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Into the Flames: The scorching new summer thriller
A town under fire. A detective with something to prove. A killer hiding in plain sight.
The small town of Rislake in the picturesque Blue Mountains is about to be engulfed by a major bushfire.
The order has been given for the residents to clear out.
But a last sweep uncovers one person is Tracey Hilmeyer, wife of one of the firefighters tackling the blaze.
Detective Kennard is in town to help with crowd control, but instead he finds himself driving straight towards the inferno to look for Tracey at the Hilmeyer home.
When he gets there, he finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs, and it’s clear she was murdered.
With the evacuation almost complete there is barely enough time to save the living never mind the dead.
But Detective Kennard has something to prove and cannot let this one go.
Can he solve her murder before the crime scene, and the entire town turns to ash?
The small town of Rislake in the picturesque Blue Mountains is about to be engulfed by a major bushfire.
The order has been given for the residents to clear out.
But a last sweep uncovers one person is Tracey Hilmeyer, wife of one of the firefighters tackling the blaze.
Detective Kennard is in town to help with crowd control, but instead he finds himself driving straight towards the inferno to look for Tracey at the Hilmeyer home.
When he gets there, he finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs, and it’s clear she was murdered.
With the evacuation almost complete there is barely enough time to save the living never mind the dead.
But Detective Kennard has something to prove and cannot let this one go.
Can he solve her murder before the crime scene, and the entire town turns to ash?
- GenresCrime
Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2024
8 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
James Delargy
8 books61 followersJames Delargy was born and raised in Ireland but lived in South Africa, Australia and Scotland, before ending up in semi-rural England where he now lives.
He incorporates this diverse knowledge of towns, cities, landscape and culture picked up on his travels into his writing. He would like to complete a round-the-world series of novels (if only for the chance to indulge in more on-the-ground research).
James is currently working on another novel set in Western Australia.
He incorporates this diverse knowledge of towns, cities, landscape and culture picked up on his travels into his writing. He would like to complete a round-the-world series of novels (if only for the chance to indulge in more on-the-ground research).
James is currently working on another novel set in Western Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 27, 2024
Finished reading: April 26th 2024
"Hell on earth is about to visit Rislake. And it wasn't leaving until it devoured everything, until it brought the town back to base elements and memories of what once existed."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley an Schuster UK in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
July 3, 2024
This thriller had such an atmosphere, it was almost another character in the story, the oppressive heat from the flames, the red glow both adding to the tension of the troubled main character Alex Kennard. This along with the pressured timeline really upped the tension.
I found it took me about 5-10 pages and I was completely invested in the story, the writing is compulsive and carries you through the story perfectly, I didn’t just want to know where it was going, I was completely absorbed by the setting and the fate of the town.
Kennard is fighting his past and his self, wanting to prove to everyone he can still do this and is still in control. Coming to terms with his past while we try to figure out who the murderer is. I was pulled in so many directions, I couldn’t ever decide who was guilty and who had something to hide, everyone it seemed. This was such a good crime thriller with a good ending that keeps you guessing until the last page.
This was my first book from James Delargy, but won’t be my last!
I found it took me about 5-10 pages and I was completely invested in the story, the writing is compulsive and carries you through the story perfectly, I didn’t just want to know where it was going, I was completely absorbed by the setting and the fate of the town.
Kennard is fighting his past and his self, wanting to prove to everyone he can still do this and is still in control. Coming to terms with his past while we try to figure out who the murderer is. I was pulled in so many directions, I couldn’t ever decide who was guilty and who had something to hide, everyone it seemed. This was such a good crime thriller with a good ending that keeps you guessing until the last page.
This was my first book from James Delargy, but won’t be my last!
June 9, 2025
Early on I was sure whether this book was going to be as good as this author’s previous two but it kept getting better as it went on.
July 10, 2024
I lived and worked in Australia for a while, but being a city lad, I never came close to a bush fire. From speaking to people who had, and reading about them, they seem to be the very worst kind of natural disaster. Perhaps it is invidious to compare tornadoes, tsunamis, landslips and volcanlc eruptions, but bush fires seem to have an almost animal intensity. They devour people, buildings and forests like some kind of raging beast. Here, Aussie cop Alex Kennard has been bounced out of his job in a Sydney suburb for, as his bosses saw it, making the wrong call when he was forced to deal with a hostage situation. He is now more or less twiddling his thumbs dealing with drunks, petty thieving and the odd traffic incident in the town of Katoomba, in the heart of The Blue Mountains.
The little nearby town of Rislake is threatened by a serious bush fire, and Kennard drives across to help with crowd management in the event of a major evacuation. The local cops and fire service are basically taking a roll call, and it is soon apparent that one woman is missing. Tracey Hilmeyer is the wife of one of the firefighters and, against orders, Kennard and the woman’s husband, Russell, head out to the Hilmeyer property which is in danger of being engulfed. They find Tracey, but she is dead at the foot of the stairs, battered with a heavy implement. Russell Hilmeyer is distraught and wants to move the body of his wife, but Kennard insists that she stay in place and he attempts to preserve and record the crime scene as best he can.
