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Carrigan and Miller #2
Eleven Days
Second in the acclaimed Carrigan and Miller series from the author of A Dark Redemption . “[A] superbly written, intelligent and captivating crime novel” ( Crime Review ).
It is eleven days before Christmas, and an early morning fire rages through a West London square, engulfing a convent tucked within a handsome residential neighborhood. Detectives Jack Carrigan and Geneva Miller arrive at the dreadful scene to find eleven dead bodies―but there were only ten nuns in residence. Despite the department’s top brass pressing for the case to be solved before the holidays, the detectives suspect more than mere arson. Why did the nuns make no move to escape the fire? Who is the eleventh victim? And where is the convent’s influential priest liaison to the church, the one man who can answer their questions?
Shortlisted for the coveted Old Peculier Novel of the Year award, Eleven Days , the new entry in Sherez’s acclaimed series which began with A Dark Redemption , follows Carrigan and Miller as they unravel an elaborate mystery that spans four decades and two continents. On their second case together, the partners, at once fresh and familiar, confront both their haunting pasts and the dangers that threaten to cut short their futures. As pressure intensifies to close the case, they struggle to solve a hidden history whose exposure threatens both the church and the political establishment.
“Sherez scores high marks for his writing and characterization. Carrigan and Miller are shaping up to be an attractive duo.”― The Times
“Engrossing . . . A surprising plot and well-developed characters led by Carrigan and Miller make for a highly satisfying mystery.”― Publishers Weekly
It is eleven days before Christmas, and an early morning fire rages through a West London square, engulfing a convent tucked within a handsome residential neighborhood. Detectives Jack Carrigan and Geneva Miller arrive at the dreadful scene to find eleven dead bodies―but there were only ten nuns in residence. Despite the department’s top brass pressing for the case to be solved before the holidays, the detectives suspect more than mere arson. Why did the nuns make no move to escape the fire? Who is the eleventh victim? And where is the convent’s influential priest liaison to the church, the one man who can answer their questions?
Shortlisted for the coveted Old Peculier Novel of the Year award, Eleven Days , the new entry in Sherez’s acclaimed series which began with A Dark Redemption , follows Carrigan and Miller as they unravel an elaborate mystery that spans four decades and two continents. On their second case together, the partners, at once fresh and familiar, confront both their haunting pasts and the dangers that threaten to cut short their futures. As pressure intensifies to close the case, they struggle to solve a hidden history whose exposure threatens both the church and the political establishment.
“Sherez scores high marks for his writing and characterization. Carrigan and Miller are shaping up to be an attractive duo.”― The Times
“Engrossing . . . A surprising plot and well-developed characters led by Carrigan and Miller make for a highly satisfying mystery.”― Publishers Weekly
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2013
30 people are currently reading
464 people want to read
About the author
Stav Sherez
25 books76 followersBorn in 1970, Sherez grew up in London and attended Latymer Upper School and the University of Leeds.
Stav Sherez is a British novelist whose first novel The Devil's Playground was published in 2004 by Penguin Books and was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger.
Sherez's second novel, The Black Monastery, is published by Faber & Faber in April 2009.
From 1999 to 2004 he was a main contributor to the music magazine Comes with a Smile.
From December 2006 he has been literary editor of the Catholic Herald.
Stav Sherez is a British novelist whose first novel The Devil's Playground was published in 2004 by Penguin Books and was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger.
Sherez's second novel, The Black Monastery, is published by Faber & Faber in April 2009.
From 1999 to 2004 he was a main contributor to the music magazine Comes with a Smile.
From December 2006 he has been literary editor of the Catholic Herald.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
February 7, 2017
I recently read the third in the Carrigan and Miller series, The Intrusions, which I loved so much that I wanted to read the others. This is the second and it is another brilliant read. It is snowing, Jack Carrigan has been ordered to the scene of a horrific fire at a convent in St Peter's Square, Bayswater, a few days before Christmas. It is not clear whether it is arson or not, but a fireman brings the news that there are a number of bodies in the building. ACC Quinn puts Jack in charge of the investigation, and it is clear that this is going to be a political nightmare of a case. It turns out there are ten bodies, all nuns, and a mysterious eleventh victim which the police have to identify.
