Perfect Remains

Perfect Remains is the first in a new series of crime thrillers. It will hook you in straight away and not let you go till the end!

It's tense, sinister, gruesome in places and a real page turner. This is a fantastic start to a new series and I can't wait to read the next instalment! 4*

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

A great Debut. 1st in the DI Callanach series. Good storyline and well written
Looking forward to the 2nd in the series
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The closest you could possibly get to the inner,mind of a killer.
Brilliantly written and will stay with you long after you have finished.
Highly recommended it.

sadly i got so busy with school i ran out of time to read this book what i did read of it was great though.

On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.

In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…

This is a very well written and chilling debut thriller which introduces former Interpol Detective Luc Callanach to us and to his new team in Edinburgh. He is straight into a serious case as Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to murder. Luc has to prove himself and get to know his team, some of whom are antagonistic and not entirely supportive of the new Detective Inspector. He strikes up a friendship with his fellow DI Ava Turner who is investigating a separate case around dead babies which is interspersed with the main story line.

Another woman disappears and a race against time starts. The narrative goes effectively between the police investigation and the actions of the serial killer. There is some pretty graphic stuff happening but it seems in keeping with learning kore about the twisted mind of the killer.

I didn’t really take to Luc initially as he came over as a little rude and arrogant but as his friendship with Ava developed and we heard more of his story, he suddenly became more human and his attitudes were understandable, especially as he tried to sort out the tensions within his team. The team characters also developed as the story went on culminating in the teamwork that helps Luc work out what is going on in the mind of a very unpleasant killer.
An excellent thriller with real depth. I will be definitely looking for the next in the series!
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a review copy.

How well do you know the people around you, people that you work with, people that you live next door? If you don’t see the violence, how do you know it is not there?

One woman never noticed the man that noticed her. Now she lays on a bed in a basement, tied, with a broken jaw, tortured. All she wants is the death to come to save her from the suffering from a man who once seemed so harmless.

One man has it enough to feel worthless. He is God! He has all the power of a great man! But she doesn’t notice him! She treats him like a garbage, like someone totally worthless. Now she has to pay for it. She will notice him now!

A murdering scene has been discovered by the police. But there is no dead body. Just burned bones, teeth and some piece of clothes. There isn’t enough evidence to connect the remains to a name. The killer must have thought of everything. No dead body, no DNA, no nothing. Perfect remains! But, wait! There is little DNA left! Maybe the killer didn’t think of every detail? The DNA matches a missing woman. Her remains can be buried and her soul can finally rest.

DI Luc Callanach works on the case. Transferred from Lyon, France, he tries to earn the respect of his new colleagues. His colleague Ava is the only one friendly enough. Together, they work on the case of the perfect remains of the missing woman.

But what if the woman is alive????

Laying toothless and beaten, tied to a bed, prisoner of a psychopath. No one is looking for her anymore, she is officially dead. She has no hope, just the mercy of her captor. Can she survive or the death is the only salvation from the hands of a wicked mind?

WOW! My first and only word for a while after finishing the last page was just “WOW”! From the very beginning, this book has literally blown me away! It starts with the creepiest scene of all, just to take you on a journey that will leave you sleepless at night. Grippy, nail-biting, with the eternal question: “What will happen next?”. Freaking story from the beginning to the end. Freaking awesome story! You have hard-core criminal mind on one side and quiet Luc and spontaneous Ava on the other side. Perfect equilibrium!

I really liked the fact that Ms.Fields has chosen a French guy as the main character. Luc Callanach is half Scotish half French and uses lots of French words, especially when he swears. But if anything about adding a non-English character reminds you of Hercules Poirot, you are very wrong. There isn’t even slightest similarity. Callanach is hot, sexy, quiet and smart with a suitcase full of secrets from his past that are haunting his future. And he has to face them in order to move on.

Perfect Remains is the grippiest read that I’ve read lately. Fast-pacing, with scenes that will make the hair on your neck stand. An addictive read, I couldn’t put it down until the last page. And I would definitely like to see more Luc-Ava moments in the future. Totally recommended!

