Ladies and Gentleman, if you are to read one thriller this year, it. is. this. one. Little Boy Blue, M.J. Arlidge.
Arlidge has now completely sold all of his past and future novels to me. You may think I’m over-exaggerating (it happens), but MY GOODNESS this and the sequel really changed my expectations of thrillers.
The DI Helen Grace novels are a series, and Little Boy Blue is the 5th instalment – from my understanding, they don’t follow on from each other apart from this and the 6th book, Hide and Seek. Fortunately, the 6th instalment is already out (rejoice!) so you don’t have to wait to buy the next.
The plot:
Detective Inspector Helen Grace is called to a crime scene in a nightclub, where people go for pain and pleasure. We are deeply thrown in when Grace finds out that she knows the victim, and his death is related to his work in the S&M industry.
With the possibility of her secrets being exposed, Grace’s world is turned upside down and her past comes back as the murderer strikes again.
Internal conflicts, full of twists, fast paced and troubled characters. What more could you want? The ending is what really makes this book. It’s gripping, leaves on an immense cliff-hanger and is super dramatic. Just what Nicole wants/ needs.
I hadn’t read any of the prior books to this series, but it made sense and can be read as a stand alone book. I will definitely return to read the prequels. It is exceptional, M. J. Arlidge; I am impressed and that takes a lot when it comes to thrillers.
Note: This book leaves on a huge cliff-hanger, so I am giving you three weeks to read this before I write a review on the next book to this series (Hide and Seek), and it will indefinitely contain spoilers!
Bookmark That – tomorrow, today, in an hour, now??
Little Boy Blue, M. J. Arlidge, RRP £7.99 (paperback); Waterstones
NOW LIVE: Read the review for Hide and Seek, M.J. Arlidge here… 30 minutes after finishing Little Boy Blue, I found myself full of caffeine and adrenaline and sat on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what was going to happen to…
