What do you think?
Rate this book
Maeve Kerrigan #1
The Burning
A serial killer who wants to watch you burn.
The media call him The Burning Man, 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 the fifth victim has been found.
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 ever seen? And when so much of the evidence they leave behind has gone up in smoke. . .?
The media call him The Burning Man, 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 the fifth victim has been found.
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 ever seen? And when so much of the evidence they leave behind has gone up in smoke. . .?
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2010
1697 people are currently reading
17191 people want to read
About the author
Jane Casey
35 books2,656 followersShe studied English at Jesus College, Oxford, followed by an mPhil in Anglo-Irish Literature at Trinity College, Dublin
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,329 reviews
January 18, 2021
*3.5 stars *
This a complex psychological thriller, from the bestselling author of The Missing.
Maeve Kerrigan is an ambitious young DC, determined to prove her competency in the misogynistic world of the Metropolitan CID. She and her colleagues are working on a horrifying serial murder case. Several young women have been beaten to death, their bodies taken to quiet corners of local parks and then set alight.
The novel begins dramatically with a drunken young teenager being given a lift by a mini-cab driver. He deviates from her normal route home and she becomes convinced that he is “The Burning Man” who is splashed all over the papers. She stabs him with a flick-knife and jumps out of the car. Maeve and her colleague Rob Langton are called out. They are excited at the prospect of The Burning Man being caught, but their hopes are dashed when they are called out to another young woman’s body which initially looks exactly like the other killings. The forensic examination proves that the unfortunate mini-cab driver couldn’t possibly be The Burning Man. It also reveals some slight but significant differences from the other killings.
The latest victim is Rebecca Haworth, an apparently successful PR executive. In the morning, on their own initiative, Maeve and Rob go round to Rebecca’s flat. They find that a young woman, Louise North, who claims to be Rebecca’s best friend, is engaged in a thorough spring-cleaning session. She tells them she has been worried about Rebecca lately, and as she has a key to the flat and was unable to contact Rebecca on the telephone, she went there, and there was no sign of Rebecca. As the flat was in such a mess she decided to clean it up, (thus destroying any forensic evidence there might be). Maeve and Rob break the news of Rebecca’s murder as gently as they can. When they report their findings to the Superintendent, they are both in hot water for acting independently, and Maeve is taken off the main investigation of the killings and told to concentrate on Rebecca’s life and associates.
Up to this point Maeve has been the main narrator, but the narration now switches between Maeve and Louise North. Louise is an up-and-coming solicitor in a prestigious practice. Her life appears to be completely taken up with her work. Rebecca was her only close friend, whom she met when they were both students at Oxford. Rebecca was always the popular, lively one, and Louise has been regarded as a rather mousey side-kick.
The story becomes increasingly complex as Maeve discovers that Rebecca was not all she appeared to be. She interviews her parents, other friends and former lovers, and finds that she had actually quit her job some time before her death. Then the Superintendent allows her to take part in a surveillance operation, when an undercover young woman PC walks unaccompanied through one of the parks late at night, acting as bait in the hope of flushing out The Burning Man. Slightly predictable but still enjoyed it.
This a complex psychological thriller, from the bestselling author of The Missing.
Maeve Kerrigan is an ambitious young DC, determined to prove her competency in the misogynistic world of the Metropolitan CID. She and her colleagues are working on a horrifying serial murder case. Several young women have been beaten to death, their bodies taken to quiet corners of local parks and then set alight.
The novel begins dramatically with a drunken young teenager being given a lift by a mini-cab driver. He deviates from her normal route home and she becomes convinced that he is “The Burning Man” who is splashed all over the papers. She stabs him with a flick-knife and jumps out of the car. Maeve and her colleague Rob Langton are called out. They are excited at the prospect of The Burning Man being caught, but their hopes are dashed when they are called out to another young woman’s body which initially looks exactly like the other killings. The forensic examination proves that the unfortunate mini-cab driver couldn’t possibly be The Burning Man. It also reveals some slight but significant differences from the other killings.
The latest victim is Rebecca Haworth, an apparently successful PR executive. In the morning, on their own initiative, Maeve and Rob go round to Rebecca’s flat. They find that a young woman, Louise North, who claims to be Rebecca’s best friend, is engaged in a thorough spring-cleaning session. She tells them she has been worried about Rebecca lately, and as she has a key to the flat and was unable to contact Rebecca on the telephone, she went there, and there was no sign of Rebecca. As the flat was in such a mess she decided to clean it up, (thus destroying any forensic evidence there might be). Maeve and Rob break the news of Rebecca’s murder as gently as they can. When they report their findings to the Superintendent, they are both in hot water for acting independently, and Maeve is taken off the main investigation of the killings and told to concentrate on Rebecca’s life and associates.
Up to this point Maeve has been the main narrator, but the narration now switches between Maeve and Louise North. Louise is an up-and-coming solicitor in a prestigious practice. Her life appears to be completely taken up with her work. Rebecca was her only close friend, whom she met when they were both students at Oxford. Rebecca was always the popular, lively one, and Louise has been regarded as a rather mousey side-kick.
The story becomes increasingly complex as Maeve discovers that Rebecca was not all she appeared to be. She interviews her parents, other friends and former lovers, and finds that she had actually quit her job some time before her death. Then the Superintendent allows her to take part in a surveillance operation, when an undercover young woman PC walks unaccompanied through one of the parks late at night, acting as bait in the hope of flushing out The Burning Man. Slightly predictable but still enjoyed it.
August 13, 2011
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was not the psychological thriller I expected. The pace is fairly slow and is more of a whodunit, police procedural read. That in itself wouldn't have been a disappointment, had it better captured my attention. I did like Maeve and can easily see her character carrying a series. I also liked the character of Rob, though I wish he'd been more developed. His POV didn't enter the story until almost 3/4 through.
The serial killer is a very small part of the story and, for the most part, is not the case being worked. When the killer is found, it's far too easy. The other case didn't have enough twists to leave any doubt for me as to who the real killer was. The revelation felt anticlimactic.
