Book Review: Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

”What is wrong with you?”

Laura has spent most of her life being judged. She”s seen as hot-tempered, troubled, a loner. Some even call her dangerous.

Miriam knows that just because Laura is witnessed leaving the scene of a horrific murder with blood on her clothes, that doesn”t mean she”s a killer. Bitter experience has taught her how easy it is to get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Carla is reeling from the brutal murder of her nephew. She trusts no one: good people are capable of terrible deeds. But how far will she go to find peace?

Innocent or guilty, everyone is damaged. Some are damaged enough to kill.

Look what you started.

*****

Laura’s life has been troubled since she was in an accident as a teenager. She is seen as hot tempered, difficult, a loner and in some cases, dangerous.

Miriam witnesses Laura leaving the scene of a crime with blood on her clothes but experience has taught her that it’s easy to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Carla is trying to come to terms with the death of her nephew. She trusts no-one.

I was such a big fan of The Girl on The Train and so I was excited to read the latest novel from Paula Hawkins.

The blurb for this book caught my attention immediately and from page one, you’re placed straight into the action. Paula Hawkins has a great way of pulling you into the lives of her characters until you look up and realise that it’s the middle of the night and you’ve read the book in one sitting.

Told from the point of view of Laura, Miriam, Carla, Irene and Theo, the narrative pulls the reader to and fro and this very much added to the suspense and overall tension of the plot.

Each character brought something interesting to the story. Laura’s backstory is tragic and you can understand why she struggles to be steady.

Miriam is a bit of an enigma and her backstory is revealed gradually through the book (and I believe could have been a novel in itself.)

Carla and Theo are the characters I struggled most to empathise with. There was just something about them that didn’t click with me, especially Theo. All that being said, I suspected all of them at various points of being the person responsible for the murder at the centre of the plot. I didn’t know who I could trust. I didn’t see the trust and turns coming.

There is really not a lot else I can say about this book without giving anything away.

Overall, Slow Fire Burning is a thriller but also an interesting look at human nature and how far we will go to get what we want and need and how one decision can change the course of your life.

It’s full of mystery, suspense and tension. I loved it. Paula Hawkins is becoming one of my favourite authors in this genre.

(Thank you to Transworld and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.) 

About Paula Hawkins: 

Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction.

Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989 and has lived there ever since.

Her first thriller, The Girl on the Train, has been published in over forty languages, has been a No.1 bestseller around the world and is now a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt.

Into the Water,  her second thriller was published in 2017. 

Her latest novel, Slow Fire Burning is due to be published by Doubleday on 31st August 2021. Click to pre-order on Amazon UK. 

Say hello to Paula on Instagram. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.