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.crime-fiction mystery netgalley ...more180 s Maureen 1,572 7,014

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.

* Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *netgalley173 s1 comment Ceecee2,343 1,944

4.5 rounded up

Barrister Belinda Grey is killed shortly after leaving court but is the real target fellow barrister Ingrid Lewis? She has had harassment and threats made against her by John Webster following a court case. This tense novel is told in several timelines from witness statements, court scenes, messages and by interviews. This works extremely well in the unfolding drama.

Wow. I think this is the best Jane Casey novel I have read. At times it’s so tense your breathing slows to match that of the characters especially Ingrid. The storyline builds and builds and builds until you’re sure it must have reached the maximum the tempo can go but no, it escalates some more!! The plot is intelligent and clever and so well written that you are absorbed to the exclusion of all else and you’re desperate to find where the truth lies. The impact of Webster on Ingrid is done extremely well, you witness the impact on her mental health, the growing paranoia and the feeling of being hunted is chilling. She constantly checks over her shoulder and even that isn’t enough as she’s tormented at every turn. Webster is well depicted, he’s dangerous, lacks emotion, he’s clever, manipulative, capable of anything and with a smile as charming as a crocodile. You sense Ingrid's growing sense of confusion about who exactly she can trust as it’s clear she’s being royally played. You think she can’t receive any more shocks, that there can’t be any more terrible events around her but think again!! Some of Ingrid's actions do seem rash but are probably born out of fear and her determination to get the truth. There are some very good twists at the end that you don’t see coming as we reach the surprising conclusion. I how the storyline makes you think and reflect on the judicial process and the impact it can have on victims.

Overall, a terrific read but be warned, once you start you won’t want to stop and certainly won’t appreciate interruptions - just ask my husband!!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, Harper Fiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.110 s Sandysbookaday 2,245 2,249

EXCERPT: I knew so little about Vicki.

What I did know was that it wasn't the first violent death that had befallen someone near me, and that the detectives needed to know that. Once again, I had to try to convince police officers to take me seriously - to treat me as a potential victim rather than a witness, or even a suspect.

Once again I had the feeling that someone I d had died, and that it should have been me. I told them about Belinda, stumbling through the story while their eyebrows edged upwards in polite bafflement.

When I had finished, I was absolutely exhausted.

'Can I go now?'

'We still have a few more questions.' Jennifer Gold was writing a note to herself slowly, concentrating.

'I've told you everything I know.'

'We just need to go through it all again.' She looked up with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. 'After all, it's not the first time someone's died in your home, is it?'

ABOUT 'THE KILLING KIND': He tells you you’re special…
As a barrister, Ingrid Lewis is used to dealing with tricky clients, but no one has ever come close to John Webster. After Ingrid defended Webster against a stalking charge, he then turned on her – following her, ruining her relationship, even destroying her home.

He tells you he wants to protect you…
Now, Ingrid believes she has finally escaped his clutches. But when one of her colleagues is run down on a busy London road, Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim. And then Webster shows up at her door…

But can you believe him?
Webster claims Ingrid is in danger – and that only he can protect her. Stalker or saviour? Murderer or protector? The clock is ticking for Ingrid to decide. Because the killer is ready to strike again.

MY THOUGHTS: Don't read The Killing Kind by Jane Casey if you're of a nervous disposition or prone to paranoia. It will have you looking over your shoulder, wondering . . . waiting.

The Killing Kind is my first novel by Jane Casey. It won't be my last. Just thinking about this breathtakingly brilliant novel has my heart beating faster, my breath catching, fingertips tingling.

It's the sort of novel that keeps the reader totally off balance, never knowing who to believe, who to trust. Is Ingrid paranoid, or is she truly in danger? I wondered, as no doubt Jane Casey intended me to do.

I am going to say no more about the plot, because I don't want to give anything away. But believe me, it is intense, action packed, twisty and entirely plausible.

My advice? Just prepare to feel the fear, and read this. A true psychological thriller.

