Let the Dead Speak Jane Casey

It’s so good to be in the company of Maeve Kerrigan once more, she feels like an old friend. ‘Let the Dead Speak’ can easily stand alone but the reading experience is all the richer for knowing the detective inside out. Her ex, Rob who flat she is still iiving in; her close colleague Derwent, and prickly new girl on the team, Georgia all contribute to the depth of the writing.

In this book we have the most exquisitely complex of dark situations to tease out, an empty house where a mother, Kate Emery, should be, a daughter, Chloe, who can’t communicate as well as one might hope, and blood, well a lot of blood, all over the walls, ceilings and floor. Nobody could survive so much blood loss, but – there is no body.

Chloe is besties with Bethany, whose parents, are chillingly godly. Their church is of a little known sect, they spout the bible and cleanse the evil in a huge font. Of course they offer Chloe a place to stay, as she doesn’t want to go back to her father, Kate’s ex. From then on the tension is never allowed to drop, a sniffer dog does his duty, but perhaps the police are barking up the wrong tree. Kerrigan is like a dog with a bone herself, she won’t let up, she has intuition that serves her well. Action, reaction, interviews formal and more casual all yield up answers to questions you might imagine need answering. As a reader you fell part of it all and are respected for also having an imagination; which is why Jane Casey is so successful and appreciated. A tricky, teasey tale, that never disappoints, right up to the last few lines.

This was an introduction to Jane Casey for me, and my first Maeve Kerrigan novel. The book opens with a daughter returning home to find a crime scene in her family home. Her mother is missing and there is surely too much blood for her to have survived however there is no sign of a body. Can Kate Emery possibly have survived? Who is responsible for her injuries?
The investigating team is led, on the ground, by Maeve Kerrigan, recently promoted to Detective Sergeant against the backdrop of the loss of a colleague. She has a difficult relationship with her partner Derwent and the whole investigation plays out against these conflicts.
This is a tightly plotted drama which kept me guessing until the very last pages. Casey packs twists and turns into the narrative and no character or event is wasted. It's very cleverly written and all of the loose threads are tied together beautifully by the end, with yet another shocking twist there too. Every person has a role to play in the story and the small street where the Emerys live is packed with secrets behind the closed doors of the three homes which feature most heavily in the novel.
This is Casey's eighth Kerrigan novel but it stands alone as a gripping and engaging novel in it's own right. It's made me want to go and seek out all of the other novels featuring this character though..
Let the Dead Speak is a really excellent read, fast paced, gripping and engaging. I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

This is the seventh book in the Maeve Kerrigan Series. I got this on Netgalley and had to get it since I have been wanting to start this series. I loved this book and will now start at book one. This is going to be a fantastic series. I think this book can be read as a stand alone. I was never lost in the story. This book had me hooked from the very beginning to the end. The book was full of twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. The storyline was fabulous and it would make a wonderful movie. What appears at first to be a classic case of a bloody and vicious murder turns into much more. Child abuse, fraud, blackmail, all appear as the plot unfolds.

Chloe leaves early from her Father's house, to return home to her Mother Kate's. She is offered a lift from the station by her friend Bethany's father. Chloe opens her front door and finds before her a scene of carnage. Blood splatters the walls and carpet. When DS Maeve Kerrigan arrives at the scene, Chloe is immediately removed from the house, deep in shock, she is sent across the road to stay with her religious neighbours the Norris's. With her colleague Josh Derwent to assist, Maeve begins a thorough search of the bloodied house.
It is clearly the scene of a horrific murder. But where on earth is Kate's body? And more importantly who has killed her? This is what Maeve and her team has to find out.

I thought the characters were very well developed. I really liked Maeve Kerrigan. She is good at her job, she works well with her colleagues, but she is a little inclined to rush in without thinking things through. Her role as a mentor to a new graduate recruit was an interesting element of this book, and I enjoyed the development of her working relationship with Josh Derwent. Add to the mix a rookie DC who gets right on Kerrigan's nerves and you have all the perfect ingredients for a brilliantly investigated crime story. I found this to be a very gripping read.

I recommend this book to those that love a great thriller.

I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher and Jane Casey for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Not my usual genre but I enjoyed this book. Would definitely recommend.

this book is seventh in Kerrigan series, but it was my first encounter with Jane Casey’s work, and I definitely will be reading some more of her books. The blurb above, describes this book quite accurate, Chloe comes back home, and finds home full of blood and her mother missing. DI Maeve starts the investigation, and more she digs in, more loose ends she gets.
This novel offers a wide variety of characters to choose from, but main characters are Maeve and Josh. The whole story was told from DI Maeve Kerrigan’s perspective, maybe that’s why characters felt not fully explored. I would’ve liked to read different perspectives of the investigation, I think that would’ve allowed to understand characters better and would’ve make the whole book more appealing. I really liked Josh Derwent’s character, and I think Maeve was missing some qualities, like ability to fight well or great insight into the issues, to be the main lead in this book. On the other hand, the lack of those abilities, made her more relatable and believable.
What I really enjoyed, was the narrative of this novel. The investigation was riveting, with steady flow of twists and turns, which kept me intrigued and the suspense going and I couldn’t wait to find out, what will happen next. I really loved, that almost in every chapter, author very smartly revealed some new clues, and constantly kept the action going not to bore the reader, and that steady built up suspense was a great transition between the chapters. I really liked the way author portrayed police work in this book; it was not over the top and was really believable. Being a Londoner, author portrayed the places and atmosphere really accurately, and for me it was a real pleasure to read it.
The writing style used in this novel is easy to read and the language not complicated, with decent chapter length which didn’t make the book boring. The ending of the book had a great new twist, and left me confused and intrigued all over again. So, to conclude, this book had an exciting plot with lots of twists and turns along the way and I quite enjoyed it, I hope you will too.