Russell Hilmeyer is a local lad who didn’t quite make the big time on the football field, due to a career-ending injury. It has no bearing on the plot, but I am pretty sure Hilmeyer played Aussie Rules rather than what Americans call Soccer, or the major Sydney code of Rugby League. His wife Tracey was a glamorous prom-queen type in her teens, and had ambitions to be an artist. The gallery she ran in town has had to close, and she had become depressed, and only got through her days and nights with the help of prescription items like co-codomol. She had an abrasive relationship with her sister Karen who, with her husband, runs the farm that used to belong to their late parents. It is hard scrabble land, and they barely make ends meet. Did Karen and her Pacific Islander husband Alvin hate Tracey enough to kill her? The post mortem reveals that Tracey Hilmeyer was pregnant. Given that the couple had been trying for years to have children, does this add yet another dimension to the search for the killer and their possible motive?
The author has great fun making Kennard and his temporary partner DS Layton jump to one false assumption after another, while the fire grows steadily worse, a little like Satan as described in the office of Compline:
“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
The conclusion comes with Layton temporarily out of action due to the fire having triggered her asthma, and we have Kennard, almost immobilised by the weight of his protective clothing, pursuing the killer in a Dante’s Inferno of blazing eucalyptus trees and showering sparks. Only one small problem. The person he is following isn’t the killer of Tracey Hilmayer. To say any more would clearly spoil your fun, but this is as exciting an end to a crime novel as I have read in many moons.
We lost the two modern giants of Australian crime fiction, the two Peters – Corris and Temple – within six months of each other in 2018 but, along with Jane Harper, James Delargy – although he now lives in England – taps into to the great tradition established by those writers. Into the Flames is seriously good CriFi and it got its teeth into me and wouldn’t let go until I had finished the novel in just a few sessions. Published by Simon and Schuster, it is available now.
The little nearby town of Rislake is threatened by a serious bush fire, and Kennard drives across to help with crowd management in the event of a major evacuation. The local cops and fire service are basically taking a roll call, and it is soon apparent that one woman is missing. Tracey Hilmeyer is the wife of one of the firefighters and, against orders, Kennard and the woman’s husband, Russell, head out to the Hilmeyer property which is in danger of being engulfed. They find Tracey, but she is dead at the foot of the stairs, battered with a heavy implement. Russell Hilmeyer is distraught and wants to move the body of his wife, but Kennard insists that she stay in place and he attempts to preserve and record the crime scene as best he can.
Russell Hilmeyer is a local lad who didn’t quite make the big time on the football field, due to a career-ending injury. It has no bearing on the plot, but I am pretty sure Hilmeyer played Aussie Rules rather than what Americans call Soccer, or the major Sydney code of Rugby League. His wife Tracey was a glamorous prom-queen type in her teens, and had ambitions to be an artist. The gallery she ran in town has had to close, and she had become depressed, and only got through her days and nights with the help of prescription items like co-codomol. She had an abrasive relationship with her sister Karen who, with her husband, runs the farm that used to belong to their late parents. It is hard scrabble land, and they barely make ends meet. Did Karen and her Pacific Islander husband Alvin hate Tracey enough to kill her? The post mortem reveals that Tracey Hilmeyer was pregnant. Given that the couple had been trying for years to have children, does this add yet another dimension to the search for the killer and their possible motive?
The author has great fun making Kennard and his temporary partner DS Layton jump to one false assumption after another, while the fire grows steadily worse, a little like Satan as described in the office of Compline:
“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
The conclusion comes with Layton temporarily out of action due to the fire having triggered her asthma, and we have Kennard, almost immobilised by the weight of his protective clothing, pursuing the killer in a Dante’s Inferno of blazing eucalyptus trees and showering sparks. Only one small problem. The person he is following isn’t the killer of Tracey Hilmayer. To say any more would clearly spoil your fun, but this is as exciting an end to a crime novel as I have read in many moons.
We lost the two modern giants of Australian crime fiction, the two Peters – Corris and Temple – within six months of each other in 2018 but, along with Jane Harper, James Delargy – although he now lives in England – taps into to the great tradition established by those writers. Into the Flames is seriously good CriFi and it got its teeth into me and wouldn’t let go until I had finished the novel in just a few sessions. Published by Simon and Schuster, it is available now.
July 27, 2024
Having thoroughly enjoyed James Delargy's previous book, Vanished when I read it a couple of years ago, I've been keeping an eye out for a new release and I'm delighted to say that Into the Flames did not disappoint! This is another thriller set in Australia and it really couldn't take place anywhere else. James Delargy brilliantly brings Rislake to life and this is a small town under siege – with the enemy at the gates a major bushfire. The atmospheric descriptions are terrifyingly immersive; I could almost hear, smell and even taste the noise, smoke and devastation wrought by the fire.
