The Burning Men

Of course we're appalled to think that those Pillars of our Community we are taught to wholeheartedly trust could succumb to this level of crime but would they deserve such hideous deaths as the killer affords them in 'The Burning Men'? Shindler successfully has the reader trying to balance this dilemma as the plot thickens, making this a very creditable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent violent thriller with the main characters damaged by recent events attempting to solve murders likely perpetrated by a particularly cold Mr Big. The story revolves around a fire a few years ago and five firefighters and their actions that night. As they start to be murdered the DI in charge who had very recently lost his wife returns to work early and with the aid of seemingly unhinged DC investigates. With red herrings galore this is an absorbing tale building to a shocking climax. Hopefully these interesting characters will appear again soon!

This book had me interested on page 1. First book I have read that tied in two of of emergency services that of Fire and Police. The Fire side of things certainly had the edge on horror without being overly excessive, but it certainly upped the anti in anticipation.

We’re also introduced to a detective pairing that I can see stretching into many books. The recently bereaved DCI Flynn and his new female recruit DC Paulsen, who obviously is carrying the world on her shoulders following a sexual assault case at another Nick. The chemistry between them is far from congenial which adds a further frisson of intrigue.

A well written and constructed first book. Well worth the read

A real page turner. The two central characters are fascinating in themselves, each have there problems, one obvious from the word go, the other much less so but you will soon know it's there.
The central story asks a lot of questions of those "heros" we all take on trust, can we really, really trust them?
Who monitors our investigative services? Do we know? Should we know? Can we tryst them to do their best for us? Can we trust them ion the face of temptation? are they human, like us? DO they have friends? And that's just the start.
I loved this book once I had the basic gist, the story moves with pace, the descriptions whilst graphic in the memory pictures they create are not graphic on the page, the writing is focused and pointed. The characters and their relationships investigated, their thinking probed thoughtfully.
One character remains hidden, is he dangerous? Does he exist? No spoiler here you will need to read the book and see for yourself. It's unlikely you will be disappointed.
I am keen to read more about our two main characters, one other intrgues me and yes, I would like more of her back story in the next book please.
There must be more of these two, they are damaged people in the midst of repair, they are fascinating.
More please, equally well thought out, equally well written.............please. SOON!

I loved this book - thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book pre-publication. Such an interesting concept instead of the police, the Fire Brigade are front and centre. We are taken through all the brave but flawed characters and the reader really gets embedded in the narrative. I recommend this book to anyone seeking a new set of detective characters...hopefully this is the beginning of a long running series.

A really good start to a series. Loads of action and suspense with great characters. I was gripped the whole way through.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A belter of a read and one that consumed me all week..
Well constructed and cleverly penned, this is one that starts strongly, continues powerfully and ends with a very satisfying bang.
Just the right length too so the pace of the novel will keep you hooked throughout.
Its about consequences, consciences and morals intertwined with some gruesome scenes and a thumping good ride.
Many thanks.

This was a gripping read that held my interest from start to finish. The story was interesting and the characters were well fleshed out. Looking forward to reading more from the author.

This is a great read about greed and treachery.
It focuses on the burning of a large London building which is on fire during construction.
A fire crew attend and find a man inside.
What follows involves a criminal gang and police trying to find out who is killing the fire crew and why.
DI Alex Finn, a recent widower devastated with his wife’s death returns to work after her funeral and investigated the murder, by burning, of an ex fireman at his wedding reception.
Further members of the fire crew die and Alex’s team are rushing to solve the case before more of them are murdered.
An engaging, exciting read which I read in one sitting. Lots of red herrings, twists and turns.
Great writing style.

D.I. Alex Finn has returned to work the day after his wife Karin's funeral.Much against all his colleagues advice.
He is faced, on his return with a bizarre incident of a man being burnt to death in a toilet in a hotel on his wedding day. '
This death starts a journey of investigation which leads to an event five year previously where a new rise of an unfinished office sky scraper was on fire. Firemen appear to be involved with another death there and missing money.
The story unfolds as a twisting page turner that is difficult to put down as one death leads to another. Can Alex Finn get his own ghosts sorted as well as a race against time to save others to the same fate?
A really great read which I enjoyed and would look for others from Will Shindler

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I absolutely loved it, it drew me in from the first page and didn't let go until the end. The characters were well drawn especially Finn and Paulsen, and their backstories were very good too. It had lots of twists which I love and I cannot wait to read the next book by this author.

