Audiobook Review: Perfect Remains by Helen Fields

Perfect Remains
by Helen Sarah Fields, Angus King (Narrator)

Publication date: 2017
Publisher: Harper Collins

Summary:

The first in a nail-shredding new crime series. Fans of M.J. Arlidge will be gripped from start to finish.

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.

Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.

It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer.

Source: Goodreads

Thoughts:

I’ve seen great things about Helen Fields‘ crime series featuring D.I. Callanach. “Perfect Remains” is book one in the series and it’s the perfect introduction to D.I. Luc Callanach and the Edinburgh Homicide Team.

From the very beginning we know that a crime has occurred, a burned body is found in the mountains, identifiable only by a tooth and a shred of a scarf. As the story continues, the chapters flick back and forth between the perspectives of the detectives and the criminal responsible.

This was a real page turner, or whatever the equivalent term is when listening to an audiobook! The crimes were disturbing enough to keep me engaged and the characters were brought to life wonderfully through the narration of Angus King. I particularly liked the use of different accents, especially for Luc Callanach himself, half French, half Scottish.

In general I’d say that the story was a little long for my tastes. I also felt that knowing who was responsible for the crime from page one took away from the suspense and mystery that could have been drawn from the initial chapters. I think that as a result it took me quite a while to feel invested and to actually care for the victims but that said, I did eventually get sucked in and forgot about my initial concerns.

This was a really enjoyable read overall and one that I’d recommend for fans of a police procedural, especially a violent one! I can’t wait to see where the series goes next and am looking forward to book 2.

Overall rating: “Perfect Remains” is a great start to the D.I. Callanach series by Helen Fields. I really enjoyed the narration in this audiobook and the crime story kept me gripped too. This was a 4 star read for me, not quite perfect, but very good!