This book is part of a series. It can be read as a standalone but the back history of the characters is referred to occasionally. This did not affect the overall reading experience for me. Helen Fields tackles some very unsavory crimes in PERFECT KILL. The crimes reach into several countries where the investigating parties have developed rapport from previous relationships. The characters work together well, their skills complement each other while they work diligently to stop the wholesale disappearance of men and women who have no connection other than being in the wrong place at the right time. Whether taken for the harvesting of organs for sale or sold into sex trafficking, these men and women have little hope. I have now taken a long time to tell you that this is a fantastic book that will make you squeamish in parts but will also make you cheer out loud as our heroes close in on the criminals. Now I'm going to have to go find the other books!

I really enjoyed this thrilling story. I loved the way two seemingly separate cases in two different countries were gradually interwoven into one massive crime. I also liked the dynamic between Luc and Maggie and as this is the first book I have read featuring them I can't wait to discover their back story. I thought the character of Natasha was a good addition to the book and without giving away any spoilers it will be interesting to see how her story pans out and how it will affect Luc and Maggie. I look forward to the next instalment in this story.

Today is my stop for the blog tour of one of my favourite authors, Helen Fields. Her latest book, Perfect Kill, is just perfect. Creepy, dark, full of action, unpredictable. Perfect. And don’t forget to visit all the other stops of this amazing blog tour.

This time Ava and Luc are facing two different cases. In France, Luc is working on a case where a young man’s body is found with all internal organs removed. The body belongs to a British citizen. A woman in Edinburgh reports her son missing. A young woman same age is also missing. Two possible victims of organ harvesting mafia. Luc is running against time to save these people’s lives. And find the killer.

In Scotland, Ava is working on a different case. Human trafficking. There is a body of a man connected with local mafia. Then there are several female bodies found on a farm. It turns out that they are connected. Can Ava and her team stop the chain of human trafficking from Eastern Europe and save all those women?

In the meantime, both Luc and Ava are trying to solve their personal problems. But their friend, Natasha, is battling breast cancer. Can they both put personal thing on side and just be there for their friend?

Perfect Kill is the sixth novel in the series, but it can perfectly stand alone. It is a gripping thriller, starting from the very first sentence. You read: “He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.” and the hair stands up on your head and you don’t know what to expect next. The author included the most common evil in modern days, organ harvesting and human trafficking. She goes deep into the net of the mafia who plays with human lives like they don’t worth a thing. What the victims go through, is beyond every imagination. And adding Natasha to the whole story is a perfect balance. I enjoyed reading the book, couldn’t stop till the last page. Totally recommended.

The crimes in this book could, and probably are, happening now. Trafficking, organ harvesting - a very modern, realistic novel which you won't be able to stop reading until the very last page. The behaviour of the criminals is appalling - no humanity, people as commodities. The victims and police are well-written, human and flawed, but it makes the novel even better.
Would recommend to anyone.

Perfect Kill is book six in the D.I. Callanach series and this series keeps getting better.

Two detectives working on two different cases in two different countries find the cases linked.

This is really well written. The storyline is so good it sucks you right in from the start and holds you tight all the way through. Although a good sized read I read this in a day as I couldn’t put it down. Perfect Kill is a brilliant story. The author doesn’t hold back which I was delighted with. Can’t wait for this author to write more.

How can Perfect Kill be the 6th book in the #Callanach series? It feels like yesterday that I met Ava and Luc! Yet, it feels we’ve been friends forever… I will never get enough of the sense of familiarity that envelops me when I pick Helen Fields’ series. It feels like coming home after wandering through other worlds. That’s how much I love everything about those Perfect books!

Chapter one. You know something is wrong. In her precise style, the author paints a parallel. A mother, a son. It doesn’t take long to understand this is the beginning of something big, dark, and ugly. I don’t know what is it with Helen Fields’s narrative style but she always manages to plunge me into her world by transporting me through my senses as well as my emotions, in equal parts, making me an active protagonist of the book. If I don’t turn that page, who will suffer because of it? Who will escape justice? Reading becomes life and death, and this time again, I was so immersed in the novel I thought I was going to burn with all the action!!!

