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karlyo83's review against another edition
5.0
My Rating Style: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ticked all the boxes LOVED IT!!!
Detective Chief Superintendent, Frankie Sheehan is back and the crimes are closer to home than ever before. Sean Hennessy shocked the tight-knit beach community when he was convicted of murdering his parents and attempting to kill his sister. He was only 15 at the time, he has spent 17 years behind bars and now he has been released.
Insisting on his innocence the entire time Sean is out to seek support in the form of a documentary claiming his innocence and the evidence that was allegedly quashed by the Gardi. Unfortunately for Sean his new found release coincides with the discovery of two grisly murders in his (and Frankie’s home town).
Frankie is not convinced of Sean’s innocence and she is out to find the truth about whether these new murders are related to his recent release… or if there is another killer out there waiting to strike again.
This is the second book in the Frankie Sheehan series (the first being [b:Too Close to Breathe|34948442|Too Close to Breathe (Frankie Sheehan, #1)|Olivia Kiernan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516806728l/34948442._SY75_.jpg|56220247]) and first up I would highly recommend reading them in order - mainly so you get a feel for our main character Frankie and her super awesome team. BUT having said that you don’t need to have read book one to dive into this one it would do well as a standalone.
Olivia Kiernan has done wonders again with round 2, her attention to detail with police procedure is probably the best I have ever read in a series. Now I am not a member of the Irish Gardi BUT when I read these novels I feel like I am being treated to an insider view of what goes on in an investigation. The author has spent what I would imagine is countless hours of research in getting this right. There is no big rush to the end with these crimes. Process and procedure is followed, leads are collected, suspects interviewed AND let go if they don’t meet the grade.
For example I don’t think I have read this take on being able to rule out a suspect in any other police procedurals:
There’s something satisfying about ruling out a suspect. You might think it should be otherwise, but every path followed and eliminated is one step closer to the truth. We’re not blinded or immobilised by choice. Every name crossed off leaves only the guilty behind.
Love this
Detective Chief Superintendent, Frankie Sheehan is back and the crimes are closer to home than ever before. Sean Hennessy shocked the tight-knit beach community when he was convicted of murdering his parents and attempting to kill his sister. He was only 15 at the time, he has spent 17 years behind bars and now he has been released.
Insisting on his innocence the entire time Sean is out to seek support in the form of a documentary claiming his innocence and the evidence that was allegedly quashed by the Gardi. Unfortunately for Sean his new found release coincides with the discovery of two grisly murders in his (and Frankie’s home town).
Frankie is not convinced of Sean’s innocence and she is out to find the truth about whether these new murders are related to his recent release… or if there is another killer out there waiting to strike again.
This is the second book in the Frankie Sheehan series (the first being [b:Too Close to Breathe|34948442|Too Close to Breathe (Frankie Sheehan, #1)|Olivia Kiernan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516806728l/34948442._SY75_.jpg|56220247]) and first up I would highly recommend reading them in order - mainly so you get a feel for our main character Frankie and her super awesome team. BUT having said that you don’t need to have read book one to dive into this one it would do well as a standalone.
Olivia Kiernan has done wonders again with round 2, her attention to detail with police procedure is probably the best I have ever read in a series. Now I am not a member of the Irish Gardi BUT when I read these novels I feel like I am being treated to an insider view of what goes on in an investigation. The author has spent what I would imagine is countless hours of research in getting this right. There is no big rush to the end with these crimes. Process and procedure is followed, leads are collected, suspects interviewed AND let go if they don’t meet the grade.
For example I don’t think I have read this take on being able to rule out a suspect in any other police procedurals:
There’s something satisfying about ruling out a suspect. You might think it should be otherwise, but every path followed and eliminated is one step closer to the truth. We’re not blinded or immobilised by choice. Every name crossed off leaves only the guilty behind.
Love this
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
4.0
The Killer in Me is the perfect blend of crime fiction, captivating narrative, and modern.
The documentary aspect brings a certain relevance that makes the novel feel current, and yet the historical crime that weaves with the ongoing case has a sense of days past. Truly a fantastic crime thriller!
In some ways this feels like it could have gone the police procedural route, but truly it didn’t. I actually think the European writers capture crime fiction better than the US do for my tastes, because the detectives feel like people, and there is less of the drama about being a detective in their books.
Frankie Sheehan is a fascinating detective for a crime thriller. We learn quite a bit about her life in it’s current state, but not too much about her past. I loved this. Frankie felt like a person who happened to be an excellent detective. I loved the connections with her family—Frankie felt like someone I’d be friends with.
