I only requested this earlier today and I gulped it down in one sitting shortly afterwards.
The prologue really draws you in. It sets the scene well and gets you ready for the twists and turns that are in store. I loved the whole dual timeline thing it had going on; ‘then’ and ‘now’. You really get a feel for the characters as a result and how they adapt through the storyline. The leading character has to face past demons and it is a right riveting read following her on that journey. It’s blinkin’ brilliant overall and well worth dedicating an evening to read it.

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.

Felicity is watching tv with her husband in the Lake District when she sees a news report about a girl who has gone missing in her home town of Sidmouth, She immediately gets in her car and heads back to fight the demons she ran away from many years ago. A very dark and addictive thriller with great twists some I guessed some I didn’t. I love Katerina Diamonds books and this one didn’t disappoint.

This was a very mysterious and incredible read. There are so many secrets, twists and turns in it. It was very hard for me to figure what was going to happen and who did what. It had an incredible shocking ending. I had an idea (about half way through) of something going on in the book but I did not think my idea could be right but in the end it was. However, there was so much more that I could never have guessed. This was a very well written book and everything went together so smoothly. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I'm a big fan of the Miles and Grey books by this author, but this was not what I expected. I'm not keen on unreliable narrators, but this wasn't as bad as some. I think that this will be really popular, as Girl On The Train was. But unfortunately it's just not for me.

After a few disappointing reads, I was in desperate need of a great thriller. You know the ones; the kind where you don't even realize you've spent hours reading because the plot is so compelling. I picked up The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond because I saw a friend with similar tastes had recently left a promising review about it. It absolutely did not disappoint! Books like this make me happy and remind me why I love to read in the first place.

The storyline alternates between the past and the present through the use of two narrators. Felicity is a wife and mother of two who drops everything to return to her hometown when she sees on the television that a teenage girl has mysteriously disappeared there. This strikes a nerve with her because when she was growing up, another teenage girl went missing under similar circumstances. For reasons that aren't immediately revealed to the reader, Felicity feels like she is the missing link that connects these two disappearances. She sets out to do some investigating on her own, hoping to get answers to questions that have plagued her for years and save the latest missing girl. This is the first time she's returned home since she left as a teenager after having done something terrible. Jasmine is the narrator for back "then" when the first girl went missing. She is best friends with Felicity and lives a privileged life, spending her summers with her parents traveling the world as they do charity work. This particular summer, however, plans have fallen through and Jasmine is excited by the prospect of actually getting to experience a normal summer vacation. Jasmine's family has recently relocated and taken on a renter, Tim, who lives in a small garden house in the backyard. Jasmine can tell immediately that Tim is not the picture-perfect man her parents believe him to be. She embarks on a dangerous journey when she decides to find out what Tim might be hiding. Felicity and Jasmine's stories interweave seamlessly to tell a thrilling tale full of deception and depravity.

This book was just what I was hoping it would be! I have never read anything by Katerina Diamond before, but she is definitely an author I will be following from now on. I don't typically think too much when I read mysteries. I'm not a reader who is constantly trying to figure out the twists before they come. I simply read it and let the plot unfold as it may, but I wouldn't have been able to figure out the ending of this book no matter how hard I tried. There were several twists and reveals that I never saw coming. This book was just so...effortless. It was so easy to get sucked in and before I knew it, I had finished it! This would definitely make a great summer beach read and has been one of my favorites of 2020 so far.

My Rating: ★★★★★
At the time of this post, this title is set to be released on June 25, 2020.

Thanks to Avon Books and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love this author’s books, and the cover and description of this book immediately drew me in. This is the story of Felicity who fled her home town following the disappearance of a girl 16 years previously. Now living many hundreds of miles away from her home town of Sidmouth in Devon, Felicity hears on the news of another girl who has gone missing, just like all those years ago. Leaving her family at home, she returns to Sidmouth to see if there are any connections between the two girls, and to face the truth that she has been hiding.