I enjoyed the writing style, though I don't think the plot lived up to its description or its potential.
The serial killer is a very small part of the story and, for the most part, is not the case being worked. When the killer is found, it's far too easy. The other case didn't have enough twists to leave any doubt for me as to who the real killer was. The revelation felt anticlimactic.
I enjoyed the writing style, though I don't think the plot lived up to its description or its potential.
February 12, 2017
The Burning is the first book in the Maeve Kerrigan series. Kerrigan is a DC trying to impress in a man's world within her team. Based in South London, bodies are being found in remote areas, partially burned; the murders quickly turn into victims of 'The Burning Man.' The latest victim, a successful PR woman, Rebecca Haworth, seems to be woman with a fair few secrets and Kerrigan is assigned to her case to look more closely into it. On the surface she looks to be another victim of 'The Burning Man' but is she?
The book is told predominantly from Kerrigan's viewpoint and Louise, Rebecca's best friend. It's narrated in the first person from both counts which wasn't a problem for me. Just like being in their heads as they told their stories! I liked Kerrigan on the whole as a new detective (for me!) on the block. She's capable of holding her own without being too stubborn and taking stupid unnecessary risks like you sometimes come across in other books. You don't have to be superwoman to get the job done!!
The story itself is pretty good with a whodunnit weaving through though not completely a straighforward one. If I do have criticisms it's that I thought the ending didn't really meet with the calibre of what preceded it and I did come away a tad disappointed. That said I did like the laying out of characters and it did read with a feel of more to come. I'll definitely be reading more about DC Kerrigan to see how she develops.
This one sits at a 3.5 star rating for me.
The book is told predominantly from Kerrigan's viewpoint and Louise, Rebecca's best friend. It's narrated in the first person from both counts which wasn't a problem for me. Just like being in their heads as they told their stories! I liked Kerrigan on the whole as a new detective (for me!) on the block. She's capable of holding her own without being too stubborn and taking stupid unnecessary risks like you sometimes come across in other books. You don't have to be superwoman to get the job done!!
The story itself is pretty good with a whodunnit weaving through though not completely a straighforward one. If I do have criticisms it's that I thought the ending didn't really meet with the calibre of what preceded it and I did come away a tad disappointed. That said I did like the laying out of characters and it did read with a feel of more to come. I'll definitely be reading more about DC Kerrigan to see how she develops.
This one sits at a 3.5 star rating for me.
June 5, 2014
This review has spoilers.
I don't write reviews often, but I feel obligated to add a counterpoint to the generally favorable reviews this book has been receiving on Goodreads. This book was terrible. The writing was embarrassing: a plethora of point-of-view infractions, central characters that are one or two quirks away from stock characters, and multiple examples that could be used to demonstrate to 101 Creative Writing students why telling, rather than showing, is cheap. There were word usage errors, and style problems (e.g. repeating "got" so many times within two sentences that it was unclear what the author meant). Furthermore, the plot relies on unrealistically incompetent police work (e.g. not re-interviewing people close to the victim after the police had zeroed in on a new suspect), and supernaturally swift medical recoveries (Bashed in head and face? No problem! You might have a headache for a few days but should be back to work in no time!). Never mind the questionable morality at the end (=people who have lived in poverty are inherently and inescapably horrible--even a danger to the middle and upper classes), there was no mystery about who the killer was, and the author dumped all the killer's backstory at the end in the most gimmicky way imaginable. Unbelievable, canned, undeveloped 2D romances for the main character round off this fiasco of a novel. I can't understand why anyone enjoyed this book. I always finish reading books I start. Authors deserve a chance, and sometimes they shine in the end. Even if they don't, I can usually find something redeemable, some reason why this book made it to print when so many good books don't. Unfortunately, that's the only great mystery of Jane Casey's The Burning.
I don't write reviews often, but I feel obligated to add a counterpoint to the generally favorable reviews this book has been receiving on Goodreads. This book was terrible. The writing was embarrassing: a plethora of point-of-view infractions, central characters that are one or two quirks away from stock characters, and multiple examples that could be used to demonstrate to 101 Creative Writing students why telling, rather than showing, is cheap. There were word usage errors, and style problems (e.g. repeating "got" so many times within two sentences that it was unclear what the author meant). Furthermore, the plot relies on unrealistically incompetent police work (e.g. not re-interviewing people close to the victim after the police had zeroed in on a new suspect), and supernaturally swift medical recoveries (Bashed in head and face? No problem! You might have a headache for a few days but should be back to work in no time!). Never mind the questionable morality at the end (=people who have lived in poverty are inherently and inescapably horrible--even a danger to the middle and upper classes), there was no mystery about who the killer was, and the author dumped all the killer's backstory at the end in the most gimmicky way imaginable. Unbelievable, canned, undeveloped 2D romances for the main character round off this fiasco of a novel. I can't understand why anyone enjoyed this book. I always finish reading books I start. Authors deserve a chance, and sometimes they shine in the end. Even if they don't, I can usually find something redeemable, some reason why this book made it to print when so many good books don't. Unfortunately, that's the only great mystery of Jane Casey's The Burning.
May 8, 2021
3.30 in the morning and the phone rings to tell DC Maeve Kerrigan that "The Burning Man" has been caught in the act - and that's literally only the beginning of the book.
4.5 stars got awfully close to 5 the more I read The Burning; this was an unexpected and much appreciated win. Jane Casey has a knack for prose that isn't flashy but conjures mind's-eye scenes of particular clarity - her characters are brilliantly real, and the whole book was just so enjoyable to read, even as it dealt with good old terrible things.
The structure is unusual for this kind of book, too, alternating between protagonist Maeve, and friend of one of the murder victims. Maeve's chapters are much more conventionally procedural, while the others read more along the lines of a domestic thriller. It's not distracting once you're used to it - the tonal shift probably helped to keep them easy to distinguish if you're not paying attention to chapter headings, actually.
The ending - no spoilers - was solid, too, and I appreciated the extra mile the author went to in wrapping things up. No sudden jolts to a stop at the moment of arrest; it's not as common with British crime novels, but I still appreciate when it doesn't happen.
