This is my first read in the Maeve Kerrigan thriller series by Jane Casey even though this is her 10th outing! How have I just found this series? Completely grabs you and doesn't let go until the very end. Well developed characters, red herrings abound and steam between the leading characters - this read has it all!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC!

33 year old Davy Bidwell was a vulnerable adult with learning difficulties who was found dead, his body showing multiple fractures, he was physically battered, and had missing and broken teeth. No-one knows what happened to him, but his last known residing place was as a lodger with Judy Thwaites at Jellicoe Close, where in the last 6 years, others too have disappeared. At first glance, the place is a seemingly idyllic neighbourhood with an apparently small and perfect community, but scratch the surface and it does not take long for the dark undercurrents to emerge and the cracks to appear. For Maeve, she has the added pressure of running a murder investigation from afar, fortunately DC Georgia Shaw is showing real signs of development. In the meantime, Maeve's new role seems to be just what she needed to help her move on, as she and Josh watch and mix with a community during a summer of hot, sweltering days and oppressive nights, where danger and murder lurk.

At long last in the series, Casey addresses the long running sparks and tensions in Maeve and Josh Derwent's personal relationship as they pretend to be a couple, living in such close proximity to each other in the house. There are developments but there are still matters that require resolution that have me hugely anticipating future books in the series! This is a hugely entertaining and suspenseful read, I was completely immersed in the developing relationship angles, and the skilfully interspersed murder and crime mysteries within. The many fans of this brilliant series will likely adore this addition, and I think it may even entice new readers too. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

The premise sounded like something I'd enjoy, but I really struggled with this book. The pace for the genre was way too slow, and I had an extremely difficult time engaging with the storyline or characters. I didn't care for either character, particularly Josh, which made it hard to care about outcome.

Very good but not one of my favorites by Casey. THE CLOSE incorporates two crimes and I kept thinking one more interesting than the other but Casey focuses on the other ... her thrillers are intense so I do enjoy and recommend but not as much as her previous books.

Well. Same old same old for Marve and Josh. Nothing new in 10 books. Sometimes people like that stability, but I am not that kind of reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I'm done with this author and this series.


Okay, so we're ten books into the Maeve Kerrigan series and nothing has changed. Nothing. The entire series is Maeve suffering traumatic things, being jerked around by her abusive love interest/boss/landlord Josh. I keep waiting for character growth, for change but it never comes.

What follows may be considered minor spoilers, so read at your own risk.

Okay, so in this book Maeve is not doing well mentally, which is perfectly standard for this series. She's phoning it in at work (just like the author) and can't seem to get back on her feet mentally. So she lets Josh manipulate her into an undercover assignment where she pretends to be his girlfriend for the sake of an investigation that is very poorly explained. They have unlimited resources for this operation, spying on a seemingly normal suburb just because. There's some silly explanation that a cops relative is involved and wants this case cleared so, here you go. Okay, so why are these people suspects? Because. ...Okay, what do we hope to learn? Things. Um.. Okay, on with the book.

The mystery is sub par and seems to only exist to give Josh a reason to gaslight Maeve. He's in a committed relationship with someone else. But does everything possible to keep Maeve wanting him. He kisses her, invades her personal space and gets her fired up, on purpose while she's trying to back away emotionally. Just to prove he can. Then immediately leaves this undercover assignment for three days because his actual girlfriend needed to talk.

He is so obviously trying to erase her and paint her with his will, to control her in every way. At one point in the book some guy gets a bit over the line because he's drunk. Josh intervenes and totally just overshadows her in every way possible. She was the one assaulted and Josh tells the offender to apologize. When El Creepy tries to speak to Maeve, Josh says "You don't apologize to her. You can apologize to me."

I'm so sickened by it. Josh says in the book that he's never felt about anyone the way he feels about Maeve. Okay, so why aren't you with her? Why are you with another woman?

Maeve is vulnerable in almost every possibile way. But she's trying to move on, she realizes she likes the part she's playing, she wants the life she's pretending she has. But she can't have it, because Josh is never going to let her go.

Josh is her superior, her landlord, he is in a position of power and authority and uses it to the fullest in order to keep Maeve from healing, from moving on, because that would move her away from him.

