The Kill (Maeve Kerrigan #5) – Jane Casey

Published 5 June 2014 by Ebury Press




From Goodreads:

Maeve Kerrigan is used to investigating murders.But this time a killer has struck far too close to home…

When a police officer is found shot dead in his car, DC Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent take on the investigation. But nothing about the case prepares them for what happens next: a second policeman dies . . . and then another . . .

The Metropolitan Police struggle to carry out their usual duties, but no one knows where or how this cop killer will strike again. While London disintegrates into lawlessness Maeve’s world starts to fall apart too. For if the police can’t keep themselves safe, how can they protect anyone else?

My thoughts:

When DC Maeve Kerrigan and her fellow detectives are recalled from a colleague’s wedding to investigate the shooting of a police officer, they have little idea that this would be start of a killing campaign against the police. What follows is a tightly plotted story with twists and turns and with excellent characterisation. 

There are many different strands to the plot, some of which began life previously in the series. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’m not going to go into detail.  I’m out of sync with this series, having read an earlier book and now this one and although you can enjoy this as a standalone, to get the best out of it it is clear that the series needs to be read in order. The scenes with the sometimes obnoxiously sexist DI Josh Derwent and the stubborn and independent Maeve Kerrigan were one of the highlights for me and I hope their working relationship continues. 

Although this could be described as a `police procedural’ it is more character based than many others in this genre which sets it apart. I did feel that the story started to flag a little in the middle but this didn’t spoil the overall enjoyment and I now look forward to catching up with the rest of the series before the next book.

I received my advance reading copy from the Amazon Vine review programme.

About the author:

“All my criminal elements have some basis in reality, no matter how awful they may be. Nothing is completely farfetched.” Jane Casey

Crime is a family affair for Jane Casey. Married to a criminal barrister, she has a unique insight into the brutal underbelly of urban life, from the smell of a police cell to the darkest motives of a serial killer.

This gritty realism has made her books international bestsellers and critical successes; while D.C. Maeve Kerrigan has quickly become one of the most popular characters in crime fiction.

Twice shortlisted for the Irish Crime Novel of the Year Award as well as the Mary Higgins Clark Award, Jane has been recently longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award. 

You can follow Jane Casey via Twitter or via her website