This is the first time I've read a Jane Casey novel, but it won't be my last. I was gripped from the very beginning to the end. When I didn't have the time to sit and read, I still found myself thinking about the characters and couldn't wait to pick it up. I know that this is Book 7 of A Maeve Kerrigan crime thriller, and I thought that I might have a problem with not reading the others, but it holds it's own as a "Stand Alone Book". The plot is thick with dark secrets, murder, (with no body), religious fanaticism and twists around every corner. I certainly recommend this book and I shall definitely be reading the first six in this fantastic series.

My first thought for this book was why had I not read a Jane Casey book book before? The second was finding more hat she had written.
This strong,well written book had pace and gripped me from the first page. It is a book that is written in such a way you convince yourself that you know who has done what. Totally wrong on many counts.
The characters are so well written and the twists and turns unexpected and enlightening but then they are not as Jane Casey has you totally fooled right until the last page.
Thanks for the opportunity to review this book and to jump in to the Maeves world. It won't be my only read by this author

The most gripping read I've had in ages - I couldn't put this book down! Read in 0ne (long!) sitting. DS Kerrigan is an engaging and original character who pulls the narrative along like turbulence behind a jet. No spoilers, but although I guessed some of the mystery quite early it was complex enough to hold many secrets while avoiding the sort of surprises that feel like cheating. I'm heading off now to find more of these - there are hints that this may be part of a series. I really hope so!

This is the first book by Jane Casey I have read but it definitely won't be the last. Full of twists and turns with an ending I never imagined.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

Extremely grateful to NetGalley for allowing the opportuntiy to read and review this book pre - publication.
This is my first introduction to this author and the main characters within the book, although I believe this is indeed the seventh book in a series. Not having read any of the previous ones in no way detracted from this experience although there is obviously history between some of the main police characters.
This story involves a murder.... only there is no body at the scene !
As the gripping story evolves, it turns out that very few of the characters are actually what hey initially appear to be. Found the plot and twists made for a thoroughly enjoyable read and difficult to put down.
I have not been paid for this pre - publication review, but would have no hesitation in recommending this book to fans of this genre of book.
Think I've found myself a new author and will be going online to purchase others in the series for my upcoming holiday.

Two dysfunctional families living on the same street, surely something had to go wrong...
Chloe returned home early from a trip to see her father but as she opened the door she didn't find her mum, all she found was blood, lots of blood. Neighbours Oliver, Eleanor and daughter Bethany took Chloe to there home whilst the Police try to find out what happened to Chloe's mother.
This is complex and twisty...just how I like...A Police procedural showing the workings of the minds of the police and throws in some of the background to their lives, this only adds to the book. My favourite character was Josh Derwent, not the main character, unusual I know but I also liked Maeve Kerrigan, intriguing woman. This is the 7th in this series but I think it's possible to read this as a stand alone.
Thoroughly enjoyable read and highly recommended

I love the Maeve Kerrigan books and Let the Dead Speak was no exception. With twists and turns it's impossible to predict the endings, Jane Casey gets right down to the nitty gritty of everyday life, with a down to earth detective whose tenacity never wavers.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins and Jane Casey for the eARC of this fantastic book. The Maeve Kerrigan series has become one of my favorites and each book just gets better and better. I would give this one a 5+, it's the best one yet.
One of the reasons these books are so good, besides the stellar stories, is the relationship between Kerrigan and Derwent. It's a love/hate one, funny and surprisingly sexy.
Along with many other female readers, I have a crush on Derwent and if I can't have him, I hope that they will eventually get together, but not till the last of the series, please.
Chloe comes home from a stay at her dad's to find her mother gone and the house full of blood. When Maeve and Derwent investigate, their conclusion is this is a murder investigation, but no matter how much effort they put into looking, they cannot find the body.
What follows is my ideal police procedural/mystery: a baffling case, some creepy characters and a few excellent twists that keep you riveted. I can't recommend this book highly enough, absolutely loved it!

Chloe, an eighteen year-old, returns early from a visit to stay with her dad and his family, to find her mother missing and the house splashed with blood. Her neighbour who has given her a lift home from the station rings the police. DS Maeve Kerrigan finds herself looking at two dysfunctional families whose lives have become involved. The neighbours accuse one another and Chloe and her friend Bethany refuse to speak. There is no body, yet they have to conclude it’s murder from the amount of blood. It all seems hopeless.

I enjoyed this so much and was impressed enough to have a quick look at what else the author has written. It was only at this point that I realised the book is seventh in a series. To me, that means it’s very well done. It was obvious that there was some back-story with Maeve and her DI but the plot never at any point depends on it. It’s a very twisty and highly exciting story and I enjoyed it very much.

When eighteen-year-old Chloe Emery returns to her West London home she finds her mother missing, the house covered in blood. Everything points to murder, except for one thing: there's no sign of the body.

London detective Maeve Kerrigan and the homicide team turn their attention to the neighbours. The ultra-religious Norrises are acting suspiciously; their teenage daughter and Chloe Emery definitely have something to hide. Then there's William Turner, once accused of stabbing a schoolmate and the neighborhood's favorite criminal. Is he merely a scapegoat, or is there more behind the charismatic facade?

As a body fails to materialize, Maeve must piece together a patchwork of testimonies and accusations. Who is lying, and who is not? And soon Maeve starts to realize that not only will the answer lead to Kate Emery, but more lives may hang in the balance.

