I love Jane Casey’s Kerrigan and Derwent series, so I was delighted to see that she had a stand-alone on the way. The Killing Kind sounded like something I would love, and while it is expertly written with a great premise, it didn’t do me any good! 😆 I had nightmares from reading it! That being said, it is going to do so well! And just because it didn’t do me any good, doesn’t mean it’s not excellent!

A seriously well-constructed book that had me absolutely gripped. This is a story with a bit of everything for all types of crime fiction aficionados. There is a psychological element with the stalker of Ingrid Lewis, there is some court room action as Ingrid is a barrister, there is some seriously scary scenes with kidnaps, knives and other weapons and there are of course the police who are there to see justice is done.

The synopsis is straightforward; Ingrid defended a man who was on trial for stalking and once she won, he stalked her. One of the policemen, Adam Nash, warned her she'd regret what she'd done, and she did. She lost her fiancé along with her peace of mind and then some years later too many people that she knew from that time suffered accidents. Had John Webster reignited his obsession with her?

I have been a Jane Casey fan for many years now but she has absolutely outdone herself with this standalone thriller. The characters are so sharp they cut, and they cut deep. The plot is quite simply ingenious; whatever you are expecting from this read, I'm willing to bet you will be wrong and the story flows. It's immensely readable with no jarring scenes, now false cliff-hangers just great writing that is there for you to absorb, wonder at, and of course enjoy.

Yet again Jane Casey produces an utterly absorbing read, she captures your attention from start to finish.

A tense plot full of unexpected twists and turns, Ingrid is a wonderful character that you find yourself fully invested in.

Get ready to be lost in the wonderful world of Jane Casey!

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for a copy of “ The Killing Kind” for an honest review.

I’ve enjoyed Jane Casey’s other books in the past and this new psychological thriller by her definitely didn’t disappoint..
It was well thought out and full of suspense ,and it kept me guessing right up to the end..
I wii definitely be recommending this.

Very clever thriller, but the motivations of the ‘stalker’ just didn’t ring true sadly. Despite this (and guessing the twists), the book keeps the reader involved. Interesting take on the justice system and the true meanings of guilty/not guilty. In my opinion not the author’s best book.

If you are looking for a great and utterly gripping psychological crime thriller, then I strongly urge you to pick up this one, Jane Casey's standalone, she is known for her brilliant Maeve Kerrigan series. Set in London, the talented barrister, Ingrid Lewis, is to rue the day she successfully defends the dangerous, stalking, manipulative sociopath that is John Webster, as he turns his nightmare attention on her. He destroys her life with his campaign of harrassment, following her, sending never ending emails and texts, uploading YouTube videos intent on destroying her reputation, engineering the end of her relationship with her beloved fiance, Mark Orpen, and burning down her home. So when fellow barrister, Belinda Grey, dies in a road traffic accident, she is convinced it is murder, a case of mistaken identity, and that the real target was her. She had lent Belinda her distinctive umbrella, and she is absolutely certain that Webster is the killer.

In a multilayered story that shifts from the past to present, unsurprisingly Ingrid is consumed by paranoia and is feeling the mental strain of living under a series of non-stop terrorising events that include close calls on her life, murder and stalking, and she is certainly not safe in her freezing home. She finds herself relying on DC Adam Nash for help and to protect her, although he does this off his own bat as there is no evidence that can be produced that definitively points to Webster to instigate an official police inquiry. When Webster claims she is being stalked and targeted by others, and that he is protecting her, she is not inclined to believe him but as she finds herself under increasing threat and pressure, she makes the decision to turn to him for help. Has she made the mistake of her life?

Casey expertly weaves a riveting crime story, depicting in detail the horror of Ingrid's life falling apart, packed with oodles of suspense and tension, and with the kinds of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages as fast as I possibly could. The creation and development of Ingrid's character is done with skill, she is a strong woman who does not know who she can trust, with the strength, motivation and determination to instigate her own inquiries, after all, her life is at stake. Having said this, it is the character of John Webster that mesmerises, complex, intelligent, malevolent, does he really have it in him to genuinely help Ingrid? This is a beautifully plotted and smart psychologically thriller, with numerous threads, where nothing is as it appears, with a surprising final reveal at the end. If psychological thrillers are your thing, you will be missing out if you do not read this! Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

Ingrid is a hot shot lawyer, who has had her fair share of complex cases but none quite the same as the stalking charge against John.

John then ends up back in Ingrid’s life telling her terrifying things about her life being in danger, can she trust him?

This is an absolutely excellent thriller which I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying. Great characters and deep psychological thrills in a well written and excellently paced novel.

Ingrid Lewis is a young barrister in London. She defends a particularly obnoxious human in a stalking case, thereby attracting the interest of the defendant. Over the next couple of years, she has become sure he is trying to ruin her life. Then she discovers that she might need his help...

I can't talk much about the delicious plotting in this dark gem, in case I spoil it for someone.
This stand-alone from Jane Casey is genuinely edge-of-the-seat, heart-in-mouth thrilling from start to unguessable finish.

