The Killing Kind is a tightly written stand alone thriller written by Jane Casey.

When Barrister Ingrid Lewis believes she's in trouble, the only person she can turn to is a former client, turned stalker who turned her life upside down several years previously.

With insights into the legal world, Casey weaves in the issues of truth vs the justice system from the perspective of women experiencing violence. The Killing Kind features a compelling villain in John Webster, who displays enough ambuitity that you aren't quite sure if he is indeed a villain. This book is a rollercoaster you're going to want to ride.

A solid thriller with enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. The main character was unreliable at times and this added to the tension.

Ingrid Lewis is a successful young barrister, happy with her fiance, Mark, and enjoying her life. Then she defends John Webster, a charming and very clever sociopath, who has manipulated and harrassed his girlfriend until she completely broke down- and enjoyed every minute. He is acquitted but then turns his attention to Ingrid, stalking her and interfering in her life until she has lost her home, Mark and her peace of mind. She is trying to get her life back on track when a colleague dies in what seems to be an accident, but which Ingrid feels sure was a case of mistaken identity and an attempt on her own life. She is convinced that Webster is behind it, but then he contacts her and insists he is the only one who can keep her safe- is this the truth, or is he up to his old tricks? I really enjoyed this intelligent and tense thriller which kept me guessing and was hard to put down. It was refreshing to see a strong and resourceful heroine at the centre of the action- despite her fears, Ingrid frequently took the initiative and was proactive in solving her own problems. The novel also raised interesting questions about the legal system, about guilt and responsibility and about morality. One of the key issues of the story is the long-lasting effects a criminal act (and its repercussions) can have, on the perpetrator, the victim and the families of both, and how men can cause untold damage to women by treating them callously or carelessly. A good, meaty read which is both absorbing and thought-provoking.

The killing kind # Netgalley
This was a good read, you represent someone for stalking charges. A female Barrister Ingrid gets John Webster free. Then her nightmare begins. He barks all the rules and do not contact or go within a certain amount of radius near her or her home. Eventually something happens to Webster and Ingrid can actually relax. Thinking finally he gone. Then one day another female barrister is killed in a RTA Ingrid had lent her, the brolly she was using. She suddenly as this sick feeling, somehow the accident was meat for her. Once again begins another nightmare of being watched harassed fear to go work fear to stay at home almost paralysed with fear Ingrid is convinced it’s John Webster stalking her all over again. The difference is this time is he’s turned up at her door telling her she in danger and he’s the only one who can keep her safe. John Webster. Is so convincing and such a manipulator He’s so believable Ingrid no longer knows what to think anymore. Personally as I was reading this book I started to think how on earth did she ever become a barrister as she’s still wet behind the ears….. if someone had stalked me I would have just slammed the door in his face and contacted the police. But no Ingrid doesn’t do that after already having lost her boyfriend Mark and having had one house burn down. Instead of turning him away she listens to what he as to say hmmmmmmm as if. Ingrid let’s him into her life after having cctv fitted to try and catch her stalker in the act, also reporting him to the police. It falls into the lap of Mark Adam’s the storyline is full of twists after twists that Ingrid is petrified and genuinely starts to wonder who her stalker really is. The book as a good plot. However somethings just don’t fit to me I know it’s a novel. But I would like the novels I read to be realistic and hold me where I don’t want to put the book down. At the start I genuinely thought this was one of those books but as time went on I found it less and less convincing. Then I did the chicken story of the 3 bears. Who in there right mind would let a stalker into their lives again no matter how scared you where surly you would guess your being played I soon got to we’re I had predicted the ending although I was swinging from one to the other at times when it picked up a bit. Overall I did like the plot it really could have been a brilliant book if the author had not tried so hard to make the characters fit into the plot rather than it would have been so much more exciting and enjoyable if the book was more about the characters if the plot had been written along with the characters. Plus the plot was about then rather than the way it was . At the end of the day as the saying goes each to our own. It’s the first book I have read of this author thanks to Netgalley however I will definitely not be reading anymore by this author. It’s a shame realky but hey that’s the way it goes with some books you can not please everyone and if we all liked the same books it would become boring to read given 3 stars for the storyline alone,

This was a really good read and I was delighted to read it, A suspenseful psychological thriller with plenty of gripping moments,

A gripping and creepy psychological thriller. Barrister Ingrid Lewis gets John Webster off a stalking charge only to find he has turned his attention to her. When a colleague is killed, Ingrid feels she may have been the target. Webster says he is the only one who can keep her safe, but can Ingrid believe him? A standout riveting read.