The books ends the exact same way as all the others. With Maeve struggling, nursing her feelings for Josh, pretending nothing inappropriate happened, with Josh in control of every aspect of her life.

So great to get a new installment with Maeve and Josh! I was reading every second I could get to the end. A few storylines going on and all so good.

I would start this series at the beginning for the best experience but it was so great to see the gang again. Georgia is improving and Una and Josh are working together better than ever.

Maeve and Josh are paired for undercover work and the little village where they are posted really comes alive through dialogue and character descriptions. There is more than meets the eye going on here. Also, the tension between Maeve and Josh is really on display as they have to pose as a couple for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, back in London, Maeve is working remotely to solve another crime that occurred. This story is full of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. I cannot wait for another installment in the series. Thank you Ms Casey, Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC which I really enjoyed.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

The Close by Jane Casey was riveting and such an addictive read.
I truly enjoyed Casey’s new detective crime thriller.
Tense and exciting. It moves quickly and yet you can not stop reading.
Jane Casey knows how to pace and create continuous action and suspense while at the same time keeping you interested in the characters along the way.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Harper 360 for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

And here we go........

Jane Casey, I fell for The Close. Usually, I ain't doin' no Romance. But here, we were dabblin' in it and not necessarily dibblin' in it. And that made all the difference in the world.

Let's start with the dead body found in a hospital parking lot at 2 AM. I can handle that. But a woman leaving the ER simply couldn't. The Metro Police of London arrive and it turns out that she actually knew this man. It was her neighbor, Dr. Hassan Dawoud. Hassan worked at this hospital, but the hours didn't match up. He and his partner, Cameron, had what appeared to be a solid relationship. But eyes suddenly fall on Cameron......continuously.

DS Maeve Kerrigan, a senior officer, has been assigned to this case. She's monitoring her colleague, DC Georgia Shaw who's just getting her sea legs. But the higher-ups have another assignment for Maeve. She's to go undercover with DI Josh Derwent who is one of her supervisors. The two will be a surveillance couple assigned to a home in West Idleford. For all those looky lookers in the neighborhood, Maeve and Josh will be dog-sitting while the owner is out of town for weeks.

What's at the core is some weird goings-on within this cluster of houses. One house, in particular, is being pinpointed as suspicious. A series of men with no family connections have been seen coming and going there.......and then not seen again. Maeve and Josh will portray themselves as a young couple in a relationship. (Tiny embers can be readily seen with the naked eye here.) Their charge is a frisky disobedient pup who adds to some wild ruckus day and night.

We'll meet the neighbors. A group of definite wingnuts with each overflowing with their own set and degree of quirkiness. Who knows what and what is the what?

Jane Casey can ratchet up the tension like a true ace. I enjoyed The Killing Time (2021) in which she spun an intriguing web of a storyline. The Close had some pockets of humor and snarky dialogue which I laughed out loud with. She paints her characters, even the good guys, with flaws and all. Now I'm wondering why I've never jumped into this Maeve Kerrigan Mystery Series before. Well, I'm here now and here is where I'll stay. Bring on the next.......

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and to Jane Casey for the opportunity.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read and review an advanced copy of Jane Casey’s book, ‘The Close’.

DS Maeve Kerrigan is still suffering the ill effects of an abusive relationship when DI Josh Derwent talks her in to going undercover as a couple who are dog-sitting, while they try to determine if an older woman has anything to do with a recent death of the brother-in-law of the mayor’s aide. There is already enough sexual tension between the two detectives, and living together with a whole neighborhood watching requires them to put on a convincing show of affection. What they do not expect is that they are also being stalked.

There are many twists and turns, as they try to fit in while also trying to gather information without being too obvious. When the peaceful neighborhood becomes deadly, they are forced to take chances in order to resolve two cases of murder, all before they become victims themselves.

A great book in the Maeve Kerrigan series with all the storylines and plot twists required in a British police procedural.

Wow just wow! This book was amazing from start to finish! There was truly so many twists at every corner, but the author made sure to throw in lots of mystery and left you reading more and more. I love that every aspect of the story was completed and solved. I so wish there was a second book so I could follow more of the Maeve and Derwent story.

