The Outsider

by Jane Casey

He came to destroy the family. Now he’s the one in danger.

As an undercover police officer, Rob Langton is used to terrifying situations. But his new assignment is the most dangerous yet – to infiltrate the notorious Carter family, and bring its patriarch Geraint to justice.

After gaining Geraint’s trust, Rob finds himself becoming the criminal's right-hand man. The deeper Rob gets, the more danger he’s in.

Then Geraint’s horrific plan comes to light – a bomb in a public place, designed to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment. Rob is the only person who can stop the carnage, but time is running out…

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Thriller, Fiction, British Literature, Suspense

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2023

About the author

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

Reviews

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

Jane Casey has nailed the interconnected stand alone with The Outsider.

As described in the opening pages by the author, this book explores racism. It has some very heavy topics in parts.

Rob (Maeve's ex) is an undercover agent and infiltrating one of the big crime families who are very wealthy and planning some big things. Of course, the more into the family he gets, the worse things he does and the more danger he is in.

A huge bonus is we find out what happened with Rob and Maeve.

This is a fast paced thriller, bit of crime, bit of action and a wonderful surprise - a bit of Maeve AND Derwent!!

I highly recommend this book, whether you've read the Maeve Kerrigan series or not. But please consider triggers and the authors note before going in.

Cannot wait for 14 March, when the next instalment of the Maeve Kerrigan series drops.


****


** Spoilers below **


****

Bit of a potential plot hole I just can't figure out or I missed something.

Rob and Harry save the female, Naomi, who was being abused by her partner Bruno. Rob set it up with the FBI, who he works for undercover. Rob doesn't know Harry's undercover but says she died to save her. How did they plan it when Rob didn't know about Harry? I don't think Harry knew about Rob either.

[Ceecee]

4.5 stars

This standalone features Rob Langton, DS Maeve Kerrigan’s ex, as he goes undercover. He unexpectedly finds a way into Geraint Carter’s life. On the surface Geraint seems to be legitimately rich but that just a front. Can Rob, who has assumed the persona of Mark Howell being down the House of Carter? What lions den is he entering? Watch out for Bruno, Ger’s eldest son as volatile doesn’t quite cover it. The investigation starts in
one place and ends up somewhere else entirely, very unsettlingly so.

This is another cracking novel from Jane Casey. It’s highly relevant, gritty, dark and all too believable. These are dangerous people and Rob/Mark has to think on his feet. The situations he encounters create huge tension and so it’s an on the edge of the seat read. Gripping from start to finish.

Kindle Unlimited read.

[Kirsten]

Excellent start, exquisite dialogue, then a sort of rushed ending and I am down from 4 to 3 stars. Still enjoyable, and I am eagerly waiting for the next.

[Lisbeth]

I just wrote a long review and then Goodreads crashed on me.

The short version : I no longer hate Rob. I do have doubts about Maeve though.
Loved Robs POV and sorry to see him not giving up his way of life.

So after that short introduction, here my second take:
I just love the way Jane Casey writes! But when reading the first page, I thought to myself: oh no! Its about Rob, well lets see what this loser has been up to. The second page.. team Rob all the way!

Fun fact: I just had to refresh my resuscitate knowledge the other day and I think he did a good job. Just would have called the ambulance my self and would have giving the kiss of life too (but without knowing who I would be saving).

Things I liked: Rob, I like him a lot :)
The way he is with other people and the description of his feelings.
I forgive you for everything!

Things I hated: well hated... no, but didn't really 'feel'.. yes.
Say I was a crime lord - in that scenario I'd be very, very suspicious of the new kid in town. More suspicious than the actual bad guys in this book!

And then there is the ex-girlfriend. I have to side with Juliet > what are you doing with the ex who broke you heart? And what is going on with her??
It looks like Maeve will have some serious thinking to do in the next book. On top of that, she came across coldhearted and distant. Perhaps as she is the ex in this book.. but still I didn't like her, so I'm on Juliets side.

