Jane Casey continues to captivate fans with her latest addition to the Maeve Kerrigan series, “A Stranger in the Family” (Hemlock, priced at £16.99). This gripping thriller sees good intentions disastrously pitted against unintended fallout. Maeve, along with her superior, Josh Derwent, are embroiled in the mysterious murder-suicide case of Helena and Bruce Marshall. The case takes a twist when their daughter, Rosalie, who had vanished 16 years prior, is linked to the case, transforming it into a double-murder probe.
Convinced that this recent tragedy is intertwined with Rosalie’s perplexing disappearance, the duo relaunch her cold case. The revelations that follow are riveting, substantiating the link between the cases, yet puzzlingly raise more queries than they solve.
At the same time, Casey expertly switches between these ongoing investigations and snapshots from the Marshalls’ image-obsessed history, equally balancing character development and storyline complexity. Notably, Casey doles out flaws and virtues to her characters in a way that enriches the reader’s engagement and complicates the detectives’ involvement in the cases.
At the heart of the intricately woven narratives, is the intriguing and fragile relationship between Maeve and Josh. Their dynamic has consistently been of interest to fans. Sailng through different roles in her life- boss, friend, landlord, colleague, the bad guy, dreaded nightmare, and almost-lover. This installment delves deeper into their relationship, exploring the trepidation and possible joy of dismantling their strictly work-related masks they’ve clung to for years.
All these factors combined make the Kerrigan series a fulfilling read for any crime fiction enthusiast.
In a starkly contrasting setting, Thomas Mullen’s “The Rumor Game” (Abacus, £21.99) transpires in Boston in the tense months leading to the 1943 Allied invasion of Italy. Mullen presents his two leads, Anne Lemire, a tenacious journalist pursuing truth to its odious roots, and Devon Mulvey, an FBI agent countering local Axis-supporting propaganda. Their paths cross in the second act over a murder investigation, which later expands to include the theft of weapons, falsified ration coupons, and covert sabotage blaming Jews for the war.
Both Anne and Devon have intense personal connections to their anti-fascist cause, with Anne being driven from her Catholic community as a youngster due to her Jewish lineage, and Devon uncovering the profound influence their inquiries have on his prominent, fervently Irish Catholic family. Although this might sound overwhelming, Mullen, who is renowned for his Darktown series focusing on the first African American police officers in Atlanta after World War II, has a knack for slowly drawing us into these intricacies, ensuring that the plot’s various strands do not become intertwined even as the main characters are confronted with a demanding world of diverse loyalties. This ability allows The Rumer Game to tell its tale effectively, particularly as it confronts the kinds of situations that continue to hang over the political landscape, especially in America.
Meanwhile, Eve Kellman’s inaugural novel, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways (Avon, £8.99), makes a striking introduction to her protagonist, Millie Masters. Millie first murder was her father, insisting it was virtually an accident and he warranted it, but she emphasises that this story isn’t about him but about her. She shed light on questionable and illegitimate activities she may have recently committed.
Millie’s daytime is consumed by an unfulfilling retail occupation, though her genuine existence unfolds at night, when she operates a guardian angel hotline/car service for women needing assistance dealing with threatening males during their nocturnal outings. Things take a drastic turn when this noble task leads to her inadvertently killing a man who had drugged a young woman. Yet, Millie’s initial terror quickly gives way to satisfaction for permanently removing a menace from the streets.
The progression of Millie into a serial killer is counterbalanced by scenes of camaraderie in pubs and a romantic subplot, akin to a dark twist on Bridget Jones’s Diary penned by Patricia Highsmith (“Have you ever attended the funeral of someone you’ve killed? If not, I recommend it”). The contrasting tone in Millie’s narrative injects a layer of sinister humour into the storyline. Kellman manages to harmonise these elements skilfully, bringing dynamic energy to the tale.
[Patricia Highsmith: an extraordinarily gifted author who never held anything back]
Dervla McTiernan’s novel, “What Happened to Nina?” (HarperCollins, £16.99) unfolds when Nina vanishes during a hiking trip with her boyfriend Simon, who comes back solo. The basis of who did the dreadful act is soon evident, but McTiernan subtly steers the focus towards the intricate narratives trailing such brutal incidents.
The story is rooted in the humble setting of a Vermont town and magnifies the social discrepancies. Nina’s parents, Leanne and Andy, manage an inn and a gardening business, in contrast to the wealth of Simon’s parents, particularly his mother Jamie, who has clandestinely stashed away almost $2 million as a contingency for inevitable displacement by a younger replacement. As time lengthens without a sign of Nina, suspicions of criminal mischief intensify, fuelled by the mutual disdain and scorn between the families.
The narrative alternates among multiple viewpoints, focusing mainly on Leanne, Andy, and Jamie, and tracks several storylines: Nina’s search, the Jordans shielding their son with wealth and legal protection, and a social media storm that involves false accusations of paedophilia and a toxic backlash against the victim. With discerning awareness of genre tendencies, McTiernan breathes life into her portrayal of the characters. “What Happened to Nina?” – akin to its flawed but clever characters – astutely remarks that justice is not always served to the wicked in the world we live in.
“Day One” by Abigail Dean (Hemlock, £16.99) is a riveting storyline that unravels the disturbing underbelly of conspiracy theories. In Stonesmere, a rural settlement in the Lake District, a catastrophic event commences when an assailant opens fire at a primary school gathering, leaving a trail of death and devastation in his wake. The tragedy, however, is only the beginning.
The narrative is soon hijacked by conspiracy enthusiasts like Trent Casey, a disillusioned and solitary individual, who finds the mainstream media’s account unconvincing. In his opinion, the scenario of a teacher sacrificing their life to protect a child is just because “everyone wants a hero”. If the distressed families don’t match his perception of genuine sorrow, they must be “crisis actors”.
Things take a distressing turn as Trent’s suspicious beliefs are heightened by Ray Cleave, an aggressive radio personality who manipulates his vulnerable listeners. As tension and paranoia escalate, Marty Ward, a youngster who lost her mother in the incident, is thrust into the spotlight, grappling with grief and complex layers of guilt. Marty harbours secrets related to that fateful day that have a potential to spiral beyond her control.
Both Marty and Trent navigate through the tragedy accompanied by colourful secondary characters who range from delusional to profoundly grieving, all portrayed with commendable attention to detail. Their battered existence, the grief they nurse and for some, the regrets they harbour about the past – Dean skilfully analyses all through a shifting narrative.
Brimming with hidden truths and heinous acts, “Day One” is more than a psychological thriller. It is a novel that balances a fine line between exploring public atrocities and personal anguish. The book is often stirring and successfully communicates profound emotions with restrained eloquence.