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Radiant Heat
When a catastrophic wildfire suddenly rips through a woman’s hometown, she thinks she is lucky to have survived...until she finds a dead woman in her driveway, clutching a piece of paper with her name on it....
Alison is alive. She rode out the fire on the damp tiles of her bathroom, her entire body swaddled in a wet woolen blanket. The flames crackled around her, the bitter char of eucalyptus settling in the back of her throat. The wildfire devastated the Victoria countryside she calls home, and when Alison creeps out of her hiding place, she spots a soot-covered cherry red car in her driveway, and in it, a woman. She finds the woman’s bag. An Simone Arnold. A piece of Alison’s full name and address. But why?
As Alison searches for answers across Australia’s harsh landscape, she soon learns that the fire isn’t the only threat she’s facing....
Alison is alive. She rode out the fire on the damp tiles of her bathroom, her entire body swaddled in a wet woolen blanket. The flames crackled around her, the bitter char of eucalyptus settling in the back of her throat. The wildfire devastated the Victoria countryside she calls home, and when Alison creeps out of her hiding place, she spots a soot-covered cherry red car in her driveway, and in it, a woman. She finds the woman’s bag. An Simone Arnold. A piece of Alison’s full name and address. But why?
As Alison searches for answers across Australia’s harsh landscape, she soon learns that the fire isn’t the only threat she’s facing....
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 23, 2023
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17062 people want to read
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January 18, 2024
Radiant Heat
by Sarah-Jane Collins is an atmospheric mystery set in Lake Bend, Victoria, Australia. A horrific wildfire rips through Alison King’s hometown. After riding out the fire in her bathroom covered in a wet woolen blanket, she’s thankful to be alive. The fire had come close but changed directions. As she heads down her driveway, she spots a red car with a dead woman in it and finds a piece of paper with Alison’s name and address on it. Why was Simone Arnold trying to find Alison? Did she die because of the fire or was it something else that caused her death? Alison searches for answers.
Alison is a promising artist who moved back to her family home after her parents’ deaths. She lives alone, is sarcastic, and is easily distracted. She’s also an annoying main character who doesn’t listen to others and accept help when she should. She makes many bad decisions and isn’t extremely likeable, sometimes using others without contrition. Several secondary characters were complex and well-defined and the incredible setting is almost like a character itself.
This novel is very descriptive without slowing down the pace. There are some suspenseful scenes, although some of them are flashbacks. As she investigates the mystery woman, we learn more of Alison’s past. Unfortunately, these flashbacks adversely affected the pacing for me despite their importance to the story line. There was little to no warning of the time changes and this became disconcerting at times. The plot is multi-layered and has a few surprises for the readers. The search for answers moves the story forward through some unexpected twists.
The story grabbed my attention immediately and readers learn over time of the extent of the death and havoc the fire left behind. Friends, families, homes, and businesses are lost. The intrigue and mystery surrounding Simone’s death kept me turning the pages and the tension built gradually. Unfortunately, the ending was too ambiguous for me. I have several questions that remain unanswered and I wanted some closure. Despite this, the story is evocative and tragic with some thought-provoking scenes that kept me engaged. Themes include fire devastation and its impact on those who survive, secrets, death, relationships, control of others, feeling safe, and much more.
Overall, this engrossing, dark, intense, and unsettling thriller has good characterization, even with a main character that wasn’t extremely likeable, and great world-building while pulling on the heart strings. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Berkley Publishing Group and Sarah-Jane Collins provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 23, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3.28 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Alison is a promising artist who moved back to her family home after her parents’ deaths. She lives alone, is sarcastic, and is easily distracted. She’s also an annoying main character who doesn’t listen to others and accept help when she should. She makes many bad decisions and isn’t extremely likeable, sometimes using others without contrition. Several secondary characters were complex and well-defined and the incredible setting is almost like a character itself.
This novel is very descriptive without slowing down the pace. There are some suspenseful scenes, although some of them are flashbacks. As she investigates the mystery woman, we learn more of Alison’s past. Unfortunately, these flashbacks adversely affected the pacing for me despite their importance to the story line. There was little to no warning of the time changes and this became disconcerting at times. The plot is multi-layered and has a few surprises for the readers. The search for answers moves the story forward through some unexpected twists.
The story grabbed my attention immediately and readers learn over time of the extent of the death and havoc the fire left behind. Friends, families, homes, and businesses are lost. The intrigue and mystery surrounding Simone’s death kept me turning the pages and the tension built gradually. Unfortunately, the ending was too ambiguous for me. I have several questions that remain unanswered and I wanted some closure. Despite this, the story is evocative and tragic with some thought-provoking scenes that kept me engaged. Themes include fire devastation and its impact on those who survive, secrets, death, relationships, control of others, feeling safe, and much more.
Overall, this engrossing, dark, intense, and unsettling thriller has good characterization, even with a main character that wasn’t extremely likeable, and great world-building while pulling on the heart strings. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Berkley Publishing Group and Sarah-Jane Collins provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 23, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3.28 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
February 7, 2024
**Many thanks to Berkley and Sara-Jane Collins for an ARC provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 1.23!!**
"Time is the fire in which we burn." - Gene Roddenberry
Alison still can hardly believe she made it out alive. When a wildfire tore across her town, she relied on her street smarts, keeping herself safe and wrapped in a wet blanket in her bathroom. When she finally emerges into a world seemingly torn apart by ash, she finds the evidence of even more destruction at her doorstep. A red car is stranded beneath a tree in her yard...but it isn't empty. Inside is the body of a woman...a woman who is now dead. Alison is horrified...but who is this woman, and WHY did she end up practically sitting on her doorstep?
After a quick search through the woman's bag, she finds an ID that finally gives her a name for the mysterious stranger: Simone Arnold. This name means nothing to her...but another name on a slip of paper also inside the bag does...Alison King. Now that it's clear this woman was on a mission to reach her, what sort of message did Simone have to deliver? Troubled by her already complicated past with a man she's been trying desperately to forget ---and to keep away at all costs---will Alison and her detective friend be able to crack the case with this now-permanently silent player? Or will the fires return to finish what they started...and take Alison as their next victim?
This novel takes place in Australia, and even in the first few pages, Collins does an excellent job of setting the scene and building a smoky, orange post-apocalyptic setting for our MC Alison. In general, this storytelling reminded me a lot of many of the Scananavian noir-type novels I've read in the past, where a heavy dose of atmosphere is almost a character in and of itself. While the action and mystery could be entertaining without it, you truly need to allow yourself to become immersed in the world of the book in order to have a complete reading experience. In order for the fires to feel like a character, the memory has to linger not only with Alison, but with YOU as the reader, and at times I certainly felt like I could smell the acrid smoke lingering in the air.
While the fire may be the most abstract character, there are a FEW worthwhile players in this one to keep you hooked. Alison, unfortunately, is a MC who is guaranteed to frustrate many readers: she's not the best at taking advice, has a substance abuse problem of sorts, and more baggage than a steam train. All that being said, however, she is a COMPLEX character, one whose past traumas slowly unfold throughout the book (some in flashback, some in the present time) and while you won't always agree with her, the choices in front of her will become less cut and dried and the line between right and wrong will become irrevocably blurred.
