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tracey78's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
paulabrandon's review against another edition
1.0
I read the first book in this series, The Burning, some eight years ago! I don't really remember much about it, other than it was well-written, and an otherwise decent combination of police procedural and psychological thriller. However, The Reckoning is out-and-out police procedural, which is really not my favourite subgenre. It is well-written, but that's about the only nice thing I can say about this bloated, boring effort.
The story starts off with Maeve Kerrigan being assigned the case of the gruesome murders of convicted paedophiles, along with Josh Derwent, new to her force, and a real chauvinist. However, halfway through, the story completely changes course. It felt almost like two different books. This switch also introduced the British gangster underbelly element, WHICH I HATE. I have no interest in this. None. NONE. It thankfully isn't too prevalent, but nonetheless indicative of just how bog-standard and dripping in British police procedure cliches this effort really is.
And even with the two distinct plots, the real focus seems to be Maeve's relationship with colleague Rob Langton. At points, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were reading a romance novel.
Nothing really worked for me. The two plots (vigilante murders, a missing girl) were completely by the numbers and relied heavily on coincidence and contrivance. It hardly feels like the police actually solved anything! The gangster underbelly character was taking care of everything! Whenever Maeve visits a crime scene or somebody's house to question them, she seems far more interested in their wallpaper patterns and other descriptive elements than anything else! At 483 pages, this really could have done with a bit of editing. For crying out loud, I don't need to know what a minor character's wallpaper looks like!
Late in the story, the point of view abruptly shifts to that of Maeve's on-off love interest Rob Langton seemingly for no other reason that Maeve can't be there when certain things are going down. And even then things are happening because someone outside of Maeve and the police force are putting them into action. I just had no investment in anything. Things just seemed to happen, and Maeve and her colleagues were always just playing catch-up. Probably because they were too busy taking note of what everybody's wallpaper looked like.
I've got another book in this series stacked away in one of my many bookshelves (the curse of cheap op-shop finds). Hopefully, in the eight years it takes me to read it, I won't forget how, well, forgetful this one was and erroneously cheaply pick up any more.
The story starts off with Maeve Kerrigan being assigned the case of the gruesome murders of convicted paedophiles, along with Josh Derwent, new to her force, and a real chauvinist. However, halfway through, the story completely changes course. It felt almost like two different books. This switch also introduced the British gangster underbelly element, WHICH I HATE. I have no interest in this. None. NONE. It thankfully isn't too prevalent, but nonetheless indicative of just how bog-standard and dripping in British police procedure cliches this effort really is.
And even with the two distinct plots, the real focus seems to be Maeve's relationship with colleague Rob Langton. At points, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were reading a romance novel.
Nothing really worked for me. The two plots (vigilante murders, a missing girl) were completely by the numbers and relied heavily on coincidence and contrivance. It hardly feels like the police actually solved anything! The gangster underbelly character was taking care of everything! Whenever Maeve visits a crime scene or somebody's house to question them, she seems far more interested in their wallpaper patterns and other descriptive elements than anything else! At 483 pages, this really could have done with a bit of editing. For crying out loud, I don't need to know what a minor character's wallpaper looks like!
Late in the story, the point of view abruptly shifts to that of Maeve's on-off love interest Rob Langton seemingly for no other reason that Maeve can't be there when certain things are going down. And even then things are happening because someone outside of Maeve and the police force are putting them into action. I just had no investment in anything. Things just seemed to happen, and Maeve and her colleagues were always just playing catch-up. Probably because they were too busy taking note of what everybody's wallpaper looked like.
I've got another book in this series stacked away in one of my many bookshelves (the curse of cheap op-shop finds). Hopefully, in the eight years it takes me to read it, I won't forget how, well, forgetful this one was and erroneously cheaply pick up any more.
pujadev's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Generally a great mystery series
corinne82's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
🎧 This is the second book in the DC Maeve Kerrigan series and it’s an another good one. It starts off with one storyline and quickly steers onto another. The story unfolds at a steady pace throughout but at times I did wish it would move a little faster. There were some great twists and turns throughout that kept you on your toes. Both loveable and not so loveable characters but personally I love the character of Maeve Kerrigan. She has such a “take no crap” attitude and really is a strong female character. Looking forward to the next installment.
joannefl97's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
carolpk's review against another edition
4.0
The Hook - A promising series I started and forgot about.
The Line – ”The morning after the night before is never a lot of fun, especially if don’t drink much as a rule.”
The Sinker – Nothing horribly earth shattering but I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Maeve Kerrigan Series.
I suppose you could call it a London police procedural. Just as I would expect there’s a new round of brutal killings of women and the perpetrators of these to find. There are grizzly details so this is not for those of you who don’t like graphic violence. I didn’t get a strong sense of London but that may just be me. It certainly didn’t bother me. The police department and flats, etc. are described well enough. What I really liked was the nod to how British police are unarmed and just who comes in with the guns. I honestly think this is the first time I have gotten a clear sense of this in a book.