The novel centers around two main cases. The first is an old case. A man, Sean, was put away for murdering his parents and attempting to murder his sister. He was under 18 at the time, and he is now out.
A documentary covering the potential wrongful conviction and the errors of the police department pepper the novel. I loved the first person interviews with Sean from the documentary. It was hard not to feel for Sean. He had a solid alibi that fell through, and once he became the prime suspect, the police discounted everyone else.
Then we also have the murders of two people found in a church. And coincidentally they occur not long after Sean’s release, making Sean the prime suspect. The police do not want his conviction overturned. It would be costly for them, both financially as well as in terms of their credibility. And though this is the central case, it doesn’t overshadow Sean’s case. Frankie finds herself linked to both, as the lead detective on the two murders, but also a consultant on the case for justice for Sean being led by her own sister.
The ending to this one was so perfect—I was shocked! I won’t say more, but I think readers will be beyond satisfied with the last sequence of this book. I loved the atmospheric feel to the story. The old pub that has been redone, but lost a bit of the hometown feel. The dark streets. The local church. All of the settings felt very vivid to me. Truly, a novel that fans of Tana French and Gytha Lodge will love!
Thank you to Dutton Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
The documentary aspect brings a certain relevance that makes the novel feel current, and yet the historical crime that weaves with the ongoing case has a sense of days past. Truly a fantastic crime thriller!
In some ways this feels like it could have gone the police procedural route, but truly it didn’t. I actually think the European writers capture crime fiction better than the US do for my tastes, because the detectives feel like people, and there is less of the drama about being a detective in their books.
Frankie Sheehan is a fascinating detective for a crime thriller. We learn quite a bit about her life in it’s current state, but not too much about her past. I loved this. Frankie felt like a person who happened to be an excellent detective. I loved the connections with her family—Frankie felt like someone I’d be friends with.
The novel centers around two main cases. The first is an old case. A man, Sean, was put away for murdering his parents and attempting to murder his sister. He was under 18 at the time, and he is now out.
A documentary covering the potential wrongful conviction and the errors of the police department pepper the novel. I loved the first person interviews with Sean from the documentary. It was hard not to feel for Sean. He had a solid alibi that fell through, and once he became the prime suspect, the police discounted everyone else.
Then we also have the murders of two people found in a church. And coincidentally they occur not long after Sean’s release, making Sean the prime suspect. The police do not want his conviction overturned. It would be costly for them, both financially as well as in terms of their credibility. And though this is the central case, it doesn’t overshadow Sean’s case. Frankie finds herself linked to both, as the lead detective on the two murders, but also a consultant on the case for justice for Sean being led by her own sister.
The ending to this one was so perfect—I was shocked! I won’t say more, but I think readers will be beyond satisfied with the last sequence of this book. I loved the atmospheric feel to the story. The old pub that has been redone, but lost a bit of the hometown feel. The dark streets. The local church. All of the settings felt very vivid to me. Truly, a novel that fans of Tana French and Gytha Lodge will love!
Thank you to Dutton Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
qu33nofbookz's review against another edition
2.0
While this is a good story it was not my cup of tea. I wasn't that interested in the characters but the case they are working is interesting.
rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
Seán Hennessey was accused and convicted of killing his parents, and wounding his sister years earlier, but now has been released. Frankie's sister-in-law, with the charity, Justice Meets Justice, asks Frankie to reconsider-that Seán may be innocent. As Frankie meets with him, she receives notice that 2 people are found dead in the local church.
Frankie starts to wonder if mistakes were made in the Hennessey case, and if Seán's confession was coerced. As a new documentary about Séan is being released, Frankie keeps digging.
How close do we come to knowing what we are capable of doing?
Scary.
Frankie starts to wonder if mistakes were made in the Hennessey case, and if Seán's confession was coerced. As a new documentary about Séan is being released, Frankie keeps digging.
How close do we come to knowing what we are capable of doing?
Scary.
jodiehanley's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
5.0
More than a little shamefaced I admit that this was my first Olivia Kiernan read… She and her first novel in the Frankie Sheehan series, Too Close To Breathe, were somewhere on my radar, but somehow I never got around to actually reading it. Well let me tell you, it is very high on my TBR list now! So you needn’t worry if you haven’t read book 1 in the series, I didn’t feel like I missed anything in terms of Frankie’s past or anything, but since chances are that you, like me, will want to read Too Close To Breathe when you’ve read The Killer In Me, you might as well read them in the correct order! So go ahead and treat yourself to an atmospheric thriller or two!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Frankie is an awesome main character. She’s a profiler, a kick-ass detective, a woman who is passionate about her job.