And at the center of this is MY favorite aspect of this story, the will-they-won't-they tortured not-quite-romantic-but-NOT-at-all-platonic-relatonship between Alison and one of her close male friends...who also happens to be a cop. Normally, a relationship like this would be set up as a device to move the story along or to get Alison insider intel...but in this case, it was more of a character study of these two souls, each lost in their own way, and the tension (as well as the sexual tension!) added layer upon layer to this already complex narrative. Along with conversations about grief and ruminations about the past, Collins gave these characters SO much material to delve into and discuss that there was never a dull moment when these two were in the room...and never an 'easy' moment between them either.
The mystery itself is also compelling and ties back well (once you have the full story) to Alison's past...and while I suppose in some sense it is predictable, because there is enough other drama permeating the narrative, you won't get too bogged down by this fact. There are points where I felt like things slowed down a bit or were needlessly complicated, but in the end it was the complex character relationships and overall feel that took this up a notch for me, and kept me waiting with bated breath to see just how the journey would end for Allison...because with so much internal conflict, trust me when I say there are TWO ways this story can go right up until the end.
...And as Alison learns, much like flame itself...in so many ways it's up to nature (and fate) to TRULY decide who (and what) is left standing when the smoke FINALLY clears. 🔥
4 stars, rounded up from 3.5
"Time is the fire in which we burn." - Gene Roddenberry
Alison still can hardly believe she made it out alive. When a wildfire tore across her town, she relied on her street smarts, keeping herself safe and wrapped in a wet blanket in her bathroom. When she finally emerges into a world seemingly torn apart by ash, she finds the evidence of even more destruction at her doorstep. A red car is stranded beneath a tree in her yard...but it isn't empty. Inside is the body of a woman...a woman who is now dead. Alison is horrified...but who is this woman, and WHY did she end up practically sitting on her doorstep?
After a quick search through the woman's bag, she finds an ID that finally gives her a name for the mysterious stranger: Simone Arnold. This name means nothing to her...but another name on a slip of paper also inside the bag does...Alison King. Now that it's clear this woman was on a mission to reach her, what sort of message did Simone have to deliver? Troubled by her already complicated past with a man she's been trying desperately to forget ---and to keep away at all costs---will Alison and her detective friend be able to crack the case with this now-permanently silent player? Or will the fires return to finish what they started...and take Alison as their next victim?
This novel takes place in Australia, and even in the first few pages, Collins does an excellent job of setting the scene and building a smoky, orange post-apocalyptic setting for our MC Alison. In general, this storytelling reminded me a lot of many of the Scananavian noir-type novels I've read in the past, where a heavy dose of atmosphere is almost a character in and of itself. While the action and mystery could be entertaining without it, you truly need to allow yourself to become immersed in the world of the book in order to have a complete reading experience. In order for the fires to feel like a character, the memory has to linger not only with Alison, but with YOU as the reader, and at times I certainly felt like I could smell the acrid smoke lingering in the air.
While the fire may be the most abstract character, there are a FEW worthwhile players in this one to keep you hooked. Alison, unfortunately, is a MC who is guaranteed to frustrate many readers: she's not the best at taking advice, has a substance abuse problem of sorts, and more baggage than a steam train. All that being said, however, she is a COMPLEX character, one whose past traumas slowly unfold throughout the book (some in flashback, some in the present time) and while you won't always agree with her, the choices in front of her will become less cut and dried and the line between right and wrong will become irrevocably blurred.
And at the center of this is MY favorite aspect of this story, the will-they-won't-they tortured not-quite-romantic-but-NOT-at-all-platonic-relatonship between Alison and one of her close male friends...who also happens to be a cop. Normally, a relationship like this would be set up as a device to move the story along or to get Alison insider intel...but in this case, it was more of a character study of these two souls, each lost in their own way, and the tension (as well as the sexual tension!) added layer upon layer to this already complex narrative. Along with conversations about grief and ruminations about the past, Collins gave these characters SO much material to delve into and discuss that there was never a dull moment when these two were in the room...and never an 'easy' moment between them either.
The mystery itself is also compelling and ties back well (once you have the full story) to Alison's past...and while I suppose in some sense it is predictable, because there is enough other drama permeating the narrative, you won't get too bogged down by this fact. There are points where I felt like things slowed down a bit or were needlessly complicated, but in the end it was the complex character relationships and overall feel that took this up a notch for me, and kept me waiting with bated breath to see just how the journey would end for Allison...because with so much internal conflict, trust me when I say there are TWO ways this story can go right up until the end.
...And as Alison learns, much like flame itself...in so many ways it's up to nature (and fate) to TRULY decide who (and what) is left standing when the smoke FINALLY clears. 🔥
4 stars, rounded up from 3.5
January 19, 2024
This book was uncomfortable to read at times, but it is also the kind of book that makes you keep thinking about it. The main character was difficult to watch but hard to turn away from like a train wreck. I didn’t like Alison much at all, but her story was interesting. I didn’t find it to be as much of a thriller as I thought it would be based on the blurb, but it was still very interesting. Alison survives a massive brush fire and while she is trying to get to town she finds a woman she has never met parked in driveway dead. This sets off a series of events that bring back parts of her past that she wanted to leave buried. Alison is a tough character determined to do everything for herself so she doesn’t owe anything to anyone she can’t accept help even when she desperately needs it. Overall I gave it 3.5 stars.
January 26, 2024
I’m pretty tired of books that use rape and domestic abuse as thriller fodder, and even more tired of publishers masking this kind of content in very misleading publishers summaries.
I’ve long complained about summaries that badly mislead about the content of a book, but usually that just results in the harmless if irritating result of reading something that isn’t actually to your taste.
But it’s a serious problem with books like this, where the summary bills the book as a thriller about a wildfire and a murder mystery, when what you’re actually getting is a very visceral account of prolonged and severe domestic abuse both physical and emotional, rape, and stalking.
Though I’m pretty repulsed by the idea of getting one’s kicks from the abuse and exploitation of women, I don’t think the specific subjects themselves are at all off limits for fiction if they’re well-handled by the author. For the record I think Collins’ portrayal was sensitive and thoughtful, but that all kind of goes out the window once it’s packaged as a Thriller. This is, again, largely the fault of how the publisher marketed the book, but I’m not sure I like the inclusion at all unless it’s largely backstory/off-page or is a part of a satisfying and sensitively executed revenge story.
And that’s perhaps the toughest part of this one. It’s truly a good story in some ways and the writing itself is above average for a thriller. But there’s absolutely no justice in the end, which just makes all the previously mentioned issues that much more frustrating.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I’ve long complained about summaries that badly mislead about the content of a book, but usually that just results in the harmless if irritating result of reading something that isn’t actually to your taste.
But it’s a serious problem with books like this, where the summary bills the book as a thriller about a wildfire and a murder mystery, when what you’re actually getting is a very visceral account of prolonged and severe domestic abuse both physical and emotional, rape, and stalking.
Though I’m pretty repulsed by the idea of getting one’s kicks from the abuse and exploitation of women, I don’t think the specific subjects themselves are at all off limits for fiction if they’re well-handled by the author. For the record I think Collins’ portrayal was sensitive and thoughtful, but that all kind of goes out the window once it’s packaged as a Thriller. This is, again, largely the fault of how the publisher marketed the book, but I’m not sure I like the inclusion at all unless it’s largely backstory/off-page or is a part of a satisfying and sensitively executed revenge story.
And that’s perhaps the toughest part of this one. It’s truly a good story in some ways and the writing itself is above average for a thriller. But there’s absolutely no justice in the end, which just makes all the previously mentioned issues that much more frustrating.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
February 6, 2024
First, thank you to the publishers at Berkley for the free copy in exchange for a review. Sorry that it’s about to be a really bad one.