When your parents come from two different countries and you have dual nationalities then you could eventually face the conundrum of having roots in two countries and yet being at home in neither. It’s confusing to say the least. It makes you feel like a tree living in dodgy soil, something always feels just not quite right.

In a way I think this describes Callanach. Born in Scotland to a French mother and a Scottish father, he has recently returned to the land of his birth after living in France for many years. He might not have returned of his own volition, but he is determined to make his mark.

On a side note I think he needs to pat himself on the back for remaining calm, despite his new colleagues working against him instead of with him. I think I might have lost my rag, just a wee bit mind you.

Fields has created a killer who in turn has created the perfect crime or rather a nearly foolproof way of getting the police to stop looking for his victims. When the police are looking for a killer, as opposed to a missing person, the emphasis on the investigation is different and so is the direction they focus on.

The author manages to create an easy atmosphere when it comes to the main characters, whilst simultaneously allowing for a ruthless and violent killer. Some of the scenes are quite vicious and uncomfortable, but then murder isn’t supposed to be comfortable. Fields balances the scales between the two very well.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of Perfect Remains.*

This book had a brutal and meticulous killer whose motive for kidnapping educated women was unclear . I guess because he was a professor he determined his intelligence could match theirs. Not sure but he certainly had no empathy. I liked detective Ava Turner as she was down to earth and honest . Newly arrived DI Callanach , has some issues which interfered with his abilities. Hopefully they will be resolved . Some of the things he did in his personal and professional life did not go well with me. The book had several other things going on with baby killings, religion, sour relationships. Lots to keep you reading and entertained.

Set in Edinburgh a great psychological crime thriller which is very dark and gruesome in parts. Not everyone likes the new detective leading the team or his methods of investigation. It seems he has left Interpol under a cloud and only time will tell if he is to fit in or not. I look forward to the next in the series

A chilling, nail-biting thriller that will leave you gasping for air! This one will hook you from the first page. There were times when I literally would find myself holding my breath when Dr. King went into the room to tend to his "guests". You can't help but fall in love with the brave, handsome, broken DI Luc Callanach. And I loved the characters of DI Ava Turner, her best friend Natasha, and the women victims. Two heart-pounding cases going on simultaneously and unexpected twists will keep you on your toes. The characters were so well written that I could feel their emotions, hear their thoughts, and even feel their horror. An amazing start to a new series. I'll be pre-ordering Perfect Prey.

Excellent read. The initial part is learning about detective Luc Callanach who has just taken a post as DI in Edinburgh having previously worked for Interpol.
His first case is a difficult one involving missing / kidnapped woman. Great page turner that has plenty of twists and turns.
The two main characters are very interesting and I look forward to reading more about Detective Callanach in future

Perfect Remains
4*
Perfect Remains is book #1 of the DI Callanach police crime thriller series, set in Edinburgh. I discovered this book and author after reading an article in The Basingstoke Gazette, one of my local papers.
The story opens with a gruesome sacrifice of a woman’s body in a bothy up in the Cairngorm Mountains. Local police believe the body might be that of Elaine Buxton, a missing city lawyer. Detective Inspector Luc Callanach is a recent transfer to Scotland’s Police from Interpol. His arrival has met with some hostility amongst the ranks.
A second woman’s body is found; again, that of a professional woman. Once again, the killer leaves an almost unidentifiable body. With few clues, Callanach is forced to accept help from Professor Harris, a character profiler. However, Callanach feels that Harris distracts the team from the real hunt for the killer.
The murderer leaves only clues he wants the police to follow, but his treatment of the victims becomes erratic as the net closes in.
The storyline flowed well, with plenty of red herrings and plot twists, and a hint of potential romance. DI Callanach was a clichéd flawed detective with baggage to deal with, and the Scottish setting for police crime dramas is a bit hackneyed; however, the book did have me reading long into the night. Callanach's background is dripfed to the reader, which I liked, and it brought up a few welcome surprises. I enjoyed DI Ava Turner’s character, too; her straight-talking dialogue was fun and refreshing.
I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys police crime books, or those who like a Scottish setting for a book and are happy to read about gruesome murders! I must just add that, unlike most police procedurals, in this story the reader discovers early on who the killer is, and the storyline centres around how the police finally get their man - I know for some people the 'whodunnit' aspect is all important, so I think this needs mentioning.