Things that made me gasp: wow!
Plot twist at the end of the book! I didn't see that one coming.

So although there are some issues for me with this book, its a Jane Caseys and that means 5 stars in my little black notebook. Oh, and please don't read this as a standalone, you will miss out on a lot of background information.

I just wish this whole thing with Maeve and Josh can come to a conclusion very soon, its getting tiring!

[Ken]

Whilst I've only read and enjoyed a handful of the Maeve Kerrigan series, this spinoff with undercover cop Rob Langton can easily be enjoyed as a standalone.

Rob must gain the trust of the wealthy Carter family and soon gains this by saving Geraint Carter’s life following a heart attack.

This is a short nice distraction to the main series and fans will appreciate appearances from Maeve and Josh.
It zips along quite nicely and perfectly contained.

Being propelled into much deeper danger as plans for a bomb in a public place to try and stir up anti immigration sentiment adds a bit of tension to proceedings and feels very prevalent with extremies attitudes bubbling up under the surface.

[okudugumusoyluyorum]

Kitaba dair tek güzel şey Josh ve Maeve’nin olduğu yerlerdi.

Sonlarda sinirlendim Rob sen kimsin de had bildirmeye kalkıyorsun he kimsin ???

ABV Rob.. Güzel günlerin katilisin.


Bu kitaba dair güzel olan tek şey Josh Derwent‘ti. O da bazı yerlerde biraz sinir bozdu ama yine de kitabı renk veren tek kişi oydu.

Bu kitap Maeve Kerrigen serisinde yer alan Rob’un hikayesini daha detaylı bir şekilde anlamamızı sağlayan bir Novella. Rob’un Maeve’den ayrılma sebebini ve arka planda olan olayları daha net görüyoruz. Ama hiçbir şey o ayrılık sahnesinin kötülüğünü unutturamaz.

Bir devrin kapanışı gerçekleşti burada resmen Maeve bence o kadar kitap boyunca asla Rob’uatlatmadı. Karşılaşmaları konuşmaları gerçekten gerekiyordu ama diğer detaya gerek var mıydı. Psikolojik yönden bakınca Maeve’i anlamaya çalışıyorum bazı şeyleri atlatabilmesi için bunu denemesi normaldi ama olmasa da olurdu.

Josh’ın yanında olması onun mutluluğu için bir şey yapması ve bu kitapta Maeve’n onun için endişelenmesi de güzeldi. Rob’un farkına varması ve tamamen kapanış yapmaları açısından sevdim.

Rob’un olayı da kendisini ilgilendirir yani bu saatten sonra bizi ilgilendirmez..

[Midnight Sun]

Okay.. maybe I shouldn’t have hated Rob as much as I did. He was definitely not good enough for Maeve but she wasn’t the best for him either. I’m glad they got their closure. It was surprisingly nice to see everything from his POV. Makes me desperate to see this as a show/movie Bec Maeve is such a queen 🙏🏼 even when she isn’t the main character of the book u can’t help but just keep wishing she would turn up somehow.
Anyways… Rob is so book bf material 😮‍💨😮‍💨(but I’m a loyal supporter of Derwent)(sometimes)

[Grace]

I enjoyed this stand alone book in the Maeve Kerrigan universe. I liked reading from Rob's perspective more than I thought I would, and I appreciated the appearance of Maeve and Josh. The plot was fast-paced, I love Jane Casey's writing, but the ending felt a bit rushed - lots of build up to a brief final scene.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

[Jane]

Warning, spoilery review! Read at your own risk!

I know many fans ship Josh and Maeve, but I don’t. He’s her boss. He’s her landlord. He has power over her. He has no business getting involved with her. On top of that, he’s a sexist chauvinist pig. Not every man can be saved, even if he is decent sometimes. (I never wanted to see Scully and Mulder get romantically involved either, but at least they were partners. They were equals.)