This was a really promising start to a new series for me, one I look forward to continuing.
4.5 stars got awfully close to 5 the more I read The Burning; this was an unexpected and much appreciated win. Jane Casey has a knack for prose that isn't flashy but conjures mind's-eye scenes of particular clarity - her characters are brilliantly real, and the whole book was just so enjoyable to read, even as it dealt with good old terrible things.
The structure is unusual for this kind of book, too, alternating between protagonist Maeve, and friend of one of the murder victims. Maeve's chapters are much more conventionally procedural, while the others read more along the lines of a domestic thriller. It's not distracting once you're used to it - the tonal shift probably helped to keep them easy to distinguish if you're not paying attention to chapter headings, actually.
The ending - no spoilers - was solid, too, and I appreciated the extra mile the author went to in wrapping things up. No sudden jolts to a stop at the moment of arrest; it's not as common with British crime novels, but I still appreciate when it doesn't happen.
This was a really promising start to a new series for me, one I look forward to continuing.
September 26, 2015
This is the first book in the DC Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey. Having previously read and enjoyed 'After the Fire'which is the 6th book in the series, I decided to read the complete series and predictably started with the very first book 'The Burning'.
I was interested to read other reviews from friends, some of which said they were a little disappointed in the novel, which I can understand to some extent. Often the debut novel in a series is a little slower as characters are developed etc but having already read another book with the same characters I found it interesting to read more of the background information.
DC Maeve Kerrigan is on the team working the case of a serial killer who is preying upon young women in South London, killing them and then burning their bodies. Maeve is a complicated character and has her own issues which will add to the series interest and give her a lot more depth as a character.
A decent start to this series and having read another book already in this series can recommend it to Crime readers.
I was interested to read other reviews from friends, some of which said they were a little disappointed in the novel, which I can understand to some extent. Often the debut novel in a series is a little slower as characters are developed etc but having already read another book with the same characters I found it interesting to read more of the background information.
DC Maeve Kerrigan is on the team working the case of a serial killer who is preying upon young women in South London, killing them and then burning their bodies. Maeve is a complicated character and has her own issues which will add to the series interest and give her a lot more depth as a character.
A decent start to this series and having read another book already in this series can recommend it to Crime readers.
February 9, 2016
3.5 stars
I spent part of the time being annoyed on Maeve's behalf about the sexist and rude attitudes of her fellow police, and part of the time annoyed by her desperate need to one up her colleagues and suck up to her boss. Even so, I liked her. I like that she's got a bit of a temper; that she cleverly uses the evidence to come to conclusions, but is still anxious that she might have got it wrong; that she jumps in to help people when they're in danger, though perhaps she might have been better to throw a quick explanation to her partner; that she cares about the truth and that this, plus curiosity, drives her to keep pushing; that's she's not the top of the pile in the station, but is still prepared to work hard and out herself out there to achieve her goals and get involved. I think Casey made a brilliant and effective choice in positioning her main character; Maeve is someone who consistently has to manage the unequal power dynamics of a team in which merit can be subordinate to influence in determining action.
All of this suggests her personal growth and place within the team will be interesting to follow and, as this is number one in a series of six (so far), makes me eager to find out what happens next.
I spent part of the time being annoyed on Maeve's behalf about the sexist and rude attitudes of her fellow police, and part of the time annoyed by her desperate need to one up her colleagues and suck up to her boss. Even so, I liked her. I like that she's got a bit of a temper; that she cleverly uses the evidence to come to conclusions, but is still anxious that she might have got it wrong; that she jumps in to help people when they're in danger, though perhaps she might have been better to throw a quick explanation to her partner; that she cares about the truth and that this, plus curiosity, drives her to keep pushing; that's she's not the top of the pile in the station, but is still prepared to work hard and out herself out there to achieve her goals and get involved. I think Casey made a brilliant and effective choice in positioning her main character; Maeve is someone who consistently has to manage the unequal power dynamics of a team in which merit can be subordinate to influence in determining action.
All of this suggests her personal growth and place within the team will be interesting to follow and, as this is number one in a series of six (so far), makes me eager to find out what happens next.
December 15, 2016
This is a new author for me and the first in the series. This mystery follows Maeve Kerrigan, a young and determined police detective. The case she's involved in centers on the murders by a serial killer come to be known as the Burning Man, a person who brutalizes and burns women. When the fifth victim is found, Maeve throws up some interesting questions and gets deeply involved with the case, feeling that this latest victim is a 'copy cat' murder.
This book kept my interest and I really liked Maeve.... It wasn't the best book that I read, certainly not the worse either... but reading lots of reviews from others- this series seems to get better and better- so , I picked up the first in this series- and I'll grab the second sometime in the future!
This book kept my interest and I really liked Maeve.... It wasn't the best book that I read, certainly not the worse either... but reading lots of reviews from others- this series seems to get better and better- so , I picked up the first in this series- and I'll grab the second sometime in the future!
December 14, 2010
To be honest, when I picked this book up, I did think it was going to be a pretty run of the mill crime fic book about a serial killer but it turned out to be so much more than that. In fact, the serial killer (The Burning Man) is barely in the book at all. Instead, the story focuses on the “5th victim” of The Burning Man whom the police believe that may actually be a copycat crime and Detective Maeve Kerrigan is tasked with delving into victim Rebecca Haworth’s life in the hope of uncovering the killer.
The story is narrated by both Maeve and also by Louise, Rebecca’s best friend, who is used to give an insight into Rebecca’s life. While investigating, Maeve discovers that what seemed to be a very successful and idilyc existance on the outside was actually quite different for Rebecca in reality. Maeve finds herself as far back as Rebecca’s Oxford University days in trying to piece together what could have happened for her life to end up in a burning heap in a London park one winters night.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book; far more than I was expecting in fact, as it turned out to be more of a psychological thriller than a straight forward serial killer crime read. I found it fast-paced and I cared about the characters. If you are looking for a hard-boiled thrills-and-blood-spills book then you won’t find it here: The Burning Man is almost a side plot from what is really going on.
Fantastic read – highly recommended!