Barrister Ingrid Lewis defends John Webster and gets him cleared of a stalking charge. She regrets her decision when he systematically starts to destroy her life, her relationship with her fiance Mark and ultimately her house, which burns to the ground.

Whilst working on a trial, she lends her umbrella to a colleague, who is knocked down in the street. Ingrid feels that she is the intended target, after all that has happened to her.
Then John Webster appears, telling her that he is the only person who can protect her. How can she believe him?

The story line will keep you guessing right up until the end. There are plenty of twists and turns, and it is difficult to put down. I haven't read any other books by Jane Casey, but this book has tempted me to read a few more.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I'm not going to finish this book as I get too scared reading about stalkers. I liked the writing and the plot was well constructed as far as I got. If you like tense psychological thrillers then this would be a good choice.

Ingrid is a barrister and most of the book is written from her point of view. She has made a lasting impression on people involved with her court cases and when strange things start happening , she is convinced that some one iwants to kill her.
On the whole the book is well thought out. At times my concentration did lapse though and I began to lose interest in the convolutions of the case 2/3 into the book. Fortunately the story livened up again and I was glad that I perservered with the book.
I guessed the main twist quite early on, but there were a couple more suprises .
Personally, I prefer Jane Casey's detective series, but this is also a good read
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4066575618?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Twisted… 3 stars

The law says that everyone has the right to defence in court, so sometimes barristers find themselves defending people they’d probably rather not know. So it was with Ingrid Lewis when she was just starting out, successfully defending John Webster from accusations of stalking and harassment. It wasn’t long after the trial before Ingrid learned to her cost just what it was like to be the target of John Webster’s games. Now, a few years later, a fellow barrister is killed and Ingrid becomes convinced that John Webster did the killing, mistaking the other woman for Ingrid. But can she persuade the police to believe her before it’s too late?

Jane Casey always writes entertainingly and well, and I love her police procedural series starring Maeve Kerrigan. This book is something of a departure from her, moving into standalone thriller territory, and it rockets along throwing twist after twist until the poor reader’s head is spinning. This poor reader, I’m afraid, found it went so far over the credibility line that I had to stop trying to take it seriously at all at a fairly early stage, when Ingrid begins to wonder if Webster is really the bad guy, or is he trying to save her? From there on it spirals into ever more ludicrous scenarios, in which the only constant to hang on to is Ingrid’s profound stupidity. She’s the type of heroine who, on being told a house is haunted by murderous ghouls, volunteers to spend the night in it. “I am in fear of a crazed stalker who I believe wants to kill me, so I’ll wander about the dark, lonely streets of London late at night, all alone, rather than getting a cab,” seems to be her general attitude to self-protection.

I know credibility isn’t considered a plus in contemporary thrillers, so I’m sure this will work well for people who generally enjoy the “I didn’t see that coming” impact of total lack of plot and character consistency. Unfortunately I do like plots to hold together and there are far too many holes in this one for me, and I don’t like when characters have a personality makeover halfway through, as both Ingrid and Webster do in this one. I felt that by the end both were unrecognisable from how they had been drawn at the beginning, not because they had been changed by events, but because they had been changed by the author to fit in with the plot twists. Plus, I regret to say it, but despite all the twists I did see that coming… I had very little doubt from quite early on as to where the story was going to end up, although it’s done well enough that I wondered from time to time if perhaps I was wrong. But I wasn’t.

Overall, then, reasonably entertaining but I think it’s fair to say it’s not my favourite Casey novel by quite a long way. I’d admit, though, that I am probably the wrong reader for the book, and I’m sure it will work better for the many people who love this kind of over-the-top twisty thriller.

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins via NetGalley.

This is not one of her best books
But I did enjoy it
Plenty of twist
And somethings are not what they seem.
A stand-alone book.
I would recommend this book
Thanks NetGalley

Barrister Ingrid Lewis successfully defends John Webster against a stalking charge. But far from being the end of it, he becomes obsessed with her. Ingrid's now forced to live her life constantly looking over her shoulder in fear. John Webster is a very dangerous man and he's slowly destroying everything Ingrid holds dear.