I had been hoping Rob would return and win Maeve back. Well, Rob has returned and they had a nice interlude resolving their unresolved issues but they clearly – probably? - aren’t getting back together. Too bad. This is the rare time I’d welcome a romantic triangle. I find Josh an interesting character, but Jane Casey needs to find Maeve a nice, uncomplicated, non-cop partner who will treat her right. NOT Josh Derwent. Or maybe she can be single and happy.

I don’t think this book would work as a standalone for someone who doesn’t read the Maeve Kerrigan books. The Maeve/Rob/Josh interlude would read pretty odd, I think, if you didn’t understand the past and the dynamics.

I will of course keep reading the amazing Maeve Kerrigan series but I truly hope that Jane Casey surprises us all and does not get Maeve and Josh together. Everything about that relationship screams red flag. At the very least, he should lose his job. I find nothing about their relationship romantic. Can we not buy into the fantasy that Maeve needs Josh to save her?

There are some pretty unbelievable plot points toward the end, but overall I was invested in the story and the characters and needed to know what was going to happen next. I was worried about Rob even though he was narrating the story.

It is a credit to Casey’s writing skills that I care this much about these fictional characters.

I read an advance reader copy of The Outsider from Netgalley.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com)]

My Rating ~ 4.5*

The Outsider by Jane Casey published in digital format November 23rd 2023 with Hemlock Press (Harper Collins) and will be released in paperback November 7th 2024. It is described as 'the brilliant new detective crime thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat' and is the perfect read for all Maeve Kerrigan fans as there is a very obvious tie-in. If you are new to Jane Casey as an author, do not fear, as The Outsider is a cleverly written stand-alone thriller, meaning that it's a novel that is perfect for all, both new and old fans of this always ace writer.

Rob Langton returns in his role as an undercover cop in this offshoot novel and is a character that many fans will recognise as Maeve Kerrigan's old boyfriend. Taking centre stage in The Outsider, Rob has been inserted undercover into an investigation of the extremely wealthy Carter family, whose head, Geraint, is known to the police. With links to the criminal world, Geraint Carter has amassed much of his fortune through nefarious means and Rob soon finds himself inveigled within the Carter empire as the team look for a way to bring him down.

Rob initially sees this as a relatively straight-forward job but circumstances change when he realises the extent of Carter's intentions. With many more lives on the line, Rob has to step up and take some very unexpected risks that put his life in danger.

Rob Langton is a character that many readers might have mixed views on, as Jane Casey subtly interweaves Maeve Kerrigan's story into the plot. In a very smart move though, it's clear that The Outsider is a Rob Langton novel and not an addition to Maeve Kerrigan's series. Rob is centre stage and although there is a slight overlap, Jane Casey expertly dips in and out with enough to tantalise new readers and encourage them to pick up a Kerrigan novel.

Gangsters, violence, abusive relationships, narcotics, family feuding, secrets and murder are all mixed up in this tale that sees Rob Langton excel at what he does best, while also showing the reader life from his perspective. A risk-taker with little care for his own safety Langton wants to make the world a better place by taking down the scumbags before they cause damage and pain. With pure intentions, Langton is motivated to assist and help others but in many cases this is detrimental to his own personal life. Think of a Jack Reacher personality in an English setting!!

The Outsider fulfils the brief as being another exciting and high-stakes read from Jane Casey. It is a perfectly plausible stand-alone detective thriller that anyone can pick up and read. Also it is a compelling interlude, one sure to keep the jitters at bay while we await to see what happens in Maeve Kerrigan #12 which hits our shelves in April 2025.

[Bridget]

OK so I nearly didn't finish this book. Not because it's poorly written, but because of the subject matter.

In a nutshell, it's the story of a very wealthy, very influential family involved in organized crime. After an unexpected but beneficial encounter, the main character, an undercover private investigator who used to be a member of the London Metropolitan Police Force, ends up working for the head of the family and living on the estate.

Eventually he gains the trust of the head of the family, and is let in on plans to create panic via a bombing or other act where the blame can be placed on Muslims. There are a group of "businessmen" working to drive Muslims out of the country.

