Deadly Evidence

Terry O'Brien #2

by Marie Cassidy

COLD CASES. HOT LEADS. AND A KILLER STILL WATCHING . . .

STATE PATHOLOGIST TERRY O'BRIEN IS ABOUT TO TAKE ON HER TOUGHEST ROLE YET.

Tasked with leading the Open Case Review Unit, her usual post-mortem work has been extended to cold-case investigation into unsolved suspicious deaths.

When a garda detective is murdered, his body mutilated and dumped on gangland ground, she is called in. As a large-scale investigation takes shape to hunt down the killers, Terry's post-mortem uncovers uncomfortable evidence.

She soon finds herself up against the powers that be. But, as new evidence emerges from her cold-case work that impacts closer to home, this may be the least of her worries. Can the identity of her sister Jenny's killer, all those years ago, be revealed? And are some truths best left buried?

Genres: Thriller

396 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2025

Reviews

[Fran Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too many characters and side plots for me…but a good ending. I preferred Marie Cassidy’s Body of Truth.

[Alan Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't believe I managed to finish this. It only got interesting 400 pages in.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly Evidence by Marie Cassidy publishes October 2nd with Hachette Ireland and is described as ‘a gripping new crime thriller from this former State Pathologist and Number One bestselling author'. I really enjoyed Marie Cassidy’s debut fiction novel Body of Truth which introduced us to the credible protagonist, State Pathologist Terry O’Brien. New to her role in Ireland she was faced with uncovering the truth behind a high-profile murder. In Deadly Evidence it all gets a little more personal when a member of An Garda Síochána is murdered, with his brutally mutilated body left exposed in an area associated with gangland crime. Immediate questions are asked as to why he was there leading Terry and the investigating team down a very dangerous path.

With a busy workload Terry is also asked to lead the Open Case Review Unit, in the hope of solving some cold-cases that have been languishing unresolved. But what Terry had not anticipated was the unearthing of evidence which could finally lead to the unravelling of the mystery surrounding her sister’s murder years previously in Glasgow, her home town. (Not a spoiler but I wasn’t completely convinced in how this element of the novel wrapped up)

Terry O’Brien has her demons and after being exposed to a ruthless individual in Body Of Truth, she has been left more vulnerable and on edge. She needs to see this madman locked away and, as his court case looms, she is distracted. Her closest colleagues and friends look out for her at all times but she has the reputation of being a bit of a loose canon, resulting in her getting into more than one difficult situation. Canny and unwavering in her quest for the truth she knows that she is about to ruffle some feathers among those in a position of power but Terry is relentless and, if justice is within her grasp, she is prepared to do anything to lock it in.

With Marie Cassidy’s personal experience as Ireland’s former State Pathologist, her books carry a very authentic vibe. Never one to shy away from the, at times, brutal landscape of society today, she always brings her engaging humour and wit to Terry’s personality. Exposing Terry’s vulnerabilities and giving the reader insights into her personal life adds an extra dimension to her character, enhancing the legitimacy of her story.

Intertwining multiple storylines adds to the pace of the novel keeping the reader engaged at all times, including a slow smouldering romance which should appeal to Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan fans (IYKYK) As I mentioned in my review of Body of Truth, it is the plausibility of Terry O’Brien as a character which adds to the authenticity of the threads that tie these books together.

Deadly Evidence is another fine addition to this series. With the commanding presence of Terry O’Brien at the helm, I look forward to more stimulating investigations, with great dialogue and a believable plot.

[Deirdre Clancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie Cassidy, the former Irish State Pathologist, has made a seamless transition into writer of crime fiction in retirement from her former role. A certain precision with words and flair for prose was apparent with her memoir of her time as State Pathologist. Her first fictional work, featuring the character of Terry O'Brien in the same role, was Body of Truth, an impressive work. I've read early novels by established crime writers that weren't remotely as good, and had gaps in the narrative or characterisation, or overly dense prose, for example; habits that seem to refine themselves as the writer develops over time. Though I had a few minor quibbles with that first Terry O'Brien book, it is a really impressive debut from someone who seems to have an instinct for what makes a good novel.

This second book is actually a leap forward again, with various plot threads skillfully woven together as the action unfolds. It's rare that a crime writer gives such a detailed glimpse into the inner workings of the scientific side of solving crime in a way that doesn't alienate the decidedly unscientific reader. As someone who would include myself in that demographic, and who is normally more interested in the psychological dynamics and the human motivations or forces that create violence in the world, I can assure readers that the book tells a thoroughly satisfying story that goes well beyond the scientific details.

