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travellingthepages's review against another edition
4.0
I recently discovered that this is #2 in a series
natashaniezgoda's review against another edition
4.0
TWO CASES - 5 MURDERS - SEVENTEEN YEARS - ONE KILLER?
Thank you Dutton books for this solid four stars ARC - ‘The Killer In Me’
Synopsis: Frankie Sheehan is the detective chief superintendent of the Dublin murder force. She’s been asked to review a newly released convicted murderer’s case by her sister-in-law who is fighting for an appeal. While reviewing Sean Hennessey’s case, three murders occur and they bare a strange resemblance to the murders in which Mr. Hennessey was accused of. Did he have something to do with it? Is he being framed? What Sheehan uncovers will shock you.
This was a fun, fast-paced detective read! It’s a classic who-done-it plot line but weaving in two cases. Kiernan did a good job building out the cases individually before merging them together, which I appreciated.
Character development is super important to me and you definitely have your core “team,” which reminded me of CSI where each character has a role in uncovering pieces of the puzzle. There’s a lot of camaraderie between Frankie, Baz, Clancy, and Helen. I really loved how organic their individual personas were - even down to how they all spoke and their mannerisms.
As for the cases themselves, they were intriguing. There’s a nice blend between “facts” and “dialogue”. I’m not a fan of crime stories that only rely on one of those avenues to depict the plot. I also appreciated that there wasn’t any fluff! PRAISES. Everything pertaining to the case was valid and pertinent.
I would definitely read the first Sheehan novel, as well as any installments that come after this. Overall, it was great and I could see this become a TV series.
I docked this book a star because I do think there were quite too many characters introduced, which made keeping everyone’s name and role straight a bit difficult for such a quick read. Also, TRIGGER WARNING - there is some animal cruelty.
Thank you Dutton books for this solid four stars ARC - ‘The Killer In Me’
Synopsis: Frankie Sheehan is the detective chief superintendent of the Dublin murder force. She’s been asked to review a newly released convicted murderer’s case by her sister-in-law who is fighting for an appeal. While reviewing Sean Hennessey’s case, three murders occur and they bare a strange resemblance to the murders in which Mr. Hennessey was accused of. Did he have something to do with it? Is he being framed? What Sheehan uncovers will shock you.
This was a fun, fast-paced detective read! It’s a classic who-done-it plot line but weaving in two cases. Kiernan did a good job building out the cases individually before merging them together, which I appreciated.
Character development is super important to me and you definitely have your core “team,” which reminded me of CSI where each character has a role in uncovering pieces of the puzzle. There’s a lot of camaraderie between Frankie, Baz, Clancy, and Helen. I really loved how organic their individual personas were - even down to how they all spoke and their mannerisms.
As for the cases themselves, they were intriguing. There’s a nice blend between “facts” and “dialogue”. I’m not a fan of crime stories that only rely on one of those avenues to depict the plot. I also appreciated that there wasn’t any fluff! PRAISES. Everything pertaining to the case was valid and pertinent.
I would definitely read the first Sheehan novel, as well as any installments that come after this. Overall, it was great and I could see this become a TV series.
I docked this book a star because I do think there were quite too many characters introduced, which made keeping everyone’s name and role straight a bit difficult for such a quick read. Also, TRIGGER WARNING - there is some animal cruelty.
snowstar280's review
4.0
I received this book for free in exchange for my opinion from First To Read.
This book was really good. The voice was strong, the characters were well developed and it was intriguing enough to make me not guess the ending too soon but still made sense. Anyone who has read and enjoyed Tana French will love this book. It didn't feel like a copycat but the writing style felt similar and the well developed characters and storylines made me feel right at home.