The story is narrated by both Maeve and also by Louise, Rebecca’s best friend, who is used to give an insight into Rebecca’s life. While investigating, Maeve discovers that what seemed to be a very successful and idilyc existance on the outside was actually quite different for Rebecca in reality. Maeve finds herself as far back as Rebecca’s Oxford University days in trying to piece together what could have happened for her life to end up in a burning heap in a London park one winters night.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book; far more than I was expecting in fact, as it turned out to be more of a psychological thriller than a straight forward serial killer crime read. I found it fast-paced and I cared about the characters. If you are looking for a hard-boiled thrills-and-blood-spills book then you won’t find it here: The Burning Man is almost a side plot from what is really going on.
Fantastic read – highly recommended!
August 25, 2011
3 1/2 I liked the novel way this was written, concentrating on the victim instead of the killer, also in alternating chapters with the police detective Maeve telling the investigative side and the victim's best friend telling us about the victim. It was, however, rather predictable in that I guessed who had done it and pretty much why before the book was even half finished.
September 21, 2025
I could not get into this book at all.
April 16, 2025
Brandbaar is het eerste deel in de Maeve Kerrigan serie van Jane Casey. Het verhaal gaat over de seriemoordenaar die De vuurmoordenaar wordt gedoopt. Bij het aantreffen van het zoveelste lijk op rij, is Maeve Kerrigan redelijk wanhopig aan het worden. De moordenaar gaat uiterst geraffineerd te werk en hij laat geen enkel spoor achter. Toch rijzen er twijfels als het lijk van Rebecca wordt aangetroffen. De werkwijze ziet er hetzelfde uit, maar vertoont toch verschillen. Maeve besluit om dieper in het leven van Rebacca te duiken en maakt zo kennis met Louise, haar beste vriendin. Vanaf dan lezen we als lezer ook vanuit Louise’s standpunt.
Brandbaar is een vlot lezend boek en het is leuk om Maeve het leven van Rebecca te zien uitpuzzelen. Op het eerste zicht lijkt ze een perfect leven gehad te hebben, maar tijdens het onderzoek duiken er barstjes op in deze façade. Het onderzoek naar De vuurmoordenaar zelf wordt op een zijspoor gezet en dus is de achterflap in dat opzicht een beetje misleidend. In dit boek ligt de focus immers meer op de zoektocht naar Rebecca’s moordenaar en sneeuwt het verhaal van de seriemoordenaar wat onder. Desalniettemin was het een goed eerste deel in de reeks, hoewel het einde misschien nogal abrupt komt en er na de onthulling niet al te veel meer extra bij kijken. Een aardig begin dus van wat hopelijk een spannende serie zal worden. Ik geef het boek dan ook graag 4 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2025...
Brandbaar is een vlot lezend boek en het is leuk om Maeve het leven van Rebecca te zien uitpuzzelen. Op het eerste zicht lijkt ze een perfect leven gehad te hebben, maar tijdens het onderzoek duiken er barstjes op in deze façade. Het onderzoek naar De vuurmoordenaar zelf wordt op een zijspoor gezet en dus is de achterflap in dat opzicht een beetje misleidend. In dit boek ligt de focus immers meer op de zoektocht naar Rebecca’s moordenaar en sneeuwt het verhaal van de seriemoordenaar wat onder. Desalniettemin was het een goed eerste deel in de reeks, hoewel het einde misschien nogal abrupt komt en er na de onthulling niet al te veel meer extra bij kijken. Een aardig begin dus van wat hopelijk een spannende serie zal worden. Ik geef het boek dan ook graag 4 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2025...
October 1, 2013
I find Maeve Kerrigan quite the enigma. Usually I can classify principal characters as strong or weak; Tana French's Cassie Maddox & S. J. Bolton's Lacey Flint are strong, admirable & very capable, whatever their personal problems. The alcoholics who pervade Scottish & Scandanavian crime novels seem pathetic and contemptible. Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway is a little on the weak side & Sophie Hannah's Simon Waterhouse & Charlie Zailer are so weak they have to lean on each other to keep from collapsing in a heap. Maeve excels in her determination to succeed on Godley's team; she shows a lot of initiative & her insecurities are understandable. But Maeve's deference to her mother - a provincial & bigoted Irish boor - befits a 16 year old, not a mature woman of 28 who has served on the police force for five years. Maeve should make it clear that if her mother wants a relationship with her, Maeve expects her to respect and support her choice of careers. It was also hard to believe that Maeve would live with such a poor excuse for a man as Ian, who seemed more likely to be dating Pippa Middleton - or more accurately, would think he ought to be dating Pippa Middleton, who really seems to prefer men with character. Even after reading all the Maeve Kerrigan series thus far, it is still hard for me to grasp the mystery of her character - strong & decisive sometimes and very weak and vacillating at others.
You can find the rest of this review, which is full of spoilers, hiding in the Kindle English Mystery Group September 2013 group reads.
You can find the rest of this review, which is full of spoilers, hiding in the Kindle English Mystery Group September 2013 group reads.
September 2, 2022
2. okuma ve yine hiçbir şey bilmiyormuş gibi zevkle okudum. Hatta ilk okuduğum zaman, İngiliz polisiyesi olduğu için biraz uzatılmış gibi gelmişti. Bu sefer daha akıcı, daha keyifli geldi🤌🏻🤌🏻
Geriye dönüp Maeve’in biraz daha acemi olduğu zamanları yeniden okumak da çok güzeldi. Polisiye seven herkesin okuması gereken bir seri bence. Her kitapla daha da güzelleşiyor🫶🏻🫶🏻
Geriye dönüp Maeve’in biraz daha acemi olduğu zamanları yeniden okumak da çok güzeldi. Polisiye seven herkesin okuması gereken bir seri bence. Her kitapla daha da güzelleşiyor🫶🏻🫶🏻
March 21, 2014
Jane Casey's The Burning is the first in the Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan Series. It's a debut with potential. It caught my interest in the first chapter as a young woman makes a bad choice in accepting a ride from a stranger after a night of too much partying with friends. You can feel her terror as she realizes her mistake and her realization that her bad judgment may just be her last. She believes she has hitched a ride with "The Burning Man", a serial killer of young women so named, well you can guess why. Quickly a 5th victim shows up but there's speculation if this is the work of the same murderer.
