Let the Dead speak is Detective Maeve Kerrigan novel Number 7, and the first one of Jane Casey's novels that I've had the pleasure of reading. It is a novel that has a dark and foreboding atmosphere right from it's outset.

When Eighteen Year Old Chloe Emery returns home early from a weekend away with her Father to find her family home saturated in blood, her Mother nowhere to be found.

It is a living nightmare.

Chloe has led a sheltered live since her parents split years previously. Her Mother Kate is ridiculously overprotective and wants Chloe to rely solely upon her. Growing up Chloe has been assessed by many different psychologists, her Mother keen to pin a diagnosis on her, the psychologists coming to the conclusion that Chloe has a mental age of someone much younger.

When DS Maeve Kerrigan arrives at the scene, Chloe is immediately removed from the house, deep in shock, she is sent across the road to stay with her religious neighbours the Norris's. With her colleague Josh Derwent to assist, Maeve begins a thorough search of the bloodied house.

It is clearly the scene of a horrific murder.

But where on earth is Kate's body?

And more importantly who has killed her?

With no body and seemingly no motive for Kate's murder, everyone on the street where she lived is a suspect as well as her ex-husband, his new wife and their children. DS Kerrigan and her team must work quickly to find her killer before anyone else is put in danger.

Let the Dead Speak is a gripping novel with plenty of surprises for even the most prolific crime thriller reader.

Really enjoyed this book, the story kept me on the edge of my seat and was kept guessing until the very end.
This is my first book by this author but am now going to read the rest of the series.

Sergeant Maeve Kerrigan is investigating a murder. From the minute 18 year old Chloe Emery arrived home from her Dad's a day early to find her home looking like a bloodbath, people have not been straightforward with the Police. Maeve and her team need to find out what happened, which proves harder than usual when there's a massive web of lies to untangle - and no body.

An excellent crime novel. All the characters are credible and engaging. The interplay between Maeve Kerrigan and Derwent was well played throughout the novel and I finished the entire book in two sittings! I was glad to see that there are other Kerrigan stories that I can tuck into.

I think I would have been better reading all the other books in the series before this one, so I could get to know the characters more. However, it was a good book, with plenty of twists and turns and a lot of deceit. Never really could work out who was lying. The ending didn't really surprise me but I'm saying no more .........

This was an interesting story, well written and with a nice twist at the end. It has some stereotypical characters, but manages to make them interesting. I have not read any previous books in the series, but unlike some other reviewers I think there is no chance of romance between Maeve and Josh, and think the way the relationship is written is much more engaging. I was unsure why the contents of the first fatality's lungs would not have indicated the type of water (trying not to give too much away here!) which would surely have caused the police to think slightly differently? Also the end twist - why did the 'dad' go along with it? But despite that, I did enjoy reading the book and would be happy to read further books in the series. I was given a review copy but have given my own opinion.

Three and a half star rating.
A house full of blood but no body - what's going on? This is what Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent have to find out. A very promising first chapter when Chloe, the victim's daughter, returns home earlier than expected and she's met, not by her mother, but an empty, blood spattered house. This was my first book by this author, so didn't know very much about the characters or their histories, but that didn't matter too much. I liked Josh and Maeve, the way they worked together and the villains were suitably bad too. The book was easy to read despite the gruesome parts and certainly kept this reader turning the pages to discover the truth about what really happened in this case. I will be looking forward to the next crime that this pair will solve!

I would probably give it 4.5 stars, for a crime book, it is really good. It is the seventh book involving detective Maeve Kerrigan and it is the first I read. It is a shame as it is obvious that lots of things have happened to the detective and the other police officers in previous books and I would like to know the details. I still enjoyed the book even without having read the others in the series.

Chloe a 18 year old comes back to the home she shares with her mother one night to find the cat locked in a room and blood all over the house. The police think that no one can survive after losing so much blood and they launch a murder investigation. But there is no body even if the blood belongs to Chloe's mother, Katie.

Maeve Kerrigan has just been promoted to Detective Sergeant and has a rookie Georgia on her team. She has to get used to her new role. Her first case as detective sergeant is strange and not easy to solve. Without a body it is difficult to conduct a murder investigation but then a series of incidents follow.

I did not guess the end, I had some ideas but what happened in the last 50 pages of the book took me by surprise. Beside that, it is the dialogue and the way the book is written that it is compelling. It is one of those books that you think -I am going to read to the end of this chapter and then get on with whatever I should be doing (sleep, eat, work or whatever) and next thing you know you have started another chapter and you know you have to finish that as well. The complex rapport between police officers (Kerrigan vs. Dewent for a start) was also very intringuing.