I loved this book from start to finish. Have read more in the series and have enjoyed them also. The characters are great and actually like them. Look forward to any more by this author. Definately recommend *****

I flew through books two to six in order to get this one and couldn't wait to get stuck in. Reading the other books so quickly together meant I had built up a relationship with Maeve and Josh and was dying to know how things worked out from the ending of book 6.

The book opens with Maeve being promoted, meaning she had a rookie to look out for and mentor. This added something new to the whole work dynamic and shook things up a bit but there's not a lot you can do to keep Derwent away from Maeve! The murder the team is investigating isn't a simple one. 18 year old Chloe has returned home early from being at her father's, only to find her mother gone and the house covered with blood. With no body and no leads, it's a tricky case. Chloe stays at best friend's Bethany's house and everyone in that house is trying to protect and silence Chloe, which frustrates Maeve. Dodgy characters crop up everywhere and all Maeve needs is for one person to break their silence and she'll have a lead.
Casey does a great job of writing these books, I'm always left guessing about who was behind the crime. The real reason I come back though is because of the Maeve and Josh dynamic, it's always interesting to see how they're getting on. I am warming more and more to Derwent but he's so tiring at times! Though this time around, it was Maeve that was tiring. After all they went through at the end of book 6, she STILL doesn't feel like she can trust Derwent and I was really let down and disappointed by that, it feels like Maeve hasn't grown up from first few books if she really still thinks like that. I think this is part of the reason this book felt a bit off for me compared to the others, the other reasons being the new role Maeve is in and the strangeness of the plot (there being no body to investigate). I did still enjoy the book though, like I said Casey is a fantastic storyteller and it kept me gripped, I couldn't put it down. I do encourage anyone wanting to read the Maeve series to start at the beginning though, you can jump in where ever you want but there are background stories and character developments so it's well worth reading the entire series.

Wow!
If you are looking for a Can't Put It Down thriller then look no further. It is well written and fast paced with characters you will love and hate and enough twists to have you guessing until the end.
I highly recommend it.

Well- written page turner. Well drawn characters and an original story line. Recommended.

I had never read a Maeve Kerrigan book before, so was a little concerned I wouldn't be familiar with the ongoing themes that usually run through a series, but although it worked as a stand alone story, all it has done is whet my appetite to go back and start this Detective series from the start! (I've already read #1 and thoroughly enjoyed it.).

This novel starts with a shocking discovery – 17 year old Chloe Emery returns home after a few days away with her estranged Father and her Mum isn't there to greet her. What is there though is a house full of blood, signs of a violent struggle, a frantic cat, but no answers.

Detective Maeve Kerrigan and her team throw themselves in at the deep end to try and answer the questions facing them – the problem being that without a body, what are they really looking for? Where is Chloe's Mum? Has her estranged Father got anything to do with this? Why are the neighbours (the nosey Norris's) so interested in what is going on and why is Chloe's behaviour so erratic even in the face of the terrible events that have enfolded her? The team must find the answers if they are to find the person(s) responsible and stop them harming anyone else.

The dynamic between Maeve and Josh is good and punchy, there's an obvious chemistry between the two, and with the rest of the team & a feisty new female officer creating some tension, their shared determination to get results is infectious.

Some of the characterisation with felt a little overplayed, perhaps a little cartoonish, particularly between the Norris brothers. Some of the interaction between characters didn't ring quite true and felt a little bit leading, but not so much that it detracted from the plot or spoilt the experience.

Casey's writing is sharp, descriptive, punchy and engaging - so much so I read this book in a few sittings over around 24 hours. The plot is clever and whether you are new to the Maeve Kerrigan series, or have devoured each instalment as it appears, I'm sure you will enjoy this latest offering.

4 stars

This is the first of Jane Casey’s books I’ve read, and although it is the seventh book in the series, this didn’t affect my enjoyment of the novel at all. There were references to past events, but nothing that interfered with the story at hand.
Police procedurals also aren’t something that I go out of my way to read, but I liked the sound of this one and thought it as worth a try. And I’m really glad I did. This is a fast-paced, clever read, with sympathetic characters that are engaging and interesting and with a plot that has lot of twists and turns that are well conceived and completely believable.
The dynamic between Maeve (who is a great main character - a woman that is intelligent, career-orientated, but certainly not perfect and very, very human) and her ‘partner’ Josh works very well indeed. And the investigation itself has lots of very different and interesting aspects. The religious neighbours were intriguing and very unsettling, and the whole issue around Kate and her daughter Chloe was really well done.
My only gripe was that I felt the ending was a little rushed. Without giving too much away, I wanted to know more about what had driven the perpetrator, and the consequences of their crime.
All in all though, a really well-executed novel. I’ll be reading more from Jane Casey.

