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The Heatwave
One summer. One stranger. One killer…
Two bad things happened that summer:
A stranger arrived. And the first girl disappeared.
In the wake of the crime that rocked her community, Felicity fled, knowing more than she let on.
But sixteen years later, her new life is shattered by the news that a second girl has gone missing in her hometown.
Now Felicity must go back, to face the truth about what happened all those years ago.
Only she holds the answers – and they’re more shocking than anyone could imagine.
The heatwave is back. And so is the killer.
Two bad things happened that summer:
A stranger arrived. And the first girl disappeared.
In the wake of the crime that rocked her community, Felicity fled, knowing more than she let on.
But sixteen years later, her new life is shattered by the news that a second girl has gone missing in her hometown.
Now Felicity must go back, to face the truth about what happened all those years ago.
Only she holds the answers – and they’re more shocking than anyone could imagine.
The heatwave is back. And so is the killer.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2020
301 people are currently reading
1477 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 567 reviews
July 5, 2020
Accursed
Heatwave is the latest book from the pen of the fabulous Katerina Diamond and it is her first standalone novel sitting alongside her DS Imogen Grey series. A dark psychological thriller which is cleverly crafted and leads to a very disturbing finale.
Unlike Katerina Diamond’s other novels where the action takes place on the trail of a gruesome serial killer, this book is a slow build sinister threat that searches back into the past. The abduction of a young woman, Mandy Green from the Devon coastal town of Sidmouth, stirs something deep in Felicity Musgrave and without delay, she leaves her husband Chris and two children in their home in the Lake District to travel to Devon. The family are left bewildered with Felicity only explaining that she knows something similar happened when she was sixteen when she and her best friend Jasmine lived in Sidmouth. There is a great pang of guilt surrounding Felicity and being in Sidmouth after all these years she wonders if she is doing the right thing.
The story is told over two time periods, and the mechanism of telling the past in the third person from the perspective of Jasmine and the present in the first person from Felicity is a brilliant choice. You’ll realise how clever this choice is when you get to the end and the two storylines converge. In Jasmine’s story, a lodger Tim takes up residence in a garden guest house and he reflects mysterious deep anger that makes Jasmine uneasy, yet her mother and father, Frank and Lisa, seem fond of him. Jasmine is a very pretty girl and has encountered advances from a teacher, who was sacked and shamed as a result and now with Tim, there is a disquieting attraction. In revisiting Sidmouth, Felicity meets some old acquaintances although she is ultimately drawn to her old home and secrets that may be revealed.
As a style of gradually building psychological tension, it was always going to be a slow build but this distracted me at times. The pace of the story seemed very pedestrian and quite unlike Katerina Diamond, particularly building the narrative around Felicity. I spotted early on a particular twist and there are little clues to solving this mystery, however, it doesn’t spoil the main plot and the reasons behind the course of events. The pace picks up in the final 20% and the ending is shocking and caught me by surprise.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy slow-burn psychological thrillers. I would like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.
Heatwave is the latest book from the pen of the fabulous Katerina Diamond and it is her first standalone novel sitting alongside her DS Imogen Grey series. A dark psychological thriller which is cleverly crafted and leads to a very disturbing finale.
Unlike Katerina Diamond’s other novels where the action takes place on the trail of a gruesome serial killer, this book is a slow build sinister threat that searches back into the past. The abduction of a young woman, Mandy Green from the Devon coastal town of Sidmouth, stirs something deep in Felicity Musgrave and without delay, she leaves her husband Chris and two children in their home in the Lake District to travel to Devon. The family are left bewildered with Felicity only explaining that she knows something similar happened when she was sixteen when she and her best friend Jasmine lived in Sidmouth. There is a great pang of guilt surrounding Felicity and being in Sidmouth after all these years she wonders if she is doing the right thing.
“This was all a big mistake and I feel like I am on the brink of destroying myself by being here. I am putting everything and everyone I love in danger because I couldn’t stay away. I was gone, I was free. But the pull was too much. Curiosity killed the cat. I just hope it doesn’t kill me.”
The story is told over two time periods, and the mechanism of telling the past in the third person from the perspective of Jasmine and the present in the first person from Felicity is a brilliant choice. You’ll realise how clever this choice is when you get to the end and the two storylines converge. In Jasmine’s story, a lodger Tim takes up residence in a garden guest house and he reflects mysterious deep anger that makes Jasmine uneasy, yet her mother and father, Frank and Lisa, seem fond of him. Jasmine is a very pretty girl and has encountered advances from a teacher, who was sacked and shamed as a result and now with Tim, there is a disquieting attraction. In revisiting Sidmouth, Felicity meets some old acquaintances although she is ultimately drawn to her old home and secrets that may be revealed.
As a style of gradually building psychological tension, it was always going to be a slow build but this distracted me at times. The pace of the story seemed very pedestrian and quite unlike Katerina Diamond, particularly building the narrative around Felicity. I spotted early on a particular twist and there are little clues to solving this mystery, however, it doesn’t spoil the main plot and the reasons behind the course of events. The pace picks up in the final 20% and the ending is shocking and caught me by surprise.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy slow-burn psychological thrillers. I would like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.