Overall a very good police procedural book that does not seem to waste too much time on the tedious procedures but goes to the heart of the matter. From now on I will keep an eye for other books by Jane Casey, especially those featuring Maeve Kerrigan.

Excellent crime novel. First time I have read one of Jane Casey's books. I just loved the level of detail in the analysis of the crime scenes and the autopsy. This is a writer who understands the craft of crime fiction and knows how to move the stroy along at the pace that the police would uncover the evidence.
Great read.

My thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for an ARC to read/review

Why have I only JUST come across Jane Casey!! This is what I absolutely love about blogging! Had I not been approached to review this book, I could have missed out on yet another great read and a fabulous #NewAuthorForMe!

Set in West London, the reader is immediately hit with suspense and tension –Why is there blood every where? Whose blood is it? Where is the body? Who is the victim? Fear, obession, control, jealousy, secrets and lies are just a few of the things which are scattered throughout the story and kept me turning the pages! I needed answers and I wanted them yesterday!

This was a fast paced read with a tightly woven plot and the all important #killerhook was delivered perfectly! As the story unfolded, I found myself guessing the outcome early on, but there were a few red herrings that threw me off track on more than one occassion. I was second guessing my detective skills all the way through!

One of my favourite things about this book were the characters! What a sinister bunch they were – So well written, I found myself totally immersed in their lives! Their voices were screaming at me from all angles! I loved it! I also loved the authenticity of the story, the characters, the atmosphere….and what about Josh Derwent and Maeve Kerrigan! What is with these two! Although this book can easily be read as a stand alone, I definitely want to know more! They have this complicated yet intrinsically tight relationship and I NEED to know the back story, so will definitely be adding this series to my TBR, stat!!

Intense, highly emotive and a really great read, this book gets a Hell Yeah recommendation from me!

This was a fast-paced and compelling read, and I very much enjoyed it. I had not read any Jane Casey book s before, but I certainly will now! This stood very well on its own, but I did think that I might have got more from it if I had read earlier books in the series.

Some of the twists were certainly more of a surprise than others, but the story galloped along at such a speed that you barely had time to try and guess what was going to come up next.

All in all this was a fantastic read, and I finished it very quickly - definitely one of those that you can't put down.

This book is the 7th in the series. Although I was able to understand it just fine on its own, I wanted a little information about what had happened in previous books so that I could have a deeper understanding of Maeve's character and her actions. There are also one or two past events mentioned which I would've loved to learn more about.
The plot is captivating and this is developed by the many secrets the characters have and the good pace which is maintained the whole way through.
Personally, I thought there were one or two annoying characters, especially Georgia. However, I see this as a positive because it was great writing which got me so involved that I had such a strong emotional response to her. Additionally, there was humour scattered throughout which is one of my absolute favourite things to find in a crime novel as it's rare that I can find books in this genre that actually make me laugh.
There was plenty of drama and tension, plenty of twists and turns and my suspicions were drawn in lots of different directions.
I didn't expect the ending and I found it a satisfying finish.
Whilst I would recommend reading this book, I would also say that I think it would be beneficial to read the other books in the series also, as I think this would give a greater development of the characters. Overall I'd give it 4 out of 5. It's captivating, has an enthralling plot and maintains a great pace throughout.

I haven't read any of Jane Casey's books before and didn't know that Let The Dead Speak was book 7 in a series until just now. This didn't matter at all as it stood alone for me very well without my feeling I need some back-story on the main characters.

I really enjoyed this book and it kept my attention throughout with plenty of action and twists and turns. Occasionally I felt there was too much detail on some of the police work such as when the two detectives, Kerrigan and Derwent, were recreating what had happened in Kate Emery's house.

There were many twists at the end which I enjoyed and didn't come close to guessing. Although there was one final twist, or was it, that has left me still wondering about the end.

A good book - I would read more by this author.

I feel like I have been waiting forever for the new Maeve Kerrigan book by Jane Casey but this series is one I will happily wait for if the plots are as good as this one! Seven books into this series and it’s just getting better and better! In fact, I’m pretty sure this is the best so far.

The plot here is a well thought out and meticulously planned police procedural that will work for you even if you have never read any of the previous books in the series. The personal threads are kept to a minimum this time but I always recommend going back to the start of a series as you will get so much more out of the characters when you understand their backstories and have watched how their relationships develop.