This isn't the first time that I have received and read a book from an author which wasn't the first in the series. Whilst I may have missed out on some of the background, it didn't make this book any less thrilling. What is has done is make me absolutely certain that I must search out the other 6 books from this talented author. There were sufficient twists and turns that kept me intrigued through to the final pages and I'm now looking forwarding to going back to book one in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It doesn't seem that long ago when I was embarking on the Maeve Kerrigan journey and here we are at book seven a few months later!

Chloe Emery returns home to find she can't find her mum and there's blood everywhere. What could have happened and where is Chloe's mum? That's the mystery that Kerrigan is called in to investigate which she does with the rest of the team. Leading her to look more closely at the neighbourhood and their residents.

We have less of a body count in Let The Dead Speak and more of a missing person story as shady characters are put under scrupulous attention with Kerrigan doing her best in trying to uncover the truth in and amongst the web of deceit. I'm a big fan of this series with the relationship between Derwent and Kerrigan being the biggest draw. This is not my favourite so far but it's still a good solid read and fans would not be disappointed.

I look forward to the next instalment ..... because there's always room for Derwent!! And would like to thank all those involved for my review copy.

Recommended.

The above is my review as posted on Goodreads and Amazon. Thanks again.

Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for this ARC, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

Chloe Emrey has been staying at her Father's house with him - Bill - his wife and her two sons Nolan and Nathan. However Chloe leaves early to return home to her Mother Kate. She is offered a lift from the station by her friend Bethany's Father - Oliver.
Chloe opens her front door and finds before her a scene of carnage. Blood splatters the walls and carpet. The police are called and DS Maeve Kerrigan arrives at the scene. There is one problem though, there is no body and Kate is now missing presumed dead.
A tale of religious fanactics and secrets emerges. Is Kate dead or alive? Does Chloe or Bethany really know what has happened?
DS Kerrigan and her team have to do a lot of digging to uncover the truth, but have they found the whole truth? Is someone involved not telling the police the whole story? Can the dead really speak and shed a light on what has happened?

I enjoy a really good thriller and this was no exception. The book is quite fast paced and at first glance there appears to be a lot of characters. Despite that all the characters have a definite purpose and the book is easy to follow. I had no idea "who dun it" and I really enjoyed the last chapter.

This is book 7 in the DS Maeve Kerrigan series. I have not read the others and this works well as a stand alone book.

read this in a couple of days - daren't put down in case I lost the plot - lots going on and kept me guessing right up to the end

Gripping read from the start. Real page turner! Highly recommended

Let the Dead Speak was a fab book that I could not put down. Another great book by Jane Casey. I was hooked from the first few pages and ended up reading it in a day it had me hooked.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this release. This is the first time I have read anything from the Maeve Kerrigan series and my first encounter with author Jane Casey, for that matter.

Let the Dead Speak is the gripping and suspenseful story of a murder without a body. Eighteen-year-old Chloe Emery arrives home from a visit to her father's to find her mother, Kate, missing from their London home and blood smeared all over the house. Before long, the house becomes a crime scene, swarmed by London police, Detective Maeve Kerrigan and the homicide squad. Maeve and her team begin to unravel the twisted web of lies before them, focusing primarily on the overly-religious Norris family across the road, and young William Turner, a bad asthmatic with a criminal past. But how can Maeve point any fingers in this murder investigation when there isn't a body?

Let the Dead Speak is a tangled tale of seduction, infidelity, manipulation and murder. Although it took me longer to get through than I anticipated, I did find the plot compelling. Casey is a craftswoman of the crime genre, for sure. I imagine the fact that she is married to a criminal barrister has allowed her to keep her finger on the pulse of criminal law, and this certainly shows in the confidence and execution of her writing.

There were certain aspects of the narrative that irked me in this novel, in particular some of the interactions between Maeve and her colleague, Derwent, and between Maeve and the Norris men, Oliver and his brother. I felt some of the characters were too quick to give away their stories and motives, although the pace in general was more or less on point. Casey's writing is sharp and her plot certainly keeps you hooked. Maeve as a character is engaging and authentic, and I would be encouraged, from this book, to read another of Casey's offerings.

Overall, a good read. Compelling enough to keep you hooked; a confident crime novel.

I loved this book. I had never read this author before, and I am so glad that I did (as I certainly intend to read the rest of this series!) The author gives a clear view of the interaction of the main character Maeve Kerrigan, with her colleagues, and this helps to develop the story. The "suspects " are many and with each chapter I became convinced that I knew who the culprit was, only to find myself wrong again. I followed the author throughout the tale as she leads us on several dead ends, and I found the final result both interesting and satisfying.
If you love a good crime thriller, this is definitely the book for you, and although it is book 7 in a series, it is perfectly suitable as a stand alone read. Highly recommended.