Maeve Kerrigan is a strong character making her place in a man’s world. She has room for growth as self-doubt is still coming through loud and clear. She continues her romantic relationship with Rob Langton and spars with enough of her male colleagues to make this woman want to join her team. The addition, though minor, of DC Liv (can’t remember her last name) was a plus, giving Maeve a female ear and someone to commiserate with and also to mentor. I hope to see this character and their relationship grow. It seems more likely for there to be more than one woman on the team.
Count me in for number 3.
The Line – ”The morning after the night before is never a lot of fun, especially if don’t drink much as a rule.”
The Sinker – Nothing horribly earth shattering but I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Maeve Kerrigan Series.
I suppose you could call it a London police procedural. Just as I would expect there’s a new round of brutal killings of women and the perpetrators of these to find. There are grizzly details so this is not for those of you who don’t like graphic violence. I didn’t get a strong sense of London but that may just be me. It certainly didn’t bother me. The police department and flats, etc. are described well enough. What I really liked was the nod to how British police are unarmed and just who comes in with the guns. I honestly think this is the first time I have gotten a clear sense of this in a book.
Maeve Kerrigan is a strong character making her place in a man’s world. She has room for growth as self-doubt is still coming through loud and clear. She continues her romantic relationship with Rob Langton and spars with enough of her male colleagues to make this woman want to join her team. The addition, though minor, of DC Liv (can’t remember her last name) was a plus, giving Maeve a female ear and someone to commiserate with and also to mentor. I hope to see this character and their relationship grow. It seems more likely for there to be more than one woman on the team.
Count me in for number 3.
clairelitch1's review against another edition
5.0
Full of twists, it left me guessing until the very end. I loved it! Can't wait for more in the series
beth_morton's review against another edition
5.0
Slow to start, but a great second half. Stick with it!
ellelainey's review against another edition
4.0
The Reckoning (Maeve Kerrigan, Book 2)
by Jane Casey
★★★★☆
483 Pages
1st person, dual-character POV
Themes: murder, crime, violence, friendship, romance, relationships
Triggers: murder, violence, stalking, mentions of off-page rape, kidnap, child pornography, slavery, torture, dark-web websites, murder-suicide, teen criminals, historical rape and violence of a teen
Genre: Crime, Contemporary, Murder Mystery
~
The Reckoning is Book 2 in the Maeve Kerrigan series, and takes a twisty look through historical crimes, and the consequences that come with a dark past.
The plot begins with the violent torture and murder of a trio of men who were previous convicted, and served time for, paedophilia. They've been tortured according to the severity of their crimes, e.g. whether they were physically violent or secondary observers.
As the case builds, it's discovered these crimes are committed for a reason – the kidnap of a teenage girl.
The story progresses Maeve's time on the murder squad, and shows in a new light how she'd treated like an accessory, by certain men on the force. The crude jokes, the inappropriate comments, the whole 'stand still look pretty' comments, and police urging her to use her femininity to sway suspects or witnesses. There's also the slagging off about her being Irish, and the bad jokes. It's not an easy world for a woman to inhabit, but Maeve handles it well, without compromising herself or her career. I love that Maeve's inexperience is shown through her decisions, and how people treat her. I love that she makes mistakes, totally innocently, but she faces up to them and doesn't shy away from taking responsibility. I also really love that she's not perfect. It makes her more real, relatable, and gives her plenty of room to grow throughout the rest of the series.
Rob gets to shine here, again. He gets to have his POV a few times, and shows more of his personality than we've had the chance to see before. There's an early scene where you wonder if he's going to go too far, but it also shows how passionate he is about his work, and about Maeve. I really feel like he grew a lot, both in maturity and in his place within the book, here.
As for secondary characters, enter Liv, a new policewoman to share Maeve's horror stories with. As a young woman, pretty, well organised and who likes paperwork, Liv is interesting. As a lesbian within a heavily male dominated world, she's suffered a lot of backchat and prejudice, just as Maeve has. Yet, she's strong and feisty. She gives Maeve strong, trustworthy back-up, and she likes Rob. She did everything possible to win me over, and I really loved having another woman on the team.
I liked seeing the members of the last book back again, like Colin – who I really like – and Pettiford and Maitland, as well as the disgusting dirtbag, Belcott. A new member of the team, who really shook things up, was the sometimes arrogant, always annoying, Derwent.
Derwent was a new member of the team, brought in with another guy, Bryce, from the big boss, Godley's old team. Brash, arrogant and happy to stir the pot, Derwent loved teasing Maeve, even inappropriately – or maybe that's especially inappropriately.
So...after all that, why didn't I give it 5*? Well, there were NO trigger warnings, and there are A LOT of triggers within the book. I get that it's probably going to be a theme, in this series or with this publisher/author, but it's frustrating when the triggers are so serious and there isn't a single warning – in the blurb or at the beginning of the book.
