I was sent an early copy of this book for my independent honest review.
This is the second in the series of the police procedural crime mystery featuring Frankie Sheehan.
I thoroughly enjoyed book one and book two did not disappoint. Straight away we get a sense of Frankie with her no nonsense attitude towards Sean Hennessey a recently released prisoner who murdered his parents. There is a media furore around his release and whether in fact he was guilty.in Frankie becomes involved in reviewing his case under the beady eye of the new Police Commissioner who doesn't hold back on how she expects Frankie to proceed!
Obviously we get a grisly murder or two and be prepared for graphic forensic details. However I didn't find this one quite as dark as book one.
The plot is very cleverly written, constantly leading the reader down blind alleys, leaving clues for your mind to try and work out who the murderer is.
I was totally engaged from the beginning and couldn't put this down. There is so much more interesting police procedural information in than book one, which I personally found very fascinating. Unlike some police procedural fiction, it was well woven into the plot and became part of the integral story to find the perpetrator.
We meet a whole cast of different characters who make up Frankie's team which all adds to the pleasure of reading. I especially liked Baz her new deputy and I hope he continues to be with her throughout the series.
As I said in my review of book one, this series makes me excited as it reminds me of the early books of Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series which is high praise indeed.
This is an exciting, well written and suspenseful read which is a must for those of you who like dark and gritty mysteries with beautifully crafted characters and an ending that makes you gasp out loud.

The Killer in Me is a fast moving police/ crime thriller which keeps you clicking the pages as the twists and turns come aplenty.

There are 2 main storylines that interlink throughout the book without it feeling forced and the main characters are well formed even if the senior people are not very likeable!!!!

This is the first book by Olivia Kiernan that I have read but it won't be the last one

Definitely recommended

This is a great crime thriller.
There are two stories running side by side which makes this is gripping read.
Frankie is called to a church in Clontarf where two people are found dead. More bodies start to appear and Frankie has to try and find the link.
We also have Sean Hennessey who was convicted of killing his family 17 years ago but he claims he’s innocent.
Frankie starts to look into his case and finds there were problems with the initial Police investigation, however, Frankie's superiors are not happy with her looking into this again.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to finding out more about Frankie in the next book.
Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The Killer in Me is the second novel to feature Dublin based Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan of An Garda Síochána’s Bureau for Serious Crime, and having enjoyed Ms Kiernan's debut novel I was excited to see what book two would bring; as it turns out this is even better. The writing flows beautifully from one page to the next, the plot is so, so gripping and twisty, and the topics explored thought-provoking. Instead of using the same exhausted tropes the author goes in her own direction, which makes this an original, intriguing and intensely thrilling novel. I was on the edge of my seat after the few chapters and steadfastly remained there until the conclusion.

Sheehan is a nose-to-the-grindstone type of protagonist who stubbornly investigates two cases during this novel. The first is a possible miscarriage of justice linked to Sean Hennessy, a convicted murderer who had already served out his sentence of 17 years; the second follows Frankie and crew as they investigate two bodies found in a local church. Although I admire Sheehan she is a bit of an enigma and the only thing I truly really know is that she's a workaholic. I'm hoping in future books we will learn more about her.

Overall, this is a taut, pacey, cleverly plotted and multilayered thriller. There is also a dark, tense atmosphere much like there was in book one and a strong feeling of authenticity throughout with realistic details that keep you completely immersed.

Many thanks to riverrun for an ARC.

I like to read a wide range of books, especially those like this one - an extremely intriguing mystery/thriller. The Killer In Me is so much more than that, though. It also delves into some emotive and thought-provoking subjects, particularly of mental health issues, dysfunctional families and domestic violence and deep-rooted resentments set against the backdrop of a small, close-knit town.

I loved that Olivia Kiernan has created a very strong, but flawed female protagonist in Frankie, with the absence of a significant other or a love interest hovering on the periphery.

The plot is very cleverly written, as is the pacing and there are clues, hints and red herrings dropped to identify the perpetrator. I allowed myself to be carried along with the story as Frankie unpicked the different threads of all of the murders.

This is not a novel filled with dramatic and sensational twists but it requires skill to write a realistic story with many threads such as this, whilst managing to create something so compelling and noteworthy. I am now a new fan of Olivia Kiernan and DCS Frankie Sheehan!

[Thanks to #NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author, Olivia Kiernan, for my free ARC of #TheKillerInMe in exchange for an honest review.]

I really enjoyed Olivia Kiernan’s debut novel, Too Close to Breathe, so I was keen to read the second in her Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan police procedural series. This is a series where each book can comfortably be read as a stand-alone, with the constants being the characters in the Dublin based An Garda Síochána Bureau for Serious Crime, which Frankie heads.

