Mystery
Thriller
📝 First Impressions
Eeny Meeny begins with a familiar childhood rhyme, but M. J. Arlidge quickly transforms those innocent words into something genuinely unsettling. As the first novel in the long-running Helen Grace series, Eeny Meeny introduces Detective Inspector Helen Grace as she investigates a case built around impossible moral choices. Romanian readers may recognise the novel under the title Ghici cine moare primul, published by Editura Trei.
The investigation immediately caught my attention, and I found the central premise genuinely intriguing. However, despite enjoying the story, I never felt completely immersed in it. The atmosphere was engaging, but it never quite reached that point where I forgot everything around me and simply lived inside the novel. Combined with the very short chapters—which are clearly a stylistic choice but not one that perfectly matches my reading preferences—I found myself appreciating the book more than truly connecting with it.
I listened to Eeny Meeny as an audiobook, and somewhere during the final part of the novel I had the feeling I had missed an important detail. That may simply have been a moment of lost concentration on my part rather than a flaw in the story itself, but it left me curious to revisit the novel in print. I have a feeling I’d appreciate some of the finer details even more in a physical copy.
Even so, Eeny Meeny succeeded in doing exactly what I hope for from the first book in a long-running crime series: it introduced an interesting detective, presented a compelling mystery, and left me curious to discover what Helen Grace would face next. That alone was enough to make me want to continue the series.
💜 What I Loved
One of the things I appreciated most about Eeny Meeny was Helen Grace herself. Rather than being introduced as a detective who always has the perfect answer, she feels like someone who is still growing into the role. Throughout the investigation, I had the impression that she was discovering the kind of detective—and leader—she wanted to become. That vulnerability made her feel believable. Characters who already know everything rarely surprise me, but Helen’s uncertainty and determination left me genuinely curious to see how she develops throughout the series.
I also enjoyed the central premise of Eeny Meeny. The investigation is built around an unsettling psychological concept that immediately raises difficult moral questions. Rather than relying solely on violence or shock value, M. J. Arlidge explores what ordinary people might do when faced with impossible choices. It’s an idea that stayed with me long after I finished listening to the audiobook.
Knowing that Eeny Meeny is only the beginning of a series that now spans more than fourteen novels also made me more forgiving of the slower character development. The first book in any long-running crime series has the difficult task of introducing a new protagonist, a supporting cast, and a world that readers will hopefully want to revisit. I think Eeny Meeny succeeds in laying that foundation, leaving me genuinely interested in seeing where Helen Grace’s journey will take her next.
What I appreciated most, however, was that Eeny Meeny never felt like a standalone mystery. Instead, it feels like the beginning of something much bigger, encouraging readers to invest not only in the investigation itself but also in Helen Grace’s future. By the final chapter, I was already looking forward to picking up the next book in the series.
🤔What Didn’t Quite Work for Me
My biggest issue with Eeny Meeny wasn’t the story itself—it was the pacing created by the chapter structure.
The chapters are extremely short, and there are a lot of them. I know this is a deliberate choice and one that many thriller readers absolutely love because it creates the feeling of “just one more chapter.” Personally, though, I prefer longer chapters that allow me to settle into the story, spend more time with the characters, and fully absorb each scene before moving on.
Because the perspective changed so frequently, I never felt completely immersed in Eeny Meeny. The atmosphere was engaging, but I never reached that wonderful point where the outside world simply disappeared while I was reading. That’s very much a matter of personal preference rather than a criticism of M. J. Arlidge’s writing, but it did influence my overall reading experience.
Listening to Eeny Meeny as an audiobook also contributed to that feeling. Towards the end of the novel, I had the impression that I had missed an important detail. That was probably a lapse in my own concentration rather than an issue with the story itself, but it made me want to experience the book again in print. I suspect I’d notice details that passed me by the first time.
Even with these reservations, Eeny Meeny remained an engaging psychological thriller with a compelling central mystery. None of these points stopped me from enjoying the novel—they simply prevented me from becoming as completely immersed in the story as I had hoped. More importantly, the book left me genuinely curious to continue Helen Grace’s journey, which is exactly what a strong opening novel should do.
👥 Who Would Enjoy This Book?
I’d recommend Eeny Meeny to readers who enjoy fast-paced British crime thrillers with short chapters and plenty of momentum. If you like police procedurals, morally complex mysteries and series that allow their main detective to grow over time, this is an excellent place to start.
It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for a long-running series to invest in. With more than fourteen books already available, Helen Grace’s story offers plenty of room for character development beyond this first instalment.
If, like me, you prefer slower pacing, longer chapters and stories that completely immerse you in their atmosphere, your experience may be slightly different. Even so, I believe the novel does exactly what a first book in a series should do: it introduces compelling characters, establishes an intriguing premise and leaves you wanting to discover what comes next.
💭 Final Thoughts
Not every first book in a series has to be unforgettable. Sometimes its most important role is to introduce a world and characters that make readers want to continue.
That’s exactly how I felt about Eeny Meeny.
Although it wasn’t a perfect match for my personal reading style, I genuinely enjoyed meeting Helen Grace and watching her take her first steps as a detective. She still has plenty of room to grow, and I suspect that’s one of the reasons this series has remained so popular over the years.
I’ll definitely continue with the next book, and I’m looking forward to seeing how both Helen Grace and M. J. Arlidge’s storytelling evolve as the series progresses.
✨ The BookFairy Verdict
Eeny Meeny
📖 Book Details
Title: Eeny Meeny
Romanian Title: Ghici cine moare primul (Editura Trei)
Author: M. J. Arlidge
Series: Helen Grace #1 – Ongoing (14+ books)
Genre: Mystery • Thriller • Adult Fiction
Pages: 496
Format Read: Audiobook
Publisher: Penguin Books
Published: 26 March 2015
ISBN: 9781405915600
🛒 Buy the Book
If Eeny Meeny sounds like your kind of thriller, you can support BookFairy by purchasing the book through the links below. It won’t cost you anything extra, and using these links helps support the site while allowing me to continue creating honest, independent book reviews.
📚 Waterstones
📕 Hardcover
📗 Paperback
📦 Amazon UK
📕 Hardcover
📗 Paperback
📘 Kindle Edition
📱 Kobo
📘 eBook
🎧 Audiobook