The Catholic Church are less than helpful to Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller, and even the information they are given about the nuns is suspect. Evidence soon accrues that the fire was no accident, and the police team set out to find out about the nuns and their activities. This leads them in two directions. Firstly, to the most terrifying new Albanian drug lord, Duka, with a savage and brutal reputation. The nuns had taken on the drug dealers and involved in trying to clear the area of them. Secondly, the nuns had connections to Peru and were followers of liberation theology.
Peru, like much of South America, had its despicable political tyrannies, death squads, a murderous army and right wing militias. The local population were enslaved to corporate interests, those attempting to challenge the horror were tortured, killed and disappeared in huge numbers. Elements of the Catholic priests and nuns could not let this go and got involved with the resistance in direct contradiction to a church allied to those committing these crimes. Geneva follows this line of the investigation, convinced that it has a bearing on the case. The eleventh victim is identified as Emily Maxted, a woman with an interesting history of political protests. Carrigan and Miller run themselves ragged trying to uncover the connections and motives behind the burning of the convent. They find themselves having to battle dangerous gangsters, and the quagmire that is internal police politics, in their path.
This is a hugely atmospheric and complex novel that is impeccably plotted. It is well researched and beautifully written. The narrative is never less than enthralling and is full of suspense. I learnt a lot about Carrigan and Miller's personal lives, such as Miller's dreadful ex-husband, Oliver, and just how hung up Jack is about his dead wife, Louise. If you like intelligent crime fiction, I would strongly urge you to read this series. Highly recommended.
The Catholic Church are less than helpful to Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller, and even the information they are given about the nuns is suspect. Evidence soon accrues that the fire was no accident, and the police team set out to find out about the nuns and their activities. This leads them in two directions. Firstly, to the most terrifying new Albanian drug lord, Duka, with a savage and brutal reputation. The nuns had taken on the drug dealers and involved in trying to clear the area of them. Secondly, the nuns had connections to Peru and were followers of liberation theology.
Peru, like much of South America, had its despicable political tyrannies, death squads, a murderous army and right wing militias. The local population were enslaved to corporate interests, those attempting to challenge the horror were tortured, killed and disappeared in huge numbers. Elements of the Catholic priests and nuns could not let this go and got involved with the resistance in direct contradiction to a church allied to those committing these crimes. Geneva follows this line of the investigation, convinced that it has a bearing on the case. The eleventh victim is identified as Emily Maxted, a woman with an interesting history of political protests. Carrigan and Miller run themselves ragged trying to uncover the connections and motives behind the burning of the convent. They find themselves having to battle dangerous gangsters, and the quagmire that is internal police politics, in their path.
This is a hugely atmospheric and complex novel that is impeccably plotted. It is well researched and beautifully written. The narrative is never less than enthralling and is full of suspense. I learnt a lot about Carrigan and Miller's personal lives, such as Miller's dreadful ex-husband, Oliver, and just how hung up Jack is about his dead wife, Louise. If you like intelligent crime fiction, I would strongly urge you to read this series. Highly recommended.
March 15, 2018
This is the second book in Stav Sherez's Carrigan & Miller series. The plot is elaborate and interesting. A convent is set afire while upstairs ten nuns are seated around their dining room table and the door is locked. But there is an eleventh victim. Who is it and why were they found in a confessional?
I continue to like the main characters and their working relationship. This book reveals more of both Jack Carrigan's and Geneva Miller's personal lives. There is no hint of romance between the two, but they are close friends.
Carrigan has a theory that illegal drugs are involved and that differs from Geneva's. She believes the nuns' pasts in Peru have come back to destroy them. Both of their pursuits, with a steady feeding of clues, kept me guessing.
I now must hunt down and procure the third book in this series!
I continue to like the main characters and their working relationship. This book reveals more of both Jack Carrigan's and Geneva Miller's personal lives. There is no hint of romance between the two, but they are close friends.
Carrigan has a theory that illegal drugs are involved and that differs from Geneva's. She believes the nuns' pasts in Peru have come back to destroy them. Both of their pursuits, with a steady feeding of clues, kept me guessing.
I now must hunt down and procure the third book in this series!
November 23, 2020
The parquet flooring had turned black, blistering like sunburnt skin. The painted canvases had melted from their copper frames leaving new designs, tongues of smoke and flame, a narrative of blister and peel. Two wheelchairs sat in the corner of the room, arabesques of steam rising like probing fingers from their seats. Random mounds of ash and metal lay scattered across the floor.