At the start of the book, North Rislake has already been evacuated. South Rislake is on Amber alert, meaning its residents have to prepare for possible evacuation. Some of the chapters open with an update on the time, wind direction and speed, and whether the evacuation status has changed. With events taking place over the course of little more than a day, Into the Flames is an addictively propulsive thriller and the stakes are even higher because while firefighters and volunteers desperately attempt to hold back the flames, Detective Sergeant Alex Kennard faces his own race against time.
Although most of the townsfolk have been accounted for, Tracy Hilmeyer, the wife of Russell Hilmeyer, one of the firefighters is missing. Kennard joins Russell and his friend, Joel as they try to find her, but their search ends in tragedy when her body is discovered at the Hilmeyer's house. This is no accident, however, and Kennard quickly realises she's been murdered. This is a murder case like no other, though and he has to fight to save the scene in order to figure out who killed Tracy – while battling demons of his own. Kennard is an outsider. He was formerly a detective in Parramatta but has moved to the Blue Mountains for a new start. Already bored and jaded by the pace of life in Katoomba, he has volunteered to help police the evacuation of Rislake. Alex Kennard, though, is a man haunted by his past and doubted by others, particularly after a recent incident.
It means that as he tries to solve the case before it's too late, he also has to negotiate some complicated relationships with his colleagues – and figure out whether he can still trust his instincts. It's an intense combination and the excellent characterisation complements the dramatic scenes superbly throughout. Most of the narrative follows the investigation as it happens but there are a few chapters which give us an insight into Tracy's life and what might have led to her death. It becomes evident that she was a complicated person and there are several suspects who had the means and motive to kill her. Kennard has to work with his ambitious partner, DS Georgina Layton as each new revelation puts somebody else in the frame.
As the fire closes in on the town, the nail-biting conclusion to Into the Flames couldn't be more exciting. The searingly vivid descriptions are suffocatingly claustrophobic and as Kennard and Layton head into the flames, I could hardly catch my breath. I thought I'd figured everything out but the twists and turns of the complex plot said otherwise!
Into the Flames is a scorching, heart-pounding thriller and an insightful, empathetic exploration of trauma, guilt, betrayal and redemption. I raced through the pages and highly recommend it.
At the start of the book, North Rislake has already been evacuated. South Rislake is on Amber alert, meaning its residents have to prepare for possible evacuation. Some of the chapters open with an update on the time, wind direction and speed, and whether the evacuation status has changed. With events taking place over the course of little more than a day, Into the Flames is an addictively propulsive thriller and the stakes are even higher because while firefighters and volunteers desperately attempt to hold back the flames, Detective Sergeant Alex Kennard faces his own race against time.
Although most of the townsfolk have been accounted for, Tracy Hilmeyer, the wife of Russell Hilmeyer, one of the firefighters is missing. Kennard joins Russell and his friend, Joel as they try to find her, but their search ends in tragedy when her body is discovered at the Hilmeyer's house. This is no accident, however, and Kennard quickly realises she's been murdered. This is a murder case like no other, though and he has to fight to save the scene in order to figure out who killed Tracy – while battling demons of his own. Kennard is an outsider. He was formerly a detective in Parramatta but has moved to the Blue Mountains for a new start. Already bored and jaded by the pace of life in Katoomba, he has volunteered to help police the evacuation of Rislake. Alex Kennard, though, is a man haunted by his past and doubted by others, particularly after a recent incident.
It means that as he tries to solve the case before it's too late, he also has to negotiate some complicated relationships with his colleagues – and figure out whether he can still trust his instincts. It's an intense combination and the excellent characterisation complements the dramatic scenes superbly throughout. Most of the narrative follows the investigation as it happens but there are a few chapters which give us an insight into Tracy's life and what might have led to her death. It becomes evident that she was a complicated person and there are several suspects who had the means and motive to kill her. Kennard has to work with his ambitious partner, DS Georgina Layton as each new revelation puts somebody else in the frame.
As the fire closes in on the town, the nail-biting conclusion to Into the Flames couldn't be more exciting. The searingly vivid descriptions are suffocatingly claustrophobic and as Kennard and Layton head into the flames, I could hardly catch my breath. I thought I'd figured everything out but the twists and turns of the complex plot said otherwise!
Into the Flames is a scorching, heart-pounding thriller and an insightful, empathetic exploration of trauma, guilt, betrayal and redemption. I raced through the pages and highly recommend it.
