I need to talk about Maeve Kerrigan - includes The Secret Room[SPOILERS] *Title edited by MNHQ*

[Zitouna]

Following recommendations from on here I’ve just read the whole Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey over the Christmas holidays, and need to talk about my latest obsession!

has anyone else read them all? Happy to try and discuss without spoilers if people haven’t. They are basically brilliant police procedurals with a lot of character-driven background stuff - there are 10 main books, plus a few shorter spin offs set in the same world. The next one is out in March and I’d like to fill the gap with chat if possible!

Thoughts/predictions from me: Hoping beyond hope that the relationship stuff is resolved at least a bit in the next one, but predict more angst before it is. It might sort of ‘end’ the series - but then Casey could continue a series of the spin offs instead.

I had a question on chronology if anyone has read them all- wondering whether The Outsider (Rob spin off) is supposed to come before or after The Close? I think it matters for the relationship arc, and I can’t decide!

I love, love , love this series. I’ve also been in love with Josh since way before Maeve was!!! I’m really glad they go on the relationship in this book and the last one - like in the Strike books, the romance is a key part of the story.

I reread all the books last year and my favourite scene before The Close, is the one where Maeve is on the roof and Josh rescues her and gives her his shirt! I think I’m real
life, no o e would dither as much as these 2 nor as much as Strike and Robin (🙄).

I hope Josh is not killed off - I couldn’t cope. I also hope that Jane shows them going on and working together, and having a successful relationship- it can work, many, many people work with their DP.

I’m off to find the stand alone book.

Oh yes @Iloveshihtzus that scene, where he washes her hair - swoon.

I think my favourite of all the books is The Cutting Place - the bit where Josh rescues her from the flat is perfect thriller tension, and I love that she has to be off her face with painkillers to work out that she loves him.

Fair point for those who were a bit irritated with the latest one. For me, the characters are now so real and I’m so invested that I’m basically beyond literary criticism - but I do agree that Maeve is a bit feeble about him overall this time. Tho she does turn the tables on the stairs a bit? It wasn’t my favourite of the series, for definite.

I’ve been wondering today what Josh can have possibly said on the phone call that could be turned into a short story!

WIBU to confess that I dreamt about Book 12 last night 🫣. Josh had died 😱 so Maeve ended up with Luke as a substitute 😯. I woke up all discombobulated 😂.

The books can't have enough romance for me, but I can also fully understand why the last 2 books are disappointing versus the earlier series. The Cutting Place is still the best for me too, with Cruel Acts probably #2. The crimes are so intense and dark that I feel like the romance is a bit of light relief. And I loved that someone as tough, brave and intimidating as Maeve can go weak at the knees over Josh 😂. She even realised herself it was a crush 😻 . I think that phase has passed now after the stairs scene 🪭.

At this stage Jane Casey could write a shopping list and I'd read it. But I'll be a bit cross if we don't get a (real) romantic first date scene and I wouldn't say no to a full chapter of their first night together 🔥🤤😂. I think (hope?) we might have another book or two of settling their relationship before the romance dies down.

I'm also not sure how the conference call could be a short story, unless it could be padded with him and Vidya on the hunt in those 24 hours. There's a high standard now with the 2 we've shared on here 🤞

The Cutting Place is excellent. To be honest I like it when people speak in hushed tones about one of Josh’s outbursts but leave it to the imagination.
i’ve just reread The Kill and it’s very interesting looking back - all the elements are there.

(Spoilers ahead) Just finished Book 12 and - romantic elements and cliffhanger aside - I have a number of issues with the crime plot.

Why “kidnap” Rosalie? Why not flag issues to authorities as a doctor? I mean, is it even kidnapping if she runs away with you?

Why did Rosalie kill her husband?? I don’t buy the line about him not being able for the kids. True or not, murdering him seems extreme. And if it was to frame DH so she’d be free of him - just turn him in to the authorities for your unsolved kidnap? I … don’t get it.

DH then doesn’t want Rosalie to take the fall for killing the husband, so he leaves a suicide note taking the credit for it. So presumably he wanted the note found? To exonerate Rosalie? So then why on Earth would he move Maeve after he chloroforms her?? Hang yourself there and then you’ll be found when she and Liv come around and the note will be there. It doesn’t make any sense, except to have Josh worry about Maeve and have her in need of rescuing.

And sorry - Tor Grant feels the need to shut the door to show a 9 year old Manga? And what 18 yo says “little one” to kids? And then he was so upset she threatened to accuse him of indecency to a child that he had no choice but to masturbate in the unlocked room of a 12 year old? I’m sorry, but none of that made any sense. Red herrings, sure - but you can’t phone them in like this!

I’m annoyed that the crime plot was so poor, and I didn’t feel like the pay off with the romance was there because Maeve seemed so not herself for so much of the book, so distracted and unfocused on work and getting shivers left and right. It didn’t seem likely when she’s a double homicide to investigate.

I hated the cliffhanger too. I’m quite annoyed with Jane Casey rn. Not to be too Roy Keane about it all, but do your job! Write the crime novel with the excellent romance subplot. Don’t mess me around after a year of waiting!