After this fine start the story evened out for me but excellent reviews and the likeable character in Maeve, encouraged me to read on. Good choice as the pace ratcheted up.
Maeve Kerrigan is a fine addition to a woman in a man's world. She is smart, sensitive, and knows her limitations and is exploring her strengths. In addition, point of view of the other players and a building psychological mind play round out Maeve's investigation into the murders.
I'm looking forward to the next to see Maeve's growth. No need to wait if so inclined as the series, set in London, have all been released in the US.
My sincere thanks to Minotaur/St. Martin's Press for providing an e-galley of The Burning.
After this fine start the story evened out for me but excellent reviews and the likeable character in Maeve, encouraged me to read on. Good choice as the pace ratcheted up.
Maeve Kerrigan is a fine addition to a woman in a man's world. She is smart, sensitive, and knows her limitations and is exploring her strengths. In addition, point of view of the other players and a building psychological mind play round out Maeve's investigation into the murders.
I'm looking forward to the next to see Maeve's growth. No need to wait if so inclined as the series, set in London, have all been released in the US.
My sincere thanks to Minotaur/St. Martin's Press for providing an e-galley of The Burning.
March 30, 2011
DC Maeve Kerrigan is part of a team working on the case a murder case: the case of a serial killer who is preying upon young women who venture out late at night in south London, killing them and then burning their bodies.
The media has labelled him The Burning Man.
Now that really doesn’t sound like my kind of book, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt, because I had read, and very much enjoyed, Jane Casey’s previous book, The Missing. I’m very glad that I did, because The Burning is a very good psychological crime novel, and a wonderful step forward from Jane Casey’s first book: that was good, but this one is better.
The news breaks in the early hours of the morning that The Burning Man has claimed his fifth victim. But there are doubts. Yes a woman lies dead, yes her body has been burned, but there are differences from the first four murders.
And so it is that Maeve finds herself responsible for investigating the background of Rebecca Haworth,the fifth dead woman.
The Burning is not the story of a serial killer but the story of one woman’s experience as that serial killer is sought. A human drama set around a murder investigation.
Maeve is new to the murder squad and eager to prove herself. Her family didn’t care for her choice of career but she loves her job, despite the anti-social hours, casual sexism, and ribbing about her Irish roots.
Character information came on a need-to-know basis, but it was enough. I liked Maeve, her warmth, her intelligence, the way she coped. I was quickly caught up as she investigated and interviewed friends, family, business associates of the dead woman.
The story that emerged was complex and captivating.
Most of the book is told from Maeve’s point of view, but there are also shorter chapters from the point of view of Louise, an old friend of the old woman. A contemporary of Maeve, but a very different woman, with a very different life. That gave the book another dimension, and helped to paint a better, clearer picture.
And at the very heart of this book was Rebecca, for me its most complex and most interesting character. Her story, much of which was unknown to and unexpected by those closest to her, was extraordinary and yet utterly credible.
There is high drama before the case is finally solved, by solid police work and just a little bit of luck.
It wasn’t surprising, but that wasn’t important. You see, I was hooked by those three women and their stories, and so the how and the why, completing their stories, was just as important as the who.
The conclusion worked perfectly. It was quiet, but very, very effective, and there was a nice little sting in the tale.
Job done.
The media has labelled him The Burning Man.
Now that really doesn’t sound like my kind of book, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt, because I had read, and very much enjoyed, Jane Casey’s previous book, The Missing. I’m very glad that I did, because The Burning is a very good psychological crime novel, and a wonderful step forward from Jane Casey’s first book: that was good, but this one is better.
The news breaks in the early hours of the morning that The Burning Man has claimed his fifth victim. But there are doubts. Yes a woman lies dead, yes her body has been burned, but there are differences from the first four murders.
And so it is that Maeve finds herself responsible for investigating the background of Rebecca Haworth,the fifth dead woman.
The Burning is not the story of a serial killer but the story of one woman’s experience as that serial killer is sought. A human drama set around a murder investigation.
Maeve is new to the murder squad and eager to prove herself. Her family didn’t care for her choice of career but she loves her job, despite the anti-social hours, casual sexism, and ribbing about her Irish roots.
Character information came on a need-to-know basis, but it was enough. I liked Maeve, her warmth, her intelligence, the way she coped. I was quickly caught up as she investigated and interviewed friends, family, business associates of the dead woman.
The story that emerged was complex and captivating.
Most of the book is told from Maeve’s point of view, but there are also shorter chapters from the point of view of Louise, an old friend of the old woman. A contemporary of Maeve, but a very different woman, with a very different life. That gave the book another dimension, and helped to paint a better, clearer picture.
And at the very heart of this book was Rebecca, for me its most complex and most interesting character. Her story, much of which was unknown to and unexpected by those closest to her, was extraordinary and yet utterly credible.
There is high drama before the case is finally solved, by solid police work and just a little bit of luck.
It wasn’t surprising, but that wasn’t important. You see, I was hooked by those three women and their stories, and so the how and the why, completing their stories, was just as important as the who.
The conclusion worked perfectly. It was quiet, but very, very effective, and there was a nice little sting in the tale.
Job done.
June 29, 2015
The Burning by Jane Casey is a 2011 Minotaur publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the first in the Maeve Kerrigan series.
There is a serial killer on the loose, one they have dubbed “The Burning Man”. When a young woman is found murdered, it looks as though the killer has struck again. But, is this the work of the “Burning Man” or a copycat?
I think the main problem this book has, at least for me, is the very odd alternate points of view. One part of the book is a first person account told by the victim's friend, Louise. The other part of the book is the first person account of the investigation into the murder featuring Maeve Kerrigan, with her partner Rob getting a meatier role further on into the book.
The plot is solid, but there were several times in the book when the author spent too much time in one place and the momentum slowed to a crawl and the story became dull and lifeless.