And therein was why I nearly stopped reading. I'm tired of reading about racist people trying to eliminate entire cultures, and their language related to it - even in fiction. It's just all too close to what is happening here in the U.S. under the current administration, and living it everyday makes me want to avoid it in my recreational reading.

I did finish the book, and the bad guys were caught and arrested, etc., and the main character survived. It's a good story and a good read, I just picked it up at the wrong time.

[K McKenzie]

I was excited to see this new book from the excellent Maeve Kerrigan series. You could read this as a stand-alone, but it will mean so much more if you have read at least some of the series. This one is from the point of view of a character who had been in earlier books in the series, and I truly enjoyed seeing what had happened to him while also seeing Maeve and Josh from his perspective. As always with Casey’s books, the writing is excellent and the characters really come to life. Highly recommended. I’m now anxiously awaiting the next in the series.

[Ali Kennedy]

This is SOOOO satisfying.

As a tangential installment to the Maeve Kerrigan series, it works so well.

To find out what happened to Rob and have some loose ends tied up for Maeve was just wonderful. I also really enjoyed Rob's story as a standalone (if I was to disregard the Maeve connection, I still felt completely immersed in the plot).

It includes all of the usual Jane Casey ingredients of pace and excellent character building; topped off with a twist even when I thought we were done.

More of the Rob stories, please???!

[Mel]

4⭐️
The Outsider is a gripping, action packed novel about a crime family and one man’s job to bring them down. I wouldn’t quite give this the label of “gangster novel”, but it was on its way there.

[Jane]

This was a good read - Jane Casey is still one of my fave authors - but I missed Maeve and Josh for the majority of the time I spent reading it. I have clearly moved on from Rob 😜.

[ME]

Four stars is probably generous but this book falls into the Maeve Kerrigan milieu, so there's a one-star bonus.

This was a good read as a standalone and I did like it. But... as other reviewers mention, the political perspective of the Author as she introduces the villainous motives of the antagonist is intrusive. Besides being intrusive, it insults in the exact way she's condemning: taking a broad prejudicial brush to categorize all "right-wing" thinkers as Nazis. Not kidding. This generalization of all people concerned about the effects of immigration is held in contrast to the enlightened people who are apparently without any prejudice. See the hypocrisy? (This is not the first book in the series I've reviewed that has this problem.) Prejudice and bias are... prejudice and bias, no matter what side of an argument you're on (IE: You can't just lump people into a box and dust off your hands, whether that's because of their nationality, OR their political views.) Besides all that, this short section of commentary was entirely unnecessary to the plot, and was really out of character to Casey's writing. One of the many things I love about her particular craft is that she makes us see her point without having to explain herself (HERSELF...)- usually. She's excellent at showing us the story, not telling us her opinion or what we should think (or what she might think about what we think). So, yeah... sharp criticism for what my opinion is worth.

That said, I appreciated Rob's redemption. I (otherwise) enjoyed the plot. I loved getting to see Maeve from outside her own head. It was a good read. I mean... I'm such a fan.

[Sarah Rife]

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the chance to read this book!

I would have loved to come on here and praise this book and say it was such a fast paced read, I got through it yadda yadda.. but honestly I did not, It was a slow go with this one, Not sure if it wasn't my genre or because I was suppose to be following characters from this series I haven't read. But there were a lot of characters to keep straight, who was whose wife, who was in the house who was in the agency or a cop or whatever but I got through it and it ended up good, I just had to get there to enjoy it. Thank god for the twist at the end, I Was really having a horrible time reading the last part, hoping it wasn't actually happening the way i was reading it lol

But in the end I was glad i stuck with it. I might have to check out the actual Series, I know it only follows a character or two from this book but i did enjoy the authors writing style and it was very thought out

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf)]

A standalone (but also linked to the author's 'Maeve Kerrigan' series) this book gives the reader an update on the life of Rob Langton. Previously a police detective colleague (& lover) of Maeve's, Rob abruptly left without warning, leaving Maeve to pick up the pieces.