In terms of execution, there were a lot more issues than the previous book, with some dialogue crossing paragraphs, where two people spoke in one paragraph and it was a little difficult to follow, without appropriate dialogue tags. Sometimes the content was REALLY heavy, and there wasn't always a break when I needed to digest what we were dealing with.
~
OVERALL
The proportion and division of personal and professional life was well handled. I loved Maeve's progression throughout the story, and how she dealt with the serious issues of the murders. I liked the continued progress of Rob's character, and the new characters, that gave the plot some new blood and gave us a breather from Maeve's life.
I'm disappointed that the major plot of Maeve's stalker wasn't resolved, and can only hope that it's continued in the next book.
~
Favourite Quote
“‘It’s just that I’ve been thinking. About us. And I’ve realised that being with you isn’t the worst thing I can imagine. The worst thing I can imagine is being without you.’”
“He pulled his shoulders back, broadening his chest. I wondered if he was even conscious of doing it. It was so much a throwback to the apes it was almost ridiculous. The missing bloody link, alive and well and policing London with maximum offensiveness.”
by Jane Casey
★★★★☆
483 Pages
1st person, dual-character POV
Themes: murder, crime, violence, friendship, romance, relationships
Triggers: murder, violence, stalking, mentions of off-page rape, kidnap, child pornography, slavery, torture, dark-web websites, murder-suicide, teen criminals, historical rape and violence of a teen
Genre: Crime, Contemporary, Murder Mystery
~
The Reckoning is Book 2 in the Maeve Kerrigan series, and takes a twisty look through historical crimes, and the consequences that come with a dark past.
The plot begins with the violent torture and murder of a trio of men who were previous convicted, and served time for, paedophilia. They've been tortured according to the severity of their crimes, e.g. whether they were physically violent or secondary observers.
As the case builds, it's discovered these crimes are committed for a reason – the kidnap of a teenage girl.
The story progresses Maeve's time on the murder squad, and shows in a new light how she'd treated like an accessory, by certain men on the force. The crude jokes, the inappropriate comments, the whole 'stand still look pretty' comments, and police urging her to use her femininity to sway suspects or witnesses. There's also the slagging off about her being Irish, and the bad jokes. It's not an easy world for a woman to inhabit, but Maeve handles it well, without compromising herself or her career. I love that Maeve's inexperience is shown through her decisions, and how people treat her. I love that she makes mistakes, totally innocently, but she faces up to them and doesn't shy away from taking responsibility. I also really love that she's not perfect. It makes her more real, relatable, and gives her plenty of room to grow throughout the rest of the series.
Rob gets to shine here, again. He gets to have his POV a few times, and shows more of his personality than we've had the chance to see before. There's an early scene where you wonder if he's going to go too far, but it also shows how passionate he is about his work, and about Maeve. I really feel like he grew a lot, both in maturity and in his place within the book, here.
As for secondary characters, enter Liv, a new policewoman to share Maeve's horror stories with. As a young woman, pretty, well organised and who likes paperwork, Liv is interesting. As a lesbian within a heavily male dominated world, she's suffered a lot of backchat and prejudice, just as Maeve has. Yet, she's strong and feisty. She gives Maeve strong, trustworthy back-up, and she likes Rob. She did everything possible to win me over, and I really loved having another woman on the team.
I liked seeing the members of the last book back again, like Colin – who I really like – and Pettiford and Maitland, as well as the disgusting dirtbag, Belcott. A new member of the team, who really shook things up, was the sometimes arrogant, always annoying, Derwent.
Derwent was a new member of the team, brought in with another guy, Bryce, from the big boss, Godley's old team. Brash, arrogant and happy to stir the pot, Derwent loved teasing Maeve, even inappropriately – or maybe that's especially inappropriately.
So...after all that, why didn't I give it 5*? Well, there were NO trigger warnings, and there are A LOT of triggers within the book. I get that it's probably going to be a theme, in this series or with this publisher/author, but it's frustrating when the triggers are so serious and there isn't a single warning – in the blurb or at the beginning of the book.
In terms of execution, there were a lot more issues than the previous book, with some dialogue crossing paragraphs, where two people spoke in one paragraph and it was a little difficult to follow, without appropriate dialogue tags. Sometimes the content was REALLY heavy, and there wasn't always a break when I needed to digest what we were dealing with.
~
OVERALL
The proportion and division of personal and professional life was well handled. I loved Maeve's progression throughout the story, and how she dealt with the serious issues of the murders. I liked the continued progress of Rob's character, and the new characters, that gave the plot some new blood and gave us a breather from Maeve's life.
I'm disappointed that the major plot of Maeve's stalker wasn't resolved, and can only hope that it's continued in the next book.
~
Favourite Quote
“‘It’s just that I’ve been thinking. About us. And I’ve realised that being with you isn’t the worst thing I can imagine. The worst thing I can imagine is being without you.’”
“He pulled his shoulders back, broadening his chest. I wondered if he was even conscious of doing it. It was so much a throwback to the apes it was almost ridiculous. The missing bloody link, alive and well and policing London with maximum offensiveness.”