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No matter how many books I read, I will never ever read a book with a male on the cover without his shirt on and covered with tattoos. And while Josh Derwent probably had no tattoos, and the cover of the book is quite nice, I couldn’t escape the feeling that this book is more about the sexual tension between Maeve and Josh than anything else. There is a suspicious death; a young man is found dead in his car and his husband is a suspect but he has a strong alibi. Maeve has to find out what happened, along with her younger colleague Georgia. Maeve isn’t doing a lot more than worrying about Georgia, whether she’s up to the task or not. Only a day into the case, and Maeve and Josh have to go undercover in Jellicoe Close because there is another suspicious death. I've read one book by Jane Casey before - The Killing Kind, which I thoroughly enjoyed, so was excited to see a new offering.
For fans of the Maeve Kerrigan series, this is a story with a difference. Told from Georgia’s point of view, we see Maeve and Josh from the outside…like you’ve never seen them before. Critical Praise The "new" characters were not likeable but it didn't change how I felt about it - I literally only cared about Maeve and Derwent. Ferociously good and genuinely affecting. The Maeve Kerrigan series is truly the gold standard for police procedurals’ Catherine Ryan Howard 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. This is the latest in Jane Casey's terrific DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent series, and it has more than one murder mystery to be solved. At a hospital car park, 34 year old consultant Dr Hassan Dawoud is discovered murdered in his car, it's a murder inquiry that Maeve is struggling to lead, the trauma of previous events have left her sluggish, she has mostly recovered physically, although still getting excruciating headaches, but mentally and emotionally, she cannot put her past as a domestic violence victim behind her. Needless to say, this does not escape the sharp eyed Derwent, and when a pressurising and politically sensitive investigation which requires the police to go undercover at Jellicoe Close, Josh persuades Maeve to pose with him as a couple housesitting the home, and taking care of chaotic dog, Pippin, belonging to a academic.This is #10 in the series, but it reads easily as a stand-alone with only a few references to events in past books, and these are well explained. As for the interaction between the two main characters, it was very deftly done. It reminded me of Jill McGown´s Lloyd and Hill series,a sadly underrated great mystery author of a splendid series. Maeve and Derwent are posing as a couple and living at Jellicoe Close to perform surveillance on neighbours and find out what really happened to a young boy who turned up dead. Jane writes one of my very favourite police series, and this is her best yet. Terrifying, intense and devastatingly astute’ Sarah Hilary Oh. my. I scrummed louder than I've ever scrummed before while reading this. I felt like I was 12 years old again reading Twilight for the first time; Kerrwent's chemistry had me in a TIZZY 😂 I'm not afraid to admit it!! Tbh I didn't even care about the crimes being committed... I was just there for the Kerrwent vibes.
This book is very much for the fans. While you can read it as a standalone, you’ll find at least reading the previous book, The Cutting Place would allow you to drink in the developments of Maeve and Josh’s partnership. But honestly I think you should start from the beginning to get its full deliciousness. DS Maeve Kerrigan and DC Georgia Shaw observe the body slumped half in and half out of the BMW sports car in the hospital car park. The victim is Dr Hassan Dawoud and after extensive enquiries his killer remains elusive. As if a hard to solve a murder isn’t enough the team are instructed by the Mayors office to look into the death of a vulnerable adult, Davy Bidwell, discovered in a derelict house in Acton. Davy’s family believe Judy Thwaites, who Davy lodges with for a few days, is exploiting vulnerable people. An undercover operation is planned and DI Josh Derwent insists Maeve works with him on this. So the pair arrive at Jellicoe Close, West Idleford as a couple and dog sitters for a very lively pooch! Such a cute dog! You started off as an editor of YA fiction and also have a YA series, featuring Jess Tennant. Tell me about it. Is it a field you’d like to return to?But there are dark secrets behind the neat front doors, hidden dangers that include a ruthless criminal who will stop at nothing. There's a lot more going on in The Close than is at first apparent and, despite Maeve and Josh's intention to not get involved in any crime other than the one they are investigating, fate and their natural instincts work against them. 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. There are three main mysteries/crime here,and if the investigation/s seems a bit low key a,and somewhat predictable,it´s no mean feat to keep all those lines running,and solve them seamlessly. Secondly, it’s a fantastic portrait of the neighbourhood and the neighbours, it becomes clear that something very dark is lurking at its heart. At the very least this lot are harbouring secrets, the dynamics are certainly intriguing and yet it’s obvious there’s more……. Maybe it’s a conspiracy or is it pure evil? Josh and Maeve are closely observing them all and it’s a fascinating unfolding situation with some startling discoveries.
One sentence review: Half Kerrwent (Maeve Kerr + Josh Derwent) romance, half police procedural, all the vibes 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. Odd things might be happening at Jellicoe Close. But without proof, there’s nothing that can be done. it’s up to DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent to find something, and the only way that can be done is to somehow integrate themselves into this suburban street’s community. Posing as a happy couple, they move into one of the residents’ houses, ostensibly to do a bit of dog-sitting. Pros: solid suspense and sexual tension (this is a rare time where I don't mind it), decent writing, the cases were quite juicy but I was really just here for Kerrwent, some good jokey jokes 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 latest book in the Maeve Kerrigan series and it is gripping, oozing with all kinds of tension and hard to put down. I have not read all the books in this series, just enough to have wet my whistle and have me wanting to read more!
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