The Burning (Maeve Kerrigan Series #1)

by Jane Casey

Overview

"Astute, complex, layered—and very twisted. You'll remember this one for a long time."—Lee Child

The Burning Man. It's the name the media has given a brutal murderer who has beaten four young women to death before setting their bodies ablaze in secluded areas of London's parks. And now there's a fifth.

Maeve Kerrigan is an ambitious detective constable, keen to make her mark on the murder task force. Her male colleagues believe Maeve's empathy makes her weak, but the more she learns about the latest victim, Rebecca Haworth, from her grieving friends and family, the more determined Maeve becomes to bring her murderer to justice. But how do you catch a killer no one has seen when so much of the evidence has gone up in smoke?

Maeve's frenetic hunt for a killer in Jane Casey's gripping series debut will entrance even the most jaded suspense readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250006608
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/08/2012
Series:	Maeve Kerrigan Series , #1
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	263,270
Product dimensions:	5.58(w) x 8.06(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

JANE CASEY was born and raised in Dublin. A graduate of Oxford with a masters in philosophy from Trinity College, Dublin, she lives in London where she works as an editor. This is her second novel.

Editorial Reviews

Irish author Casey's impressive series debut, a taut serial-killer thriller, delves deeply into the psyches of three women. . . . Casey expertly combines a perceptive crime drama with an insightful look at the women's overlapping problems.” —Publishers Weekly

“Casey deftly . . . cranks up the tension and pace, blending a page-turning and realistic police procedural with a tense character study reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith's psychological explorations.” —Sunday Independent (Ireland) on The Burning

From the Publisher

Irish author Casey's impressive series debut, a taut serial killer thriller, delves deeply into the psyches of three women, each dealing with identity and self-esteem issues. Det. Constable Maeve Kerrigan is keen to prove her sleuthing skills to her male colleagues and bosses. In particular, she's anxious to join the task force investigating "the Burning Man," who has beaten four women to death, then set their bodies on fire in London parks. Maeve's investigation leads to Louise North, the best friend of Rebecca Haworth, the fifth victim. Casey expertly combines a perceptive crime drama with an insightful look at the women's overlapping problems. Maeve grapples at work with sexual harassment and prejudice against her Irish background, while the relationship with her banker boyfriend unravels at home. Frumpy Louise struggles with loneliness and an obsession with Rebecca, whose life was fraying before she was murdered. The strong, likable Maeve gives a power boost to a solid look at British police tactics. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Maeve Kerrigan, an ambitious junior detective constable with the London police, works as part of the team investigating a serial killer dubbed the Burning Man because he torches the bodies of the young women he murders. When a fifth victim, Rebecca Haworth, who doesn't quite fit the Burning Man's MO, is found, Maeve is sidelined from the main investigation and assigned to look into the latest victim's background. She discovers that Rebecca's past hides many secrets, and the possibility of a copycat murderer seems more likely as Maeve gathers evidence. VERDICT Told from the perspective of both Maeve and the victim's enigmatic best friend, Casey's (The Missing) excellent series debut features sophisticated plot development and intriguing characters. Maeve is especially engaging as an attractive woman in a male-dominated world with real empathy for the people she encounters. Fans of British crime thrillers by S.J. Bolton, Val McDermid, or Elizabeth George will look forward to more adventures with her. [Minotaur First Edition selection; library marketing.]—Lisa O'Hara, Univ. of Manitoba Libs., Winnipeg

Library Journal

A South London serial killer gets too much credit.

Between September and December of 2009, four vulnerable young women walking home alone at night are brutally savaged, then set alight. DC Maeve Kerrigan, the only lass assigned to Operation Mandrake to bring "the Burning Man" to justice, is tasked with following up on the murder of a fifth victim, Rebecca Haworth. Unfortunately, when Maeve arrives at Rebecca's digs, Louise North is already there scrubbing the rooms clean. Her oldest friend, she says, was a tad messy, and she's been picking up after her since their years at Oxford. She points Maeve toward Rebecca's former boyfriend, the abusive Gil Maddick, as a possible suspect. Her apparently surprising idea makes sense because not everything about Rebecca's murder jibes with the burning man's M.O. Chief Superintendent Godley encourages Maeve to delve into Rebecca's past, which includes a cocaine addiction, a touch of blackmail and an obsession with a young man who drowned at Oxford. But matters come to an abrupt halt when a stakeout lands Maeve in the hospital with a fractured skull, her death averted only by the quick action of DC Rob Langton. As she heals, her feelings for Rob deepen. So does her belief in what and who really caused Rebecca's demise.

Casey (The Missing,2010) excels at precinct backbiting, sexism and romance. She's less surefooted at winding up her plot, resorting to a major and unlikely confession.

Kirkus Reviews