I liked this thriller a lot. I liked that we had a main detective whose character flaw was a deranged parent. I like the setting and the side characters too and the pacing was good.

I loved the character of Raven, a detective who’s trying to outrun the ghost of her serial killer father and prove to herself and her town that she is not like him. But when someone who was stirring up trouble for Raven is murdered, things start to look bad for her. I didn’t really care much about the murder and found myself more interested in Raven and her relationship with her partner, Billy Ray.

Detective Raven Burns lived through a childhood no one should suffer: at five her father brutally murdered her mother, later her stepmother and many in between, using Raven as both distraction and as a magnet to attract victims. After a stellar several years in the New Orleans Police Department, she returns to small-town Louisiana as a Detective, summoning her NOPD partner as well (who just wants to leave law enforcement and open his own restaurant).


Raven can never eradicate her past-- or her murderous parent--from her psyche and an inexplicable death (How? Who? Why? Is it murder?) teases out clues referencing her father, long since executed on California's Death Row. Raven walks a fine line between revealing and concealing her own secreys, new evidence, and her growing suspicions of those she has trusted, till her mind is a pressure cooker roiling and primed to erupt.

So I requested this because I thought it was Sci-Fi. I was on a black girl story binge and the cover intrigued me. I'm not big on cop shows/procedurals. I usually prefer my mysteries to be more in line with the cozy genre. I like a light hearted on thats not too bloody. This book was very well written though. It was eerie but something about it made me want to keep reading.

I loved the authentic setting in Byrd’s Landing, Louisiana. The descriptions of the locations and diverse characters makes the story feel alive. Raven’s friendship with her long-time partner, Billy Ray, is filled with warmth and really needed in this dark book. The flashbacks to Floyd’s scenes are chilling and brutal, but superbly placed to show context to Raven’s behaviour.

As a police procedural though, it fell flat. The murder investigation is compromised from the start. Raven is a notorious liar and even a possible suspect but this only comes up towards the end. I wish the book goes deeper into Raven’s mind where her father’s influence is concerned. On a personal note, I'm not a fan of how much the book sides with the police especially with Raven doing whatever she likes behind the badge. Overall, an interesting crime fiction with some elements of horror.

4 Stars from me

A very solid 4 stars for this epic tale. A Killing Fire is a slow burn (no pun intended) but slow as in melting molasses or as in a perfectly slow cooked chilli.

This book is atmospheric and reading it I could almost taste the dry dusty air and feel the sticky plastic in the diner when little Raven and her daddy went in for dinner. Deliciously descriptive.

The story itself is good and complex, Raven Burns is a truly tortured cop who suffered years of torment at the hands of her serial killer father - so much so that she still feels him and hears him every single day, as though her thoughts and emotions aren't really her own.

As the plot thickens and the story unravels it becomes clear that Raven is entwined deeply within the tale - but how far did the apple fall from the tree...?

No spoilers from me! A Killing Fire is the perfect book for those who enjoy getting drawn into a story rather than reading a 'wham bam thank you mam' thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded down

I liked this thriller a lot. I liked that we had a main detective whose character flaw was a deranged parent. No wholly original but not the most obvious one either. I like the setting and the side characters too and the pacing was good.

Unfortunately I guessed quite early on who did it which is why I can't rate it higher. it really wasn't subtle but i wasn't 100% and really wanted to get to the end to confirm I was correct.

This was one of the most hard-hitting unexpected reads. An authentic writing was what I would describe author Faye Snowden's style. Believe me, the story pulled me in so insidiously that I was mighty surprised to see myself completely immersed in it.

The plot arc was cops investigating a serial killer. The main difference was that the investigating officer, Raven Burns's father, Floyd Burns was a serial killer who had killed many women across state lines until he was caught and put to death. But his voice was the tiny nasty monotone that Raven heard all the time. Was she as sociopathic as her father was?

Now people associated with Raven were being murdered, and her father's calling card, a peacock feather, was left behind. Someone was setting the stage for her to be locked up. And she wasn't cooperating. Faye's writing gave me the emotions of anger, regret, helplessness, doubt, and determination, wafting off the main character, yet nothing showed on her calm face. Could she she keep dual faces as her father could?

Mixed in the present were the glimpses of her past with her father. Raven was with him during most of the kills, barely a child. They gave me a strong link to her as her father's cruelty made her what she was today. But was there some part of her like him, wanting to kill the ones who hurt?

The characters were powerful yet flawed, it felt as if the flaws gave them the strength to be different. Raven's life was quite a struggle, entrenched in the past moving into the future, wanting to be more than the father. Faye has shown this inner conundrum quite beautifully. I kept getting Raven's desperate need to be different. But she had her own vices. Was she more like her father in more ways?

There was warmth in the prose too. Her partner Billy Ray gave her the much needed friendship and camaraderie along with her right to privacy. He was there without being intrusive. But she wasn't truthful to him. Had her time with her father taught her more things than she knew?

