Cruel Acts by Jane Casey

 

Convicted murderer Leo Stone is about to be released from prison following an appeal. DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent are tasked with re-investigating the original murders to ensure that the case is water-tight for the retrial. 

Cruel Acts by Jane Casey is the eighth book in the Maeve Kerrigan series and I found it the most disturbing to date, it is also the most puzzling.

Three young women go missing over a period of months. When the remains of two of them are found Leo Stone is convicted of their murder. A year later one of the original jurors releases a book admitting to having searched the internet for Stone's previous convictions. This results in an appeal and Stone is released, pending a re-trial.

DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent are asked to review the original case to ensure nothing was missed the first time around and that the case against Stone is as solid as possible. During the investigation, Kerrigan feels that the family of the third woman who went missing has been treated poorly. Since her body was never found Stone has never been charged and her case has gone cold.

The investigation becomes a race against time when, shortly after Stone's release, a young woman goes missing in similar circumstances to the original case. We see Kerrigan's dogged determination to do her utmost for all the women involved, not just the two that Stone was convicted of murdering.

As Kerrigan and Derwent investigate they meet the families of the victims. One family is distraught that their daughter's murderer is free, the other family has been charmed by Leo Stone and is adamant that he did not kill their daughter. Kerrigan is confused that they would take this stance despite the overwhelming evidence.

They also meet two interesting, and intriguing, men with close connections to the case. Stone's solicitor is intelligent, ruthless and handsome. Kerrigan is immediately attracted to him and as a result, we see some jealousy from Derwent. The second person is Kelly, Stone's son. Despite the fact that Stone murdered his mother, Kelly wants to support him and help him get his life back on track. Kelly is a charismatic young man who has managed to survive the care system and make a success of his life, Kerrigan is charmed by him.

Despite the overwhelming evidence against Leo Stone you do begin to wonder if someone else was responsible for the murders, and this doubt is intensified when another woman goes missing. If Stone isn't responsible you begin to wonder if it is someone close to him who is responsible. What follows is a breath-taking conclusion with Kerrigan fighting for her life. You are on the edge of your seat willing her on but wondering how she is going to survive.