Published By: Avon
Pages: 352
Released On: 28/08/2025
On the dark streets of Edinburgh, a killer is waiting.
When a body is found, it is only the beginning. Soon there will be seven more.
In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving.
Her beloved only daughter fell prey to a vicious stalker a year previously – and now he’s coming for her too.
Edinburgh’s police are desperate.
After one body comes another, and then another. The brutal deaths are all seemingly unconnected, yet DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are dealing with a serial killer – they just need to prove it.
But time is running out, and Beth Waterfall already looks set to be the next victim…
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I had read a few thrillers prior to this and so I was going to leave it on the shelf for a later date but I’m glad I didn’t because it was so addictive.
I do own two of Helen’s books – The Institution and Profile K – but I haven’t yet read them, but they will definitely be bumped up my TBR list now.
This book grabs you instantly. It is fast paced and tense and doesn’t let up from the first word to the last.
I read so many thrillers, they’re my most read genre, but it seems that no matter how much I enjoyed them, they do get a bit samey after a while. So it was lovely to read a thriller that still gave me everything I expect from the genre but with a fresh perspective.
There are quite a number of characters, main ones, secondary and background, heroes and villains. But it never feels too much. Every character is given enough time to develop and you really get attached to them, even the ‘baddies’.
I have read a couple of reviews that are questionable about the ending but I loved it. It was so unique and unexpected and yet really wrapped everything up in a shocking but satisfying way.
I didn’t realise the character of Connie Woolwine is in a few of her books, and it didn’t hinder my reading of this one having not read the others, but I’m looking forward to spotting her turn up again.
It doesn’t rely on gore, it doesn’t sensationalise the violence, Helen relies on suspense, fear, to keep the thrilling pace up and she’s done it to such a great extent.
This was an incredible book. The twists and turns with a big reveal I would NEVER have seen coming.
The only thing I didn’t like was the cover but that’s because I have a phobia of butterflies so I won’t hold that against her 😊
It is such original, tense, fast-paced, layered, fabulous, intriguing, edge-of-your-seat stuff.
*****CONTAINS THEMATIC SPOILERS*****
*****CONTAINS THEMATIC SPOILERS*****
The next paragraph contains a list of thematic spoilers so do not read on if you want to go in fresh.
*****CONTAINS THEMATIC SPOILERS*****
*****CONTAINS THEMATIC SPOILERS*****
Yes it’s a thriller about a serial killer so obviously there’s going to be some difficult topics, but as well as murder and death and loss, this book contains mentions of physical illness, mental illness, memory loss, suicide, stalking, and malevolent spirits.
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