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In this first novel of what promises to be a noteworthy procedural series, Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan is trying to fit into an all-male London homicide squad. She is in a constant battle not to lose her cool at the barbs aimed at her being of Irish descent, though she is London-born like the rest of her colleagues. Then there is a steady stream of sexist remarks and off-color jokes she must ignore or to be thought a bad sport. Finally, she has an abusive boyfriend at home to remind her that when off the job she is still just a woman. This isn't the cozy work world of Peter Robinson's Eastvale mysteries, where most coppers peacefully work, socialize, and have sex with one another. The misogynist serial killer Maeve's squad is seeking puts her personal problems in perspective. A man has beaten up, murdered, and then torched five women in various London parks, for which he has earned the moniker "the Burning Man." However, the fifth victim and some details of the crime seem different from the others, and Maeve, as one of the least important members of the squad, is sent out to determine whether or not they have a copycat on their hands. Rebecca Haworth, the latest victim, doesn't fit the profile of the others. Somehow, her career has gone off the rails during the previous six months. She became addicted to drugs, lost her attractive job, suffered from bulimia, and began to have serious financial problems. She broke up with her abusive boyfriend, Gil, and doesn't seem to have been in touch with her best friend, Louise, who is the second narrator of this novel. Yet, when Maeve enters Rebecca's flat, devoted Louise has thoroughly cleaned the place from top to bottom. This procedural takes Maeve back to Rebecca's childhood home and to Oxford, where the roots of Rebecca's depression and bulimia began after another abusive boyfriend mysteriously drowned. Maeve's suspicions shift with each discovery. Gil is the beneficiary of Rebecca's life insurance; Louise has remodeled herself to look like Rebecca and is dating Gil; Rebecca was shaking down a former college professor. Coomes' performance is superb. Both Maeve and Louise narrate the story, except for one awkward patch where Casey has to insert a third voice for a bit. Coomes has given each woman perfect voices to match her personality, and each speaks with control but in different ways. Maeve talks calmly, but her inner mind is always in turmoil. Louise, who has risen up from humble beginnings to solicitor, struggles not to slip into an off-accent that will reveal her origins. She chooses her words carefully to mask her inner thoughts. Coomes also performs a huge cast of characters from Oxford dons to police detectives to low-life criminals. Her pacing is perfect, too. The end seems a bit predictable but the writing and performance are so strong that readers or listeners won't mind, and those who like gritty works like those of Val McDermid will be happy to add Casey to their list. Jane Casey is definitely a bright new author to listen to this summer. § Karla Jay is a legally blind audio book addict, who lives in New York City, where she is Distinguished Professor of English and Women's Studies at Pace University.
Reviewed by Karla Jay, May 2012
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