Likable Heroine + Compelling Plot = Another Winning Maeve Kerrigan Mystery

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note:  While this review will not contain spoilers for After the Fire, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Maeve Kerrigan mysteries.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

Murchison House, one of the concrete high-rises that makes up London's seedy Maudling Estate housing project, is no stranger to police activity.  The place is a magnet for every kind of criminal activity possible.  This time, a savage—and suspicious—fire has ravaged through the building, leaving many residents displaced and desperate.  Four people are dead, one of them an outspoken politician well known for his racist rantings.  What was a man like him doing in a dive like Murchison House?  

As DC Maeve Kerrigan and the rest of the murder squad look into the incident, it becomes crystal clear that the fire was no accident.  Neither was the politician's death.  Plenty of people had reason to loathe Geoff Armstrong, but who actually killed him?  Everyone connected with Murchison House has something to hide, including Mr. Armstrong.  The more Maeve discovers, the more risky her job becomes.  Murchison House has always been a dangerous place—will it be a deadly one for the intrepid DC Kerrigan?  As if she doesn't have enough to worry about, Maeve is still dodging the skin-crawling attention of her stalker; dealing with a condition that could put her job at risk; and trying to sort out her feelings for one DI Josh Derwent.  One thing is clear—she's in for a wild ride.

You've probably realized by now that I'm a raving Maeve Kerrigan fan.  Jane Casey's heroine is brave, tenacious, and, above all, human.  She's unfailingly likable, an always compelling narrator whom I happen to adore.  The series also boasts intriguing minor characters and taut, engrossing plots.  After the Fire, the sixth installment, is no exception.  With a number of didn't-see-that-coming twists, the story kept me riveted.  As always, I'm intrigued to see where Casey takes Maeve next.  Wherever it is, I'll definitely be along for the ride!

(Readalikes: Other books in the Maeve Kerrigan series, including Left for Dead [novella]; The Burning; The Reckoning; The Last Girl; The Stranger You Know; The Kill; and Let the Dead Speak; also reminds me of books by Sharon Bolton and Tana French)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find