After the Fire    by Jane Casey Order:  USA  Can Minotaur, 2016 (2016) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson After the Fire is the sixth (after The Kill) in Jane Casey's excellent British police procedural series starring Detective Maeve Kerrigan. She's still partnered with the abrasive DI Josh Derwent, who constantly needles everyone in his orbit. But when there's trouble, they have each other's backs. Some characters in previous episodes are now out of the picture. Maeve was in a strong relationship with fellow officer Rob, who is on leave and out of her life. She and Josh have a new boss, Chief Inspector Una Burt (not a fan of Josh's). But dangerous stalker Chris Swain is still very much in the picture, watching Maeve's every move, to the extent that constant anxiety about what he might do has given her ulcers. As the title suggests, one of the crimes in this episode is arson (at the Maudling Estate), but it's not the only one - there's murder too. One of the three fatalities in Murchison House was killed deliberately, and he was a right wing London politician who had no reason to be there. Turns out he was having an affair that he was desperate to keep private. The other two were sex workers, victims of human traffickers. Josh and Maeve are, of course, called to the scene and start digging. One of the badly injured occupants, a mother with a young son, arouses Josh's sympathy and protective instincts - she was hiding on the estate from an abusive husband. While they follow the usual leads and red herrings, Josh discovers that Maeve is trying to trap her stalker, with herself as bait. Naturally, he gets in on the act, involving a very talented hacker. Of course you can see where this is going. They do solve the crime and Chris Swain also takes the bait. Maeve's survival is uncertain, while someone close to her doesn't make it. After the Fire is yet another absorbing, pulse pounding read from Jane Casey. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews