Cruel Acts is Jane Casey’s eighth entry in her Maeve Kerrigan series. When a mistrial puts a murderer back on the streets, Maeve finds herself questioning his guilt and racing to find answers after another woman disappears. This is a cleverly plotted story that examines the justice system from multiple angles and explores the inner-workings and culture of the police force. The characters are authentic and the dynamic between Maeve and her partner and superior, Derwent, is impeccably portrayed. Tense and suspenseful, this is a gripping police procedural that unfolds at a crime thriller pace.