As a huge fan of crime and psychological thriller books, it’s not often that I am left dumbstruck, mouth open in amazement, by a book. Jane Casey’s ‘The Killing Kind’ is a novel that left me in that state! It was gripping, impossible to leave down and has all the essential ingredients of a truly amazing page-turner! This is the Casey’s first standalone novel. The author’s series featuring D.C. Maeve Kerrigan are interesting in terms of their plots and character development but I think ‘The Killing Kind’ is the best novel she has written to date.

‘The Killing Kind’ tells the story of a young barrister, Ingrid Lewis, who is living in constant fear and anxiety from the terrifying campaign of stalking and harassment of a former client, John Webster. When people she knows start having unfortunate ‘accidents’, including the death of a colleague Belinda Grey, Ingrid is certain that Webster is involved. Ingrid is worn down, doesn’t know who to trust and this has all had a detrimental affect on not only her but also her relationships. Who can she trust, who can she turn to help her figure out what is going on? How can she survive this and stop more of her friends ending up dead?

Casey was able to bring these characters to life on the pages- you either loved or hated them (Webster can only be described as a terrifying monster!). It is a master class of character development; Ingrid comes across as emotionally detached, almost cold when she talks about events that are truly horrifying and disturbing to read about. The inclusion of police interview and trial transcripts, the emails from the anonymous group of people who are hell-bent on making Ingrid’s life a war zone, as well as the newspaper articles detailing events from the past, create this ever-increasing atmosphere of tension which makes your heart rate go up with every page. The many twists played out in this book left me stunned and dazed; it felt like I was experiencing the ground coming away from beneath my feet in a similar way it is described for Ingrid when she discovers more clues throughout the novel.

I consumed this book within 2 days, (the only verb that can effectively describe how gripping it was for me!), and I did not want to put it down. When a book is able to seize your attention and hold it, that’s the making of an amazing thriller! Nothing is what it seems in this book and every character has a dark secret to hide. ‘The Killing Kind’ is the perfect choice for psychological thriller fans. This book surpassed my expectations and it will leave you in a state of shock and awe of Casey’s writing abilities. It’s a breath-taking, fast-paced read that needs to be on your reading list. ‘The Killing Kind’ will be published on May 27th 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jane Casey and HarperCollins UK for this ARC in return for my honest review.

From the pen of top selling author Jane Casey, creator of the popular Maeve Kerrigan series, comes the standalone ‘The Killing Kind’.

Ingrid Lewis is a barrister, she’s successfully defended many clients, but when she defends stalker John Webster, she’ll discover that she can’t escape his clutches, as he turns his attention on her, stalking her, destroying her relationship, and even her home. When fellow barrister, Belinda Grey dies in a road traffic accident, whilst crossing the road with Ingrid’s umbrella pretty much concealing her face, Ingrid believes that she was the target, and things begin to get very scary for her.

Gosh this was a tense, gripping, and intelligent storyline, with many twists along the way, one of which I actually guessed, but the others I definitely didn’t! Very enjoyable.

If you like an edge-of-your-seat thriller with twists and turns and a good sprinkling of dark humour the Jane Casey's new book The Killing Kind, will fit the bill perfectly.
A perfect psychological page turner, Ingrid Lewis is a defence barrister with a troublesome former client whom she had defended and who then became her nemesis as he harassed and stalked her. Now he is back - and that's all I'm going to tell you! No more plot giveaways.
When (not if) you read The Killing Kind, enjoy the way the story unfolds, the characters that reel you in and the climax that changes everything.

Having read all of Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series including the novellas, I was excited to see Casey release a new standalone novel; The Killing Kind.

Our protagonist is barrister, Ingrid Lewis, who finds herself at the centre of a sinister plot to kill her and those around her. Her colleague, Belinda Grey, a respected barrister is suddenly killed one day after she borrows Ingrid’s distinctive umbrella to escape the rain. After hearing of her death, Ingrid is convinced Belinda was the victim of mistaken identity and she was the real target of the attack. Is John Webster, the man she worked to defend years ago when she was a junior barrister, to blame?

I enjoy Casey’s writing and plotting (something she has really excelled at as the Maeve Kerrigan series has progressed) and I was left continually guessing who is good, who is bad right up until the climax.
While Ingrid is an interesting character, I found it hard to warm to her – she is very self-deprecating and for someone who is portrayed to be a capable and competent barrister, I found it hard to believe some of her behaviour as the plot progressed, especially as regards Webster.

Webster is an enigma in himself, the reader is brought on a series of twists, turns, and reveals regarding his characterisation that makes you question what you are reading and what role he is playing. Secondary characters such as DC Adam Nash and Ingrid’s fiancé Mark also play notable roles.

I did find myself reluctantly putting the book down in the early hours of the morning which is always a great sign. I really enjoyed reading about the barrister profession especially the attire and courtroom exchanges – I know that Casey’s husband is a criminal barrister and you can tell she really knows her stuff.
I have to say I did not see the ending coming at all and I commend Casey for luring the reader in and creating the sense of suspense and tension that is palpable throughout. As always, I look forward to Casey’s next book and will of course be first in line.

