The best Maeve Kerrigan book yes, firmly establishing her and DI Derwent as a crime pairing to be reckoned with.

I am a HUGE Jane Casey fan, my favourite series of hers remains the 'Maeve Kerrigan' series.
This is book 4 however you can read then without necessarily going in order. The plot can be followed but I would recommend reading them in order. This is because you see the character progression.
For example,I missed Book 3 and a huge plot point is revealed in 4 and now I want to go back and get it!
This book deals with police detective Maeve juggling her work and personal life without either suffering. It would be easy to write this off as a 'woman in a man's world' type thing but it is so well written that that is impossible.
This time around she is tackling a serial killer,trying to be taken seriously by her superiors whose motives she also mistrusts. But at the centre of her professional role is the victim. She empathises so keenly with them that her intuition picks up on what others overlook.
Not afraid to overstep boundaries to catch a killer she is ruthless and dogged and defies stereotyping.
The plot is speedy without being light,you really have to concentrate but when a book is written as well as this one you just don't mind
Many thanks Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this advance copy.

Book four in the series and young women are being murdered in their homes and their eyes are being removed. The murders could also be connected to an historical murder from 20 years back. The complex and feisty DC Kerrigan is again called upon to investigate alongside her Detective Inspector Derwent. Sexist and hard going but with his heart in the right place Derwent is for once reliant on Kerrigan as the case unfolds and the roads start leading to him.

This becomes another gritty police procedural that tests friendships, betrayal and loyalty. Handled well by Ms Casey the story unfolds at a pacy speed and twists and turns so you don't know where it's all heading. Kerrigan, though not perfect, is becoming a character I like more and more as more of her personality is revealed through the books. But what I really loved was more of Derwent and his backstory giving an insight into what makes the man tick.

I really enjoyed this one from the many suspects to the clever plotting. It made me think ..... and that's not always a good thing .... in the dead of night!!

If you've not come across this series before I would highly recommend it. The books can be read as standalones ...... but much more enjoyable if read in order for the continuing themes.