I don’t even know where to start with this unbearably horrible piece of text. Between the insufferable main character, outdated writing style, misleading plot points, and the trauma porn… my goodness. How did this get greenlit?
So the synopsis sounded pretty interesting, which is why it jumped to the top of my ARC list. Alison survives an Australian wildfire (relevant, thanks climate change) and when she emerges from her safe haven, there’s a dead girl she’s never seen before in a car in her driveway with Alison’s name and address on a piece of paper. What’s their connection? Did she die from the fire or foul play? Why was getting to Alison in the middle of a bushfire so important that she would risk her life?
Yeah, that’s exactly where the suspense and that plotline stops. The connection between the two women is immediately revealed and Alison, clearly suffering a mix of PTSD and narcissism, uses people who care about her with no regard for their well-being and makes horrible decision after horrible decision. One of the people she uses is a police officer, her friend Billy, who has been in love with her since high school. She literally has the police ON HER SIDE and instead tries to hide everything from them, putting everyone who tries to help her in danger. Even when she is attacked (multiple times) she doesn’t tell the police the truth. Girl, what are we supposed to do with you? She has been set up as a character that in any normal situation, the audience would have immense sympathy for her and be rooting for her every step of the way. CONTENT WARNING INSERT: domestic abuse, rape … Anyone who survives that should get a free pass, but not when they’re Alison. I’ll leave that there.
In addition to how unbearable Alison is, the writing itself was atrocious. It had some random flashbacks thrown in without any break in the book. Normally if a book has some back-and-forth scenes, there will at least be an obvious line break so you know you’re moving back and forth. Not this one! One paragraph would be the present and then the next paragraph would be, however, many years back (it never even said) and then it would jump immediately to the present again. That seems like a basic function that editors would catch, but I’m not fully convinced they read it to make that note.
The conclusion was so infuriating. This book is almost 350 pages of nonsense, and it didn’t even end properly. There was no closure. No justice. No next steps. It just ended with a “well, I guess we should just stop here” kind of tone. It was so odd. It felt unfinished, like I was missing an epilogue chapter.
I have some specific things that I want to stay about the stupidity of this book, but they’re spoilers, so stop reading here if you for some reason choose to pick this one up. Continue reading here if you have no plans to read this book and want to know an exact list of grievances as to why this should not have been published.
**spoiler starts here
I’m going to do this like CinemaSins and add a sin for every time Alison was unbearable:
1. Not reporting that she knew Simone’s boyfriend was also her boyfriend – she felt like she was being followed the whole book and didn’t think that could be useful to the police who literally were trying to help? Normally I would argue police aren’t super helpful in domestic abuse situations, but Billy was literally always trying to have sex with her, I think he would’ve helped.
2. Any interaction she had with the Arnold family – can you imagine their POV? Your daughter died because she was trying to seek help from an abusive ex and the one person who could help is a useless pile of shit? She really said, sorry about your daughter SOL, Gil will just live on as long as he doesn’t bother me
3. When she put the effort of mailing the “tapes” (just call it footage, they’re on a USB for the love of all that is holy… they are not TAPES) to Christine and then was like “never mind, destroy it, I don’t need them!” when she will clearly need them and her room is immediately broken into and ransacked
4. Gil literally attacks her on Sal’s front lawn and she doesn’t bother mentioning who he is to Sal until she literally is watching the security footage over her shoulder and is like um maybe we should call the police and then Alison is like no don’t so they don’t and then Sal is almost murdered lol ok
5. Gil doesn’t die? He does? He started the fire? He doesn’t? Such a laissez-faire attitude for someone trying to kill you
6. She literally gets rid of the all the evidence at some point or another against Gil that would possibly hold up in court
7. And why does she panic and do that at the end? Because she thinks it’ll look bad to the police! Who have been on her side this whole time but she’s lied so many times that yeah, now she looks like the untrustworthy one!
8. Oh and the thing with Meg being the one having an affair with her dad? What the fuck? Were we supposed to learn that so we didn’t feel as bad for Alison? Like “oh all this is happening to her AND her best friend died in the fire? But wait, her best friend ruined her parents’ marriage, so I guess it’s not the biggest loss!” …what
9. The weird sex with Billy. She only went to him when she needed something and then he would touch her and she’d be like I mean I guess and then change her mind in the middle of sex and he would be like literally what is wrong with you. At least he stopped every time but my dude, have some self-respect.
I have to stop here but this was a steaming pile. Waste of time.
I don’t even know where to start with this unbearably horrible piece of text. Between the insufferable main character, outdated writing style, misleading plot points, and the trauma porn… my goodness. How did this get greenlit?
So the synopsis sounded pretty interesting, which is why it jumped to the top of my ARC list. Alison survives an Australian wildfire (relevant, thanks climate change) and when she emerges from her safe haven, there’s a dead girl she’s never seen before in a car in her driveway with Alison’s name and address on a piece of paper. What’s their connection? Did she die from the fire or foul play? Why was getting to Alison in the middle of a bushfire so important that she would risk her life?
Yeah, that’s exactly where the suspense and that plotline stops. The connection between the two women is immediately revealed and Alison, clearly suffering a mix of PTSD and narcissism, uses people who care about her with no regard for their well-being and makes horrible decision after horrible decision. One of the people she uses is a police officer, her friend Billy, who has been in love with her since high school. She literally has the police ON HER SIDE and instead tries to hide everything from them, putting everyone who tries to help her in danger. Even when she is attacked (multiple times) she doesn’t tell the police the truth. Girl, what are we supposed to do with you? She has been set up as a character that in any normal situation, the audience would have immense sympathy for her and be rooting for her every step of the way. CONTENT WARNING INSERT: domestic abuse, rape … Anyone who survives that should get a free pass, but not when they’re Alison. I’ll leave that there.
In addition to how unbearable Alison is, the writing itself was atrocious. It had some random flashbacks thrown in without any break in the book. Normally if a book has some back-and-forth scenes, there will at least be an obvious line break so you know you’re moving back and forth. Not this one! One paragraph would be the present and then the next paragraph would be, however, many years back (it never even said) and then it would jump immediately to the present again. That seems like a basic function that editors would catch, but I’m not fully convinced they read it to make that note.
The conclusion was so infuriating. This book is almost 350 pages of nonsense, and it didn’t even end properly. There was no closure. No justice. No next steps. It just ended with a “well, I guess we should just stop here” kind of tone. It was so odd. It felt unfinished, like I was missing an epilogue chapter.
I have some specific things that I want to stay about the stupidity of this book, but they’re spoilers, so stop reading here if you for some reason choose to pick this one up. Continue reading here if you have no plans to read this book and want to know an exact list of grievances as to why this should not have been published.
**spoiler starts here
I’m going to do this like CinemaSins and add a sin for every time Alison was unbearable:
1. Not reporting that she knew Simone’s boyfriend was also her boyfriend – she felt like she was being followed the whole book and didn’t think that could be useful to the police who literally were trying to help? Normally I would argue police aren’t super helpful in domestic abuse situations, but Billy was literally always trying to have sex with her, I think he would’ve helped.
