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    Little Boy Blue
    Little Boy Blue
    Little Boy Blue
    Audiobook7 hours

    Little Boy Blue

    Written by M. J. Arlidge

    Narrated by Elizabeth Bower

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Detective Helen Grace faces her own dark compulsions in the new thriller from the international bestselling author of Pop Goes the Weasel and Eeny Meeny. In a world where disguises and discretion are the norm, and where one admission could unravel a life, a killer has struck and a man is dead. No one wants to come forward to say what they saw or what they know-including the woman heading the investigation: Detective Helen Grace. Helen knew the victim. And the victim knew her-better than anyone else. And when the murderer strikes again, Helen must decide how many more lines she's willing to cross to bring in a devious and elusive serial killer.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 4, 2016
    ISBN9781501934629
    Little Boy Blue

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    Reviews for Little Boy Blue

    4/5

    90 ratings16 reviews

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    • 5/5
      So good. Just listen! Highly Recommended. Well narrated cliffhanger ending
    • 5/5
      I really love the Detective Helen Grace series! Author M.J. Arlidge does not disappoint in this 5th installment in the series. A fast-paced plot and short chapters keep the storyline moving at a good clip, consistent with the previous 4 books.In "Little Boy Blue," DI Grace finds her personal life and her professional life intersecting, and she struggles to keep them apart. A serial killer is targeting members of the underground S&M scene, and Grace finds her investigation hitting a little too close to home. The usual characters are back: DC Brooks and DS Sanderson are still at professional war with each other, even though they have to work together under Grace's direction. Grace's boss, Detective Superintendent Jonathan Gardam, has a more prominent role in this book. Journalist Emilia Garanita insinuates herself throughout the investigation, determined to cause Grace's downfall.This book ends in a bit of a cliffhanger - not so bad that it left me frustrated, but it did leave me wondering "Wow, how is Arlidge going to resolve this?" Well played, Arlidge. I've already put book #6 on hold at my library and can't wait to read it. I may still be playing catchup reading this series, but I am so enjoying the journey. Solid 5 stars AGAIN.
    • 4/5
      4.5 stars.

      In Little Boy Blue, the latest installment in M.J. Arlidge's Helen Grace series, DI Grace's private and personal lives intersect when she and her team investigate a series of murders that target people who are involved in BDSM. Although this newest release is the fifth novel in the series, it can be read as standalone. However, I highly recommend reading the books in order to get background information on the principal characters.

      Detective Inspector Helen Grace finds herself in a very awkward position when called to the scene of a lurid murder in a popular BDSM club. While she does not visit these types of clubs, she does rely on dominators to help quell her guilt and quiet her thoughts and she has worked hard to keep this aspect of her life private. At first believing the death was nothing more than a tragic accident, Grace quickly discovers the man was murdered and even more shocking, she recognizes the victim. Keeping their connection under wraps, she heads up the investigation which quickly goes nowhere since there is shockingly little evidence at the crime scene. When the killer strikes again and the victim is someone linked to her, Helen is forced to reveal her secret to her boss but he allows her to remain on the case. With very little information to go on, the investigation is at a standstill when Helen arrives at stunning conclusion about the murderer's identity. Will she manage to capture the killer before a very diabolical plan comes to fruition?

      In addition to trying to make sure her secrets remain hidden, infighting amongst two of Helen's underlings jeopardizes the investigation. Newly promoted to Detective Sergeant, Charlie Brooks is still struggling to juggle the demands of motherhood and her career. Feeling pressured to prove herself, she is working long hours and when her co-worker, Detective Sergeant Joanne Sanderson, takes advantage of a lead Charlie uncovered, the two are soon locked in a not so private battle for power. This internal strife plays right into unscrupulous reporter Emilia Garanita's plans to publicly humiliate Helen. An unexpected altercation between Helen and her superior, Detective Superintendent Jonathan Gardam, who has been keeping a very watchful eye on her ever since he became her boss, is the final nail in Grace's coffin once all of these events coalesce into a perfect plan that could possibly destroy her.

      The mystery surrounding the murders is certainly compelling but there is very little evidence to help Helen and her team catch the killer. Stymied at every turn as each clue turns into a dead end, Grace cannot figure out a motive for the crimes. Did the killer pick the victims at random? If so, is their lifestyle the reason they were murdered? As the body count rises, Helen finally figures out not only the killer's identity but the real reason for the crimes. Unfortunately, this realization comes just as another shocking scheme is put into motion and Helen finds herself in a very tricky situation that appears impossible to escape.

