Burn

by Sean Doolittle

In California the hills are on fire. Not a good sign for Andrew Kindler, who just came from back east to get away from his past–as an arsonist. In fact, almost from the moment he sets foot in his cousin’s Santa Monica beach house, the heat starts swirling around him. First there’s the cop who thinks Andrew might know something about a murder suspect. Then there’s the suspect’s beautiful sister, who is willing to pay Andrew $5,000 for the same information.But Andrew really uninformed. And with a sensational murder case burning a hole in the gut of the LAPD–as well as the star-studded L.A. fitness industry–ignorance is dangerous. Now Andrew must solve a murder he knows nothing about, find a killer he’s never met, and unravel a family’s explosive secret. His reward for success? To live another one step ahead of his burning past... “An exceptionally well-crafted and well-told tale of arson, police work, misplaced zeal, bad relationships, good relationships, family bonds and, oh yes, exercise videos. Quirky, compelling, intelligent, and funny ... If you like Elmore Leonard, do yourself a favor and pick up BURN.”–Lincoln Journal Star “A cult writer for the masses–hip, smart and so mordantly funny that the casual reader might be laughing too hard to realize just how thoughtful Doolittle’s work is. Get on the bandwagon now.”–Laura Lippman, author of By a Spider’s Thread “Sean Doolittle combines wit, good humor, and a generosity of spirit rare in mystery fiction to create novels that are both engrossing and strangely uplifting. He deserves to take his place among the best in the genre.”–John Connolly, author of The White Road“An estimable addition not only to the publisher’s list but also to crime fiction ... Doolittle delivers a briskly plotted, hard-boiled mystery that has its roots in the Elmore Leonard school of dark comedy.”–South Florida Sun-Sentinel·Gold medal winner for mystery in ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award·A Best Crime Fiction of 2003 pick from January Magazine From the Paperback edition.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Noir, Fiction, Thriller

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the new generation of hard-boiled mystery writers, this guy can really move a story.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast, fun thriller where the hero both has a slightly unsavory past (involving fire) and, not unrealistically, spends much of the novel trying to figure out the scenario he's been thrown into as the novel opens. Andrew Kindler is staying in the California beach house of his cousin when a cop knocks on the door, asking about a man Andrew has never head of. That's the start of twisting tale of murder, family, and the exercise industry. The tone never quite settles but I enjoyed the book just fine anyway.

[James Hallmark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew moves out to Malibu to stay in his cousin’s vacation house to get away from his previous life as an arsonist (his name is “Kindle”…really?? An arsonist named Kindle?). A prominent member of the community is murdered and the murder is made to look like a car accident in the path of a wildfire. The police initially suspect Andrew but through clever clues they all figure out who done it. I didn’t get into this book. It’s not bad. It’s a page turner. Seemed like the characters were all pretty one-dimensional. I’m not sure Doolittle is intending this to be too terribly serious. Maybe a bit stylistic. In any event, I didn’t care that much for it. Didn’t hate it, but not my style.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Kindler has decided to change coasts. Fortunately for him, his cousin has a beach house on the Pacific she's not using. To talk to Kindler, you'd never suspect that he's a mob arsonist. They're not happy with how he left, so he's always looking over his shoulder.
In the meantime, the Lomax family sits on top of a huge fitness empire, headquartered in LA. Their lead fitness instructor/spokesperson/inventor of the Abdominator is murdered and then burned to death in a wildfire. Adrian Timms is the lead detective on the case. The lead suspect may be David Lomax, heir to the fitness fortune, who's in the wind, but Andrew is a close second.

[Seana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I found Doolittle's Safer a little more satisfying because it was more tightly focused, the two books have different aims and shouldn't really be compared. This has a larger cast of characters and juggles its several subplots gracefully. The title is actually very clever, because, though the book starts with a fire, that is not the only burning that it might refer to. And in fact, only as I was writing this review did I register the fact that the protagonist's last name is Kindler.

[donna_ehm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing about this story grabbed my attention, or stood out as being particularly interesting or intriguing. The pacing is brisk and efficient, the writing good. But it all just goes by, page and after page, and that's about it. It's generic hotel lobby design aesthetic in book form. I'll probably have forgotten most of it by tomorrow.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful murder mystery. Hollywood characters. Funny. No gore, some violence among men. Not a deep read, just something to enjoy.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sean Doolittle can write a damn fine crime novel, and this is another one. Fast paced, twist filled plot, with wit and good humor. You like Elmore Leonard...you'll love Sean Doolittle.

[George Eraclides · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard-boiled crime fiction set in LA featuring the death of a fitness guru. Insightful and well written. Reminds me of Raymond Chandler’s ‘The Big Sleep’.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

[Chris Poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner, read it over a long weekend. An interesting and unique cast of characters where two very different worlds collide. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Genie · Rating 5 out of 5]

California hills are on fire. What better way to cover up a murder than to place the victim and leave it in a car where the flames will engulf it. Only one little problem, the car is found by some firefighters before the fire reaches it.

Andrew Kindler came from New York to get away from his past as an employee of a wise guy. He left with a sizable sum of money; not all of it his own. He's camped out in his cousin’s Santa Monica beach house until he figures out what to do with his life. For a man with few contacts, he suddenly seems to have unannounced visitors. First there’s the cop who thinks Andrew might know something about a murder suspect. Then there’s the PI who has been hired by the suspect's suspect’s sister, who is willing to pay Andrew $5,000 for information about her missing brother. After Andrew is paid a visit by a would be hit man, he decides its time to do some investigating of his own.

The murder victim turns out to be a high profile employee of an exculsive fitness industry business. In order to clear himself of any assumed connections, Andrew finds himself searching for a killer he’s never met and in the process unravels a family’s long kept secret. If he succeeds he will continue to live another day. If he fails?

[Lukasz Pruski · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am slowly working through the January Magazine lists of best books of the year. They selected "Burn" as one of the best mysteries of 2003. Well, other than competent, clean writing, I have found nothing at all interesting in this book. The story takes place in the rich parts of LA, among rich family of owners/gurus of a fitness empire. Lives of the rich and famous. Boring! All characters are caricatures (perhaps except for Andrew, the main character, who is supposed to be an "enigma", but he is a paper-thin enigma). When I finished, I had this image of a three-year old child's rendition of Mona Lisa. That's exactly how "Burn" compares to, say, Ross Macdonald's "The Underground Man".

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thriller - Andrew Kindler escapes the life of an arsonist in Baltimore and heads to Califirnia, where he winds up in the middle of a murder investigation during fire season. Quirky novel, quirky characters.

[Lynn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a 3.5. Mordantly funny in parts, but I read it badly, (i.e. with many interruptions) so my interest flagged.

[Rose]

I wanted to like this book as the synpopsis caught my attention. Unfortunately, there was something about this novel that I can't quite put my finger on that just didn't hold my interest.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this ages ago, and really liked it. Got me started on his books.