Firewatching

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This is an excellent debut thriller with a few twists, that will leave you breathless and impressed.

After actively pursuing a long sequence of suspects, another officer finally tells the detective who is responsible for the murders. Their first outing sees them investigating a cold case in which a body has been discovered by workers renovating a fire damaged house. So begins a story, of sexual deviancy, abuse, and murder, which somehow Tyler will have to work, sometimes in spite of himself, and maybe even to prove some of his colleagues wrong. Overall I thought this was a fantastic read with a fascinating plot that held my attention throughout the book.Keeping his possible conflict-of-interest under wraps, Tyler digs into the case alongside Amina Rabbani, an ambitious young Muslim constable and a fellow outsider seeking to prove herself on the force. Both added extra dimensions, Jim with his old school banter and Amina with her ambitious drive and determination to succeed. Tyler’s first suspect just happens to be the victim’s son Oscar, and by coincidence is also the man Tyler had a one-night stand with the night before. Although the real estate agent doesn't tell him, he knows the place is hard to sell because a woman was eviscerated in the bedroom. His successes in solving cases have made him a lot of enemies, he has to endure sly pointed comments about his father, and homophobia in the form of 'banter' and otherwise.

We also have PC Mina Rabbani with her fiery temper, broad South Yorkshire accent, her cleverness and initiative. A terrible fidget, his constant jiggling makes you want to hold his limbs down but I love his wit, black humour, his intelligence and he proves to be a very unlikely supporter of Adam. In this book, which is set in Sheffield, England, sees Adam Tyler force his way into an investigation, because he feels it falls in his remit as a cold case officer (though why it has to be him, given he's just a DS is beyond me). The plot is strengthened by the cast of characters, particularly Lily who can’t remember the secret she’s keeping on account of the dementia that’s ravaging her mind.This is a well written book with some really good descriptions, it keeps you guessing throughout especially the identity of The Firewatcher. Soon their investigation will come up against close-lipped townsfolk, an elderly woman with dementia who's receiving mysterious threats referencing a past she can't remember, and an escalating series of conflagrations set by a troubled soul intent on watching the world burn .

Rather than this making him an unlikable or unappealing character, however, Russ Thomas finessed all these things into a man I now want to know much more about. I do love a story that's set in a familiar location and this one takes place bang in the centre of Sheffield; a city that I visit frequently and is very dear to me. The descriptions of the arsons are terrifyingly real and, while the person responsible taunts the police with cryptic blog posts, readers are presented with the sense of the urgency felt by Tyler and his colleagues. I understand I can change my preference through my account settings or unsubscribe directly from any marketing communications at any time.The case is led by DI Jim Doggett, who beneath his bluster is keen to have Adam on the team, and lets him bring on board the ambitious Constable Rabbani, providing he accepts responsibility for her. Set in and around Sheffield, England, this debut novel introduces a unique and somewhat unusual team of police officers. If you’re looking for original characters, a strong plot and vivid descriptions, ‘Firewatching‘ is the novel for you!