Rob is currently undercover as Mark Howell & has infiltrated a notorious crime family by saving the life of patriarch Geraint Carter. He is there to get information on what Geraint is planning & enough evidence to take him down. This fast-paced thriller leads to a long-awaited reunion as Maeve & Rob finally come face-to-face after several years.

The whole undercover angle was interesting enough, but let's face it, Kerwent shippers are here to find out if there was anything left between Rob & Maeve. No spoilers here, but the scene where the sight of a briefly scantily clad Maeve leaves both Rob & Derwent speechless was perfect.

TWs: violence, racism, domestic violence, murder

[Clbplym]

Rob is working undercover and unexpectedly comes across his target who has had a heart attack while driving. Saving his life gives him an in and he is soon working for the family headed by Geraint. His two sons are involved in the illegal activity although Bruno is definitely a liability. You definitely feel the danger that Rob is in throughout the story although the plot did seem a little infeasible. Maeve and Josh become involved halfway which is quite a nice cameo. The story is good and I would read more about Rob but I did miss the interplay between Maeve and Josh.

[Kirstie Cooper]

This is my first book of 2024, and my first book from this author, and without a doubt it will not be my last.
Incredibly fast paced from the start, which kept me gripped all the way through!
Didn't even read the blurb - I chose this book purely based on the cover, and it wasn't at all what I expected - but it was such a good read so I don't even care.
Fab twists that I didn't see coming in a million years.
What a great start to the year - a very easy 5 stars from me.
Loved it!

[Amy Warren]

A novel by Jane Casey i didn't know existed, how exciting! In this stand alone, we learn why Rob left Maeve...he decided to enter an under cover unit. In this novel, he infiltrates a crime family. Excellent book, especially where there was an appearance by Maeve and Josh.

[Kayl_may]

First book I’ve read of this author and really enjoyed it. Great story development. Characters are great, although some are very unlikeable! Can’t wait to read more.

[Melyssa]

I love the Maeve Kerrigan series and really enjoyed this spin-off about her ex and for her colleague. It gave a little closure about what happened to Rob after he last appeared in the main series.

[Kristina Shoopman]

Great read. Suspenseful novel with an undercover cop trying to complete his mission while trying to stay alive. Kept me interested the whole time.

[Eamonn Mackey]

Brilliant, brilliant book. Another fantastic story in a series of fantastic books! Jane Casey attention to detail and sublime characterisation has created a world that I cannot get enough of!!

[alex]

as far as grief books go this was a pretty good choice <3 stopped me thinking about my dead cat for a solid hour and a half!

my favourite parts were naturally the maeve/josh scenes—maeve especially is the embodiment of “everyone knows except you” and i can’t wait for book 11 to come out in march and for her to hopefully get her head out of her arse. big thanks to jane casey for being a blessed distraction in a horrible time 🙏

[Mark Robison]

Set in the universe of the author's Maeve Kerrigan novels, this book follows up with Maeve's boyfriend from early in the series who disappeared after a really well-handled look at consent where a typical night of sex for the two went awry. The story was that Rob had gone on an undercover assignment and couldn't communicate. Maeve was angry and hurt. Now we catch up with Rob on what is his third undercover job, if I heard right.

He's tailing a rich guy who's involved in organized crime, just observing him, trying to figure out a way into his world when the guy has a heart attack and crashes his car. Rob saves his live and soon finds himself in the man's inner circle.

The plot is not about organized crime.

Maeve and Josh — the two main characters in the author's regular crime series — make a couple of appearances, which is fun.

Overall, it's a good, tight, fast-paced thriller with a touch of feminism as with all the author's books. There's a twist at the end for which the author felt the need to add a minor second twist in order to make it more believable. I'm not sure the second twist was needed. It's all a bit too ... well, I can't say without spoilers. I suspect the ending will annoy some readers. Me, I just really like Jane Casey's books so it was a blast — and it added a bit of important backstory to the Maeve canon.

