Ailede Bir Yabancı

Maeve Kerrigan #11

by Jane Casey, Aslı Dağlı (Translator)

Dokuz yaşındaki Rosalie Marshall bir yaz gecesi hiç iz bırakmadan ortadan kaybolmuştu. Onun sırra kadem basışı ailesini paramparça edecekti.

Aradan on altı yıl geçmesine rağmen Rosalie’den hiçbir iz yoktu. Derken bir gün annesi Helena ve babası Bruce, yataklarında ölü bulundu. İlk bakışta cinayet-intihar vakası gibi görünse de Çavuş Maeve Kerrigan ve Müfettiş Josh Derwent çok geçmeden bu vakada hiçbir şeyin göründüğü gibi olmadığını anlayacaktı.

Helena ve Bruce’un ölümlerini araştırırken on altı yıl önceki olayların gündeme gelmesi de kaçınılmazdı. Marshallların sırları bir bir gün yüzüne çıkacaktı fakat bir sırrı olan yalnızca onlar değildi.

Birileri, sırlarının ortaya dökülmesini engellemek ve gerçeği örtbas etmek için cinayet işlemeye hazırdı ve Maeve, Rosalie’nin başına ne geldiğini ortaya çıkarana kadar hiç kimse güvende değildi...

Öte yandan Maeve, Josh’un ondan bir şeyler sakladığına emindi ve ne pahasına olursa olsun onu konuşturmaya kararlıydı. Josh da Maeve’den uzak durmaya. Tabii becerebilirse…

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Procedural, Audiobook

440 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2024

About the author

She studied English at Jesus College, Oxford, followed by an mPhil in Anglo-Irish Literature at Trinity College, Dublin

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+
Maeve Kerrigan #11

It’s early morning and the tail end of the summer holidays and Helena Marshall wakes to a dispiriting number of jobs, not least in their old house in Richmond. Her husband, Bruce, 13 years older than her, is still asleep, so she gets up quietly. She has an unsettling sense of doom, so checks her two boys, 14 year old Ivo, now as silent teen and 12 year old Magnus, lazy but cheerful, but she doesn’t go to the top of the house to check on nine year-old ‘wilful’ Rosalie. This later, she can’t explain, except perhaps it’s to do with the nature of the child. However, never, not for one minute does she consider that anything could be wrong or that there’s anything remotely to worry about, as she dismisses those early morning thoughts. That happens 16 years ago, the night Rosalie vanishes and is never seen again. In the present day, Helena and Bruce are found dead, side-by-side, an apparent murder suicide, but Maeve and her boss DI Josh Derwent aren’t so sure.

Maeve is back, three cheers, especially after that last belter of an outing in “The Close”! I’m pleased to say this is another good ‘un. So, what’s so good about this series? In a nutshell, it’s the fantastic characters that Jane Casey has created. Maeve is great, she can be very funny and the teasing between her and the team is a welcome relief from a tough plot. The dynamics between Maeve and Josh are fascinating, it’s a very complex and complicated situation and the police team members Georgia and Liv do their best here to help the ongoing ‘dance’ between them. It’s a diverse, likeable team but the jury is out on DSU Una Burt with her thinning lips and she’ll stick the boot in whenever she can. Maybe she needs to.

As for the clever plot, this one starts in one place with the storytelling taking us in directions that are so unexpected. It becomes darker and darker with characters presenting one face to the world when the reality is something very different. There are some insightful points of views that are revealing though you ponder if they actually muddy the waters. Some links and connections begin to be made via dogged investigations and there are some terrific plot twists and plenty of tension. The ending is dramatic and also poignant. As for the ultimate ending well, I can’t say much for risk of a spoiler, but let’s settle for, here’s hoping number twelve is well underway. Tenterhooks or what.

Overall, this is another cracking and gripping read, which is full of suspense, constant surprises and excellent characters.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review

[Bec (becbingesbooks) - sorry, behind with lots of catching up to do · Rating 5 out of 5]

** Happy publication day **

A thriller with romantic suspense... a must read for Maeve Kerrigan fans! Maybe wait until closer to the release of book 12 because it's going to be a long and hard wait with that ending 🫣.