From the outset of this case, Frankie’s profiling background tells her that the carefully staged murder of two people in a church is the work of someone who intends to kill again. Frankie has attended the murder scene direct from meeting with her sister in law, Tanya. Tanya runs a legal charity for the victims of miscarriages of justice and she has asked Frankie to review the files on the conviction of Seán Hennessy , then 15 years old, recently released from prison after serving 17 years for the murder of his parents and attempted murder of his sister.

We see everything from Frankie’s perspective and experience her fears and frustrations as the case develops, stalls and with the discovery of more bodies with the killer’s signature, and yet the list of suspects gets shorter though they are no nearer to solving the case. To add to Frankie’s troubles, the Police Commissioner is on her back, wanting the miscarriage of justice claims dispensed with and the current murders wrapped up.

There’s an intensity to Frankie’s work that means she eats, breathes and sleeps it, leaving little time for a personal life. Well plotted and layered with complexity Frankie’ viewpoint is interspersed with narrative from Sean Hennessy ‘s documented interviews on his recollections of the historical murders of his parents, claiming on his innocence.

Beautifully atmospheric, this is a solid police procedural that feels authentic and has a level of detail that adds to the veracity of the story. Well-paced and intriguing, this is a nicely told story. The team are sufficiently different to be interesting characters in their own right and the team dynamic adds another fascinating layer to the tale.

.I really enjoyed it and would certainly read another, though I would say that Frankie herself remains a bit of an enigma. While we do learn something about her home life in The Killer In Me, we don’t learn much at all about Frankie’s inner, more personal thoughts. Though the relationships she has with her colleagues are well articulated, and Kiernan’s characters are very well drawn, it would be good to know a bit more about Frankie herself. I hope that we will learn more about what personal life she has, or has had, in future books.

Verdict: An atmospheric, authentic police procedural with loads of clever writing and plotting that is both propulsive and intriguing.

I could use a lot of words to describe this book and how much I liked it, a lot of blah blah, but I want to summarize it in few words: it's amazing and gripping.
You will appreciate it if you like police procedural or psychological thriller. Or if you are not a fan of a specific genre but you want to read a book that is well written and keeps you reading as fast as you can.
It's atmospheric, dark, enthralling and emotionally charged. You never know what's going to happen and you're in for some great surprises.
The characters are fleshed out, they're not likable but I couldn't help being attracted to them. They will make you feel a lot of different emotions: from pity to rage.
The plot is complex, fascinating, and gripping; once you get involved in the book you cannot stop reading till the final climax.
The mystery is solid and complex, with a lot of twists and turns, and it keeps you guessing but you never know if you're right or wrong.
There're some important social issues in this book and I appreciated how the writer empathy for the victims.
I can say this book is highly recommended.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Seventeen years ago, the town of Clontarf was rocked to its very core when fifteen year old Seán Hennessy was convicted of the murder of his parents and attempted murder of his then ten year old sister. Seán always maintained his innocence and now he’s finally been released, he’s set on clearing his name once and for all. But his return to Clontarf sets off another spate of murders. Coincidence or not? Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan will need to keep her wits about her to figure out the truth.

One of the first things to pull you into this story is the amazing atmosphere Olivia Kiernan creates. This small seaside town on the coast of Ireland isn’t exactly a glamorous holiday destination. It rains a lot. It’s windy. Often you look up and only see dark and grey skies. But these elements all add to the doom and gloom of a complicated murder investigation and this here investigation is certainly complicated.

The Killer in Me is full of complex and multi-layered characters. Few come across as trustworthy and my keen detective eye (ha!) zeroed in on a suspect relatively soon. But just like Frankie and her team, I wasn’t prepared for all the twists, turns and dead ends and ultimately I had to admit defeat, not seeing who the culprit was or why it seemed to be connected to the past.

I had some misgivings about Frankie when I was first introduced to her in Too Close to Breathe but in this instalment, she completely won me over! It may seem a tad harsh to say but I almost felt as if she had some kind of personality transplant but I loved her. She always keeps an open mind and isn’t afraid to admit to herself when she’s wrong about something. Her profiling background remains incredibly fascinating, the way she “sees” things play out in front of her eyes really drew me in. I had no problems whatsoever getting behind her this time around.

A lot about this story is about perceptions, which in turn makes it rather thought-provoking. The Killer in Me is gripping, immersive and utterly addictive. Oozing atmosphere throughout and with a touch of true crime about it, it had me absolutely hooked from start to finish. If you’re into crime fiction, I’d definitely recommend this one and I’m ridiculously excited to see where Olivia Kiernan takes this series next!