Like the first book, Eleven Days begins in a foreign country, new to it's visitors and forebodingly alien, and seemingly disconnected from the atrocity that brings our titular detectives to the story. Another book I sped through, though some little quibbles from the first popped up here, too, and either felt more noticeable this time or were just easier to notice through repetition.
To get the quibbles out of the way, Carrigan has a bit of a habit of completely agreeing with Miller's ideas, only to shut down the option of investigating further into them. It doesn't feel like it aligns with his actual thinking on the case, and it happened in the last book too. In addition, most of the personal development of our leads happens in the first half of the book, only to be dropped in the second half without resolution - again, just like the first entry in the series. They're minor annoyances, and didn't get in the way of what I liked much, but having it happen twice makes it less just bad luck and more authorial choice. It's also worth noting that there's torture described in this book that really is horrific - and that's set against some stark statements about human trafficking, along with the more usual trappings of a procedural, murder, threats and the like. Upbeat this is not.
But - and this is a big one, because I'm not one for grim without relief - there is definitely something about these books that just really works for me. The writing itself is really solid, not decorative but definitely more than one step above just good. The mystery is excellent and twisty, taking a couple of turns that actually surprised me. And there's a feeling that the author's tapping into some real truth, earlier than a lot of people did - talking about issues that don't come up often, that maybe scare off other authors, or that they just don't know about. It's a level of honesty and insight that makes me want to keep going through the parts where I'm less convinced.
There's only one book left - for now - so I'll definitely be continuing the series. But I might read something to cheer me up a bit first.
Like the first book, Eleven Days begins in a foreign country, new to it's visitors and forebodingly alien, and seemingly disconnected from the atrocity that brings our titular detectives to the story. Another book I sped through, though some little quibbles from the first popped up here, too, and either felt more noticeable this time or were just easier to notice through repetition.
To get the quibbles out of the way, Carrigan has a bit of a habit of completely agreeing with Miller's ideas, only to shut down the option of investigating further into them. It doesn't feel like it aligns with his actual thinking on the case, and it happened in the last book too. In addition, most of the personal development of our leads happens in the first half of the book, only to be dropped in the second half without resolution - again, just like the first entry in the series. They're minor annoyances, and didn't get in the way of what I liked much, but having it happen twice makes it less just bad luck and more authorial choice. It's also worth noting that there's torture described in this book that really is horrific - and that's set against some stark statements about human trafficking, along with the more usual trappings of a procedural, murder, threats and the like. Upbeat this is not.
But - and this is a big one, because I'm not one for grim without relief - there is definitely something about these books that just really works for me. The writing itself is really solid, not decorative but definitely more than one step above just good. The mystery is excellent and twisty, taking a couple of turns that actually surprised me. And there's a feeling that the author's tapping into some real truth, earlier than a lot of people did - talking about issues that don't come up often, that maybe scare off other authors, or that they just don't know about. It's a level of honesty and insight that makes me want to keep going through the parts where I'm less convinced.
There's only one book left - for now - so I'll definitely be continuing the series. But I might read something to cheer me up a bit first.
May 1, 2013
Once again I found myself diving into a "second in series" book by an author I was already extremely fond of. The first book in the "Carrigan and Miller" series, A Dark Redemption, was excellent and I was not far into this one before I realised that, if anything, it was even better. This time we find our protagonists investigating arson at a convent in which eleven nuns die...except there were only ten nuns in residence. With Eleven days to go until Christmas, the powers that be are keen for a resolution to this case... So begins a mystery that is deeper than it first appears and takes us on a journey across time and continents until the final,very jaw dropping (in the best way possible - I didnt see it coming and there was I thinking I was clever...) solution. Once again Mr Sherez creates characters you can believe in. Both Carrigan and Miller grow in stature and the supporting cast are all important to the story and well drawn. The background, of evil acts in South America, The Shining Path and all the political shenanigans is brilliant - extremely realistic, I imagine that a fair bit of research was involved in making it authentic. Its also a terrific social comment on what may be happening in our own back yard that we all turn a blind eye to - some of the story was very emotive and isnt it great when a book can make you feel something as well as entertain you? I have to say I was pleased to be reading this on the Kindle - I'm fairly sure I would be covered in paper cuts by now otherwise in my eagerness to turn pages...so all in all a great sequel, a great book and if you havent met up with Carrigan and Millar before, head back towards a Dark Redemption and I'm fairly sure it will then be less than Eleven Days before you are reading Eleven Days. Wonderful.
