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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
As the book starts, Stephen Berry is about to jump off the Queensferry Crossing bridge into the River Forth. Struggling with depression and unable to manage his bipolar diagnosis, he feels it is the best thing for everybody to end his life, but a suicide prevention counsellor manages to talk him down. But just a week later, Stephen is found dead at the bottom of a cliff and DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach of Police Scotland are sent in to investigate if he jumped or was pushed.
But when other apparent suicides start happening, including a woman found dead in a bath and a man dead after being electrocuted, Ava and Luc become suspicious and realise they have a serial killer on their hands, one who is targeting suicidal people.
Meanwhile, Luc is in hot water after going to visit Bruce Jenson, a man who used to work with his father, one of two suspects who raped his mother and who may possibly be his father. Jenson is suffering from dementia, so isn't able to give Luc the answers he wants. But just hours after Luc's visit, Jenson is found dead, and although Ava doesn't suspect Luc, the fact he was there means he is naturally under suspicion.
As usual, these books are pretty gruesome - Fields is quite happy to give lots of detail on the victims and what they went through. The police procedure is done really well and feels very realistic. And I absolutely adore the relationships in this book, especially how the friendship between Ava and Luc has developed over the series. I desperately want them to be a couple and I really admire the author for not giving in and doing that too soon.
This is the 5th book in the series featuring DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach, set in Edinburgh. I think these books work well as standalones but I think you'd probably get more enjoyment out of them read in order so you can see the relationships develop. Exciting and thrilling, I can't wait to keep readings this series!
But when other apparent suicides start happening, including a woman found dead in a bath and a man dead after being electrocuted, Ava and Luc become suspicious and realise they have a serial killer on their hands, one who is targeting suicidal people.
Meanwhile, Luc is in hot water after going to visit Bruce Jenson, a man who used to work with his father, one of two suspects who raped his mother and who may possibly be his father. Jenson is suffering from dementia, so isn't able to give Luc the answers he wants. But just hours after Luc's visit, Jenson is found dead, and although Ava doesn't suspect Luc, the fact he was there means he is naturally under suspicion.
As usual, these books are pretty gruesome - Fields is quite happy to give lots of detail on the victims and what they went through. The police procedure is done really well and feels very realistic. And I absolutely adore the relationships in this book, especially how the friendship between Ava and Luc has developed over the series. I desperately want them to be a couple and I really admire the author for not giving in and doing that too soon.
This is the 5th book in the series featuring DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach, set in Edinburgh. I think these books work well as standalones but I think you'd probably get more enjoyment out of them read in order so you can see the relationships develop. Exciting and thrilling, I can't wait to keep readings this series!
I found this missed the mark in comparison to other DI Callanach stories. I picked the culprit straight away, and far too mich time was spent on the "will they/ won't they" between Luc and Ava (personally, I hope they don't).
Another fantastic story. I love this series so much! What Helen has done with Luc and Ava’s characters could make me keep coming back for 100 more books
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When words like gripping and won't be able to put it down are used next to the title, it tends to inspire a certain expectation of what's inside the book. Don't get me wrong, Perfect Crime is a good enough crime thriller, but gripping? Not so much. There are two cases running side by side, and both are way too easy to figure out from pretty early in the story. That said, the book does run the usual formula for the genre, and there are plenty of tense situations to keep things moving along at a good pace. There's also some romance between our two main characters, and honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about how that part played out. Nevertheless, the story is well-written, and it did hold my interest even after I had it figured out.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have to start this review with a major mea culpa! I read this book in December 2018 and somehow I completely missed finishing the review and it's now almost three years later. But I'm going to work this into an advantage because this installment of the DI Callanach series is still deeply engraved in my mind after all these years. Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book deals quite heavily with mental help and especially suicide, which may be difficult for some readers. I found that Fields treated it with a lot of care, however, highlighting how easily people with mental health issues can be abused or taken advantage of. This is an issue with a lot of thriller/suspense novels, where the criminal often ends up having some kind of mental health issues. It puts mentally ill people into the perpetrator corner, when actually, in reality, they are often the victims. Fields also uses Perfect Crime to dig further into Luc's past and has him confront some of his own demons. It makes for a balanced novel in which looking after ones mental health is a priority and not a plotline.
Perfect Crime starts with a prevented suicide, but this is quickly followed by tragedy when Stephen Berry is found dead nonetheless. While initially an assumption is made that it was suicide, clues point detectives towards a different, darker answer. In quick succession more victims are found, the one common thread being that they had attempted suicide in the past. Now the hunt is on, but it is a difficult and tricky one. The chapters from the perspective of the killer are fascinating and disturbing, which is exactly as they should be. While Fields' novels are always scary, there was something extra terrifying about this plot. It is a pleasure to rejoin the old familiar crew, with the now permanent DI Pax Graham. The will they/won't they between Callanach and Ava Turner remains thrilling and fun. It's one of those relationships that I think I'd prefer to always be on the edge, rather than fully established.
Helen Fields remains one of my favourite thriller and suspense novelists. She manages to balance consistent action with proper character development and quiet moments. While the series is named after Callanach, Ava Turner is probably my favourite character. She is complex, a little messy and reckless, but also very motivated and with her heart in the right place. The second plotline around Luc's family and the troubles of his past is not as gripping as the main storyline, but it greatly served his character. While he is no doubt a dreamy main character, I always appreciate it when things are made more complex. The DI Callanach series remains a favourite and I'm consistently impressed at how Fields manages to come up with inventive plots and twists and turns without sinking away into clichés.