This was a gripping and fast paced crime thriller/police procedural with Maeve and Derwent investigating the murder-suicide of Rosalie's parents. Rosalie herself has been missing for 16 years and her disappearance may be connected with what happened to her parents.

I am doing "no comment" responses to anything Maeve & Derwent related... other than, read this! 😆

I believe reading The Outsider (stand alone) last month made this even more enjoyable!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Anticipated PD: 14 March 2024

⚠️ Please check TWs online ⚠️

[Lit with Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

writing: classic british crime writing | plot: had potential | ending: gwurl

my opinion

I won't lie, I was invested in this series solely because of the extra slow burn between Maeve and Josh. After the way #10 ended, I was champing at the bit to see what happened between these two, so it hurts me to say: KEEP IT.

I can't remember if Maeve was always this lovesick and whiny but OMFG GIRL STAND UP!!!!!!! I wouldn't have been surprised if she whipped out a daisy and started plucking its petals off going "he loves me, he loves me not." That's how tectonic plates down bad this girl was. Honestly I felt some of the feminism leave my body watching Maeve beg for a crumb of his attention, especially when you consider he had a whole ass girlfriend and was playing daddy to her son. Oh and he has his own son too. A MESS.

I nearly yeeted my Kindle into the stratosphere when homegirl was dry humping him at work to "prove" that he would always want to sleep with her and then said "but I don't want you to cheat on Melissa." HUH?????? If straddling another women's man isn't considered cheating then what the fuck is????

Anyways, other than Maeve being more focused on Josh than the case, it was... meh. The case itself had potential if there had been more of Rosalie/her family's pov and less closed caption ass "I put on my socks and then my shoes" or whatever the fuck Maeve was thinking. The sheer volume of filler in this book could've been considered a novella on its own. I read this book a week ago but I'm still wondering why the following was included:

"I listened to the second half of a grim news report on asylum seekers who were risking their lives and their children to get to the UK. The journalist was sympathetic, the politicians she interviewed less so. Not our responsibility was his message. We had enough problems without inviting more to join us. It made me think of my parents, and how they had kept a low profile when they arrived in England at first when an Irish accent could trigger anger and fear. Anyone could be arrested on the off-chance they were connected to the IRA. They had walked a careful line, keeping to themselves, safe within the Irish community. It hadn't been easy."

The story had nothing to do with Maeve's parents, Irish immigrants, asylum seekers, or the IRA?????????? Cool story but how is this relevant??????

Anyways, if you're invested in this series: read it. If you're not: read #9 instead.

pros & cons

pros: the flame has been lit between Maeve & Josh FINALLY (also a con lol), resolution to the case was interesting, prologue was BANGIN, liked the pov of Rosalie and her family the best

cons: hella long b/c of all the closed caption ass writing, maeve set feminism back at least 2 decades with her spineless behaviour, josh???????

__

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[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a Family Affair.

Another fantastic read by Jane Casey!

A Stranger in the Family is a complicated murder mystery dealing with family relationships. Not limited to just the story at hand, there are flies in the ointment of a personal nature with building tension between the detectives working the case.

I began the Maeve Kerrigan series in the middle at number nine and then backtracked to number seven. Although the storyline progresses with each book, I wasn't bothered by reading either as a stand alone. I felt similar here having missed the last installment.

As usual, I loved Jane Casey’s wording and was peculiarly impressed with a wrap up portion near the end of the book. Instead of a dull outline detailing the missing pieces, one of the characters (no spoilers) reminisces about earlier experiences with eloquent phrasing.

The writing was beautifully expressive and brought out the tissue box even though I’m usually the dry eyed hold out in scenarios moving others. It was an unexpected contrast to the taut police procedural and escalating tension between all the characters which instilled even more appreciation for the author.

I loved this one and now the wait begins for number twelve!

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Just finished and I’m NOT ok.

I’m in a heap after that ending and kind of hate Jane Casey right now. But also A Stranger in the House dealt me all the clever, complex, chilling and full of tension cards.

The cold case of a missing child, 9 year old Rosalie, becomes boiling hot when her parents are found dead in bed together. Mystery and deception are wrapped up tight in this intriguing case.