????.8

I: @janecaseyauthor @harpercollinsuk

T: @JaneCaseyAuthor @HarperCollinsUK

#contemporaryfiction #crime #mystery #psychologicalthriller #suspense

THE AUTHOR: Jane Casey, a former editor, is married to a criminal barrister who ensures her writing is realistic and as accurate as possible. Born in Dublin, Jane now lives in southwest London with her husband and two children.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Killing Kind by Jane Casey for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...2022 2022-netgalley-challenge 5-star ...more96 s Sumit RK932 524

As a barrister, Ingrid Lewis defended Webster against a stalking charge, he then turns on her. He destroys her life with his campaign of harassment, stalking, sending never-ending emails and texts, ending her relationship with her beloved fiancé, and even burning down her home. Now, Ingrid believes she has finally escaped his clutches. But when one of her colleagues is run down on a busy London road, Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim. And then Webster shows up at her door. Webster claims Ingrid is in danger – and that only he can protect her. But can Ingrid trust him?

The Killing Kind is a tense and thrilling mystery, full of twists and turns, full of paranoia, and living in constant fear of stalking and death as experienced by the lead protagonist Ingrid. The book starts as a thriller but soon you realize that there are many layers to the story as well as the characters, highlighted by the several backstories. None of the characters feel entirely black or white, but with shades of grey. The morally questionable choices made by the characters make you think about what’s really right or wrong.

The writing was excellent throughout. Casey has crafted a thrilling story, packed with suspense and tension, full of twists and turns that will keep you hooked. The writer is able to make the readers feel the sense of dread, lurking danger, and creeping paranoia as experienced by Ingrid. The characters of Ingrid and the sociopath John Webster are especially well written.

The protagonist’s actions felt completely irrational at times. While it is a part of storytelling, some twists felt really unbelievable. At almost 500-pages, the book felt slightly repetitive and long, despite being nicely paced. I was easily able to guess the final reveal making it slightly predictable.

Overall, The Killing Kind is a fairly entertaining read with interesting characters and a good mystery that will keep you engaged. If you love crime thrillers, you will enjoy The Killing Kind.

Many thanks to the publishers HarperCollins and Edelweiss for the ARC.
70 s Susan (on semi hiatus)491 164

4.5 Stars Rounded Down.

Since reading The Cutting Place, I’ve wanted to read more from this author so after pre-ordering from The Book Depository, I waited patiently for this to be published in the UK.

The Killing Kind is a stand alone psychological thriller which had me sitting on the edge of my seat!

As a barrister, Ingrid Lewis balances the scales of justice by defending the accused. When she’s too efficient at her job and a cunning harasser goes free, she pays the price by becoming his next target.

What transpires next is a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Having had personal experience with a stalker, there’s no describing how unsettling the experience is. A version of psychological warfare, it has lasting effects for the victim - sometimes permanent.

The author’s rendering of the abuse subjected by the perpetrator was spot on and I was alternately twisted with anxiety or so very angry for our protagonist Ingrid. Ultimately, I wanted her to take her power back and rid herself of a menacing gaolbird.

Heads up that a pet dies in this book. Although not descriptive, it detracted a bit from my experience.

Other than the pet mistreatment, this was an exceptional read and I will continue to search out more books by this writer.

I want to thank Harper Collins UK for the beautiful hardback with larger font. I checked twice upon receiving it thinking that I had inadvertently ordered an expensive large print version.

However, it was the standard edition with 480 thick pages and a lovely cover. Luxurious compared to some books I’ve read with words crammed together to save paper. My eyes are happy too.

Another thank you to The Book Depository. I love books set in the UK and their selections not available here in the US are much appreciated!

book-depository legal-thriller thriller67 s Jen136 273

A few years ago, barrister Ingrid Lewis successfully defended her client, John Webster, against a stalking charge. In doing so, she allowed for a dangerous man to not only continue to freely roam the streets, but to divert his attention from his previous victim to stalking Ingrid herself. After a series of horrifying escalating incidents and John being put behind bars for an unrelated incident, Ingrid has begun to be able to move on and piece her life back together. But now John is out, and when she loans her distinctive umbrella to a coworker only to find out that coworker was run down in traffic while carrying it, Ingrid can’t help but wonder if this was a near miss and her stalker is back and more dangerous than ever.

Her spidey senses were tingling for a reason, and sure enough John shows back up in her life. However, he claims it’s to warn her that he’s not the one she should be afraid of. Stalking her, you see, has actually led him to realize there are other parties out there who are obsessed with Ingrid just as much as he is, but with much deadlier intentions. Who can Ingrid trust, and is it absolutely crazy, not to mention extremely dangerous, to take the word of a man who has terrorized and victimized her for years…?

