dislike and you couldn't wait for him to get his comeuppance. He was also an ex-boyfriend of Ava and trying to re-establish the relationship with an engagement.
Which brings us around to Ava. I did take an immediate dislike to Ava. Maybe if I had read book #1 I would have had different feelings for Ava, but I didn't. You would have to be clueless not to see what Edgar was about and Ava basically let it happen with the dinners and the darlings. I disliked her for how she treated Luc. Even though Luc was a work friend and not a social friend, he was not a work acquaintance, which after she allowed Edgar to dominate her life, is how she treated him. Plus there was a fight leading to her slapping Luc and it felt very contrived. I thought she deserved his comments. The slap was a physical assault on another officer. I hate these type of females. Every time she was in a scene I was disappointed in her. She tended to view things differently than everyone else but not necessarily better. She needed to take a good look in the mirror and ditch her attitude and find some brain cells. The only thing she correctly identified was another woman's pregnancy. There were some personal issues with her mother's illness and there was some redemption towards the end, but too little too late for me to like her character. OK, sorry about the rant but she is the reason the book got 3 stars instead of 4.
This was a fast paced read that was difficult to put down. I am definitely interested in the next book in the series. Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books for an ARC.
The mixture of vicious murders, deep web aspects and a secondary team trying to take down an activist group brought some interesting and complex aspects to the plot. I was pulled into the mysteries of the uniquely gruesome murders immediately and really liked the evolution of the plot.
DI Luc Callanach was an interesting character and I liked how he broke protocol to get help from outside the department. There were numerous interesting primary and secondary characters that were fun to read about and added depth to the novel.
The novel also introduced a character, Joe Edgar, who personified the "upwardly mobile who do anything to get ahead" person. He was definitely a good character to dislike and you couldn't wait for him to get his comeuppance. He was also an ex-boyfriend of Ava and trying to re-establish the relationship with an engagement.
Which brings us around to Ava. I did take an immediate dislike to Ava. Maybe if I had read book #1 I would have had different feelings for Ava, but I didn't. You would have to be clueless not to see what Edgar was about and Ava basically let it happen with the dinners and the darlings. I disliked her for how she treated Luc. Even though Luc was a work friend and not a social friend, he was not a work acquaintance, which after she allowed Edgar to dominate her life, is how she treated him. Plus there was a fight leading to her slapping Luc and it felt very contrived. I thought she deserved his comments. The slap was a physical assault on another officer. I hate these type of females. Every time she was in a scene I was disappointed in her. She tended to view things differently than everyone else but not necessarily better. She needed to take a good look in the mirror and ditch her attitude and find some brain cells. The only thing she correctly identified was another woman's pregnancy. There were some personal issues with her mother's illness and there was some redemption towards the end, but too little too late for me to like her character. OK, sorry about the rant but she is the reason the book got 3 stars instead of 4.
This was a fast paced read that was difficult to put down. I am definitely interested in the next book in the series. Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books for an ARC.
July 14, 2023
Labai puikiai susiskaitė, intrigavo iki galo. Bet dievaži už vertimą ir spausdinimo klaidas pykau labai.
April 10, 2023
Antra serijos dalis - antra detektyvo Luko Kalanako byla. Pirma dalis „Tobuli palaikai“ paliko tikrai gerą įspūdį. Ne per pretenzingai užsibrėžta, veikėjai gan įdomūs, bet ne perspausti kažkokiom įmantrybėm, byla gan tipinė, bet su savais cinkeliais. Viskas labai tinka, kai nori lengvo, bet įsukančio detektyvo. Antra dalis patiko kiek mažiau, bet blogai irgi nebuvo.
Žudikas čia žudo gerus žmones. Aukas pasirenka kone pagal kažkokią sąžiningo žmogaus skalę: nuo pradinių klasių mokytojos iki perėją prižiūrinčios senolės. Kas bus sekantis taikinys - įspėti kone neįmanoma. Tačiau detektyvai aptinka, jos žudikas prieš žudydamas palieka užuominą: grafitį mieste, nurodantį apie kitą auką. Tiriant šią bylą sutelkiami visi: nuo policijos pareigūnų, iki tamsiojo interneto išmanytojų.