2. Any interaction she had with the Arnold family – can you imagine their POV? Your daughter died because she was trying to seek help from an abusive ex and the one person who could help is a useless pile of shit? She really said, sorry about your daughter SOL, Gil will just live on as long as he doesn’t bother me
3. When she put the effort of mailing the “tapes” (just call it footage, they’re on a USB for the love of all that is holy… they are not TAPES) to Christine and then was like “never mind, destroy it, I don’t need them!” when she will clearly need them and her room is immediately broken into and ransacked
4. Gil literally attacks her on Sal’s front lawn and she doesn’t bother mentioning who he is to Sal until she literally is watching the security footage over her shoulder and is like um maybe we should call the police and then Alison is like no don’t so they don’t and then Sal is almost murdered lol ok
5. Gil doesn’t die? He does? He started the fire? He doesn’t? Such a laissez-faire attitude for someone trying to kill you
6. She literally gets rid of the all the evidence at some point or another against Gil that would possibly hold up in court
7. And why does she panic and do that at the end? Because she thinks it’ll look bad to the police! Who have been on her side this whole time but she’s lied so many times that yeah, now she looks like the untrustworthy one!
8. Oh and the thing with Meg being the one having an affair with her dad? What the fuck? Were we supposed to learn that so we didn’t feel as bad for Alison? Like “oh all this is happening to her AND her best friend died in the fire? But wait, her best friend ruined her parents’ marriage, so I guess it’s not the biggest loss!” …what
9. The weird sex with Billy. She only went to him when she needed something and then he would touch her and she’d be like I mean I guess and then change her mind in the middle of sex and he would be like literally what is wrong with you. At least he stopped every time but my dude, have some self-respect.
I have to stop here but this was a steaming pile. Waste of time.
September 9, 2024
Radiant Heat is the debut thriller by Sarah-Jane Collins and uses the well-known Australian summer trauma of an out of control bushfire as its stepping off point. The scorched countryside immediately creates a desolate atmosphere into which a terrifying chain of events slots into place. The result is a harrowing thriller that extends the entire breadth of the country from Victoria to Australia’s Far North Queensland.
Alison King has just survived a bushfire that has ravaged the land around her property in Lake Bend, Victoria. When she emerges from her home to inspect the damage the fire has wrought on her home she discovers a car at the end of her driveway. In the car is the body of a woman, dead from what appears to be the effects of the radiant heat thrown off by the intensity of the flames.
In the process of ascertaining whether the woman was alive or dead, Alison learns that the woman’s name is Simone Arnold. Not a name she’s familiar with. Checking Simone’s purse she discovers that she has come from Cairns and she has a note with Alison’s name and address on it. This new information is troubling for a couple of reasons, she’s never seen this woman before and she used to live in Cairns before she moved back home to Lake Bend.
Pretty early on we start to get a picture of Alison’s personality through her reactions to this current crisis, not to mention others soon to follow. She’s prone to confrontation, distrustful of others, particularly the police, and is inclined to jump to impetuous decisions. At first, this makes her an annoying character to follow, largely because the decisions she makes fly in the face of what might be considered rational.
But as the story unfolds, with Alison making a mad dash north, first to Sydney and then to Cairns, we’re taken through a series of flashback moments and we begin to understand the traumatic past she’s been through. What we get is a troubling story of domestic violence and this has clearly had an impact on her, particularly on her preparedness to trust others.
Much of the detail in the story was revealed through flashback scenes and, while effective in bringing Alison’s past to life, tended to whiplash me from the present to the past at a furious rate. My feeling was that it was overdone a little and, at times, interrupted the flow of the story.
Radiant Heat is a fast-paced thriller that deals with themes such as domestic violence, coercive control, emotional torment and physical violence. At times it’s dark and intense as Alison relives moments of her past that she had thought was behind her or had forgotten completely. I thought the way in which Sarah-Jane Collins slowly revealed the extent of the trauma Alison had lived with added greater depth to her character and helped make her actions more understandable.
Overall this was an absorbing story with a slightly different take on a familiar theme. It was intense from the very first page and, due largely to some questionable decisions made by Alison, that intensity continued right through to the end. Quite a solid debut thriller here.
Alison King has just survived a bushfire that has ravaged the land around her property in Lake Bend, Victoria. When she emerges from her home to inspect the damage the fire has wrought on her home she discovers a car at the end of her driveway. In the car is the body of a woman, dead from what appears to be the effects of the radiant heat thrown off by the intensity of the flames.
In the process of ascertaining whether the woman was alive or dead, Alison learns that the woman’s name is Simone Arnold. Not a name she’s familiar with. Checking Simone’s purse she discovers that she has come from Cairns and she has a note with Alison’s name and address on it. This new information is troubling for a couple of reasons, she’s never seen this woman before and she used to live in Cairns before she moved back home to Lake Bend.
Pretty early on we start to get a picture of Alison’s personality through her reactions to this current crisis, not to mention others soon to follow. She’s prone to confrontation, distrustful of others, particularly the police, and is inclined to jump to impetuous decisions. At first, this makes her an annoying character to follow, largely because the decisions she makes fly in the face of what might be considered rational.
But as the story unfolds, with Alison making a mad dash north, first to Sydney and then to Cairns, we’re taken through a series of flashback moments and we begin to understand the traumatic past she’s been through. What we get is a troubling story of domestic violence and this has clearly had an impact on her, particularly on her preparedness to trust others.
Much of the detail in the story was revealed through flashback scenes and, while effective in bringing Alison’s past to life, tended to whiplash me from the present to the past at a furious rate. My feeling was that it was overdone a little and, at times, interrupted the flow of the story.
Radiant Heat is a fast-paced thriller that deals with themes such as domestic violence, coercive control, emotional torment and physical violence. At times it’s dark and intense as Alison relives moments of her past that she had thought was behind her or had forgotten completely. I thought the way in which Sarah-Jane Collins slowly revealed the extent of the trauma Alison had lived with added greater depth to her character and helped make her actions more understandable.
Overall this was an absorbing story with a slightly different take on a familiar theme. It was intense from the very first page and, due largely to some questionable decisions made by Alison, that intensity continued right through to the end. Quite a solid debut thriller here.
January 28, 2024
Escaping a raging Australian bush fire wasn’t the only horrendous thing Allison had to endure in her life.
Something else from her past was waiting.
When she felt it was safe to leave her home, she found a dead woman sitting in her driveway with Allison‘s address written on a slip of paper.
Allison has no idea who this woman is, but it is the address of where Allison used to live.
We follow Allison as she tries to figure out what meaning this has, and she constantly feels someone is watching her.
Did she really know this woman? What is going on?
How are Allison and this woman connected?
We find out as Allison relives the past and lets us know what’s going on currently.
Her abusive boyfriend is trying to find her because he said she has something that he wants.
Allison knows nothing about what he could want, is frightened, runs, and tries to solve this on her own without giving all the information to the police.
RADIANT HEAT was somewhat confusing because of all the back-and-forth in time right in the same paragraph or chapter, but the writing was very good and the tension, the intrigue, and the underlying fact that something was going on that I needed to know kept me reading, even though it took until about 50% to pull you in.
It is worth the wait, but be aware there is domestic violence. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Something else from her past was waiting.
When she felt it was safe to leave her home, she found a dead woman sitting in her driveway with Allison‘s address written on a slip of paper.
Allison has no idea who this woman is, but it is the address of where Allison used to live.
We follow Allison as she tries to figure out what meaning this has, and she constantly feels someone is watching her.
Did she really know this woman? What is going on?
How are Allison and this woman connected?
We find out as Allison relives the past and lets us know what’s going on currently.