May 14, 2020
The book starts in a very unsettling way with the kidnap in Sidmouth, Devon of Mandy Green and then switches location to the Lake District where Felicity Musgrave lives with her husband Chris and two children. Felicity knots with tension on hearing about Mandy but why? Even more puzzling is that she leaves the family home to rush down to Sidmouth where it transpires she grew up. She tells Chris that the Mandy case is almost identical to another missing girl case in the Devon town when she was 16. It soon becomes apparent that Felicity has been running from many demons, that there are lies in her background which is intriguing as it seems she’s on a collision course with events in her past. The story is told in the present by Felicity and in the past by Jasmine Burgess who was Felicity’s best friend. Jasmine’s parents are Frank and Lisa who seem very kind as they spend their summer holidays in various world locations doing charity work. Their kindness is also demonstrated by their offer of the family guest house to Tim who needs their help. Tim makes Jasmine feel very uneasy, uncomfortable, if not fearful. Why does he unsettle her so much? These two storylines from the past and present connect very dramatically.
The story is easy to read, you feel Felicity’s tension but it’s hard for a long time to understand why she feels she’s the one that can solve the missing girl cases. Jasmine’s feelings about Tim come across well although as the book progresses I think this point becomes a bit laboured. The links between the characters unravel well as do the revealing of secrets and you come to appreciate the guilt and baggage being carried. As Jasmine grows up a number of menacing, sinister and creepy events occur around her and this comes across well and I found myself immersed in her story. There are plenty of twists, turns and revelations as well as the odd jawdropper surprise that I did not see coming! However, this is a trademark of the author.
Although I really did enjoy the book there is some dialogue which doesn’t feel very realistic, for example between Jasmine and her father. The plot is far fetched which is fine, it’s fiction after all but there are some ‘disappearances’ that are not mentioned or accounted for in the timeframe in which they occur which seems odd! That aside, it’s a good read and one which the many fans of Katerina Diamond will lap up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the Arc.
The story is easy to read, you feel Felicity’s tension but it’s hard for a long time to understand why she feels she’s the one that can solve the missing girl cases. Jasmine’s feelings about Tim come across well although as the book progresses I think this point becomes a bit laboured. The links between the characters unravel well as do the revealing of secrets and you come to appreciate the guilt and baggage being carried. As Jasmine grows up a number of menacing, sinister and creepy events occur around her and this comes across well and I found myself immersed in her story. There are plenty of twists, turns and revelations as well as the odd jawdropper surprise that I did not see coming! However, this is a trademark of the author.
Although I really did enjoy the book there is some dialogue which doesn’t feel very realistic, for example between Jasmine and her father. The plot is far fetched which is fine, it’s fiction after all but there are some ‘disappearances’ that are not mentioned or accounted for in the timeframe in which they occur which seems odd! That aside, it’s a good read and one which the many fans of Katerina Diamond will lap up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the Arc.
June 26, 2020
Felicity is so shocked by the news of a young teenage girl in her former hometown of Sidmouth has gone missing, that she instantly drops everything in her hone in the Lake District and heads south to help.
The truth is Felicity hasn't step foot in her old town for 16 years, ever since the disappearance of another teenage girl.
As both cases seem similar, she feels compelled to return and face past terrors.
Author Diamonds is best known for her Miles and Grey series, so this standalone thriller is a perfect entry point.
The plot jumps between the present say as Felicity rediscovers her past, whilst the first disappearance is told through teenage Jasmine.
As the two timelines cleverly intertwine, I found myself enjoying this book more and more.
Theres enough teases and hints throughout that keeps the reader guessing, but it's the finally quarter that really elevates the tension, that's when I realised that was desperate to know what actually happened all them years ago.
The truth is Felicity hasn't step foot in her old town for 16 years, ever since the disappearance of another teenage girl.
As both cases seem similar, she feels compelled to return and face past terrors.
Author Diamonds is best known for her Miles and Grey series, so this standalone thriller is a perfect entry point.
The plot jumps between the present say as Felicity rediscovers her past, whilst the first disappearance is told through teenage Jasmine.
As the two timelines cleverly intertwine, I found myself enjoying this book more and more.
Theres enough teases and hints throughout that keeps the reader guessing, but it's the finally quarter that really elevates the tension, that's when I realised that was desperate to know what actually happened all them years ago.
April 30, 2020
Wow! This is one gripping psychological thriller! I absolutely devoured this in an afternoon, seriously could not put it down. Katerina Diamond’s stand alone The Heatwave is just as intense and twisty as her Miles and Grey series. You need to read this book, you really do. This book deserves to be a massive hit.
The story begins with Felicity watching a news story about a missing 16 year old girl in her hometown of Sidmouth in Devon. A hometown that she never talks about. She immediately packs her bags and leaves her husband and kids and heads back to the beachside town. She is convinced that this disappearance is somehow connected to her and wha happened when she was 16..
From here the story jumps between the present with Felicity looking into what happens to the girl and the past, told by Jasmine, Felicity’s best friend growing up. Slowly the truth of why she has returned becomes clear. The demons of her past are coming back to haunt her, a past that she has tried she hard to forget.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
The story begins with Felicity watching a news story about a missing 16 year old girl in her hometown of Sidmouth in Devon. A hometown that she never talks about. She immediately packs her bags and leaves her husband and kids and heads back to the beachside town. She is convinced that this disappearance is somehow connected to her and wha happened when she was 16..
From here the story jumps between the present with Felicity looking into what happens to the girl and the past, told by Jasmine, Felicity’s best friend growing up. Slowly the truth of why she has returned becomes clear. The demons of her past are coming back to haunt her, a past that she has tried she hard to forget.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
August 10, 2020
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars.
