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    The Burning: A Novel
    The Burning: A Novel
    The Burning: A Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Burning: A Novel

    Written by Jane Casey

    Narrated by Sarah Coomes

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The Burning Man. It’s the name the media has given a brutal murderer who has beaten four young women to death before setting their bodies ablaze in secluded areas of London’s parks. And now there’s a fifth.

    Maeve Kerrigan is an ambitious detective constable, keen to make her mark on the murder task force. Her male colleagues believe Maeve’s empathy clouds her judgment, but the more she learns about the latest victim, Rebecca Haworth, from her grieving friends and family, the more determined Maeve becomes to bring her murderer to justice. But how do you catch a killer no one has seen when so much of the evidence has gone up in smoke?

    Maeve’s frenetic hunt for a killer in The Burning, Jane Casey’s series debut, is a gripping introduction to one of the most engaging crime fiction characters in recent memory.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMay 8, 2012
    ISBN9781455860920
    The Burning: A Novel
    Author

    Jane Casey

    Jane Casey was born and brought up in Dublin. She then studied English at Jesus College, Oxford, followed by an mPhil in Anglo-Irish Literature at Trinity College, Dublin. Married to a criminal barrister, she lives in London and worked in publishing as a children's books editor.

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    Reviews for The Burning

    4/5

    294 ratings64 reviews

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    • 3/5
      While "The Burning" is well-written and entertaining, I had two problems with it. First, I figured out who did it much too early. Second, the way the resolution came about was disappointing. It was similar to James Bond movies where the villain has captured Bond and feels compelled to tell him all about his evil plots before he kills him. It would be a great airplane book.
    • 3/5
      2.5-3 stars… doubtful I’ll continue the series.
      Skip this and read The killing kind (not part of a series)- had high hopes after that but alas..
      Narration is 60% good - for Maeve and Louise it’s fine, but the other 40% of characters a(it Maeve’s fellow police staff re voiced in hautey/snooty condescending tones that just don’t fit and drove me up a wall.
      Spoiler free event that all but ruined my hopes of mauves character being realistic… a fellow detective comes to her and her bf’s house to go over a case… and instead of dressing first, she opens the door in a towel.. and said references to her legs (bc she’s never worn anything but pants) are made by colleagues for the duration of the book… Sorry but no woman would ever rush out of the shower, throw on a towel and open a door.
      Combine that level of eye rolling behavior with copious amounts (a good 4 of the 14hrs of this book) of how concerned she is with being professional in a male world and just… no.
      I stuck with the book to see if perhaps it would redeem itself and I might find a new series… but unfortunately I correctly guessed the killer when they were first introduced… so… eh… the search for a series continues!
    • 4/5
      I really enjoy a good, solid police procedural-- sans fancy CSI work and scientific gobblydegook and teams of technicians saving the day-- and that's what I got with The Burning. Maeve Kerrigan is far from being a solid, stable detective, but neither is she a stereotypical ladder-climbing, ambitious female protagonist. She has her dust-ups with the high-testesterone makeup of the force, but she's got the brains and drive to stay a step ahead. She's not the kind of protagonist who's going to rush into unstable situations where she has to Have a Man to Save Her; this is a woman who's quite capable of doing her own work, even while she chafes under the supervision of a very oppresive boss.The plot of this novel was complex and intriguing-- serial killer with a spin and a twist. It was highly psychological, and all the characters, main and supporting, were quite well developed (and I can't wait to see more of them). The setting was quite rich; Casey really draws you in.I eagerly look forward to further entries from this series.
    • 4/5
      Kudos to St. Martin's for publishing this, the first of Jane Casey's series about Met detective Maeve Kerrigan, on this side of the pond. _The Burning_ does an excellent job of introducing us to Maeve, a smart, witty young DC out to impress her superiors and to prove her worth as the lone female in her unit. Casey's novel deftly weaves information about Maeve's background and personality into the plot, making that material an integral part of the story so that it doesn't feel like info dumping. The case that proves to be Maeve's making isn't the primary one in this novel, though: while the Met investigates a series of brutal murders of young women in south London, Maeve gets assigned to a copycat case, the death of a posh PR exec whose murder was made to look like the work of the serial killer. Maeve sees a bit of herself in both Rebecca, the victim, and Rebecca's best friend, Louise: all of them are about the same age, all are ambitious in their careers, all are single, and all are misguided in one way or another.The novel alternates between chapters told from Maeve's POV and from Louise's POV, with one section narrated by Rob, Maeve's colleague. This strategy works well, and Casey does a good job of making their voices distinctive. I enjoyed Maeve's so much, though, that I was disappointed that the novel ends with a series of newspaper articles that tie up loose ends. The "mixed media" approach--combining traditional narrative with ersatz "documents" of one kind or another--seems to be a common trope in British mysteries these days (Minette Walters is the best example of this). But since _The Burning_ doesn't follow that pattern in its earlier stages, it seems a little contrived at the end...and distances the reader from a character that we've gotten to know and like and trust. I kept hoping there would be a final word from Maeve, but there wasn't.But that's truly my only disappointment in this novel, which I'm happy to learn is just the first in Casey's series about Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan. If you like American series about female detectives in the vein of Kinsey Millhone or Skip Langdon, you will really enjoy this: it's suspenseful, well-plotted, and beautifully written. I can't wait to read more!