There were some things I really d about this book. The discussion of what it is to be a barrister for the defense/defense attorney was fascinating, and it leaves the reader with a lot to ponder regarding what is legal, what is just, and what is right. I also thought, at least in the beginning, there was a great depiction of what it is to be a stalking victim. Always basing your actions on what someone else’s agenda might be, wondering if an innocent question is actually someone pushing for information about you, never knowing who to trust. This also was very readable and I enjoyed the author’s writing style.

I have some qualms though… I couldn’t really tell if Ingrid was supposed to be gullible, traumatized, a victim of stockholm syndrome, or a strong character taking things into her own hands when others won’t listen or believe her. Obviously no one is so simple that they can be put into a neat little box, but her actions and thoughts were incongruous throughout the book. I also found one of the villains to be really obvious from early on, down to guessing what the anagram in their email stood for. It was in fact so clearly telegraphed I assumed the twist must be that this *wasn’t* the twist… It didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment because even though I expected it, there was a thrill in waiting for the other characters to catch up. What did end up detracting from my enjoyment was just how implausible things got toward the end. There’s suspending disbelief for entertainment value, and then there’s “you can’t be flipping serious”.

This was my first book from this author but many people, including those who didn’t love this one, have said wonderful things about the author’s previous books, especially the series involving Maeve Kerrigan. I plan to give Jane Casey another try and look forward to checking those out.

CW: Stalking, hard to read testimony in a rape trail, and for the animal lovers out there: the (off page but still upsetting) death of a pet.

Set to release in the US on September 21, 2021.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for an advanced copy of this title for review.netgalley61 s Debra2,724 35.8k

Can you believe him when he tells you he will protect you? Can you believe him when he tells you that you are special? Is he believable?

Ingrid is a barrister who is used to dealing with dangerous and "tricky" characters. John Webster takes the cake! She defends him and then to show his thanks he begins stalking her, harming her relationships, trying to destroy her reputation and even destroying her home. Sounds a real winner, doesn't her? You have no idea!

Then one day her co-worker is run down an a busy London street. The plot thickens. It gets even thicker when Webster shows up and tells her that she is in danger. Should she believe him????

This books goes back and forth in time from past to present and vice versa. We are privy to how Webster has tried to manipulate, and destroy Ingrid's life We are shown how being stalked and the stress of Webster trying to destroy her life has on her. Webster is an interesting character as well. He's devious, creepy, manipulative, and sinister. Should she believe him when he tells her that while he was stalking her, he learned that there are others interested in her as well? hmmm

Jane Casey can write and I have enjoyed many books in her Maeve Kerrigan Series but I didn't enjoy this one as much as I had hoped. Perhaps my hopes were too high, I'm not sure. Although I enjoyed this book with it's twists and turns, I still wasn't entirely wowed by it. But, Casey is a wonderful writer and I will continue to seek out her books. This was a one off for me.

Others are enjoying this more than I did, so please seek out their as well.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my at www.openbookposts.com


netgalley46 s Michelle 977 1,667 Read

DNF - not rating and will not be included in my reading challenge.

I am so bored reading this that cleaning my house seems more exciting than picking this book back up again. dnf netgalley-arcs44 s Linda1,426 1,523

being smacked alongside the head.....again, and again, and again.

The Killing Kind is one of those novels that takes you through an endless array of dark streets, smokey pubs, deserted buildings, crusty courtrooms, and apartments in the zone of helter skelter. I'll be honest. I've been sitting on 3 Stars, but I kicked it up to a regal 4 Stars because I was so smitten in the beginning stages. Jane Casey lights the wick on this dynamite, but we're exhausted by the time of the explosion.

Ingrid Lewis is one of those main characters with Love/Hate running through her DNA. I was taken in by her honesty of emotions and her zealous courtroom energy in the Central Criminal Court, "Old Bailey" in London in 2019. As a barrister, she's overworked and sometimes under appreciated. We know that a little rain can be a good thing at times, but Ingrid had no idea that the act of kindness in loaning out her umbrella would be the demise of a fellow solicitor.

A rush to cross a busy intersection with said umbrella in hand, Belinda Grey is run over by a truck that morning. The police have determined that it was an accident. But after viewing the action from a video cam of the incident, Ingrid has heavy doubts. And Jane Casey will take us through a maze of events that will solidify Ingrid's premise. Ingrid becomes more and more determined that someone is after her. But she's hard-pressed to know exactly why.