The story is told from Felicity’s point of view in the present day, and from her best friend, Jasmine’s point of view 16 years previously. The older Felicity is a puzzle! She is married with children, but the relationship with her and husband seemed to be very strained despite her obviously loving him. Leaving on a whim when she hears the news of the missing girl, you can’t blame her husband for ignoring her calls. The storyline from 16 years previously showed us Jasmine and Felicity who were just two typical teenagers. However, when Tim (a stranger who Jasmine’s parents invited to live in summer house in exchange for work around the house) arrives, the storyline takes on more of a darker feel.

I have to admit, the storyline did begin slowly, building up the suspicion, tension and mystery as to what had happened all those years ago. The characters added to the uneasiness which seemed to surround both timeframes, from the mysterious Tim 16 years before, to the old friends who Felicity finds when she returns. At some point in the book though, the storyline just turns a corner and you wonder what the hell happened!! From that point, the pace picks up and all the secrets from 16 years ago come flooding out, tying up all the loose ends with one big shocker which I certainly didn’t see coming!

This was a dark and twisted story of secrets, mistrust and lies spread out over many years. With many twists and turns you won’t put this book down until you’ve reached the very end. Would definitely recommend!

I can predict this will certainly be a huge summer hit like 'Gone Girl' and the plot does have a huge twist in its tale that did throw me off course about possible suspects for the mysterious missing girls that link 16 years across the cosy seaside town of Sidmouth in Devon.
The author is able to describe the angst of teenage girls really well and the complex emotions that deal with their burgeoning sexuality. I was thinking there was a case of mistaken identity all along and that the narrator would be revealed to be far more sinister than she was.
But something troubled me about the settings and the families and an awful lot of stereotyping of people. Single drunk mothers, fairground wasters of men with tattoos and the exploitation of male teachers by seemingly innocent young female pupils.
However I am sure this will be a big hit and the backdrop of the searing heatwave makes it a sexually hot thriller that writhes about it many ways.
But not one of my favourites.

Not really a book for me. Was a bit disappointed in the storyline and found the writing a bit too simple for me. Could just be that I enjoy more structured characters and a faster paced storyline. From the reviews there are obviously lots of people that did enjoy this book but sadly not for me.

Thank you Avon Books and Netgalley.

Is anyone who they say they are or who you think they are? This story has a creeping sense of unease, an inevitability that something isn't quite right and where even the reader can't quite put their finger on what that is. The truth will out seems certain but keeps you guessing at what price that will come.

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.

Having read and enjoyed several of Katerina Diamond's earlier novels, I am looking forward to reading this book.

This stand alone story is, like previous books packed with a range of superb characters. Each of the characters is well crafted and develop as the narrative progresses.

I need to be careful not to spoil the story, suffice to say that this novel has more twists and turns than the Maze at Hampton Court. There is a veritable shoal of red herrings along the way.

I really liked the clever use of the dual timeframe, as slowly events from the past merge with the current day.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Wow fantastic book, I've read all of katerina diamonds books with detectives adrian and imogen and loved them and was a bit dubious about reading a stand alone. I needn't of been this book is great lots of what! Moments and twists making me rethink what I thought the ending was. Definitely a great summer read. Thank you for my advanced copy I'll also be buying a paperback to support the author.

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!!

This was a brilliant whodunit book perfect for escaping into a thrilling story. I loved it. Twisty and turny, keeping you at the edge of your seat.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

First, I have to say that I love, love, love Katerina Diamond. I think she is a brilliant author and have read her entire back catalogue.

I was intrigued when I saw that she had a new standalone book out and couldn't wait to read it. I was not disappointed. This book was brilliant and I read it in one sitting.

The plot was tense and gripping and it held my attention throughout. I don't want to give spoilers but I would say that I would recommend this book to anyone for a riveting summer read!

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

16 years ago, a girl disappeared, and Felicity fled from her hometown. She's been running from her past ever since. Until she hears of a second disappearance. Felicity knows that she may be the only one who could solve these cases, but to do so, she must confront her past, and reveal the darkest of secrets...

