Radiant Heat is a slow-burn of a mystery set in the Australian Outback. When a catastrophic wildfire rips through Alison's hometown, she manages to survive by huddling under a wet woolen blanket on her bathroom floor. After the fire, she discovers a car in her driveway with a dead woman in it and in the woman's purse finds a piece of paper with her name and address. The question is, why was Simone Arnold, a woman Alison has never met, looking for her?

Alison is determined to learn more about Simone and decides to keep the piece of paper from the detectives working the case. This is the first of several pieces of information she ends up withholding from the police and her obsession with figuring things out on her own irritated me. I understand why she doesn’t like accepting help or owing anyone but there were times in the book that she desperately needed it.

I found Alison to be very unlikable but she's also a strong character who has been through a lot of trauma and is just trying to move on from her past. I did find the flashbacks a little jarring at times as they tend to come out of nowhere but I liked the way Alison's past and the connection to Simone was slowly revealed throughout the book. I just wish there'd been a little more closure at the end.

This was a slow burning thriller with suspense that built up over the pages with a literal fire bang start as a wildfire that rips through town suddenly and Alison barely makes it out alive. When she walks out of her home, she finds a dead strange woman in a car in front of her house. Alison finds her address on of paper in the woman’s possession which leads her down a rabbit hole finding they are connected by a bitter traumatic past. Alison goes on the hunt for answers to solve the woman’s murder and finds herself facing a past she thought she escaped. This was a really good read, highly entertaining, and touched on tough topics including domestic violence. The momentum had highs and lows but overall carried a solid pace with a perfectly timed buildup of suspense. I also really enjoyed the setting being in Australia, one of my dream places to visit.

The initial start of this book was promising. But it wasn't at all what I was expecting. I wish I would have read the trigger warnings before starting it. The characters were a bit much, especially Alison, who I found hard to relate to. When Alison awakens from the fire unharmed, she notices a car in her driveway. The woman in the car, Simone, was not as lucky (as we come to find out in multiple ways). Alison is set on a mission to find out what happened to Simone. The assumption is that she died from the fire, but Alison is quick to find out that isn't the case. As she starts digging into Simone's life, she starts to see the similarities between themselves. Although Alison came off as somewhat strong, she was emotionally weak. For those that aren't triggered by abuse related plots, this could be a great book to read. Unfortunately, for me, it was not.

Wow! What an atmosphere in this book!! The descriptions were scorching and claustrophobic. The mystery was interesting and while I didn’t think it was the strongest part of the book, it had some strong elements.

**Many thanks to Berkley and Sara-Jane Collins for an ARC provided via NetGalley!**

"Time is the fire in which we burn" - Gene Roddenberry

Alison still can hardly believe she made it out alive. When a wildfire tore across her town, she relied on her street smarts, keeping herself safe and wrapped in a wet blanket in her bathroom. When she finally emerges into a world seemingly torn apart by ash, she finds the evidence of even more destruction at her doorstep. A red car is stranded beneath a tree in her yard...but it isn't empty. Inside is the body of a woman...a woman who is now dead. Alison is horrified...but who is this woman, and WHY did she end up practically sitting on her doorstep?

After a quick search through the woman's bag, she finds an ID that finally gives her a name for the mysterious stranger: Simone Arnold. This name means nothing to her...but another name on a slip of paper also inside the bag does...Alison King. Now that it's clear this woman was on a mission to reach her, what sort of message did Simone have to deliver? Troubled by her already complicated past with a man she's been trying desperately to forget ---and to keep away at all costs---will Alison and her detective friend be able to crack the case with this now-permanently silent player? Or will the fires return to finish what they started...and take Alison as their next victim?

This novel takes place in Australia, and even in the first few pages, Collins does an excellent job of setting the scene and building a smoky, orange post-apocalyptic setting for our MC Alison. In general, this storytelling reminded me a lot of many of the Scananavian noir-type novels I've read in the past, where a heavy dose of atmosphere is almost a character in and of itself. While the action and mystery could be entertaining without it, you truly need to allow yourself to become immersed in the world of the book in order to have a complete reading experience. In order for the fires to feel like a character, the memory has to linger not only with Alison, but with YOU as the reader, and at times I certainly felt like I could smell the acrid smoke lingering in the air.

