Although this is book 5 in the series, I was able to dig right in and enjoy it.

This is a very solid procedural/crime thriller.

The mystery is engaging. The author managed to keep my interest throughout.

It did take me a bit to engage with the characters – likely as a result of my being new to the series – but I got to know (and like) them very quickly.

I’m curious about the prior books and definitely look forward to the next one!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Damn! I’m desperately, overwhelmingly, devastatingly, head over heels in love with Luc Callanach!

Stephen Berry is going to jump off a bridge but Rune Mclure, a counsellor, talks him out of it just in time.
A week later they find Stephen Berry’s body at the bottom of a cliff. Initially the police assume he finally succeeded in committing suicide without intervention. But when they find another victim’s body, with a history of depression and previous attempted suicides, they realize there may be a connection between the victims.

There is a serial killer in Edinburgh and he is targeting the weak and vulnerable.
What is his motive? How is he choosing his targets? Who is next? And most importantly how can he be stopped?

Thanks to Helen Fields, Avon Books UK and the NetGalley for the advanced copy.

So the very fabulous DI Luc Callanach is back in this 5th instalment of the series and this one is a real belter !! I love Helen Fields writing I swear she could write instructions of how to assemble a wardrobe and I would read it.
As with the previous books in this series we are treated to a brilliant mystery thriller centring around apparent suicides/murders and a lot more back story of the reoccurring characters, especially the ongoing dynamics between Ava and Luc making for another unputdownable, entertaining read that I flew through and loved every page. If you haven’t read any of these books I would totally recommend them all, if you love a great police procedural and plot you have it all here ..Thank you Helen Fields you are terrific and please hurry with the next instalment.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really liked the story line where people who had tried to commit suicide were found murdered a few weeks later. Unfortunately, other aspects of the book were so unrealistic that I stopped reading. The relationships between the two main police officers was just not credible. Neither, was the backstory of Callanach.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Perfect Crime’ by Helen Fields in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Stephen Berry decides to take his own life by jumping off Queensferry Crossing into the River Forth, counsellor Rune Maclure from ‘Reach You’ talks him down. A week later Stephen is found at the bottom of Tantallon Castle walls and DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach soon realise that someone must have pushed him. As they investigate, more cases of unusual deaths arrive on their desks and although there doesn’t appear to be any connection between them all the evidence points to their being killed by the same person.

‘Perfect Crime’ is a gripping and fast-paced psychological thriller with an intricately woven plot, full of suspense and lots of action, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. Running alongside the main story is that of Luc’s mother who still lives in France and Astrid Borde who’s so obsessed with him she was the reason he had to leave Interpol and move to Scotland. I’ve enjoyed reading about Ava and Luc and their burgeoning relationship, and their team of DC Janet Munroe, DS Lively and DS Max Tripp who started off despising Luc for his good looks and are now his number one fans. There were enough suspects to keep me guessing, twists and turns, with a double twist at the end leading to a shocking and nail-biting conclusion. Helen Fields is fast becoming one of my favourite authors and I can’t wait to read her next thriller.

This was an enjoyable instalment of the ‘Perfect’ series, with an interesting MO from the killer who is murdering vulnerable people and making their death appear to be suicide. We see more of the relationship development between Ava and Luc, which is great since we’ve been hanging on the ‘will they?, won’t they?’ for a few books now. The one thing that I wasn’t sold on this time was the quality of the police work - there seemed to be a large number of huge risks taken, particularly by Ava, in terms of personal safety and safety of others, that were just reckless and not in keeping with what we’d expect from the police.

I was also slightly disappointed to have guessed who the killer was fairly early on in the book, the books in this series usually have more ability to surprise me. Nonetheless, I read this really quickly and found it thoroughly enjoyable.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Was very excited to be given the opportunity to read this ARC as I *love* the series and love Luc and Ava and I was not disappointed! Even though I guessed who the murderer was pretty early on, as with all of these books in the series, it's not just about the murder! Enjoyed it , fans of this series will not be disappointed!

This is the fifth book in the DI Luc Callanach series set in Edinburgh.
The story opens with a young man, Stephen Berry, attempting suicide by leaping from a bridge. Luckily or perhaps not, a suicide prevention counsellor appears to help talk him down.
A week later Luc and his DCI Ava Turner are called to Tantallon castle where it seems Stephen has succeeded in his latest suicide attempt. His body is found at the bottom of the cliff below the castle.
The question is did he jump or was he pushed ?
As the investigation progresses and more deaths occurr it becomes clear that Luc and Ava have a psychopathic serial killer on their hands, somoene who preys on the vulnerable.
Luc`s journalist friend Lance Proudfoot decides to keep watch when his suspicions as to who is the killer take shape, putting himself in a very dangerous position.
Running alongside there is a storyline connected to Lucs past which once again sees him fall under suspicion. What had finally seemed to be a blossoming relationship with Ava seems doomed to failure.
Once again the author has provided me with a book I couldn`t put down until I had read it all. A dark and gritty thriller with a cast of characters who are growing with each book in this exciting series.
Cant wait for the next installment!
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for the chance to read this as an ARC.

