Summary:

Two women were killed and 1 woman disappeared 2 years back.
Leo Stone is convicted for the two murders and is in the prison. But after a year he stands a chance for a retrial (because of an incompetent jury). Met Police assigns DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent to re-investigate the case. While case reopens, a 4th woman disappears or perhaps kidnapped.

Is Leo Stone a serial killer? Or is a victim of a flawed justice system? What happened to the 3rd women? Will DS Kerrigan solve the complex mystery of murder and heinous crime?

My take on the book:

The book is a series of Maeve Kerrigan. In fact, this is the 8th book in the series. I realized this when I read the last page. Each character is carefully built and given enough background. I absolutely admired the author for this.

Most of them involved in the investigation are recurring characters. Each of these characters has great depth. One of the positive aspects is the female detective is not a typical one. She’s not invincible types. She’s flawed, yet, a well-liked employee and also has colleagues who don’t like her. She has sound thinking and doesn’t rush on emotions. DI Derwent is diagonally opposite to Kerrigan. She does the diligent work, and he enjoys it. He’s a snob but enjoys working with Kerrigan.

The author has spun a well-knit tale of murder, mystery, and crime. I am not a fan of serial killers or killings but the book brought out the case well.

The book isn’t a fast-paced thriller. In fact, the story is built steadily. The reader is supposed to absorb the clues and then along with the storyline look for the real culprit. One could relate to the detectives and their frustration when the clues prove a dead end.

The author touched a sensitive issue of the misuse of the internet. Today we have this weapon called the internet. Internet is predominantly filled with rumours (fewer facts). And these rumours affect people and we look around us through a mirror of judgment.

There were, however, flaws in the story. One of the big ones being, why the 3rd disappearance was never clarified. The police never worked the case. The new investigation teams solve the case but there were no reasons mentioned why it wasn’t solved the first time. Kerrigan keeps repeating shoddy police work for this case but it seems very unlikely. Especially, the disappearance happened at the same time as the initial murders.

This is my first book by the author and I liked her style of writing. And it got me interested in her other books.

I highly recommend this book, it's an excellent read.

I will rate this book 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the book in exchange for my honest review.

I love the Maeve Kerrigan series. I love the relationship with Josh Derwent and Kerrigan and Jane Casey always tells a fabulous crime novel at the same time.

There has been such a long wait for the 8th book, but it was well worth the wait.

In this novel, Maeve and Derwent investigate a serial killer and whether he is innocent or not.

I really enjoyed the novel, I just hope Jane Casey doesn't leave it as long for the next installment.

Jane Casey is the very first female crime author who's books I read and she got me into female crime books and she is one of my top 5 favourite authors and I've read and loved all of her books but I especially love the Maeve Kerrigan series she is one of my favourite all time detectives and I've really enjoyed seeing her character evolve through the series. Cruel Acts is another cracking read and it kept me guessing the whole way through absolutely addictive and such a fantasticly gruesome storyline it definitely is right up there with my favourites and is exactly the standard I have come to expect from her books. I love the relationship she has with Derwent and the office banter between herself and her colleagues really adds to the whole story.....I just have a tiny wish I hope to see forthcoming in future books ;-)

Cruel Acts is the first book by Jane Casey that I have read but it won't be the last as Cruel Acts is an excellent police crime thriller.

The main character is Maeve Kerrigan assisted by her colleague Josh Derwent and both characters are clearly well established and formed. There is obviously a significant backstory to their relationship but having not read any of the previous books in the series wasn't an hindrance as there was sufficient backstory for me to follow.

The story itself is well written and excellently paced as it keeps you hooked throughout with numerous twists and turns along with a good level of action.

This book is definitely recommended

D'S Maeve Kerrigan is part of a team revisiting the evidence that put Leo Stone away for life after he is released awaiting a retrial following appeal. As soon as he is out a girl disappears - coincidence or has Leo struck again? I thought I knew the answer, changed it but still didn't see the twist coming at the end. A tense, fast moving crime thriller that had me hooked from page one, couldn't put down and finished in a day! Believable characters with a smattering of Maeve's personal life that helps make her real. A fabulous read, gripping storyline but if I have one criticism it's I dislike the title. I can't wait for the next book in this series but don't worry as each book can be read as a stand alone crime thriller

Although there are a series of books featuring the main cast of characters, the stories work perfectly well as standalone novels. There is no need to read previous books to follow the narrative or be drawn into the story.

The story begins with a serial killer being released on a technicality pending a retrial. This causes Maeve and her team to be called upon to try to reinforce the original investigation into the killings to ensure that the suspect is returned to jail. quickly and this time for good.

The characters are unique and enjoyable and there are plenty of interpersonal relationships that are believable and do not detract from the main story.

Well written and enough twists to keep you guessing until the end without going overboard. Highly recommended.

I had no idea this was part of a series of books, although certain references made me check this out, and I will go back and read the previous books in the Maeve Kerrigan series. It worked well as a standalone too.
A breathtaking thriller featuring a very strong female lead. Strong because she is clever, empathetic and part of the team. And enough of a maverick to be deserving of a series of books.

