So I received an ARC for this novel a while back and did not get around to reading it until now (thanks a ton Netgalley!) and the first thing that I noticed is that if you didn't read the novel right before this, you are at a huge disadvantage when trying to understand the story when the book begins. Sometimes you can pick up an installment of a series and it reads like a standalone novel, but this is one where you really need the prior novels for this one to make sense.

That being said, once I got past the first portion of the story, things did start to make more sense, and this novel progressed in the usual crime/thriller trajectory: uncovering the mystery killer (and in this case, trying to prove if DI Grace is innocent of her crimes). The structure of this novel was a big bother for me though, as the chapters were very, very short, and the story felt really "choppy". The constantly shifting perspectives of the chapters made it hard for me to keep track of some of the story at times and I think this novel would have really benefitted from longer, more "sustained" chapters to allow the story to really develop in parts.

Not the best crime thriller I've ever read, but the story was at least engrossing at times.

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I actually got approved for this book a really really long time ago and I always kept putting off reading it. I picked it up 2 days ago and essentially devoured it. I was a bit concerned because I haven’t read any other books in the series, but that wasn’t an issue at all. It was very easy to catch up on events, the characters were fantastic, and the mystery whodunnit part literally kept me guessing until the very end. I love books like that. I’m hooked, I want to read all the books in the series now. They’re quick, fast paced and so addictive. Loved it. I’m just sad it took me this long to read it!

I am hooked. 100% hooked on the Helen Grace series by MJ Arlidge. Arlidge has a talent to pull the reader in, lead the down a path, and then swiftly change paths taking the reader a different way. I love every word, chapter, and page that she writes. Hide and Seek is my new favorite from her.

The characters are familiar from other books in this series and the storyline continues. With Hide and Seek you really need to read Little Boy Blue first as this is the sequel. The story picks up right where Little Boy Blue ends. DI Helen Grace is in prison being charged with murder. Of course it isn’t that cut and dry. There is a murderer, an active murderer in the prison and is killing the other inmates. Helen, being a police officer, just cannot help herself and goes about working the crimes to find out who is killing inside the prison walls.

MJ Arlidge did a great job of writing the story without having the usual banter and togetherness of the core characters. DI Helen Grace was removed from the police office world and left on her own in a world where everyone hates the cops.

I recommend Hide and Seek along with the rest of this series. Again, Hide and Seek should be read after Little Boy Blue since the storyline continues but if you are okay with having to catch up a little it can be read alone.

Thank you Loren Jaggers at Berkley Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the prison killing aspect of this book. And as always, I love the character of Helen Grace. I enjoyed the previous books more because the characters worked more together and were a team.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for this free readers edition. In exchange I am providing an honest review.

AHHHHHH! So good. Locked up, DI Helen Grace is put in a position to solve a series of disturbing murders - from inside a prison cell. A disgraced copper has no friends on the inside and nobody to believe them so when the bodies start stacking up Grace is on her own to figure out the who, what, when, why, and how - all the while watching her own back from disgruntled inmates that she personally had a hand in placing there. Meanwhile, on the outside DC Brooks is determined to prove Grace's innocence and will do whatever it takes to find the real killer from the string of murders Grace was personally connected to.

I don't know how Arlidge comes up with these plotlines but whoa. What a vivid imagination that he is able to translate from imagination to feeling and seeming so real. I love that in this installment Helen experiences the other side of the law that she is generally on. I think that perspective is really important to have in police work. Can't wait to read book 7!

Helen Grace series by M.J. Arlidge
This is an adult mystery/thriller series in which the main character, Detective Helen Grace, is on the prowl for serial killers. Each book focuses on a different killer, and they are all pretty gruesome and heart-pounding cases. This series has 5 books out in the US, but 2 additional out in the UK that aren’t here yet, PLUS two novellas.

Bottom Line: While they won’t win a pulitzer prize, these books are fast-paced, chilling thrillers. I flew through 5 in about a week and a half, and I can’t wait for more!

Bonus: Killer covers. (Pun intended.)

This book is the first I have read by this author and I suspect I may have missed out on several previous books covering DI Helen Grace who in this book finds herself imprisoned, awaiting a (re-)trial. Then a series of gruesome, careful murders start happening and while Grace is trying to solve the murders while trying to save her own life which is constantly being threatened as a former police officer behind bars.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, although not entirely blown away by the story, I will, however, certainly check out other books by the author as it may bring some context to this book.

As with the previous novels in this series, it was easy for me to fall right into the story and not come up for air until I had read over half of it. Exercise, food, sleep, who needs them? Not someone who is reading a Helen Grace thriller.

This book begins with all the intensity I've come to expect from this author and the unexpected twists and turns gave me every reason to want to continue reading. I love the gritty, tough exterior of the main character and her ability to think clearly even in times of great distress. With every book we learn a bit more about her and I always walk away feeling like she is a real person with actual problems and obstacles to overcome, often forgetting that it is fiction I'm reading.