Maeve and Derwent are a great pair of detectives. They are old friends and formidable colleagues who share an undeniable sparking chemistry full of tension and anticipation. Their personal problems supersede the case at times, but I didn’t care I was there for it. And I hadn’t a clue what way the plot would go, so I was hooked on every angle really.

Highly recommended to suspense fans, especially if you enjoy a captivating narrative filled with twists, turns, and unexpected revelations. I’m ready for the next book, and desperately hoping it will be published soon.

And no I’m still not ok….

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is still one of my must-read series but this entry feels like it's slightly more tipped towards the ongoing lives of the main characters than the crime plot: a double murder in the present leads to the search for a solution to the disappearance of a child sixteen years ago but the story gets quite muddled and I'm still not sure I understand the reason for the first murders...

At times it almost feels like an afterthought that the characters are investigating a murder case; it's more a vehicle to bring characters together or keep them apart. And it's significant that, for the first time, Maeve and Josh don't discover the full story of Rosalie as we are privy to 3rd person inserts that give us information that they never have. It's an interesting technique and possibly a departure in this series.

Kudos to Casey, then, that I still loved this because I'm so invested in Maeve and Josh Derwent. Some of the interventions by Georgia and Liv become a little hard to swallow in a professional setting but add some humour amidst all the emotional angst. And I thought the ending was perfect... till the slightly cheap epilogue with its cliff-hanger.

Still, a one-sitting read and I'll be counting the days till the next episode!

Many thanks to Harper Collins for an ARC via Netgalley.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Stranger in the Family" is the 11th book in author Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan series and is also a standalone read.

This was a 14-hour audiobook that I would have enjoyed more had it been shorter.

WHAT TO OMIT? Maeve's love life could have easily been omitted.

Narrator Caroline Lennon did an outstanding job with the narration.

The author leaves readers hanging at the end.

So there definitely will be a Maeve Kerrigan #12!

3.5 stars, rounded up

[Karen Chong · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / 5

This boook is a downgrade to the previous book I’ve read, the reason why was that this book focused more on Maeve and Josh’s attempt to sort whatever they had going on than the whole plot itself. That storyline alone took away from the actual main plot, and I felt it very awkward and incoherent at points because Casey wanted to show the emotional jist and it just felt cringe at points. It was painstaking to watch, and Josh’s behaviour is frankly bizarre. I really liked the main plot, but I found it slightly too predictable. It felt like Casey was taking the longing and chemistry of the two and played with it more past the point of loving and just cringe.

The plot follows a murder scene turned to look like a suicide scene of Helena and her husband Bruce Marshall, this looks to be a relatively straight forward case, but 16 years ago Helena’s adopted daughter Rosalind Marshall goes missing one summer night never to be seen again. The disappearance destroyed the family. Now it’s DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent who are assigned this case to solve. Soon they began unrevealing hidden secrets, putting the pair at risk as well.

Overall, this book is alright, the previous book I found better. I really hope they stop this cringe writing between Josh and Maeve - the tension ‘chemistry’ just felt really forced and cringe following from the events of the last mission. I’m intrigued by the direction of the series, but hope they put an end to the cringe ass relationship writing lol. Ngl, imagine dating your boss who’s a married man in a complex situation seems a tad bizarre.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now read a number of reviews here on Goodreads, but apparently I am the only one picking up Heathcliff/Wuthering Heights vibes. Ah well, not the first time I disagree with the majority. Love this series. Love the author´s writing. Must read more from her.

[Ellery Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book has all the crime drama you’re looking for. Some highlights include:

🏠 Adoption
🏠 Domestic Thrillers
🏠 Family Dynamics
🏠 Women in Law Enforcement
🏠 Found Family
🏠 Romantic tension