Her abusive boyfriend is trying to find her because he said she has something that he wants.
Allison knows nothing about what he could want, is frightened, runs, and tries to solve this on her own without giving all the information to the police.
RADIANT HEAT was somewhat confusing because of all the back-and-forth in time right in the same paragraph or chapter, but the writing was very good and the tension, the intrigue, and the underlying fact that something was going on that I needed to know kept me reading, even though it took until about 50% to pull you in.
It is worth the wait, but be aware there is domestic violence. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
January 14, 2024
Radiant Heat is defined as the heat that can be transferred from one body to another. When the novel opens, the reference implies literal heat- a wildlife destroying Alison’s Australian hometown. But as the story progress, it’s clear there’s something more sinister afoot. When Alison awakens from the fire unscathed, she notices a car in her driveway. Its passenger, a woman named Simone, not as lucky as Alison was- in more ways than one.
Upon closer investigation, Alison not only uncovers the woman who perished in her driveway’s identity, but it’s uncanny parallels between said woman’s life and her own. Convinced this is more than coincidence, Alison sets out to find the truth. But with her ex on her tail and the cops questioning her innocence, Alison quickly realizes she has to fight fire with fire in order to survive.
Radiant Heat is a hard to review book that I admittedly, went into all fired up. It’s first few chapters gave off a sci fi vibe that I won’t lie, had me intrigued. But as quickly as I became immersed by the promise of storytelling, the prophesied premise went away-in its place a predictable plot riddled with hard to follow character profiles. I stuck with the story, if only to get closure. Otherwise this reader was burned by Radiant Heat, a story that, unfortunately, didn’t spark a deeper interest.
Upon closer investigation, Alison not only uncovers the woman who perished in her driveway’s identity, but it’s uncanny parallels between said woman’s life and her own. Convinced this is more than coincidence, Alison sets out to find the truth. But with her ex on her tail and the cops questioning her innocence, Alison quickly realizes she has to fight fire with fire in order to survive.
Radiant Heat is a hard to review book that I admittedly, went into all fired up. It’s first few chapters gave off a sci fi vibe that I won’t lie, had me intrigued. But as quickly as I became immersed by the promise of storytelling, the prophesied premise went away-in its place a predictable plot riddled with hard to follow character profiles. I stuck with the story, if only to get closure. Otherwise this reader was burned by Radiant Heat, a story that, unfortunately, didn’t spark a deeper interest.
January 25, 2024
Alison King, in the wake of a terrible firestorm, finds a woman in her driveway. A dead woman. What is more is the woman in possession of a piece of paper with Allison's name on it. As Alison barely survived the firestorm that claimed dozens of life, she has a very different fight ahead of her. This all has to do with whatever connection there was to the woman in the car.
In her desperation, Alison goes through the victim's wallet and learns of the victim's name. Definitely someone she had never met before. Alison cannot let things go. She is determined to find out how the woman ended up in her driveway, and whether or not she died as a result of the wildfire. From desperation to determination, Alison will go to any lengths necessary to get to the bottom of things.
As this book is set in Australia, wildfires are nothing new. So that as the setting in this book was interesting. As a debut novel, I think Sarah Jane-Collins did a good job with this first book. There were areas of frustration for me as a reader, but this in no way lessens the respect I have for anyone talented enough to bring their dream of writing a book to completion.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
In her desperation, Alison goes through the victim's wallet and learns of the victim's name. Definitely someone she had never met before. Alison cannot let things go. She is determined to find out how the woman ended up in her driveway, and whether or not she died as a result of the wildfire. From desperation to determination, Alison will go to any lengths necessary to get to the bottom of things.
As this book is set in Australia, wildfires are nothing new. So that as the setting in this book was interesting. As a debut novel, I think Sarah Jane-Collins did a good job with this first book. There were areas of frustration for me as a reader, but this in no way lessens the respect I have for anyone talented enough to bring their dream of writing a book to completion.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
February 8, 2024
This would have been a more enjoyable, if shorter, book if Alison didn't always do the very WORST thing. Just stupid choice after stupid choice. I found it incredibly frustrating.
January 18, 2024
An atmospheric murder mystery debut set in a small Australian town that gets ravaged by a bush fire and has a woman discovering a dead body in a car parked in her driveway. At first authorities assume the woman in the car died from 'radiant heat' from the fire but the more Alison digs, the more it seems likely she's a victim and that she has ties to Alison's own traumatic past.
While the premise was strong for this book I felt like it went on a bit too long and could have been faster-paced. Good on audio and overall still an enjoyable read. Recommended for fans of authors like Kate Morton and Jane Harper. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
CW: rape
While the premise was strong for this book I felt like it went on a bit too long and could have been faster-paced. Good on audio and overall still an enjoyable read. Recommended for fans of authors like Kate Morton and Jane Harper. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
CW: rape
April 24, 2024
The narrator of this book is a thirty-something coarse unpleasant woman. Amusingly though, whilst she seemingly tosses an f-bomb into every other sentence as a intensifier, when she refers to the species of activity to which this verb properly belongs, she tends to employ the euphemism 'sleeping with' instead, although somnolence rarely occurs (and in this book, as a result of physical violence when it does). As is most common in contemporary thrillers with first-person narrators, the author achieves suspense by making her narrator careful to remember that she's a character in a storybook and must eschew 'spoilers', so only gradually does she allude to her backstory featuring the worst sort of former 'boyfriend' (who of course turns out to be neither a boy nor a friend). If like me you love Australian settings and voices, you'll enjoy this one despite the linguistically challenged narration. And indeed our main character is not entirely useless. If you do exactly the opposite of her in making choices, especially in choosing partners and confiding in the authorities, you can't go far wrong.
June 29, 2024
It was...okay. There were aspects I really enjoyed, such as the actually suspenseful parts and the open ending, but the build-up and the side plots about Alison's relationship with Billy and her parents fell a little flat for me. It took me way too long to get through. I feel like after opening the book with Alison surviving a bushfire, it took way too long to get going. The opening set a pace that it couldn't sustain, and then took half the book to get back to.
Overall, it was a decent read, but I was a bit disappointed.
Overall, it was a decent read, but I was a bit disappointed.
August 27, 2024
I received Radiant Heat as a part of a Goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own.
I love getting into a book with iffy reviews. Why are you so polarizing? What do people hate about you? Unfortunately, this one was neither loved nor hated. It was just average. And a boring average at that.
A raging fire takes over a small Australian town, and in its wake, our main character Alison discovers a woman parked in her driveway. The woman is dead and has a paper with Alison’s name and address on it.
And that’s where the interesting parts end. You find out pretty much all you need to know in the first 100 pages, and then it’s just Alison being as daft as she can for the remaining 250.
If you’re looking for an Australian thriller/literary, this could be for you. 2/5 for me, sadly.
*Please also note, this story contains depictions of DV and SA*
I love getting into a book with iffy reviews. Why are you so polarizing? What do people hate about you? Unfortunately, this one was neither loved nor hated. It was just average. And a boring average at that.
A raging fire takes over a small Australian town, and in its wake, our main character Alison discovers a woman parked in her driveway. The woman is dead and has a paper with Alison’s name and address on it.
And that’s where the interesting parts end. You find out pretty much all you need to know in the first 100 pages, and then it’s just Alison being as daft as she can for the remaining 250.
If you’re looking for an Australian thriller/literary, this could be for you. 2/5 for me, sadly.