    • 4/5
      A good police procedural. The author writes from the first person point of view of the police detective, an Irish woman on an English police force, and alternately from the point of view of a suspect and the detective's partner. The structure is interesting, and the characters are well developed. My one disappoint was an ending that did not really live up to the rest of the book. I want to read more of the series, though. It was overall a good read.
    • 4/5
      Maeve is a young detective, working on The Burning Man serial killer case. Then another body is found with differences...do they have a copycat? As a female and Irish on an English force, Maeve is always trying to prove herself and loves being a detective. The story is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of Maeve, one of the suspects, and Maeve's partner. The suspect's chapters were my least favorite part of the book. However, the story kept me reading far too late in the night to see what was going to happen!
    • 3/5
      I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I found it very hard to get into at first. The dysfunctional nature of the police interactions really bothered me. The female police officer (Maeve) didn't seem to be able to approach these issues with any positive outlook and instead seemed to behave in ways that increased the tension with fellow officers. Her difficulty with one officer in particular ((DI Judd) was not sufficiently fleshed out. Since women know that they have to be proactive, especially in male-dominated jobs, I found this character to be very unsatisfying. This was probably what the author intended but I found it hard to put up with.As the book progressed, however, the plot seemed to even out and there was less anxiety apparent in the writing. The initial serial killer activity wound down very quickly and the book changed its personality into a more of a suspense novel than a thriller. The ending was satisfying but in a way that I thought was somewhat dull and not consistent with the previous style.
    • 4/5
      At first I found the pace of the book a bit slow, but then it picked up and the book was hard to put down. The police are trying to solve two different crimes. They are trying to stop The Burning Man and find out who killed Rebecca. Rebecca's murder was the most intriguing, it was set to look like she was the victim of The Burning Man, but Detective Maeve Kerrigan has her doubts. I enjoyed getting the perspective of different narrators, escpecially Louise, Rebecca's best friend. Who can't resist using mugs decorated with the alphabet to spell out swear words. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to find out what's happening to Maeve.
    • 4/5
      I have read all the Maeve Kerrigan novels in order but had never read the first one. I do prefer to read them in order, so this for me was a bit back to front.What I did find that in reading the first book last was that I felt I was reading a stand alone novel. The story was good and was a gripping thriller. I did feel thought that I am glad in this instance that I hadn't read this one first as I may not have picked up the rest of the books. My reason being is that I don't think this book quite had the spark as the other books and spark is Josh Derwent. Josh Derwent for me is the reason I read the books because I like him as a character and want to see where the relationship with Maeve is going. The fact that in the first book he hasn't appeared yet for made the first book not quite as enjoyable as the books that follow. So I am glad that I have read the rest and not just had the first book to go on as I would have missed out on such a lot.Overall the first book is an engaging thriller but it's the books that follow for me what matters.
    • 4/5
      The Burning is a very good debut of the Maeve Kerrigan series. Maeve has the stress of being a female detective in a mostly male police force. Bob Langton develops a personal interest in Maeve as her relationship with Ian is falling apart. Four women have been brutally murdered and set on fire by the Burning Man. 5th victim is Rebecca Haworth and Maeve is determined to bring her murderer to justice even though she doesn't have much evidence. Book is cleverly written with interesting characters told by 2 point of views. Ending was a complete surprise. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series and I highly recommend this book to those who love psychological thrillers.
    • 4/5
      This book is marketed as " a stunning US debut in the tradition of Sophie Hannah and Tana French." I haven't read any Sophie Hannah yet, but I can see why the comparison to Tana French was made. This thriller is the story of Maeve Kerrigan, a young police officer determined to prove herself and stand out among her colleagues. While working the case of the Burning Man, a murderer who severely beats his female victims before setting their bodies on fire, she notices something about the fifth victim, Rebecca Haworth, which doesn't match the other four.Her instincts are of course, discounted by her colleagues and superiors, but she remains true to her convictions and follows the leads, no matter how long it takes her.Enter Rebecca's all too helpful best friend, Louise who is found cleaning Rebecca's apartment before any evidence can be obtained. Was she trying to help a friend, or does she have something to hide?The book is divided into alternating chapters featuring: Maeve as she investigates the case and ponders the end of her relationship with her boyfriend., and Louise who tells a fascinating story.The ending is wrapped up in such a way that there aren't too many lingering items. I am looking forward to reading the sequel.
    • 3/5
      Good read, keeps your interest. Each chapter in point of view of different person but easy to follow.
    • 5/5
      What an absolutely wonderful find. A new (to me) author who has 3 books in the series out already. This is book 1 and I loved it. Great characters and a really fascinating plot that is written in a manner that makes it oh so readable. Plus, I read the audio version and it was done splendidly.
    • 4/5
      The Metropolitan Police Department is chasing a serial killer called the Burning Man. in the Kennington section of London. They have four dead bodies, laid out neatly and then burned, and an increasingly frightened public and the media demanding answers.