We'll meet John Webster who's one of the creepiest characters ever written. Webster has a history of being a manipulator and a hell-bent controller of women. Ingrid defended him in a previous case. He's left his jelly prints on her and has stalked her relentlessly in the past. Ingrid took out a restraining order on him with an arm's length of incidents. But Webster sidesteps long-term prison that mosquito that buzzes in your ear constantly with no consequences.

And at the core of The Killing Kind is the mounting frustration that Ingrid experiences when no one believes the subtle signs of life disruptions that are pinning her to the mat. That is.....until a dead body turns up in Ingrid's own apartment.

Heaven help me, I enjoyed the mind games and the innuendos splashed throughout this one. This was my first experience with a Jane Casey novel. (Believe me, I'll be back for more.) Casey can write her hair is on fire. But "writes and writes" can add too much weight to the descriptors of certain scenes and, in addition, with the overuse and repetition of long walks down dark streets. At 480 pages, The Killing Kind was in need of a paring knife to whittle down some of the excess. Still a good read and worthy of a looky look.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and to Jane Casey for the opportunity.net-galley police-procedural psychological-thriller43 s Julie (JuJu)848 209

This is an amazing and riveting psychological thriller with incredible characters! This is my first book by Jane Casey and I am blown away. She’s not only been added to my fav author list...she’s soared to the top! Casey has a talent for adding extremely unexpected twists, and deviously complex characters. There isn't a dull moment!

Ingrid is a barrister who successfully defends John Webster against a stalking charge, then regrets it when she becomes his next victim. After years of his reprehensible attention, things finally calm down, somewhat. Then horrible events start taking place again and she’s convinced Webster is responsible. He does appear again...but claims he isn’t responsible for the new events, and only wants to help her. Can she trust this sociopath?

I won’t go into much detail because I don't want to give anything away. Trust me, this one is worth the read!

Thank you to The Pigeonhole, Jane Casey and HarperCollins UK for this terrific digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!

My Rating: 5 ??’s
Published: May 27th 2021 by HarperCollins UK
Pages: 400
Recommended Absolutely!

@JaneCaseyAuthor @HarperCollinsUK @ThePigeonholeHQ
#TheKillingKind #ThePigeonhole #FiveStarThriller #MustRead #Stalker #Sociopath2021-reads28 s Emma990 1,084

Just when you think that psychological thrillers have nothing new to offer, Jane Casey smashes your expectations with this stunner. It's the kind of book that allows you to think you're being clever, guessing all the twists and turns, right up until the author blindsides you with her craftiness. A fun and deliciously twisted read that will have you up late reading it cover to cover.

ARC via Netgalleynetgalley28 s Gary2,734 396

Jane Casey is one of my favourite authors and love the ‘Maeve Kerrigan’ series so when this book became available I jumped at it.

Another great read by this author, outstanding characters, good plot and so well paced. Excellent read from start to finish.

Barrister, Ingrid Lewis is used to dealing with tricky clients, but no one has ever come close to John Webster. After Ingrid defended Webster against a stalking charge, he then turned on her – following her, ruining her relationship, even destroying her home.

He tells you he wants to protect you…
Now, Ingrid believes she has finally escaped his clutches. But when one of her colleagues is run down on a busy London road, Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim. And then Webster shows up at her door…

But can you believe him?
Webster claims Ingrid is in danger – and that only he can protect her. Stalker or saviour? Murderer or protector? The clock is ticking for Ingrid to decide. Because the killer is ready to strike again.

This is one of those books that you won’t want to stop reading so don’t start it unless you are prepared to finish it in one sitting. This is twisty, gripping read that will keep you reading.

I would to thank both Netgalley and Harper Collins for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.26 s Roman Clodia2,630 3,611

This is an absolute blast!

Casey has stepped away (temporarily, I hope) from her Maeve Kerrigan/Josh Derwent series characters to give us a standalone that has some nesses to her first book, The Missing, but which also stretches from the creepy to some very dark humour. Ingrid, the narrator, is a barrister with a smart voice and, in John Webster, we have a sociopath who is second only to Tom Ripley: cool, eminently sane, scarily unpredictable.

One of the twists is pretty clear from the outset to anyone who reads a lot in this genre but I didn't mind as the pleasure was in waiting for him/her to slip up and for Ingrid to catch on... It's a shame that Ingrid's day job gets forgotten about midway through the book as she more or less turns into a private investigator. And the final page revelation did make me groan a little - how many separate murderers can one book comfortably contain?!

