by: M.J. Arlidge
Series: The Helen Grace Series
Genre: Mystery Thriller, Crime Fiction
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Source: Publisher ~ Penguin - NAL
A man’s body is found in an empty house.
A gruesome memento of his murder is sent to his wife and children.
He is the first victim, and Detective Helen Grace knows he will not be the last. But why would a happily married man be this far from home in the dead of night?
The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse: a serial killer preying on family men who lead hidden double lives.
Helen can sense the fury behind the murders. But what she cannot possibly predict is how volatile this killer is—or what is waiting for her at the end of the chase...
REVIEW
There are no words to describe the depths of hell that Pop Goes the Weasel takes you to. M.J. Arlidge has created a world so dark and pathetic that it’s difficult to believe that anything good even happens. In addition, the protagonist, Police Detective Helen Grace is so broken and defeated, I’m not sure what even motivates her to get out of bed in the morning. Pop Goes the Weasel is the second book in the series and I definitely felt like I missed a lot of story-enriching background by not reading the first book, Eeny Meeny. Helen Grace has so many skeletons in her closet, it’s not even believable. The author has thrown so much darkness into this book, it felt like three books in one. At some point, two serial killers actually cross paths with each other. It’s like Jason vs Freddy Krueger.
Since this is a thriller that reads more like a horror movie, there isn’t much detail that I can give about the book itself. Nonetheless, it’s a gory tale of revenge, redemption, and sadism that is a lot to take in all at once. Pop Goes the Weasel is a well-written book but I’m not even sure how to rate it. It was intriguing, fast-paced, and thought-provoking. But it was just so darn bleak. The serial killer was relatable and I couldn’t help but feel their pain. And they did not fit the mold of a serial killer. The other people in the book came off to be far worse than the serial killer in some instances. Helen’s Captain wasn’t even likeable. I could go on but after reading this book, I’m just happy to be done with the torture. It may have just been too much.
**Received a copy from Penguin Group in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
Rating: 4
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