*Please also note, this story contains depictions of DV and SA*
July 3, 2023
Alison is lucky to be alive when a bushfire nearly decimates her hometown in Australia. When she is finally able to leave the safety of her home she find taht there is a woman, dead in a car, in her driveway. She doesn't know her nor why she is there but she finds a slip of paper with her name and address. Thus starts a claustrophobic and tense tale as Alison works against the clock to find out why the woman was there. The small town police are suspicious and there seems to be someone watching her. Can she get past her trauma and save herself? I liked this book quite a lot - hard, rugged stories are just as scary as your gothic horror! I found the end less then satisfying but the ride along was great.
#Berkley #RadiantHeat #SarahJaneCollins
#Berkley #RadiantHeat #SarahJaneCollins
February 3, 2024
RADIANT HEAT is an intense, highly atmospheric suspense thriller set in Victoria, Australia. As one might expect, the harsh landscape and the power of nature to wreak total devastation takes center stage as one of the dominant players in this story. Mother Nature roars her displeasure as she sweeps the land with wildfires, threatening all life forms and rendering everyone at her mercy while sparing few. In the course of the story, readers and characters will learn that fire isn't always the deadliest thing out there.
Allison King is one of the lucky few to survive the latest wildfire that swept through her hometown and surrounding area, leaving ashes in its wake. Crawling out of her bathroom where a last-minute shift of the winds saved her life, she discovers a woman's body in a car sitting outside her house. Horrified by the discovery, Allison searches for identification and is shocked to find her own name on a slip of paper. Why was Simone Arnold seeking her out? How is she connected to Allison? Has her past finally come calling? Allison needs answers and with the help of a troubled friend, she begins an investigation that unfortunately involves opening doors to her past she'd prefer keeping closed and locked. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Allison suffered past trauma that she prefers to keep hidden, however; in order to move forward, she has little choice but to turn back.
RADIANT HEAT is a character driven story that unfolds via the past and present with flashbacks. The pace steadily increases with the peeling back of layers of a tale buried in the past. Allison is a complex, unreliable narrator and one many readers will find frustrating at times, with her highly questionable choices and excess baggage. She's often her own worst enemy in that she refuses to trust the motives of others offering to help her. The author's decision to set this tale in the demanding landscape of Australia plays well in setting a dire tone with danger lurking around every corner. The mystery unwinds slowly through a few twists and turns leading to an ambiguous ending some may feel is too vague.
RADIANT HEAT is a dark, heartbreaking tale of loss and survival. Throughout the story, readers see evidence of the total havoc and loss resulting from the fires that consume everything, leaving death and destruction in their path. Characterizations are brilliantly rendered as is the setting that claims a starring role. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries and suspense thrillers.
3.5 Stars
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for an arc of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. This review is available on my blog, Cross My Heart Reviews.
Allison King is one of the lucky few to survive the latest wildfire that swept through her hometown and surrounding area, leaving ashes in its wake. Crawling out of her bathroom where a last-minute shift of the winds saved her life, she discovers a woman's body in a car sitting outside her house. Horrified by the discovery, Allison searches for identification and is shocked to find her own name on a slip of paper. Why was Simone Arnold seeking her out? How is she connected to Allison? Has her past finally come calling? Allison needs answers and with the help of a troubled friend, she begins an investigation that unfortunately involves opening doors to her past she'd prefer keeping closed and locked. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Allison suffered past trauma that she prefers to keep hidden, however; in order to move forward, she has little choice but to turn back.
RADIANT HEAT is a character driven story that unfolds via the past and present with flashbacks. The pace steadily increases with the peeling back of layers of a tale buried in the past. Allison is a complex, unreliable narrator and one many readers will find frustrating at times, with her highly questionable choices and excess baggage. She's often her own worst enemy in that she refuses to trust the motives of others offering to help her. The author's decision to set this tale in the demanding landscape of Australia plays well in setting a dire tone with danger lurking around every corner. The mystery unwinds slowly through a few twists and turns leading to an ambiguous ending some may feel is too vague.
RADIANT HEAT is a dark, heartbreaking tale of loss and survival. Throughout the story, readers see evidence of the total havoc and loss resulting from the fires that consume everything, leaving death and destruction in their path. Characterizations are brilliantly rendered as is the setting that claims a starring role. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries and suspense thrillers.
3.5 Stars
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for an arc of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. This review is available on my blog, Cross My Heart Reviews.
January 2, 2024
Allison, a 33 year old single woman, emerges from her home in Victoria, Australia after a bushfire engulfed the vegetation around her house. As she attempts to leave her property, she finds a car in her driveway with a dead woman inside. According the woman’s driver’s license, her name is Simone and she’s the same age as Allison. The assumption is that Simone died from the radiant heat of the fires but it’s soon discovered that Allison and Simone are connected.
Now rattled, Allison fears that her past may be closing in on her. She doesn’t want others to know what she’s been through but the death of this woman causes her to seek answers to find out why Simone was in her driveway.
This is a well written storyline but may be tough for some readers due to physical and mental abuse. Allison is tough yet emotionally weak. She processes her pain and trauma through painting. I liked Allison’s flawed character and appreciated her tenacity to protect her privacy all while trying to care for the few special people in her life. The author did a beautiful job with the atmospheric setting and the dynamics of a small town in this captivating debut!
Thank you Berkley Pub for the advanced copy.
Now rattled, Allison fears that her past may be closing in on her. She doesn’t want others to know what she’s been through but the death of this woman causes her to seek answers to find out why Simone was in her driveway.
This is a well written storyline but may be tough for some readers due to physical and mental abuse. Allison is tough yet emotionally weak. She processes her pain and trauma through painting. I liked Allison’s flawed character and appreciated her tenacity to protect her privacy all while trying to care for the few special people in her life. The author did a beautiful job with the atmospheric setting and the dynamics of a small town in this captivating debut!
Thank you Berkley Pub for the advanced copy.
February 2, 2024
I’m sorry to say that this book was not a good fit for me. It was truly a “dark, psychological thriller” and I don’t know if it was just my current mood or if it was the fact that nothing at all went well for Alison, but it was just too dark for me. I’m not super sensitive about content, but I was surprised to see that there weren’t content warnings: abusive relationship, alcohol, animal death, assault, attempted murder, car accident, cheating, death, emotional abuse, fire (obviously)… and that’s just A-F. There was a lot happening in this book and it was pretty much all dark, scary and sad. It was very twisty. The setting in Australia felt unique and there were lots of country-specific references that I had to look up. This book wasn’t terrible and I think it might be good for the right person, but that wasn’t me right now.
Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2024
Alison is surprised when she realizes she survived a wildfire in her Australian home simply because the wind changed directions at the very last minute. Alison is even more surprised when she discovers a dead woman alone in a car in her driveway holding a piece of paper with Alison’s name and address on it. Who is this woman? How did she end up in Alison’s driveway? What is her cause of death?
I truly enjoyed the unique setting of Radiant Heat. I felt connected to the protagonist and wanted to learn more about her past. I also enjoyed the other characters in this book. It definitely held my attention and kept me reading.
My only issue was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I was still left with quite a few questions. Maybe this will be the beginning of a new series and these questions will be answered in a later book? I look forward to reading more from Sarah-Jane Collins.
Thank you, NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions above are my own.
I truly enjoyed the unique setting of Radiant Heat. I felt connected to the protagonist and wanted to learn more about her past. I also enjoyed the other characters in this book. It definitely held my attention and kept me reading.
