I’m going to start by saying that I’m a big fan of this author and I love her main character and her tricky relationship with her immediate boss. This is a tense and involving mystery, with lots of well written (and creepy) suspects. The plot is satisfyingly twisted and I suspected everyone in turn. However, I know this is my bete noir, but I really don’t enjoy the perpetrator’s POV. It adds nothing to the plot or the suspense and quite frankly, in these ‘me too’ days, I find that to have a male character get an erection at the thought of rape or murder of a female is not something I enjoy reading. Yes, I’m sure this happens, but I think it doesn’t need to be written. The book would loose nothing by removing these parts in terms of plot or character development and I do also feel this is a trope which is now overdone. I still think this is a very good book, but, in my opinion, it would be better without this POV in it.

The Close by Jane Casey is book 10 in the Maeve Kerrigan series. Maeve is a murder detective in London, who is somewhat off her usual form following the events in the previous book. Her supervisor Josh Derwent has noticed this and offers Maeve the chance to go undercover in a privileged housing estate as dog sitters. They are hoping to uncover the reason why one of the houses in Jellicoe Close was the last official address for vulnerable adult Davy Bidwell, before he was found severely unweight in an abandoned house in London. The only problem for Maeve is that she will have to pose as Derwent's girlfriend as part of this operation. Will Maeve be back to her usual form for this case or will the closeness of Derwent be too much to handle?

I adore this series, it's entirely possible for you to pick up this book as a stand alone and read it but I highly suggest not doing that. Part of the appeal for this series is seeing the changes in Maeve and Josh's relationship throughout the books. There's a palpable undercurrent between the two of them and it's clear they have feelings for each other. Whether or not they act on them in this book, well, I'm not going to give that away am I?! Casey does a great job though at building up this subtle but agonising tension between the two characters.

And before you think 'hold on, I thought this was a crime novel, not a romance book!', well yes, you are correct. I loved the plot of this, that a close community has many different secrets; some that are open secrets that everyone knows, others that are deep, dark and dangerous. Suburban bliss has an ugly underside and I was gripped reading this just as much for the mystery element as I was for the personal plot between Maeve and Josh. I read this within 24 hours, I think if I had started it earlier in the day I would have finished it by the night time. I'm sad now I don't have another Maeve book to pick up straight away but I did see that there may be another one next year, which I'm delighted with! Another triumph for Jane Casey

I love Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series, which meant The Close, the latest book in the series, went straight to the top of my TBR pile. In this novel, Maeve is definitely out of her comfort zone, as she takes on an undercover role with her colleague, DI Josh Derwent.

Jane Casey always writes a compelling mystery, but for me, what made this book, was seeing the relationship between Josh and Maeve develop a little bit further, as, for a few weeks, they are living together in a picturesque country village, pretending to be a couple, while they are undercover. For fans of the series, you will know Maeve and Josh’s character’s well. They have always been friends throughout the series, but there is always a slight hint that perhaps there could be something more that might develop between them, and this is what makes this book so fascinating and so addictive.

Maeve is horrified at the prospect of spending time alone with Josh, but she agrees to take the job, even though another big investigation has just begun, following the murder of a young man, a surgeon, but Maeve still finds time to keep up to speed with the investigation while she is away. When they go undercover, they are there to investigate the residents of the village, while portraying to their new neighbours that they are dog sitting for a few weeks, while the dog’s owner is away on business. What I loved about this book, was the sexual tension that existed between Maeve and Josh, while they were living alone together. You can see that there is definitely chemistry between them, even though Maeve insists that she never has and never will have feelings for Josh.

Georgia is another character in the series who always never fails to make me laugh. I always find the conversations she has with Maeve, really entertaining to read, even when they are talking about work. Jane Casey always manages to slip in some light hearted humour into their dialogue.

Some of the residents of the village where Josh and Maeve move to are really creepy. I did get the sense that there were people hiding something here, and Jane Casey does a brilliant job in adding to the tension here, when it feels as though Maeve might be in danger.

Jane Casey really delves deep into her characters in The Close. It makes for a fascinating and a really entertaining read. If you haven’t yet read this series, then you are really missing out.

Another impressive contribution to this excellent series by Jane Casey. Maeve Kerrigan is a great cop but her role in The Close is different from the norm as she and her boss are tasked with moving in undercover to get to the bottom of a mystery. Well written, gripping and surprising, The Close entertains and intrigues from start to finish.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for this eCopy to review.

I really enjoyed The Close, I found the characters very likeable and was rooting for Josh and Maeve to get together, we'll have to wait and see what happens. The tension between was very enjoyable to read and I found it very believable.

Maeve is struggling at work and cannot seem to make any headway solving the murder of Dr Hassan Dawoud. Josh decides she needs a break and persuades her to go undercover as his girlfriend at Jellicoe Close.

The mystery has many layers and is seeking to find out what is happening to vulnerable adults who disappear after staying at a house on Jellicoe Close. Underneath the perfect suburban setting hides many disturbing crimes, murder, paedophilia, domestic abuse. It's an atmospheric mystery with unexpected twists racing towards an incredibly dramatic climax.

