REVIEW: Cruel Acts by Jane Casey

Cruel Acts (Maeve Kerrigan #8) by Jane Casey

Genre: Crime fiction, Police procedural

Read: 8th September 2021

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Published: 18th April 2019

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Leo Stone is a killer. A year ago, he was convicted of murdering two women and sentenced to life without parole. But now, a juror from his trial has revealed the jury was prejudiced, and a retrial is called.

Detectives Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent are tasked with re-examining the evidence. Before long, they uncover links between Stone and a possible third victim.

But with Stone behind bars, a fourth woman disappears in similar circumstances. Is there a copycat killer out there, or have they been wrong about Stone from the start? And will Maeve discover the truth before another innocent victim is killed?

MY REVIEW:

I didn't realise this was part of a series when requesting it and as I am up to my eyeballs with series already I really didn't want to add another to the list. But I gave it a go though I doubt I will read any more because I have too many other series on the go.

In prison for killing two women, DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent were sure sure of Leo Stone's guilt. But doubts have arisen and he is released from prison. Leo, of course, declares he is a victim of a miscarriage of justice, but Kerrigan is convinced he was guilty and rightfully convicted. Now that he is free and declaring his innocence, Kerrigan digs deeper and the more she uncovers the less she is convinced of his guilt. Was he really guilty or did they put an innocent man in prison?

Now another woman has disappeared in similar circumstances and questions are being asked. Is there a copycat? Or is Leo reoffending once again?

The friendship between Kerrigan and Derwent makes a pleasant change from the usual angst among the ranks in other series, which is something that deters me from police procedurals these days. There are plenty of questions that will have you pondering whether Stone is guilty or not and the plot makes for addictive reading.

If I wasn't already buried beneath series and plenty of other books, I may well have sought out the rest of this series because chances are I would enjoy them.

CRUEL ACTS is an enjoyable addition to the Maeve Kerrigan series and can quiet easily be read as a standalone. Perfect for fans of crime fiction.

I would like to thank #JaneCasey, #Netgalley and #HarperCollins for an ARC of #CruelActs in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born and brought up in Ireland, Jane Casey read English at Jesus College, Oxford before going on to study for an MPhil in Anglo-Irish literature at Trinity College, Dublin. After working in publishing for nine years, commissioning bestselling children’s books, Jane decided to start writing herself, both in the crime genre and for young adults. Being married to a criminal barrister provides Jane with unique insights into the brutal underbelly of urban life, from the smell of a police cell to the darkest motives of a serial killer – experience that give her work a true sense of realism.

Maeve Kerrigan, Jane’s heroine in her bestselling crime series, is an ambitious detective constable who is keen to make her mark on the murder task force. Her male colleagues believe Maeve’s empathy makes her weak, but she soon gains confidence and begins to earn the respect of the team. We decided to take a quick look at the Maeve Kerrigan books in order to give you a taster of her work.

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