This book had me hooked from the beginning and kept me engaged right up until the end. The mystery is a fascinating one, and Jane Casey does an excellent job providing red herrings, false leads, and twists and turns. Where this thriller really shines, however, is in the relationship between the two lead investigators, Maeve and Josh. I loved their banter and felt that the romantic tension between them amplified the overall tension of the novel. The narration was excellent. Thanks to @libro.fm for the gifted audiobook.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite of this series. Loved the mystery but the will-they-won’t-they between Maeve and Josh really overwhelmed the book.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I waited over two weeks to finally write this review and yet it still feels impossible to do the book justice. In fact, I want justice for the emotional rollercoaster Jane Casey has sent me on. I have been shifting between agony and joy ever since, and I can only say that a book that can make you feel so much is worth everything.
‘A Stranger in the Family’ is the 11th instalment in the addictive DS Maeve Kerrigan series, written by Jane Casey. And I have been completely and utterly taken by this series for 7 years now. These are my favourite books and for good reason. Not only is the plot always so complex, suspenseful and thrilling that I can never figure out the mystery until the pieces come perfectly together, but the relationships between characters feel so real that the fantasy becomes a reality. It is truly rare that a book series improves with each new release, but, as always, Jane has blown me away with her talent to do just that.

Onto the book itself. Helena and Bruce Marshall are found dead in their flat in what appeared to be a clear-cut murder-suicide. And yet, it soon becomes apparent that clear-cut is far from it. Helena and Bruce Marshall were parents of Rosalie, a young girl who disappeared one night without a trace, and the lines between the two cases become blurred very quickly. The investigation ended up being the darkest and most thrilling one so far. There were a lot more jumps in perspective between Maeve and the key players in the case itself than usual. And while that is something that I typically wouldn’t like, I can confidently say that it was a phenomenal choice for this particular story. I honestly don’t think I have ever been so suspicious of every single character when compared to previous novels, and the perspective changes played a part in that.
The mystery was so good throughout that I couldn’t put the book down for wanting to know if my own, new whodunnit theories were right (they rarely were). I won’t say more about the case itself to avoid spoilers, as every piece of information plays a part in the end.

And now… for what I shamelessly fell in love with more than the mystery itself… MOSH (or Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent). My heart has been torn out of my chest, thrown on the floor, stepped on (repeatedly), ripped into shreds, glued back together, returned to my body, then cut out again and thrown into general waste. If you’re here for the sizzling hot, glowing devotion between our two favourite detectives, strap yourself in, this is a rough one. I have never been more desperate for the next instalment. Not only do Maeve and Josh make the perfect crime solving duo, but they also make the perfect duo in every other sense. I could provide a Ted Talk on the matter. The title would be ‘Perfection’ and the description would be ‘How-to-land-your-readers-in-therapy’.
Jane Casey masterfully weaves their relationship into the case. As said before, her storytelling feels so authentic that it is truly one-in-a-million. The only thing that I can fault is how prolonged their will-they-won’t-they has become. Although their tension was genuinely palpable, all the complications and back-and-forth was emotionally draining and dissatisfying. But regardless, for all those who love Maeve and Josh, you’re in for a real treat. You will remember this one for years to come. And even if you are just a crime fiction enthusiast, the personal relationships between all the characters, not just Maeve and Josh, make their own wonderful mysteries. As for the infamous, teased cliffhanger: I have been in agony ever since, it made me genuinely nauseous, I’m still in shock.

That’s all I’ll say about the book, as this is not a novel you’d want spoiled for yourself. Every sentence grips you more than the last and I am counting the days until Maeve #12.

I truly believe that anyone who is even remotely interested in crime fiction needs to read this book, and each Maeve Kerrigan book prior. Jane Casey’s writing is just so unique. It’s a real privilege to read.

Thank you so much and HarperCollinsUK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review!

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Casey what are you doing to me?! I'm broken. You broke me. I never thought a crime book could break me like this but A Stranger In The Family did. I loved the plot. I loved the concept. The past and present, all the layers, complexities. It was so good. But what made that book for me are Maeve and Josh. Like seriously I was shouting at times, I was pleading, I love those two. I can't even... I need answers. I need more. Please book 12 hurry up.
Highly recommended.

[Petula Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whoo boy this one was a slog.
This series has seemingly devolved almost entirely into an overwrought will-they-or-won't-they, long and drawn out soap opera of woe. I would have dnf'd by the halfway point if I hadn't gotten sucked into the mystery.
I used to enjoy Maeve's insight and sense of humor, but in this book she's an utter drip. She has no friends, no hobbies and no interests at this point other than work and pining for Derwent. She's become utterly joyless for no discernible reason
It's such a bummer since this was one of my favorite series for years.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every mother's worst nightmare . . . When nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall vanished from her bed one summer night, her disappearance tore her family apart. Now, sixteen years later, her mother Helena is found dead, her husband by her side. It looks like a straightforward murder-suicide but DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent soon discover nothing about this case is straight forward.