It's impossible to say too much about a crime novel without spoilers. Suffice to say that this is a whopping good read that you'll want to avoid getting into on a work night before going to sleep, as you'll be zonked the next day. Definitely a must-read for crime fiction fans, though you'd be well advised to read the first installment before this one if possible (though it's not strictly necessary). This book picks up on aspects of Terry O'Brien's family life explored in the first one, including the unresolved death of her sister that haunts the pathologist, and reading the two in sequence is probably the optimum approach.

[Irina Nica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 This book follows an Irish State Pathologist who’s part of a team trying to find out who killed one of their own. The investigation spins off into multiple leads and case threads, and because the author is a former pathologist, there’s a lot of technical autopsy detail—exactly what you’d hope for from a book with this premise. For me, it really delivered on that front. The procedural elements felt grounded and credible, and the medical sections have the kind of specificity you can’t really fake.

I also appreciated the humanity in the character work. The protagonist shows real empathy and kindness towards homeless people and drug users—people who are everywhere in Dublin and so often treated as nuisances rather than as human beings. Those moments gave the story heart and stopped it from being “just” a puzzle.

What held it back from a higher rating for me was the sheer number of characters and the overall complexity. There were times I felt I was juggling too many names and moving parts at once, and the plot threads began to blur together rather than build tension. I can see how readers who love dense, multi-strand procedurals will enjoy that, but I personally found it made the pacing feel heavier than it needed to be.

Overall: a solid, authentic crime read with standout forensic realism and a compassionate lead—just a bit crowded for my taste.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am full of admiration for this lady’s career and expertise and was, therefore, super excited to read her second foray into crime fiction, in which state pathologist Dr. Terry O’Brien is tasked with not only carrying out the post mortem on a brutally murdered garda detective but also investigating a slew of cold cases. However – it pains me to be as brutal as that garda’s murder – this book was not a great read. There were WAY too many characters to keep track of (although I have since learned this is the second book in a series, so maybe if I’d read the first one I’d have been able to keep up with who’s who a bit better?) – but aside from this, I found the writing style rather lacklustre (the writing gurus urge to ‘show not tell’ and this was exactly the opposite) and the unnecessarily numerous sub-plots scattergun in their presentation. The best bits were the post mortem minutiae and pathology detail (gloriously authentic, as you’d expect).

[Dolf Patijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in Marie Cassidy's Terry O'Brien series is just like the first book an entertaining read with a lot of interesting forensic detail, believable characters and a nicely paced story with plenty of twists. Although it is not necessary to read the first book "Body of Truth" to enjoy this thriller, I would recommend it because in the first book the main characters are introduced and this second book is set just a few months after the conclusion of the first book, which had a great impact on Terry, and a personal story/case from the first book carries over to the second book. In Deadly Evidence you get a bit of a back story but you will enjoy it a lot more when you first read Body of Truth. Highly recommended.

[Caroline Croezen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This is Dr Marie Cassidy's second fictional book and who better to write about autopsies, courtrooms and investigations than a former state pathologist. It's a fast paced thriller with a good story and the same great characters as her first novel. Really enjoyed it but saw twists coming in this one. Very enjoyable though and I look forward to her next.

[Karen Molony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying it until we were supposed to believe a language barrier meant women could not communicate (by writing or pointing at a map) what country they were from. Then all I could see were the holes in the logic all over. I didn't not enjoy it though!

[Kelli Barczynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twists and turns in this book are brilliant. Once again a well written novel by Dr. Marie Cassidy. Dr. O’Brien in the thick of it as usual, giving all the men in her life a run for their money and keeping them on their toes.

[Aurora Tantisook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharp, tense, and brilliantly written — Deadly Evidence is a masterclass in forensic suspense.

[Rita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievably boring

[Lucia R · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book, took me a while to read x

[Etain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoy this second book in the series
Glad the murder of the sister was solved as I felt that very weak.
But I felt the other parts were better than the first one.

[Viktorija Dzidolikaite · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring, nothing really happens so slow paced

[Stephanie Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Alison Watson]

Loved it from start to finish, recognised my home town and enjoyed the story, main character is brilliant, going back to read the first book now

[Ava · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s ok, a lot going on, too many characters and story lines and, to be fair ties together at end but kinda predictable and similar to her first book. Found two grammar mistakes which annoyed me. Struggled to get through it tbh

[Soo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to give up after an hour on this audio book - the narrator was TERRIBLE! I could hear her swallowing and her tongue hitting the roof of her mouth! Her name is Lucia McAnespie and she is the worst narrator I’ve ever heard. No differences in voice for the different characters, delivery was stilted and flat - and with all the mouth and throat noises.. . gosh, life is too short, plenty of other excellent audio books out there!! I contacted Audible about the dire narration and they are talking to Production team about poor quality narration and how it didn’t meet their usual standard. I think they have had a few complaints about this recording.
Wondering if I should try kindle version now as I like this author normally.