The Doll's House

By M. J. Arlidge

Review

In the third book of the series, Detective Inspector Helen Grace investigates the murder of a young woman discovered buried on a beach. She'd been there for some time yet her estranged family hadn't reported her missing — she'd been sending text messages so they'd assumed she was okay. When another young woman goes missing, Helen knows her life is hanging by a thread. Can she be found before time runs out? Helen must use all her skills to carefully outwit a murderous predator.

I'm really enjoying this series. So far the first three books have all been thrilling and very well-plotted. The characters are fully developed and could quite easily be real people. The suspense and tension intensifies as the captive young woman's situation becomes increasingly precarious. I wouldn't exactly describe the book as 'action-packed' — it's more of a slow burner — but the psychological aspects are excellent. I'm now looking forward to reading book four.

★★★★☆

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication Year: 2015
• Author: M. J. Arlidge
• Genre: Crime

Synopsis

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 from beyond the grave.

For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.

And as Helen struggles to understand the killer's motivation, she begins to realize that she's in a desperate race against time . . .