Deliciously horrifying!

This debut really does pack a punch! Reminiscent of Mo Hayder it doesn't shy away from the horror of the storyline as it unfolds yet doesn't describe every violent scene in minute detail, instead it leaves a little to the readers imagination which serves to make it even more terrifying.

Part police procedural part psychological thriller, its introduction of the central detectives and subplot of their blossoming relationship leaves the door open for the second book, which I am already eagerly anticipating.

Thank you to the Publisher and to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Highly recommended.

Wow wow wow, what a book, I was hooked from the start and I was worried that the momentum would drop with such a great start. There was no cause for concern it was brilliant from the first page to the last, I am extremely grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, and I can't wait for the next one.

Perfect Remains is a novel that has a very dramatic opening. Now for me as a reader that means the novel could go one of two ways. The opening could be the best part of the book, and the rest a disappointment, or it could be the beginning of a brilliant novel.

Thankfully Perfect Remains falls into the latter category.

Detective Inspector Luc Callanach is a new face in Edinburgh, having left behind a job at Interpol and his life in Lyon to move to Scotland. Luc is handsome, enigmatic and determined to get justice for victims of any crime - I think I might be a little bit in love with him!

I digress...

Elaine Buxton is missing, feared dead when Luc joins the force in Scotland, quickly his investigation turns from missing person to murder when a body is found on a remote highland mountain.

DI Callanach is with his team and the body, when another woman is reported missing. Quickly they return to the City and set out to uncover what kind of depraved individual is terrorising the streets of Edinburgh.

But it takes another body and another missing woman to bring them anywhere near anyone resembling a suspect. And even then they have very little to work on. But they must work quickly to avoid yet another body.

Without giving anymore away, Perfect Remains is a rarity in crime novels as the reader learns the killers identity early in the novel, but this only adds to the tension in this particular novel.

Perfect Remains is the first in a series of DI Callanach books and I am so looking forward to the next in the series.

4.5 stars

Some books leave you feeling warm & fuzzy, some leave you sad or thoughtful. This book left me with palpitations & an irrational fear of dentures.

Elaine Buxton is having a really bad day. You’d think being abducted by a mad man would be your worst nightmare come true. Wrong. Unfortunately he has a few…um…procedures planned as part of his scheme to convince everyone she is dead.

Luc Callanach is having a marginally better day. He recently left a job with Interpol under a cloud & has surfaced as a DI in Edinburgh. Rumours are swirling & he’s not exactly being embraced by his new team. The fact that he doesn’t want to be there is not helping.

He’s called about a body found in a burned out bothy in the Caimgorms. It’s not his jurisdiction but there’s a chance it could be missing Edinburgh lawyer Elaine Buxton. They can’t know it yet but he & his team are about to come up against a devious & meticulous killer. More women will be taken & more will die as the killer hides in plain sight.

We know his identity early on & he’s just one the characters who take turns narrating the story. Others include members of Luc’s squad & his colleague DI Ava Turner. She’s a smart, hard working cop & one of the few to reach out & welcome Luc to the force. Initially he rebuffs her friendship but as the story progresses her warm & straight forward manner begins to thaw his cool, prickly demeanour. She’s got a difficult investigation of her own concerning abandoned babies & they bounce ideas off each other as they struggle to crack the cases.

So here’s the heads up. This is not for the faint of heart. Our killer is one of the most frightening you’ll come across in fiction & there are some gruesome scenes. What elevates this book above others in the genre is smooth, self assured prose & the depth of the characters. Dialogue is crisp & lean & I particularly enjoyed the rapport between Ava & Luc. No worries….you won’t find any cheesy insta-lust scenarios here. These are mature, well defined characters who gradually forge a friendship based on commonality & mutual respect. Ava sparkles with intelligence & wit & I enjoyed her ability to loosen up the tightly wound Luc. Their conversations are full of welcome humour that helps balance out the rising tension surrounding the fate of the abducted women.