If you enjoy books where you can't guess what is going to happen in the end, then this one will suit you nicely. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to further works from this author. Recommended to everyone who wants to hold their breath while waiting to see what happens next.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

OMG!! This is the cheesiest premise ever in a book.

An honored and well known police investigator is behind bars in women's prison for murder? It doesn't end that way, it starts out that way. I found this to be so freaking unbelievable . . . then I was sucked right in.

Totally awesome read that I could not and would not put down.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

What I liked in this thriller is the fact that the main character is actually a cop trapped inside a prison... Call that original! Helen Grace is framed for a murder she didn't commit and now has to survive in a prison full of enemies; more than one inside thanks to her and they are not happy. This setting and plot makes for some very interesting reading and the writing only makes it easier to emerge yourself fully in the problems Helen Grace has to face while trying to survive. And it's not just the daily life that is challenging, because on top of that there is a killer on the loose on the inside. Hide And Seek definitely ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to a thrilling read.

Within these prison walls, there was no forgiveness. Even in death.

Helen Grace now in prison for a murder she did not commit is in the fight of her life and the lives of her prison inmates. On the outside of the prison walls, her good friend Brooks is on the hunt to find the real killer that put Grace behind bars. With a trial by the media, Grace is in a loosing battle, but Brooks with a resolve and determination to find her friend exonerated, she is in a fight for her own life and job.

With three bizarre murders of inmates, Grace is in the zone of finding the killer. The evidence is compelling. A bloodless murder and the bodies sewed up by the killer to feed a need one of sick mind. Grace knows finding the why behind these murders will lead her to the who.

A page turner of the bizarre kind.

A Special Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

This book is NOT a standalone, let's get that out there FIRST and foremost. Now, Helen, in jail? Well, that had to be a frame. I had said I wouldn't read any more of this series, but my curiosity got the best of me and I'm glad it did. This was a strong story! Helen has to solve a crime, while behind bars, or wind up dead herself. Not a great way for a DI to go out. As disappointed as I was with the last book, the cliffhanger and the hangups that Helen should have been long over by now, this book worked to cure those issues.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

Another great read from Arlidge. Poor Helen, but she is one tough lady!

Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Hide and Seek. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

After being framed for a murder that she did not commit, Helen Grace finds danger around every corner as she awaits trial. Locked up in a prison with inmates and guards that are looking to settle a score, Helen can only hope that her friends on the outside will clear her name in time. When inmates start dying suspiciously, will Helen be able to use her investigative skills to help solve the case?

I am starting to tire of the "everyone is out to get Helen" plot line, as it is getting extremely repetitious. The settings are different, but the story is the same. There is a glimmer of hope by the end of Hide and Seek, though, and I can only wish that the tides are starting to turn for Helen Grace. Her strength and determination despite insurmountable odds make her character interesting and I would like to see more of that moving forward. Readers who like police procedural thrillers will like the Helen Grace series and I would counsel those who are new to the books to start from the beginning.

Hide and Seek happens to be the sixth book in the series and, as odd a place as that might be to start, it turned out to be a well-written, compelling, action-packed read that roared ahead at breakneck speed. The entire story takes place with British police detective Helen Grace in prison awaiting trial for a series of murders she was framed for. While that situation plays in the background, the focus is mucj more on her day to day survival in the cutthroat women's prison, facing off against other inmates and sadistic guards as well as a violent situation that takes place there. Definitely a good solid thriller.

Hide and Seek by M.J. Arlidge is the sixth book in D.I. Helen Grace series. Helen Grace is behind bars in Holloway Prison and she is in general population. Helen needs to find a way to stay alive until the trial or until Charlie Brooks can find the real killer—Robert Stonehill. Just when Helen thinks her situation cannot get any worse, a body turns up in the next cell. Grace (being Grace) cannot help but investigate the crime. Then the killer strikes again. Grace needs to work quickly to find the culprit before they kill again. Making things more difficult is Annie, a gang leader, bent on causing Helen harm. Charlie is working quickly to locate Robert Stonehill and prove Grace’s innocence. Charlie is risking her job to help her friend. Helen and Charlie are racing against the clock. Will Helen make it out of Holloway alive? Can Charlie find Robert Stonehill in time to save Helen? Who is killing the female prisoners in Holloway?

Hide and Seek is masterful. M.J. Arlidge has done it again with Hide and Seek. I found it well-written with a complex mystery and a fast pace. There is plenty of action, suspense and twists. The author keeps a reader guessing in this one (it was delightful). I suggest that you read the books in the D.I. Helen Grace series in order. The books in the series build on one another. What happens in Hide and Seek is the result of what occurred in Little Boy Blue. Helen is a complex character (intelligent, resilient, good instincts) with many layers (we have only scratched the surface in the first six books). We get to see a different side of Helen in this story. I was glad to see Charlie get more play in Hide and Seek. She is also strong, smart, and feisty. The action ramps up toward the end of the story, and I was glued to my e-reader. I did not stop reading until I finished the book (I was riveted). M.J. Arlidge keeps readers on the edge of their seats. I am giving Hide and Seek 5 out of 5 stars (I loved it). I have both the book and the audiobook (allowed me to listen to the story on the go). The narrator did a wonderful job. If you enjoy psychological thrillers/suspense novels, then Hide and Seek is for you. I am eager to read the next installment in the D.I. Helen Grace series.