But these are little nit-pickings and in no way spoilt my enjoyment - I was up half the night with this one and only stopped when my Kindle literally dropped from my hands from tiredness! Another ludicrously gripping read from Casey.

Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley21 s Paula780 200

I love the Kerrigan series, so I´m sorry to give this author such a a low rating,but this one´s really bad.

1- It´s not believable. There´s no sense of menace from Webster, it´s all tell,tell,tell. Maybe if the events up to the fire had been given more lines,I´d-maybe- buy it. As it is,just no. It´s also incomprehensible why she´d trust him so much after endless repetition of how much he scares her.(going with him,alone, to who knows where)
2- There´s a point of having too many twists for believability,and this one is off the rails re that
3- Nash being one of the culprits could be seen miles off.The motives,and the mechanics, are absolutely absurd.
4- Ingrid comes across as rather stupid,which I´m sure was not the author´s intention. There are many references to how clever she is.
5-Vicki´s murder. The solve,after pages and pages of outlandish explanations is just toooo much.
A pity, Casey writes an excellent series.22 s 8stitches 9lives2,856 1,660

The Killing Kind is an absolutely scintillating stand-alone psychological crime thriller from one of the best crime writers in the game, but I must admit I wasn't expecting it to be as riveting as it was. Gifted London-based junior barrister Ingrid Lewis is used to defending those accused of heinous crimes in court but three years before the thriller kicks off she had taken the case of dangerous stalker and controlling and manipulative sociopath John Webster and successfully defended him. In court, she had cross-examined the apparent victim to within an inch of her life on the stand saving him a lengthy prison term, and it had quickly become clear that her claims had not only been fabricated regarding Webster's behaviour but that she had been the one exhibiting stalkerish tendencies and not him. Ingrid now remembers a police officer who had been called to the stand by the prosecution and who was familiar with Webster's previous crimes; he had stated that the accused was an extremely dangerous individual and that this was the best opportunity they would have to lock him up; at the time it meant little to her but now that Webster's attention had turned to her he had seemingly developed a sick fascination and toxic obsession with her for which she had managed to attain a temporary restraining order, however, it had now expired. His targeted harassment campaign included following her, bombarding her with unwanted texts and emails, uploading fake or fabricated videos to YouTube in an attempt to destroy her reputation (as a barrister reputation is everything) and has even sent private material to her boss.

But his determination to tear her life apart doesn't stop there. It gets far worse when Webster engineers a break-up in her stable relationship with fiancé, Mark Orpen and then burned her house to the ground. The stress is beginning to take its toll as she has to be on guard everywhere she goes. In 2019, Ingrid had been working a trial alongside another female barrister, Belinda Grey. It had been raining considerably and Grey had no umbrella; this led to Ingrid lending her very distinctive brolly to her. A couple of minutes later, Belinda was killed by a lorry when crossing Ludgate Hill and Ingrid can't escape the feeling that it was meant to be her and that it was not merely a traffic accident but a case of mistaken identity precipitated by her brolly. She had been the real target and she was in no doubt the incident was orchestrated by Webster. This is a scintillating and adrenaline-pumping thriller and dare I say, I found it just as riveting as Casey's Kerrigan series. It's multilayered, shifts seamlessly between past (2015) and present (2019) and Casey's portrayal of a terrified, terrorised and paranoid protagonist is incredibly intense and believable; her mental health is rapidly deteriorating and she doesn't feel safe regardless of where she is. The gritty realism and tense, dramatic scenes make this a cracking and compulsive read; add to that some amazing twists, palpable suspense and realistic characters and the pages turn themselves. An exquisitely plotted, intelligent and disturbing read with an explosive denouement and pages full of thrills, twists, surprises and reveals. Highly recommended.21 s Jannelies1,127 99

