The Stranger You Know
"Another cracking read from a great author who is maturing with every novel."
Synopsis:
He meets women. He gains their trust. He kills them. That's all Maeve Kerrigan knows about the man she is hunting. Three women have been strangled in their homes by the same sadistic killer. With no sign of a break-in, every indication shows that they let him in.
However, the evidence is pointing at a shocking suspect: DI Josh Derwent, Maeve's colleague. Maeve refuses to believe he could be involved, but how well does she really know him? And this isn't the first time Derwent's been accused of murder.
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Review:
DCI Derwent and DC Maeve Kerrigan initially appear to be a poor match. Derwent is a bad tempered, egotistical, yet somehow likeable misogynist. Maeve is a little flighty, haphazard and almost meek. Yet together they seem to bring out the best in each other. Although Kerrigan is ostensibly the lead character, 'The Stranger You Know' is based around a murder investigation, with Derwent as a suspect. Maeve is also investigating a 20 year-old murder. I always feel that Maeve is disorganised yet she manages to solve the crimes through hard work rather than having any enlightened thoughts. With plenty of characters to think of as suspects, I enjoyed working out (wrongly, I may add) who was the killer. The more novels Casey writes, the more that is revealed about her lead characters. Whilst Maeve grows stronger, Derwent begins to show more of his softer side. Despite Derwent being an arrogant bully, it is not possible to dislike him. And his dialogues are often interspersed with harsh comments that can't help but bring humour to the book. Casey manages to give all the characters a realistic feeling about them. This is the fourth book in the series and whilst it is possible to read this as a standalone novel, there are references to the past that would make the story more enjoyable and easy to understand if the books are read in order. This is a crime novel that is definitely not to be missed. Another cracking read from a great author who is maturing with every novel.