Book 5 of this series left our protagonist in a bit of a predicament. Now we pick up in Holloway Prison as Helen Grace continues doing what she does best: hunting down a serial killer. But how to pick out the killer in a place full of them...

What follows are plenty of twists and turns (in both the plot and running through the prison at night) as Helen carefully eliminates suspects all while hoping to clear her own name.

I hope the poor detective gets a vacation after this one. But alas, those pesky serial killers will probably just follow her to whatever cabin in the woods she holes up in.

4.5 Stars* (rounded up)

My Oh My! “Hide and Seek” is One Heck of a Heart Stopping Mystery/Suspense Novel!

M. J. Arlidge knocked my socks off with this one guys and gals. Detective Inspector Helen Grace is trapped. In the worst way possible. She’s imprisoned, actually. And believe it or not, she’s actually innocent. The real culprit? Her own brother. He framed her. If that doesn’t suck, I don’t know what does.

For DI Grace, being imprisoned in Holloway is pretty bad. After all, almost everyone is against her and she knows that if she doesn’t get out of there, she won’t live to see to see the light of day. Her only hope is to escape or win the case against her at trial, neither of which seem very likely. Thank goodness her former DS, Charlie Brooks, is still on her side.

While waiting things out, the cellmate next door to DI Grace is found dead and boy does it look suspicious. Suspicious, and gruesome, if you must know. Grace, of course, can’t help but investigate the case on her own even though she doesn’t actually have any evidence. Heck, it’s what she does. Then the murderer strikes again and DI Grace has to figure out who is out to get rid of the female prisoners before she’s next. Either way, the outcome for DI Grace doesn’t look good.

“Hide and Seek” is one crazy, insane and wildly impressive read. I was glued to the novel like a radio stuck on a single station. M.J. Arlidge sure caught my attention with this wickedly suspenseful novel and I am glad she did.

I am ashamed to admit that I requested this novel from NetGalley, not realizing that it was part of a series and not having read the prior books in the series. That being said, “Hide and Seek” read extremely well as a standalone - M.J. Arlidge provides a stellar amount of background about the prior book(s) so I understood what happened previously and felt immediately invested. While I don’t normally read a series out of order (and plan to read the other books in the series in order from start to finish), I am so glad I read this one, as the character of DI Grace got under my skin. She was dynamic and gutsy and is one heck of a detective. Charlie Brooks was a little spit-fire. All I can say is, if I ever get myself into trouble, I want these two on the case.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and M.J. Arlidge for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram on 11.22.17.

Oh, I love these Helen Grace books.

This one is especially good as Helen is in prison, accused of a crime she didn't commit, and surrounded by people who hate her - either simply because she's a cop or because she's the cop who put them away. She's in probably the most dangerous place in the world for her!

Helen must try to survive prison and prove herself innocent - with very few friends left in the outside world.

The book is so full of suspense and danger! Helen is an awesome protagonist. She's so incredibly tough, even when she's at her lowest.

This is an extremely satisfying read, full of punch. Can't wait for the next book!

Hide and Seek is #6 in the Helen Grace series. It follows Little Boy Blue, a few weeks after Helen has been arrested.

I didn't start the Helen Grace series from it's inception in Eeny Meeny. If you have the option start with this book. Helen is a very complex character so jumping in early will give you a better read on this complexity.

I came into Hide and Seek with high expectations. They were mostly met. Set in the soon to be closed Hollyway Prison where everyone is on edge. The prison Governor, Warden, has lost control and the day to day operations are run by a seemingly brutal guard. The prisoners also seem to have an easy time maneuvering through and around what seems like a hellhole. This is where the book loses a star from me. Everything seems to easy, to clean, to convenient. A gruesome locked room murder takes place. The who, what, why, and how keeps the inmates in a heightened sense of fear. Who is next? it is in this scenario that Helen moves through the prison that seems to have no supervision whatsoever when it suits the storyline.

Putting this aspect of the plot aside the writing is fluid, crisp, and concise. The twists do come, with 20/20 hindsight you can see some of the clues that would point to the killer. I guessed wrong.

There are other plot lines outside the prison setting. The search for the actual killer from Little Boy Blue is conducted by the only friend Helen has left. This is against the supervisors orders. Which plays into the politics of the police themselves.

It is nice to read a story that isn't insulated from the rest world. M.J. Arlidge handles this well, like a seasoned pro. Tying the story together with the previous outing works as well.

Helen Grace is a character that I will follow. So now onto the beginning with Eeny Meeny.

I wish to thank M.J. Arlidge, the Publisher, and NetGalley for my review copy.