After a man’s body is found in a derelict house, DS Maeve Kerrigan goes undercover, posing as a couple with DI Josh Derwent in a small suburban cul-de-sac that hides some unexpected dark secrets. It’s your 10th Maeve Kerrigan novel. What makes for a successful series character? The "new" characters were not likeable but it didn't change how I felt about it - I literally only cared about Maeve and Derwent. As for the interaction between the two main characters, it was very deftly done. It reminded me of Jill McGown´s Lloyd and Hill series,a sadly underrated great mystery author of a splendid series.

MY THOUGHTS: I am a late comer to Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan series, and I have a lot of books to catch up on. If The Close is any indication of the quality of the series, I am in for a wonderful reading experience.

Jane writes one of my very favourite police series, and this is her best yet. Terrifying, intense and devastatingly astute’ Sarah Hilary Finish whatever you start. Everyone has a moment halfway through a creative project where they think they should give up – but don’t! You are supreme ruler for a day. Which law do you pass or abolish? It’s up to DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent to uncover the truth. Posing as a couple, they move into the Close, blurring the lines between professional and personal as never before.

On the surface, Maeve and Josh don't appear to get on, but underneath they have a deep respect for one another. But what is living in close quarters and posing as a newly loved-up couple going to do to that relationship? I really enjoyed the characters in The Close. Maeve has suffered a recent traumatic event and, although she keeps telling everyone she is fine, she definitely isn't operating with her normal flair and passion. So now we have Maeve who’s worrying about Georgia and Josh who’s worrying about his marriage and his feelings for Maeve. And a street full of people who made it their hobby to know everything about the neighbours, without knowing that one of them may be a killer.But the more DC Georgia Shaw and her colleagues Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent delve into the crime, the more elusive the answers become.