The book opens with a group of fire-fighters going into a burning building at Pacific Square, they bring out the body of a man who they saw at the window, but couldn't save, he is found to have been a money launderer, and was nicknamed 'The Handyman' by the press.

The story then jumps 5 years when one of the ex-fireman is found burnt to death at his own wedding reception, is there a connection?

We meet Detective Inspector Finn, who has just buried his wife, Karin after she dies from brain cancer, he is asked to work with DC Mattie Paulsen who has been transferred from after dealing with a case involving a paedophile.

This is the first of a new series and I really enjoyed it, liked the characters, they were engaging, interesting and made mistakes. Good strong story, and liked the way it evolved.

Highly recommended and look forward to reading more in the future

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.
What a thoroughly good start to a new detective series featuring DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Poulsen, supported by DS Jackie Ojo and DCI John Skegman at the Cedar House Murder Squad.

The story starts in a blaze of activity (pun intended) when a high-rise office building development - Pacific Square - catches fire in London. Hundreds of fire-fighters eventually fight the conflagration but the first responders - Red Watch - entered the building initially because a man had been spotted at an upper-floor window; they were on a rescue mission. However, they were unable to bring the body out. Erik Whitlock had died.

Within 18 months all 5 members of Red Watch had retired early from the Fire Service.

Five years later, DI Alex Finn is mourning the death from brain cancer of his wife, Karin. A private, reserved and thoughtful man, with few real friends, he now lives for his work; he convinces DCI Skegman to let him return to work barely a week after Karin's death. Mattie Poulsen has transferred into his team - DS Ojo has her hands full on other investigations.
Their first investigation together involves a groom being burned to death in a toilet cubicle at the hotel where his wedding was performed. Adesh Kaul was a member of Red Watch.
Subsequently other members of that Fire Watch meet similar fates. (Not for the feint-hearted). How can they be protected?

What has a substantial monetary robbery known as the Stansted Heist, and the investigation team which, 5-years on, are no further forward in identifying the perpetrators, got to do with the death of the fire-fighters? Is "The Handyman" - the supposed Mastermind of the heist real or myth?

DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Poulsen intend to find out.

This is a complex detective story; a complex and, at times, unpleasant narrative; but the story-lines are so well-drawn you just have to keep reading.
Mattie Poulsen is a complicated person and I feel actually complements Alex's own personality, I look forward to that relationship developing, as that I am sure between Mattie and Jackie Ojo.

So looking forward to the 2nd in the series. I'm a big fan now.

Thoroughly recommended.

I must say that this book may not be for the feint hearted, but it is a cracker, and I loved it.The action was relentless, the characters were well drawn and the plot was complex.I stayed up way too late for 2 nights to read it,its that sort of book.I had my theories about who had done what but the story kept me guessing, and I really enjoyed it.I also liked the main police characters,and look forward to seeing them in future books.Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

The story opens with a fire at a prestige office development under construction in Pacific Square, London. A team of five firefighters are first on the scene and 4 of them run inside to save a man seen waving from a 3rd floor window. They emerge from the blaze with the body of a man who turns out to be a known criminal - a money launderer. Shortly afterwards, the 5 firefighters quit their jobs.
Fast forward 5 years and one of the ex firemen is burned alive at his wedding reception. The investigation into his death shows he was murdered. Detective Inspector Alex Finn is given the job of heading up the investigation, despite the fact that his wife has recently died of cancer and he's supposed to be on compassionate leave. His new partner is Detective Constable Mattie Paulsen, recently transferred after investigating a paedophile - and investigation which has left its mark on Mattie.
Soon after their inquiries begin, another of the ex firefighters is murdered - burned alive in his Maserati car. Everything points to something which happened on the night of the blaze at Pacific Square. Someone knows what happened to the firemen that night, but the 3 left alive are saying nothing.
In the background, a major criminal is using corrupt cops on his payroll to check on Finn and Mattie's investigation.
This is a solid police procedural that grips from the start. Alex Finn and Mattie Paulsen are an unlikely pairing, both working hard to overcome problems in their personal lives. Both are experienced investigators who work well together.
Gradually, we learn what really happened on the night of the Pacific Square blaze, but there are many unpredictable twists in the story as it unfolds.
This is the 1st in a series and is fine crime thriller debut from author Will Shindler. I'll be looking out for more stories featuring Finn and Paulsen. Although it's fiction, the author isn't averse to detailing some of the real life problems currently faced by Britain's police officers.
My thanks to publishers Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced ARC.