[Darla]

I love this author and Maeve Kerrigan is one of my favorite characters. But when you allow your political beliefs to be such a huge factor in your stories, it takes away from the book. I can see in this book, especially, that the author believes our political situation to be entirely one-sided, with a caracature of a villain or villains. Life isn't that simple, and the situation isn't that black and white. Anyway, it's a turn off, and I'm sad not to finish this book. If the political situation of a story can't be told in a more objective and realistic way, I'd suggest leaving it out.

[Roxie Key]

Love the DS Maeve Kerrigan series? You NEED to read this. I galloped through the story of Rob Langton, undercover police officer, as he infiltrates the notorious Carter family and attempts to thwart their terrifying plans. Pacey, clever, and the perfect addition to the series. If you haven't read Jane Casey yet, you really must.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Jill]

This novel showcases Rob Langton, DS Maeve Kerrigan’s ex, who was on his third major investigation as an undercover policeman, currently identifying as Mark Howell and reporting to Opal Gilroy.

His job was to infiltrate the Carter crime family, which he was able to do after serendipitously saving patriarch Geraint Carter’s life following a heart attack. Geraint then offered him a job as a right-hand man, which was a great way to get on the inside, but extremely dangerous for Mark; he knew the slightest slip-up or lapse of trust could cause him to lose his life.

Mark quickly discovered that Geraint was up to more than just the “usual” crimes of money laundering, protection rackets, and murder; he was a committed white nationalist. Geraint had a plan to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment by staging a false flag operation that he could blame on Muslims and foment popular support for discriminatory measures or better yet, forced eviction from the country.

To Geraint and the three like-minded very wealthy men who are conspiring with him, any deaths they caused would be immaterial; they believed the only way to defeat Muslims was ‘to use their own violence against them.” [The irony of who was actually employing violence was lost on Geraint and his pals.]

Geraint’s group had been building up to this moment by funding right-wing politicians across the UK and Europe, as well as buying up regional newspapers and radio and television stations that would bruit their agenda. In addition, they were setting up online discussion sites that operated as “safe spaces to say and hear the unthinkable,” as Mark’s boss Opal put it. She averred, “. . . it’s a tried and tested way of shifting public opinion.” They magnified low-level annoyances into major grievances, creating a community that could speak up without being censured but rather, be lauded as “honest” and “patriotic.”

Opal told Mark:

“Sadly, there are quite a lot of racist people out there. And there are more people who are just disappointed in their lives and wish things were different. They’re sitting ducks. You sell them a dream where all the money stops draining away from them and starts filling their pockets instead. It’s impossible to counter a dream with reality. The truth doesn’t seem like a very appealing alternative to being told your problems aren’t your fault.”

Geraint made Mark a central part of his plans for causing carnage, and Mark had to stop it somehow. But he was watched constantly, he had no way to warn Opal, and time was running out.

Discussion: Maeve and Josh Derwent both make an appearance in this novel, and their interactions with Rob/Mark are a welcome relief from the horror of Geraint and his agenda. But Casey was not limning anything unrealistic or that is not a real problem in the West. Indeed, the Trump campaign embraced and is now enacting the Project 2025 agenda led by the right-wing Heritage Foundation, which calls for “purifying” the country by deporting undocumented immigrants and possibly even legal immigrants of color who are documented. Trump himself, citing completely false data about immigrant-driven crime, made the promise if elected to deport or incarcerate 20 million people. He has now set up quotas to do just that. Trump and Vance have also expressed their admiration for Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, who champions “illiberal democracy,” or “Christian democracy,” promising a return to a white-dominated, religiously based society. [The descriptor of “Christian” is not really applicable given the attitudes and behaviors of those espousing these policies, but is regularly employed nonetheless.]

I suspect Casey wanted to help, through her story, to alert people to the real dangers facing us.

Evaluation: This novel will be welcome on at least one level to fans of DC Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent. The story not only explains a lot about what happened to Maeve and Rob, but provides insight into the partnership of Maeve and Josh. As for the crime portion of the story, it is sufficiently full of tension to keep readers turning the pages.