      It's all bad, but then it gets worse if possible. A young woman accepts a ride from stranger on her way home from a pub, and then becomes alarmed, convinced he's the killer, and when he stops the car nowhere near her home, she panics and pulls out a knife. Briefly, the police think they have the Burning Man and a living intended victim as a witness. Maeve Kerrigan, a young Detective Constable, interviews the victim and discovers that while the man she knifed is probably a creep, he's certainly not the Burning Man. Almost simultaneously, another body is found, dead, burned, apparently a real victim of the Burning Man.

      But some things just don't quite fit, and Superintendent Godley assigns Maeve to investigate the death of Rebecca Haworth as a separate death, to figure out if it's a Burning Man killing or a copycat.

      The story is told primarily in Maeve's voice, with some chapters from the viewpoint and voice of Louise North, Rebecca's best friend. She's Maeve's contemporary but a very different woman, and she provides insight into Rebecca--or at least one side of her.

      Maeve is a likable and interesting character, and as she investigates we learn about her strengths, her insecurities, and we begin to learn about the complexities of Rebecca.

      It's a well-told and and well-paced tale, and I'm seriously looking forward to reading more in the series. One aspect that may surprise younger American readers is the niggling, persistent, low-level harassment not just as a woman, but as "Irish." She was born and raised in England, but her parents are from Ireland, and a certain level of prejudice is just taken for granted in a way Americans wouldn't expect for that particular ethnic group.

      Recommended.