This was my first book by Jane Casey but it will not be my last. I was impressed by how she weaved a story revolving around a very creepy sociopath and a hard-working barrister. John Webster is such a dangerous man, who fully deserves to be locked up for the rest of his life, but when Ingrid Lewis gets him off after his trial, he’s not even grateful but starts to harass her in many ways. That’s what sociopaths do and there is nothing you can do about it. After burning down her house and destroying her relationship you would think this would be enough for him, but it isn’t. When Ingrid is confronted with the death of her colleague Belinda, she is spooked all over again, because she thought she was safe from him now. Soon she starts to notice that this time, he’s even more determined to make her life as miserable as he can, and she fears he will not stop now before she’s dead.
We follow Ingrid in her search for the truth, and meet some people who may or not may be on her side. Can she trust Adam, the serious police officer? Why is her new neighbour Helen so overly friendly? Ingrid tries to do her job in between trying to get help and convince people she is really in danger.
The story is very good although the surprises at the end were sometimes a bit too much. The characterization is smoothly done; Jane Casey doesn’t need a lot of words to paint a portrait, whether a ‘good’ or a ‘bad’ person.

Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.netgalley-before-2023 thriller18 s Louise Wilson3,158 1,665

As a barrister, Ingrid Lewis is used to dealing with tricky clients, but no one has ever come close to John Webster. After Ingrid had defended Webster against a stalking charge, he then turned on her - following her, ruining her relationship, even destroying her home. Now, Ingrid finally believes she has finally escaped his clutches. But when one of her colleagues down on a busy London road, Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim. And then Webster turns up at her door.

This is a tension filled read with a few surprises and plenty of twists along the way. Ingrid lives in fear of the man she once defended finding once again. She knows his restraining order has expired. then a colleague is killed whilst using Ingrid's umbrella. She's worried that she's being targeted again. I don't want to spoil the storyline but the book soon had me hooked. The pace is fast and gripping. This standalone will keep you guessing.

I would to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #JaneCasey for my ARC of #TheKillingKind in exchange for an honest review.20 s Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Rampling1,121 105

This was a great read.
A word of advice when reading this one: Do Not Trust Anyone!
I really enjoyed the first 2 thirds of the book, but then it descended into more of the 'unbelievable' and I felt it lost some credibilty towards the end.
Webster was an AMAZING character, I LOVED his humour, his intelligence and Casey did a fantastic job of making me him when I shouldn't have. I genuinely hope Casey does more books with him in it!
The pacing was fast and threw many curveballs which is a must in a thriller for me!
Definitely recommend.17 s Danielle B974 172

This was my first book by Jane Casey and it was incredible!!

Barrister Ingrid Lewis finds herself in a bad situation once again after fellow Barrister Belinda Grey is killed in an “accident” while walking across the road. Ingrid believes she was the intended target due to the fact that Belinda was using her umbrella at the time of her death. Ingrid successfully defended an accused stalker named, John Webster. Ever since then, Webster has tried to destroy Ingrid’s life with her fiancé, Mark. Webster burned down her home and has sent her endless harassing emails and texts.

Jane Casey has created a truly gripping psychological crime thriller. While reading this story I developed several plausible theories to explain the events that take place, only to be proven completely wrong at the end. I can highly recommend this book with one serious warning…you may need to pull an all-nighter because the hours will disappear and it is impossible to put down! I will be checking into this author’s extensive back catalog in the near future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.) on September 20, 2021.2021 netgalley-arc15 s Sara44 11

'The Killing Kind' is a quick and fairly enjoyable read that will keep you engaged - there's a mix of interesting characters and a good mystery, complicated enough to keep you guessing almost till the end.
Despite all this, I must confess that I didn’t love it as much as I have Casey’s other books. There were times where I found the protagonist’s actions as well as the plot a bit unbelievable. Some of Ingrid’s responses to shattering events of tragedy were slightly underwhelming; she notes they have happened and states her sadness but I don’t see it in her actions following the events. In fact, it felt there are more paragraphs dedicated to us getting to know that Ingrid’s cold or hungry than to her processing the fact that somebody she has known has been killed. I found this particularly visible towards the last twenty or so per cent of the book and a bit grating.
Overall, I found 'The Killing Kind' a bit disappointing although I may have come into reading this particular novel expecting what I've seen Casey capable of in her previous work. Perhaps, the book could have been revised and edited slightly better. I’m still a huge fan of the author and I look forward to reading her future books. british-literature mystery thriller14 s Val Wheeler277 29

I think I've found a new favourite author!! I've not read any books by Jane Casey before, but will definitely be looking to read her back catalogue and any future books by this author. This was a really good psychological thriller with really interesting characters and was I was hooked from the start.