September 12, 2024
All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com
When a bushfire starts to get out of control in Rislake, a popular Australian tourist destination, DS Alex Kennard decides to lend a hand evacuating the locals. But it soon becomes clear that someone important is missing — Tracey, the wife of one of the firefighters. Throwing caution to the wind, DS Kennard joins Russell, the anxious husband, and his best mate, fellow firefighter Joel, in the hunt for the missing woman. Only to discover her crumpled, bloodied corpse at the bottom of the stairs. It’s clear to experienced detective Kennard that Tracey has been murdered. But the fire is edging ever closer to the property, promising to destroy the murder scene and any evidence left behind by the killer. It’s a race against time for DS Kennard who feels he has something to prove to both his superiors and to himself. Can he solve the murder before the fire destroys him…?
Into the Flames is a compelling, atmospheric, claustrophobic crime thriller that held my attention from beginning to end. I was drawn into the story by the vivid setting, the ever-present threat of the fire devouring everything in its path, the flawed main character and the high tension stakes. Would Kennard be able to get beyond his own demons and discover what happened to Tracey or would those same demons take hold of this fragile man and destroy him? Leaving the city behind following a hostage situation gone terribly wrong, Alex Kennard and his wife Ann are making a new life for themselves in Katoomba, New South Wales. Having had a rather shaky start in the new town, Kennard knows he needs to work hard to build trust. So when he realises that he’s inadvertently stumbled into a murder scene, Kennard is keen to take control of the situation. Show his superiors and those colleagues who doubt him that he is a good detective. That he is capable of solving a murder and that the past is firmly in the past. But time is running out, along with Kennard’s list of suspects. And still the fire burns, getting closer and closer to the murder scene, ready to destroy everything.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Into the Flames is a gripping, thrilling, tension-laden read perfect for fans of well-written mysteries. I adored the small-town Australian setting. The way the author builds the threat of the fire throughout the book is done very well. The scale and the impact for someone who has never experienced an Australian bushfire first hand was staggering. There was no stopping the devastation and destruction. And on top of the drama and imminent threat posed by the fire, there is an intriguing murder investigation playing out. I quite liked Kennard as a lead character. He’s flawed but that only made him all the more interesting to me. I enjoyed seeing the journey he took, particularly the really quite reckless decisions he made along the way. They certainly added a lot of tension to the narrative. All in all, I very much enjoyed Into the Flames and would happily read more by this author without a moment’s hesitation. A very vivid story and a great murder mystery set against one of the best backdrops I have read in recent years. Unpredictable, claustrophobic and highly compelling. Recommended.
When a bushfire starts to get out of control in Rislake, a popular Australian tourist destination, DS Alex Kennard decides to lend a hand evacuating the locals. But it soon becomes clear that someone important is missing — Tracey, the wife of one of the firefighters. Throwing caution to the wind, DS Kennard joins Russell, the anxious husband, and his best mate, fellow firefighter Joel, in the hunt for the missing woman. Only to discover her crumpled, bloodied corpse at the bottom of the stairs. It’s clear to experienced detective Kennard that Tracey has been murdered. But the fire is edging ever closer to the property, promising to destroy the murder scene and any evidence left behind by the killer. It’s a race against time for DS Kennard who feels he has something to prove to both his superiors and to himself. Can he solve the murder before the fire destroys him…?
Into the Flames is a compelling, atmospheric, claustrophobic crime thriller that held my attention from beginning to end. I was drawn into the story by the vivid setting, the ever-present threat of the fire devouring everything in its path, the flawed main character and the high tension stakes. Would Kennard be able to get beyond his own demons and discover what happened to Tracey or would those same demons take hold of this fragile man and destroy him? Leaving the city behind following a hostage situation gone terribly wrong, Alex Kennard and his wife Ann are making a new life for themselves in Katoomba, New South Wales. Having had a rather shaky start in the new town, Kennard knows he needs to work hard to build trust. So when he realises that he’s inadvertently stumbled into a murder scene, Kennard is keen to take control of the situation. Show his superiors and those colleagues who doubt him that he is a good detective. That he is capable of solving a murder and that the past is firmly in the past. But time is running out, along with Kennard’s list of suspects. And still the fire burns, getting closer and closer to the murder scene, ready to destroy everything.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Into the Flames is a gripping, thrilling, tension-laden read perfect for fans of well-written mysteries. I adored the small-town Australian setting. The way the author builds the threat of the fire throughout the book is done very well. The scale and the impact for someone who has never experienced an Australian bushfire first hand was staggering. There was no stopping the devastation and destruction. And on top of the drama and imminent threat posed by the fire, there is an intriguing murder investigation playing out. I quite liked Kennard as a lead character. He’s flawed but that only made him all the more interesting to me. I enjoyed seeing the journey he took, particularly the really quite reckless decisions he made along the way. They certainly added a lot of tension to the narrative. All in all, I very much enjoyed Into the Flames and would happily read more by this author without a moment’s hesitation. A very vivid story and a great murder mystery set against one of the best backdrops I have read in recent years. Unpredictable, claustrophobic and highly compelling. Recommended.