      I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
    • 3/5
      Um. No spoilers, I don't do that... but I'm ~not~ sure I'm keen on the way this ended. Liked much about it, the back & forth between Maeve's & Loise's POV.... but the end....
      Hm.
      Will try her 2nd (The Reckoning?)hold further opinions until then.
    • 5/5
      I am happy I have set a goal to read all the books in the series, this year I was given the latest book "Let the Dead Speak" for review and I'm glad about it because I have read the Scandinavian crime along with other detectives from across the world but I had no knowledge about Jane Casey, well, unfortunately.I enjoyed this book, it was more with explicit details and when the main character, Maeve was in scary situation my heart was with her and I, too was full of suspense. I found it interesting to see the character presented in the first book, her personal life struggles trying or let's say given up a try to balance the work+relationship leaves the marks for one way or another, having read the Let the Dead Speak, I am intrigued what's happening in the series of books in between.So, The Burning is about finding the serial murder of various young woman badly murdered by burning them and cutting before hand. Seems the person has really hated woman as such. The story starts with so well with a very scary episode of the next victim...it sets the atmosphere and plays on woman readers. However, the team is sure the serial killer is about to get more thirsty and attack out of his pattern, by causing crime more often. The book is drawing more attention to the last victim Rebecca and those who knew her, Maeve tries to draw an image of whom the Rebecca was when she was alive, they receive quite a mixed point of views, which makes it way more difficult to understand how to solve the case. The Burning is a crime, psychological detective. I give 5 stars because it was interesting, I was hooked for 7 hours and I was reading till 04:00am, it was scary but not overly, repeatedly gross or creepy. It was interesting and I had no clue who could be the guilty one!I didn't like this large print cover, although it does fit the story perfectly, actually, better than something really gross, the matches burning is fine.
    • 4/5
      Maeve is a DC on the team investigating a series of murders in which women are killed and then burned. Rebecca Haworth appears to be the latest victim, although there are differences in her case and Maeve is tasked with investigating her death from the perspective of a second killer trying to pin the murder on the "Burning Man". Rebecca's best friend, Louise, narrates short alternating chapters in the first person.I enjoyed this novel very much. Maeve was good at her job; there was a certain amount of narration of her personal life, but only enough to make us root for her more and not enough to slow down the narrative. It was interesting and well-paced; the plot made sense and there were just enough characters to keep on top of. Up until the 75% mark I was ready to give this book five stars, but the ending was a disappointment - not the resolution of the mystery, but rather the way in which it was dragged out. SPOILERSPerhaps it was unrealistic to expect Louise to roll over and confess, but the pages ploughing through various preliminary and bail hearings was uninteresting and stopped the momentum of the plot dead. The letter she wrote Gil, explaining what she had done and why was also rather long. One other quibble I had was about the portrayal of Gil and his (wholly unrealistic) sudden love for Louise.Nevertheless, I am excited to have discovered this series and plan to read the rest.
    • 4/5
      The premise of The Burning is intriguing. It's about serial murders and DC Maeve Kerrigan. Though the story itself is told via multiple points of view. Maeve is young, in a troubled relationship, and eager to prove herself in a male-dominated field. The case she's involved in centers on the murders by a serial killer come to be known as the Burning Man, a person who brutalizes and burns women. When the fifth victim is found, Maeve throws up some interesting questions and gets deeply involved with the case, leading to some startling revelations.