      Little Boy Blue is another riveting installment in the spectacular Helen Grace series that old and new fans do not want to miss. M.J. Arlidge is a masterful storyteller with an amazing ability to mask the killer's identity and motive for the crimes with clever red herrings and misdirects. Although the crimes themselves are satisfactorily wrapped up for the reader, the novel ends on a whopper of a cliffhanger for the very intrepid but highly unlucky Detective Inspector Helen Grace.
    • 4/5
      Great series!!
    • 5/5
      Little Boy Blue by MJ Arlidge is a 2016 Berkley publication. Well, it was bound to happen. Helen’s personal life and professional life are about to have a head on crash and it’s not pretty.When Helen is called to the scene of a crime, it becomes her absolute worst nightmare. Without saying too much, Helen is- shall we say- acquainted with the victim. Desperate to keep her dark secret from being exposed, Helen begins to lose her grip on the investigation and her behavior becomes erratic. Charlie, however, seems to have grown a backbone which strains her relationship with Helen. Can Helen close this case and keep her hidden peccadilloes from becoming public knowledge or have the chickens finally come home to roost? Oy! This was a very intense story! From start to finish this one kept me on edge- and I mean the white knuckle, I can hardly bear to watch, nail biting, kind of suspense that should come with a warning label. This installment reminded me of that old ‘Godfather’ quote: Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. Just when Helen had begun to distance herself from her secret, lurid underground life, she is plunged neck deep into the most horrifying scenario she could have imagined. It's almost surreal. Once more, Helen finds herself trolling the dark recesses of the BDSM clubs, only this time, she’s looking for a killer. It goes without saying that Helen will have to handle this case with kid gloves, and it has her feeling jumpy and out of sorts, as she worries about her own connection to the murder. But, as the story progresses, a plot is revealed that just might be Arlidge’s most diabolical one to date. If you follow this series, you know that’s really saying something. I got behind on this series, but now I’m glad I did, because after that ‘to be continued’ conclusion, I won’t have to sit on pins and needles waiting for the next installment to come out before I can find out what happens next!! Once again, Arlidge sucked me right into his cleverly spun web, trapping me inside the confounds of Helen Grace’s world, which is not always the most pleasant place to be, and is one you enter at your own risk, because once you step inside her world, you can not, not even for one tiny moment let your guard down. 4.5 stars
    • 5/5
      Little Boy Blue is the fifth novel in the Helen Grace series and each one gets more intense than previous ones. Helen Grace is tasked with investigating a murder that hits pretty close to home. This time she knows the victim and he knew her, rather intimately. The problem she has is she can't let anyone on her team know that she knew the victim. It could create a lot of problems for her professionally and personally. The killer is not done yet either, Helen has to race to find the killer before she is the next victim. I have enjoyed reading this series, the writing is perfect in every way, definitely a page turner, I love thrillers like this that keep me not only interested but wanting more. I look forward to reading the next one, because of how this one ended. I have read a lot of different series but this one wants me reading each one to find out what happens to Helen and her crew next. I do recommend that you start the the first book in the series to enjoy the the whole story of Helen Grace!
    • 5/5
      I love reading mysteries, thrillers and police procedurals. I've had many a library patron recommend M.J. Arlidge's books to me, but until now I hadn't read or listened to any - but that will certainly be changing after listening to Little Boy Blue! This is the 5th book in the series featuring DI Helen Grace.A young man is found dead - wrapped in plastic. He was involved in the BDSM scene, so it first appears to be a sex game gone wrong. But then another body turns up, also cruelly killed by asphyxiation. Here's the thing - DI Helen Grace also participates in BDSM - and knew both victims. This couldn't be personal....could it?Helen is a fantastic lead character. She's tough, speaks her mind, annoys her superiors, has the loyalty of her team, is intelligent, flawed and different enough to stand out from other female leads. I enjoyed the supporting cast of players as well. Not all are likeable which is much more realistic. The news reporter is horribly manipulative and aggressive - very easy to dislike intensely.The circumstances around the crimes make it difficult to investigate. No one wants to step forward and reveal their lifestyle. Will Helen? I was intrigued as to how and where the plot would go. Arlidge has created a real page turner. Action, deceit, personal agendas and one