This book had everything I like in a novel - 3 (possibly even 4) whodunits, all intertwined. Police procedural, romance and sexual tension, family dynamics and more all well and satisfyingly written. I loved it!

Another excellent instalment in the Maeve Kerrigan series. I don’t think I’ve ever been invested in characters like Maeve and Derwent. Just brilliant.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. "The Close" by Jane Casey is a novel in a series that I have not followed. While the writing of the relationship between Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent was well done, the overall story felt lacking in context for those who have not read the previous books in the series. As a result, much of the plot felt pointless and confusing, leaving me lost and disconnected from the story.

Despite these flaws, the author's writing style was enjoyable and made for a relatively easy read. However, the ending felt like a bit of a cop-out, especially considering the strong emotions that were built up between the characters throughout the story. If the characters felt so strongly about each other, it felt like a letdown to leave their relationship unresolved.

Overall, "The Close" is a decent book with a rating of 3 out of 5. However, readers who are unfamiliar with the series may struggle to fully understand and appreciate the plot and characters.

The Close is book 10 of a series but I feel it reads well as a stand alone. It had enough twists and turns to keep me interested, some quite unexpected and I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters. It has made me want to read the 9 previous books.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my ARC.

The basis of the story was okay (despite that such surveillance would never occur so easily ) and I enjoyed some parts of the novel. However, the unrealistic situation that unfolded continued to be at the forefront of my mind whilst reading unfortunately.

Whilst most of the residents had no redeeming features, the character I disliked the most was DI Josh Derwent. Perhaps had I read previous novels in this series I would have built a more positive picture ?

The first time I have read this Author but I enjoyed the style of writing. A solid four star read. Great premise. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing Would definitely read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I gather that this book is part of a series. As such I probably missed something in the relationship between the two central characters - police officers brought in to get to the bottom of the mysterious disappearance and subsequent death of a vulnerable young man.

As it was, the chemistry between the two felt slightly contrived - but maybe I would feel differently had I been more invested in the characters from previous books.

The story itself was tense and engaging. I’m always impressed by writers who can fully immerse you in what feels like an average suburban neighbourhood. Before long they are getting to the bottom of not one but two nasty crimes - and of course there’s a bit of violence and peril along the way.

A good read.

This is a brilliant thriller and can be read as a stand alone even though it’s 10 in a series!
A great storyline where undercover operations take part posing as a couple in a house in ‘The Close’ to try and find out what’s going on. It kept me turning the pages from start to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I have only read a few books in this series but soon became immersed in the main protagonists' lives and the mystery unfolding. Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent are complex but likeable characters. The dynamic between them is intricate, and when they find themselves undercover as a couple, the personal and professional boundaries are tested. The mystery is multi-layered and explores issues of abuse and mental health. The facade of the perfect suburban setting hides many disturbing crimes. It's an atmospheric mystery with unexpected twists. The final chapters are dramatic and poignant.

I like the detective team, the suspense and the dynamic between Maeve and Josh.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I didn’t realise that this was book 10 in a series as it did read well in its own. I am going to go back and read all the other from the start. I thought it was a really well developed plot and read so smoothly. Brilliant.

This feels like what we’ve been waiting for!

Don’t think this book would be as effective if you haven’t read the previous ones but because I have I am so invested in the characters, I couldn’t put it down.

Really enjoyable and won’t give any spoilers but if you’re a Maeve fan you’ll love it!

Maeve Kerrigan #10

At first glance, Jellicoe Close seems to be a perfect suburban street - well-kept houses. with pristine lawns, neighbours chatting over the fences, children playing together. But there are dark secrets behind the neat front doors, hidden dangers that include ruthless criminals who will stop at nothing. It's up to #DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent to uncover the truth. Posing as a couple, they move into the Close, blurring the lines between professional and personal as never before.

This story has everything I like in a book - it's thrilling. mysterious, filled with suspense, and has a little bit of romance thrown into the mix. The characters are well rounded. While still working on the case of Dr Hassan Dawoud's murder, Maeve is seconded to work undercover with her boss, Josh, at Jellicoe Close. This is a twisted, gripping read that has a plot within a plot, and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #JaneCasey for my ARC of #TheClose in exchange for an honest review.

Once quiet, innocuous cul-de-sac.

DS Maeve Kerrigan has to go undercover with her boss Josh Derwent, posing as a couple (eek!) in a borrowed house to try and gather evidence of the activities of a ruthless criminal.

But it's not the only thing going on...

Brilliant

Maeve and Derwent go undercover to solve a crime in Jellicoe Close. Sadly it was a long drawn out plot that moved to a book more about their relationship than the murder mystery category. I am not interested in romance books so it was not one for me. However the book and its characters were well written and developed. Thanks to NetGalley.

This is a great crime thriller.
I’ve only read one other book in this series and I’d say this is fine as a stand alone.
DS Maeve Kerrigan is a great character and DI Josh Derwent is great as her colleague.
They both get more than they bargained for when they are asked to move in together and act as a couple undercover.
There has been a death in a quiet close and they are asked to keep an eye on the neighbours and one house in particular.
More than one neighbour has secrets and Maeve and Josh have their hands full trying to identify the killer.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.