The Killer in Me

A Novel

By: Olivia Kiernan

Narrated by: Shelley Atkinson

A deadly past refuses to stay buried in Olivia Kiernan’s masterful new novel.

Death is no stranger to Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan, but she isn’t the only one from her small, coastal suburb to be intimately acquainted with it. Years ago, teenager Seán Hennessey shocked 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, Seán is finally 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 answers even as it draws her closer to her town’s hidden darkness.

With a television documentary revisiting Seán’s sentence pushing the public’s sympathies into conflict on a weekly basis, a rabid media pressuring the police like never before, and a rising body count, Frankie will need all of her resources if she is not only to catch a killer, but put to rest what really happened all those years ago.

A dark, irresistible cocktail of secrets, murder, and family, Olivia Kiernan’s latest is an impossible-to-pause triumph.

©2019 Olivia Kiernan (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Tana French fans are a ready audience for the second in Kiernan’s series, which unravels murder cases undertaken by Dublin detective Frankie Sheehan.... Kiernan’s smart writing carefully doles out twists and clues as the puzzle comes to an unexpected and nervous-making ending. Along the way, she paints a rich picture of contemporary Dublin life, its social pretenses and nothing-to-lose characters both crashing against the justice system. Readers will watch for more from Kiernan.” (Booklist)

“[A] well-paced sequel...[protagonist] Frankie’s insights at crime scenes, her close relationships with squad members, and the vivid picture of Dublin lift this police procedural.” (Publisher's Weekly)

“Olivia Kiernan’s latest mystery has a whipsaw plot and a list of suspects that will chill your blood.... Kiernan spins this tale with gritty realism - you can feel the damp chill of an Irish summer and smell the creosote and salt along the coast.... The Killer in Me is a high-stakes noir page turner.” (Bookpage.com)

Great book; miss the other narrator

I really appreciate Olivia Kiernan. Her prose is more literary then mystery. This seems to be most obvious with audible books.

Although Shelley Atkinson is a superb reader, her voice is sounds twenty years too old for the character of Frankie. It really took away from the character.

Brona C. Titley is such perfect casting for that character. A young thirty something vs. a late middle-aged voice. I really hope Titley comes back for the next one.

Setting it aside for now

Unfortunately, the timing wasn't quite right for me. I’ve run across this with Audible over the years. While I appreciate the author’s craftsmanship and the narrator’s skills, this thriller didn’t quite resonate with me at this moment. I believe that timing can make all the difference in enjoying a book, so I’ll set this aside for now and revisit it in the future. Over and out. Carry on!