I really enjoy books by this author and this one was no exception, a continuation in a great series. What is initially thought of as the suicide of a woman and her husband, it soon becomes apparent that it is much bigger case for DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent, now with a double murder on their hands to solve. We are also beginning to see the attraction these two detectives really have for each other which is presented realistically and you are taken in by the emotions felt between the two.

Excellent strong characters bring the story to life and once again the housework was left as I immersed myself in the book. Great plot that leads the reader down a path that makes you wonder where it is all going and I really had no idea how this would resolve, this to me is an indicator of a great book. If you have not tried this series I suggest you do as you will not be disappointed. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.

[andthenisay · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay, a hot six hours after finishing this book, i think i’m ready to explain why it’s only three stars for me. clearly, as someone who read this whole book on the day of its publication, i’m very into the series and specifically the maeve/josh will-they-won’t-they of it all. i know theoretically this series is crime fiction but for me it is primarily capital-R Romance.

the thing that i found underwhelming about this installment was its lack of emotional depth? that seems like having maybe unnecessarily high expectation for this type of novel, but ultimately i’ve found most of the other books in this series to have great characterization and to hit really great moments of relationship between josh and maeve. not every moment has been a 10 out of 10, but overall it’s felt like jane casey has gotten more right than wrong (in my opinion) with keeping the characters familiar and believable during a very drawn out period of romantic foreplay.

and while their sexual chemistry has been a huge selling point of their pairing since basically book five (the point at which maeve decided that she did unfortunately kind of want to fuck josh derwent), they’ve also had a huge amount of emotional growth since then and come to care for and respect each other both within their working partnership and their friendship. they’ve had moments of sincere tenderness (josh washing maeve’s bloody hair/face at the end of book eight is my literal fiction kryptonite) and genuine closeness (maeve’s “i love you” to josh at the end of book nine basically cemented the fact that, like it or not, these two are accidentally best friends). which is why this book’s total skirting of their emotional closeness felt like a real misstep. almost every confrontation in this book was about who wanted to fuck the other more, and who should feel worse about wanting to fuck the other so badly. sure, maeve proving to josh that he’s too attracted to her for his own good was fun to read, but why was there no discussion about their actual feelings? why sidestep mature concerns these two would have about entering into a relationship with each other for legit personal and professional reasons? i understand that answering some of these more nuanced questions (do they actually care about each other in a day-to-day way? are they capable of being with each other without driving themselves nuts? can they be dependable to each other without also being the shitty brats they usually end up being?) are the work of future novels and a way to keep the relationship tension going after the will-they has been answered, but to not even attempt to ask — let alone answer — any of these questions during what felt like a pivotal step forward in their relationship feels disingenuous.

i know my interest in the romantic storyline of this series is a lot, and my expectations are high, but i think previous novels have been quite good and i hoped this resolution would be the same. overall i felt like the continuance of the melissa drama was pretty tired, maeve’s inability to clue in to josh’s feeling was hard to believe, and the manufactured drama keeping them apart was just too much. i’ll definitely read future installments (i can’t help myself) but i overall found this book pretty disappointing.

tldr; much like book six, this book had maybe the most shippy maeve/josh content and also might be another one that i just pretend doesn’t exist.

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was just okay, but I can only blame myself, as I didn't realise this was number 11 in the series. Although the actual whodunnit part could be read as a stand alone, I can't say the same for the relationship between the investigators. To be fair, I think DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent's situation would have irritated me even if I read the previous books.

