I read this book and was thoroughly gripped from the beginning. I now intend to go back and read the others, as this was the first book of this author I had read - although this did not detract from the book at all. Very cleverly written.

When I had finished this book, I had a look online to see if the author had written anything else and was surprised to find this is one of a series. Yet the book and the characters felt fresh which is a sign of a good author. I read this as a stand-alone novel and it was not diminished by having no previous knowledge of the leading characters. The procedural aspects of the investigation seemed convincing and the less glamorous aspects of police work gave a realistic feel to the book. Most of the characters were pretty unlikable which made sympathy for them difficult, but overall I enjoyed it.

I often find that as you get further through a series the plots become quite 'samey' however I have not yet found this to be the case with this author. I really look forward to reading about the characters again and what will happen next to them. However, it will also stand as stand alone novel, so you could dip in and out of this series quite happily.
After a few chapters I was on the edge of my seat and felt that the suspense was very well generated and maintained. None the less the author manages to weave in clever wit and humour. I hope I don't have to wait too long until book 8.

Police investigation at its best, LET THE DEAD SPEAK was the kind of thriller I didn't even know I was looking for. With DS Kerrigan's voice, this was the realistic investigation process I liked. Sort of like the tv show CSI-which I also like and try to watch whenever I catch it- this book had an intriguing case that had a pretty big suspect pool. Kerrigan's voice was easy to follow, she was a competent yet very human character who made choices that anyone in the profession would and could have made. As the storyteller, I was never bored with her, her insight into the case, her opinions about facts and people, her reactions to certain situations were such a joy to read. The story was fast paced, with a lot of suspects to distract and confuse us. I have to admit, the ending was more than satisfying.


I definitely enjoyed reading Kerrigan's story, her partnership with Derwent, her general psyche. They all added to the story's easy flow. Plus, they most certainly made me curious about their past cases, about how they came to be as such good partners, and how they ended up being the being they were in this seventh book of the series.


Those who like an interesting murder case, tv shows like CSI, or an all access to an ongoing investigation via the main officer, would enjoy this one.


I'm adding five big spoonfuls of this story into my hodgepodge, and taking a note of the rest of the series.

Quite a complex story; I had to concentrate to fully get to grips with the plot, but an enjoyable read. Would definitely read another book from the same author.

Ooooooooo I liked this book having read nothing from this author previously so had no idea what to expect. I wasn't dissatisfied I really enjoyed this book and liked the writing style and it. 18 year old Chloe's mum has gone missing, there's blood but no body!!! An investigation ensues but it's not an easy or straight forward one and the more you read the more you see that, cant say too much else I'll spoil it....cannot wait to read more!!!!!

Another good story about Maeve Kerrigan, the excellent but troubled police officer whose relationship with her colleague Derwent is always a joy to read about. I thought the ending of this story which involved a blood spattered house but no body, was fairly obvious from the start but there are lots of unexpected twists and turns along the way. An excellent book.

This 'whodunit' really had me guessing all the way through. I'm not very good at working out answers to a plot at the beginning of a book, which is good in that it would spoil every book I read if I could, but I usually have a good guess. This one really did hold my attention and I had a total of seven characters who had committed the murder, I took one out of the frame for a few chapters then put him back in, I was convinced they'd all done it!

This is the first book by Jane Casey I've read and, unfortunately, Let The Dead Speak is the seventh in the Maeve Kerrigan detective series. If you want to just read a great crime, detective, police procedural story this one is excellent and also works well as a stand alone novel without feeling you have lost out by not knowing the back story.

I thought this was a really well plotted story, expertly written in a way to keep us guessing all the way through. There weren't too many characters but nearly all could have been the murderer, building and adding to the tension. There was a good unexpected twist near the end which turned all that we thought we knew right on its head. The characters were well developed, often with their own problems, issues and complexities.

For me, this was an excellent introduction to Casey's writing and made such an impression that I will go back to the beginning of the series and work my way through from book one, The Burning.

The blurb:

When an 18-year-old girl returns home to find her house covered in blood and her mother missing, Detective Maeve Kerrigan and the murder squad must navigate a web of lies to discover the truth… When eighteen-year-old Chloe Emery returns to her West London home she finds Kate, her mother, missing and the house covered in blood. There may not be a body, but everything else points to murder. Maeve Kerrigan is young, ambitious and determined to prove she’s up to her new role as detective sergeant. In the absence of a body, she and maverick detective Josh Derwent turn their attention to the neighbours. The ultra-religious Norrises are acting suspiciously; their teenage daughter definitely has something to hide. Then there’s William Turner, once accused of stabbing a schoolmate and the neighbourhood’s favourite criminal. Is he merely a scapegoat or is there more behind the charismatic facade? As the accusations fly, Maeve must piece together a patchwork of conflicting testimonies, none of which quite add up. Who is lying, who is not? The answer could lead them to the truth about Kate Emery, and save the life of someone else.

I knew while I was reading this book that things weren't as they seemed; but I never guessed what actually happenned. A really enjoyable read 5*

Chloe returns home unexpectedly after visiting her father and finds no sign of her mother at home, but a blood splattered house. Let The Dead Speak tells the story of Maeve Kerrigan and her team as they work to find out what happened in the house.