Here we have a cut and dried case with a known serial killer being released because of a mistrial. Kerrigan is assigned to the case with her colleague, DI Josh Derwent. There seems to be something between the two of them which causes an interesting dynamic. Both have distinct policing styles and recognise the other's strengths. Maeve digs away looking at all angles and previously overlooked crimes that may be linked. I thought I knew where this was going but was shocked by the outcome. Like Maeve's colleagues, I was only halfway there. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. An explosive outcome and surprise to the very end. #netgalley #cruel-acts

This is the eighth book in the series featuring DS Maeve Kerrigan, Maeve and DI Josh Derwent are called upon to reinvestigate a case, Leo Stone, who was convicted and given a life sentence for the murder of two women, is released from prison after a miscarriage of justice. He is still claiming his innocence so it is up to Maeve and Josh to determine whether he is guilty or not. Maeve is the only person not convinced that Stone did murder the women. She investigates another case of a young woman who disappeared at the same time as the other two and is sure that Stone is responsible for that. None of her colleagues agree with her but when another woman goes missing when Stone is in custody, all of the investigation is in doubt. This is a plot full of suspense, lots of suspects and plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. An excellent series of books.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I finished Cruel Acts at 1 in the morning in a tiny, ancient holiday cottage with a downstairs bathroom and was genuinely scared to go downstairs in the dark to go to the loo... which shows a. what a wimp I am, and b. how utterly chilling Cruel Acts is.

Leo Stone, the 'White Knight' killer has been convicted of abducting and murdering two young women. Both disappeared almost in plain sight, their bodies discovered on a nature reserve months later. One family believe in Stone's innocence, the other his guilt, the family of a third disappeared young woman wait for answers; an inconclusive smear of blood means the police haven't pursued Stone for her murder. But when it's discovered that the jury had googled Stone and found out about his previous convictions, the trial is declared flawed and he is freed pending a new trial. Enter Derwent and Kerrigan to look for new, more compelling evidence. Also enter Stone's charismatic son who believes in his father's innocence and his equally charismatic lawyer.

Maeve is instantly drawn to the unsolved case of Rachel Healy, convinced that the new evidence they need is there, and after she messes up and is pulled off the main case she concentrates on that, increasingly isolating herself and attracting all the wrong kind of attention.

The joy in Casey's books are a mixture of the taut plotting, the twisty turns she hurtles the reader through, the spot on characterisation and the relationship between Derwent and Maeve. Derwent remains as irrepressibly, unrepentantly alpha male as always, probably unbearable in real life, utterly beguiling in fiction. Maeve, whose detective instincts clearly have completely deserted her in her personal life, manages to wander into several dangerous situations on her own, allows the poisonous Georgia to out manoeuvre her yet again and continues to misread Derwent. I do love a bit of unresolved sexual tension and here it's entwined with a deep, genuine friendship which makes their interactions a joy to read.

I've loved all of the Maeve Kerrigan books and Cruel Acts is completely worth the nearly two year wait. If you haven't discovered this series yet then you have a treat in store.

difficulties. But they called him a serial killer too, because he murdered them and everyone heaved a sigh of relief when he went down for life. Then one of the jurors self-published his story of the trial which explained how he and another juror had looked up Stone's history and found a trail of violence. After that, he explained, they knew that Stone was guilty. The juror got two months for contempt of court and Stone was released on bail pending a retrial.

DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent were charged with taking a second look at the case to see that all the ducks were in a row. There was no suggestion that the original investigation was sub standard, but the defence had had chance to see what the prosecution had up it's sleeve and it was worth seeing if there was anything else which could prove useful - and Maeve Kerrigan excels at finding what others have missed.

The families of Stone's victims are split of whether or not Stone is guilty and whilst it might look as though Derwent and Kerrigan are there to paper over the cracks and make the case look good in the limited time that's available, that's not how Kerrigan works and it's not long before the new investigation is moving in an entirely different way.

Kerrigan is just beginning to get over the loss of the love of her life - Rob - who has apparently moved on the another woman who is expecting his child. She's had to move out of Rob's flat and she's now renting Derwent's flat, which is enough to fuel more gossip, but Kerrigan's used to that now.

I've been looking forward to Cruel Acts for a while. I'd set a couple of days aside to enjoy it and I'd even tempted fate by buying an audio download (which I funded myself) so that I had the best of all worlds. I could read Jane Casey's exquisite prose and listen to Caroline Lennon reading it. Was I tempting fate, or could anything be better?

The simple answer was that it couldn't be bettered. I listened to the book twice: once to find out what happened and the next time to see how Casey did it and it came out as five stars on both listenings. There's more tension in the relationship between Kerrigan and Derwent - this time with explosive consequences and I can't wait to find out what happens next. It's a cracking series - one of my favourites at the moment and this one doesn't let the series down in any way. Highly recommended.

You'll be best starting at the beginning of the series if you want to get the best out of the books, but they all read perfectly well as standalones.

