NEW 2026 CRIME FICTION FROM JANE CASEY, MIKE LAWSON and M. W. CRAVEN
Late July and early August brings some entertaining crime novels by three well established veterans of the scene.
Jane Casey is best known for her Maeve Kerrigan police series, but she has also proven to be a dab hand with the stand-alone crime novel, as witnessed by her classy 2021 award winner, The Killing Kind.
Her new book, EVERYTHING SHE DIDN’T SAY (Hemlock Press 14 July 2026), is another stand-alone mystery and is a twisty feast of a read.
A woman is found in bloodstained clothes on the lonely Irish coast of County Mayo. At first, she won’t speak, but eventually with prompting from a detective she offers a name: Ruth. She then starts to tell the detectives sent to interview her a story about her missing friend, Maura. Ruth says she and Maura were staying in a clifftop house together. However, the police can find no trace of Maura and no real proof that ever existed. There is only a pool of blood, that does not appear to belong to Ruth.
Switching back and forth between Ruth’s changing story and the police investigation, the story weaves its way through mysteries and surprises to an unexpected outcome. It would be a crime to reveal any more about the plot, other than to say that Jane constantly keeps the reader on edge as different aspects to the story are revealed. There is also one jaw dropping shock about two thirds in.
EVERYTHING SHE DIDN’T SAY is a very tightly plotted mystery that dazzles with its twists. It does, however, feel a bit contrived and the pacing can be slow at times. The manner in which the police handle the initial investigation also seems unlikely, but it enables Jane to set up the emotional tension at the core of the story.
The story is well supported by an interesting batch of well-crafted characters, particularly some of the supporting ones, and the outcome is surprising and satisfying. In all, a very enjoyable read.
EVERYTHING SHE DIDN’T SAY was released in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2026. It is not released in Australia until late October 2026. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book for review.
M. W. Craven has enjoyed considerable success with his series about Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw and his latest book, THE KILLER’S MARK (Constable, 13 August 2026), will no doubt be enthusiastically devoured by his legion of fans.
Freed from the constraints imposed by their former positions with the British National Crime Agency, Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are now enjoying their new jobs as private detectives or – as the sign on their door says – ‘Gumshoes for Hire’. When a foul mouthed teenage girl known as Esmerée Blue walks into their office, looking for the mother she believed to be dead, they agree to take the case. As Poe and Tilly investigate the girl’s claims, they find themselves drawn into a murky world of trafficking, pornography and prostitution. They are also drawn back into the sphere of the National Crime Agency, who are in the midst of a major investigation sparked by a horrific discovery in the safe of a former British Read Admiral.
THE KILLER’S MARK is a wild ride of a novel. The book gets off to an intriguing start with the discovery within the Rear Admiral’s safe and the unusual way that Esmerée discovers that her mother is possibly not dead. The pacing is then brisk from the opening chapters, and there are the twists and surprises you expect from a Craven novel as the book races to the devious conclusion. Craven employs a number of familiar ploys to advance the action, helped along by Poe’s usual provocative approach to life and some mild humour. There are also the other Craven hallmarks: lots of interesting information, surprising twists, exaggerated characters, witty banter, touching moments and the always engaging Tilly Bradshaw. It is also good to be re-acquainted with the rough and ready Towler and Craven’s other regular characters.
A fair suspension of disbelief is required, but overall THE KILLER’S MARK is very good fun.
THE KILLER’S MARK is released in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2026 and in Australia on 11 August 2026! It is not due for release in the United States until October 2026. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book for review.
I have enjoyed a number of Mike Lawson’s conspiracy driven thrillers featuring political fixer Joe DeMarco, and enjoy his glimpses into the darker side of American politics. With his latest stand-alone novel, McKENNA’S GUY (Blackstone, 7 July 2026), Lawson ventures into Elmore Leonard territory with a gritty tale about crooks and killers, and a determined investigator who is trying to work out what is going on.
When an intruder with murderous intent breaks into Roger Smith’s modest home one night, he gets more than he bargained for and, unluckily, ends up dead. Washington, DC, Detective Grace Lillinthal is summoned to the crime scene and marvels at the outcome. Why would anyone want to kill grey-haired Roger Smith? He is the picture of respectability: a widower devoted to his family, an amateur painter, and a civil servant who works at the Government Printing Office. The shaken Smith claims to be baffled why he would be a target. But instinct tells Grace that there is more to Smith’s story, and when she learns that Smith, after killing his home invader and before calling the police, phoned the infamous John McKenna, she knows she is onto something. McKenna is a disreputable character of the first order. He is the gregarious, larger-than-life owner of a local bar that is a notorious den of thieves and is also a well known as a criminal fixer.
While Grace tries to work out what is going on, Smith and McKenna also desperately rack their brains to identify who would want them dead and whether another killer is on the way. Not surprisingly, Smith is not as innocent as he seems and the death of his would-be killer sets in chain a series of plots and counterplots that lead to more killing and mayhem.
McKENNA’S GUY is an enjoyable crime story that moves along at a good pace. Lawson skilfully juggles the various elements of his plot, bringing the different strands together in a tense and somewhat unexpected ending. The highlight of the book are the well sketched characters, mainly crooks, who drive the story along. Apart from Grace, none of the characters are on the side of the angels, although it is hard not to like the engaging Roger Smith who gets increasingly out of his depth. There is also an enigmatic female hired killer who steals the book when she makes an appearance towards the end.
In all, McKENNA’S GUY is a solid, entertaining read.