Liar Liar
A Detective Helen Grace Thriller
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4.1 • 17 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Detective Helen Grace gets caught in an inferno of death and destruction in the red-hot new thriller from the author of Eeny Meeny, Pop Goes the Weasel, and The Doll’s House…
Detective Helen Grace has never seen such destruction. Six fires in twenty-four hours. Two people dead. Several more injured. It’s as if someone wants to burn the city to the ground...
With the whole town on high alert, Helen and her team must sift through the rubble to find the arsonist, someone whose thirst for fire—and control—is reducing entire lives to ash.
One misstep could mean Helen’s career—and more lives lost. And as the pressure mounts and more buildings burn, Helen’s own dark impulses threaten to consume her…
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
British author Arlidge's fourth novel featuring Southampton Det. Insp. Helen Grace (after The Doll's House) is so good that it will send new readers scrambling to catch up with the earlier books in the series. On one night, carefully planned multiple acts of arson take lives in a house fire and destroy two business properties. Grace and her team dig for clues and motives, but a second night brings three more fires, more victims, and more pressure. Adding to the investigation's difficulties are Grace's relationships with Det. Supt. Jonathan Gardam, a Londoner new to the city, and Emilia Garanita, an ambitious reporter. A personal crisis for a key ally, Det. Constable Charlene Brooks, adds further complications. Arlidge's minor characters are movingly real, and the story's twists are surprising and convincing. Helen, who bears both physical and emotional scars, emerges as one of crime fiction's most compelling detectives.
Customer Reviews
Wonderful suspense novel!
Liar Liar by M.J. Arlidge is the fourth book in A Helen Grace Thriller series. Detective Inspector Helen Grace has a new boss. His name is Detective Superintendent Jonathan Gardam. He is more of a hands on boss. Helen is still trying to figure him out. Helen just finished a tough case when three fires break out in one night. Two are businesses but one is a Victorian home. The fire was set at night while the family was asleep. The eldest son, Luke jumped out of the attic window (the only way he could escape) and suffered severe injuries. Thomas Simms was just arriving home from a business trip and discovered his house in flames. The wife and daughter are still inside. The fireman found them in the shower in the bathroom with the water running (to get oxygen). Who set three fires in one night? Helen Grace and her team are on the case to find the arsonist. Deborah Parks is the arson investigator assigned the case. Deborah discovers that all the fires were set the same way. Then there are three more fires. Again, only one was a home. Can Helen Grace and her team find the culprit before there are more victims? Is there any connection between the victims? The team needs to work quickly and Detective Superintendent Gardam is breathing down their necks (he is keeping a close eye on the investigation and Helen). The tension is getting to Helen, and she makes a mistake that could affect her professional life (she tries to keep her personal and professional lives separate). It is going to be a bleak Christmas unless they catch this firebug!
Liar Liar is well-written and easy to read. It has a fast pace that makes it hard to put down. There are some great, unexpected twists in the book (loved them). In order to understand everything about Helen Grace, you really need to read the other books in the series. Each book is based upon the previous novel. Helen is a unique character. Helen is a strong woman, but she is also weak. I liked how we got to know more about DC Charlie Brooks in this book. We got a look at her personal life. How Charlie has to juggle her family (husband and baby daughter) and her work (with its unpredictable hours). I give Liar Liar 5 out of 5 stars. I love M.J. Arlidge’s complex characters and crimes as well as the setting in Southampton, England. I cannot wait for the next book in A Helen Grace Thriller series.
I received a complimentary copy of Liar Liar from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.
A Great Read
Helen Grace is an interesting hero. In this adventure she has to cope with a strange new boss, a loopy dominator, and a puzzling series of deadly arsons. The suspense builds as the fires continue and the clues become more baffling.. The book is difficult to put down. As in the previous stories, the narration switches characters and places within the same paragraph, forcing the reader to back up and figure out what is going on. The plot is clever, and the interplay between very realistic people makes for a great read.