February 5, 2017
This is the second in the Carrigan & Miller series crime novels set in London. Sherez creates complicated stories that continue to gain depth as the stories progresses. The story opens with a fire in a wealthy neighborhood that completely destroy a house. The house turns out to be the residence of 10 nuns, a convent. Of course, as this is a crime novel, the fire is not accidental. Who would want to set a fire that kills nuns?
Of course, the Catholic Church us not cooperative when Carrigan and Miller come looking for answers. There are financial secrets, the nuns' neighborhood activism against drug dealers, as well as international ties that throw up question after question.
American readers may, like me, be puzzled by the fact that many of the detectives in the story go out to face really bad guys without guns. The neighboring state of Virginia has "open carry" laws so soneone can walk into Starbucks or Chuckie Cheese, with a gun on their hip. This just boggles the mind. Also, you will learn more about some really awful criminal organizations that we don't have - yet- in the US. If you are a fan of British crime, and complex plots, this is for you.
Of course, the Catholic Church us not cooperative when Carrigan and Miller come looking for answers. There are financial secrets, the nuns' neighborhood activism against drug dealers, as well as international ties that throw up question after question.
American readers may, like me, be puzzled by the fact that many of the detectives in the story go out to face really bad guys without guns. The neighboring state of Virginia has "open carry" laws so soneone can walk into Starbucks or Chuckie Cheese, with a gun on their hip. This just boggles the mind. Also, you will learn more about some really awful criminal organizations that we don't have - yet- in the US. If you are a fan of British crime, and complex plots, this is for you.
July 13, 2015
So... to be honest, I may have groaned just a bit on realising that it featured another dysfunctional pair of detectives assigned to London's Metropolitan police force - that's a bit of a cliché, to say the least, and the Met are not the shining beacons of rectitude they've acquired a worldwide reputation for being. They may have been more so decades ago when this trend began, but not now.
I did read the whole book, however, because I found it more interesting than the framing device would normally have led me to expect. In fact, the first thing I did on my next visit to my local library was to request the previous (and only other) book in the Carrigan & Miller series, A Dark Redemption...
I found Eleven Days thankfully less gory in nature than the cover led me to expect, and though it focuses on happenings at a Catholic convent where multiple nuns died in a fire, it's very objective in the narrative view of religion, and that's something I did appreciate. The characters themselves may not be - or may try to be objective and fail - but that's normal for real people, so I welcome that variation in view between the partners in question. It makes them more human, and more interesting. The writing in general was very well done, and the pace of the story sufficient to make this a book I wanted to read in one sitting (though I didn't get the chance to do that, I did finish it in three days - and then went back to read it over again), without getting tiring or tedious at any point.
Of course there was a twist near the end - and why not? After all, it's a staple of the genre, and not a bad one. The twist in question, though slightly anticipated, was one that made me smile because it had had things laid out for it - mysteries that don't mention anything about their possible solution anywhere before the detective's final monologue drive me up the wall. This author didn't make that mistake, and I'm grateful for that.
In addition to which, Stav Sherez was also very nice to me on Twitter when he saw I was reading his book, and that is another mark in his favour as someone whose work I'll be watching in future - writers who insult their reviewers really put me off their own work, but Stav is very much the opposite, and that gains an extra little bit of writer-loyalty with me. :)
I did read the whole book, however, because I found it more interesting than the framing device would normally have led me to expect. In fact, the first thing I did on my next visit to my local library was to request the previous (and only other) book in the Carrigan & Miller series, A Dark Redemption...
I found Eleven Days thankfully less gory in nature than the cover led me to expect, and though it focuses on happenings at a Catholic convent where multiple nuns died in a fire, it's very objective in the narrative view of religion, and that's something I did appreciate. The characters themselves may not be - or may try to be objective and fail - but that's normal for real people, so I welcome that variation in view between the partners in question. It makes them more human, and more interesting. The writing in general was very well done, and the pace of the story sufficient to make this a book I wanted to read in one sitting (though I didn't get the chance to do that, I did finish it in three days - and then went back to read it over again), without getting tiring or tedious at any point.
Of course there was a twist near the end - and why not? After all, it's a staple of the genre, and not a bad one. The twist in question, though slightly anticipated, was one that made me smile because it had had things laid out for it - mysteries that don't mention anything about their possible solution anywhere before the detective's final monologue drive me up the wall. This author didn't make that mistake, and I'm grateful for that.