The story kicks off with a gruesome dual murder that Frankie and her team need to solve, and in the meantime Frankie is asked by her sister-in-law to look into a murder case from 17 years ago. While the present-day case is an interesting one, it was the old case that absolutely fascinated me. It made me think of the Netflix documentary Making a Murderer, because I felt the same things reading about Seán Hennessey as I did when watching the Steven Avery / Brendan Dassey case in Making a Murderer: what is the truth, will we ever know if he did do it, was an innocent teenager sent to prison for crimes he didn’t commit? Because 17 years ago, Seán was convicted for murdering his parents and for causing grievous bodily harm to his little sister. And now he’s out and working on a documentary that’s supposed to prove his innocence. Cue Frankie, who doesn’t know what to believe. Though loyal to her colleagues, she has an innate sense of justice and I felt so much admiration for her drive to get to the bottom of what happened that day 17 years ago, while also trying to figure out who’s responsible for all the current murder and mayhem.
This was such an atmospheric read that drew me in right from the start and didn’t let me go until the final page. I feel that the Irish novels that I’ve read have this in common: they are often a bit dark, a bit raw, and this one was no different. I got some of the same vibes I tend to get from Tana French, but delivered in another style, one that (dare I say it) suits me better. A very entertaining read, not all that twisty, but rather steadily building up to a finale that came as quite a shock! Kudos to whomever figures it out, ’cause this humble blogger sure didn’t!
Highly recommended.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Frankie is an awesome main character. She’s a profiler, a kick-ass detective, a woman who is passionate about her job.
The story kicks off with a gruesome dual murder that Frankie and her team need to solve, and in the meantime Frankie is asked by her sister-in-law to look into a murder case from 17 years ago. While the present-day case is an interesting one, it was the old case that absolutely fascinated me. It made me think of the Netflix documentary Making a Murderer, because I felt the same things reading about Seán Hennessey as I did when watching the Steven Avery / Brendan Dassey case in Making a Murderer: what is the truth, will we ever know if he did do it, was an innocent teenager sent to prison for crimes he didn’t commit? Because 17 years ago, Seán was convicted for murdering his parents and for causing grievous bodily harm to his little sister. And now he’s out and working on a documentary that’s supposed to prove his innocence. Cue Frankie, who doesn’t know what to believe. Though loyal to her colleagues, she has an innate sense of justice and I felt so much admiration for her drive to get to the bottom of what happened that day 17 years ago, while also trying to figure out who’s responsible for all the current murder and mayhem.
This was such an atmospheric read that drew me in right from the start and didn’t let me go until the final page. I feel that the Irish novels that I’ve read have this in common: they are often a bit dark, a bit raw, and this one was no different. I got some of the same vibes I tend to get from Tana French, but delivered in another style, one that (dare I say it) suits me better. A very entertaining read, not all that twisty, but rather steadily building up to a finale that came as quite a shock! Kudos to whomever figures it out, ’cause this humble blogger sure didn’t!
Highly recommended.
jennie_cole's review against another edition
4.0
The Killer in Me is the second novel in the Frankie Sheehan series by Olivia Kiernan. This story revolves around a set of connected homicides. The first is double homicide staged in the local church. Then a few days later a third body is found on the beach. While three homicides is a lot to begin with, Frankie has also been asked by her boss and her defense lawyer sister-in-law to look into a 17 year old family murder. The boy who went away for the crime has been released and is trying to get his conviction overturned.
The story weaves both personal and professional very well. The best thing about the novel is that Kiernan keeps you guessing until the end who the murder is. Even though this is the second novel in a series the stories are completely disconnected and do not require you to have read the first one. I would definitely suggest this one to any reader of police procedurals.
The story weaves both personal and professional very well. The best thing about the novel is that Kiernan keeps you guessing until the end who the murder is. Even though this is the second novel in a series the stories are completely disconnected and do not require you to have read the first one. I would definitely suggest this one to any reader of police procedurals.
shellysbookcorner's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first time reading this author and I really enjoyed the book. I have been in a bit of a book slump and this story knocked it right out. The story was slow going at first but that is to be expected with thrillers. Once the story picked up and puzzles pieces started getting put together I couldn’t stop reading the book until it was over. The author did a good job of making me doubt pretty much everyone. I went back and forth on who the killer is and their motives right until the very end.