I'm going to have to do more investigating to find more books by Helen Fields because I really found this one interesting. It may not have had the most satisfying of endings but it held my interest throughout. The characters were particularly well-drawn and it seems like they have much more to say and do. I'm ready for the next in the "Perfect" series.

Fantastic book that I couldn’t put down. I love this series of books and enjoyed seeing the characters develop. The suicides were handled well and with sympathy and the murders were especially barbaric. I thought I had it worked out but a red herring made me think again. In the end I had three suspects and although I’d pretty much worked it out I wasn’t disappointed.

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

#PerfectCrime #NetGalley Another great read in the Callanach/Turner series. I guess it could be read as a standalone but it really does help to know more about the characters and how they have got where they have. There is plenty about the characters of Luc and Ava and not sure where this will go in future books. It was nice to see more about the characters of Lively, Tripp and Overbeck and they are definitely becoming more rounded. As always the crime/ thriller parts of the book were expertly written with lots of twists and turns and unexpected plot developments. I did think the constant reminders of how attractive Luc was , was perhaps a bit OTT and I would have preferred Ava to have a bit more strength of character (She seemed to be bursting into tears a lot!) but it did not spoil the enjoyment of the book. I am eagerly looking forward to the next one in this series

Di Luc Callanch and DCI Ava Turner are investigating murders, that at the beginning look like suicides. They seem unconnected and random. I have learned from experience, that this author does not do unconnected and she does not do random. What she does do is clever, devious and intriguing.

As I have read every one of the books in this series I have got to know the various characters and their traits. It was great to get to know a little more about them and see the ways in which they work together as a team. Working as a team has, in the past been a little tense as the pecking order is established and trust is gradually built on. Perfect Crime sees the old faces again as well as a couple of newcomers. One has made a previous appearance, I am reserving judgment on this one at the moment. The other definitely goes out on a limb…

The one thing I really like about this series is the way friendships and past stories have been built up over time. Luc and Ava… well I could seriously bash their heads together. Their friendship has always hovered on a precarious tightrope of emotion. This story shows a more personal side to each of them as the investigations take precedence over “normal life”. Luc delves into his past, he is trying to quash his demons that have had a way of always hanging around, but in doing so he leaves himself vulnerable and open to trouble that also threatens Ava.

The investigation is wonderful and well paced. I really enjoyed the false leads and was wrong-footed in a spectacular way when I finally discovered who was responsible. The author really does have a knack for leading the reader down blind alleys and leaving a trail of red herrings.

There are so many things I want to say about this book, and all are good. It has a twisted and devious plot with details about suicide and the help that can be sought. It plays on the vulnerability of those who are the lowest point in their lives. Adding in sinister characters who exploit perceived weakness in others makes this a deceptively dark read.

I adore this series and would recommend it to anyone who has not yet read any. This is a police procedural series that also incorporates personal life details of the main characters. It is something that is expanded on with each book and builds up a relationship with the reader.

If you love crime, thriller books and have not yet read this series then Why the hell not? If you have read the series, then you are in for a real treat with this one. It is deceptive, sinister and devious making for a cracking read. It gets an Absolutely Recommended from me.

And… I cannot wait for the next one PERFECT DARK

Perfect Crime by Helen Fields is #5 in the DI Luc Callenach series. I'd read the first two before reading this one, but not books 3 and 4, so there have been advances that I wasn't aware of concerning DCI Ava Turner and Luc's relationship.

When a young man is talked out of suicide, but a week later is body is found and the initial reaction is that he finally succeeded Ava has some questions. As other strange (and grotesque) deaths occur, the connection between them appears to be that at some point they considered or attempted suicide.

There is also a storyline connected to Luc's past.

What I like: the characters--Ava is my favorite. I also like the development of secondary characters throughout the series and the original premises and investigative process in the books I've read.

Dislike: I'm not really fond of the bizarre and/or freakish murders, but I will still try to catch up with books 3 and 4, maybe even before this post is published.

Read in January; blog review scheduled 3/27/19.

NetGalley/Avon Books
Detective Fiction. April 18, 2019. Print length: 400 pages.