Felicity lives a charmed and privileged life, but this wasn't always so. Her childhood has always felt like an inescapable weight, despite the miles and years that separate them, but never more so than with the current headline screaming at her from every newspaper and news station: a girl has disappeared.
Felicity does not know this teenage girl, but she does know another who vanished in the same place and in the same way. Felicity feels called to save this unknown teenager and hopefully quieten the unavenged from her own past that won't keep quiet, in the process.
Whilst this provided a series of intriguing and interlinked mysteries I did guess at the central one before the grand reveal. Much featured to keep me engaged however, and I felt more satisfied than disappointed at knowing this one ahead of time. My engagement with the story was also heightened through the split chronological format, which featured the present crime along with the many mysteries of the past. On the brink of gaining some knowledge the perspective switched and it always left me eager for more, in both areas.
One small source of discontent for me, however, was the willingness of various individuals to reveal information about the missing girl in their area. Perhaps this is a personal issue, but if a stranger questioned me about a crime I would hesitate to provide ANY knowledge I had about the case or the girl in question, especially details such as her name or where she resided. This happened on a few occasions and was never a prevalent enough issue to spoil my enjoyment, but did feature enough for me to mention here.
Despite this small niggle, I was impressed with the many twists and how much was incorporated in the narrative. My reading of it also coincided nicely with a British heatwave, and I spent a few restless nights when sleep evaded me, sweating my way through these pages with the characters instead.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Katerina Diamond, and the publisher, Avon Books, for this opportunity.
Felicity lives a charmed and privileged life, but this wasn't always so. Her childhood has always felt like an inescapable weight, despite the miles and years that separate them, but never more so than with the current headline screaming at her from every newspaper and news station: a girl has disappeared.
Felicity does not know this teenage girl, but she does know another who vanished in the same place and in the same way. Felicity feels called to save this unknown teenager and hopefully quieten the unavenged from her own past that won't keep quiet, in the process.
Whilst this provided a series of intriguing and interlinked mysteries I did guess at the central one before the grand reveal. Much featured to keep me engaged however, and I felt more satisfied than disappointed at knowing this one ahead of time. My engagement with the story was also heightened through the split chronological format, which featured the present crime along with the many mysteries of the past. On the brink of gaining some knowledge the perspective switched and it always left me eager for more, in both areas.
One small source of discontent for me, however, was the willingness of various individuals to reveal information about the missing girl in their area. Perhaps this is a personal issue, but if a stranger questioned me about a crime I would hesitate to provide ANY knowledge I had about the case or the girl in question, especially details such as her name or where she resided. This happened on a few occasions and was never a prevalent enough issue to spoil my enjoyment, but did feature enough for me to mention here.
Despite this small niggle, I was impressed with the many twists and how much was incorporated in the narrative. My reading of it also coincided nicely with a British heatwave, and I spent a few restless nights when sleep evaded me, sweating my way through these pages with the characters instead.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Katerina Diamond, and the publisher, Avon Books, for this opportunity.
April 18, 2020
I have to admit Katerina Diamond is one of my favourite authors, so I was jumping for joy to get the chance to review this book.
Felicity is dismayed to see on the news, a young girl going missing in her home town of Sidmouth in Devon. She hasn’t been home for 16 years and left when another girl had disappeared . She returns home to find out about the missing girl and see if there is any connections between the two girls.
The story is told from Felicity’s point of view and of her childhood friend Jasmine. Jasmine’s parents Frank and Lisa often go abroad to do charity work, they have offered their cabin in the garden to Tim a homeless man, but he unsettles Jasmine.
Loved how the stories merge together in a nail biting way that had me completely hooked!!
An author I couldn’t recommend enough!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Felicity is dismayed to see on the news, a young girl going missing in her home town of Sidmouth in Devon. She hasn’t been home for 16 years and left when another girl had disappeared . She returns home to find out about the missing girl and see if there is any connections between the two girls.
The story is told from Felicity’s point of view and of her childhood friend Jasmine. Jasmine’s parents Frank and Lisa often go abroad to do charity work, they have offered their cabin in the garden to Tim a homeless man, but he unsettles Jasmine.
Loved how the stories merge together in a nail biting way that had me completely hooked!!
An author I couldn’t recommend enough!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
June 15, 2020
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher in return for an honest review. The release date for this book is 25 June 2020
OMG what a page turner. I could not put this book down. It had amazing plot twists and turns- , enough to make your head spin. This is a fast pace thriller and needs to be on everyone’s summer reading list. Katerina Diamond does not disappoint. This has best seller written all over it.
March 21, 2021
Felicity left home sixteen years ago. She lives in the Lake District with her husband and teo daughters. She has tried to forget the events that happened, ut she can't. Her life had been turned upside down when a stranger moved into their home town and a girl disappeared. But now another girl has disappeared. Felicity knows she must return to Devon and face the past.