Daug reikalų čia vyksta. Lukas ne tik viena šikna bando užsėst visas bylos spragas ir rast atsakymus, bet dar ir su kolegom kovoja, asmeninius santykius su partnere Ava aiškinasi. Nenuostabu, kad buvusį modelį prancūzą, dabar jau Škotijos detektyvą, su tamsia praeitim ir asmeninėm traumom moterys sekioja ir vilioja, tačiau jam visiškai ne tas galvoj. Taip, taip, romano šitoj serijoj irgi biški rasit 😁 Šita byla - tikrai paini, žiauri, tik jos narpliojimas gan prailgo. Toks truputį to paties per tą patį tąsymas gavosi, kol priėjom iki kulminacijos, kuri buvo gera, su daug veiksmo ir netikėtumų.
Žudikas čia žudo gerus žmones. Aukas pasirenka kone pagal kažkokią sąžiningo žmogaus skalę: nuo pradinių klasių mokytojos iki perėją prižiūrinčios senolės. Kas bus sekantis taikinys - įspėti kone neįmanoma. Tačiau detektyvai aptinka, jos žudikas prieš žudydamas palieka užuominą: grafitį mieste, nurodantį apie kitą auką. Tiriant šią bylą sutelkiami visi: nuo policijos pareigūnų, iki tamsiojo interneto išmanytojų.
Daug reikalų čia vyksta. Lukas ne tik viena šikna bando užsėst visas bylos spragas ir rast atsakymus, bet dar ir su kolegom kovoja, asmeninius santykius su partnere Ava aiškinasi. Nenuostabu, kad buvusį modelį prancūzą, dabar jau Škotijos detektyvą, su tamsia praeitim ir asmeninėm traumom moterys sekioja ir vilioja, tačiau jam visiškai ne tas galvoj. Taip, taip, romano šitoj serijoj irgi biški rasit 😁 Šita byla - tikrai paini, žiauri, tik jos narpliojimas gan prailgo. Toks truputį to paties per tą patį tąsymas gavosi, kol priėjom iki kulminacijos, kuri buvo gera, su daug veiksmo ir netikėtumų.
July 27, 2017
**4.5 stars**
So we come to the second in Helen Fields rather fist pumping DI Callanach series – the first being Perfect Remains which you should certainly check out and its a right old page turner. Dark though, very dark. I don’t think there is any writer out there doing death scenes like Helen Fields is doing them and they are horrifically hard hitting (which I love it has to be said. Not sure what that says about me)
Anyone who has read the first book will know what to expect – and here you get more of it and better, the characters are top notch fascinating and further developed in a brilliantly immersive way – at the same time there is a new case and what a case it is. Fast paced action, some new people I hope we meet again with a beautifully twisty plot that will keep you on your toes. Descriptively speaking this is absolute genius – you get so involved all the way through you go through a gamut of emotions from subtle smile to outrage to terror and back again. One character will CERTAINLY get your goat, you know you are loving a book when you end up shouting at the people in it like they can hear you and will modify their behaviour accordingly..
Overall Perfect Prey is a perfect second novel to follow up the intensity of the first, upping the ante, keeping you in the characters lives and certainly at the end of this I was hoping desperately that the next one would not take too long to come along.
If you like your crime dark and dastardly with a hint of horror and a strong degree of unpredictability then Perfect Prey is for you.
Recommended.
So we come to the second in Helen Fields rather fist pumping DI Callanach series – the first being Perfect Remains which you should certainly check out and its a right old page turner. Dark though, very dark. I don’t think there is any writer out there doing death scenes like Helen Fields is doing them and they are horrifically hard hitting (which I love it has to be said. Not sure what that says about me)
Anyone who has read the first book will know what to expect – and here you get more of it and better, the characters are top notch fascinating and further developed in a brilliantly immersive way – at the same time there is a new case and what a case it is. Fast paced action, some new people I hope we meet again with a beautifully twisty plot that will keep you on your toes. Descriptively speaking this is absolute genius – you get so involved all the way through you go through a gamut of emotions from subtle smile to outrage to terror and back again. One character will CERTAINLY get your goat, you know you are loving a book when you end up shouting at the people in it like they can hear you and will modify their behaviour accordingly..
Overall Perfect Prey is a perfect second novel to follow up the intensity of the first, upping the ante, keeping you in the characters lives and certainly at the end of this I was hoping desperately that the next one would not take too long to come along.
If you like your crime dark and dastardly with a hint of horror and a strong degree of unpredictability then Perfect Prey is for you.
Recommended.
