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Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Last Girl by Jane Casey

Oh, yes, I am really liking DC Maeve Kerrigan and Jane Casey's 3rd book in the series, The Last Girl, was lots of fun - for me anyway.  Not so much for the people that were killed.  I'm trying to think how I even heard about this series.  I know I read the 1st book, The Burning, last summer.  Just can't recall.  Well, if it means anything, I've already got the 4th book, The Stranger You Know, ready to go.  Back to The Last Girl.

Maeve Kerrigan is a young Detective Constable on Superintendent Godley's team.  Her partner seems to now be Detective Inspector Josh Derwent.  They are getting used to each other and feeling a bit more comfortable after the wild events of the last book, The Reckoning.  It's summer in London and it is a hot one.  Over and over the heat is mentioned, sweat and no A/C and humidity - shirts sticking to the back and icky-sweet soft drinks.  It sets the scene.

Kerrigan and Derwent are the lead investigators on a double murder case - the wife and teenage daughter of a noted defense attorney, Philip Kennford.  The attorney himself was assaulted by the killer and suffered a concussion that rendered him unable to remember much.  Then there is the twin sister of the murdered girl, who was swimming laps in the pool, and luckily was overlooked.  Or so it seems.  There is little to go on and the two detectives have a difficult time with both Lydia, the surviving daughter, and Philip, the father.  Neither seems willing to cooperate and answer many questions.

Meanwhile, the rest of Superintendent Godley's team is busy trying to determine the best way to stop a series of gang shootings.  The two sides are vying for control of drug trade in the area and some of this storyline is left over from the previous book.  Maeve doesn't understand why her boss is keeping Derwent out of that investigation, as Godley and Derwent were both familiar with the players involved some years ago.  Derwent, who is definitely growing on me, just growls when she asks him.

I pretty much devoured this book, enjoying getting to know more about all the characters and also testing my guessing skills in figuring out who-dun-it.  I was sort of right, but not completely.  And my mind had gone in all different directions first.  I like Maeve a lot, but she kind of makes me nuts in her mistrust of both her love interest and her slight chip on the shoulder about being a "woman in a man's world".  I guess it doesn't help that her partner is maybe the most sexist-while-still-being-somehow-likable character that I've read in a long time.  His loyalty to Maeve is beginning to show though, and there were several occasions in this book where I felt like clapping at his protective reactions toward her and other females.

I know there is a back story between the boss, Godley, and Derwent.  I'm hoping that more of that will come out in the next book.  I'm intrigued and Maeve has hero-worshipped her boss a little much.  No one can be that good.  Every white knight has cracks in his armor.  I think those are going to be coming out soon.  So, I can completely recommend Jane Casey's series.  Start with the first book and have a good time.  And now, I'm moving on to The Stranger You Know.

20 comments:

  1. I'm nearing the end of The Reckoning, which I'm enjoying very much, so I thought I'd better not read your post too closely but couldn't resist it. So I'm really glad that you didn't include any spoilers about the earlier books - not easy, I know. I have The Last Girl already waiting for me to read too.

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    1. Oh good. Glad we are kind of reading along together. I tried to be a little vague about previous stuff. I'm well into the next one and guess what? Enjoying it!

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  2. hmmm, I like following characters, though a series. but, I guess I'm too wimpy for the sound of this one. -grin-

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    1. Not every book is for every reader and not every reader is for every book. That's my motto. I totally understand. :-)

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  3. "...and will respond as soon as I can."

    just read this, in your comment message.

    no, no, no! please don't think you have to respond to my comments! please!
    we don't have time for that, in blogging.

    when you get the chance, and when something in my blog resonates with you, make a comment there.

    that's the "old fashioned" way, of blogging. and I still like it the best.

    please and thank you...
    Tessa

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    1. Ha! Tessa, you are great. But, I choose to respond to the comments - make it a bit like a conversation. I don't feel obligated. It's just my way and I don't replay to every single thing. I'm sure most people don't even know that I respond. And I only comment on other blogs when I have something to say. Thanks!

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  4. I love this series! Derwent becomes more interesting in each installment, and The Stranger You Know gives so much background about the way his character developed. I want book # 5!

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    1. Yay! I'm about 25% into The Stranger You Know and liking it very much. I have an idea about what might come. LOL

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  5. Great series, and this was one I particularly enjoyed. There was something about the Kennford storyline that was almost like a throwback to the old style country house mystery, but brought right up to date. And Josh just gets better and better as the series goes on. Keep on enjoying! :)

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    1. Good hear about Josh. I'm liking him even through his faults. :-)

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  6. I've this book in my pile! When I first bought it I didn't realise it's part of a series (it has somewhat become my habit of picking up books in the middle of a series, ha). Now I just need to get that first book to get this started.

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  7. This does sound like a good series. I am glad it's not often as humid here as it is there in the summers, but when it's in the triple digits and feels like walking into an oven when you step outside, it doesn't much matter. It's still hot no matter how you look at it. It's supposed to be 100 today. It's only March!

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    1. Seriously? A little warm for sure. We have had those years here too, but not this year. It's 75 outside now, but it got down to 39 last night. Too cold.

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  8. This is such a great series and I have the same issues with Maeve that you pointed out. I am really looking forward to this one!

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    1. I'm about 3/4 of the way through book #4 - loving it. Can't wait to finish it. I keep thinking I know what will happen - we'll see.

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  9. I just added The Burning to my TBR on Goodreads. This is a series and author I haven't heard of before but it sounds like something I'd really enjoy. Great review!

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    1. It's definitely one you should try, Katherine. And if you like it, well, then there is a series, but not too many books yet. :-)

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  10. Oh, boy! Another series to discover! :) I'll make a note of these four titles for future reference. I don't want to get to mixed up between characters in the Simon Serailler and Ruth Galloway series, not to mention Gemma James (who I've pretty much forgotten all about, at this point!). I'll read these three series and then give this new (to me) one a try. Thanks for the recommendations, Kay!

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    1. I know. I have been on quite a new series binge, haven't I? And I've also been trying to catch up with several that I was a little behind on reading. I have more of those, by the way - series to catch up on. We'll see how many I can get to.

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!