If you are paying even moderate attention, it will become clear who the killer is, so it's not much of a mystery, but still falls into the police procedural category. I thought the characterization was splendid though, and painted a realistic look at what a female investigator has to cope with in a male dominated field.
I have a couple of Jane Casey's follow ups in this series and I do plan to see if the pacing picks up and the writing improves. If it does, this series could have a lot of potential.
Overall this one is 3 stars
This book is the first in the Maeve Kerrigan series.
There is a serial killer on the loose, one they have dubbed “The Burning Man”. When a young woman is found murdered, it looks as though the killer has struck again. But, is this the work of the “Burning Man” or a copycat?
I think the main problem this book has, at least for me, is the very odd alternate points of view. One part of the book is a first person account told by the victim's friend, Louise. The other part of the book is the first person account of the investigation into the murder featuring Maeve Kerrigan, with her partner Rob getting a meatier role further on into the book.
The plot is solid, but there were several times in the book when the author spent too much time in one place and the momentum slowed to a crawl and the story became dull and lifeless.
If you are paying even moderate attention, it will become clear who the killer is, so it's not much of a mystery, but still falls into the police procedural category. I thought the characterization was splendid though, and painted a realistic look at what a female investigator has to cope with in a male dominated field.
I have a couple of Jane Casey's follow ups in this series and I do plan to see if the pacing picks up and the writing improves. If it does, this series could have a lot of potential.
Overall this one is 3 stars
August 3, 2023
Having enjoyed some of the more recent titles in the Maeve Kerrigan series, I decided to get the first book in the series to help fill in the gaps.
Maybe it was high expectations from liking the others, which meant that this inevitably was a disappointing read - but the introductory novel to the character certainly felt a lot more slowly plodding.
I think the simple reason why this felt bloated as the identity of the murderer was pretty easy to spot early on, so it was frustrating that this procedural was taking the police so long to solve.
Thankfully I know that this series does improve.
So even though this was a weakly executed mystery surrounding a serial killer, it's worth sticking with.
Maybe it was high expectations from liking the others, which meant that this inevitably was a disappointing read - but the introductory novel to the character certainly felt a lot more slowly plodding.
I think the simple reason why this felt bloated as the identity of the murderer was pretty easy to spot early on, so it was frustrating that this procedural was taking the police so long to solve.
Thankfully I know that this series does improve.
So even though this was a weakly executed mystery surrounding a serial killer, it's worth sticking with.
April 6, 2022
Is there such a category as chick mystery? Chickstery? The protagonist Maeve is a young police detective dealing with workplace sexism and a complicated personal life as she hunts for a serial killer, The Burning Man. I liked the book and will round up to 3.5 stars. However, it doesn’t rank with the greats like Michael Connelly. The murderer was caught without much effort on Maeve’s part and I never felt the thrill of the chase. Nevertheless, I like this genre and will read another book in the series to see if it picks up.
March 14, 2024
3.5 🌟
It turns out I finished the first book in this series on the day book #11 was published !
My beautiful friend from Oz, Bec, recommended this series to me. I finally pulled it off my TBR and I’m looking forward to the next book.
Normally I am not a fan of more tell than show in a book. This first novel covers quite a bit and I think the author wasn’t quite sure what she wanted it to be. A police procedural, a legal thriller, a domestic thriller and it even dabbled in a serial killer. That was most disappointing for me, personally.
I’m a weirdo, I love books where they hunt serial killers. lol. Silence of the Lambs anyone ??
The worst part is always when I figure out the killer. I knew who it was very, very early on. There was a major clue and it was mentioned several times.
But! With all the telling in this book, I grew to like or hate all the characters introduced. The backstory was unveiled in a lengthy letter at the end of the book. No stone was unturned, and for that I loved it.
Thanks Bec for introducing me to Maeve Kerrigan. Iim looking forward to the rest of the series!
It turns out I finished the first book in this series on the day book #11 was published !
My beautiful friend from Oz, Bec, recommended this series to me. I finally pulled it off my TBR and I’m looking forward to the next book.
Normally I am not a fan of more tell than show in a book. This first novel covers quite a bit and I think the author wasn’t quite sure what she wanted it to be. A police procedural, a legal thriller, a domestic thriller and it even dabbled in a serial killer. That was most disappointing for me, personally.
I’m a weirdo, I love books where they hunt serial killers. lol. Silence of the Lambs anyone ??
The worst part is always when I figure out the killer. I knew who it was very, very early on. There was a major clue and it was mentioned several times.
But! With all the telling in this book, I grew to like or hate all the characters introduced. The backstory was unveiled in a lengthy letter at the end of the book. No stone was unturned, and for that I loved it.
Thanks Bec for introducing me to Maeve Kerrigan. Iim looking forward to the rest of the series!
December 28, 2021
I wasn’t very far into this book when I began to suspect I would love it all the way through.
My reasons for feeling this way about this story are somewhat difficult to put into words as so often I’m pulled in by stories that make me feel a certain way. But if I were pressed to choose a practical reason, I would say that I took joy in immersing myself in the world Jane Casey created. For example, I could literally feel the stifling heat of the overheated police detachment, as I could actually see myself sitting in any one of the living environments that this story took me into.
Also, I took a liking to Meave Kerrington, my favorite aspect of her as a character was her penchant for embarking on mental conversations with herself that were as humorous as they were revealing.
I was only halfway through the book when I did a little research on Jane Casey, (she is a new author to me.) I was delighted to learn that she had a long body of work and was thrilled to see that the Meave Kerrington series contained many more stories after this first one!
I look forward to reading many more of Jane Casey’s stories.
My reasons for feeling this way about this story are somewhat difficult to put into words as so often I’m pulled in by stories that make me feel a certain way. But if I were pressed to choose a practical reason, I would say that I took joy in immersing myself in the world Jane Casey created. For example, I could literally feel the stifling heat of the overheated police detachment, as I could actually see myself sitting in any one of the living environments that this story took me into.
Also, I took a liking to Meave Kerrington, my favorite aspect of her as a character was her penchant for embarking on mental conversations with herself that were as humorous as they were revealing.