May 20, 2023
1.5⭐️
Didžiąją knygos dalį norėjosi ją mesti, bet vis save įtikinėjau, palauk, vėliau bus geriau. Deja, bet nebuvo. Nei Lukas, nei tuo labiau Ava netapo mano mėgiamais personažais. Lukas buvo labai blankus, be charizmos, nebūčiau net pastebėjusi, jei jis būtų dingęs iš istorijos. Na ir tai, kad jį sulupo kaip obuolį, pastebėjo gal tik du kolegos🙈 prieš tai buvę komanda tiek darbe, tiek ir asmeniniame gyvenime, Ava staiga atsiriboja nuo Luko, jis nieko nežino apie jos gyvenimą, ir ji staiga susideda su Džo. Tie santykiai buvo katastrofiški ir visą laiką vertė vartyti akis. Jei praeitoje dalyje viską gelbėjo nusikaltimai, tai šioje - jie tik skandino istoriją dar labiau. Aprašyta be aistros, trūko aiškumo, jaučiausi lyg skaityčiau kokio nors prietaiso naudojimosi instrukciją. Situaciją šiek tiek pagerino paskutinis nusikaltimas, bet staiga atsiradęs Gromas ir visi įvykiai sekę po to vėl priminė absurdiškiausią teatrą. Manau, kad su šia dalimi baigiu pažintį su šia autore ir ieškosiu skaitymo malonumų kitur!
Didžiąją knygos dalį norėjosi ją mesti, bet vis save įtikinėjau, palauk, vėliau bus geriau. Deja, bet nebuvo. Nei Lukas, nei tuo labiau Ava netapo mano mėgiamais personažais. Lukas buvo labai blankus, be charizmos, nebūčiau net pastebėjusi, jei jis būtų dingęs iš istorijos. Na ir tai, kad jį sulupo kaip obuolį, pastebėjo gal tik du kolegos🙈 prieš tai buvę komanda tiek darbe, tiek ir asmeniniame gyvenime, Ava staiga atsiriboja nuo Luko, jis nieko nežino apie jos gyvenimą, ir ji staiga susideda su Džo. Tie santykiai buvo katastrofiški ir visą laiką vertė vartyti akis. Jei praeitoje dalyje viską gelbėjo nusikaltimai, tai šioje - jie tik skandino istoriją dar labiau. Aprašyta be aistros, trūko aiškumo, jaučiausi lyg skaityčiau kokio nors prietaiso naudojimosi instrukciją. Situaciją šiek tiek pagerino paskutinis nusikaltimas, bet staiga atsiradęs Gromas ir visi įvykiai sekę po to vėl priminė absurdiškiausią teatrą. Manau, kad su šia dalimi baigiu pažintį su šia autore ir ieškosiu skaitymo malonumų kitur!
October 9, 2020
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
This book can be described as a ‘pressure cooker’ book. It simmers away throughout, occasionally blasting out bursts of air, until it reaches the climax cooking point in the final quarter of the novel. Fields gradually builds up the tension and brings it all to a climax, leaving me racing through the pages and desperate to see its conclusion.
https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
This book can be described as a ‘pressure cooker’ book. It simmers away throughout, occasionally blasting out bursts of air, until it reaches the climax cooking point in the final quarter of the novel. Fields gradually builds up the tension and brings it all to a climax, leaving me racing through the pages and desperate to see its conclusion.
https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
February 26, 2020
No Prejudice. This is one of the finest thriller in the Perfect Series.
Story dissect into 2 parts first one with the line/method of killing & the next one of identifying the killers.
Much of the Light shed on the Callanch compared to Turner, which i liked it, because i like callanch character, which i dont want to vapourise from the series.
On the row 4 corpse were found one after another in Edinburgh and the killer is using Darknet to select the Prey and grafitti describig the victims, but when it is found that all the Murder is for a reason it was absolutely Dazzling...
Callanch, Working so hard to identify the killers & resucitation the victims, but still not promoted at the end made me worry, but yes, it is practically what it is happening everywhere.
A Perfect Thriller & Crime one !!
Story dissect into 2 parts first one with the line/method of killing & the next one of identifying the killers.
Much of the Light shed on the Callanch compared to Turner, which i liked it, because i like callanch character, which i dont want to vapourise from the series.
On the row 4 corpse were found one after another in Edinburgh and the killer is using Darknet to select the Prey and grafitti describig the victims, but when it is found that all the Murder is for a reason it was absolutely Dazzling...
Callanch, Working so hard to identify the killers & resucitation the victims, but still not promoted at the end made me worry, but yes, it is practically what it is happening everywhere.
A Perfect Thriller & Crime one !!
