Author: Jane Casey
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: September, 2011
Genre: Mystery
Description: A determined young police constable goes it alone against an enigmatic killer and her bosses in a series debut for fans of Sophie Hannah and Tana French.
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.
My Thoughts: New to me author Jane Casey brings to life a character I found very likeable and easy to relate to in Maeve Kerrigan. As a detective constable working in dominantly male squad, Maeve tries to ignore inappropriate comments and innuendo she overhears within her squad. She strives to prove herself worthy to her chain of command by trying to be the best investigator she can be. In addition, her dedication to her job puts a strain on her personal relationships with her family and boyfriend.
At the height of The Burning Man serial killer investigations, a new homicide brings more questions instead of answers. The more Maeve learns about the latest victim causes Maeve to wonder if the crime is being perpetrated by the same suspect or if a new monster is loose in London.
I really enjoyed the premise of the story and the way the plot is peppered with multiple layers that reveal the victim’s dark past and events that led to her death. The big reveal came as a great surprise to me. The author does an excellent job of tying all of the loose ends together to make the finale more believable.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I found The Burning to be a very good beginning to what, I believe, will be a series that will appeal to fans of mysteries and police procedural novels. This series has characters that the reader will enjoy meeting, getting to know and caring for. I enjoyed the passion that Maeve brings to her job and the justice she seeks for her victims. I look forward to the next book in this series.
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