In addition to which, Stav Sherez was also very nice to me on Twitter when he saw I was reading his book, and that is another mark in his favour as someone whose work I'll be watching in future - writers who insult their reviewers really put me off their own work, but Stav is very much the opposite, and that gains an extra little bit of writer-loyalty with me. :)
February 21, 2016
Eleven Days is the second book in the Carrigan and Miller series. Like the first book, Sherez uses the format of a police procedural and London’s diverse population to shine a light on fairly weighty political and social issues. In this case, the political turmoil and violence in Peru during the 1970s and the role of liberation theology and the contemporary movement of Albanian criminals into London’s underworld and sex trafficking. Both provide a menacing backdrop to Carrigan and Miller’s investigation into the death of ten nuns and an unknown young woman. Hindering their investigation is the intransigence of the Catholic Church to share information about the nuns or their work and internal police politics. The result is an engaging and compelling tale full of gritty realism in which the politics is a crucial element of the story but never overly dominates it at its expense. Moreover, Carrigan and Miller make for an interesting pairing as they battle their own personal demons. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the denouement, which I felt had one twist too many, but nonetheless a superior, thought-provoking, edge-of-seat police procedural that had me staying up late to keep the pages turning.
May 14, 2016
I totally got sucked into this story & read the book in one sitting, staying up way, way too late. It's nice to find a book like that! This is the second in a crime/world noir series by Stav Sherez. I rarely read series, yet I am so enjoying this one. I guess now I'm going to have to wait until the author writes the next one! Both books are gritty crime dramas with international/political overtones. They're really well-written & I've so enjoyed both of them. They've been smart, page-turning escapist reading for me. Definitely recommended.
December 28, 2020
3 1/2 stars
I really enjoyed this second in a series featuring DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller of London police although not sure it was the best selection for my Christmas reading. Ten nuns burnt to a crisp in their convent, located in a posh section of London, another unknown person also burned, Albanian drug dealers and pimps, violence in Peru from years ago, unrelenting pressure from the police commissioner and many dead ends all kept my interest. With that said this felt too dark for the holidays, which really took a background role in this thriller set during the eleven days building up to Christmas. Sherez's writing is very atmospheric, making one front and center in the unrelenting snowstorm that seems to be raging during the entire novel! I thought perhaps a few too many pages to get through to arrive at the twisty ending, but I loved the last paragraph of Carrigan experiencing an existential crisis! I hope to read more in this series.
Why I'm reading this: Part of my annual Christmas reading. It's fun to discover new authors who have written books set during the holidays, like this mystery series.
I really enjoyed this second in a series featuring DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller of London police although not sure it was the best selection for my Christmas reading. Ten nuns burnt to a crisp in their convent, located in a posh section of London, another unknown person also burned, Albanian drug dealers and pimps, violence in Peru from years ago, unrelenting pressure from the police commissioner and many dead ends all kept my interest. With that said this felt too dark for the holidays, which really took a background role in this thriller set during the eleven days building up to Christmas. Sherez's writing is very atmospheric, making one front and center in the unrelenting snowstorm that seems to be raging during the entire novel! I thought perhaps a few too many pages to get through to arrive at the twisty ending, but I loved the last paragraph of Carrigan experiencing an existential crisis! I hope to read more in this series.
Why I'm reading this: Part of my annual Christmas reading. It's fun to discover new authors who have written books set during the holidays, like this mystery series.
May 11, 2017
I'm really starting to love this author. This is the second book in the series, and in both, he blends an intriguing police procedural and dynamic relationships between the characters with something different - a deep understanding of international social justice issues and a willingness to tackle them head-on in crime fiction.
My only small quibble is with the expository dialogue he uses when Carrigan and Miller interview witnesses; as an example (a witness describing one of the victims, Emily):
"She wasn't like the rest of them, you have to understand that, for her it wasn't a posture, a way to make her life seem more meaningful than it really was - she actually meant it, meant it too much, that was the problem. She became so consumed by the troubles of the rest of the world and so enmeshed in its grievances that she somehow lost her self, and it wasn't long before I discovered another Emily residing just below the surface" (p. 261).
I could cite several other florid passages, some from this same character, where I found myself pulling back and saying, "Would he/she really talk to the police like this?" They were very evocative and often useful descriptions; they might have just been better placed as interior monologues, or presented in the narration somehow. But again, a minor annoyance overall. Well thought-out and well-written, with an ending I didn't see coming.