My only issue was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I was still left with quite a few questions. Maybe this will be the beginning of a new series and these questions will be answered in a later book? I look forward to reading more from Sarah-Jane Collins.
Thank you, NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions above are my own.
December 29, 2023
Radiant Heat by Sarah-Jane Collins. Thanks to @berkleypub for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Alison barely survives a bushfire in her Australian community. After the fire she finds a woman dead in a car in her driveway. The woman has a note with Alison’s name and address. Alison searches for answers across Austria.
This was a slow burn that took me some time to get into but I was glad I stuck with it. It was definitely worth it in the end. After experiencing trauma, Alison goes to a mission to (run away) find information and figure out what happened, which leads her to information on her past and helps her deal with her present. This was a meaningful book that really shows the effect of trauma and childhood drama.
“That was the thing about bushfires. They didn’t eat just the bush; they swallowed homes, shops, and cars. Whole streets. Whole populations.”
Radiant Heat comes out 1/23.
Alison barely survives a bushfire in her Australian community. After the fire she finds a woman dead in a car in her driveway. The woman has a note with Alison’s name and address. Alison searches for answers across Austria.
This was a slow burn that took me some time to get into but I was glad I stuck with it. It was definitely worth it in the end. After experiencing trauma, Alison goes to a mission to (run away) find information and figure out what happened, which leads her to information on her past and helps her deal with her present. This was a meaningful book that really shows the effect of trauma and childhood drama.
“That was the thing about bushfires. They didn’t eat just the bush; they swallowed homes, shops, and cars. Whole streets. Whole populations.”
Radiant Heat comes out 1/23.
November 15, 2023
Radiant Heat
By Sarah-Jane Collins
A Nicely Crafted Atmospheric Mystery Thriller that Grips The Reader From The First Page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
SUMMARY
Alison's peaceful life in Victoria, Australia turns into a nightmare when a devastating wildfire surrounds her home. With no time to spare, she takes refuge in her bathroom, covered by a wet wool blanket. When the fire finally subsides and Alison is able to step out, she comes across a car at the bottom of her driveway, with a lifeless woman inside. Alison has never seen the woman before, or so she thinks. As she tries to unravel the mystery of the woman's presence, Alison uncovers a major threat that puts her life in danger.
REVIEW
Radiant Heat is a nicely crafted atmospheric mystery thriller that grips the reader from the very first page. The story is haunting and harrowing, leaving you feeling unsettled and on edge until the very end.
Alison, the protagonist, is a complex and troubled character whose search for answers drives the narrative forward. Her past unhealthy relationship casts a shadow over her decision-making, which may frustrate some readers, but also adds depth to her character. It's worth noting that the emotional abuse Alison suffered in her previous relationship may be triggering for some readers. Overall, Radiant Heat is a dark and intense read that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publisher Berkley Publishing Group
Published January 23, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
By Sarah-Jane Collins
A Nicely Crafted Atmospheric Mystery Thriller that Grips The Reader From The First Page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
SUMMARY
Alison's peaceful life in Victoria, Australia turns into a nightmare when a devastating wildfire surrounds her home. With no time to spare, she takes refuge in her bathroom, covered by a wet wool blanket. When the fire finally subsides and Alison is able to step out, she comes across a car at the bottom of her driveway, with a lifeless woman inside. Alison has never seen the woman before, or so she thinks. As she tries to unravel the mystery of the woman's presence, Alison uncovers a major threat that puts her life in danger.
REVIEW
Radiant Heat is a nicely crafted atmospheric mystery thriller that grips the reader from the very first page. The story is haunting and harrowing, leaving you feeling unsettled and on edge until the very end.
Alison, the protagonist, is a complex and troubled character whose search for answers drives the narrative forward. Her past unhealthy relationship casts a shadow over her decision-making, which may frustrate some readers, but also adds depth to her character. It's worth noting that the emotional abuse Alison suffered in her previous relationship may be triggering for some readers. Overall, Radiant Heat is a dark and intense read that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publisher Berkley Publishing Group
Published January 23, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
October 10, 2023
After surviving an Australian wildfire by hiding in her bathtub in a quilt soaked in water, Alison wanders out to find her neighbors and help. What she finds first, is a car in her driveway and the woman inside (who looks strangely similar to Alison) is dead. Alison doesn’t know who this woman is or why she is in her driveway. Was she trying to outrun the fire and turned the wrong way? In shock and hardly thinking, Alison checks the woman’s purse for identification or any information and finds a slip of paper with Alison’s name and address on it. In the days that follow, Alison struggles with the pain of what she lost in the fire, survivor’s guilt, and the mystery of who the woman is and why she was at her house.
After a slow start, things really picked up and I was invested in Alison’s search. I enjoyed the suspense and at times couldn’t distinguish whether Alison was in real danger or if she was an unreliable narrator. I would have liked the book more, however, if Alison was more likeable. In her grief, she uses a long-time friend that she knows is in love with her and she doesn’t have any remorse. She seems to have alienated most or all of her friends so it seems unrealistic that they are helping her throughout the course of her investigations, especially when she is putting them in danger. Still, I was hooked and couldn’t wait to find out how it was going to end.
All in all, I really enjoyed Radiant Heat and think that it’s a great thriller!
After a slow start, things really picked up and I was invested in Alison’s search. I enjoyed the suspense and at times couldn’t distinguish whether Alison was in real danger or if she was an unreliable narrator. I would have liked the book more, however, if Alison was more likeable. In her grief, she uses a long-time friend that she knows is in love with her and she doesn’t have any remorse. She seems to have alienated most or all of her friends so it seems unrealistic that they are helping her throughout the course of her investigations, especially when she is putting them in danger. Still, I was hooked and couldn’t wait to find out how it was going to end.
All in all, I really enjoyed Radiant Heat and think that it’s a great thriller!
2024
May 30, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
January 26, 2024
Radiant Heat by Sarah-Jane Collins is an immersive, atmospheric mystery story set during a horrific wildfire in Australia. We meet our protagonist, Alison King, alone, lying in a wet blanket cocoon on the bathroom floor outside her house, engulfed in an inferno. While her home was sparred, everything around her was black and ash. Once beautiful trees are now denuded toothpicks poking through the landscape, and in her driveway is a rare car with a dead woman inside.
“SIMONE ARNOLD LOOKED LIKE FUN, ALISON THOUGHT. HER DIRTY-BLOND HAIR SAT IN A LONG, NEAT BRAID THAT FELL DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER CHEST. SHE WORE JEANS AND A PALE PINK CAMISOLE. ALISON SAW A BLANKET ON THE BACK SEAT, AND SHE REACHED THROUGH THE BROKEN WINDOW FOR IT. SHE THREW IT GENTLY OVER SIMONE, NOT WANTING TO LEAVE HER EXPOSED. SHE SOFTLY DRAGGED HER FINGERTIPS OVER HER EYELIDS, CONCEALING THE DULLED STARE.”
Here is where the mystery begins…˙
I found two important things with this novel; first and foremost is the quality of Collins’s writing. People often use the word atmospheric to describe worldbuilding, but a brush fire in Australia will have sight, sound, and smell that belong to that event. It would have a solid sense of place. There is nothing akin to wildfire; it is a beast all on its own, and having lived through some myself, Collins expertly paints the opening scenes—a testament to how the rest of the book is written. Collins is a damn good author. Secondly, I did not much care for Allison as a person. This in itself does not make or break a book. Quite the contrary, again, the story remained engaging and thought-provoking even while Allison was often unlikable and sometimes overwritten and dim-witted. Allison remained a throughly complex character, flaws and all.