Whilst the investigation here is carried out by the newly promoted DS Maeve Kerrigan alongside DI Josh Derwent, I liked the addition of some new blood to their team with the latest recruit DC Georgia Shaw. This girl has a lot to learn, however I was quite proud of Maeve and how she interacted with her and enjoyed watching their scenes together. Josh was his usual politically incorrect self but there was a new depth to him as we discover that a new relationship with his girlfriends son has had an unexpected effect on him. But don’t worry, his charisma and bad boy persona aren’t far away! And I just love him exactly the way he is!

But the main focus here was on the case of a missing mother, presumed murdered due to the slaughterhouse scene found at her home by her teenage daughter, Chloe. The daughter, a beautiful 18 year old, discovers the crime scene but she has some learning difficulties so Maeve struggles to get information from her about her mother’s habits or any enemies she may have. In fact the whole neighbourhood seemed to have something to hide-it was like trying to get blood from a stone for Maeve and the poor investigation team.

Once you pick up one of Jane Casey’s books you will find it difficult to put down, she has an enviable way of grabbing your attention right from the off. This enthralling crime drama will keep you in suspense with some twisty plot details and creepy suspects right up until the satisfying finale. I always recommend this series whenever I can and I can’t believe some people still haven’t had the pleasure of discovering it. I’m rather envious that they are able to start at book one and have the whole Maeve Kerrigan experience ahead of them. Highly recommended by me!

I received a copy of Let the Dead Speak from the publisher via netgalley.

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the next book in Jane Casey’s outstanding series featuring Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent. In “Let The Dead Speak,” Kerrigan is investigating the disappearance of of a London woman. Because there is blood throughout her house it appears that she was murdered, but there is no body. Kerrigan has been newly promoted to Detective Sergeant and is adjusting to her new role and increased responsibilities, aided by the exasperating and protective Derwent. As Kerrigan and her team delve into the case, they find several potential perpetrators, all of whom have something to hide. The plot takes several surprising turns and the conclusion is a stunner. One of the delights of this series is the relationship between Kerrigan and the sometimes prickly and annoying Derwent. Yet there is much hidden behind Derwent’s cantankerous exterior as Casey reveals through his relationship with his new girlfriend Melissa Pell and her 4 year old son Thomas. In a poignant and heartfelt conversation with Kerrigan, Derwent reveals his fears for young Thomas. Those fears are exacerbated by Derwent’s exposure to the worst that people can do. Casey also reveals more about Kerrigan and her missing boyfriend Rob. “Let the Dead Speak” is a well-written, dramatic, and suspenseful British police procedural with excellent character development of both the police and the suspects. Another great book in this fine series.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 3/15/17.

This story is basically about the murder of Kate Emery and what starts as a simple murder with the police looking for both the body and the murderer ends up following a very convoluted path of false herrings. The twists and turns were so well plotted, leaving the reader not sure of anything and the final few pages were by then totally unexpected. I read this in two days as I resented anything else disturbing my reading time. I did not want to put the book down as it was gripping and I wondered what was going to happen next to change the course of the events. The descriptions of the characters and the scenes were so well described that as a reader I could see them when I closed my eyes. For readers of crime stories they will love trying to solve the issues to the very end and still not get there. The conversations between the two main detectives was cynical and this added to the realism that one would expect from colleagues.
I loved the description that Maeve is a policewoman with a heart but this overrules her head at crucial times leading her to do things that were dangerous. This is the first time I have read a Maeve Kerrigan crime thriller and it will not be last as now I want to read the other 6 that precedes this one. It may be number 7 in the series but it can easily stand on its own as is not dependent upon the others in the series

An easy 5 star and well deserved.. A very well written page turning book and picks you up on page one and dangles you over the precipice for 400 pages. Exactly what you want from a crime storey. I haven't read any previous DS Maeve Kerrigan stories before, but am off straight away to find more. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Having compulsively followed the Maeve Kerrigan series since Book 1, Let the Dead Speak was on my wishlist before it had even been written. It was therefore like early Xmas when Netgalley granted me an early preview copy – time for a happy dance around the kitchen! This was the last exercise I was going to get for a while, until I had devoured it in a massive one-night read-a-thon.

In Let the Dead Speak, Maeve has been promoted to Detective Sergeant, and has a new detective constable, Georgia Shaw, under her wing. The pair is dispatched to investigate a potential murder scene after 18-year old Chloe Emery returns home from a weekend visit to her father’s place, only to find the house covered in blood and her mother gone without a trace. However, there is no body, no suspect and no obvious motive, and with Chloe reluctant to talk to police, the detectives are at loose ends as to where to start their investigation. Enter DI Josh Derwent, and the investigative team is now complete, with its usual interesting dynamics. As the detectives start to canvass the neighbourhood for any leads, it soon becomes obvious that the quiet, middle class street is rife with secrets and unsavoury characters that make your blood curdle, even more so since they come in the guise of ordinary model citizens. These people could be your neighbours, your colleagues, your friends, people you trust. As Kerrigan and Derwent slowly chip away at the lies, tensions build and people get nervous. Soon the investigation takes a different direction they did not seen coming, and the body count mounts ....