July 4, 2024
Here is my review for Into The Flames by James Delargy
Once I got into this one I found it to be an enjoyable read. It’s set in the small town of Rislake, in the Blue Mountains, in Australia. The North side of the town is being evacuated because of a bushfire and its closeness to the town. A firefighter wants to go home in that side of town to check on his wife but he is refused but detective Kennard and a couple of the other firefighters sneak off with a borrowed truck and gear to go to the house where they find Tracey, his wife, dead at the bottom of the stairs. She had been murdered. Detective Kennard wants to get the murderer. This is a great book to read and it is well written. The thought and plotting is good while the descriptive writing is great. The storyline is interesting and it draws you into the story. A detective that is damaged. Who could have murdered Tracey? What was the murder weapon? This is the first time I have read anything by this author and it’s been interesting reading a book set in Australia.
Blurb :
A town under fire. A detective with something to prove. A killer hiding in plain sight.
The small town of Rislake in the picturesque Blue Mountains is about to be engulfed by a major bushfire.
The order has been given for the residents to clear out.
But a last sweep uncovers one person is missing: Tracey Hilmeyer, wife of one of the firefighters tackling the blaze.
Detective Kennard is in town to help with crowd control, but instead he finds himself driving straight towards the inferno to look for Tracey at the Hilmeyer home.
When he gets there, he finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs, and it’s clear she was murdered.
With the evacuation almost complete there is barely enough time to save the living never mind the dead.
But Detective Kennard has something to prove and cannot let this one go.
Can he solve her murder before the crime scene, and the entire town, turns to ash?
Once I got into this one I found it to be an enjoyable read. It’s set in the small town of Rislake, in the Blue Mountains, in Australia. The North side of the town is being evacuated because of a bushfire and its closeness to the town. A firefighter wants to go home in that side of town to check on his wife but he is refused but detective Kennard and a couple of the other firefighters sneak off with a borrowed truck and gear to go to the house where they find Tracey, his wife, dead at the bottom of the stairs. She had been murdered. Detective Kennard wants to get the murderer. This is a great book to read and it is well written. The thought and plotting is good while the descriptive writing is great. The storyline is interesting and it draws you into the story. A detective that is damaged. Who could have murdered Tracey? What was the murder weapon? This is the first time I have read anything by this author and it’s been interesting reading a book set in Australia.
Blurb :
A town under fire. A detective with something to prove. A killer hiding in plain sight.
The small town of Rislake in the picturesque Blue Mountains is about to be engulfed by a major bushfire.
The order has been given for the residents to clear out.
But a last sweep uncovers one person is missing: Tracey Hilmeyer, wife of one of the firefighters tackling the blaze.
Detective Kennard is in town to help with crowd control, but instead he finds himself driving straight towards the inferno to look for Tracey at the Hilmeyer home.
When he gets there, he finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs, and it’s clear she was murdered.
With the evacuation almost complete there is barely enough time to save the living never mind the dead.
But Detective Kennard has something to prove and cannot let this one go.
Can he solve her murder before the crime scene, and the entire town, turns to ash?
July 12, 2024
Just how far would you go to apprehend a killer? Into the eye of a bushfire? Not me, no way.
But Detective Alex Kennard, suffering from PTSD following a hostage situation that went disastrously wrong, is determined to prove himself fit for duty. Except that he’s really not. He’s partnered with Layton, who is a ‘paint-by-numbers’ cop according to Kennard, younger than him by quite a long way, but she has his back, and he has hers.
The book starts out with the discovery of a body, lying at the bottom of the stairs in a house that should have been evacuated with the approaching bushfire. But this is no accident, it’s definitely foul play – the victim’s head has been caved in with a blunt, heavy object. But who killed her and why?
Tracey Hilmeyer’s husband Russell is one of the firefighters. He was a talented football player with a promising career in front of him, but an injury to his knee has left him unable to play, and bitter. Tracey is an artist, but her beloved art gallery has had to close due to a lack of funds, and she is severely depressed. And self-medicates illegally it would seem.
Tracey’s sister Karen lives and works on a farm nearby, and they are not exactly on good terms. They each own half the land, but Karen has to rent Tracey’s half. With all the animals to look after, a husband and three children, it’s hard to make ends meet. However, neither of them are particularly nice or likable, to be honest.
There are so many red herrings. Just when we think we know who killed Tracey, evidence points to someone else, then back again and so on and so forth. The background of the raging bushfire is not something I have read about before, and it gives an intensity to the thrilling investigation. It’s a race against time, before the fire takes the house and all the evidence with it. Can Kennard and Layton beat the flames? Or will the crime go unpunished?
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
But Detective Alex Kennard, suffering from PTSD following a hostage situation that went disastrously wrong, is determined to prove himself fit for duty. Except that he’s really not. He’s partnered with Layton, who is a ‘paint-by-numbers’ cop according to Kennard, younger than him by quite a long way, but she has his back, and he has hers.