Ingrid Lewis is a successful Barrister and used to dealing with tricky clients, but no one has ever come close to John Webster. After Ingrid defended Webster against a stalking charge, he then turned on her – following her, ruining her relationship, even destroying her home. He tells you he wants to protect you…
Now, Ingrid believes she has finally escaped his clutches. But when one of her colleagues is run down on a busy London road, Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim. And then he shows up at her door...

I loved this book from beginning to end and gives you a real insight into her life and what has gone on before and what she must do to try and find out and catch Webster in the act. Can he be trusted. Can anyone be trusted? I loved all the twists and turns and was only disappointed that it came to an end and I turned the last page.

I'd love to see this book made into a movie.

A big thanks to HarperCollins UK HarperFiction for the invitation to review this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can.t wait to read more this.favorites netgalley-completed publisher-requests13 s Liz Barnsley3,562 1,045

A fantastic standalone novel from Jane Casey- plotting is superb, all the characters layered and fascinating and it has a wonderful unpredictable sense to it throughout.

Loved it. Will be reviewing in full near publication. 12 s Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall1,047 85

The Killing Kind is a riveting stand-alone thriller from the pen of Jane Casey, best known for the excellent Maeve Kerrigan police procedural series, and combines some devilishly good plotting with pitch perfect characterisation to make for a real humdinger of a read. London based barrister, Ingrid Lewis, is a skilled litigator and until she successfully defended a client on trial for stalking was a confident woman on the cusp of marriage. After escaping a lengthy prison sentence and leaving court without a stain on his character, said client, John Webster, developed an obsessive interest in Ingrid and set about destroying her life. From harassment to posting advertisements offering sexual services on the internet and breaking up her relationship, Ingrid’s daily life became one of looking over her shoulder. Following Webster’s release from prison and the expiration of a restraining order taken out against him Ingrid lives in fearful expectation of his reappearance. So when fellow barrister, Belinda Grey, is killed in a road traffic accident after meeting Ingrid at court and borrowing her distinctive umbrella, it sets alarm bells ringing. Calling on the help of DC Adam Nash, an officer who knows exactly what Webster is capable of, she pushes to view the CCTV and begins her own tentative investigation. When a second incident convinces Ingrid that someone, whom she believes to be Webster, is not just out to destroy her life but to completely eradicate her, along comes the man himself avowing innocence but offering his services to find out who is behind it. Let the fun and games commence as Ingrid finds herself between the devil and the deep blue sea in a terrific thriller where the pace never lets up.

Ingrid makes a career out of organising facts into a plausible narrative but does make a few poor decisions as she tries to uncover who is plotting against her. Jane Casey makes this believable by capturing the toll that the attentions of a stalker have taken on her state of mind, gradually shrinking her world and leaving her increasingly paranoid. As with every novel by this author the writing is an absolute pleasure to dive into - it’s clear, to the point and gloriously readable. The reader is as in the dark as first-person narrator Ingrid as to who is targeting her, making for a great guessing game in a book that includes court transcripts, emails and newspaper articles. In less assured hands the multilayered and involved plot could be a little unwieldy and lose readers but Casey excels with a structure that, despite moving back and forth, makes intuitive sense. The character of Ingrid is underpinned with the logical rationale of a barrister and along with her occasionally snippy manner and witty comebacks she makes for a refreshingly original protagonist. The characterisation of sociopath John Webster is spot on as the unruffled and unpredictable stalker with a ruthless side that’s never far from the surface. An arch-manipulator who runs rings around unimaginative DC Adam Nash, Webster is marvellously unsettlingly and his appearance adds an extra frisson of tension to a novel that is already loaded with it! From halfway onwards, and into the rousing finale, things do stretch credibility a little, with Ingrid even seeming to forget about her day job, but overall this is a gripping stand-alone that I enjoyed immensely.12 s Leah1,514 248

Twisted…

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 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 plots to hold together and there are far too many holes in this one for me, and I don’t 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.

www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com2021 crime thriller12 s Sheri719 27

A cracking read, as expected from Jane Casey – temporarily (I hope) stepping away from her excellent Maeve Kerrigan series to write a standalone thriller.

Barrister Ingrid Lewis’s life has been on the difficult side since a man she defended in a stalking case, John Webster, turned his unwelcome attentions to her. When a colleague dies in an apparent road accident, Ingrid worries she could be the intended victim. But that’s just the start…

I was a bit worried this was going to be another one of those stories with a creepily all-knowing stalker terrorising his unfortunate victim, but although Webster does more or less fit into that category – and he’s certainly an alarming character - there’s much more to the story than that. I was constantly wrong-footed, never sure where the story was going. It did get a bit complicated towards the end and I couldn’t entirely work out who’d done what, but that’s probably my own fault. It’s certainly fast paced and unsettling, with Ingrid – and the reader – never quite sure who she can trust.