[Sibel Gandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 / 5

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my money, Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent detective series is the best out there in the category of ‘duo detectives’. Casey is incredibly successful at delineating the couple’s ever-developing relationship whilst also giving the reader two complex individuals who enjoy plenty of verbal sparring alongside watching each other’s backs. ‘A Stranger in the Family’ develops Josh and Maeve’s relationship to a whole new level. After living together for professional reasons in ‘The Close’ (the previous novel in this series), they are beginning to be more honest about their feelings for each other – if only to themselves.
In this novel, Josh and Maeve are investigating the murder/suicide of an elderly couple whose nine year old adopted daughter went missing sixteen years earlier. As ever, Casey gives the reader a very well plotted narrative, including scenes from the past to ensure that we care about the missing Rosalie, even though we have no idea whether or not she is still alive. Her exploration of the emotional needs of adopted children is skilfully handled and allows us to see why Rosalie behaves in the ways that she does.
Whilst this is not the most memorable of all the crimes that Josh and Maeve have investigated so far, the strength of their feelings for each other is extremely well developed. Obviously, Casey leaves us wanting more still!
My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK, HarperFiction for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

[Bel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series but I was disappointed in how much of Book 11 was about Maeve pining over Derwent. The main focus seemed to be on Maeve wondering if Derwent was thinking about her and if he would break up with his girlfriend.

Book 10 wrote Maeve and Derwent’s possible romance better, it was more a product of their friendship and the slow burn chemistry built up over the last 10 books. It also worked because they were working undercover as a couple. The case was always the central focus too so you were excited to read about them.
Book 11 read like Maeve suddenly didn’t care about anyone else but Derwent because she decided she wanted him and the case was an after thought.

Book 11 would’ve rated more with me if I could’ve read more about the case and other characters. Jane Casey developed some great characters in this series that she barely mentioned them unless to use them as a way to lecture Maeve about Derwent.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nine year old Rosalie Marshall vanished from her bed one summer and was never seen again. Now, 16 years later, her mother and father are found dead in their apartment in what appears to be a murder-suicide. DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent are back, investigating the case but nothing is as it seems. 

This one was so well plotted, with the interwoven scenes from the past and Rosalie, along with the strained family relationships they have to navigate and their own personal problems at play. It was tense and mysterious, hooking me from the moment the story opened. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this gifted review copy. 4.5*

[Escheresque · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll give someone $20 for spoilers! I wanna know who, how, and why, and what that cliffhanger is.

[Marion Tucker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book read more like a romance novel than a police procedural, very disappointing.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is THE most difficult review I have ever done. I love Jane Casey, I love all her books, but this book is a tale of two halves. I don't want to give things away crime story is excellent, really great and gripping. Five stars for that but the Kerrigan/Derwent relationship is appalling. The Close captured it perfectly, this ruins it. The character of Derwent in this is NOT the Josh Derwent I have read about up until now. The logic is ludicrous and he simply would not be like that. The reasoning is weak. The whole thing has gone on too long, and what I was lead to believe would happen didn't, what was there was weak. I love these books but this one has frustrated me. It has gone in too long and just when you think something may happen, comes the most appalling ending. This is one of my top authors, top series and it's so disappointing and more than that nonsensical. I feel awful that I have to say such things.

[Aslı Dağlı · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Stranger in The Family'nin çevirisi bitti. Bu kitapta Maeve ve Derwent birbiriyle bağlantılı iki ayrı vakayı aynı anda soruşturuyor. Hâliyle şüpheli sayısı bir hayli fazla ve Jane Casey ne yapıp ne edip hepsinden ayrı ayrı şüphelenmemizi sağlıyor. Özellikle kayıp vakası yüreğinizi sızlatacak. Şahsen hikâyenin polisiye tarafını Çıkmaz'dan daha çok beğendim. Ayrıca katilin kim olduğunu tahmin edebildim dersem yalan söylemiş olurum. Birtakım şüphelerim vardı ama... bu defa tutturamadım. :)

Gelelim Maeve'le Derwent'a… veya gelmeyelim. Kendiniz görün... 🔥🔥🔥

[Frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing-will they, won’t they is being protracted far too long. Suspend them both from the police service - or let them jump off a cliff together.
I had solved the case and by the fifth chapter and predicted the unnecessary ending before it happened - time to move on the a different series although up to now, I have really enjoyed these books.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Stranger in The Family by Jane Casey will be published with Hemlock Press (Harper Collins) March 14th and is Book 11 in The Maeve Kerrigan series. Anyone who is invested in these books will know that these are more than just crime fiction novels. The characters of DS Maeve Kerrigan and her superior, DI Josh Derwent, are central to the whole package, with the sexual chemistry between the pair sizzling just below the surface at all times. Book 10, The Close, saw the lines between the two being somewhat blurred, when Maeve joined Josh on a stake-out that required them living together, while posing as a couple, in a quiet rural estate.