The book starts out with the discovery of a body, lying at the bottom of the stairs in a house that should have been evacuated with the approaching bushfire. But this is no accident, it’s definitely foul play – the victim’s head has been caved in with a blunt, heavy object. But who killed her and why?
Tracey Hilmeyer’s husband Russell is one of the firefighters. He was a talented football player with a promising career in front of him, but an injury to his knee has left him unable to play, and bitter. Tracey is an artist, but her beloved art gallery has had to close due to a lack of funds, and she is severely depressed. And self-medicates illegally it would seem.
Tracey’s sister Karen lives and works on a farm nearby, and they are not exactly on good terms. They each own half the land, but Karen has to rent Tracey’s half. With all the animals to look after, a husband and three children, it’s hard to make ends meet. However, neither of them are particularly nice or likable, to be honest.
There are so many red herrings. Just when we think we know who killed Tracey, evidence points to someone else, then back again and so on and so forth. The background of the raging bushfire is not something I have read about before, and it gives an intensity to the thrilling investigation. It’s a race against time, before the fire takes the house and all the evidence with it. Can Kennard and Layton beat the flames? Or will the crime go unpunished?
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
July 8, 2024
Detective Sergeant Alex Kennard has recently moved to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains of Australia, looking for a new start with his wife Ann after a traumatic incident which has left him with PTSD. Unfortunately, Alex is finding it hard to integrate with his new colleagues and after a disastrous BBQ at his new home his days at this new police station seems to be numbered. He is sent to Rislake, a small town in Australia with a close-knit community that needs help to evacuate its residents, due to a ferocious bushfire that is threatening to devour this small town. Within a short time, he comes across two firefighters that need to get back to a part of the town that has become engulfed in flames. Russell Hilmeyer has reported his wife missing and he needs to get back to his home to see if she is there, when they are denied permission Russell, Alex and Joel, a co-worker and friend of Russell’s, decide to go looking for her themselves. I won’t spoil it for you except to say that this all happens within 52.5hrs
May 16, 2024
This crime is made interesting by setting it in the middle of a fierce bushfire that is threatening both the town and the house where the crime took place. This adds a level of pressure and urgency.
Otherwise it's a pretty standard, potentially clichéd, police investigation. Grumpy investigator sent to a country town after PTSD from something that happened in the city. Young up-and-coming offsider. A range of country-town characters.
Despite the narrative pressure from a bushfire, I found some of it a bit slow and some parts unnecessary. Knowing the area fairly well, there were a couple of trips that seemed to take a lot less time than they actually would have; and a forensic team that arrived faster that would have been likely. But you're only going to know that if you know the actual geography.
(Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and the author for a freebie via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
Otherwise it's a pretty standard, potentially clichéd, police investigation. Grumpy investigator sent to a country town after PTSD from something that happened in the city. Young up-and-coming offsider. A range of country-town characters.
Despite the narrative pressure from a bushfire, I found some of it a bit slow and some parts unnecessary. Knowing the area fairly well, there were a couple of trips that seemed to take a lot less time than they actually would have; and a forensic team that arrived faster that would have been likely. But you're only going to know that if you know the actual geography.
(Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and the author for a freebie via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
June 5, 2024
I was immediately drawn to this book by the striking cover. Mother nature desperately fighting itself. Bushfire vs. Land. Then, I read the plot. Another battle, Man vs. Bushfire. A tense and taught crime thriller that pits the stern DS Kennard against the ever spreading bushfire in a race against time to save evidence and solve a brutal murder.
This is my first James Delargy novel, and I can assure you. It won't be my last! From the first page, I was gripped, and with every chapter, I was kept second-guessing as to who the killer could be. Even until the very last chapter, i was still expecting more twists and turns.
Delargy writes with vivid descriptives, making you feel like you're there. Investigating. Battling the elements with the characters themselves. A crime thriller that leaves me wanting to seek out more works by this exciting author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is my first James Delargy novel, and I can assure you. It won't be my last! From the first page, I was gripped, and with every chapter, I was kept second-guessing as to who the killer could be. Even until the very last chapter, i was still expecting more twists and turns.
Delargy writes with vivid descriptives, making you feel like you're there. Investigating. Battling the elements with the characters themselves. A crime thriller that leaves me wanting to seek out more works by this exciting author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 29, 2024
A small town in the Blue Mountains is undergoing a rapid evacuation as bushfires come dangerously close. It's all hands on deck in this race against time.
But to Detective Kennard's horror, the attempt to locate a fire fighter's missing wife leads to the unwelcome discovery of her corpse at the bottom of a staircase, in a manner that makes it clear she was murdered.
How do you find a murderer in the midst of an evacuation attempt? And with the lives of the living still at risk, can you even justify the attempt to solve this murder?