This book was really good. The voice was strong, the characters were well developed and it was intriguing enough to make me not guess the ending too soon but still made sense. Anyone who has read and enjoyed Tana French will love this book. It didn't feel like a copycat but the writing style felt similar and the well developed characters and storylines made me feel right at home.
yetanothersusan's review
4.0
DS Sheehan is being pulled in two directions. Her sister in law wants her to look over an old case involving the murder of a couple by their teenage son in the hopes of trying to overturn the guilty verdict. At the same time, Sheehan's supervisor is asking her to report back anything questionable in the hopes of protecting the police. And, since time waits for no man/woman/detective, a new string of murders starts up, all with seeming links to the ages old crime. Is Hennessey guilty and pursuing his own form of justice? Is it just a coincidence? Is someone trying to get justice for Hennessey? Ms. Kiernan keeps the reader guessing at all these questions in a wonderful way that feels like it probably is how frustrating actual detective work can be. The only downside to the story is that I feel we didn't get to know Sheehan any better and her character didn't really grow. I hope future installments in the series do a better job of work/life balance.
Thanks to Penguin First to Read for a copy of this book. The review is my own.
Thanks to Penguin First to Read for a copy of this book. The review is my own.
kaz_loves_books's review
4.0
This is an intriguing and exciting book to read, so many twists and turns, a proper rollercoaster of a ride to get to a finish that you don’t see coming.
DCS Frankie Sheehan is meeting with her sister-in-law Tanya and Sean Hennessy as a favour to look into a possible miscarriage of justice. Tanya, works as a defence lawyer for charity Justice meets Justice, which tries to get justice of wrongly accused criminals. Sean was accused of murdering his parents and attempted murder of his sister over 17 years ago and has just been released. There is a documentary being made over the story.
Frankie leaves this meeting to attend an incident, two bodies at St Catherine’s church in Clontarf. She sees the woman first, a large pool of blood, her throat slit, bare from the waist up. The man is dressed like a priest but you can smell that he has been dead for a few days. The knife in the man’s hand is covered in blood, possibly the female victims blood and on closer inspection Frankie notices the letters ‘w’ and ‘e’ engraved on the blade under the blood. The word ‘weapon’ has been engraved on the knife. While standing back and surveying the scene, Frankie notices a void in the blood splatter. Something has been removed. By the killer? What could it be?
Is there a ‘victim’ somewhere? Frankie needs to work out what is going on and try to look at the Hennessy case for Tanya. Then she starts to get pressure from higher up the chain of command and things take a turn for the worse.
I have just read The Killer In Me which is the second book in a series from Olivia Kiernan and I’m getting book one, Too Close To Breathe to read. The writing is very descriptive and it feels like you are actually there, in the scene and the moment, living it. So much going on but it’s a fantastic read and I enjoyed it. I would rate this as a 4.5 * and I look forward to getting to know DCS Frankie Sheehan better.
DCS Frankie Sheehan is meeting with her sister-in-law Tanya and Sean Hennessy as a favour to look into a possible miscarriage of justice. Tanya, works as a defence lawyer for charity Justice meets Justice, which tries to get justice of wrongly accused criminals. Sean was accused of murdering his parents and attempted murder of his sister over 17 years ago and has just been released. There is a documentary being made over the story.
Frankie leaves this meeting to attend an incident, two bodies at St Catherine’s church in Clontarf. She sees the woman first, a large pool of blood, her throat slit, bare from the waist up. The man is dressed like a priest but you can smell that he has been dead for a few days. The knife in the man’s hand is covered in blood, possibly the female victims blood and on closer inspection Frankie notices the letters ‘w’ and ‘e’ engraved on the blade under the blood. The word ‘weapon’ has been engraved on the knife. While standing back and surveying the scene, Frankie notices a void in the blood splatter. Something has been removed. By the killer? What could it be?
Is there a ‘victim’ somewhere? Frankie needs to work out what is going on and try to look at the Hennessy case for Tanya. Then she starts to get pressure from higher up the chain of command and things take a turn for the worse.
I have just read The Killer In Me which is the second book in a series from Olivia Kiernan and I’m getting book one, Too Close To Breathe to read. The writing is very descriptive and it feels like you are actually there, in the scene and the moment, living it. So much going on but it’s a fantastic read and I enjoyed it. I would rate this as a 4.5 * and I look forward to getting to know DCS Frankie Sheehan better.
heatskitchen's review against another edition
3.0
This is the second book in the Frankie Sheehan series. Set in Ireland, Frankie is still coming off the turmoil of her last case, when a blast from the past comes at her. Sean Hennessy. She was just a kid when he went to jail for murdering his entire family. So why does she feel such a connection to him?