My only small quibble is with the expository dialogue he uses when Carrigan and Miller interview witnesses; as an example (a witness describing one of the victims, Emily):
"She wasn't like the rest of them, you have to understand that, for her it wasn't a posture, a way to make her life seem more meaningful than it really was - she actually meant it, meant it too much, that was the problem. She became so consumed by the troubles of the rest of the world and so enmeshed in its grievances that she somehow lost her self, and it wasn't long before I discovered another Emily residing just below the surface" (p. 261).
I could cite several other florid passages, some from this same character, where I found myself pulling back and saying, "Would he/she really talk to the police like this?" They were very evocative and often useful descriptions; they might have just been better placed as interior monologues, or presented in the narration somehow. But again, a minor annoyance overall. Well thought-out and well-written, with an ending I didn't see coming.
November 7, 2020
The novel is titled “Eleven Days” but it seemed to stretch out much longer than that! The primary question is who set fire to a nunnery and burnt 10 nuns to death? I was held attentive in the first part of the novel, but the plot grew fragmented and the text got weighed down with far too much detail and description. Who was the 11th victim? Were the Albanians involved? Was it because of the nuns interfering with drug sales? Or did it have to do with time the nuns spent in Peru? Page after page of possibilities, and in the end, the answer was overly simple.
May 26, 2020
Ten dead nuns plus another person perish in a fire that demolished the convent. The 11th person was not authorized to be there. Who was she and why was she there? Was the fire accidental or arson? What do drugs, sex trafficking, and a military compound in Peru run by a priest have to do with the fire? Not an easy investigation for detective Carrigan and his partner Geneva. A truly remarkable book! It seemed that the author was reading my mind and answered my next questions as I progressed through this compelling novel. Highly recommended.
February 9, 2021
Läst svenska utgåvan, Elva dagar
September 29, 2017
I listened to the audiobook, it was very enjoyable. Great storyline and great twists and turns.
July 27, 2013
No. 2 Carrigan & Miller series
Another British police procedural. And a damn good one at that.
I'd not read the first novel in this series and the author didn't waste many words filling me in on the backstory, which I liked. There were just a few brief references to past events which was enough. If you can't fill I'm the blanks and work it out for yourself then what are you doing reading mysteries? I am currently reading (or struggling to read) a series book where the author has felt the need to give the reader some of the backstory of every character who has had dealings with the protagonist in the past. Not only is it tedious and makes the plot plod but I feel the author regards the readers as simpletons.
But I digress. ELEVEN DAYS revolves around the investigation of a fire in a convent resulting in the deaths of ten nuns and an unknown body in the confessional. Resisting pressure from above to resolve the case quickly and quietly with a minimum of publicity and battling obstruction from the bishop's assistant, Carrigan is determined to find the truth regardless of the consequences.
A book like ELEVEN DAYS is why I read crime fiction. It grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and wouldn't let go. I found myself reluctant to put it down, resenting frivolous interruptions such as meals and loo breaks. The characters are layered and interesting. The plot clever with many twists and turns and even if the resolution seemed a little flawed to me the quality of the writing and the author's gift of description more than make up for that.
Highly recommended.
April 7, 2015
Really enjoyed this intelligent and powerful book. Sherez writes with authority-I get the impression he has researched well and shows sound knowledge throughout. His main characters are realistic. This is a book I would thoroughly recommend to crime story lovers. If you haven't read anything by Stav Sherez, in my opinion, you are missing out. Can't wait for the third Carrigan and Miller book. In the meantime am going to read some of his other work.
January 28, 2018
Nicely convoluted police procedural crime. I really liked the way the police characters developed over the course of the story and that the crime was not of the usual type. There have been a group of nuns living in the suburbs, there have been occasional crimes and goings on in the neighbourhood and the nuns have been involved in helping out the needy and being involved in the fight against injustices, but for someone to incinerate them, that seems extreme. Thus we have a mass killing on our hands and a bunch of clues, none of which seem to fit. Add to this the fact that the church is being downright obstructive in releasing details about the community of nuns, then you have the makings of a really interesting crime novel. Who on earth would possibly hate these good women so much that they would commit such a horrendous crime upon them?
The novel takes you from London to Peru and into the Russian crime scene. Lots of scope for mystery and intrigue and double dealing. I really liked the detectives Jack Carrigan and his partner Miller, they are nicely developed and have plenty going on in their own lives to make them interesting.
I'm definitely going to be searching out some more of these novels. If you are in the market for something other than Scandi crime, I think this is hard to beat.