I was only halfway through the book when I did a little research on Jane Casey, (she is a new author to me.) I was delighted to learn that she had a long body of work and was thrilled to see that the Meave Kerrington series contained many more stories after this first one!
I look forward to reading many more of Jane Casey’s stories.
August 17, 2018
The best review is when you couldn't stop reading until it was done, no matter how late it got. I'd like to coax my fellow fans of suspense to try this series. Detective Maeve Kerrigan will sell herself once you begin! I can't even wait for these to be published in the US; I have to order them from the UK as soon as they come out.
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...
It is unreasonable to wish Jane Casey wrote faster because I am the first to complain when an author produces books on demand for her publisher and the quality suffers!
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...
It is unreasonable to wish Jane Casey wrote faster because I am the first to complain when an author produces books on demand for her publisher and the quality suffers!
October 21, 2020
Alternate chapters with two narrators. The policewoman Kerrigan and the bestie of a murdered woman. Kerrigan works in a terribly sexist workplace where women, including workmates, are ogled. The book devotes much space for the victim which was a bit different but there really was no mystery and the unsurprising reveal occurred with 50 pages to go.
August 31, 2022
Kitabın 500 sayfa oluşu başta biraz gözümü korkutsa da ilerledikçe hiçte sıkıcı olmadığını keşfetmem ve devamında kitabı bir oturuşta bitirmemle kendime güzel ve uzun soluklu bir seri bulduğumu fark ettim (ay ne kadar uzun ve garip bi cümle oldu)
Serinin ikinci kitabını ve Maeve'in özel hayatını merak ediyorum bakalım neler olacak.
Serinin ikinci kitabını ve Maeve'in özel hayatını merak ediyorum bakalım neler olacak.
May 5, 2015
Yeah this was a DNF for me. Maybe it would have turned out to be a decent book, but I was extremely bored with it and didn't have the patience to find out. It certainly wasn't bad, but I've read better.
January 6, 2024
Rounded up to 4.5 stars.
This is the first in the Maeve Kerrigan series. By all accounts, GR readers seem to think this series gets better and better with each installment. (Did I just sound like the AI on Amazon reviews? I’ve been shopping too much.)
There were two standout characters of Maeve and Louise. Maeve is your modern day female Detective who struggles with being taken seriously but never fails to point that out to either the reader or, if she’s feeling feisty, to her male coworkers. She gives it back in a way that makes us all proud.
Louise North is involved in the plot of the story and until you know, you won’t know with her. Louise kept me turning the pages.
This book with its excellent kick off to a 10 book series ( so far) made me think this could have been intended for a standalone. The characters are so fully formed already and I don’t always see that in the first serial book.
This reminds me of that popular murder squad series from a few years ago by Tana French. If you liked Into The Woods, I think you will like this as well.
This is the first in the Maeve Kerrigan series. By all accounts, GR readers seem to think this series gets better and better with each installment. (Did I just sound like the AI on Amazon reviews? I’ve been shopping too much.)
There were two standout characters of Maeve and Louise. Maeve is your modern day female Detective who struggles with being taken seriously but never fails to point that out to either the reader or, if she’s feeling feisty, to her male coworkers. She gives it back in a way that makes us all proud.
Louise North is involved in the plot of the story and until you know, you won’t know with her. Louise kept me turning the pages.
This book with its excellent kick off to a 10 book series ( so far) made me think this could have been intended for a standalone. The characters are so fully formed already and I don’t always see that in the first serial book.
This reminds me of that popular murder squad series from a few years ago by Tana French. If you liked Into The Woods, I think you will like this as well.
February 16, 2024
2024 Reread.
DC Maeve Kerrigan is working on the Burning Man case for the murder task force at the Met. A very high profile case, several women have already been found beaten to death & their bodies burned, & the pressure is on to find the killer. It's still a very male-dominated task force with Maeve the only female colleague. When possible latest victim, Rebecca Haworth, is found dead & burned, the case throws up some intriguing anomalies & Maeve wonders if there could be a different motive & killer.
After 6 years, I've decided to reread this series before tackling book 11 - due to be released this year. First time around, I actually liked Rob & was rather irritated with what happens with his character in future books, & I'm intrigued to find out how reading the series with foreknowledge of that & the introduction of Derwent (whom I hated) will compare with reading it with fresh eyes. In this latest edition, there is an additional chapter at the end which deals with the moment Derwent first sees Maeve. Is it reconning? Maybe, but it does set things up quite nicely.
I have bumped up the rating for this one to 4 stars. I found Maeve a more sympathetic character this time around, & the storyline, whilst predictable, was good.
>>>>>
2018 review: First book of a new (to me) crime series, this on concentrating on the hunt for the serial killer, the Burning Man, who beats his victims to death and then sets fire to their bodies. There are one or two descriptions of brutal violence here for those who are sensitive to such. It was a readable book but I found it a tad predictable, however I liked it enough to read the sequels, therefore, I rate it 3.5 stars.
DC Maeve Kerrigan is working on the Burning Man case for the murder task force at the Met. A very high profile case, several women have already been found beaten to death & their bodies burned, & the pressure is on to find the killer. It's still a very male-dominated task force with Maeve the only female colleague. When possible latest victim, Rebecca Haworth, is found dead & burned, the case throws up some intriguing anomalies & Maeve wonders if there could be a different motive & killer.
After 6 years, I've decided to reread this series before tackling book 11 - due to be released this year. First time around, I actually liked Rob & was rather irritated with what happens with his character in future books, & I'm intrigued to find out how reading the series with foreknowledge of that & the introduction of Derwent (whom I hated) will compare with reading it with fresh eyes. In this latest edition, there is an additional chapter at the end which deals with the moment Derwent first sees Maeve. Is it reconning? Maybe, but it does set things up quite nicely.
I have bumped up the rating for this one to 4 stars. I found Maeve a more sympathetic character this time around, & the storyline, whilst predictable, was good.