Beautiful questions prepping up the story, a plot line with great surprises, a story which complexed characters, and a writing that is gritty and flawless, Faye Snowden' s book has it all. I loved it!

Review Copy

First of all, I'm going to say that I don't really read book descriptions. I like to go in blind. It makes for a better book because descriptions contain too many spoilers. So, for unknown to me authors, I scan a couple of lines looking for key words and stay away from long, descriptive paragraphs.

This time it might have been a mistake. I read this thinking it was a serial killer novel. But it was a cop book. I have a problem with our police believing they kill every perp. And that's how this one began. I'm sick and tired of our reality all the bad cops who are let off the hook. It msakes the good cops fade into the background. I'm tired of the hate and lack of caring and couldn't care less about reading a supposed horror novel to escape from a reality just to find myself reading about the same.

You'd think I would one star this one, wouldn't you? But the writing was good, and clearly made me feel. The book also has a beautiful cover. But I did not like nor could I finish the story. At least not now. If you're into true crime or you have an opposing political viewpoint from mine, this just might be the book for you.

So, 2.5 stars.

This story follows Raven Burns, a homicide detective in the midst of a murder case.Raven struggles with the fact that she is the daughter of Floyd Burns, a notorious serial killer. She works as a cop to prove to herself and others, that she is nothing like him. She can’t seem to escape from the past, no matter how hard she tries.

The story is set in the present day, but has numerous flashbacks to the past. We see how Floyd has affected Raven and pulled her into his web and also the pure evil is as he destroys the lives of the innocent. His charming demeanor is offsetting to the reader because we know what all he’s capable of.

Raven fights a internal struggle through the novel because her tumultuous childhood and a tragic case from her job as a cop. She wants to make the right decisions in her job, but it’s difficult because it’s hard to look at everything through a “black and white” lens. People are not as they seem.

Billy Ray (her partner) and Raven work really well together as a duo. They read each other minds and are also good at discovering the subtlest of clues. They have a brotherly/sisterly relationship in which they can really confide in each other. As they solve the case, secrets about the town’s police department, local government, and people come to light making it for a thrilling read.

What I enjoyed the most about this book is though it follows some classic mystery genre tropes it stands out among many other mystery books I’ve read. Snowden lures her readers into a tangled web of lies inviting them to solve the mystery. The characters were diverse and complex which I appreciated. Readers are not sure of who to trust (including our narrator, Raven) and I like the way their backstories are pieced together as the plot progresses.

I would love to read more from Snowden in the future! The novel was gripping, intense, and suspenseful-everything I want in a crime fiction novel.

*Trigger warnings: Violence, Death

What a rush! A Killing Fire is a page turning psychological thriller that will keep you guessing to the end. Homicide detective Raven Burns is on the hunt to find the murderer of wealthy socialite, Hazel Westcott. Burns has dealt with many murder cases but this one is different. As the story progresses you find out that Burns father Floyd “Fire” Burns is a serial killer and evidence points to Raven as the killer.

This book was the perfect heart pumping, page turning read that I needed. First off, that intro was perfect. Faye wasted no time and got the action started from the first page. The backstory of Raven and her father was solid, the author didn’t leave anything out. Strong character dynamics and all the twist and turns had me glued to my chair. I don’t know why but the whole time I was reading I couldn’t get the show Dexter out of my head. If you are looking for a fast pace read, I highly recommend this novel. Out August 8

Thank you, Netgally & Flame Tree Press, for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Rate: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Floyd Burns, an infamous serial killer is a force to be reckoned with. Not only does he kill innocent people (seemingly for the heck of it) but he takes his daughter Raven along for many of his escapades. Disturbingly enough, his track record includes Raven's mother, her stepmother, and even her baby sitter. If you guessed that Raven's life is pretty messed up then you are not far off.

Raven eventually grows up to become a police officer in Louisiana. She made it her mission to stop the same crimes she witnessed as a young girl while traveling along with her father. The story starts out with the murder of a young woman named Hazel Westcott. Raven has to find the killer before her whole life is turned upside down.

I really enjoyed how the author presented this story to the reader. It wasn't your typical murder mystery. Floyd's story wrapped into Raven's really brings the novel together. We see the terrible life Raven grew up in which allowed the reader to realize the type of woman she became. Unfortunately, she's a liar. Even though she lies to try and protect other people it doesn't work out that way of course, because who honestly likes being lied to? I did however appreciate the story involving her partner, Billy Ray. He didn't hold back on how he felt and even made sure to keep an open mind throughout each of the scenarios within the mystery. He was fairly levelheaded and eclectic. One of my favorite TV shows is 'Chopped' so I can appreciate the foodie aspect of his character.

If you are looking for a new book to dive into this summer then I highly suggest that you add A KILLING FIRE to your TBR list as soon as possible. The author, Faye Snowden, is an amazing storyteller and I am excited to read more of her future works.

Thank you Flame Tree Press for sending me over an ARC in exchange for my honest review. PUB DAY: AUGUST 8, 2019.