When Ingrid's colleague Belinda is tragically killed under the wheels of a lorry, she believes it wasn't an accident. She's convinced the intended victim was herself and that Belinda was pushed. Was it really a case of murder and mistaken identity or just an unfortunate accident? Then John Webster turns up at her home. . .

Never having read any of Jane Casey's previous novels, I went into this with an open mind. I'm delighted to say I thought it was thrilling from start to finish. The chilling presence of John Webster lurking around every corner is incredibly menacing and the reader is never quite sure what his intentions are.

Tension builds throughout and there are many twists and turns. I found myself turning pages late into the night. The intricately woven plot is superbly written and the story wonderfully addictive. I enjoyed it immensely.

I love Jane Casey this book was really great I enjoyed the Cross Atlantic feel about it, the opaqueness of relationships and the betrayal that was tinged with heartbreak. A great read thank you

This was so clever I’m still thinking about it weeks later. I was gripped from the first chapter and raced through this as I had to know what was happening. I loved Ingrid, I felt for her and really understood how desperate and scared she felt. The twists were superb and write until the last pages I was guessing. Incredible book.

Excellent book. I am a huge fan of author Jane Casey's work. She writes with such grace and knowledge.
Her characters are likeable, interesting and do keep you engaged in the storyline.
She just keeps getting better in her work.
I found The Killing Kind to be an engrossing read. I rarely lifted my head up from it.. Jane has the ability to suck you in to her story completely.
Quite a lot going on in this story too..
I finished this one completely satisfied with having found this author and her work..
Well worth the time.

I will post up a link to my review on my book page once I have it posted.

My 2nd Jane Casey book and I very much enjoyed this one too. Another excellent book and again I couldn't guess the ending, I did try!
Excellent thriller, highly recommended.

Great story with so many twists, this kept me hooked all the way through and is worth every moment spent reading it !

I love Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series, police procedurals, fast-paced novels, with intriguing and complex plots and developing the relationships between the main characters. So, when I saw that she has written a standalone novel, The Killing Kind I was keen to read it. It is a psychological thriller – and it is so, so very good. I was totally engrossed in it right from its opening page all the way through to the end. It’s a mix of courtroom scenes, police interviews and terrifying action-packed scenes.

The main character is Ingrid Lewis, a barrister, who successfully defended John Webster, who was on trial for stalking. But he then went on to stalk her, ruining her peace of mind and her life. He not only harassed her, but sent her multiple emails and texts, and uploaded YouTube videos destroying her reputation. Her relationship with her fiance, Mark Orpen, was ruined and her home was burnt down – all of which she was sure was down to him.

She took out a restraining order against him and thought she was free of him. But when the order expired she became convinced he was back in her life when one of colleagues, Belinda Grey, was killed in a road accident. Belinda had borrowed Ingrid’s red umbrella and Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim, when she sees the umbrella at the scene. Later a friend staying in her flat is brutally stabbed to death – again she is convinced Webster is behind her murder. But Webster insists he is innocent and that he is the only one who can protect her.

Ingrid doesn’t know who to believe and who she can trust – her life becomes a nightmare. Webster is clever, cold and an expert manipulator and Ingrid becomes putty in his hands. In despair she turns to DC Adam Nash for help and protection. It moves from past to present and in between the chapters there are sections in which three unnamed people exchange emails about Ingrid’s situation and I was intrigued trying to work out their identities- I was nearly right. I loved it.

With my thanks to NetGalley and to Harper Collins for my review copy.

Ingrid Lewis is a young, ambitious criminal barrister from London. Three years prior to this narrative she successfully defended a man, John Webster, who was accused of stalking a woman. However, Webster’s focus soon shifted to Ingrid and she has struggled to get him out of her life ever since.

Now, Ingrid’s colleague has just been killed in a road incident that has been deemed an accident. But Ingrid doesn’t think so. This fear escalates when a new friend, drunkenly crashing out in Ingrid’s flat, is stabbed to death. No one seems to be able to help Ingrid, that is until John Webster turns up at her flat and tells her he will. Can she believe him or is this one big mind game again?

Webster if a very well developed character, menacing, clever, pathetic and dangerous. Another good read form Casey!

Jane Casey is a great author and i have loved her other books. This was a departure from her normal characters though. The settings and the characters were well described and easy to understand, Ingrid's emotions were clear and I could feel the areas where she went. This was certainly a twisted story full of violence galore with a thught provoking essence running throughout.
I did think that Ingrid was a little too naive for a barister, especially when she had had issues with previous clients.