*Book 11! Sorry. Wish fulfilment there.

@TomWaitsForNoMan23 I enjoyed the crime plot, but you’re right about the plot holes. I think I was always just so desperate to get back to it and get away from the rather pathetic awe inspired character that Maeve had become. I’m annoyed too.

@TomWaitsForNoMan23 have you read the Cormeron Strike series from Robert Galbraith? There is sexual tension there too, but those books never fail 👌

I have! Really good.

@WendyWebersdrugget do you mean all the elements of J wanting M? Can you give us some hints 😜. So much goes over my head but also, even though I love the audiobooks I do wish I had print versions sometimes to skim through. I'm going to pay more attention when I get to listen to it again.

Nothing at all spectacular. The dancing at the wedding caused Maeve to be really tempted but she thinks she’s got away with it. I think Rob knew exactly what was going on in her head, is jealous, and their relationship doesn’t recover from it, whereas Maeve blamed the shooting incident. Maeve and Rob struggle to talk to each other at all after the wedding. (When they do talk, Josh gets mentioned or Maeve is thinking about him.) When Harry is killed and Maeve suggests Rob talks to Josh because of his army experience he says he’s the last person he’d talk to. Maeve confides in Josh, not Rob. In The Outsider Rob realises too late how unfair he was to Maeve. There’s also Opal’s comment that Rob underestimates Maeve and looking back there are times in The Kill where Rob talks down to her - whereas Josh doesn’t make that mistake. I particularly liked the bit where the crime is supposed to be solved and Maeve makes it clear the Richmond Park murder is bothering her. Josh says ‘I hate you’ because he immediately knows she’s right. Of course that leads to him having to be rescued (naked) by Maeve because of his own stupidity but they present a united front when explaining what happened to Burt. The prospect of not working with Josh because Burt thinks she can get rid of him after Godley’s breakdown upsets Maeve more than everything else that’s gone wrong in her life and it’s then that Josh makes the ‘don’t be the girl who cries at work’ comment that Maeve remembers in the latest book when it looks like Burt will finally get rid of Josh.

I am pretty sure that in The Outsider Rob says that he deliberately waited until the right time when they had an argument to leave, and the scene with Deborah Ormond was staged.

Yes - exactly. He was going at some point.
of course even Debbie doesn’t know where he’s gone. He just vanishes!

Oh @WendyWebersdrugget that's excellent- so much happened in that book that I'd forgotten. I was so bereft for Maeve when Rob left despite what he'd done 🥹. But I do remember feeling a hint of affection from Josh when he offered to arrest Rob and beat up the scumbags that attacked her.

One (relatively minor) thing I never understood - or maybe I can't remember- did Josh really go around to the school counsellor to try to shag her (before she nearly killed him)? There was something about his clothes in the bedroom and I remember being disappointed in him, even though we knew he was such a womaniser 🙄.

Actually I'm better off not doing the early books again because I'll go off him completely (on Maeve's behalf of course) 😂

Saw someone’s comment on instagram that they wanted Maeve and Josh to get back to sparring with each other, BUT while in a relationship - so managing a non-sleeping kid while on a big case, Josh handling an independent daughter, Maeve being inept at the PTA and Josh thinking the dads are twats.

I decided immediately that is what I want too :)

I’ve recently re-read the The Kill and agree with a lot of that @WendyWebersdrugget

@Zitouna that does sound hysterical! I like the idea of a mini Maeve…

@Zitouna that's brilliant 😂 I want that too. Imagine if we get enough books to take them through marriage and kids 😍.

I can across this review on Amazon that I thought was very funny (and accurate)- and I'm glad I'm not a complete weirdo for wanting a hot love scene 😊

I'm in awe of anyone that has followed Maeve patiently since the first book in 2010. I only started last year and I'm feeling such a gap now waiting for the next one ☹️

Yes! to the contrived obstacles. So annoying!

For @Binglebong and anyone else who doesn't have the bonus chapter in The Burning...the Kindle version is 99p on Amazon today (not sure how long for).

Hi everyone! I'm been lurking for a while but now need some tips on what to read next! Any ideas? I've just finished The Outsider and need something new to listen to while I'm on maternity leave.

I read the first couple of MK books when they were published and came back to them after finishing the latest Strike book. I'm now waiting impatiently for Jane Casey and JKR to publish more! 😂

Whats the bonus chapter about?

SPOILERS

It’s when Derwent is joining the team and sees Maeve for the first time - they don’t meet but Godley warns him off

I want a Casey JKR crossover- can you imagine Josh and Strike meeting?!

Thanks for the 99p tip but I can't justify it for one scene. I already have the book of kindle but presumably the wrong publisher/edition.

@Binglebong confession - in lockdown, and waiting for the next Strike, I became a bit obsessed by Strike fanfiction, some of which is brilliant. There is sadly very little Kerrigan fanfic - but there must be someone prepared to write a crossover! I reckon Maeve and Robin would get on, no?

@redavocado i’ve also been trying to fill the void but haven’t found anything as good. Helen Fields Luc Callanach series has been closest for me so far. I’m doing re reads now instead!