The novel takes you from London to Peru and into the Russian crime scene. Lots of scope for mystery and intrigue and double dealing. I really liked the detectives Jack Carrigan and his partner Miller, they are nicely developed and have plenty going on in their own lives to make them interesting.
I'm definitely going to be searching out some more of these novels. If you are in the market for something other than Scandi crime, I think this is hard to beat.
November 20, 2016
Stav Sherez is a masterful storyteller. Framed as a police procedural, this book is so much more.
A fire at a convent kill eleven women, although only 10 nuns are supposedly in residence. Cardigan and Miller, whom we met in the first book (A Dark Redemption) get stonewalled in their investigation by the church and the police hierarchy. They do learn, however, that the convent which was supposed to be very private, had a number of recent visitors and also employed a caretaker. And who was the eleventh victim?
As in the earlier book there is a historic connection, this time in Peru. The nuns from this order had all done missionary work in Peru and become involved with liberation theology at a time when there was political turmoil and wealthy miners were exploiting their impoverished workforce. We also have Albanian mafia and more theories than you can poke a stick at.
There is a lovely twist at the end in which the tragic truth is revealed. This was another complex and very satisfying mystery. I'm pleased to see a third Carrigan and Miller story is due for release in 2017.
A fire at a convent kill eleven women, although only 10 nuns are supposedly in residence. Cardigan and Miller, whom we met in the first book (A Dark Redemption) get stonewalled in their investigation by the church and the police hierarchy. They do learn, however, that the convent which was supposed to be very private, had a number of recent visitors and also employed a caretaker. And who was the eleventh victim?
As in the earlier book there is a historic connection, this time in Peru. The nuns from this order had all done missionary work in Peru and become involved with liberation theology at a time when there was political turmoil and wealthy miners were exploiting their impoverished workforce. We also have Albanian mafia and more theories than you can poke a stick at.
There is a lovely twist at the end in which the tragic truth is revealed. This was another complex and very satisfying mystery. I'm pleased to see a third Carrigan and Miller story is due for release in 2017.
November 4, 2018
Carrigan and Miller - a brilliant detective series by Stav Sherez:
Detective fiction doesn't come any better than in the Carrigan and Miller Series by Stav Sherez. There are three novels to date and each is equally gripping. A recommendation in The Mail on Sunday started me reading them and I wasn't to be disappointed. Whilst the three novels can be read independently, I would recommend that you read the books in published order. They are a treat to read and each will have you guessing to the very end. The third novel in the series, "The Intrusions" lives up to its title and features the potentially sinister power of malware on PCs and laptops. Very scary. Especially when you realise that the software actually exists. It makes the plot ever so realistic. And will ensure you switch off your PCs and laptops after every internet browsing session.
All three novels make for a great read with intelligent plots, realistic characters and twists and turns. This is a must read series for those readers who are fans of detective fiction. Read and enjoy.
Detective fiction doesn't come any better than in the Carrigan and Miller Series by Stav Sherez. There are three novels to date and each is equally gripping. A recommendation in The Mail on Sunday started me reading them and I wasn't to be disappointed. Whilst the three novels can be read independently, I would recommend that you read the books in published order. They are a treat to read and each will have you guessing to the very end. The third novel in the series, "The Intrusions" lives up to its title and features the potentially sinister power of malware on PCs and laptops. Very scary. Especially when you realise that the software actually exists. It makes the plot ever so realistic. And will ensure you switch off your PCs and laptops after every internet browsing session.
All three novels make for a great read with intelligent plots, realistic characters and twists and turns. This is a must read series for those readers who are fans of detective fiction. Read and enjoy.
December 21, 2017
Pleasant, interesting, nostalgic, clean detective thriller in winter weather London. Clever theme linking street politics, the church and drugs/people smuggling operations. Whilst necessary for an author to retain characteristics in keeping with key figures a balance is required between authenticity and how much continued offensive language a general reader can stand.
Overkill here with "wtf" in full, repeatedly. Decidedly intrusive, an obstacle to fluidity of reading.
Otherwise a pleasant read. The author's skill in evoking the cool Christmas weather, read in far hotter climes, was admirable.
Overkill here with "wtf" in full, repeatedly. Decidedly intrusive, an obstacle to fluidity of reading.
Otherwise a pleasant read. The author's skill in evoking the cool Christmas weather, read in far hotter climes, was admirable.