The story jumps back and forth in time. The pace is steady with many twists and turns. Felicity feels she can solve the mystery behind the young girls disappearance. The story is told in the past by Jasmine and Felicity in the present day. I was quickly caught up in the story. I needed to know if there was a connection between the two girls who had disappeared. This is a new standalone from Katerina Diamond and it does not disappoint. A dark, gripping and page turning read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Katerina Diamond for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story jumps back and forth in time. The pace is steady with many twists and turns. Felicity feels she can solve the mystery behind the young girls disappearance. The story is told in the past by Jasmine and Felicity in the present day. I was quickly caught up in the story. I needed to know if there was a connection between the two girls who had disappeared. This is a new standalone from Katerina Diamond and it does not disappoint. A dark, gripping and page turning read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Katerina Diamond for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2020
First a disclosure, i haven't been having the best luck with thrillers lately... So I'm afraid maybe it's me. This 1 had rave reviews & i was excited to get into it. At first the alternating past & present narratives were both really interesting. After about halfway though, the past started to feel dragged out. I also never had much empathy for our main character (in the present,) she actually really irritated me & i found her character just generally unrealistic- so i found it hard to even want to pick up the book. & then ultimately, the reasons for basically everything were extremely weak & just altogether far-fetched. There's more to say but i don't want to get into spoilers..
So why 3 stars & not 2? The author can obviously write, & there wasn't any 1 thing overwhelmingly "wrong" with the book. Ive never read any others by this author... I'll try, but i have a feeling it might just be a bad fit.
So why 3 stars & not 2? The author can obviously write, & there wasn't any 1 thing overwhelmingly "wrong" with the book. Ive never read any others by this author... I'll try, but i have a feeling it might just be a bad fit.
March 6, 2020
Felicity is shocked when she sees a report on television that a young girl has gone missing from the town where she grew up. She had run away from home sixteen years ago while a search was ongoing for another missing girl.
Felicity feels the need to go home to help look for the missing teenager and find out exactly what happed to the other girl all those years ago.
A thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat with lots of twists and turns.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Felicity feels the need to go home to help look for the missing teenager and find out exactly what happed to the other girl all those years ago.
A thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat with lots of twists and turns.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2020
OMG what a page turner. I could not put this book down. It had amazing plot twists and turns- , enough to make your head spin. This is a fast pace thriller and needs to be on everyone’s summer reading list. Katerina Diamond does not disappoint. This has best seller written all over it.
May 21, 2020
Oh. My. Goodness. That was a cracking book 4.5 stars. It was the summer that changed everything. 16 years ago a young man, Tim, came to town and by the end of that summer people had died and people had disappeared. Felicity (Flick) fled the town never to return. Until now. Now living in the Lake District Flick hears on the radio one morning that another young girl has gone missing from her hometown in Devon in a horribly similar way to back then. She feels driven to return and confront the ghosts of her past. So she kisses her family goodbye and drives off.
The story is told from two points of view (POV). In the present tense we get Felicity’s story as she retraces the steps from her past with mounting dread. We get the feeling that something terrible had happened. In the past we get the story from her best friend Jasmine’s POV and it was at Jasmine’s house, in the guest cottage, that the stranger, Tim, was ensconced. Jasmine felt straight away that there was something odd, something not quite right, with Tim but her parents seemed to like him and he was doing some renovations at their house for his board.
During that hot summer tension simmered between the young friends and Tim. Jasmine felt drawn to him but still didn’t fully trust him. But one fateful day blew everything wide open. If you picture the COVID-19 curve, it was pretty flat and only rising slowly for a long time at the start. Then it shot upwards. That was this book - a long slow burn that got suddenly hotter and ended with an almighty bang. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it. Many thanks to Netgalley, Avon Books UK and Katerina Diamond for providing me with a copy for an honest review.
The story is told from two points of view (POV). In the present tense we get Felicity’s story as she retraces the steps from her past with mounting dread. We get the feeling that something terrible had happened. In the past we get the story from her best friend Jasmine’s POV and it was at Jasmine’s house, in the guest cottage, that the stranger, Tim, was ensconced. Jasmine felt straight away that there was something odd, something not quite right, with Tim but her parents seemed to like him and he was doing some renovations at their house for his board.
During that hot summer tension simmered between the young friends and Tim. Jasmine felt drawn to him but still didn’t fully trust him. But one fateful day blew everything wide open. If you picture the COVID-19 curve, it was pretty flat and only rising slowly for a long time at the start. Then it shot upwards. That was this book - a long slow burn that got suddenly hotter and ended with an almighty bang. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it. Many thanks to Netgalley, Avon Books UK and Katerina Diamond for providing me with a copy for an honest review.
June 25, 2020
Looking for a book that has crime, mystery, suspense and plenty of heat? Then this is the book for you. It pulled me in from the beginning and with temperatures sizzling from each page, I was desperate to see how the plot would conclude.
The narrative is divided into present day, narrated by Felicity; and the past, narrated by Jasmine. The two girls were best friends and initially I was a little confused about whose voice I was reading. However, this was only a temporary glitch and certainly did not prevent me from racing through the pages.
Both time periods are defined by the sizzling summer temperatures. I think this is what helps to make this a perfect summer read, especially as exotic getaways are rather limited. Felicity is drawn back to her hometown in Devon after seeing the disappearance of a young girl on the news. The writer implies that Felicity has the answers to this disappearance and seems to know more about events that took place sixteen years ago. Gradually, readers are given this information as well, leading to a breathless, climatic conclusion.
I certainly could not anticipate the direction that the narrative took. Relishing in the clues that Diamond provided, I shared Jasmine’s distrust of Tim, and Felicity’s uncertainty as she returns to Devon. It is clear from the beginning that Felicity is seeking closure from her past but Diamond leaves the mystery building – a bit like the heat in summer when it eventually breaks into a storm. This “storm” is what readers witness at the end as answers are finally provided. It left me gasping in disbelief and it was like I was standing in a metaphorical rain shower: being cooled off after the build up of such tension.