March 10, 2019
Oh no, what happened to Luc Callanach and his sidekick Ava Turner ? I loved the first book in the series, gave it a well deserved five stars and thought I was on to a winning series This book , the second in the series was a let down. Callanach became an unlikeable cop, Ava got engaged to a dreadful prat and generally the story was dubious at best, with a truly ridiculous “twist” mid way. What a shame. I have bought the third in the series, so shall hope this was just a slight blip and the guys will return to top form in #3 !
September 19, 2024
There are two horrific murders right at the start...a young man eviscerated in the middle of a festival and an elderly woman brutally killed, with every bone in her body being broken. The M.O. of the two murders are certainly different, so does that mean they were committed by two different killers? As more people are killed and Luc and Ava realize that the graffiti left describing the victims is actually showing up before they are killed, Soon the police realize that all the murders are tied together, and they are running out of time to try and prevent any more murders from happening.
In spite of the horrific murders, I really enjoyed this story. Both the plot and the characters were very well done. I don’t want to give any away spoilers, but basically it reminded me a bit of an Agatha Christie novel. I was very sure that Luc and Ava were going to be together, so I was surprised to find that they were only friends and not even "friends with benefits". I’m really curious to see how their friendship will develop because they have bucket loads of chemistry.
Overall, it was a really interesting story. I had read the first book and thought that perhaps this one would continue with the storyline from that one...but this one is diffidently a standalone novel, and I will certainly continue to read this author.
In spite of the horrific murders, I really enjoyed this story. Both the plot and the characters were very well done. I don’t want to give any away spoilers, but basically it reminded me a bit of an Agatha Christie novel. I was very sure that Luc and Ava were going to be together, so I was surprised to find that they were only friends and not even "friends with benefits". I’m really curious to see how their friendship will develop because they have bucket loads of chemistry.
Overall, it was a really interesting story. I had read the first book and thought that perhaps this one would continue with the storyline from that one...but this one is diffidently a standalone novel, and I will certainly continue to read this author.
January 4, 2025
Fast paced, full of tension and drama, Perfect Prey is a second instalment in D.I. Callanach series and it doesn't disappoint.
Cleverly plotted, well written and fast paced the story is terrifying and ever so good.
I'll be definitely following on with the series.
Cleverly plotted, well written and fast paced the story is terrifying and ever so good.
I'll be definitely following on with the series.
February 10, 2019
Perfect Prey by Helen Fields is the 2nd in the Luc Callanach series.
Series Background (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books):
DI Luc is half French and half Scottish, living most of his life in France, and working for Interpol. Due to a false rape allegation made by co-worker Astrid Borde, he leaves France, his job, his friends, his mother. Very few are sad to see him go. With some assistance from his bosses, he heads to Edinburgh to take command of a homicide team. His welcome is not particularly warm. He and DS Lively will never be close, but they now tolerate each other - barely.
Luc does make friends with a colleague, DI Ava Taylor, and a few others are there to help.
My Synopsis:
Luc is trying to find a murderer who walked up and fatally slashed charity worker Sim Thorburn, who was attending a large outdoor festival. Sim bled out in a crowd of thousands. No one saw a thing.
Ava is trying to find the murderer of 46-year old palliative care nurse Helen Lott, who was crushed to death by a rage-filled man repeatedly jumping on the bureau he had placed over her body.
As more murders occur, it is evident that they are all linked. Public outcry is loud, and their temporary boss is a bit of a nightmare. Luc starts to bend the rules. It’s one thing to work with a journalist, but quite another to work with a hacker who is currently under surveillance by the National Cyber Crime Unit.
Heading that surveillance is DCI Joe Edgar, not a fan of Luc’s. Part of the problem is Joe’s past relationship with Ava….and his current one.
Meanwhile, Ava is stressed out because her mother is dying, and Ava has no one she can turn to. Her best friend is out of town, she is avoiding Luc, and Joe is pushing her.
My Opinions:
Well, I must say that this series is bringing me more and more entertainment. I’m loving it.
The characters gain depth with each book, and the “team” becomes more like a family.
The plot was a little dark, and a lot scary. It showed a glimpse of what the darknet could be hiding. Fields doesn’t mind sharing her visions of the gruesome acts that people can perform on another - in vivid detail. So be warned.
Note I can handle gruesome, and graphic torture – when it comes to people, but not animals, so I sort of skimmed a bit at one point, and that’s why it is not a 5 star review. Everything else was fantastic.
Highly recommend these books.
