Search This Blog
2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (4)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (4)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (2)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (10)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (5)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (7)
- Austria (1)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (5)
- China (2)
- England (27)
- France (2)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (4)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge
2024 52 Club Reading Challenge
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge
2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Mystery Series Debut Tense and Compelling
4:52 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan is used to being ridiculed by her mostly male colleagues. They mock her gender, her looks, her Irish heritage, her "womanly" empathy, her work habits—everything. Although the 28-year-old lets it roll off her back, she's still eager to prove she's a valuable member of the London murder squad, that she's there on her own merit and not because she's sleeping with the boss (a rampant, untrue rumor). She longs to be part of the hunt for a vicious serial killer called The Burning Man. Solving the case would earn her much-needed bragging rights. Not to mention bring a murderer to justice.
When a new victim is found, Maeve and her colleagues are puzzled. The murder seems to be the work of The Burning Man, but the M.O. doesn't quite fit. Are they looking for the same killer or a copycat? Assigned to look into the private life of the dead woman, Maeve makes some startling revelations that lead to more mystifying questions. Who was Rebecca Haworth? What led to her brutal death? With few solid clues, it's difficult to find answers. The more Maeve learns about Rebecca, though, the more determined she is to find the woman's killer. Even if it means putting her own life on the line. Which it inevitably will.
The Burning, the first book in the Maeve Kerrigan series by Irish crime writer Jane Casey, is a tense, fast-paced thriller. While the mystery at its center is certainly compelling, it's the characters that really come first here. Maeve is tough, but caring and devoted. Eternally likable, she's also flawed, which makes her feel very real. Louise North, who is Rebecca's best friend and a dual narrator with Maeve, is likewise intriguing. While I would consider The Burning a character-driven novel, the plot definitely moves along at a clip. The story isn't quite as twisty as I wanted it to be, but it definitely kept me riveted. A few chapters in, I found myself reserving the next two books in the series. That's how much I liked The Burning, especially its understated but unforgettable heroine. I've learned since that Casey just knows how to pull me in—once I start one of her books, I (almost literally) can't stop reading. Fair warning.
(Readalikes: Books by Sharon Bolton and Tana French; also other novels in the Maeve Kerrigan series, including The Reckoning; The Last Girl; The Stranger You Know; The Kill; After the Fire; and Let the Dead Speak)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, depictions of illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
5 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
Listening
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
How Can I Help You by Laura Sims6 hours ago
-
-
Year in Review (2024)10 hours ago
-
Top 10 Favorite Reads of 202411 hours ago
-
-
The End of the Year 2024 Wrap Up11 hours ago
-
Monthly Round-Up: December 202412 hours ago
-
2024 Reading Challenges Wrap-up13 hours ago
-
Haig, Matt "The Midnight Library"13 hours ago
-
The 10 Best Books I Read in 202419 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Top Ten Books Read in 202421 hours ago
-
What I Read in 202421 hours ago
-
Butterflies In The End Zone By Jacob Gelman22 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
FO Friday: Marco the Moose3 days ago
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!3 days ago
-
-
Advent4 days ago
-
-
-
-
I have been reading...2 weeks ago
-
-
-
Sunday Post 5584 weeks ago
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October1 month ago
-
Open for Murder by Mary Angela1 month ago
-
Reading Recap September 20242 months ago
-
-
Review: The Duke and I4 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus5 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ▼ 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
I'm a big fan of this series too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one!
DeleteI'm glad you found another series to immerse yourself in.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had to binge-read this one so that I could sleep at night. I seriously cannot put the books down once I start them!
DeleteOh I don't know this series. But if it is fast paced and a likable MC I will have to add it!! Great review!
ReplyDelete