After hearing some many positive things about this book, I can safely say that my expectations were not disappointed. As young girls, Felicity and Jasmine are believable characters and I enjoyed the sense of stagnation that radiated from the hot summer. The girls are listless and lethargic which completely juxtaposes the action that unfolds within the pages.
This was gripping from start to finish. There were surprises in each chapter that made me feel like I was reading something fresh and new. The story is interesting and different; it felt unique to plenty of crime thrillers out there and I could not wait to find out the final answers.
With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The narrative is divided into present day, narrated by Felicity; and the past, narrated by Jasmine. The two girls were best friends and initially I was a little confused about whose voice I was reading. However, this was only a temporary glitch and certainly did not prevent me from racing through the pages.
Both time periods are defined by the sizzling summer temperatures. I think this is what helps to make this a perfect summer read, especially as exotic getaways are rather limited. Felicity is drawn back to her hometown in Devon after seeing the disappearance of a young girl on the news. The writer implies that Felicity has the answers to this disappearance and seems to know more about events that took place sixteen years ago. Gradually, readers are given this information as well, leading to a breathless, climatic conclusion.
I certainly could not anticipate the direction that the narrative took. Relishing in the clues that Diamond provided, I shared Jasmine’s distrust of Tim, and Felicity’s uncertainty as she returns to Devon. It is clear from the beginning that Felicity is seeking closure from her past but Diamond leaves the mystery building – a bit like the heat in summer when it eventually breaks into a storm. This “storm” is what readers witness at the end as answers are finally provided. It left me gasping in disbelief and it was like I was standing in a metaphorical rain shower: being cooled off after the build up of such tension.
After hearing some many positive things about this book, I can safely say that my expectations were not disappointed. As young girls, Felicity and Jasmine are believable characters and I enjoyed the sense of stagnation that radiated from the hot summer. The girls are listless and lethargic which completely juxtaposes the action that unfolds within the pages.
This was gripping from start to finish. There were surprises in each chapter that made me feel like I was reading something fresh and new. The story is interesting and different; it felt unique to plenty of crime thrillers out there and I could not wait to find out the final answers.
With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2020
Really enjoyed this. I've never read anything by Katerina Diamond before (despite owning four of her other books 🤦🏻♀️). I found myself getting so annoyed with the lead character in the beginning as she came across as so selfish and needy. But as the book went on her behaviour made total sense and the story ended with a explanation that I DEFINITELY did not see coming! Very much worth picking up if you see it!
May 11, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for a copy of The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond. This is a dark, compelling thriller with a surprising twist at the end that you do not see coming.
Felicity lives with her husband Chris in the Lake district with there two kids. She has a happy marriage, but she is keeping some dark secrets from her past. She sees a news report about a missing girl Mandy Green. This is not unusual but, the girl has gone missing from her childhood town of Sidmouth in Devon. As soon as she sees she decides to pack her bags and go to Sidmouth to find the girl as she reckons it is her fault that she has gone missing.
The story goes back and forth in time to tell the story of when Felicity was 16 then named Jasmine and the events that leads up to the fatal day.
This is a slow burner of the story that you do not get the full picture until the last third of the story. Of Jasmine (now Felicity) and her life with her parents and the lodger Tim that from the instance she sees him, something just is not right. I found this story is tense and creepy. I really enjoyed this as it just the right kind of book to take my mind of the current situation we are in. 4 stars from me.
Felicity lives with her husband Chris in the Lake district with there two kids. She has a happy marriage, but she is keeping some dark secrets from her past. She sees a news report about a missing girl Mandy Green. This is not unusual but, the girl has gone missing from her childhood town of Sidmouth in Devon. As soon as she sees she decides to pack her bags and go to Sidmouth to find the girl as she reckons it is her fault that she has gone missing.
The story goes back and forth in time to tell the story of when Felicity was 16 then named Jasmine and the events that leads up to the fatal day.
This is a slow burner of the story that you do not get the full picture until the last third of the story. Of Jasmine (now Felicity) and her life with her parents and the lodger Tim that from the instance she sees him, something just is not right. I found this story is tense and creepy. I really enjoyed this as it just the right kind of book to take my mind of the current situation we are in. 4 stars from me.
June 10, 2020
When Felicity hears that a girl has gone missing from her home town, it forces her to to confront her past by returning to her hometown.
Since there are too many similarities between this case and what happened 16 years ago. She believes only she holds the answers – and they’re more shocking than anyone could imagine.
This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it!!
It is so well written that initially very little information is revealed so it keeps the reader guessing and adds to the suspense. It is nicely split into chapters told by the two main characters, Felicity (now) and her best friend, Jasmine (then). It starts slowly but then it gathers pace and intensity.
This is a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and had some very surprising twists, some of which I guessed and some I didn't expect!! Overall this book was brilliant and I read it in one sitting.
Thank You to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC!!
Since there are too many similarities between this case and what happened 16 years ago. She believes only she holds the answers – and they’re more shocking than anyone could imagine.
This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it!!
It is so well written that initially very little information is revealed so it keeps the reader guessing and adds to the suspense. It is nicely split into chapters told by the two main characters, Felicity (now) and her best friend, Jasmine (then). It starts slowly but then it gathers pace and intensity.
This is a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and had some very surprising twists, some of which I guessed and some I didn't expect!! Overall this book was brilliant and I read it in one sitting.
Thank You to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC!!