Let The Dead Speak was my first introduction to Jane Casey and Maeve Kerrigan and what an introduction it was! When I first requested and read Let The Dead Speak I wasn’t aware that it was actually book 7 in a series but for me this still worked fantastically. I felt I got to know the characters fairly quickly, and the majority of the main cast I really liked. For me Maeve was immediately likeable, she’s certainly not perfect but I think that just rounds her as a character and makes her more 3-dimensional and real. Derwent is a close colleague of Maeve, who comes across occasionally as a little abrupt and a bit of a grump, but you can tell there’s a genuine affection for Maeve and that he’s there for her. I guess the only character I had a bit of an issue with was Georgina, she’s new to the team in the book, and is on the graduate fast track, so although she has very little real experience she thinks she knows better than others. Maeve has some issues with her seeming sense of entitlement, which I understand, I’m hoping if Georgina sticks around for the next book her experiences will change her character a little bit and make her more likeable.

I really loved the plot in Let The Dead Speak I thought it was interesting, well paced and I loved the twists and turns all the way through, Jane definitely managed to keep me guessing about the actions and motives of all the suspects/witnesses involved within the case.

Would I recommend it?

I certainly would! I may have got slightly lucky with this one as to how rewarding it was to read as a standalone, I’m reliably informed a long running story wrapped up in the book before this in the series. However even without the background knowledge I really enjoyed this one, I definitely intend to go back to the start and pick up The Burning.

This was an enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing,and believable and interesting characters.If there are more books in this series, I would read them on the strength of this novel.

Although this is part of a series, I read it as a standalone having not come across this author before. I really enjoyed it and as a result I will seek out further books by this author.

great read and easy to follow story line. look forward to reading more from this author.

This is the first of the Kerrigan series I have read and I was pleased that there weren't too many references back to previous stories as this can be somewhat distracting. There were just enough hints to pique the interest and make me think about going back to earlier books. Set in Putney, this is the story of a house covered in blood, discovered by the owner's daughter when she unexpectedly returns from staying at her father's house. From there, Casey has you constantly guessing as she takes you on a journey full of twists and secrets being kept hidden. Kerrigan is a great protagonist and the dynamics with her colleagues really add to this tale. Highly recommended

Let The Dead Speak

This is the seventh book in the Maeve Kerrigan series. I haven't read any of the others in the series but it worked fine as a standalone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was gripped from the very beginning. It has some great characters and made me dizzy from all the twists and turns! It has made me want to read the rest of the series and I'm adding them to my TBR pile!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, 4*.

Well written, good story and characters, first book I have read from this author so will look out for more.

I was reading through the other reviews for ‘Let the Dead Speak’ and came across one that summed up my sentiments completely. A great book that will keep you reading, but – it’s the seventh in a whole series of books on DI Maeve Kerrigan! Only one thing for it, to find and read all previous six in the series and catch up on all the previous events in Kerrigan’s life. There are hints throughout that DI Kerrigan has a documented life before number 7 in the series, but that said, this book can be read as a stand alone - and simply whets the appetite for more.
Chloe Emery returns home to find the her mother missing, and the house covered in blood. Chloe is taken in by a neighbouring family who Maeve rapidly puts at the top of her wanted list, but with no body as evidence, each turn in the plot appears to lead to a dead end. Then Chloe goes missing too....
A great story that simmers just on the edge of boiling throughout and keeping the reader guessing right to the end.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

"What a tangled web we weave" Fascinating murder, mystery with lots of twists and turns and unexpected events. Good, well described characters and a story line that made for an absorbing read. Amazing conclusion!!

This was my first book from the author I read, although it's number #7 in the series, but it doesn't matter much - the case was brand new and I could follow-up.

Let me start with the fact I absolutely loved this one! First, I think Let the Dead Speak is beautiful addition to the genre in general. It was great, interesting and fabulous read, nothing too creepy, although the start brought so much tense as well as through different suspense moments to climax of the episodes that I was ready for anything!

The book is page turner, fast read from cover to cover. It's excellent because it's all about the plan, the plan as a base and build up sides, interestingly warped and multifaceted and at the same time united, there was no free gap, no boring scene. Although a little play with the reader.

The story is about a deadly death of mother whose body is missing but her death must have been awful as her blood is all over the house... Her daughter and a neighbor call the police when they find the house in its state. The lady and her daughter seems coming from absolutely general lifestyle where a single mum is rising her daughter, the street of the crime scene seems absolutely blank and without anything outstanding, so the team has to do some fact digging..

How much I would like to write more I won't because of spoilers, but the book let me discover new detective series I want to go through the previous books in chronological order and read other author's books.

Oh but this was a twisty one! Despite jumping in to the middle of a long running series, I was never lost of lacking of empathy for the main characters. Struck with a desire to go back and read the earlier books, yes. Lost or regretful for jumping into this one? Never.

Maeve was a complex character, yet at the same time her inner fears and struggles made her easy to like, easy to place yourself in her shoes. Her successes and failures are yours as you race along with her, chasing leads and saving lives. She's one hell of a woman, and I can easily imagine myself following her through case after case.

Let the Dead Speak was a heartbreaking tale, for so many reasons. Full of the secrets kept from neighbors, family, spouses, and the corruption that finds its way into those empty spaces left behind. There was no simple answer to Maeve's questions, no simple answer to the classic who-dunnit. It was complex, full of twists, and so many turns I never saw coming. Even if I had seen it coming, approaching it at breakneck speed still left me gasping in shock when it got there.

This was a quick paced ride, worth every moment, and part of a series I know I'll be revisiting in the future. ~ George, 4 Stars