This is a good murder mystery, and from someone who that hasn't read any of the previous series, it was easy to pick up on the long-term characters and also the new characters for this story, there are plenty of twists and turns in the storyline to keep you guessing, with an abundance suspect it keeps you guessing until the end.

Well written and with a good plot, recommended read.

An excellent police procedural novel. There are some stock characters - newly promoted female sergeant, her love/ hate partner, inept rookie _ but they never become too clinched.
The actual plot Is unusual and has many twists and turns along the way. Indeed, the final denouement is kept to the very end, and surprising it is too.
I found it easier to identify with the police. There were some rounded characters and realistic dialogue. The villains were a touch two dimensional but the plot was good enough for me to be carried along with it.
I will surely look for more of Jane Casey's books.

I quite like crime novels and I was anticipating that this one might be a little different

It wasn't totally different than other detective style books, the main character leads a lonely life, there is friction with colleagues, the story has some obvious elements to it.

The plot is a good one, I did work out some parts of it, at the same time there were some complete surprises too. The characters were well written and the description of the environment worked well for me.

It follows the story of Chloe who comes home to her Mums, from her Fathers (Chloe's parents are divorced). On arriving back in town, it is teeming with rain, her neighbour spots her and gives her a lift home. Chloe forgets her bag in his car and he brings it round. When he see inside Chloe's mums house, he rings the police and take Chloe over to his place.

The story then shifts to the perspective of the Detective Sergeant involved in the case and how she and her colleagues gather the evidence and sift through all the clues to try to solve the case before anyone else disappears, or dies.

I would specifically recommend this book to both my Father and my Mother-in-Law. I do know that they both would enjoy this tale as they both like(d) crime novels, so I will see about finding a paperback copy for my Mother-in-Law.

Fab story,gritty and tangled and full of surprises.

I love the Maeve Kerrigan series and this one is just as good as all the others. The interaction with Josh is superb and very funny at times. How long before they're an item ?
The plot was very well handled, the ending not too obvious and the writing very good indeed. Couldn't put it down and can't wait for the next one.

This is the seventh novel featuring one of my top three all-time favourite female Detectives - Maeve Kerrigan. Although it is part of an ongoing (and hopefully never ending) series, it's not imperative that these are read in order and this can easily be read as a standalone - although why wouldn't anyone want to read the entire series?!

I thought that I had got to know Jane's slightly twisted writing mind fairly well considering I've read all of her books at least twice, however I was unable to predict certain twists this book has to offer.

I have already recommended this book to fans old and new, and will continue to do so. Now it's time to wait another year *sob* until number 8!

A strong 4.5 stars

Thanks to HarperCollins UK for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sheer addictive entertainment - great characters from victims to perpetrators - a comprehensive psychological depth to all - from the scheming mother trying to look out for her child, to the complexities of abuse of women which is a definite sub theme of this book with its outspoken, brave female detective - giving her new second a chance to figure it out in a wholly male world. We are all exploring police ethos these days and this is a good insight with a great story of who did it. It's more than one perpetrator involved here and not all what it seems to be. Jane Casey is someone I'm pleased to be introduced to and will follow up on - terrific reading, top flight police procedural which is far more than the run-of-the-mill genre piece.

Brilliant book cover but i really struggled with it, blurb sounded great but just wasn't for me unfortunately.

Thank you very much to netgalley for sending me an advance copy of let the dead speak in exchange for an honest review.
I have read all of Jane caseys books to date and I love everyone of them her style of writing draws you in straightaway. I love the maeve Kerrigan books and though the wait seemed to take forever for this book it was well worth waiting for. The story revolves around Kate Emery whose daughter is staying at her dads house for a few days but cuts her visit short to go home to her mother but when she gets there there is blood smeared on the walls etc and though her mother couldn't possibly survive such blood loss her body is missing. It turns into a murder investigation with numerous suspects and maeve Kerrigan who's now a sergeant encounters numerous dead ends. This book will keep you gripped until the very end.

My review as posted on Goodreads:

This is the first book that I have read which is written by Jane Casey. I will start by saying that it will not be the last.

I don't like it when I see that I have chosen to read number seven in a series featuring the same detective. It usually means that I've missed something significant from earlier books.

In this case I felt that the story stands out on its own merits.

I liked the way the characters were introduced and developed.
I liked the pace of the story and the way different characters came into the cross-hairs as possible suspects.

Right to the end I was not certain who was responsible for the crime(s).

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for a copy in exchange for this review.

I received a copy of this from net galley - thank you - in return for an honest review.

I came to this book unaware that there were 6 previous titles in the series. I am going to seek these books out now, but not having read them in no way hindered my enjoyment of this book.

Maeve was a terrific character; really down to earth and believable. Some of her dry comments really made me laugh. She seems to have a complex relationship with her partner, Derwent, again, this was so "real" for want of a better word. In crime fiction, I have rarely come across such realistic, likeable characters. The office politics are believable and the dynamic between the investigation team strikes a very genuine tone and Maeve's relationship with the newest recruit in particular added an interesting depth to the novel.

The suspense in the novel builds, as clues are discovered and secrets revealed. It all goes to show that you never know what goes on behind closed doors. There are some great twists and turns, and a really interesting dynamic explored within more than one family.

Very difficult to put the book down and I raced through it.