      The story moves forward at just the right pace, and there's no "padding" here - the book flows well, without getting caught up in needless description and details. Maeve is an interesting character and one of the strengths of the story is the author's ability to delve more deeply into her characters. The format where the story is told by different individual's points of view also facilitates this.
    • 4/5
      Great start to a new series. DC Maeve Kerrigan is an appealing character, trying to make her way in a profession that's still very much a man's world. I've already requested Book 2 from the library.
    • 3/5
      The Burning by Jane Casey is a 2011 Minotaur publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is the first in the Maeve Kerrigan series. There is a serial killer on the loose, one they have dubbed “The Burning Man”. When a young woman is found murdered, it looks as though the killer has struck again. But, is this the work of the “Burning Man” or a copycat?I think the main problem this book has, at least for me, is the very odd alternate points of view. One part of the book is a first person account told by the victim's friend, Louise. The other part of the book is the first person account of the investigation into the murder featuring Maeve Kerrigan, with her partner Rob getting a meatier role further on into the book. The plot is solid, but there were several times in the book when the author spent too much time in one place and the momentum slowed to a crawl and the story became dull and lifeless. If you are paying even moderate attention, it will become clear who the killer is, so it's not much of a mystery, but still falls into the police procedural category. I thought the characterization was splendid though, and painted a realistic look at what a female investigator has to cope with in a male dominated field. I have a couple of Jane Casey's follow ups in this series and I do plan to see if the pacing picks up and the writing improves. If it does, this series could have a lot of potential. Overall this one is 3 stars
    • 5/5
      DC Maeve Kerrigan is on a task force looking for a serial killer in London nicknamed "The Burning Man". Maeve is assigned to focus on the last victim who may or may not fit the profile of the killer. As Maeve delves into Rebecca's background, all is not what it seems. The book is told from varying viewpoints, mostly Maeve and Louise who is Rebecca's best friend from Oxford days to the present. It is a great psychological thriller, well-written, and enjoyable to read. I really liked this crime drama and would recommend it. I plan to read the rest of the series. I read this book as an ARC for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      When a fifth victim of the Burning Man is found something about it makes DC Maeve Kerrigan uneasy, she's not sure about it, it has many of the hallmarks of the Burning Man but it somehow just does't fit, this leads her down a path that asks many questions of her friends and family, questions that end up down a different path. Can she prove her suspicions? Is she barking up a wrong tree? Will they find the murderer or murderers?I like Maeve, she's an interesting character with depth and she's good at what she does. She deals with problems as best she can and everything isn't just easy for her. She works at her investigations and doesn't hesitate to question herself.It was a good read that kept me asking questions throughout. Maeve is nicely complex and her private life is also affected by her job, the hours, the fact that she works with men and many other stresses. She's a person I like and who can be brutally honest with herself about there being problems.This felt like a later book in a series, I assumed I had read this series before but this is the first book in the series. This wasn't a bad thing, I felt at home in the series quite quickly.
    • 4/5
      A serial killer has been brutalizing then burning women in London. Maeve Kerrigan, a young female detective constable on the male-dominated force, is convinced that there is something off about the fifth murder. There is something about it that doesn’t jive with the previous four murders and she is determined to pursue her theory even when her boss disagrees with her.The Burning by author Jane Casey and is the debut novel in the new Maeve Kerrigan series. The novel alternates between the voices of Maeve and of Louise, the best friend of the fifth victim, a strategy that could so easily fail if the voices aren’t distinct but that, fortunately, works quite well here. Casey has a deft hand at ratcheting up the tension and suspense. There were a few cases where word repetition tended to slow the story down but, overall, the writing is taut and the story moves along at a good clip. Maeve is an interesting character and The Burning is a fine start to a promising series.
    • 4/5
      ***NetGalley Giveaway***I was completely and utterly engrossed in this crime fiction story. It had all the components to make for a great read. Suspense, gruesome crimes,manipulative smart characters and a little touch of romance.The crime genre better be on the look out for Jane Casey, simply put she knows her stuff.
    • 4/5
      London enters the Christmas season under a pall of fear created by a serial killer dubbed “The Burning Man” by the press. When Rebecca Haworth’s body is discovered, she’s believed, at first, to be the fifth victim. Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan finds differences in the MO disturbing, believing it’s either a copycat or someone hoping Rebecca’s murder is attributed to The Burning Man. Superintendent Godley puts Maeve, the only woman on his team, in charge of investigating Rebecca’s murder and discovering whether she’s the fifth victim or not. THE BURNING is the promising debut in the D.C. Maeve Kerrigan British police procedural series. Maeve, the only woman on Supt. Godley’s squad, is an intelligent, ambitious, attractive workaholic. At this point in her career she’s also idealistic about justice.THE BURNING is told from the alternating viewpoints of Maeve and Louise North, Rebecca’s best friend, giving readers an intimate, revealing, fascinating, often disquieting look into the three women who are the central focus. Ms. Casey displays a deft hand when it comes to tension and chilling narrative, while highly descriptive depictions bring London and Oxford vividly to your mind’s eye. Unfortunately, considering the atmosphere and overall gloom of the weather I can’t say either came across as appealing.THE BURNING is a solid, well-written, intelligent police procedural with good flow and pacing ensuring steady smooth reading. The denouement style fit the guilty party perfectly and the end articles tied up the dangling bits neatly. Well seasoned mystery readers will easily figure out the “who” but for me THE BURNING was all about the journey, not the final destination. I’m looking forward to reading the next four books the Maeve Kerrigan series. There is quite a bit of British slang and terminology but for habitual readers of British fiction it shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t think fans of British procedurals who add Maeve Kerrigan to their reading lists will be disappointed.Reviewed by IvyD for Manic Readers & Miss Ivy's Book Nook
