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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this first in the Maeve Kerrigan series, following the DC as she helps with The Burning Man case.
Maeve is a great character and not massively flawed like you get in a lot of police procedurals. There was plenty of dialogue that made me chuckle, a good balance against the murder investigation and I enjoyed her interactions with the other characters too.
The crime itself was cleverly put together and I didn't guess the outcome.
Looking forward to the next one.
Maeve is a great character and not massively flawed like you get in a lot of police procedurals. There was plenty of dialogue that made me chuckle, a good balance against the murder investigation and I enjoyed her interactions with the other characters too.
The crime itself was cleverly put together and I didn't guess the outcome.
Looking forward to the next one.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
I've seen The Burning by Jane Casey popping up on my Goodreads book recommendations for some time, so when I got a chance to read it on NetGalley, I gave it a go.
From the description of the mystery, I had expected a rather forgettable, formulaic, police procedural. What I got instead was likeable characters, an intriguing plot, a beautiful setting, and themes of obsession and friendship, which are always creepily compelling.
I immediately warmed to the main character of Maeve Kerrigan, a young DC in London with a heart of gold. Her partner is the witty and loyal Rob Langton. As the story begins, the two are investigating a series of murders in London, in which young women are killed and then burned.
Part of the reason I was reluctant to read The Burning in the past was that I didn't look forward to reading the details of people being burned to death, so I was relieved to find that the gore factor in The Burning was not too disturbing. I think part of this was because Maeve herself reacted strongly to the violence, and also because victims were described in medical terms, rather than in a purely sensationalist manner. So happily, this book was less upsetting than I had feared, while still managing to create a sense that a very horrible psychopath was on the loose.
As mentioned above, another good thing about the novel was the human relationships between the characters. Maeve and Rob are both innately decent people, as is Godfrey, their boss. This lends a sense of hope and safety to the dangerous world that they navigate. Also, the author portrays abusive, obsessive relationships between some of the other characters in a psychologically astute manner.
A third thing I really enjoyed about The Burning was the setting, which mainly took place around London and in the beautiful town of Oxford. I am pretty much guaranteed to enjoy any book that has a setting in a gorgeous old university town, with the requisite stone arches, arcane traditions, and storied past.
I was impressed with the depth that Jane Casey brought to The Burning. While it was clearly a twisty, action packed mystery, it had a plot that really interested me. I also feel like Casey touched on some deeper themes, such as how difficult it is to change one's true identity. I thought the fact that she used the disfiguration of burning as the crime related nicely to the way some of the characters were trying to change their outward appearances, but were unable to escape their basic natures.
The two quibbles I have with The Burning would are minor. First, at 368 pages, it is a long novel. Secondly, I felt that at times, the repartee between Maeve and Rob seemed juvenile, rather than funny and flirty. Regardless, I really liked Maeve and Rob, and am glad that I took a chance and read The Burning. Luckily, it is the first in a series, and I will definitely be reading more novels by Jane Casey. If you read and enjoy The Truth Will Out by Jane Isaac, I would recommend that you read The Burning, by Jane Casey.
From the description of the mystery, I had expected a rather forgettable, formulaic, police procedural. What I got instead was likeable characters, an intriguing plot, a beautiful setting, and themes of obsession and friendship, which are always creepily compelling.
I immediately warmed to the main character of Maeve Kerrigan, a young DC in London with a heart of gold. Her partner is the witty and loyal Rob Langton. As the story begins, the two are investigating a series of murders in London, in which young women are killed and then burned.
Part of the reason I was reluctant to read The Burning in the past was that I didn't look forward to reading the details of people being burned to death, so I was relieved to find that the gore factor in The Burning was not too disturbing. I think part of this was because Maeve herself reacted strongly to the violence, and also because victims were described in medical terms, rather than in a purely sensationalist manner. So happily, this book was less upsetting than I had feared, while still managing to create a sense that a very horrible psychopath was on the loose.
As mentioned above, another good thing about the novel was the human relationships between the characters. Maeve and Rob are both innately decent people, as is Godfrey, their boss. This lends a sense of hope and safety to the dangerous world that they navigate. Also, the author portrays abusive, obsessive relationships between some of the other characters in a psychologically astute manner.
A third thing I really enjoyed about The Burning was the setting, which mainly took place around London and in the beautiful town of Oxford. I am pretty much guaranteed to enjoy any book that has a setting in a gorgeous old university town, with the requisite stone arches, arcane traditions, and storied past.
I was impressed with the depth that Jane Casey brought to The Burning. While it was clearly a twisty, action packed mystery, it had a plot that really interested me. I also feel like Casey touched on some deeper themes, such as how difficult it is to change one's true identity. I thought the fact that she used the disfiguration of burning as the crime related nicely to the way some of the characters were trying to change their outward appearances, but were unable to escape their basic natures.
The two quibbles I have with The Burning would are minor. First, at 368 pages, it is a long novel. Secondly, I felt that at times, the repartee between Maeve and Rob seemed juvenile, rather than funny and flirty. Regardless, I really liked Maeve and Rob, and am glad that I took a chance and read The Burning. Luckily, it is the first in a series, and I will definitely be reading more novels by Jane Casey. If you read and enjoy The Truth Will Out by Jane Isaac, I would recommend that you read The Burning, by Jane Casey.
I think that Jane Casey is starting to get noticed in the US as she has been in the UK. This is the first book of hers I've read, and I'm definitely up for trying another.
The book is told almost entirely from two points of view. The first is Maeve Kerrigan, a young and ambitious homicide detective. Second is Louise, a friend of the murder victim that Kerrigan is assigned.
At first, I didn't see much special here. Police procedural, serial killer like many other serial killers, a young detective who's a bit naive but very enthusiastic. However, I began to get drawn into the story as Louis and Maeve both recounted or discovered more about Rebecca, the murder victim. There's a serial killer known as the Burning Man who has already claimed four other victims, and Rebecca's death looks like his work, but Maeve has been assigned to prove the link and she keeps on finding more and more suspects in Rebecca's past. Was she a victim of the Burning Man or did someone decide to make it look that way?
I think the strength of the book is the layers that Casey gives her characters. Maeve becomes more interesting as the book goes by, and Louise becomes a complex character to figure out. Rebecca, the victim, was also a complicated young woman. The tension builds as it becomes apparent to the reader that there are inconsistencies with the clues given. I won't say any more about the plot, but I was satisfied with the ending and would like to read more about Detective Kerrigan. She's an interesting person and Jane Casey is an interesting writer.
The book is told almost entirely from two points of view. The first is Maeve Kerrigan, a young and ambitious homicide detective. Second is Louise, a friend of the murder victim that Kerrigan is assigned.
At first, I didn't see much special here. Police procedural, serial killer like many other serial killers, a young detective who's a bit naive but very enthusiastic. However, I began to get drawn into the story as Louis and Maeve both recounted or discovered more about Rebecca, the murder victim. There's a serial killer known as the Burning Man who has already claimed four other victims, and Rebecca's death looks like his work, but Maeve has been assigned to prove the link and she keeps on finding more and more suspects in Rebecca's past. Was she a victim of the Burning Man or did someone decide to make it look that way?
I think the strength of the book is the layers that Casey gives her characters. Maeve becomes more interesting as the book goes by, and Louise becomes a complex character to figure out. Rebecca, the victim, was also a complicated young woman. The tension builds as it becomes apparent to the reader that there are inconsistencies with the clues given. I won't say any more about the plot, but I was satisfied with the ending and would like to read more about Detective Kerrigan. She's an interesting person and Jane Casey is an interesting writer.