There are plenty of side stories dealing with Luc’s past & other characters that keep this ticking along at a steady pace until you hit the 3/4 mark. Then it becomes a sprint to the finish. It’s flat out addictive, one of those books you really resent having to put down & I stayed up waaay too late simply because I had to know how it ended (just ask coworkers who had to deal with my cranky self the next day).

If you like your thrillers scary & smart, this is a stand out entry in grit-lit. Can’t wait for “Perfect Prey” due out in late June which gives me time to get over….you know.…the denture thing.

I was gripped by this book from first page to last. Engaging characters, fast-paced writing and twisting plotlines made this a superb introduction to DI Luc Callanach.
Our enigmatic protagonist has recently moved from Interpol in France, to the police force in Edinburgh and has walked right into a double murder investigation. What the reader learns from the off though, is that the women presumed dead are actually being held by a captor, and we know who he is. It was nail-biting reading waiting to see if Callanach would work it out.
Whilst this plot alone was engaging, Callanach's colleague, Ava Turner, has a sensitive case that she draws Luc's help on. Whilst the two develop a closer working relationship, their friendship develops and we are given more hints as to Luc's past and what inspired his departure from France. I spent a lot of time looking for clues as to how it all would link together, and I'm not about to tell you whether it did or how, but I will say the multiple intertwining plots were masterful.
I will most definitely be pressing this book into the hands of many people. I'm only sorry I have to wait until July for the second book in the series.

Perfect Remains is basically a totally addictive utterly gripping one sitting read. It is brutal though, be warned, some of the descriptions made me peek out suspiciously from behind a cushion, a bit like when I pretend I'm brave enough to fully embrace those horror movies...

One thing I really liked about this one is that its not a traditional whodunnit or even really whydunnit its more about the psychology of the crime, in its investigative elements that trend continues, those out to solve the case are put under the microscope just as much. As the start to a new series it was done very well, I was intrigued and engaged by both Luc and Ava, especially in relation to their growing relationship, it is obvious that Helen Fields is not going to pull any punches and I shall certainly be reading on when the next one is out.

The writing is riveting and clever, drawing you in, the level of suspense is brilliantly done, ramping things up as we go, keeping that sharp, knifes edge feeling about proceedings throughout then throwing us into a heart stopping and ruthless conclusion.

Overall I really enjoyed it - if you like your crime fiction vicious yet human, razor sharp and captivating, then Perfect Remains is probably for you.

Recommended.

The outline blurb of this book looked interesting. Police from Edinburgh are investigating the discovery of a burnt body in the Cairngorms. This may relate to a missing person enquiry in the city. Luc Callanach is in charge. He is part Scottish and part French and has only just started working in Edinburgh. He is a Detective Inspector. It's one of those stories where we know who the murderer is very early on. The question is how many murders has he committed and how many more will there be.

Initially I found the story slightly unappealing. The way Luc deals with his team (and they with him) felt awkward and wrong to some degree. There is fairly extreme violence in this book too - beyond what I would probably like. It was tagged as "fans of M J Arlidge will be gripped". I am one, I wasn't and this didn't not feel anything like Arlidge's writing to start with. However the story did draw me in fairly quickly and quite easily.

As I read more the writing felt better and the characters started to develop quite nicely. As we gradually find out more about Luc - he has a "past" - I grew to like him. I also liked his fellow DI, Ava Turner, almost from the start. Indeed I found the case she was working on a better story that the one about the murders initially.

Warming to the story I realised that, although violent, the murderer, Dr King, was a very well drawn character. His planning most of the time is meticulous and makes for a good story. By the time I was halfway through I really was reluctant to put this book down. The tension mounts and I certainly found the ending satisfactory.

In the end I did enjoy reading this even though it was a bit violent. It was well paced and populated with good characters. I'd certainly like to read the next Luc Callanach story.

I loved the story. It was brutal and exciting. I hated Callanach. He just irritated me from the very beginning. So if he was supposed to be a pain in the arse then he was brilliantly written, if not then whoops. But Callanach aside the story had me hooked and I loved the chapters that were written from the killers point of view.