June 24, 2020
Many Thanks to Net Galley, Avon Books UK and the author for a chance to review this book.
Kindly do yourself a favor guys, go blind into this one.
You believe you know where the story is going,
You think you know the twists
You feel this is the reveal
BUT NO, NOPE and definitely NOT!!!
A handsome and sinister lodger, two BFF’s Jasmine and Felicity, one whose home is a disaster and another whose life is as charmed as can be, a killer who waits 15 years, the story moves at a shocking pace that keeps the reader glued to its pages.
Addictive and riveting, The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond is a must-read thriller for this summer and I can’t recommend it enough!
Kindly do yourself a favor guys, go blind into this one.
You believe you know where the story is going,
You think you know the twists
You feel this is the reveal
BUT NO, NOPE and definitely NOT!!!
A handsome and sinister lodger, two BFF’s Jasmine and Felicity, one whose home is a disaster and another whose life is as charmed as can be, a killer who waits 15 years, the story moves at a shocking pace that keeps the reader glued to its pages.
Addictive and riveting, The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond is a must-read thriller for this summer and I can’t recommend it enough!
May 1, 2020
The Heatwave is a fantastic British mystery/thriller that kept me reading late into the night. I haven't read anything by Katerina Diamond before and have to admit I had never heard of her. After reading Heatwave I want to read all of her books! Felicity, a mum of two, returns to her hometown after she finds out a teenage girl has gone missing. Felicity hasn't been home since she was sixteen. She left town, never to return, after a teenage girl from her school disappeared. Somehow the disappearances are linked and Felicity wants answers. With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.
June 25, 2020
The Heatwave is Katerina Diamond's first standalone thriller and is both a tantalising summer sizzler and a satisfyingly sinister work of psychological suspense. Set amongst the eager tourists and frolicking beachgoers in Sidmouth, Devon, we are introduced to a predator who has stalked the local area for many years just laying in wait for their ideal prey. Felicity, or Flick, is currently living in The Lake District, a truly stunning part of our country, with her husband and two daughters she adores when she is left reeling after she sees a shocking case of a missing girl, Mandy Green, on the television news that hits terrifyingly close to home for her taking her back to her troubled past in sunny Sidmouth. She becomes obsessed knowing this case is linked to Hannah’s disappearance almost two decades ago and ups sticks rather rapidly to move back to her hometown for reasons which are not immediately clear to anyone but her.
Ahh, yes! Ms Diamond has excelled herself with this book which is absolutely perfect for taking on a beach break or for devouring closer to home in the garden. It tells the story from two perspectives and two timelines: Jasmine in the past and Felicity in the present and effortlessly slips between these variants with not even a hint of confusion. The character development is well executed and we get to see that Flick is emotionally unstable due to secrets from sixteen years ago that have followed her through life despite having moved on and started a family. The author gives you many reasons not to like Felicity as a person but what she excelled at was appealing to your better nature and managing to get you to still care about the character. The secrets are many and I was shocked when they started being revealed; I was not expecting it to go in that direction. Superb. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
Ahh, yes! Ms Diamond has excelled herself with this book which is absolutely perfect for taking on a beach break or for devouring closer to home in the garden. It tells the story from two perspectives and two timelines: Jasmine in the past and Felicity in the present and effortlessly slips between these variants with not even a hint of confusion. The character development is well executed and we get to see that Flick is emotionally unstable due to secrets from sixteen years ago that have followed her through life despite having moved on and started a family. The author gives you many reasons not to like Felicity as a person but what she excelled at was appealing to your better nature and managing to get you to still care about the character. The secrets are many and I was shocked when they started being revealed; I was not expecting it to go in that direction. Superb. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
June 24, 2020
“The Heatwave” is written by the very popular author Katerina Diamond and is a stand-alone thriller set within a dual timeline. Although most recent reviewers of this book praise it highly, I’m afraid I must be the loner on this one, as for me it just didn’t work.
“One summer. One stranger. One killer…Two bad things happened that summer: A stranger arrived. And the first girl disappeared”
Basically that is it. ‘Flick’ returns to her hometown after sixteen years when she discovers a second girl has gone missing. The ‘now’ part of the story involving Flick returning home was a non starter for me and it was literally the last ten per cent of the book that we are privy to why she had to return home. She’s flawed, cliched and totally unrealistic and a character I just couldn’t relate to at all. I did however enjoy the ‘then’ story and was interested in what happened all those years ago but the denouement and revelation of the killer for me was just too far fetched and utterly implausible.
A few inconsistencies for me including a brown car and the sound it made that Flick recognised after sixteen years, spoilt it for me. I’m sure readers who love slow burn stories with flawed characters will like “The Heatwave” and although I would read more by this author again I can’t give this book more than 2.5 stars.
2.5 stars
“One summer. One stranger. One killer…Two bad things happened that summer: A stranger arrived. And the first girl disappeared”
Basically that is it. ‘Flick’ returns to her hometown after sixteen years when she discovers a second girl has gone missing. The ‘now’ part of the story involving Flick returning home was a non starter for me and it was literally the last ten per cent of the book that we are privy to why she had to return home. She’s flawed, cliched and totally unrealistic and a character I just couldn’t relate to at all. I did however enjoy the ‘then’ story and was interested in what happened all those years ago but the denouement and revelation of the killer for me was just too far fetched and utterly implausible.