Pacing-wise, Collins grabbed my attention back to the plot when my attention began to wander. There are some slower sections of the novel. But enough tension and mystery remain that kept me rolling to the end.
I recommend Radiant Heat for the masterclass in atmospheric writing alone. However, the plotting and characters make this an immersive read and worth the time it takes to read through it.
“SIMONE ARNOLD LOOKED LIKE FUN, ALISON THOUGHT. HER DIRTY-BLOND HAIR SAT IN A LONG, NEAT BRAID THAT FELL DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER CHEST. SHE WORE JEANS AND A PALE PINK CAMISOLE. ALISON SAW A BLANKET ON THE BACK SEAT, AND SHE REACHED THROUGH THE BROKEN WINDOW FOR IT. SHE THREW IT GENTLY OVER SIMONE, NOT WANTING TO LEAVE HER EXPOSED. SHE SOFTLY DRAGGED HER FINGERTIPS OVER HER EYELIDS, CONCEALING THE DULLED STARE.”
Here is where the mystery begins…˙
I found two important things with this novel; first and foremost is the quality of Collins’s writing. People often use the word atmospheric to describe worldbuilding, but a brush fire in Australia will have sight, sound, and smell that belong to that event. It would have a solid sense of place. There is nothing akin to wildfire; it is a beast all on its own, and having lived through some myself, Collins expertly paints the opening scenes—a testament to how the rest of the book is written. Collins is a damn good author. Secondly, I did not much care for Allison as a person. This in itself does not make or break a book. Quite the contrary, again, the story remained engaging and thought-provoking even while Allison was often unlikable and sometimes overwritten and dim-witted. Allison remained a throughly complex character, flaws and all.
Pacing-wise, Collins grabbed my attention back to the plot when my attention began to wander. There are some slower sections of the novel. But enough tension and mystery remain that kept me rolling to the end.
I recommend Radiant Heat for the masterclass in atmospheric writing alone. However, the plotting and characters make this an immersive read and worth the time it takes to read through it.
March 29, 2024
I’ve lost patience with female CHs who do stupid things and with the repeated theme of domestic abuse; although in Radiant Heat, Collins, does her best to make Alison authentic and her choices organic based on trauma, deep loss, the over consumption of alcohol, and a fire that threatens her life, takes many others, and hovers over this story like sooty ash. She mostly succeeds and takes the tired thematic material of domestic abuse (IMO, no matter how real it remains in the real world, it has taken up too many pages in Crime Fiction over the last few years sometimes feasting on the victims rather than really impugning the perpetrators.) and laces it into the story of this small Australian town of Lake Bend, the huge fire that changes everything, Alison’s past, her fears, and her relationships. What elevates this novel for me is the author’s stunning language choices, her use of colors, all the senses, and the metaphorical layering of water and fire throughout the story—just the title alone is brilliant as she weaves that concept and other fire-related imagery into the landscape, creates Tone and an indelible place. Collins also interjects real Australian vernacular in an integrated manner giving the narrative more gravitas. She manages to create a marriage of Tone and Pace, increasing the jeopardy in the Tone while pushing the narrative forward so that the Pace increases as well. Supporting CHs, especially friend and policeman Billy Meaker, Sal her second-mother, Patty her male best friend, Simone, the mysterious woman who appears in her driveway, journalist Chris, and Detective Mitchell have a real presence. Her old boyfriend, Gil, not as well defined. Plotting was decent with adequate detecting details and the ending is only somewhat satisfactory, leaving some doubts that are probably more realistic than I personally like. There are also great references to creating art. RED FLAGS: Domestic abuse; Rape; Violence. Immediately I did see parallels to Jane Harper (specifically The Dry), but also Linwood Barclay’s Take Your Breath Away for the psychological suspense and good CHs, and Shelley Burr’s Wake because of the Australian setting and the grieving Tone.
December 23, 2023
From the beginning, I felt like Alison was a compelling character. After she survives a bush fire, she finds a dead woman in her driveway, Alison doesn't know who she is, but the woman has her address. This makes Alison feel compelled to figure out who the woman is and why she would have been looking for Alison. While Alison is looking into the mystery of the woman, we learn more about her past, and the reasons she is the way she is. I liked seeing Alison dive into her past, and investigate on her own.
However it was hard for me to stay sucked in, we get introduced to a lot of characters, and it seemed like Alison just kept making the worst possible decisions, especially when it comes to Billy.
I did like where the story went, and the twists and turns, and I especially enjoyed the backdrop of Australia.
However it was hard for me to stay sucked in, we get introduced to a lot of characters, and it seemed like Alison just kept making the worst possible decisions, especially when it comes to Billy.
I did like where the story went, and the twists and turns, and I especially enjoyed the backdrop of Australia.
February 6, 2024
When a catastrophic wildfire suddenly rips through a woman’s hometown, she thinks she is lucky to have survived...until she finds a dead woman in her driveway, clutching a piece of paper with her name on it....
A horrific fire rips through Alison King's hometown of Lake Bend, Victoria, Australia. She is so thankful to be alive! The fire has changed direction and Alison is able to get out of her home. But she finds a dead woman in her driveway with a piece of paper in her hand. With Alison's name on it! Who is this woman and why does she have this piece of paper with Alison's name? This was an interesting book that grabbed my attention from the beginning.
A horrific fire rips through Alison King's hometown of Lake Bend, Victoria, Australia. She is so thankful to be alive! The fire has changed direction and Alison is able to get out of her home. But she finds a dead woman in her driveway with a piece of paper in her hand. With Alison's name on it! Who is this woman and why does she have this piece of paper with Alison's name? This was an interesting book that grabbed my attention from the beginning.
March 24, 2024
PamG's review said it all! A great premise for a novel, the bushfire and its immediate and lasting impacts on individuals, community, landscape is well written and believable. The main character of Alison was really hard to like or feel empathy for, despite her horrors. She is dismissive of many people who care for her, makes poor decisions constantly, uses those who love her, lies for no real reason. The cast of supporting characters are great. A good first novel. One complaint '... road to Bega.. hook up to the Pacific Highway..' NO, that would be the Princes Highway. Bad error by the author, should have been picked up by editing process.
January 23, 2024
Thanks to Berkley Publishing for gifting me a copy of this one!
RADIANT HEAT is a slow-burn, highly atmospheric thriller that takes place over the course of time and spaces!
The wildfire really set the tone in this one and, while it took me a bit to fully appreciate the flashbacks, once I understood how everything was connected, I was all in.
This one had beautiful and heartbreaking moments and almost took on a literary tone at times.
Definitely unlike any thriller I've read before!
Publication Date: January 24
RADIANT HEAT is a slow-burn, highly atmospheric thriller that takes place over the course of time and spaces!
The wildfire really set the tone in this one and, while it took me a bit to fully appreciate the flashbacks, once I understood how everything was connected, I was all in.
This one had beautiful and heartbreaking moments and almost took on a literary tone at times.
Definitely unlike any thriller I've read before!
Publication Date: January 24
January 28, 2024
The January pick for @readwithjenna is definitely one that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Also, this is such a gorgeous cover! This is a story where the swamp is almost another character. At times this is a difficult read but it is beautifully written. Check your trigger warnings before you read this one.
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