meg8278 (meg8278)
I was given this book by netgally and penguin publishing, to provide my honest opinion in a review. This is the first book I have read from Arlidge, it won't be the last. I thought it was great, and couldn't put it down. I read it in one night. I would like to thank netgally and penguin publishing.
Deborah Craytor
Read my review of Eeny Meeny, the first book in the Detective Helen Grace series, here on Google Play. I find it very difficult to write reviews of multiple books in a crime/mystery series, particularly if I fell in love with the main character early on. Detective Inspector Helen Grace sprang out of M.J. Arlidge's hands fully developed and nuanced, so what more is there to say about subsequent books without my review degenerating into a mere plot synopsis? Well, I'll tell you: in Pop Goes the Weasel, Arlidge not only delivers another engrossing plot, but also lavishes attention of the development of secondary characters. In this respect, the Detective Helen Grace series is reminiscent of Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series, in which a minor character in one book becomes the star of a subsequent one. Here, Detective Constable Charlene "Charlie" Brooks assumes more prominence as she struggles to recover from her horrific experience in Eeny Meeny and to define herself as a police officer independent of her mentor Grace. Don't get me wrong; Grace is still very much the star of the series, and her character continues to evolve. However, Arlidge has surrounded her with an intriguing cast of secondary characters, and it is her relationships with her team members that make this a standout series. I received a free copy of Pop Goes the Weasel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.