What initially looks to be a case of murder-suicide of an elderly couple soon has Maeve Kerrigan and the rest of the team investigating a years old missing persons case involving the couple's nine-year-old daughter, a case that was never solved.
A little over a year ago I read The Close by Jane Casey not realising it was book 10 in a series. Since then I was determined to read the rest of the books in the series before book 11 was published. I'm pleased to say that I managed to read them all, along with the spin-off, The Outsider, which is set in the Meave Kerrigan universe and takes place between books 10 and 11.
I really can't recommend this series highly enough. Every time I've read one of the books I'd comment that it was better than the last. Each one is brilliant on its own and would be a satisfying standalone read but if you really want to understand the motivation of the characters I would suggest reading the series from the beginning. If that sounds like too much then possibly read The Close before you read A Stranger In The Family.
One of DS Maeve Kerrigan's strengths is noticing little details that others may miss. So when the team is called to a flat where it appears an elderly man has murdered his wife and then taken his own life it's Maeve's observational skills that make them realise that a double murder has taken place. The team quickly realise that the couple are the parents of Rosalie Marshall, a nine-year-old who went missing from home sixteen years previously and has never been found. While half of the team investigates the murder, the others, including Maeve, look into the cold case to see if there are any links.
The focus on a sixteen-year-old missing persons case makes this more of a mystery story compared to other books in the series. The story flits backward and forwards between now and the days in the run-up to Rosalie's disappearance. We meet characters involved in both time periods, none of whom come across favourably. Even Rosalie herself is a strange character, one of those children who is wise beyond their years and is not above manipulation to get what they want.
The murder investigation seems to be plodding along, with little progress in either case, until a startling discovery is made. Things then progress quickly, showing how dangerous assumptions can be, and leading to a bittersweet conclusion.
It's not the crime itself that the vast majority of fans will be interested in though, it's how the relationship between Maeve Kerrigan and her boss, DI Josh Derwent, has developed since the events in the last book. For a variety of reasons Josh has tried to distance himself emotionally, he even appears to be the one who is a victim of jealousy this time around. Josh seems to be in an impossible position, he's trying to keep everyone around him happy and making himself miserable in the meantime. The usual brash and insensitive veneer Josh displays is rarely seen. Maeve is wary, she can sense that Josh is conflicted, and wants to be a supportive friend, but she can't deny the sexual tension between them. Author Jane Casey keeps the reader on tenterhooks with the constant "will they, won't they" scenarios. Since my reviews are always spoiler-free I'm not going to tell you if they do or they don't. What I will say is that the epilogue will leave you in suspense, wondering how the author can leave fans with those final words and how long will it be before we find out what happens next.
A Stranger In The Family by Jane Casey will be published on 14th March 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK for a review copy.
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