Imagine waking up not knowing where you are, alone, and with little food and water for only company… Where are you headed? Who is behind this? Hello Bart.

Imagine being held against your will. Promises of a better future have led you to a scary place where the hope to survive is almost as painful as the idea of dying. Hello Elenuta.

What is the link?

Helen Fields plays hard and in Perfect Kill, she reunites two of the most horrendous things it’s hard to believe are happening in our pretty societies. She doesn’t spare the reader and doesn’t sugar-coat anything. You get the reality of what no one should have to go through. And more. It was ‘easy’ for me to stomach every detail as I know the author never give you anything for free. All details have a purpose, this is one of the reasons her writing is so efficient!

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are not on the same case. Not even in the same country. But the terrible fates of innocent people keep them linked. I was curious about how both would feel, be like, and face each other after the events of the previous book. This is a tricky time for the protagonists, but it is made smooth and authentic by Helen Fields, who doesn’t force anything on them. After six books, as a reader, I believe I know Ava and Luc, and would be able to say if they were acting in a way that felt out of character. But don’t be afraid, they’re still very much the same old stubborn people, struggling and dealing the best way they know how to (which means not very well!!!) Their personal lives get in the way, blending with two cases that turn heavier with every chapter. There might be miles between Ava and Luc in this book, but the evil oozing from the pages bring them together in multiple ways, my heart aches and was warmed, and then it broke a little more and… Read, and see.

I have said it in the past, this series doesn’t make for a comfortable read. Perfect Kill is no exception. It is disturbing, it leaves you repulsed by the black hearts and minds you meet. Helen Fields sheds light on plagues of our society we would rather not know or not think about. When you think you’ve met the devil, grab any book from the Perfect series and see how wrong you were… Still I keep reading. Helen Fields takes crime fiction to the highest level by throwing us in the cave where demons hide.

I only have one niggle with this book. Bear with (the French part of) me. As much as I was happy to see Luc come back to France, a detail had me go ‘no!’ A bit of context: Luc and his colleague meet a woman in a prison. She is said to have been condemned to several life prison sentences. Except France doesn’t have ‘real’ life sentences. I am no specialist, I just wanted to mention it so that readers know that usually, when you are condemned to a life sentence in France, it usually means you can stay in prison for up to 30 years, with a certain amount of years during which you can’t apply for an early release (usually 22 years) It does sound like a life sentence, but it is not quite the same as in the UK so I had to say it. And from what I know, you can’t get multiple sentences. That’s it. It’s a small thing in the big scheme of things happening in this book!

Did you really think I was going to shut up? No way!

Perfect Kill is a perfectly paced crime novel with storms of action, showers of feelings, and real life nightmares. I highly recommend it!

Brutal ,believable and brilliant. Helen Fields is one of my favourite authors and does not disappoint with this latest in the DI Callanach series. I was hooked from the very beginning and the intertwining of the different strands of the story kept me on the edge of my seat. The brutality and treatment of fellow human beings was frightening but unfortunately, I have the feeling that in today’s world it is probably extremely accurate.
A well written and thought provoking book that will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you Helen Fields, Avon and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion.

The queen of gripping, gutsy and grisly crime fiction is back with another nail-biting and spine-chilling instalment of her fabulous series featuring the intrepid and redoubtable DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach: Perfect Kill.

Bart Campbell is trapped in a living nightmare. Waking up alone in a darkened space, he is petrified when he realises that he is locked inside a shipping container bound for somewhere far from his Edinburgh home. Regardless of how much Bart screams or how desperately he wants to get out, the chances of someone finding him and rescuing him are very slim and when he realises that he is destined for France, little does he know that his fate has already been sealed and whoever kidnapped and drugged him has got one thing on their mind: murder.