It amazes me that there were three mysteries in this book- all of which were connected and each made the story line so intriguing.

I have been reading the Maeve Kerrigan series since 2016. Each book is based on a different case Detective Kerrigan is involved in and each will have you on the edge of your seat. You will find yourself rooting for her and becoming attached to the other characters she works with as well. If you love a great detective series, I can't recommend this series enough. And go ahead, start from the beginning!

I would give this book 10 stars instead of 5 if I could. Jane Casey’s characters’ words, actions, thoughts and emotions so believably written that I was hooked immediately. Maeve has two murders on her plate, that of a doctor in London she is working remotely with Georgia and the rest of her team, and that of a mentally challenged man whose last known address was a neat and tidy neighborhood in a smaller village where everyone has neat flowerbeds and enjoy plays and fetes. Maeve and her boss, Josh are tasked with going undercover as a couple dog sitting for a woman who lives across the street from that address, and as they insinuate themselves into the neighborhood they realize not all is as it seems. Georgia’s larger part in this book as Maeve guides her to better her detective skills is a great addition to the story with Maeve’s regular confidant out on maternity leave.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the hours of immense pleasure reading this book gave me, I can’t recommend the book and the series enough to anyone who enjoys smart, well written mysteries.

This was my first book by Jane Casey and I did not realize this was part of a series. That being said, I really enjoyed this book and now I want to read the other books in this series. The romantic tension and humor between Josh and Maeve was very well portrayed. The characters had a lot of depth to them and the plot twists were well thought out. Definitely an enjoyable read!

DS Maeve Kerrigan Has appeared in many novels that I have enjoyed. This one was different with a will they/won’t they romantic liaison and a couple of crimes to deal with. Not my favorite but regular readers will probably love it.

I'm a big fan of the Maeve Kerrigan series and was excited to get an ARC of the next book! This mystery was different from the other books in the series as it was more ambiguous and interspersed with one or two other cases. It also involved undercover work and a lot of Maeve and Josh Derwent working/living together, which was definitely a new twist.

The undercover work involved them posing as a couple and living in a neighborhood outside of London. I thought the character build up of all the residents of the neighborhood was really well done as they only appeared in the book in snippets, but you soon had a sense of what they were like and started having theories about who might be involved in the crime. This new set up also allowed more insight into a few individual main characters and the dynamic between them. Maeve is still recovering from an incident in the past book and the way this is addressed felt realistic and sensitive (not overkill or completely ignoring it).

Another great book in Jane Casey's series! Now I just have to wait for the next one.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360 for the eARC.
This 10th in the series was one I was very excited to read and had looked forward to so much!
Maeve Kerrigan is looking into the case of a doctor who was found dead in his car by his neighbor, when Josh Derwent tells her they are off to a neighborhood where suspected vulnerable people are housed and sent on.
The simmering attraction between the two, which I love, is ready to boil over and made this mystery
even more exciting. The creeping tension, the terrific writing and the surprising ending had me sad to end the book. I want more!!!
Hopefully the next book is being written right now....can't wait to see how things evolve and the spanner in the works somehow disappears.
Highly recommended - could be read as a standalone, but reading the series in order is great and definitely recommended too!

Another delightful Maeve Kerrigan novel. This series is one of my favorites. This time Maeve and Josh are forever to work together undercover for several weeks. So, I got the thrill of watching their evolving relationship while surrounded by 2 interesting cases. Honestly, now I really can’t wait to read the next books this series!

I know Kerrigan fans will be delighted with this book. My only caveat is that it won’t work as a stand-alone. So, go back and read a few before grabbing this winner.

Thank you Netgalley for this fascinating novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book I have read by Jane Casey. I also see this is the 10th book in the series Maeve Kerrigan. But I had no problems at all with not having read any other books in this series. The only problem is now I want to go back and read 1-9. Where I live I can totally relate to the neighborhood in this story. Jane Casey has written the neighbors so well. You can see yourself living on this street. I also love the relationship that is going on between Maueve and Josh. The tension and vibes are so well written you feel them. I love the way Jane Casey has the murders unfold too. I will be reading more by Jane Casey!