Perfect Crime is a great fifth installment of the DI Callanach series. Fields balances a terrifying crime spree with in-depth character development, resulting in a thrilling read.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2021/06/review-perfect-crime-by-helen-fields-di.html
This book deals quite heavily with mental help and especially suicide, which may be difficult for some readers. I found that Fields treated it with a lot of care, however, highlighting how easily people with mental health issues can be abused or taken advantage of. This is an issue with a lot of thriller/suspense novels, where the criminal often ends up having some kind of mental health issues. It puts mentally ill people into the perpetrator corner, when actually, in reality, they are often the victims. Fields also uses Perfect Crime to dig further into Luc's past and has him confront some of his own demons. It makes for a balanced novel in which looking after ones mental health is a priority and not a plotline.
Perfect Crime starts with a prevented suicide, but this is quickly followed by tragedy when Stephen Berry is found dead nonetheless. While initially an assumption is made that it was suicide, clues point detectives towards a different, darker answer. In quick succession more victims are found, the one common thread being that they had attempted suicide in the past. Now the hunt is on, but it is a difficult and tricky one. The chapters from the perspective of the killer are fascinating and disturbing, which is exactly as they should be. While Fields' novels are always scary, there was something extra terrifying about this plot. It is a pleasure to rejoin the old familiar crew, with the now permanent DI Pax Graham. The will they/won't they between Callanach and Ava Turner remains thrilling and fun. It's one of those relationships that I think I'd prefer to always be on the edge, rather than fully established.
Helen Fields remains one of my favourite thriller and suspense novelists. She manages to balance consistent action with proper character development and quiet moments. While the series is named after Callanach, Ava Turner is probably my favourite character. She is complex, a little messy and reckless, but also very motivated and with her heart in the right place. The second plotline around Luc's family and the troubles of his past is not as gripping as the main storyline, but it greatly served his character. While he is no doubt a dreamy main character, I always appreciate it when things are made more complex. The DI Callanach series remains a favourite and I'm consistently impressed at how Fields manages to come up with inventive plots and twists and turns without sinking away into clichés.
Perfect Crime is a great fifth installment of the DI Callanach series. Fields balances a terrifying crime spree with in-depth character development, resulting in a thrilling read.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2021/06/review-perfect-crime-by-helen-fields-di.html
Let me just start my review by saying that if you’re not reading this series, I am judging you like a big, bad judging thing! This is one of the best crime fiction series out there and you are sorely missing out!
Perfect Crime is the fifth instalment in the DI Luc Callanach series and by now, these characters feel like family and I am always excited about spending more time with them. Before you ask, no, you really shouldn’t treat these as stand-alones. Start from the beginning. I promise you won’t regret it!
Things kick off when Stephen Berry is getting ready to jump off a bridge. Luckily, a suicide prevention counsellor manages to talk him down but a week later, Stephen is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are called in to investigate whether Stephen killed himself or was murdered. But the deaths do not stop there …
Meanwhile, Callanach is finding himself in hot water when he visits someone in a care home who is later found dead. I won’t say anything else about that so I don’t spoil things for those who haven’t read the previous books (shame on you! 😂) but I will say I really enjoyed this second thread of the story. Switching back and forth between the two investigations really held my attention.
I mentioned these characters feel like family by now so when they hurt, I hurt. And there is a lot of “hurt” going on in this one. Relationships shift, some characters managed to surprise me, others infuriated me and through it all are original, frightening and gruesome deaths as I’ve come to expect from this series.
I very early on figured out what was going on but that didn’t ruin things for me at all. I became so absorbed in the investigation that I almost forgot about my suspect. Helen Fields always delivers gripping, compelling, thrilling and tense stories full of intriguing (and sometimes totally crazy) characters. This is one of those series that just keeps getting better and better and I can’t wait to see what Helen Fields comes up with next but I know it will be awesome once again. Highly recommended!
Perfect Crime is the fifth instalment in the DI Luc Callanach series and by now, these characters feel like family and I am always excited about spending more time with them. Before you ask, no, you really shouldn’t treat these as stand-alones. Start from the beginning. I promise you won’t regret it!
Things kick off when Stephen Berry is getting ready to jump off a bridge. Luckily, a suicide prevention counsellor manages to talk him down but a week later, Stephen is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are called in to investigate whether Stephen killed himself or was murdered. But the deaths do not stop there …
Meanwhile, Callanach is finding himself in hot water when he visits someone in a care home who is later found dead. I won’t say anything else about that so I don’t spoil things for those who haven’t read the previous books (shame on you! 😂) but I will say I really enjoyed this second thread of the story. Switching back and forth between the two investigations really held my attention.
I mentioned these characters feel like family by now so when they hurt, I hurt. And there is a lot of “hurt” going on in this one. Relationships shift, some characters managed to surprise me, others infuriated me and through it all are original, frightening and gruesome deaths as I’ve come to expect from this series.
I very early on figured out what was going on but that didn’t ruin things for me at all. I became so absorbed in the investigation that I almost forgot about my suspect. Helen Fields always delivers gripping, compelling, thrilling and tense stories full of intriguing (and sometimes totally crazy) characters. This is one of those series that just keeps getting better and better and I can’t wait to see what Helen Fields comes up with next but I know it will be awesome once again. Highly recommended!