The story is narrated by Ingrid, who’s a smart and able character, and I really enjoyed her voice. There’s also an interesting insight into the legal process and the potential impact on victims of being cross-examined in court.

An excellent, satisfying read which was hard to put down.
netgalley11 s Adrienne518 125

A humdinger of a read. I loved Caseys' storyline. Twists and turns and seeds of doubt planted. Loved the finish. Not what I had expected.
Unputdownablemystery thriller11 s Heidi1,128 225

Jane Casey is one of my favourite authors and I have devoured every single instalment of her Maeve Kerrigan series. I was absolutely stoked to find out that she had a new standalone thriller out and read it as soon as it became available. You might gather from the five stars in my galaxy that I adored this book as much as all her others!

Casey knows how to write a riveting, clever, multi-layered psychological thriller that has as many twists and blind alleys as trying to navigate the streets of Venice at night, blindfolded – there is a good chance that you are going to fall into a canal and drown. I had so many theories that got blasted out of the court one by one, in gob-smacking twists that met me around blind corners whenever I thought I was on track.

Ingrid Lewis is a young barrister whose life has been ruined by the unwanted attentions of one of her former clients, conman John Webster, who has been stalking her mercilessly for years. Being cunning and clever, he has been able to evade law enforcement all this time. When one of Ingrid’s colleagues dies tragically in suspicious circumstances, she is afraid that Webster is behind it, and that she had been the intended target. The stakes have just become a lot higher ...

Casey paints a grim picture of being stalked by a sociopath, and the clever ways in which Webster torments Ingrid without enough evidence to ever pin a charge on him. It was scary imagine the powerlessness Ingrid would feel, relentlessly haunted by this awful man. Once people started dying, the undercurrent of menace and danger rose to new levels, and I absolutely couldn’t put the book down! Then came Casey’s first major twist, blazing across the horizon and bam! All my theories were out the window again. This proved to be an ongoing theme in this clever book, and I loved being proven wrong as the twists kept coming.

THE KILLING KIND is exactly the kind of multi-layered thriller I love. It contained everything a book needs to be unputdownable: an enigmatic lead (who may or may not be just a tiny little bit dishonest in her telling of events), a villain in relentless pursuit, some side characters who will all have a few surprises in store (boy oh boy, didn’t they ever!) and a mounting body count. This was such an adrenaline fuelled read, even in the scenes where Ingrid just goes about her daily life. I will not say any more about the plot, because you’re best to go into this blind and let the story sweep you along.

All in all, THE KILLING KIND is a stalker suspense story of the highest order. Multi-layered, clever and original, it shows Casey as a master of the genre and will keep you guessing to the end. One of my favourite reads this year (no surprises here) and one I very highly recommend!

*blog* *facebook* *instagram* audio-version brilliant-twist fav-thrillers ...more10 s Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm)717 62

First, thank you to the publishers at Harper 360, Harper Collins and Netgalley for this e-ARC of The Killing Kind.

Wow! What an incredible story! The Killing Kind is my first book from Jane Casey, but it won’t be my last!

Ingrid Lewis is a barrister living in London. A few years ago, she defended a man named John Webster against a stalking charge and subsequently got him acquitted. Then he turned his sights on her. After completely dismantling her life and leaving, he’s back, this time with an offer of help. Someone is after Ingrid. Someone looking for revenge. Ingrid will have to start trusting her gut instincts if she hopes to uncover whoever is trying to kill her and their reason why.

The Killing Kind is a long book that moves quickly! The writing was superb, and I really enjoyed the mystery. While one guess I made turned out to be right, I was still surprised at the entire underlying story. I felt that this book was written to get people to start thinking about certain court cases in a different light. The law isn’t as black and white as we’d to believe unfortunately, and this story presents that to us in a way that’s easy to understand. I highly recommend this book for lovers of London, mysteries, and case studies!

The Killing Kind releases September 21st! Preorder your copy today!

TW: Rape, Murder, Stalking, Abusenetgalley thrillers9 s Carlene Inspired979 269

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