#BookReview of #TheClose by Jane Casey | @JaneCaseyAuthor @HCinIreland

The Close -The gripping new detective crime thriller featuring Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent from the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author

[ About The Close ]

At first glance, Jellicoe Close seems to be a perfect suburban street – well-kept houses with pristine lawns, neighbours chatting over garden fences, children playing together.

But there are dark secrets behind the neat front doors, hidden dangers that include a ruthless criminal who will stop at nothing.

It’s up to DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent to uncover the truth. Posing as a couple, they move into the Close, blurring the lines between professional and personal as never before.

And while Maeve and Josh try to gather the evidence they need, they have no idea of the danger they face – because someone in Jellicoe Close has murder on their mind.

[ My Review ]

The Close by Jane Casey will be published with Harper Collins on March 2nd, with The Times describing it as ‘a full-blooded triple-decker mystery…The Close is Jane Casey at her very best’. The Close is the tenth book in this addictive series featuring DI Josh Derwent and DS Maeve Kerrigan and will be sure to titillate the senses of all fans wondering, finally, will-they-won’t-they.

The Close is, as The Times said, a triple-decker mystery, with the reader being treated to three shockers in one novel. As the pages turn and more is revealed, what begins is an all-consuming story that grabs the attention immediately starting with this excellent opener-

“All murder investigations were different and yet all of them began the same way, at least for me: standing in silence near a body, trying to catch the faintest echo of what had happened”

Maeve Kerrigan arrives at a hospital car park to open an investigation into a murder, following the discovery of a body in a car. The male victim has suffered brutal injuries. With little evidence and no obvious motive, the team are perplexed. But Maeve is off form, not feeling on top of her game. Her edge is gone, her focus is slipping and she finds herself preoccupied, her mind elsewhere and clearly not on the job. Maeve’s mood is not missed by the observant Josh Derwent and he sees an opportunity to provide her with a very unexpected distraction.

He suggests a new case, one that requires a different approach, one that could make or break a career. Josh offers Maeve the opportunity to join him on a stake-out but it will require them living together and posing as a couple in a quiet rural estate. This is a definite situation of lines being blurred and Maeve is nervous of what to expect and the challenges they will face, but decides to take Josh up on his offer. A new scene might just be what she needs to shake her out of this reverie.

Jellicoe Close is their new home. With a few brief practice runs, Josh loses his DI coat and Maeve her DS one. They are now a regular couple with Maeve between jobs and Josh working from home, providing them with the alibi they need. Life in Jellicoe Close is claustrophobic on so many levels. The neighbours are a curious bunch, all immersed in each others’ business. As Maeve and Josh slowly infiltrate this small community, certain individuals emerge as suspicious, a little more on edge. Maeve and Josh become extra vigilant that their behaviour is as expected, that of a young couple in love. They do not want to attract any unnecessary suspicion or provide cause for more than normal curious eyes and ears. In social situations they perform as expected but behind closed doors…well enough said.

Jellicoe Close has many secrets and it’s not long before the duo realise the potential dangers that surround them. With themes of murder, abuse, domestic violence and more, Jane Casey tackles many societal issues and, as ever, does an amazing job at it. Her ability to create convincing scenes and characters adds to the credibility of her writing. The sexual tension, and the complexity of the relationship between Maeve and Josh, is brilliantly intertwined with the development of the plot. Both ramp up excellently in parallel leaving the reader a wee bit flushed and totally engaged.

My Final Thoughts:

The Close is Jane Casey at her best. It is a cunningly plotted tale of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations. There is no gratuitous gore, no unnecessary violence. The Close is a solid read that expertly threads a smouldering and intricate relationship with tense and compelling crime scenes. Well-established characters with real-life problems add a great dimension to Jane Casey’s books. And, as I have mentioned previously, Jane Casey’s link to real-life criminal investigations adds an extra layer of authenticity and accuracy to her writing style.

The Close is everything I hoped for. Entertaining, provocative, engaging and a proper page-turner, The Close is a fantastic addition to a series that just keeps on giving, another winner for Jane Casey. Just tapping the fingers now waiting for the next one.

(Thank you to Harper Collins Ireland for sending me an advance proof in return for an honest review)

[ Bio ]

Jane Casey was born and brought up in Dublin. A former editor, she has written eleven crime novels for adults and three for teenagers. Her books have been international bestsellers, critically acclaimed for their realism and accuracy. The Maeve Kerrigan series has been nominated for many awards: in 2015 Jane won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for The Stranger You Know and Irish Crime Novel of the Year for After the Fire. In 2019, Cruel Acts was chosen as Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. It was a Sunday Times bestseller. 

The Killing Kind was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in 2021, and is being adapted for television. Jane lives in southwest London with her husband, who is a criminal barrister, and their two children. 

Twitter ~ @JaneCaseyAuthor

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