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are kept busy working on two seemingly divergent cases. The investigations they are currently conducting do not seem to have any connection nor do they appear to be in any way linked- until they realise otherwise. It turns out that men and women are being shipped to France and are exchanged for women who are then trafficked in Scotland. As the two detectives find themselves chasing one lead after another down a plethora of dark and dangerous alleys, it becomes increasingly clear that there is a sick mind on the loose with a thirst for blood intent on profiting on other people’s misery and desperation who will stop at nothing until their devious ends are achieved.

Time is running out for Ava and Luc and with so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task as failure is not an option and one wrong move or a single error of judgment could result in a catastrophe of epic proportions. Are Ava and Luc up to this particular challenge? Or will this be a case which simply cannot be solve?

Dark, gritty and terrifying, Helen Fields’ Perfect Kill is definitely not for the faint-hearted. I had almost no nails left whilst reading this outstanding tale of edge of your seat suspense that pulls no punches and keeps you absolutely glued throughout. As always, Ava and Luc are on top form and you just help but be completely and utterly gripped by this fast-paced, tense, nerve-twisting and heart-pounding thriller that I couldn’t put down.

Helen Fields is up there with Val McDermid and Karin Slaughter when it comes to writing sinister crime thrillers packed with menace, malice and mayhem and her latest novel, Perfect Kill is a perfect example of her outstanding storyteller prowess.

Twisted, shocking and chilling, Perfect Kill is another unmissable read by Helen Fields.

I knew what to expect from a book by Helen Fields, especially one in her D.I. Callanach series. I had read every single one before this and loved them. As usual, Fields did not disappoint with Perfect Kill

Right off the bat this book did have a slightly different vibe than the others in this series. For one, our two favorite characters, Ava and Luc, were investigating crimes in different countries as Luc was in France and Ava was back home in Scotland working with the team. I wasn’t a fan of this vibe because I feel they play well off each other, but I get why Fields may have done it. Loose ends and all that. The story line in Perfect Kill was one of larger scale and almost seemed too big to write at first. I was confused how things were related or not related and a bit confused on what was happening. But Fields quickly started filling in the puzzle pieces and did it smoothly . Not many can write about a criminal act of this magnitude and not fumble some of the details at least once.

Our characters we have grown to love in this series were the same people and the Perfect Kill gave us an even closer look into their back stories, lives, and personalities. I love how each book Fields allows us to learn just a bit more about the character to help us understand why they are the way they are and I love how she just weaves it into her writing so seamlessly.

I’m no expert on the matter, but having read my fair share of Mystery/Thriller/Suspense novels, Fields has definitely carved herself a place at the top of the pack of the best writers in their class. She never fails to surprise us in the end and have me turning the page, ignoring all my life’s requirements just to know what happens next. If you love yourself a good crime novel, pick up Perfect Kill or any of her books in this series. You will love them!

This opens within the environs of a normal and safe family household but soon it becomes evident that one member of the family is about to become the focus of a nightmare.
Fields writes a tense detective novel embroiled in the world of illegal organ-harvésting and, to add even more tension, she intertwines a horrific plot around sex-trafficking.
I was involved from the start but perhaps the niggling problem I have is that, whilst Fields tries to make the central detective human with the personal problems she faces, I did just find myself wondering whether her friend's illness might be just one thing too many.
Plenty in this to keep the reader busy.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a first class series. They are best read in order, so you appreciate why DI Callanach is back with Interpol in France. When he has a case of a young man found with his organs harvested, the trail links to crimes being committed in Edinburgh and DCI Ava Turner is back working with him.

The trail switches around both countries, involving a gang abducting and using European women in the sex trade and more young people brought over to provide replacement organs for those dying. The human exploitation is graphic and harrowing, and the reader is praying at least some of those culpable will be brought to justice.