While the fire may be the most abstract character, there are a FEW worthwhile players in this one to keep you hooked. Alison, unfortunately, is a MC who is guaranteed to frustrate many readers: she's not the best at taking advice, has a substance abuse problem of sorts, and more baggage than a steamer train. All that being said, however, she is a COMPLEX character, one whose past traumas slowly unfold throughout the book (some in flashback, some in the present time) and while you won't always agree with her, the choices in front of her will become less cut and dried and the line between right and wrong will become irrevocably blurred.

And at the center of this is MY favorite aspect of this story, the will-they-won't-they tortured not-quite-romantic-but-NOT-at-all-platonic-relatonship between Alison and one of her close male friends...who also happens to be a cop. Normally, a relationship like this would be set up as a device to move the story along or to get Alison insider intel...but in this case, it was more of a character study of these two souls, each lost in their own way, and the tension (as well as the sexual tension!) added layer upon layer to this already complex narrative. Along with conversations about grief and ruminations about the past, Collins gave these characters SO much material to delve into and discuss that there was never a dull moment when these two were in the room...and never an 'easy' moment between them either.

The mystery itself is also compelling and ties back well (once you have the full story) to Alison's past...and while I suppose in some sense it is predictable, because there is enough other drama permeating the narrative, you won't get too bogged down by this fact. There are points where I felt like things slowed down a bit or were needlessly complicated, but in the end it was the complex character relationships and overall feel that took this up a notch for me, and kept me waiting with bated breath to see just how the journey would end for Allison...because with so much internal conflict, trust me when I say there are TWO ways this story can go right up until the end.

And as Alison learns, much like flame itself...in so many ways it's up to nature (and fate) to TRULY decide who (and what) is left standing when the smoke FINALLY clears.

4 stars, rounded up from 3.5

Alison finds herself in the middle of a blaze in her Australian hometown, protecting herself in the bath, under a blanket. When she feels it is safe, she ventures outside, and finds a woman dead in a car in Alison's driveway. The woman, Simone Arnold, was on her way to see Alison and give her some info. However, Alison claims she doesn't know her.
The story details Alison's past loves, friendships, and decisions, as well as her family life, including her father's affair. The main story is about Alison's last lover, Gil, who was possessive and controlling. Billy, the local cop, and longtime friend of Al's is a key player. He wants a relationship with her, she can't handle it.
The story has some suspense, some mystery, but ultimately, I was left with questions.

3.5 stars, rounded up. This is a difficult story that centers on two women connected by their mutual abuser, with the story of a horrendous wildfire adding to a difficult, shattered environment. The story wandered a little bit as the flashback scenes sometimes felt disjointed. It is overall a solid debut.

Thank you to @berkleypub @prhaudio @letstalkbookspromo for the #gifted copy. I enjoyed this #berkleybuddyread with @dgreads @berittalksbooks. I alternated between listening and reading this one.

Radiant Heat is a slow burn mystery about a devasting wildfire that destroys Alison's hometown in Australia. She manages to stay alive in her bathtub with a wool blanket covering her. After the fire is over, she finds a dead women in a car in her driveway. Alison learns that this woman is connected to her past. The past she is trying desperately to forget. Why was this woman trying to find Alison?

Alison had recently moved back home. She is definitely not a likeable character. Alison searches answers as to who this woman is and why she was trying to find her.

I was definitely intrigued right off the bat. I struggled a bit with the flashbacks and I wanted some closure at the end of the story. Overall, this was a strong debut and I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This is a slow burning mystery that at times lost me along the trail of hidden clues and the number of characters briefly introduced and not completely developed. The main thrust of the story is a wildfire in Australia in which a young woman is killed in her car while parked in the driveway of another young woman. It takes about a third of the book before I discovered the commonality between these two young women but the discovery itself was not a real surprise to me. Many of the characters seemed rather shallow and did not add much to the story, appearing almost cameo-like while others were essential and well developed. I thought that the story meandered a bit as it included a dual timeline, multiple settings and a somewhat unreliable narrator. I did not rush through the story because it did not hold me on the edge of my seat and it also dealt with difficult topics like physical and sexual abuse, so I had to put it down sometimes and walk away for a while. The writing was good, but not mesmerizing. However, the title and the plot drew me to the story to begin with and kept me there until the end. I did enjoy the setting in Australia and the information I learned about the country as I read the book. I also enjoyed the way the plot was methodically unraveled with a lot of loose ends that were wrapped up together neatly in the conclusion. This is a good book to read for those who enjoy a slow burn and a lot of details that may or may not lead you astray. I give this a 3.5 rounded up to a 4.0 because it is a good effort at exploring some difficult topics in a unique way.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Radiant Heat is a slow burn, atmospheric and gritty. Reading it reminded me some of True Detective. Dark, , brooding and moody. The setting was a big draw for me and I think this is the first small town Australia book I have read. You really get a sense of the place and the devastation the fires have on the community. My main issue with the story is that Alison isn't necessarily a very likable character, but she's not a character you love to hate either so the book felt very long because of this. I think if you're looking for a more character driven thriller, this would be a good choice!