>>>>>
2018 review: First book of a new (to me) crime series, this on concentrating on the hunt for the serial killer, the Burning Man, who beats his victims to death and then sets fire to their bodies. There are one or two descriptions of brutal violence here for those who are sensitive to such. It was a readable book but I found it a tad predictable, however I liked it enough to read the sequels, therefore, I rate it 3.5 stars.
March 21, 2017
Geez. Engaging characters, provocative crime, BUT the book goes on forever and desperately needs editing. (Ian? Ian who? Oh yeah, the boyfriend we haven't heard from in over five chapters.)
Repetition, obvious plot devices, and painfully clunky sentences are all plentiful here. Multiple perspectives mean we visit every stinkin' red herring and baldly telegraphed plot point at least twice.
Promise and talent squandered in this one. Annoying.
Repetition, obvious plot devices, and painfully clunky sentences are all plentiful here. Multiple perspectives mean we visit every stinkin' red herring and baldly telegraphed plot point at least twice.
Promise and talent squandered in this one. Annoying.
September 5, 2014
4.5 stars.
Continuing on my run of somewhat grisly reads... (Becca was here the other day, picked this up and started reading, to ask incredulously of Cara, "How did Mom like this?" My feebleness in the face of horror is well known to both. Made me feel kind of tough. Or maybe not...)
For me the book's appeal was mostly Maeve herself, and I loved her character enough that she could probably have carried a much weaker mystery plot. She didn't have to, though, and while one aspect of the mystery wasn't difficult to figure out (as a reader), there were many that weren't as obvious and the procedural aspect was quite solid. Maeve's struggles as the only female detective in her team were sadly believable, and the sexist jerks who made her life harder than it should have been also got a lot of digs in at her for being Irish. Although, as she says, she was born in England, the name is immediately recognisable and that's all it takes for the tired old "jokes" to be leveled at her. Painful as it would be in reality, I loved seeing the way she tries to find a balance between standing up for herself when it's really too much, and not being seen as just "over-sensitive". And then with Rob sometimes it's just fun banter! I really liked Rob a lot as well, although he's no more perfect than Maeve, and the head of the team, Godley, is an intelligent detective and a fair boss. When Maeve suspects that the woman who seems to be the fifth victim of "The Burning Man" might really have been killed by a copy-cat, Godley lets her follow that possibility up, despite some skepticism from others in the team. The way she respects him greatly as a detective and also has a bit of a crush on him is fun, and occasionally leads her to -- awkwardness. Amusing awkwardness, though, rather than the too painfully embarrassing sort.
Although most of the book is Maeve's, there are short sections from the perspective of the latest victim's best friend, Louise, and her flashbacks to their friendship in Oxford, and her desire to live differently now that Rebecca's gone, are interesting enough that I didn't mind too much switching away from Maeve. Especially as the "true" character of Rebecca, that victim, is such a complex one. It may be a truism of crime novels/shows that family and friends often know much less about people than they think they do, but here it's done well, and becomes quite poignant. One section is different again, when Maeve is out of action and the narrative switches to Rob's perspective, with a step-back in time that serves to increase the suspense even more.
There's a romantic element to the book, which never dominates but occupies about as much of Maeve's attention as it should, what with her being a newish detective on a team trying to stop a serial killer and all. It remains unresolved, though not in a teasing or manipulative way but rather one that's in character for the two involved and their situation. Didn't hurt my desire to read the next book at all, either! Finally, there's just the kind of humour I like, even if occasionally it's sharing in the slightly juvenile humour of characters. Stupid designer alphabet mugs and the word "gobshite", for example. (Yes, you will have to read it if you want to find out.)
Continuing on my run of somewhat grisly reads... (Becca was here the other day, picked this up and started reading, to ask incredulously of Cara, "How did Mom like this?" My feebleness in the face of horror is well known to both. Made me feel kind of tough. Or maybe not...)
For me the book's appeal was mostly Maeve herself, and I loved her character enough that she could probably have carried a much weaker mystery plot. She didn't have to, though, and while one aspect of the mystery wasn't difficult to figure out (as a reader), there were many that weren't as obvious and the procedural aspect was quite solid. Maeve's struggles as the only female detective in her team were sadly believable, and the sexist jerks who made her life harder than it should have been also got a lot of digs in at her for being Irish. Although, as she says, she was born in England, the name is immediately recognisable and that's all it takes for the tired old "jokes" to be leveled at her. Painful as it would be in reality, I loved seeing the way she tries to find a balance between standing up for herself when it's really too much, and not being seen as just "over-sensitive". And then with Rob sometimes it's just fun banter! I really liked Rob a lot as well, although he's no more perfect than Maeve, and the head of the team, Godley, is an intelligent detective and a fair boss. When Maeve suspects that the woman who seems to be the fifth victim of "The Burning Man" might really have been killed by a copy-cat, Godley lets her follow that possibility up, despite some skepticism from others in the team. The way she respects him greatly as a detective and also has a bit of a crush on him is fun, and occasionally leads her to -- awkwardness. Amusing awkwardness, though, rather than the too painfully embarrassing sort.
Although most of the book is Maeve's, there are short sections from the perspective of the latest victim's best friend, Louise, and her flashbacks to their friendship in Oxford, and her desire to live differently now that Rebecca's gone, are interesting enough that I didn't mind too much switching away from Maeve. Especially as the "true" character of Rebecca, that victim, is such a complex one. It may be a truism of crime novels/shows that family and friends often know much less about people than they think they do, but here it's done well, and becomes quite poignant. One section is different again, when Maeve is out of action and the narrative switches to Rob's perspective, with a step-back in time that serves to increase the suspense even more.
There's a romantic element to the book, which never dominates but occupies about as much of Maeve's attention as it should, what with her being a newish detective on a team trying to stop a serial killer and all. It remains unresolved, though not in a teasing or manipulative way but rather one that's in character for the two involved and their situation. Didn't hurt my desire to read the next book at all, either! Finally, there's just the kind of humour I like, even if occasionally it's sharing in the slightly juvenile humour of characters. Stupid designer alphabet mugs and the word "gobshite", for example. (Yes, you will have to read it if you want to find out.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,329 reviews