The book is pacy and fascinating, with good interaction between the characters. Even DS Lively develops more, which is good to see.

A great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not going to lie. I am always really keen to read the next in the Luc Callanach and Ava Turner series. Helen Fields has really nailed the art of leaving the reader wanting more, by teasing out those personal moments then dangling a big question at the end of the book.

But the #Perfect books are more than that. Each time I finish one I think to myself that the next one can’t possibly live up to her previous books, and each time Ms Fields proves me wrong. These books are addictive and Perfect Kill, the 6th in this series, is a cracking thriller/police procedural.

Tense, fast-paced, thrilling and suspenseful Perfect Kill is another terrific read. In Perfect Kill the action takes place in both Scotland and France. France because that’s where Luc is – on secondment to Interpol, trying to renew acquaintances with former colleagues after his difficult exit, and currently licking his wounds after making a complete arse of himself with DCI Turner.

In Paris, Luc is part of a team investigating a people smuggling ring and who have discovered the tortured body of a young man on a building site, who may be Scottish. In Edinburgh, Ava has been trying to move on from Luc, though not wildly successfully, and she now finds herself dealing with two murders alongside trying to establish the identity of the body that has been found in France. With an overstretched team, she has a lot on her hands.

The plot of Perfect Kill is strong and her subject matter tackles crimes that make you feel seriously queasy as she shows the dark underbelly of what people trafficking and forced prostitution means for the victims. That’s not the only major evil in this book, either. There’s another, just as horrible crime going on, but this one is covered in the dressing of a rich con trick and is going to be much harder to unmask.

Bart Campbell is a young man with everything to live for. He’s close to his mum, so when he doesn’t come home after finishing his shift in the restaurant where he works she’s not slow to call the Police. By that time, Bart is waking up to find himself chained up, in the dark and in fear for his life. It’s a race against time to see if Luc and Ava can find him.

Fields vivid and truly scary descriptions take the reader straight into the horrors of what is befalling those characters whose lives are in peril. Even when the threat to life is not acute, the way in which the women, in particular, have to live is brutal and truly shocking. Fields never flinches from showing us the true horror of such lives, drawing us in and inviting us to feel the pain.

Though Callanach and Turner work together very well and have the most professional of relationships, which means that they are well placed to discover the links between the cases they are separately working on and to bring them together in a timely fashion. Though their history means that their personal lives are very much grating on each other, an old friend’s illness will force them to set that aside for the time being.

I enjoyed too the way in which Ava’s team is becoming a greater part of the story as their characters evolve and are fleshed out.

Verdict: Perfect Kill is another must read in this series. Sharp and on-point, this police procedural is a gripping, edge of the seat twisted descent into nail-biting hell.

A well structured and excellently written crime novel which links Edinburgh and Paris. It deals with controversial and shocking themes like sex trafficking, missing persons and murder for organ harvesting. With graphic descriptions in places the investigation twists and turns brilliantly leaving the reader on edge and compelled to read on.
Although this works as a stand alone I loved reading this crime drama so much I now want to read the other DI Callanach series. Dark, gruesome but superbly executed writing - an absolutely compelling read.

Edinburgh student Bart Campbell awakes to find himself in a shipping container and tied down. He doesn’t remember how he got there or where he is going but he realises that nothing good can come from his situation.

DI Luc Callanach is working with Interpol in Paris, France looking into an illegal organ transplant operation when he comes across an emptied body. The body belongs to Edinburgh resident Malcolm Reilly who was recently reported missing by his family. He asks DCI Ava Turner who works for Major Investigation Team (MIT) in Edinburgh to speak to the family and to let them know what has happened to him.

DCI Turner is also working on the case of a man shot dead in his home in a shady part of Edinburgh. The body has been left but someone has tried to clean the area around it, why?

Could the three cases be linked somehow?