great twist I didn't see coming. The ending provides the answer to whodunit - but not full resolution. The game continues and I will be hunting down the next in the series - Hide and Seek.Elizabeth Bower was the reader. Her British accent is very easy to understand and very pleasant to listen to. Her voice is very expressive and she captures the tone of Arlidge's novel. And now, that I've started listening to the series - she is the voice of Helen Grace for me. Her voice suits the mental image I have created for Helen.Listening to a book is often a quite different experience than reading a physical book. I feel much more involved when listening - you hear every word and nuance. It often feels like you're right there solving the crime along with the team. Great listen
    • 1/5
      Not an especially likable cast of characters to begin with, and when I reached the last page and realized the author had set me up for a BLATANT "cliffhanger", I felt I had completely wasted my time. Not even a "well gee, that wasn't much of a conclusion" ending -- a totally "heroine is tied to the railroad tracks, the villain has scampered away in the dark and the headlights of the train are coming around the bend" ending. It's a pretty pathetic author who feels he has to trick his audience into buying his next book.
    • 5/5
      Little Boy Blue by M.J. Arlidge is the fifth D.I. Helen Grace Thriller novel. Helen Grace and her team are called to a murder at the Torture Rooms (you can guess what type of club it is). They find the victim wrapped up and his head covered in duct tape. When the duct tape is removed, Helen recognizes the victim as Jake. Helen used to visit Jake and partake in his services. Helen knows she cannot say a word. She does not want her team to know about her private life. But then a second victim turns up, and he has a connection to Helen as well. This is not looking good for Helen, and she should proceed carefully (we know Helen will not). Then Helen ends up finding another victim with a close connection to her. Someone has been watching Helen. Can Helen find this crafty killer?I had to be very careful with the wording of my review so I do not give away any spoilers. Little Boy Blue will keep you up until the wee hours of the morning. I was shocked at the ending (and it has a cliffhanger ending). As I was reading the novel I could see where things were heading, but I kept hoping for a different outcome. The hardest thing is I now have to wait for Hide and Seek to come out in the United States. Little Boy Blue is a well-crafted novel with an engaging main character. M.J. Arlidge did it again with Little Boy Blue. I give Little Boy Blue 5 out of 5 stars (I loved it). Little Boy Blue is not a stand-alone novel. You really need to read the other books in the series in order to enjoy Little Boy Blue. If you enjoy novels of suspense, then I recommend reading Little Boy Blue.
    • 4/5
      [Little Boy Blue] by M.J. ArlidgeHelen Grace series Book #54&#9733’sIn the darkest corners of the city, there is a thriving nightlife where people can let loose and cross the lines of work and play, of pleasure and pain. But now that sanctuary has been breached. A killer has struck and a man is dead.In a world where disguises and discretion are the norm, one admission could unravel a life. No one wants to come forward to say what they saw or what they know—including the woman heading the investigation: Detective Helen Grace.Helen knew the victim. And the victim knew her—better than anyone else. And when the murderer strikes again, Helen must decide how many more lines she’s willing to cross to bring in a devious and elusive serial killer.My Thoughts:I have really liked this series from the very beginning. The only problem I had with it was Helen’s pastime and addiction to S &M. It seemed way over the top and unnecessary to what was already a great story. In the last book she was making a real effort to distance herself from her dominatrix, Jake... and was doing a fairly good job. Jake, who had a major crush on Helen, had also met someone and was moving on. Now… Jake is dead…murdered by someone he thought he could trust.I know when Helen began lying her way through the first few chapters that all was not going to end well for her. As she investigates the unexpected murder it begins to look as if it was a tragic accident…just a sex game gone wrong. Unfortunately everything begins to go wrong for Helen and soon threatens Helen's private life and the secrets that she would rather not have exposed to the light of day. M.J. Arlidge has done what he does best…He has left the reader hanging on a cliff and just waiting to see how this all turns out.
    • 5/5
