‘He came to destroy the family.
Now he’s the one in danger.’
– The Outsider
[ About The Outsider ]
A notorious family…
The country-house lifestyle of the Carter family may seem picture-perfect,
but they aren’t what they appear to be.
A man with one goal…
Undercover cop Rob Langton has one aim – to bring the family down.
And his time is running out…
But Rob soon realises the Carters aren’t just dangerous criminals.
If he can’t stop them, the consequences will be explosive.
[ My Review ]
The Outsider by Jane Casey published in digital format November 23rd 2023 with Hemlock Press (Harper Collins) and will be released in paperback November 7th 2024. It is described as ‘the brilliant new detective crime thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat’ and is the perfect read for all Maeve Kerrigan fans as there is a very obvious tie-in. If you are new to Jane Casey as an author, do not fear, as The Outsider is a cleverly written stand-alone thriller, meaning that it’s a novel that is perfect for all, both new and old fans of this always ace writer.
Rob Langton returns in his role as an undercover cop in this offshoot novel and is a character that many fans will recognise as Maeve Kerrigan’s old boyfriend. Taking centre stage in The Outsider, Rob has been inserted undercover into an investigation of the extremely wealthy Carter family, whose head, Geraint, is known to the police. With links to the criminal world, Geraint Carter has amassed much of his fortune through nefarious means and Rob soon finds himself inveigled within the Carter empire as the team look for a way to bring him down.
Rob initially sees this as a relatively straight-forward job but circumstances change when he realises the extent of Carter’s intentions. With many more lives on the line, Rob has to step up and take some very unexpected risks that put his life in danger.
Rob Langton is a character that many readers might have mixed views on, as Jane Casey subtly interweaves Maeve Kerrigan’s story into the plot. In a very smart move though, it’s clear that The Outsider is a Rob Langton novel and not an addition to Maeve Kerrigan’s series. Rob is centre stage and although there is a slight overlap, Jane Casey expertly dips in and out with enough to tantalise new readers and encourage them to pick up a Kerrigan novel.
Gangsters, violence, abusive relationships, narcotics, family feuding, secrets and murder are all mixed up in this tale that sees Rob Langton excel at what he does best, while also showing the reader life from his perspective. A risk-taker with little care for his own safety Langton wants to make the world a better place by taking down the scumbags before they cause damage and pain. With pure intentions, Langton is motivated to assist and help others but in many cases this is detrimental to his own personal life. Think of a Jack Reacher personality in an English setting!!
The Outsider fulfils the brief as being another exciting and high-stakes read from Jane Casey. It is a perfectly plausible stand-alone detective thriller that anyone can pick up and read. Also it is a compelling interlude, one sure to keep the jitters at bay while we await to see what happens in Maeve Kerrigan #12 which hits our shelves in April 2025.
[ Bio ]
Jane Casey is a bestselling crime writer who was born and brought up in Dublin. A former editor, she has written twelve crime novels for adults (including ten in the Maeve Kerrigan series) and three for teenagers (the Jess Tennant series). 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. Stand-alone novel The Killing Kind was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in 2021, and was recently adapted for Paramount+.
Jane lives in southwest London with her husband, who is a criminal barrister, and their two children.
X ~ @JaneCaseyAuthor