While I love the female protagonist, and Kiernan has always gotten me surprised at the end, the books have never completely grabbed me. If you're looking for a new detective thriller to keep you guessing, this is your book!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
While I love the female protagonist, and Kiernan has always gotten me surprised at the end, the books have never completely grabbed me. If you're looking for a new detective thriller to keep you guessing, this is your book!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
thenovelmaura's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book taught me that I generally don't enjoy police procedurals! I've read a few books with elements of this investigative genre, but I think this book was the "truest" example by far. There were so many characters introduced and described who had little to no impact on the story, and while this would work in a movie or TV show format, I found it distracting here. Plus, Frankie is supposed to be this genius detective, but (and I'm not sure if this is a mild spoiler or simply a hallmark of the genre, so be forewarned) there are three or four instances where the whole department is sure they found the killer, and it turns out that they're wrong. Doing this once for suspense makes sense, but the multiple false alarms just got boring.
I do think that if you're a fan of CSI-type crime shows, you might enjoy this one! It just wasn't my cup of tea.
I do think that if you're a fan of CSI-type crime shows, you might enjoy this one! It just wasn't my cup of tea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
megggriffin's review against another edition
4.0
There is no worse feeling than knowing your victim sensed their murder, reached out, and no one listened.
I couldn't help it - I had to reference "Disarm" by The Smashing Pumpkins. It has been in my head since I started this book. Which is no commentary on this book - it is just how my mind works! Although I guess since I like that song, it does work out well that I enjoyed this book! Thank you Dutton/Penguin Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Killer in Me
by Olivia Kiernan
Publish Date: April 2019
Read Date: March 2019
Format: Paperback
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Irish Crime, Crime
Rating:
3.5/5 MoosePage Count: 352
Synopsis
Seventeen years after being accused of murdering his parents and attempting to murder his sister, Sean Hennessey has been released from prison. He has always claimed his innocence, and now has the documentary team and legal counsel to back it up. A legal counsel that includes Frankie Sheehan's sister-in-law, who asks Frankie to review the case file and advise on the case.
Shortly after release, two bodies are found brutally murdered at a church. Is it a coincidence? Or was Sean released just in time to continue his murder spree?
Content Warnings
While it can be expected that a murder mystery book has brutal, gory murders, a major content warning for that AND for some killing of puppies. It was uh...not a fun section to read on the subway.
Rants, Raves, and Thoughts
First off, lets talk about this cover. It was definitely a selling point for me, though I still can't quite get a grasp of what is on it. Is it barbed wire? Who is the face? Is it representing the duality of people? Whatever it is, the colors work well and I love it.
I was drawn to this book as it has been awhile since I have dived into murder mysteries, and I was going through a Veronica Mars binge. This book had an interesting twist though. There are so many true crime podcasts and documentaries digging through facts and trying to find "truths" or prove that cops have screwed up. To each their own, and I'll admit: Serial is incredibly compelling. But overall, I don't watch or listen to true crime much at all for various reasons. Still, this book presents the idea of what coppers have to go through while these documentaries are getting made. The scrutiny, the fear of what if, all of it is stressful.
And compound that situation with a sudden rash of murders that may or may not have to do with the case. Is the newly released accused killer involved?
I'll admit, this book was a little hard to get into at first. There is something about the writing that took me a little while to adjust and get used to. By the time I hit the halfway point though, I was hooked. Frankie is a bit dry and not deeply written - some of it I wonder if I am missing because I haven't read book 1, or if there is just a long game here. That being said, I still like her. She's good at her job, and Kiernan blends in more cop lingo than what I'm used to in these books. And Irish cops are fascinating? I highlighted this part especially:
"Let Clancy know we may need to assign firearms if we're dealing with a gunshot wound."
I'm sorry - what?
Do Irish cops not carry guns constantly? They have come up with alternative ways of fighting crime? I AM HERE FOR THIS. Frankie hasn't held a gun in so long that she feels she needs to get some shooting practice in first. I LOVE IT. Or is it just that the Irish are more likely to kill with knives? (The first two victims are killed with knives.) Seriously, I rather enjoy this idea of a justice system.