Series Background (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books):
DI Luc is half French and half Scottish, living most of his life in France, and working for Interpol. Due to a false rape allegation made by co-worker Astrid Borde, he leaves France, his job, his friends, his mother. Very few are sad to see him go. With some assistance from his bosses, he heads to Edinburgh to take command of a homicide team. His welcome is not particularly warm. He and DS Lively will never be close, but they now tolerate each other - barely.
Luc does make friends with a colleague, DI Ava Taylor, and a few others are there to help.
My Synopsis:
Luc is trying to find a murderer who walked up and fatally slashed charity worker Sim Thorburn, who was attending a large outdoor festival. Sim bled out in a crowd of thousands. No one saw a thing.
Ava is trying to find the murderer of 46-year old palliative care nurse Helen Lott, who was crushed to death by a rage-filled man repeatedly jumping on the bureau he had placed over her body.
As more murders occur, it is evident that they are all linked. Public outcry is loud, and their temporary boss is a bit of a nightmare. Luc starts to bend the rules. It’s one thing to work with a journalist, but quite another to work with a hacker who is currently under surveillance by the National Cyber Crime Unit.
Heading that surveillance is DCI Joe Edgar, not a fan of Luc’s. Part of the problem is Joe’s past relationship with Ava….and his current one.
Meanwhile, Ava is stressed out because her mother is dying, and Ava has no one she can turn to. Her best friend is out of town, she is avoiding Luc, and Joe is pushing her.
My Opinions:
Well, I must say that this series is bringing me more and more entertainment. I’m loving it.
The characters gain depth with each book, and the “team” becomes more like a family.
The plot was a little dark, and a lot scary. It showed a glimpse of what the darknet could be hiding. Fields doesn’t mind sharing her visions of the gruesome acts that people can perform on another - in vivid detail. So be warned.
Note I can handle gruesome, and graphic torture – when it comes to people, but not animals, so I sort of skimmed a bit at one point, and that’s why it is not a 5 star review. Everything else was fantastic.
Highly recommend these books.
August 6, 2017
Ever since I read Perfect Remains at the start of the year, I’ve been waiting with baited breath for the next book in the DI Callahan series. Second books are always a tad tricky, aren’t they? When the first one has built up such high expectations, you always wonder if the next one will live up to the hype you created in your own head or if you’ll be left disappointed. Well, I can already tell you right now that Perfect Prey is even more awesome than its predecessor!
DI Luc Callahan is back and has his work cut out for him. Not only is there an ingenious murderer roaming the streets of Edinburgh, there’s also a quite unlikeable DCI who’s causing problems between Luc and DI Ava Turner and the arrival of a new, somewhat overly excited, neighbour called Bunny.
The team is puzzled when a young man is murdered in the middle of a crowded rock festival. He was stabbed but nobody noticed a thing as the killer casually walks away in the mass of people. The victim was a good person, a charity worker and the team can find no motive for his killing, nor any leads. Soon another murder follows, this time a primary school teacher. Are these murders in any way connected? Are the victims chosen randomly or is there more at play here?
Just like the first book in this series, Perfect Prey is not for the faint-hearted. Once again, the team is faced with an incredibly brutal and evil killer. The killer is prepared, plans things meticulously, is extremely confident and takes pride and pleasure from their acts as if they are a work of art. Once again the author delivers a taut and brilliantly executed plot full of gruesomeness and I absolutely can’t wait for the next one in this series, Perfect Death, which will be published in January. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys police procedurals and crime fiction. It’s a corker, I promise!
DI Luc Callahan is back and has his work cut out for him. Not only is there an ingenious murderer roaming the streets of Edinburgh, there’s also a quite unlikeable DCI who’s causing problems between Luc and DI Ava Turner and the arrival of a new, somewhat overly excited, neighbour called Bunny.
The team is puzzled when a young man is murdered in the middle of a crowded rock festival. He was stabbed but nobody noticed a thing as the killer casually walks away in the mass of people. The victim was a good person, a charity worker and the team can find no motive for his killing, nor any leads. Soon another murder follows, this time a primary school teacher. Are these murders in any way connected? Are the victims chosen randomly or is there more at play here?
Just like the first book in this series, Perfect Prey is not for the faint-hearted. Once again, the team is faced with an incredibly brutal and evil killer. The killer is prepared, plans things meticulously, is extremely confident and takes pride and pleasure from their acts as if they are a work of art. Once again the author delivers a taut and brilliantly executed plot full of gruesomeness and I absolutely can’t wait for the next one in this series, Perfect Death, which will be published in January. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys police procedurals and crime fiction. It’s a corker, I promise!
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