A few inconsistencies for me including a brown car and the sound it made that Flick recognised after sixteen years, spoilt it for me. I’m sure readers who love slow burn stories with flawed characters will like “The Heatwave” and although I would read more by this author again I can’t give this book more than 2.5 stars.
2.5 stars
June 23, 2020
Felicity left home sixteen years ago. She lives in the Lake District with her husband and two daughters. She has tried to forget the events that happened, but she can't. Her life had been turned upside down when a stranger moved into her home town and a girl disappeared. But now another young girl has disappeared. Felicity knows she must return to Devon and face the past.
The story jumps back and forth in time. The pace is steady with many twist and turns. Felicity feels she can solve the mystery behind the young girls disappearance. The story is told in the past by Jasmine and Felicity in the present day. I was quickly caught up in the story. I needed to know if there was a connection between the two girls who had disappeared. Thisnis a new standalone from Katerina Diamond and it does not disappoint. A dark, gripping and page turning read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Katerina Diamond for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story jumps back and forth in time. The pace is steady with many twist and turns. Felicity feels she can solve the mystery behind the young girls disappearance. The story is told in the past by Jasmine and Felicity in the present day. I was quickly caught up in the story. I needed to know if there was a connection between the two girls who had disappeared. Thisnis a new standalone from Katerina Diamond and it does not disappoint. A dark, gripping and page turning read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Katerina Diamond for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2021
Having not read this author previously, it was with some keenness that I began this psychological thriller. The disappearance of two girls forms the whodunnit, written from two perspectives sixteen years apart. The story unfolds slowly and the connection is not initially apparent. A readable enough tale, with some interesting characters who aren’t all likeable. A slow burn, but the ending is full of surprises, yet only a three-star rating.
June 25, 2020
Felicity is living a seemingly happy life in the Lake District with her husband and two kids but when she learns about the disappearance of a young girl in her hometown she decides to leave everything inmediately and go there as she suspects that disappearance may be related to another missing girl 16 years ago.
Told in dual lines, we follow Felicity in the present time as she tries to uncover what happened to the missing girl and Jasmine, her best friend, in the past line, when we learn about everything that happened when the girls were teenagers.
From the beginning it's made clear that Felicity has many demons and is hiding lots of things. While both lines held my attention I think the past one dragged along a bit around the middle part. It's not till the last 20% that everything starts to unravel and then we got twist after twist after twist (some of them I guessed, some I didn't). One of the problems I found was that the resolution, although answered all the questions, felt little credible (that confession conversation sounded anything but heartfelt and come one, I'm sure the author could find a better motivation than a difficult childhood!).
Anyway, in spite of all this, it was a fast and entertaining read so I will check some of the author's previous work.
3,5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Told in dual lines, we follow Felicity in the present time as she tries to uncover what happened to the missing girl and Jasmine, her best friend, in the past line, when we learn about everything that happened when the girls were teenagers.
From the beginning it's made clear that Felicity has many demons and is hiding lots of things. While both lines held my attention I think the past one dragged along a bit around the middle part. It's not till the last 20% that everything starts to unravel and then we got twist after twist after twist (some of them I guessed, some I didn't). One of the problems I found was that the resolution, although answered all the questions, felt little credible (that confession conversation sounded anything but heartfelt and come one, I'm sure the author could find a better motivation than a difficult childhood!).
Anyway, in spite of all this, it was a fast and entertaining read so I will check some of the author's previous work.
3,5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2020
Good summer read. Plenty of twists
June 8, 2020
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley. It does not impact my review.
I’m a huge fan of Katerina Diamond’s DS Imogen Grey series and I was excited for her first standalone book. Though it meant I have to wait longer for more Imogen and Adrian, The Heatwave was an enjoyable book.
The story is told in past and present timelines. In the present, Felicity feels compelled to return to her hometown and investigate when she finds out another teenage girl has gone missing. In the past, Jasmine tries to discover what the strange new lodger her parents have invited to live in their guest house is hiding. I have to say that I found the past chapters much more interesting than the present. The characters were more fleshed out and I felt invested in what happened to them. I thought Tim’s character was intriguing and wanted to learn more about him. In the present, I just didn’t really care much about Felicity. She honestly didn’t really do much besides drinking and wandering aimlessly around town, talking to whoever she happened upon. I found it frustrating that she was so vague and all character development was really saved for the end.
There was a reason for the vagueness, though. Things needed to be that way so the twists and turns revealed towards the end have an impact. However, if you’re paying attention, you will guess one of the biggest surprises very early on in the story. I did, and found myself just waiting for it to finally be revealed and I think that hindered some of my enjoyment of the story. While I did figure out almost every other twist, it did take me a little longer.
Overall, The Heatwave was enjoyable. I especially liked the past chapters. I think if you’re able to just sit back and take everything as it comes, rather than trying to figure things out, you will enjoy this one.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 3.5 Stars
I’m a huge fan of Katerina Diamond’s DS Imogen Grey series and I was excited for her first standalone book. Though it meant I have to wait longer for more Imogen and Adrian, The Heatwave was an enjoyable book.
The story is told in past and present timelines. In the present, Felicity feels compelled to return to her hometown and investigate when she finds out another teenage girl has gone missing. In the past, Jasmine tries to discover what the strange new lodger her parents have invited to live in their guest house is hiding. I have to say that I found the past chapters much more interesting than the present. The characters were more fleshed out and I felt invested in what happened to them. I thought Tim’s character was intriguing and wanted to learn more about him. In the present, I just didn’t really care much about Felicity. She honestly didn’t really do much besides drinking and wandering aimlessly around town, talking to whoever she happened upon. I found it frustrating that she was so vague and all character development was really saved for the end.