I’ve never read a book by Katerina Diamond before, but she’s always been an author I’ve been eager to try, so I was really excited when the opportunity to review this book came up. Unfortunately, I ended up being disappointed.

I think part of the issue for me was that everything just felt very rushed and a bit silly. Felicity hears a story on the news, and within a very short space of time she’s decided to go off and investigate something to do with her past, irrelevant of what her husband and kids might think. This is because hidden in her past is a Deep Dark Secret. You won’t know what the secret actually is until quite late on in the book (although there is one part of the secret that is obvious from the very beginning), but what you get instead is repeated references to The Big Secret. Now, I will admit that I personally hate this in a book. Repeatedly referencing something that happened in the past without giving away what it is that happened is something that generally is annoying rather than intriguing. Obviously there are some exceptions where it’s been done well, but unfortunately this is not one of those cases. Instead, what you get is a plot we’re not much really happens for the bulk of the book apart from Felicity pondering her past, and randomly approaching people to ask about the missing girl, all of whom are mysteriously willing to answer the questions of a complete stranger without hesitation.

In terms of narrative, you get chapters alternating between Felicity in the present and Jasmine in the past. In both timelines, there is a missing girl, and it is the news of the present day missing girl that sends Felicity running back to her hometown, because it reminded her of her own Dark Past. What I found really weird that was that in the present day section there are numerous references to the missing girl from 16 years ago, but it’s barely mentioned for the bulk of Jasmine's timeline - you get a brief mention of it, and then it suddenly becomes relevant again right at the end. There's a lot of that sort of pacing issue with this as well - long sections where nothing really happens, and then everything just drops into place.

All in all, this one was a disappointment for me. It felt very rushed, the writing could’ve done with another edit (it's very simplistic in places in terms of both language used and syntax), and it’s a classic example of a book where nothing really happens until the end, when suddenly all of this information is thrown at you to trick you into thinking it’s brilliant. It’s a shame, as the truth behind what happened in the past was actually really good, and a very unique plot line. Unfortunately, it’s execution left a lot to be desired.

Disclaimer - I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

I have really, really enjoyed Katerina Diamond's novels in the past - her first two novels were absolutely outstanding, really clever and violent without being OTT, so when I heard about The Heatwave I was really excited. A stand-alone thriller!

However, right from the off I didn't gel with this book. Felicity fleeing her family to go and investigate a random girl's disappearance was bizarre. Why did her husband just allow it? How did she manage to do it within hours of seeing the news report? Like it was completely implausible, sadly.

Then there was the vague-ness surrounding the whole novel. It's split between first-person present day with Felicity and third-person in the past with Jasmine. But Felicity is so vague. So many mentions of knowing what she knows now and naming people but not cluing us in to who is whom or what has happened, it was too vague. Like I understand you want to create mystery and keep people reading, but I read 33% of the book without ANYTHING happening. All I knew was two girls had gone missing, years apart, and Felicity was involved. But no word as to how/why. No details shared, etc.

I ended up skipping to the end and I don't feel like I missed anything in between the bits I'd missed. It all felt very run-of-the-mill thriller. I'm really disappointed, wondering where the gritty, compelling Katerina Diamond has gone. Because her first few books were absolutely immense. But this was just genuinely awful, too lost in being vague to be of any use to anyone.

The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond has a great storyline. Katerina built her plot nicely and kept me guessing for a good part of the book but at times the prose was a little too basic and lacked the descriptive turn of phrase which would have enhanced the reading experience. Not sure if I’m expressing that well to be honest. I suppose it just read in quite a basic descriptive way but overall the plot and characters overcame any lack of gripping writing to paint an absorbing story of two young girls and a hot, life changing summer which set the course of the rest of their lives. It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the plot but the main character’s return to lay ghosts to rest is well done and the unfolding story is shocking and sad. Overall a great read