Book Review: Pop Goes the Weasel

M. J. Arlidge's suspense thriller The Doll's House was disappointing, not because it was not thrilling, but for the very defiance of what the genre should be, saddling the whodunit with too many sub-plots that were of no obvious interest to the reader. In Pop Goes the Weasel, I must admit he redeems himself to some extent, crafting a clever enough gruesome murder mystery that thankfully stays on track for the most part despite its paint-by-number theme about sexual abuse and an avenging "angel" without digressing in detail into Helen's (the protagonist cop) personal and professional troubles. And the mystery too is deftly handled, topped by a neat not-so obvious twist that makes the book an overall satisfying read. Sadly Helen Grace still remains an unappealing character for me, as is the killer and the victims and the families (s)he leaves behind.