#perfect crime # Netgalley
Wow what a book it’s starts off moe towards someone wanting to commit suicide. He get talked down awhile later they find his and a few other bodies, but are they suicides ???? Or murder. This book is so full of twists and turns just when you think you know the answer, suddenly there another twist. It’s pure joy and a pleasure to read a book without knowing what or who, until so close to the end. The what and the who or maybe suicide or murder. There is only one way to find out and that’s to read the book, I definitely recommend this book a genuinely well written book if I could have give more the 5 stars I would have done you will certainly not be disappointed to read this book, the ending was a surprise, one I did not expect. Sorry no spillers from me I find they tend to soil a brilliant book. It’s the first book I have read of Helen fields but it certainly will not be the last one by far. I am going to look for previous that may have been published when I find them I will be reading them all, a genuinely talented writer, I would like to say thank you Helen for giving me so much joy and entertainment reading this book, although I am not sorry to have lost out on sleep because I didn’t want to put this book down, fantastic, brilliant, awesome.

Stephen Berry is about to jump off a bridge until a suicide prevention counsellor stops him. A week later, Stephen is dead. Found at the bottom of a cliff, DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are drafted in to investigate whether he jumped or whether he was pushed…

Little do Callanach and Turner know how close their perpetrator is as, across Edinburgh, a violent and psychopathic killer gains more confidence with every life he takes…

I wanted to read this book because I saw that if you are a fan of Karin Slaughter then you will like this one. I'm a big fan of her books and I just became a big fan of Helen Fields. I loved the thick plot and how detailed the characters were.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of Perfect Crime by Helen Fields
Pub Date: 18 Apr 2019

Perfect Crime had much promise. A string of potential suiciders found dead. A police detective finding men who attacked his mother dead. Who killed them or the cat and mouse between the killer or killers and police investigating the crime would have made an interesting read. Yet the book feel thrown together as part mystery/detective part romance. If I had to read about how handsoe Luc was once more I would have gagged. Show me how or why this is a factor that contributes to the story and stop telling me every other page about his gorgeousness. Ava, the alleged police chief was a crying blithering idiot. Why is it necessary to categorize women as pathetic and not strong? I would pass on this.

Great book will be reading other books by this author.
Will also recommend this book to others.
Great read

Another outstanding instalment in this brilliant series.
Perfect Crime sees the return of several characters in this gripping read. As always the plot is fast paced and complex with a few unexpected twists and a conclusion that perfectly sets up the beginning of the next book

❤️I got a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my most honest uninfluenced review❤️

Rating: 7 of 7; 5 of 5; 10 of 10

I’ve met Helen last year through NetGalley. I saw the cover for the last book and thought it was cool, I read the description and liked it. When I got it, I went running to get the others so I could read the whole series. It was an amazing weak. So, guess how happy I was when I saw Perfect crime available to request. Guess how happy I was when I got it! I was with a huge book hungover, hadn't finished a book in the first two weeks of the year. But it took only a couple of days to read all of it. Of course, if adulting wasn't getting in the way, I would have finished it in hours bc damn it was beautiful.

Anyway, Helen delivered another amazing book. Perfect crime is - as expected - an intriguing mystery that makes you unable to put the book down. You need to know who's the brilliantly twisted mind behind the killings and definitely need desperately to know the end of Luc's story.

There’s something that I’m not sure if I should point it out, but I must. There’s this scene. I thought everything was going too fast. I felt like the characters were like inside a dream, everything felt weird. However, with the benefit of hindsight, I think it was an amazingly brilliant move. I applaud Helen for such a touch. It makes one feel so caught up with the moment that you don't stop to think about what's actually happening. Just like the characters, you feel so in the moment, so caught up that you just go with it. You’re too “wait what” to actually be rational. It was just so brilliant. It was a pleasure to see how it developed, even though my heart was basically ripped off from my chest.

I’m already looking very much forward to see Perfect dark on NetGalley *fingers cross*

Helen Fields is an amazing writer whose eye for detail makes the reader feel like they are part of the story. In Perfect Crime, she puts us right there with Stephen Barry as he plans to jump off a bridge, only he’s stopped by a man who quite literally, talks him down from the ledge. But soon after, he succeeds in ending his life but the circumstances surrounding his death don’t add up.

Stephen Berry is about to jump off a bridge until suicide prevention counselor stops him. One week later, Stephen Berry is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. But did he take his own life…or was he pushed? A spate of murders sweeps across Edinburgh, and to make matters worse for DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner, the victims seem random and entirely unconnected.

With no clear method for how the killer chooses their victims, Callanach and Turner are under more pressure than ever to identify the killer before it’s too late. But as a separate murder case rears its head and places Callanach as the prime suspect, it seems like this killer might just be uncatchable.

This is the fifth in a series about Luc Callanach. I hadn’t read any of the other books and you don’t really need to in order to enjoy this one. Told from Ava and Luc’s point of view, its a classic who dunnit.