Fast paced and full of action. There are so many twists in this story. I was gripped from the start and read this book in one go. It is really well written and very cleverly thought out.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This is an intriguing and exciting book to read, so many twists and turns, a proper rollercoaster of a ride to get to a finish that you don’t see coming.

DCS Frankie Sheehan is meeting with her sister-in-law Tanya and Sean Hennessy as a favour to look into a possible miscarriage of justice. Tanya, works as a defence lawyer for charity Justice meets Justice, which tries to get justice of wrongly accused criminals. Sean was accused of murdering his parents and attempted murder of his sister over 17 years ago and has just been released. There is a documentary being made over the story.

Frankie leaves this meeting to attend an incident, two bodies at St Catherine’s church in Clontarf. She sees the woman first, a large pool of blood, her throat slit, bare from the waist up. The man is dressed like a priest but you can smell that he has been dead for a few days. The knife in the man’s hand is covered in blood, possibly the female victims blood and on closer inspection Frankie notices the letters ‘w’ and ‘e’ engraved on the blade under the blood. The word ‘weapon’ has been engraved on the knife. While standing back and surveying the scene, Frankie notices a void in the blood splatter. Something has been removed. By the killer? What could it be?

Is there a ‘victim’ somewhere? Frankie needs to work out what is going on and try to look at the Hennessy case for Tanya. Then she starts to get pressure from higher up the chain of command and things take a turn for the worse.

I have just read The Killer In Me which is the second book in a series from Olivia Kiernan and I’m getting book one, Too Close To Breathe to read. The writing is very descriptive and it feels like you are actually there, in the scene and the moment, living it. So much going on but it’s a fantastic read and I enjoyed it. I would rate this as a 4.5 * and I look forward to getting to know DCS Frankie Sheehan better.

The Killer in Me by Olivia Kiernan is the second book to feature Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan. Although I have read the first book in the series I believe this book can be read as a stand alone story. It is told from the point of view of Frankie, who is all about work and her family. She doesn't seem to have anything else in her life and we know very little about her. I would like to see more about her as a person in the next book. It is easier to like or dislike a character with a bit more insight into them personally. In saying that I really enjoyed this book, with its many layers and characters that all tie in together. The ending was very clever and not completely obvious.

We have 2 stories running side by side in this book. Frankie is called to the scene in a church in Clontarf where 2 bodies lay dead. It is a gruesome scene with very little clues to point to the killer. More bodies start to appear and it seems that the victims are linked, but who wanted them dead. We also have Sean Hennessey who was convicted of killing his family 17 years ago. With the help of the media he is claiming he is innocent. As Frankie looks further into it there are other possible suspects and there seems to be police errors in the initial investigation. Frankie's boss is keen for this to go away without tainting the department.

Thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

Frankie Sheenan #2

Years ago, teenager Sean Hennessey schocked the tight-knit community when he was convicted of the brutal murder of his parents and attempted slaying of his sister, though he always maintained his innocence. Now Sean is being released from prison - but when his newfound freedom coincides with the discovery of two bodies, the alleged connection between the cases only serves to pull Frankie further from the answers even as it draws her closer to the towns hidden darkness.

Frankies sister-in-law runs a charity for victims of miscarriage of justice asks Frankie if she will review Sean Hennessey's conviction. He has just finished a seventeen year stretch. During her meeting with him she's called away to a murder scene where two bodies have been found. As the investigation progresses, more bodies turn up and we eventually find out how these bodies link up to each other. I felt the storyline was a it confusing at times and some of the characters were not very likeable. I think I'd I had read the first book in this series I might have had some background knowledge on Frankie. Overall, it was quite an enjoyable read..

I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author Olivia Kiernan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was a massive fan of the first book in the Frankie Sheehan series of novels, Too Close To Breathe so was waiting with baited breath (no pun intended) for The Killer In Me. In this book we are reunited with Frankie who is investigating the deaths of two people found murdered in a church. The deaths coincide with the release of Seán Hennessey from prison. He has spent 17 years behind bars for the murder of his parents and attempted murder of his younger sister and as the bodies in the church bear similarities to these deaths he is a suspect. The thing is, he denies both sets of murders, is working towards getting his conviction overturned and is about to be on TV as the subject of a documentary protesting his innocence.

What I love about Olivia Kiernan’s books is that she has a strong female protagonist who is flawed (aren’t we all) but there isn’t some love interest lurking to mess her life up. To be honest, Frankie is capable of doing that herself. In The Killer In Me she is being pulled in different directions between the case at hand, her sister in law who is working on Hennessey’s appeal and the new Commissioner who wants results. This constant pressure builds nicely as Frankie investigates the double murder.

