Firewatching by Russ Thomas #Blogathon

I'm thrilled to be taking part in the Russ Thomas blogathon over the next few months, starting today with his debut novel Firewatching. Thank you to Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers for inviting me to take part and to the publisher for my review ebook. I also bought my own paperback copy.

The Blurb

One wrong move will ignite the city . . .

A body is found bricked into a wall of the Old Vicarage. From the state of the hands, it’s clear the dead man was buried alive. When the man is connected to an old missing person’s case, Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler is called.

After an ‘incident’, Tyler needs this case to go well in order to prove himself and get his career back on track. But he soon discovers that he has a connection to the case that hopelessly compromises him. He makes the snap decision not to tell his superiors, certain that he is the only one that can solve the crime. Now Tyler must move carefully to find out the truth, without destroying the case or himself.

Meanwhile, someone in the city knows exactly what happened to the body. Someone who is watching Tyler closely. Someone with an unhealthy obsession with fire . . .

A taut investigative thriller bursting with character and tension, introducing an enigmatic, fresh lead detective unlike any you have met before.

Firewatching is published by Simon & Schuster and came out on 20th February 2020.

My Review

Following the 'incident' mentioned in the blurb DS Adam Tyler has been kind of sidelined onto the Cold Case Review Unit ('sea crew'). We first meet him on his way, somewhat reluctantly, to a work social thing in a bar. Whilst there a handsome, or rather pretty, guy catches his eye... Next time we see him he's muscling his way into a crime scene and the subsequent investigation. The body that has been found in a wall was buried alive. And this is before the fires start...

Adam Tyler doesn't make friends easily, he's not a team player. To be honest he's not necessarily easy for the reader to like, especially at the beginning. But he does believe in justice and doing the right thing. Or at least trying to. And, fortunately, he has a decent relationship with his DCI. But he's a complex character with an interesting background and I'm keen to see how the character develops in the subsequent books.

There are some great characters in the supporting cast too. On the police side Doggett and Rabbani were standouts, from the wider cast and for very different reasons, Reverend Thorogood. But all the characters are interesting and engaging. And all full of secrets. 

The story, starting with the discovery of the man in the wall, is complex and ultimately tragic, involving many folk in unexpected ways. The descriptions of different types of manipulation feel authentic. Adam is definitely at the centre of the action with a feeling of constantly being watched, but other police officers are also at risk. The sub plot of fires being lit around the town ties into the main storyline brilliantly. The tension mounts throughout the book with a reel sense of dread until we reach the explosive denouement. 

Firewatching is a confident and assured debut with an interesting, flawed central character. The plot is well written, fast paced and tense, and I was always keen to turn the page to find out what came next. As a result it was a quick read. Looking forward to the next book in the series, Nighthawking. 

The Author

Russ Thomas was born in Essex, raised in Berkshire and now lives in Sheffield. After a few 'proper' jobs (among them: pot-washer, optician's receptionist, supermarket warehouse operative, call-centre telephonist, and storage salesman) he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. Firewatching is his debut novel.