This is a gripping, fast-paced story pitting a damaged detective against an elusive murderer amidst an unfolding crisis. An entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
But to Detective Kennard's horror, the attempt to locate a fire fighter's missing wife leads to the unwelcome discovery of her corpse at the bottom of a staircase, in a manner that makes it clear she was murdered.
How do you find a murderer in the midst of an evacuation attempt? And with the lives of the living still at risk, can you even justify the attempt to solve this murder?
This is a gripping, fast-paced story pitting a damaged detective against an elusive murderer amidst an unfolding crisis. An entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
March 16, 2024
Time is running out as a destructive wildfire is heading towards town. Detective Kennard and two firemen drive towards the approaching flames in search for one of the fireman's missing wife. The body of his wife is found at home as flames begin to lick the side of the house. Kennard can see instantly that this was not an accident but in fact murder!
As all resources are in use evacuating the town, how do you go about investigating a murder? And how do you go about catching the one responsible?
A good read where time really is running out.
Thanks to NetGalley, James and Simon & Schuster UK for this book.
As all resources are in use evacuating the town, how do you go about investigating a murder? And how do you go about catching the one responsible?
A good read where time really is running out.
Thanks to NetGalley, James and Simon & Schuster UK for this book.
November 26, 2024
Bought on the strength of reading '55', which I thought was a cracking book, so this one had a lot to live up to, and 'Into the Flames' did make a spark or two.
The plot and setting both offered a refreshing change from the norm; the difficulties presented by the fire for the firefighters and it's threat to the crime scene, and countdown to the impending evacuation all ramp up the tension.
But I'm afraid it didn't just set my brain ablaze, as the previous book did. In fact, I found this one to be a bit of a slow burner (excuse the pun). I'd still be very interested to see what this author comes up with next as I do enjoy their writing style.
The plot and setting both offered a refreshing change from the norm; the difficulties presented by the fire for the firefighters and it's threat to the crime scene, and countdown to the impending evacuation all ramp up the tension.
But I'm afraid it didn't just set my brain ablaze, as the previous book did. In fact, I found this one to be a bit of a slow burner (excuse the pun). I'd still be very interested to see what this author comes up with next as I do enjoy their writing style.
abandoned
August 12, 2024It seems that I am going against common opinion here.
I cannot provide a rating for this book, because I gave up on it before I got to the end of chapter 8 - page 44 in the edition I have.
The chapters were just too full of overblown prose, staccato sentences, and character interaction awful and overly (and inappropriately) aggro and combative. I persevered as far as I could, and once I knew I was not committed to the book, I skipped to the end to see if my assumptions on 'who dunnit' were correct, and sadly I was correct - the plot was far from imaginative.
I cannot provide a rating for this book, because I gave up on it before I got to the end of chapter 8 - page 44 in the edition I have.
The chapters were just too full of overblown prose, staccato sentences, and character interaction awful and overly (and inappropriately) aggro and combative. I persevered as far as I could, and once I knew I was not committed to the book, I skipped to the end to see if my assumptions on 'who dunnit' were correct, and sadly I was correct - the plot was far from imaginative.
January 15, 2025
Alex Kennard has been relocated to the Blue Mountains after an incident in Paramatta six months previously. So far it's not gone well as he ended up punching a new colleague at a Barbecue. When a wildfire strikes the town of Rislake, one of the firefighters says that his wife is not accounted for. When they go to the house, she is dead having been murdered.
It's up Alex and his new partner, Layton, to solve the murder in the midst of the encroaching fire.
I loved this book, you really got a sense of the stiffling heat and smoke and the sense of helplessness of the evacuated people.
It's up Alex and his new partner, Layton, to solve the murder in the midst of the encroaching fire.
I loved this book, you really got a sense of the stiffling heat and smoke and the sense of helplessness of the evacuated people.
July 5, 2024
The setting is intense and book is gripping. It’s dark and suspenseful. It’s the kind of book which will keep you guessing till the end. The truth is twisted and horrifying. There were some suspects. There are twists. Unspeakable things happens and they lead to unthinkable things. The suspense and edginess was spot on. The narrative kept me on toes. This is a slow burn mystery with unsettling truth, secrets and suspense.
Thanks to the Publisher, Author and Book Tour Organiser
Thanks to the Publisher, Author and Book Tour Organiser
April 23, 2024
A pacy thriller with a murder mystery set within a raging fire, where evidence is as precarious as life.
The characters are intriguing and the book fairly rocks along. Descriptively well written and some twists and turns along the way.
A fast, addictive read, not my favourite from this author but wildly entertaining none the less.
The characters are intriguing and the book fairly rocks along. Descriptively well written and some twists and turns along the way.
A fast, addictive read, not my favourite from this author but wildly entertaining none the less.