    • 4/5
      There is a certain joy in the realization that the book you are reading is the first in a series. I had never heard of Jane Casey or her Maeve Kerrigan series but I am so glad to have stumbled into it. Maeve Kerrigan is a detective in the London Metropolitan police department. She constantly strives to be taken seriously as one of the few women in the department. In this book, a serial killer has already killed four women and a fifth has been found. While the signs all point to the serial killer, Maeve is not convinced, and the case has her meeting with an array of suspects that leaves the reader guessing well throughout the book. I really liked the way this book is written and the characters are all interesting and complex. There is a romance but while it is sweet, it is definitely not central to the story. I did have a problem with Maeve at times. She is a very stern and almost cold character with almost no back story on how she got that way. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and have already placed a request for the next two in the series. I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Maeve Kerrigan is a young and insightful Detective Constable in the Murder Unit in the London Police Department. The entire Unit is consumed with the baffling case of a serial killer, branded The Burning Man, by the print media. The killer continues to elude the police, not to mention any potential witnesses, as he kills and burns young women, attacking them with a stun gun and claw hammer, and then burning their bodies to be discovered after he is long gone.As the novel begins, four victims have died. The police are excited that they may have stumbled on a seriously wounded alleged killer, but quickly realize the killer is still at work when they get word of another recently burned corpse.Maeve is on the case, and soon begins to suspect that this victim, Rebecca Haworth, may be the key that leads them to the killer.The chapters are narrated alternately by Maeve and by Rebecca's best friend, a successful London lawyer named Louise North. This is a hybrid of psychological thriller and police procedural as practiced in the UK, even more than it is an easy fit in the serial killer genre, but it all works together to create an absorbing story that reveals layer after layer in the lives of the leading characters. Maeve is likeable, smart and brave, though certainly not over confident as she follows every potential lead to find out who killed Rebecca, and why.Well written and fast paced, this is a very enjoyable read. Previously published in the UK, I read an E-book courtesy of Net Galley. I look forward to searching out more from Jane Casey.
    • 3/5
      When I saw this in the Nook store on sale, I decided to take a chance on it. I don’t read a lot of crime fiction with female protagonists anymore and I kind of miss it. This one was a police procedural and not only featured a female lead investigator, but also had other women as leads. The serial killer aspect isn’t the focus, but the latest victim and soon it becomes clear that she’s the victim of a copycat and Maeve has to dig into her past. Choosing the name Rebecca had to have been deliberate on the part of the author since there’s a big element of creepiness around her. Mostly it stems from Louise. Her initial narratives (the book switches off between Maeve and Louise, with a few others chiming in occasionally) are stalker-ish and unsettling. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who killed Rebecca. The serial killer isn’t a known quantity though and he comes out of nowhere and is wrapped up easily. The action scene depicting his capture was pretty good.Maeve is an odd duck. She’s determined, but doesn’t sound off much. She tries to stay out of the line of fire in terms of office politics. Staying on her superiors’ good side is key and weirdly, they frown on too much individual initiative. Maybe it’s a rank thing and she’s not high enough. Maybe it’s a British thing and they just don’t like cops thinking on their own. It was weird though since I’m an American and used to American cops in fiction just kicking ass and taking names. Asking for forgiveness instead of permission. There doesn’t appear to be a moratorium on fishing from the company pier though. That was a moment of bad judgement on both their parts. Also the pathologist’s inability to determine the timing of Adam’s injuries was odd. Maybe pathologists in England don’t provide that level of detail. For the most part, the novel worked. Writing-wise it was decent with a few awkward moments when words were repeated too close together, when some dialog got clumsy and Maeve gave this big speech to her mom about being a cop when I can’t believe she hadn’t done it before. It was neither the time nor the place and in terms of setting the mood of the relationship, it was a clanger. Could have been done with internal monologue, not absurd speechifying in the hospital. The same goes for Louise’s gigantic confession letter. It seemed really stagey and fictional to me. That kind of thing ONLY happens in novels and didn’t add to the minimal level of realism in the book. I say minimal because Louise is off the charts deranged. The level of manipulation she achieves is staggering. I still can’t figure out if Gil’s non-existent memory of his own violence is his individual pathology or Louise drugging him. The whole thing was very dramatic and creepy though and so sort of fun. Like watching the cast of Dynasty do Law and Order.
    • 2/5
      2,5. Not a badly written detective story at all, but the main character could have been much more interesting. Entertaining enough if you're looking for an in-between read though :)
    • 3/5
      While "The Burning" is well-written and entertaining, I had two problems with it. First, I figured out who did it much too early. Second, the way the resolution came about was disappointing. It was similar to James Bond movies where the villain has captured Bond and feels compelled to tell him all about his evil plots before he kills him. It would be a great airplane book.