3.5 stars. Many thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC.

Radiant Heat
Genre: Suspense
Rating: 4⭐️

Quick synopsis: As a wildfire rips through Alison’s hometown in Australia, she stays alive by waiting it out in her bathtub, covered in a wet blanket. When she emerges, she finds a dead woman in a car parked in her driveway, with Alison’s name and address. Who is this woman and why was she coming to Alison?

Thoughts: This show burn (no pun intended!) mystery was one that took me a few chapters to get into, but once I did I was hooked. At just 350 pages this ended up being a fairly quick read with well-developed characters. Told from Alison’s point of view, she’s not necessarily a likeable character; I couldn’t help but be frustrated by some of her actions and decisions. Still, the story was engaging enough that I just needed to see how things played out, and it ended in a way I wasn’t necessarily expecting! A really solid debut and I’m looking forward to reading what’s next from this author.

Alison survives a devastating bush fire and discovers a dead woman in her driveway. Alison doesn’t know who the dead woman is or why she has a slip of paper with Alison’s name and address. Alison soon discovers she and the dead woman have something in common- an abusive ex-boyfriend.

The premise of the book really grabbed my attention, but I just couldn’t get into it. The plot moved a little too slowly for me and I honestly thought the story wondered off into some unnecessary subplots - like Alison’s father’s extramarital affair. In the end, this was book was just okay for me.

2.75 stars

This novel has an intriguing premise, but overall the narrative felt overly bleak and tragic to me. There were plot elements that felt predictable, and the ending felt incomplete. I also had a difficult time understanding the protagonist’s choices throughout the book. I thought the use of flashback was very effective, though. And I can appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish in this story. This just wasn’t the book for me, unfortunately.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Great start, great ending - the middle was a challenge. Not really a slow burn but definitely some slow sections. Lots of tough topics going on such as domestic violence, grief, loss of friends and members of community from fire, found family. Great topics but can be difficult to juggle within the plot.
Alison barely survives a massive consuming fire. Finally able to safely leave her home, she stumbles upon a dead woman. In a car. In her driveway. Ruled a death from the fire, Alison can't help but feel there are so many unanswered questions. Struggling to cope with her PTSD, loss of loved ones and members of her community, Alison becomes obsessed with Simone's death. Especially after discovering Simone was running from Alison's abusive ex-boyfriend.

This book was uncomfortable to read at times, but it is also the kind of book that makes you keep thinking about it. The main character was difficult to watch but hard to turn away from like a train wreck. I didn’t like Alison much at all, but her story was interesting. I didn’t find it to be as much of a thriller as I thought it would be based on the blurb, but it was still very interesting. Alison survives a massive brush fire and while she is trying to get to town she finds a woman she has never met parked in driveway dead. This sets off a series of events that bring back parts of her past that she wanted to leave buried. Alison is a tough character determined to do everything for herself so she doesn’t owe anything to anyone she can’t accept help even when she desperately needs it. Overall I gave it 3.5 stars.

An atmospheric murder mystery debut set in a small Australian town that gets ravaged by a bush fire and has a woman discovering a dead body in a car parked in her driveway. At first authorities assume the woman in the car died from 'radiant heat' from the fire but the more Alison digs, the more it seems likely she's a victim and that she has ties to Alison's own traumatic past.