I have to say the last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat and my heart was racing. My only small complaint is that I would have liked to have a point of view from the killer at the end. I really wanted to peak inside their head and see what makes them tick. If you are a fan of thrillers, suspense books I highly recommend this story.
“I received a review copy from publisher and I voluntarily provided an honest review."
I have to say the last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat and my heart was racing. My only small complaint is that I would have liked to have a point of view from the killer at the end. I really wanted to peak inside their head and see what makes them tick. If you are a fan of thrillers, suspense books I highly recommend this story.
“I received a review copy from publisher and I voluntarily provided an honest review."
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
The Killer in Me by Olivia Kiernan is a suspense-laden mystery. Although this newest release is the second installment in the Frankie Sheehan series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the previous novel as well.
Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan is uneasy when her sister-in-law Tanya West asks her to look into Seán Hennessy's case. Tanya is working with Justice Meets Justice, a non-profit organization that investigates possible miscarriages of justice. Although convicted of murdering his parents and the attempted murder of his younger sister, Seán has always maintained his innocence. Recently released from prison, he is also cooperating with a documentary which is airing weekly. Hoping to find evidence that Seán was wrongly convicted, Tanya believes Frankie might find evidence that will exonerate him.
Reluctantly agreeing to review the case, Frankie is soon busy with a current investigation into the vexing murders of Geraldine and Alan Shine. Their bodies appear to be carefully staged with puzzling clues left at the scene. Working closely with her partner Barry "Baz" Harwood and the rest of her team, Frankie is frustrated by a lack of evidence. The few clues they uncover lead to dead ends which leaves them struggling to understand why the couple was targeted for murder. When a third body is discovered, Frankie is under even more pressure to unmask the killer(s). She, Baz and the rest of the squad feverishly work around the clock to find the evidence they need to find out the murderer's identity.
In between working the current investigation,Frankie combs through Seán's case files. She is troubled by some of the information she finds and she begins to believe Seán may be telling the truth. Frankie thinks she might know what happened that terrible day, but will she find the evidence she needs to prove her theory?
The Killer in Me is a meticulously-plotted and tension filled mystery. Frankie is a multi-layered and fascinating character. The storyline is intriguing and the investigations are interesting and fast-paced. As the pieces of the puzzle rapidly fall into place, Olivia Kiernan brings this perplexing mystery to a twist-filled, jaw-dropping conclusion. Readers of the genre are sure to enjoy this latest addition to the Frankie Sheehan series.
The Killer in Me by Olivia Kiernan is a suspense-laden mystery. Although this newest release is the second installment in the Frankie Sheehan series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the previous novel as well.
Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan is uneasy when her sister-in-law Tanya West asks her to look into Seán Hennessy's case. Tanya is working with Justice Meets Justice, a non-profit organization that investigates possible miscarriages of justice. Although convicted of murdering his parents and the attempted murder of his younger sister, Seán has always maintained his innocence. Recently released from prison, he is also cooperating with a documentary which is airing weekly. Hoping to find evidence that Seán was wrongly convicted, Tanya believes Frankie might find evidence that will exonerate him.
Reluctantly agreeing to review the case, Frankie is soon busy with a current investigation into the vexing murders of Geraldine and Alan Shine. Their bodies appear to be carefully staged with puzzling clues left at the scene. Working closely with her partner Barry "Baz" Harwood and the rest of her team, Frankie is frustrated by a lack of evidence. The few clues they uncover lead to dead ends which leaves them struggling to understand why the couple was targeted for murder. When a third body is discovered, Frankie is under even more pressure to unmask the killer(s). She, Baz and the rest of the squad feverishly work around the clock to find the evidence they need to find out the murderer's identity.
In between working the current investigation,Frankie combs through Seán's case files. She is troubled by some of the information she finds and she begins to believe Seán may be telling the truth. Frankie thinks she might know what happened that terrible day, but will she find the evidence she needs to prove her theory?
The Killer in Me is a meticulously-plotted and tension filled mystery. Frankie is a multi-layered and fascinating character. The storyline is intriguing and the investigations are interesting and fast-paced. As the pieces of the puzzle rapidly fall into place, Olivia Kiernan brings this perplexing mystery to a twist-filled, jaw-dropping conclusion. Readers of the genre are sure to enjoy this latest addition to the Frankie Sheehan series.