When a third body is discovered everything turns on its head. Olivia Kiernan’s plotting is meticulous in this book and it speeds along at a great pace with clues, hints and red herrings dropped like breadcrumbs. I stopped trying to work out whodunnit and let myself be carried along as Frankie unpicked the strands of the crime.

Like all great thrillers and police procedurals there is more to the book than a murder and a hunt for a killer. I found some of the themes explored in The Killer In Me to be quite moving; that of family, mental illness and domestic violence in particular. These issues are important and set against the backdrop of a small, close town build to breaking point bringing long held resentments and concerns to the fore.

This isn’t a book filled with sensational twists and turns, which isn’t a criticism in the slightest. It takes a deft hand to write a book with so many threads; crime, social injustice, family dynamics and work politics and create something so absorbing and immersive. I am a huge fan of Frankie Sheehan and of Olivia Kiernan, more please.

The Killer in me by Olivia Kiernan is the second in the Frankie Sheehan series. I didn’t realise this when I requested it. But you can still read it as a standalone. Set in Dublin Ireland DI Frankie Sheehan is investigating husband and wife and left for dead in the local church. As the investigation goes ahead more bodies show up and we learn how these bodies link with each other. The story goes from past and present including DI Sheehan personal experiences.
I thought this was and Ok book. I did think this was and interesting read but for me I couldn’t relate to any of the characters, they weren’t very likeable. I also found the story a bit clinical. I would have liked more friendly banter and interactions with Frankie and her team.
Thank you NetGalley and Quercus books for a copy of this book

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

murder and mayhem with domestic abuse thrown in..

sean hennessey put away for murdering his family is finally released after serving his time..but was he set up...

now there are new murders to be investigated but with hints of this families murder...who what where....is behind it all...

a twisted tale that snags you in as they try to find out who is going to be next and why...have to admit the ending wasnt anything like i expected a good twist

a good series and another author for me to keep an eye out for...

4.5 stars
This is second in the series and, to get the very best from it, I would recommend you read Too Close To Breathe first. Frankie is a bit complex and, like most MCs has a bit of a past which, if you know, makes her easier to connect with. And it's a cracking read in itself so, why wouldn't you?!
Back to this book... Sean Hennessey is being released from prison after serving his sentence for the brutal murder of his parents and the wounding of his, now estranged, sister. He has always protested his innocence but has bided his time. Now out though, he has connected with someone who will put his side out there once and for all. As he stirs up the media with his version of what happened, there's the discovery of two bodies, killed in similar circumstances to Sean's parents. Is he up to his old tricks again or could he really be innocent and, if so, who could have committed those most heinous crimes?
This is a book that you really have to pay attention to all the way through. The author is mistress of sleight of hand and other reader duping trickery which did guide me, along with the MC down several dead ends and through twists and turns until we got to the rather shocking conclusion. She builds up layer upon layer of intrigue along the way with the cloying feeling of doubt. Leaving it all up to Frankie to unravel at the end. An ending that I didn't really see coming although, well, it was on my radar, just!
It's told by Frankie in the first person, a tricky game to pull off in this genre of book but, along with other characters thoughts popping in every so often, it really works as you mostly only know what Frankie knows and that, for me anyway, brings me closer to the action. We also have, injected every so often, snippets from Sean's media efforts, as he describes his time in prison. This added colour and background to what was going on in the present and complementing the narrative perfectly. But Frankie is a bit complex and closed as a character on the personal level. She has her parents, her sister, and her work and that's about it. I'd like to get to know her better, maybe in book three...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

# The Killer In Me # Netgalley.#
I good psychology thriller, I can understand when someone has served 15 yrs in prison for for murder, and wants his case reinvestigating because he says he didn’t do it, that especially a DCI being skeptical. It’s a crab cut read and definitely intriguing. His solicitor truly believe in him, it not all about the forensics allegedly being wrong, especially when he was in for mudering his parents and attempted murder to his sister. His solicitor is the sister in law who’s Hennessys used is the DCI she asked to take a look at his file. It’s full of twists and turns, well worth reading

#TheKillerInMe #NetGalley I had not read the first book in this series but I don't really think that it detracted as it was ok to read as a stand alone. The plot was interesting with and old and new crime overlapping. Lots of twists and turns and with an ending I didn't guess until near the end. What stops me giving this book a higher rating is that I could not engage with the main character DCS Frankie Sheehan. There was no real insight into what makes her tick and very little in the way of any personal detail which normally helps me relate to the character better and her relationship with her team appeared quite superficial. I am torn between 3 or 4 stars but will give 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Great novel with lots of twists and an awesome finish! You can feel a relationship with many of the characters and things become believable, but are they....

An amazing storyline, lots of red herrings but I totally loved this book.It was an easy to follow story and not to much going on in the background. It's amazing the way it unfolded and then the family connection really makes the book.