I'm a complete fan of Jane Casey's writing. I love her Young Adult books and I adore her Maeve Kerrigan series. Jane is one of those writers that manages too keep her series fresh and relevant and in Cruel Acts she does that with aplomb.

n Cruel Acts, Maeve runs a gamut of emotions and her position with in the investigation team goes from being the respected, lead detective to plummeting to a peripheral role, which leaves her angry and frustrated.

A convicted serial killer is about to be released pending investigation following inconsitencies and breaches at his first trial. While almost certian he is guilty, the team have to re-investigate the case from scratch.. However, one of the victim's is being overlooked and Maeve, despite instructions from her bosses, is loathe to let this vicitm's death go unpunished.

It is this dogged determination for justice, that makes Maeve so appealing as a character,

but what really enhances her, is the dynamics between her and her DI Josh Derwent. The two make an improbable team, with a frisson of 'somethin' thrown in, yet somehow they rub along nicely together, complementing each other even as Derwent annoys the hll out of her.

Casey offers us a range of suspects, each one beautifully written, each one convincing, yet very different. And just when you think you might have it sussed and know whether Stone is innocent or not, Casey throws something else in the ring.

The plot is pacy, with some 'hold your breath and don't let go' moments as well as some 'aww' ones and a few, "Really?... that just happened?' ones.

All in all, you couldn't ask for more. A brilliant female protagonist with strenths and vulnerabilities ... Fab! Fab! Fab!

Number 8 in the Maeve Kerrigan series and I loved it. I'd only ever read the first one previously and you could definitely read this as a stand alone but I will be going back to read the ones in between for sure. The author gets the exact right balance of focus between the crime and the personal lives of the investigators, and the police procedural is so believable. A great series.

Hadn't read anything by Jane Casey before and i was a bit apprehensive starting this book as i had read online that her books are in series but there was no need as the book was fantastic. The introduction of new characters throughout the book made it all the more appealing as you didn't know for definite who had actually murdered all the women. Really enjoyed this book and will be looking up Jane Casey for the future.

A police procedural drama with twists and turns which take you on a thrilling read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent investigate when Leo Stone's murder conviction for murdering two women is quashed due to jury irregularities during the trial. He is released from prison and another woman disappears in similar circumstances to the previous two. Is Leo Stone the killer he is thought to be or is he being used as a scapegoat?

I've read the last three books in this series fairly close together as I was conscious of this latest one being released this month. The case itself is more interesting than some of the previous ones, but it seems to take a backseat to personal and professional rivalries. With this book I've found myself reversing my previous position and now find myself on the side of #TeamDerwent. He's infuriating in many ways but he obviously cares for Maeve a great deal, the signs of which she refuses to see as anything more than his mercurial character. She doesn't actually talk to him to find out what is going on, just assumes she knows, reacts accordingly, and makes things worse. Some of the scenes between them in this book practically smoulder with chemistry, plus I'm not a big fan of the new man in her life. Will have to wait and see what the next in the series brings.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

This is an excellent police procedural in the Maeve Kerrigan series. A compelling plot with good character development and authentic characters. Jane Casey never disappoints. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC. Reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

Another enjoyable book in the Maeve Kerrigan series. It seems like it's been a while since the last book - it took me a bit to catch up with the characters again. I found the story took a bit of a back seat to the character interaction and development - I maybe wan't as invested in the actual plot as I like to be. A solid read though, especially if you've been following the series so far. Probably 3.5 stars.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it was an enjoyable read. The plot moves along at a good pace, it is well written and there are sections of real tension and drama, where I found myself holding my breath.
I was slightly irritated by the odd relationship between Maeve and her senior colleague Derwent, I wasn’t sure where that was going, if anywhere. Perhaps that was explored in more depth in a previous book.
There were a few surprising twists and turns, all of which were well executed and timed.
The characterisation was excellent, and the scenes with the serial killer in prison were chillingly described and all too believable.
My only criticism is that the ending was disappointing, it felt rather weak, and did not really tie up all the loose ends of the story. But perhaps there is a sequel yet to come, in which case I shall look out for it and definitely read it!
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advance copy.

A convicted serial killer of women, Leo Stone, is released on appeal. DS Maeve Kerrigan and colleagues are called in to reinvestigate. Another woman goes missing. Is Stone the guilty man? What cruel acts ended the life of the women?

An absorbing, fast-paced police procedural with well drawn characters and a sympathetic lead. Though eighth in a series it works well as a standalone novel. The plot made for some uncomfortable reading though.

With thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC.

Leo Stone has been released on appeal from his sentence for multiple murders.
DS Maeve Kerrigan alongside her boss DI Josh Derwent are tasked with re-examining the evidence for the upcoming retrial.

Straightforward? Not likely.

More murders occur, is it Stone or a copycat?
Twisted family secrets are slowly revealed.
Can Kerrigan beat the clock to get to the bottom of everything and potentially save more innocent lives?

An excellent book that had me racing through the pages with that feeling of "just one more chapter."

Maeve Kerrigan is a brilliant and totally believable character, her relationship with DI Derwent is intriguing and captivating.

Time to go back and read some more of these.