Perfect Kill is the sixth book in the ‘Perfect’ series by Helen Fields but the first book in the series that I have read. To be honest I didn’t even realise that it was the sixth in the series until I read it on Goodreads. I can confirm it can be read as a standalone as I never felt like I had missed out or didn’t understand any sections.

The plot is quite sinister in places and as well as the illegal organ operation there is also a prostitution ring in Edinburgh going on right under the detective’s noses and some of the scenes within in this subplot can get a little full-on, so be warned if women being attacked and killed for sport is a trigger for you.

The writing is superb and had me invested in the story from the very beginning. I was eager to know would Bart make it home ever again or would Elenuta, one of the prostitutes ever get away from the criminals keeping her and forcing her to have entertain men daily.

This is one of those books that had me on the edge of my seat. It was horrific at times to read but that was mainly down to how realistic it was and how believable the situations were. I loved how eventually the cases worked their way together and also the moments of lightheartedness throughout which always came at a welcome moment.

The characters were plausible and likeable. I enjoyed both DI Callanach and DCI Turner’s working styles, even if they were completely different from one another. I also appreciated the setting and scenery of both Edinburgh and Paris.

If you are a fan of police procedural novels that have a more gritty, gory side to them then this is the book to read. I am now off to check the others in the series out.

What a brilliant read. It was engaging, it was engrossing and it was very well written. My first read by Fields and it certainly will not be my last. Despite starting at the end of a series, I have not been deterred – I need to get my hands on the rest of the books!

Fields has gone into so much detail in this story. She creates a criminal world that simply pulls you in. Initially I was uncertain where the story would be headed but, as the plot progressed, I was increasingly keen to find out more. At first I was a little put off by the subjects of human trafficking and prostitution. However, Fields’ depiction creates a chilling sequence of crimes that you want to see solved.

Whilst this is a series that follows Callanach, my favourite character was undoubtedly Ava. She is strong, brave and determined. I liked her witticisms and dedication – both to her best friend, Natasha, and her work. As the plot intensifies, I felt like Fields developed her character more and more – she has more of a presence than the dishy Callanach. I found myself desperate to see Ava succeed and solve the crimes – believing in her character and strength added to my enjoyment of the novel.

Set in both France and Scotland, I liked how the plot shifted between the two countries. Whilst it was clear how the missing persons was linked to the prostitution rings, I was more engrossed in witnessing the crimes being solved. Indeed, the undercover element from Callanach and Lively in particular, had me tense with fear of discovery.

From my perspective, it is evident how much time has gone into crafting this story. I cannot be more specific than this, but I felt like a lot of time has gone into making sure every element of the plot is “just so”. I think it based on the fact that there characterisation is developed, the different plot strands carefully considered and the crimes themselves so elaborate. This book seems like a labour of love that resounded from the pages. I guess what I am trying to say is this author devotion made me enjoy the story even more.

I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed reading this novel. The characters are convincing and the crimes are believable. It was equally chilling and thrilling, and I am excited to read more stories about Ava and Callanach.

With thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 6th book in the series and I think this one is definitely the darkest of the six books. There are some very disturbing scenes involving a sex trafficking storyline which were at times quite difficult to read. Despite the very dark subject matter I did really enjoy the rest of the book, as I have with all of this series. I find the writing to be very engaging and I’m always hooked on the storyline right from the first couple of pages. The characters are well developed and despite their flaws, very likeable. By book six I’m now very invested in these characters but I am starting to find the storyline with Ava and Luc a little frustrating now and I hope that they either get together in the next book or that this will they/won’t they storyline gets dropped. Another dark and twisty police procedural in a great series which I thoroughly enjoyed! Thanks to @netgalley for the copy of this book.

An intelligently plotted, noir, crime thriller. set in Scotland and France, two cases, one in France, one in Scotland has DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach working separately, which given the recent strain in their relationship is probably best. As the killing escalates, and the connections between the cases multiply, the two detectives are drawn together professionally, even while they try to maintain their distance.