In Let the Dead Speak, Casey once again proves why she is firmly engraved on my list of favourite crime authors. With her unsettling talent for looking into the darkest corners of the human soul and bringing them out for everyone to see, her tales are all the more chilling in their ordinariness. These are normal people, in ordinary neighbourhoods, pushed to extraordinary acts of violence by anger, greed, misguided love or arrogance.

"Humans were still animals when it was all said and done."

Strongly character-driven, with vivid dialogue and non-stop action, the investigation carries the reader along in its wake to its shocking finale (which I did not see coming, by the way). The dynamic in Kerrigan’s and Derwent’s relationship is as sparkly and snarky as ever, and I felt like I was re-visiting old friends (or foes).

"He frequently threw himself into my private life with all the delicacy of a Labrador bounding into a stagnant pond, but it wasn’t something I encouraged."

There is something about the dry and often obnoxious Derwent that gets under my skin (in a good way), and sometimes his abruptness and political incorrectness is laugh-out-loud funny:

“But then, I don’t know how much the cat ... er ...”
“Shits?” Derwent suggested, sitting down again.

I am not the right person to judge whether the book would work well as a stand-alone novel, as I have hungrily devoured each one of Casey’s books, and would recommend other readers do the same. Whilst the murder-mystery would work well in its own right, part of the fun comes from watching the relationships between the detectives evolve over time. Kerrigan herself was the one I felt had changed the most in this latest installment, with her new responsibilities making her not only more mature but also weighing her down to a point where it seems that burn-out is not too far away. Still prepared to take risks for the sake of finding justice, this new Kerrigan is somewhat more tired and disillusioned than in previous novels, which makes me wonder how her career will progress in future books in the series. Derwent, whilst still blundering into action with the finesse of an elephant in a china shop, has acquired a few new soft edges with his new relationship with Melissa and being a step-dad to Thomas from After the Fire. Adding new blood in the form of DC Shaw added a new dimension to the team and made for some interesting dynamics – I will be watching this space very closely to see how it plays out.

Let the Dead Speak is a cleverly constructed mystery by a master on top of her game. As each layer of lies gets stripped away, a new truth is uncovered, like a whole series of Russian dolls cleverly slotted into each other, each with a different face and new reality. Slowly, carefully, each thread of the story is woven together to form a whole, which is totally different from the one first constructed when I started to read the story. This is not a book where you can be complacent for a single moment. Packing punch after punch, it left me somewhat stunned and exhausted after a night of compulsive reading like only the best of the best can do. I thoroughly enjoyed Let the Dead Speak and recommend it highly to all lovers of the series. If you have not read any books by Jane Casey yet, you are definitely missing out!

I am conflicted. Filled with a deep rooted joy that I have discovered an author whose book was just so gripping that I didn’t want to put it down and utter dismay that I have just read book seven in a series. Aaaarrrgghh! There is only one thing for it. I’m going to have to go back to the start and follow Maeve Kerrigan from her beginnings in The Burning.
When Chloe returns early from a stay with her father she knows that something is wrong. The house is empty and there is no sign of her mother. The house is dirty, there are bloodstains everywhere. Where is Kate Emery?
AS DS Maeve Kerrigan begins her investigation the quiet suburban street starts to take on a different hue. The neighbours included someone suspected in a knife assault and some evangelical Christians and their very strict lifestyles. Everyone is hiding something and all these secrets have led to murder.
Maeve is a great character, fiercely protective and passionate about what she does. The dynamics between her and the other officers are fascinating but her strengths really come to the fore when she is dealing with the public. Compassionate but professional she is the first to leap to the aid of someone in trouble even when it puts her own life in danger. Her detective skills are second to none and when it looks like the case won’t break her skills lead them to the thrilling conclusion.
Supplied by Net Galley and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book I didn't realise it was part of a series, but having read it I am definitely tempted to go back and read the whole series. I also felt that it didn't impact my ability to relate to the characters and I didn't feel that I lost anything not having read the previous books. You can tell from the writing that there are previous histories and stories behind the characters.

I really enjoyed this book, and its fast paced and edgy characters. The story looks at the murder of Kate Emery after her daughter Chloe returns from her father's house to find her home smeared in blood. The story unravels the secrets of the neighbourhood and the depths that people will go to keep their secrets. The whole book was engaging and enthralling and I felt like I inhaled it all.