The fourth installment in the crime series featuring Detective Inspector Helen Grace forces her to confront evil in the form of a wild, destructive fire.
After the disappointment of the third book, we are treated to an intriguing and suspenseful story centered around arson, perfectly embodying the famous proverb: “Fire is a good servant but a bad master.” Nothing could be truer for this plot. Helen must face a new enemy, deal with death, and endure immense public pressure fueled by growing hatred.
The plot hits the ground running with three massive fires that claim several victims right at the start. It is gripping and well-crafted, and I genuinely hoped this strong pacing would continue throughout the entire book. Right from the beginning, the author introduces a psychological fact about criminal behavior—arsonists often return to the scene of the crime, not only to admire their handiwork but also to satisfy their twisted urges. They frequently take souvenirs from the scene as well.
The Simms family’s idea of hiding in the shower and breathing through a drainage pipe was quite resourceful given the emergency. When the air is thick with smoke, a person will grasp at any straw. Sadly, this clever solution was not enough to save two lives. While some might argue that the father had it the hardest after losing his wife and daughter, I believe Luke, the son, has an incredibly heavy burden to bear. He was home during the fire and jumped out of a window to save himself without looking for his mother or sister. His survival instinct simply took over, which you can’t blame him for. On the other hand, the survivor’s guilt he must live with—knowing he abandoned his family and left them to their fate—will be devastating. He will spend the rest of his life asking himself “what if?” That is far too heavy a burden for such a young soul. Not to mention, the injuries from his fall likely shattered his dream of playing professional football.
The journalist, Emilia Garanit, was a massive disappointment for me. Her methods were incredibly dirty and, in my opinion, highly unethical. While I understand a journalist’s duty to inform the public about critical events, this character highlights the corrupt, dark side of sensationalist media. Emilia completely forgot that she is supposed to serve society, not just her personal ambitions. In essence, she obstructed the investigation, hindered police work, and ruined the personal and professional lives of multiple people. Her actions could have easily led to the suspect escaping and more people dying. She truly irritated me because this is not what journalism should be about.
The author also tackles another heavy theme: child abuse and parental neglect. Numerous studies confirm that many criminals, psychopaths, and serial killers come from environments where violence or abuse was present. Although Ethan and Naomi came from different backgrounds, both suffered in places where they should have been protected and loved. I am not justifying their actions, but this glimpse into their past adds a necessary layer of psychological depth and understanding to their story.
However, the new superintendent, Gardam, was a letdown. The author decided to once again fill the superior role with someone obsessed with Helen, albeit a different kind of obsession than her previous boss. I have to wonder what everyone sees in our main character. I can understand professional respect and admiration, but having this many characters obsessed with Helen feels statistically improbable at this point. We will see where the author takes us in the upcoming books, but I suspect this relationship will escalate into a much bigger problem.
Overall, the book was well-constructed and an absolute page-turner. After my previous disappointment, this installment was a pleasant surprise and gave me the push I needed to buy the next books in the series. The author proved he has solid knowledge of police procedures and isn’t afraid to tackle heavy psychological themes like the long-term impact of childhood trauma.