August 31, 2025
I listened to this book on Audible while pottering round the house/garden, so it might be my fault for being distracted, but this book never caught my interest and I nearly gave up on it several times. But I only get one Audible credit a month so I persevered. Hours of the same thing. They need to find a murderer. There’s a fire. He has PTSD from a previous case. Repeated over and again.
July 21, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
EXCELLENT
I give Into The Flames and excellent full marks score of 5 ⭐ one of the best books I’ve read so far this year and definitely one of the titles to look out for. The book gives you everything you would want from a book entertaining from start to finish. Fully recommended
EXCELLENT
I give Into The Flames and excellent full marks score of 5 ⭐ one of the best books I’ve read so far this year and definitely one of the titles to look out for. The book gives you everything you would want from a book entertaining from start to finish. Fully recommended
November 4, 2024
An emotion-packed page turner.
July 12, 2024
This is a well thought out, well plotted read. Fires have hit part of the Blue Mountains in Australia. One small town Rislake is burning fast, firefighters are battling to get the fires under control but may have lost their houses and everything that was in the.
DS Alex Kennard has been sent there to assist with crowd control. This is a big come down for Kennard, he was a Detective in Sydney until one case hit him hard, leaving him with PTSD, which he is battling to overcome. Moving out of the city was to give him a fresh start, but that doesn’t get off on a great foot as he and his wife have a barbecue to try and get to know his new colleagues, except one pushes Kennard to far, and he hits him.
Whilst working near the bush fires a female Tracey Hilmeyer hasn’t been seen, her husband is a firefighter and their house is on the edge of the fires. Kennard goes to check the house and finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs, and it’s not from a fall, how can Kennard protect the crime scene when it’s likely to go up in flames. He gets the fire chief to try and keep the house safe until he can get some forensics in and get the body out. Kennard’s boss sends a young officer Layton to work with him, she is a buy the book officer, hoping to move up on the fast track route. But why has his boss sent her? It could have been worse, he could have been removed from the case. Gradually a bit of trust builds between the two each covering the other’s back. But how long will that last?
Who would want Tracey Hilmeyer dead? Obviously first suspect is the husband but he claims to have an alibi and was out of town. Who was providing Tracey with opioids? Can Kennard and Layton solve this case before everything goes up in smoke?
This is a steady paced read, there are occasional chapters which are Tracey before you was murdered. It seems there is not a shortage of suspects. Although Tracey seemed to be well liked, she changed after over the last year. Why? Also a couple of chapters go back and explain what happened to Kennard both in Sydney and at the barbecue.
The characters are all believable, three dimensional. When Kennard and Layton go to where the fires are the descriptions are so vivid you feel like you are there, it is very atmospheric with nothing but flames and black smoke. The story is full of plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I enjoyed reading this, the plot certainly keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is. I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.
DS Alex Kennard has been sent there to assist with crowd control. This is a big come down for Kennard, he was a Detective in Sydney until one case hit him hard, leaving him with PTSD, which he is battling to overcome. Moving out of the city was to give him a fresh start, but that doesn’t get off on a great foot as he and his wife have a barbecue to try and get to know his new colleagues, except one pushes Kennard to far, and he hits him.
Whilst working near the bush fires a female Tracey Hilmeyer hasn’t been seen, her husband is a firefighter and their house is on the edge of the fires. Kennard goes to check the house and finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs, and it’s not from a fall, how can Kennard protect the crime scene when it’s likely to go up in flames. He gets the fire chief to try and keep the house safe until he can get some forensics in and get the body out. Kennard’s boss sends a young officer Layton to work with him, she is a buy the book officer, hoping to move up on the fast track route. But why has his boss sent her? It could have been worse, he could have been removed from the case. Gradually a bit of trust builds between the two each covering the other’s back. But how long will that last?
Who would want Tracey Hilmeyer dead? Obviously first suspect is the husband but he claims to have an alibi and was out of town. Who was providing Tracey with opioids? Can Kennard and Layton solve this case before everything goes up in smoke?
This is a steady paced read, there are occasional chapters which are Tracey before you was murdered. It seems there is not a shortage of suspects. Although Tracey seemed to be well liked, she changed after over the last year. Why? Also a couple of chapters go back and explain what happened to Kennard both in Sydney and at the barbecue.
The characters are all believable, three dimensional. When Kennard and Layton go to where the fires are the descriptions are so vivid you feel like you are there, it is very atmospheric with nothing but flames and black smoke. The story is full of plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I enjoyed reading this, the plot certainly keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is. I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.
May 20, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance reader copy. If you want a synopsis, click on the book.
As the title suggests, flames play a major part in this murder mystery. The flawed main character has to deal with solving a murder in the middle of a bush fire. Overall, an entertaining read in an unusual setting.
As the title suggests, flames play a major part in this murder mystery. The flawed main character has to deal with solving a murder in the middle of a bush fire. Overall, an entertaining read in an unusual setting.
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