      I have been a fan of this series since the beginning. With each book, I have grown more connected with Helen, Charlie, and the rest of Helen's crew. Just when I think that I have known everything I can about Helen, there comes a book like this that makes me go "Wow". Helen is full of surprises. In fact, I don't think I have discovered them all yet. This is one of the darkest and grittiest books in the series. Which is a reason why I loved this book. That and the fact that there were so many twists and surprises thrown in the mix. I kept trying to figure out who was the mastermind behind the murders. Yet, when I would get close to solving the murder the author would set me on a different path. These books are like crack...very addicting! I can't read them fast enough. They are a matter of hours type of read versus a day read. Although, the best part of this book is the ending. I totally did not see that coming. It was as if the author waited until I was leaning in and them punched me right in the face. I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation for the next book in this series. Little Boy Blue will leave you breathless with intensity! A top recommended read!
    • 4/5
      Thank you, FirsttoRead, for my complimentary review copy.Fifth in the Helen Grace series, in this installment, Helen and her team must solve a series of murders, the first of which is committed in a nightclub. But, this is no ordinary club. It has a crucial connection to Helen, one she must hide at all costs.This is the third book in the series I have read, the first two being Pop Goes the Weasel(#2) and Liar Liar(#4). Again, I enjoyed Arlidge's writing style with its short chapters and multiple perspectives.In this installment, Helen must contend with conflicts amongst her team members, insubordination, and sexual harassment. Also, due to the nature of the crimes, her usual go-to for stress relief would be ill-advised.The culprit was not immediately obvious and the ending was conclusive and dramatic.I enjoyed this book and plan to catch up and continue with the series.
    • 3/5
      Never really engaged with this one, felt it was a very weak story with little to really engage the reader.
    • 5/5
      LITTLE BOY BLUE: STORY LINEIn Little Boy Blue, DI Helen Grace, is on a case which will touch home. Helen has deep dark secrets; secrets she does not want brought to the light of day. Consequently, this case will showcase all of Helen's skill as an investigator as well as her secrets.Men in the BDSM world are dying horrible deaths. As a result, it falls to Helen's squad to find and bring the perpetrator to justice. The investigation is filled with pit falls, suspects, nemesis', and an investigative team which has become disjointed. Consequently, will jealousy, temper, and desperation fracture the team and Helen?Who will survive this conflagration of evil and personalities? Come along with Helen and her team as they fight a mastermind and possibly each other!LITTLE BOY BLUE: CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:First, let me say, author M. J. Arlidge has crafted a riveting novel. Suspense, mystery, deviance, murder, and revelations are the order of the day in this first-rate novel.Secondly, his knowledge of investigative procedure and law enforcement personalities are first-rate. Arlidge's portrayal of law enforcement personnel as normal people with all the faults and failures humans possess was very skillful. As a result, I found myself immersed in the lives of the characters and the BDSM world. His handling of this world was in-depth without explicit detailing of the sexual aspects. Yet, giving an inside look into the practice. I found the why of this practice enlightening.In concluding the review of Little Boy Blue, I found Mr. Arlidge provided a varied list of possible suspects; each a worthy culprit and fully developed. The plots kept coming as he wove the many story-lines together to form a first-rate murder novel. Furthermore, Mr. Arlidge writing style is clear and clean as he created a novel worthy of the title mystery thriller. This novel will grab you immediately, hold you enthralled, and leave you wanting more of Helen and her team. The story-line never lagged or bogged down, rather it races to the finish; or was it the finish? Mr. Arlidge crafted a humdinger of an ending for this story. LITTLE BOY BLUE: RECOMMENDATION 5 STARSIn conclusion, I rated Little Boy Blue a 5 star novel. Little Boy Blue will appeal to anyone who loves a solidly written story-line with well-developed characters and plots. Furthermore, the BDSM aspect of the novel is handled with skill and taste.FINAL NOTE; I received this book from the author, publisher, and Netgalley, in return for an honest book review. Book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion; consequently, book reviews on line and on my blog, are my opinion.
    • 4/5
      This series is definitely growing on me. I am intrigued by Helen, her past and her extracurricular activities. This installment finds Helen once again investigating murders that seem to have ties to her and her past. This time the murderer is a little more cunning and the motive and outcome are not apparent until almost the very end. As this series goes on Arlidge is really finding her rhythm with these characters.Faced paced, well written thriller.
    • 3/5
      A dark, fast paced thriller full of twists and turns.I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Penguin/Michael Joseph via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.