While the premise was strong for this book I felt like it went on a bit too long and could have been faster-paced. Good on audio and overall still an enjoyable read. Recommended for fans of authors like Kate Morton and Jane Harper. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

CW: rape

Radiant Heat by Sarah-Jane Collins is an atmospheric mystery set in Lake Bend, Victoria, Australia. A horrific wildfire rips through Alison King’s hometown. After riding out the fire in her bathroom covered in a wet woolen blanket, she’s thankful to be alive. The fire had come close but changed directions. As she heads down her driveway, she spots a red car with a dead woman in it and finds a piece of paper with Alison’s name and address on it. Why was Simone Arnold trying to find Alison? Did she die because of the fire or was it something else that caused her death? Alison searches for answers.

Alison is a promising artist who moved back to her family home after her parents’ deaths. She lives alone, is sarcastic, and is easily distracted. She’s also an annoying main character who doesn’t listen to others and accept help when she should. She makes many bad decisions and isn’t extremely likeable, sometimes using others without contrition. Several secondary characters were complex and well-defined and the incredible setting is almost like a character itself.

This novel is very descriptive without slowing down the pace. There are some suspenseful scenes, although some of them are flashbacks. As she investigates the mystery woman, we learn more of Alison’s past. Unfortunately, these flashbacks adversely affected the pacing for me despite their importance to the story line. There was little to no warning of the time changes and this became disconcerting at times. The plot is multi-layered and has a few surprises for the readers. The search for answers moves the story forward through some unexpected twists.

The story grabbed my attention immediately and readers learn over time of the extent of the death and havoc the fire left behind. Friends, families, homes, and businesses are lost. The intrigue and mystery surrounding Simone’s death kept me turning the pages and the tension built gradually. Unfortunately, the ending was too ambiguous for me. I have several questions that remain unanswered and I wanted some closure. Despite this, the story is evocative and tragic with some thought-provoking scenes that kept me engaged. Themes include fire devastation and its impact on those who survive, secrets, death, relationships, control of others, feeling safe, and much more.

Overall, this engrossing, dark, intense, and unsettling thriller has good characterization, even with a main character that wasn’t extremely likeable, and great world-building while pulling on the heart strings. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Berkley Publishing Group and Sarah-Jane Collins provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 23, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

A claustrophobic atmospheric novel that rises above a plot that some might find a tad trope-y. Alison is stunned when she survives the brush fire that kills others- including Sabrina, who she finds sitting in a car in her driveway. Who was Sabrina and why did she have Alison's address in her pocket are the question that drives the first part of the story but then, once Alison knows, the question is why was she there? Alison had fled her small town to Cairns and then back again after an abusive relationship with Gil. She did not understand how Billy, now a police officer, has felt about her for their whole lives. She's lucky to have other friends as well to shelter her and keep her safe, which is more important than ever because someone is stalking her. No spoilers from me but know that this slyly sneaks out several subplots. Know also that this moves back and forth in time (sometimes awkwardly). It's a clever one. Alison doesn't convey as the most likable person but you will find yourself rooting for her. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This was a page turner for me and I'm looking forward to more from Collins.

I received a gifted galley of RADIANT HEAT by Sarah-Jane Collins for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, PRHAudio and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

RADIANT HEAT begins with a fire in the Australia countryside of Victoria. Alison has a close brush with death, but she survives. When she emerges from her house, she discovers a woman in a car in her driveway that wasn’t so lucky. She has no idea who this woman is or why she had Alison’s address in her pocket.

The synopsis for this book was kept pretty vague and I think that is a good thing. It really dumps you right into the action with Alison surviving the fire and the brutal destruction all around her. I haven’t read a lot of books set in Australia and I really enjoy reading about this very different place. I think the author did a great job of setting the scene.

This is a pretty slow burn mystery with a lot of character development and relationship drama mixed in. The book does take on some heavy topics, so it is worth looking at trigger warnings. It did meander a bit more than I would have ideally wanted and the middle got a bit slow for me. Even so, the intrigue of who this woman is and learning more about Alison and the way she gets so hung up on the identity of this woman really kept me wanting to read more. I didn’t always like Alison or her choices, but she was still compelling to read about.

Radiant Heat by Sarah-Jane Collins delivers on the heat as there is a wildfire right at the beginning of the book. Alison's hometown in Australia is destroyed by a wildfire. When she awakens to find a women in her driveway who didn't survive, more questions arise. This turns into a full mystery as Alison looks for answers. Overall, the story was good but I was expecting more. This isn't my favorite genre of books but it did keep me reading. The premise was there but I feel things were missing and it was too slow paced for me.