As for the Sean Hennessey guilt or innocence.... I am clearly not going to tell you which it is. But I will say that Kiernan does a fantastic job of keeping the reader flip flopping through out the entire book through Frankie's thought process and what we see him do. Is it better he's a killer, or is it better to try to fix the police procedures??
"I knew my innocence and therefore I walked that cell with my innocence filling my chest. In a lot of ways I was free."
The interviewer steps in. But you weren't free.
"Freedom means different things to different people."
Final Moments
Overall, if you like murder mysteries, if you enjoy Tana French books, pick up some of Olivia Kiernan's books too. I guessed the killer fairly quickly, but I also don't think it is easily laid out (I just have a weird mind and maybe I should have been a detective or a killer?) nor was I not entertained or on the edge of my seat the entire book. In fact, I ended up walking and reading on my way home as I neared the end. It is just that entertaining. But if you cannot watch dogs die, skip like half of chapter 10.
v_roy92's review against another edition
3.0
Another good police procedural / mystery! I have to admit that police procedural aren't my favorite type of mysteries, but I did enjoy this one. It was fast-paced and well written.
3.5 rounded down
3.5 rounded down
jessicamap's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Dutton Books for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
This is book two in the Frankie Sheehan series and I would say you could read this as a standalone book without issue. We start the book out with Frankie meeting up with her sister-in-law to talk with a client of hers that she is trying to overturn a guilty conviction for – and it’s sure to be a high profile deal. To Frankie’s shock, she finds herself face-to-face with Seán Hennessey. Seán was a convicted murderer; he had killed his parents and attempted to kill his sister. Now that he has served his time, he is determined to get his conviction overturned and is adamant that he is innocent.
Meanwhile, Frankie is faced with a double homicide case. A married couple found murdered in the nearby church and a gruesome but calculated crime scene leads Frankie to believe that these murders aren’t over. Could this be the work of Hennessey? Kiernan does a fantastic job weaving together these two cases. As Frankie is consulting on Hennessey’s case and trying to solve the current murders, Kiernan expertly feeds us the details we need as the story progresses.
I really enjoy seeing Frankie continue to grow as a character and I think that she got some more development from book one. However, that being said, you can still pick up in this book and not feel lost without having read TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE. I think those that like the documentaries such as Making a Murderer will enjoy the case involving Seán Hennessey as they try to determine if he is actually innocent. This has the elements we all love in a who-dun-it read and it’s not too heavy in the procedural portion of the crime fiction genre.
Overall, if you’re looking for a new crime series, then I would highly recommend getting acquainted with DCSI Frankie Sheehan. I can’t wait to see where this series will go next.
This is book two in the Frankie Sheehan series and I would say you could read this as a standalone book without issue. We start the book out with Frankie meeting up with her sister-in-law to talk with a client of hers that she is trying to overturn a guilty conviction for – and it’s sure to be a high profile deal. To Frankie’s shock, she finds herself face-to-face with Seán Hennessey. Seán was a convicted murderer; he had killed his parents and attempted to kill his sister. Now that he has served his time, he is determined to get his conviction overturned and is adamant that he is innocent.
Meanwhile, Frankie is faced with a double homicide case. A married couple found murdered in the nearby church and a gruesome but calculated crime scene leads Frankie to believe that these murders aren’t over. Could this be the work of Hennessey? Kiernan does a fantastic job weaving together these two cases. As Frankie is consulting on Hennessey’s case and trying to solve the current murders, Kiernan expertly feeds us the details we need as the story progresses.
I really enjoy seeing Frankie continue to grow as a character and I think that she got some more development from book one. However, that being said, you can still pick up in this book and not feel lost without having read TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE. I think those that like the documentaries such as Making a Murderer will enjoy the case involving Seán Hennessey as they try to determine if he is actually innocent. This has the elements we all love in a who-dun-it read and it’s not too heavy in the procedural portion of the crime fiction genre.
Overall, if you’re looking for a new crime series, then I would highly recommend getting acquainted with DCSI Frankie Sheehan. I can’t wait to see where this series will go next.