There was a reason for the vagueness, though. Things needed to be that way so the twists and turns revealed towards the end have an impact. However, if you’re paying attention, you will guess one of the biggest surprises very early on in the story. I did, and found myself just waiting for it to finally be revealed and I think that hindered some of my enjoyment of the story. While I did figure out almost every other twist, it did take me a little longer.
Overall, The Heatwave was enjoyable. I especially liked the past chapters. I think if you’re able to just sit back and take everything as it comes, rather than trying to figure things out, you will enjoy this one.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 3.5 Stars
May 17, 2020
If you want a book which draws you in with believable characters with whom you can feel at least a little sympathy, and a well thought out plot that moves along at a pace even slightly faster than a snail going backwards, you'll not find it here.
Our heroine, Felicity, returns to her home town after the disappearance of a young girl. Having fled the town some sixteen years earlier following the disappearance of a friend, she feels an obligation to go back. No, I'm not sure either, but there we are, this is the premise of this painfuly slow, rather dull, book. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, the dialogue is, at times, cheesier than a ripe camembert,, and it just didn't hold my interest at all.
Heatwave? Why? What's the relevance? This is possibly the only mystery about this book. It's certainly not the “tense, gripping, shocking” book described by some anonymous fan, or “absorbing and wonderfully twisted” as described by another. I can only think they read a different book, because this one had me falling asleep.
My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC download
Our heroine, Felicity, returns to her home town after the disappearance of a young girl. Having fled the town some sixteen years earlier following the disappearance of a friend, she feels an obligation to go back. No, I'm not sure either, but there we are, this is the premise of this painfuly slow, rather dull, book. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, the dialogue is, at times, cheesier than a ripe camembert,, and it just didn't hold my interest at all.
Heatwave? Why? What's the relevance? This is possibly the only mystery about this book. It's certainly not the “tense, gripping, shocking” book described by some anonymous fan, or “absorbing and wonderfully twisted” as described by another. I can only think they read a different book, because this one had me falling asleep.
My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC download
July 19, 2020
A brilliant book by this author. A missing child trope always gets to me. A child disappeared abd Felicity went back home to search.
Told in multiple POV, the past and present were revealed slowly, giving me the entire picture, and at the same time, increasing the tension risen in me.
The writing was insidious slowly enveloping me with suspense. The author kept the pace swift bringing the story to an unexpected end, tying up all the subplots. A wicked read was this which kept me completely hooked to my kindle.
Told in multiple POV, the past and present were revealed slowly, giving me the entire picture, and at the same time, increasing the tension risen in me.
The writing was insidious slowly enveloping me with suspense. The author kept the pace swift bringing the story to an unexpected end, tying up all the subplots. A wicked read was this which kept me completely hooked to my kindle.
September 22, 2020
When Felicity watches a news story about a missing 16 year old girl in her hometown of Sidmouth in Devon , she immediately heads back leaving her husband and kids behind. She is convinced that this disappearance will somehow give her a clue to what happened all those years ago.
Heatwave by Katerina Diamond is a stand-alone psychological thriller .A slow burner it's a compulsive, enjoyable read full of suspense and tension.. Solid 5 stars
I would like to thank Avon Books UK & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Heatwave by Katerina Diamond is a stand-alone psychological thriller .A slow burner it's a compulsive, enjoyable read full of suspense and tension.. Solid 5 stars
I would like to thank Avon Books UK & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
May 29, 2020
Wow this was a good book, very tense all the way through and as the title suggests you can actually feel the heat all the time in this book. It had a different start to a lot of books but it drew me in and kept me going until the end. I haven’t read any of Katrina Diamond’s books before but I will be looking out for her others now.
June 24, 2020
The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond is a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Avon Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Felicity was 16 when she fled the small town of Sidmouth in Devon. She has since married and has two children.
Now, 16 years later, another girl has gone missing from Sidmouth, and Felicity knows she must return to face what happened so long ago. She is the only one who knows the truth, and she is the only one that has a shot at finding the missing girl.
But Felicity also knows that this could ruin her marriage, but she can't run any more.
My Opinions:
I love Katerina Diamond's police procedural serial starring Imogen Grey, so I couldn't wait to read this stand-alone novel by a favorite author.
However, this was "almost" a bust for me. First, my lack of compassion for Felicity - who leaves her husband and children with little warning, and no information, and then seems to be on an alcoholic binge, had me highly annoyed. Then, the horrendously slow pace had me wanting to put it away forever. It's a good thing I'm a tenacious reader who never gives up on a book (not yet anyway). When the book finally took a turn, I was spinning with it. The twists were extreme. One identity twist I saw coming early on, but there were a couple that really surprised me. The book went from a blah, blah, blah, to OMG, OMG, OMG.
The story alternated between the two time-lines, the teenage years being told by Felicity's best-friend Jasmine, and the current time-line told by Felicity. I think the author nailed the early relationship between the teenagers, although I think Jasmine's ability to understand and forgive Felicity's behaviour was a little too mature. I think at that age if my best friend hit on some guy I was interested in, or blatantly made sure I was made to look foolish in certain circumstances, there would have been more repercussions. However, that is a minor criticism that I can live with.
The real reason that this is not a 5 star book is that it took entirely too long to get interesting!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
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