May 17, 2017
This is the second story in the Carrigan /Miller series and it was a definite page turner. stav Sherez is a cracking writer who elevates police procedurals into something special as he keeps all the usual classic features but adds something other with well informed journeys into the unusual. In the first book it was politics in Uganda but in this one we are immersed into the world of the Catholic church and Peruvian politics and missionaries.
I won't say anymore suffice to say that if you like Crime fiction I heartily recommend this series.
I won't say anymore suffice to say that if you like Crime fiction I heartily recommend this series.
April 9, 2018
An interesting read, by Stav Sherez . A Convent burns near Christmas, no survivors. There is mystery, murder. Only 10 nuns reside in this convent, but an eleventh body is found. DI Carrigan and DS Miller are called in to investigate. The more that Carrigan and Miller find leads them into a deeper investigation. Where is the missing priest that visited the convent? It seems that he has been sent off to a retreat and cannot be reached.
This book can be rather brutal at times. but is well worth the read.
This book can be rather brutal at times. but is well worth the read.
July 16, 2018
There's a lot to like about this, the second in the Carrigan & Miller series: the writing is tight; it is well plotted; there's a gritty authenticity about the locations and procedure. However, there's more than a touch of deja vu about the plot: foreign intrigues; torture; wrongful approaches; and I am heartily tired of fictional policemen who insist on entering dangerous situations without backup and consequently getting hit on the head. Still, all that did not stop me finishing the book compulsively!
April 17, 2019
This was a really enjoyable read although the final plot was a bit predictable. But the book still managed to keep me excited, not knowing what would come next. The main characters are interesting and this book we get to know a little bit more about their backstory but the author still mostly keep their personal lives mostly out of the book. Basically we just get a peak into their lives, just enough to remind us that they are not just cops. I've now read the first two of the Carrigan and Miller books and I really look forward to reading the next one.
July 17, 2017
This is the second in a series and though I have not read the first I shall have to rectify that in the near future. The plot involves a fire in which ten nuns are killed and it is not obvious whether it is an accident or murder. It gets even more complicated when another body is found . The main characters, Jack Carrigan and Geneva Miller are easy to identify with, though they are both burdened by their own personalities.
March 2, 2019
I found the first half a little slow which took me some time to get into the book, however, it did have it's moments which kept me hooked and made me want to keep reading. I became fond of the characters and everytime I thought I had figured out the suspect, there was another twist thrown in proving my theories wrong.
I liked how it ended with a couple of twists I didn't see coming (although one of them I was hoping would happen) and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
I liked how it ended with a couple of twists I didn't see coming (although one of them I was hoping would happen) and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
November 8, 2020
Eleven Days was a step up from A Dark Redemption. This is possibly personal preference as I found the subject material more interesting. The backgrounds of the two leads is expanded upon in this installment as well. There are less obvious tropes about the characters than the first book, and so reading about the characters was more enjoyable too. It is worth getting through A Dark Redemption to get to this book and the Intrusions. I would recommend this series.
December 15, 2020
Excellent - what begins as a fire, arson, possible murder investigation takes the traditional “convent/monastery murder/mystery” and turns it inside out: the nuns involvement in the world, brings the world inside their walls. Very well written. As before, heavy on the world weary darkness of the detective couple and whenever there are twins in a mystery you should look out - so 3.9 stars because the plot and the original crime’s solution is just a bit over egged....
March 20, 2017
The breadth of this novel is amazing as it roams from Peruvian politics of the 70s to Albanian gangs of the present via lack of cooperation from the Catholic church without confusion but with logic. The story opens when 10 nuns and an unknown female are burnt to death in a fire. Cardigan and Miller, a very realistic duo, follow all and any leads they can until they reach a conclusion in a very clever twist I didn't see coming. Obviously not everything they investigate has a bearing on the fire and it's perpetrator but it makes the book engrossing as you try to work out what is relevant and what isn't. I bet you can't because of the clever plotting and the power of Mr Sherez's writing - he makes it all plausible. This book is well worth reading. I read it in one sitting.
December 26, 2018
When I took this from the little library, I didn’t realize it was a continuation of a series, but I didn’t feel there was anything missing in not having read the first book.
The plot & story was interesting. I couldn’t figure out what the ending was going to be. But I found the writing a touch lazy and repetitive at times.
The plot & story was interesting. I couldn’t figure out what the ending was going to be. But I found the writing a touch lazy and repetitive at times.
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