In this latest novel, A Stranger in The Family, the pair are investigating an apparent murder-suicide of an elderly couple. On closer inspection, it soon becomes clear that there is a lot more going on than initially thought. Bruce and Helena Marshall had, once upon a time, maintained a high standard of living, with a beautiful home and three children. Now their lives have come to an end in a gloomy apartment, far removed from their earlier years.

Sixteen years previously the Marshall family was shattered when the youngest, Rosalie, went missing. Rosalie was only nine-years old, the baby of the family, with two older brothers, Ivo and Magnus. Helena awoke early one morning, checked on the two boys, leaving Rosalie alone. She did a few jobs, then settled down to do a bit of work, only to discover later that Rosalie was not to be found anywhere.

Years of searching, and a media clampdown on any troublesome rumours and hearsay, left the Marshalls’ lives ravaged. The family unit was destroyed, fractured beyond repair, and the years since then hadn’t been kind to any of them. Now, the discovery of the bodies of Helena and Bruce lead the investigation down multiple paths, with one being the possibility that their deaths are in some way linked to Rosalie’s disappearance.

As Maeve, Josh and the team crack on with the case, it soon becomes obvious that there are skeletons in the cupboard with more layers than originally thought. Maeve has a great radar for picking up on pieces of evidence that can appear insignificant to others, but she is sensing something is very much off in her personal relationship with Josh, yet she just can’t put her finger on what it is.

Jane Casey writes top-class and compelling crime fiction, of that there is no doubt, but she also writes tantalising and smouldering scenes of bridled passion that just keeps her fans returning for more. Most crime fiction readers have little interest in a story being injected with too much romance but an allowance is made every single time for Jane Casey. The ‘will-they-won’t-they’ aspect of Maeve and Josh’s relationship leaves readers frustrated and hungry for more. I am not getting into any of the details about what transpires in this novel but, let’s just say, I need Book 12 in this series to land pronto!! The tension is real folks…

From a crime fiction perspective, the Marshalls are a fabulously dysfunctional family, providing plenty of fodder for the investigative team to examine. As the clock ticks, the intensity of the case propels forward at speed with ample explosive twists to keep every reader engaged. Author Chris Whitaker described A Stranger in The Family as ‘a twisting, seductive, sensational thriller’ and it most definitely is all that, with some very dramatic reveals and some thrilling and shocking moments in evidence.

Vague to that last I know, but look what can I say, Jane Casey is an ace writer in this genre and knows her fans well. Is there an end to this series in sight? Who knows, except for Jane Casey. My advice, immerse yourself in the addictive world of Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent, a pair who have almost transcended fiction at this point!

Stimulating and tense, A Stranger in The Family is another exciting and first-class addition to this series that just keeps on giving. Highly recommended.

[Julia Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite series, and this book continues Jane Casey's tradition of excellent writing. This book wasn't as hilarious as some of them have been, but it was incredibly suspenseful, and even though I htough I'd figured everything out quite early, I was wrong about every prediction--except one. :)

Loved the book, love the series.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 This was better than the 10th installment for the most part. More time was dedicated to the crime and less to the potential romance between Josh and Maeve. SPOILER ALERT Like the 10th installment, Dennis Hood is mentioned in only a few pages near the start so I had no idea who he was when his name comes up at the end. I had to go back to the beginning of the book and try to find him. It made the ending confusing and disappointing. There are also credibility issues at the end that spoiled the book for me. Not sure I will continue with this series. Of course, she ends the book with a cliffhanger that makes me need to know what happens next.

[emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sad to say this is the weakest installment of my beloved series. I hate to complain about a romance I love, but there was too much of it in this one. I needed Maeve to stop mooning over Josh and get into her investigative spirit! I know the point of the book was that neither of them were acting like themselves, but still.

Also it featured my least favourite trope in the mystery genre (girl you think was abused was actually an evil mastermind manipulating men all along), so for that reason, this couldn't be any higher than 2 stars for me.