I love the team dynamics in the Scottish police team, so many different personalities, but all prepared to put their differences aside, to get the job done. An overly enthusiastic new team member threatens the team status quo, but everyone has to learn and Ava is prepared to give him a chance.

Luc reacquaints with his former partner in France, there is much to forgive, but neither seems willing to compromise. Only, when they face danger, does the bad blood between them get some perspective.

The crimes are heinous and are hard to read about, there is a pervading sense of evil in this story, which is chilling. The investigation is authentic and painstaking, and the suspense builds to not one, but two adrenaline-inducing conclusions.

The detectives' personal life is not without its drama and sadness, but at the end out of the despair, a positive way forward beckons.

An addictive, police procedural style crime thriller, with clever suspense building and vibrant, relatable characters.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK in return for an honest review.

This was such a messed up book, I enjoyed it though, if you could enjoy it...

I've read some dark books before but this one is definitely up there in one of the most messed up books I've ever read.

It was really difficult to read at times. The subject matter is incredibly dark and there really are a couple of scenes that were even getting a bit difficult for me to read.

If you can handle the subject matter of this book, I would definitely pick it up. It's the 6th in the series but you don't have to read it in order. I've only read the first book in the series and it made perfect sense to me

The writing is engaging and there was a lot of action all the way through.

The characters are interesting also. I thought that DI callanach was unlikeable in the first book but I think hes more likeable now, so it's nice to see character development across a series

My only minor criticism of this book was the length. It did feel a bit too long and there were points where I wasn't fully engaged with the story but there was plenty of action towards the end which hooked me right back into the story

Overall, this is a very interesting, well written book but incredibly dark and intense. Major trigger warnings

TW: human trafficking, organ harvesting, sex trafficking, rape, torture, murder and imprisonment

I finished this yesterday, and as I thought, it’s pretty forgettable. (Some possible spoilers).

I struggled with the awful scenes - rape, sexual violence - combined with flippant, lighthearted, unrealistic prose. Some examples:

‘Things had been bad under Finlay - she hated how literal that was - but it was even worse with Scalp in charge.’

Her clothes were ripped whilst being raped: ‘Now there was both screwing and sewing on the agenda before she could sleep’. Jesus. Just been raped and this reads like she has a wry smile on her face saying ‘men, what they like, huh!’

And what’s going on with the names?!! Again!! (It was ‘Knuckles’ in a previous book).

Bart & Maggie?? I thought this would be, at least badly, explained at some point like ‘oh, he was born David, but given his spiky hair & yellow skin (?) and my name, we call him Bart’.

Scalp. Spiky. Barney Wheeler. Digger.

Really?!

The part of the story set in France - I found dull & the ending was flat. I didn’t much care by that point. But I will admit, I was completely engaged when it was Ava’s ‘finale’ 70% of the way in.

The thing is, these books are an easy read... And I feel committed now! So as much the naming conventions are RIDICULOUS and the dialogue is unrealistic and Callanach is a complete wet lettuce... I’ll probably still read the next one.

Book 6 in the Luc/Ava series and each one just gets better and better. After Luc and Ava's falling out from book 5, Luc returns to France to liaise with Interpol on human trafficking cases. I find myself getting a little frustrated with the love story arc between the 2 of them, but not so much that I want to quit reading. They're a dynamic couple and the push and pull and poor timing just adds more depth and nuance to any story they're in together. While Ava is dealing with the Scotland end of the human trafficking issues, including women literally being run to death in a maze by men who pay for the right to get to do whatever they want to them if they're caught, Luc is trying to chase down a sick cash for organs scheme that's ripping off wealthy people with terminal illnesses, the result of the murders of people who have been trafficked from Scotland to France. It's a layered story, with bits of the investigation seemingly tying together out of nowhere, and the investigation and capture is all seamlessly tied together by Fields. I can't wait to get the next installment of this series.