I would like to thank Jane Casey, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

Having read some of Jane Casey’s books in the Maeve Kerrigan series I was interested to read a stand alone book of hers. This one caught my interest from the beginning and I certainly found it difficult to put down. Some aspects struck me as a little unbelievable, like the trust that Ingrid put in Webster who was clearly a dangerous man who has ruined her life before. That said it was interesting to see the development of that relationship. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

Jane Casey's newest novel has all the hallmarks of her previous ones - clever, tense and twisty with a female led story - but is a standalone as opposed to part of her previous series.
We meet barrister Ingrid who has just heard about a colleague being knocked down and killed. She's devastated as this person was someone she considered a friend but also because Ingrid believes it was her fault - that she was the intended target of this staged (she believes) accident. There is a history of this kind of thing after all...
Casey keeps us guessing throughout the whole book. We worry with Ingrid , worry for her and then, sometimes, worry whether we are getting the whole story? We are constantly guessing what is going to happen, and I was often wrong!
I really enjoyed this, as I have all of her novels, and thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the advance copy in return for this honest review.

Another brilliant book from my favourite author. This book did not disappoint, it had me hooked from the first page, I could not put it down. I loved it. I can’t wait for the next one. Five stars, highly recommended.

Many thanks to netgalley and Jane Casey for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

I absolutely enjoyed this book from the start right up until about 85%. And then it got a bit silly for me. I had already predicted the ending and felt a bit let down. I loved the characters though and the pace of the book overall.

Possible spoilers


I've never read anything by Jane Casey I didnt like.
This stand alone joins with all her other books of being character driven,and fairly hard to put down.
In Webster,she has created someone I'd like to see a lot more of.
He gets into your life and under your skin,and although you know you can't trust him,you sort of do.
Hes ruthless,manipulative and a lot of fun.

Fast paced,with enough twists to make you wonder who you can believe,and a few surprises right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.

The Killing Kind is a perfect book choice for fans of a good psychological thriller. The Killing Kind is exactly what I would expect of an unputdownable thriller. I read it in one sitting. Really enjoyed reading this one, and will be sure to recommend - already looking forward to Jane Casey's next novel! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy. Happy reading.

The Killing Kind is a perfect book choice for fans of a good psychological thriller.

Ingrid was a junior barrister when she helped successfully defend John Webster on charges of stalking, intimidation, threatening and terrorising a woman. After the trial ended, her life is turned upside down. She is being followed, her house has been broken into and set on fire. Her relationship with her fiancée Mark has ended. He has basically ruined her life and she now lives in fear looking over her shoulder and taking different routes to work etc.

Webster informs her that he is in fact protecting her from someone else and she should be wary. Ingrid does not know who to trust, including the information that John Webster is drip feeding her. Everyone she meets, even her neighbour Helen is under suspicion.

There are so many twists and turns in this book, one in particular towards the end that I really did not see coming. A fantastic read!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Difficult clients were nothing new to barrister Ingrid Lewis but John Webster came as something of a surprise. After all, it was her cross-examination of the 'victim' which saved him from a lengthy prison sentence. He'd been accused of stalking the woman but it didn't take long to establish that - if anything - it was the other way around. Soon Ingrid never seemed to be free of John Webster and then she came to see him as a threat and was forced to remember that the police officer at his trial had told her that this was the best chance they'd had to put Webster away for a long time: he was a very dangerous man.

In 2019 Ingrid was at a trial with another female barrister, Belinda Grey. Grey was in a hurry: it happens when you have the demands of family life and a busy job with unpredictable hours. To make matter worse it was raining and Grey had no umbrella - so Ingrid gave her her own rather distinctive brolly. A few minutes later Grey was killed by a lorry as she crossed Ludgate Hill: Ingrid couldn't escape the thought that it could have been her - it might even be that it should have been her. This came just as she thought that she'd finally escaped the clutches of John Webster: her relationship with her fiance had foundered, her home had been destroyed and it wasn't the first death.

When Webster meets her, he attempts to persuade her that she's in danger but not from him and that he can save her. The one person who seems to believe what she says about the situation she's in is DC Adam Nash and even he is having to do much of what he does in his own time. Could it be that he has more than a professional interest in her? He is attractive but she's still in love with her ex-fiance, Mark Orpen.

I came to Jane Casey by way of her Maeve Kerrigan series and I'll confess that The Killing Kind caught my eye because I was hoping for news of the next book in the Kerrigan series. It's not Kerrigan herself who attracts me to the books but Casey's style: she has the same sort of clarity of expression as the late, great Ruth Rendell and - if anything - an even better ability when it comes to plotting so I wasn't at all disappointed when I discovered that this is a stand-alone novel.

And it is a cracker - I really couldn't fault it. I swung through thinking that I knew how it was going to work out, to realising that I had no idea at all, to finally being shocked by the denouement, which was superb. The characterisation is excellent: I liked Ingrid but didn't warm to her. She's a woman under great stress and who's very wary of people she meets and Casey captures this brilliantly.

When it comes to a suggestion for your next book, it's a difficult call. You have the feeling that any book you read after this one is going to be something of a disappointment but I'll stick my neck out and say that you might enjoy Cara Hunter's DI Adam Fawley series.