01 November 2022

Pop Goes the Weasel

 

By M. J. Arlidge
Crime

Review




When a man is found brutally murdered with his heart cut out, Detective Inspector Helen Grace leads the investigation. As more bodies are discovered, it becomes apparent a serial killer is at large. All the victims are married men who, unbeknown to their wives, used the services of prostitutes. When the missing hearts are mailed to the victims' families and workplaces, Helen knows she must act quickly to catch a cunning killer. 

Pop Goes the Weasel is the second book in this fantastic series and is just as thrilling as the first. With a strong female protagonist, the plot is fast-paced, exciting and grisly. DI Helen Grace battles her own demons as she tries to outmanoeuvre a sadistic killer in a game of cat and mouse. 

I really enjoyed the book with its short punchy chapters that captured my imagination and kept me reading deep into the night. The main characters are fully developed and felt real. This, combined with a gripping plot, hit the mark in all the right places. A fabulous read.          

★★★★☆

  • Paperback: 426 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin
  • Publication Year: 2014
  • Author: M. J. Arlidge
  • Genre: Crime

Synopsis


The body of a middle-aged man is discovered in Southampton's red-light district - horrifically mutilated, with his heart removed.

Hours later - and barely cold - the heart arrives with his wife and children by courier.

A pattern emerges when another male victim is found dead and eviscerated, his heart delivered soon afterwards.

The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse; revenge against the men who lead sordid double lives visiting prostitutes. For Grace, only one thing is certain: there's a vicious serial-killer at large who must be halted at all costs . . .

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