This is the first book I’ve read by Will Shindler. I really enjoyed it, felt it was a very good story with a good background history, and many twists and turns in the plot as I got further into the book. The book introduces two police detectives, DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen - both likeable characters who are working together for the first time investigating a murder. More similar murders follow and they find links to a fire 5 years before, and another unsolved crime. Without giving too much away I found this a thrilling read. I couldn’t work out who the killer was, and the reveal at the end shocked me. All in all, would recommend this book for those who like police procedurals. I hope this is the start of a series of books for these characters, and I would definitely read more books by this author.

If, like me, you are the kind of reader who likes to be in on the ground floor of a brand new series, then get The Burning Men on your pre-order to be read lists because this is one of those times…

This is a police procedural but also has psychological elements that are highly intriguing, a great hybrid that also has the benefit of being an extremely well written page turner.

Main protagonists Finn and Paulsen are indeed an unlikely partnership but a genuinely engaging one – both bringing personal demons to the table- the developing and ongoing relationship between them is one of the strengths of this story, playing into the riveting mystery element pitch perfectly. The supporting cast all add their own intrigues so the set up for future books is cleverly achieved.

On this particular case, there are plenty of twists and turns, a central “villain” who I rather adored, a layered mystery that is compelling and unpredictable. The author has a great descriptive sense of place and personality that keeps you involved throughout and there’s a great edgy feel to it that works really well.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. An intelligent police drama with an excellent and realistic plot, no annoying loose ends but plenty of future possibility.

Yes. Good then. Count me in.

Recommended.

I really enjoyed this book, it kept me gripped from the outset, it had good strong characters and best of all the perpetrator of the crimes wasn't easy to guess.
Newly bereaved DI Alex Finn returns to work and is assigned to the case of the burning to death of a former firefighter who has been set alight on the day of his wedding. He's also given a new DC to work with, Mattie Paulsen, who is something of an enigma. The collaboration between these two runs throughout the book, from the initial unease and strain of two people who don't know each other, to their eventual understanding and alliance.
When more former firefighters from the same team are also murdered by being burnt to death the investigation turns to a serious fire they all attended, where a member of a crime gang lost his life. Are their lives being lost because something happened at that fire?
I'm looking forward to Alex Finn and Mattie Paulsen's next episode of crime solving!.

I love discovering new authors and Will Shindler is definitely a new author for me. I love a good crime, murder mystery type of read and oh boy was 'The Burning Men' good or was it good? I think that you can gather by now that I absolutely loved 'The Burning Men' but more about that in a bit.
Detective Inspector Alex Finn is an interesting and complex character. As the story begins, we learn that Finn was married and that sadly his wife was diagnosed as being terminally ill. I think that Finn decided that he was going to put a brave face on things and he didn't want to show outsiders how badly the loss of his wife was affecting him. By the time he goes back to work, he just wants to be treated normally and he doesn't want people to give him pitying looks or make some reference to his loss. When Finn does go back to work, he uses work as his coping mechanism as that means that he has less time to think and less time to spend on his own. Finn isn't exactly very popular with many of his colleagues. He is a bit of a funny fish in the sense that he can be direct, brutally honest, abrupt, blunt one minute and then the next he shows a fair amount of compassion. I will say that Finn seems to be a top rate police officer. He is tough, determined, thorough and tenacious. He is determined to get justice for the victims of crime and for their families. He will not stop investigating until he has chased down every lead and he has satisfied his own curiosity.
It didn't take me long at all to get into this book. In fact I was drawn into this story from the pretty horrific synopsis alone and then the story inside the book just sealed the deal as it were. I totally immersed myself in the story. I read the book over the course of a day because I simply couldn't bear to be parted from the book for even a single second. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. The series of murders described in the book are so horrific in nature that I just had to keep reading to find out whether or not Finn and his team solved the case and apprehended the murderer. The pages turned over increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out how the story concluded grew and grew. All too quickly I reached the end of the story which I was disappointed about. I don't mean that as a criticism of the author. I had been enjoying the author's writing style, the characters and the storylines so much that I just didn't want the book to end.
''The Burning Men' is absolutely, totally and utterly brilliantly written. Will has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. As I mention above the author got my attention from the start with the eye catching synopsis, which encouraged me to open the book and read the pages within. I was blown away by how fabulous a story this was. The book is written using different timelines. I know that sounds a bit confusing but I will explain. The story starts with a chapter detailing events as they happened five years previous to the main body of the story. There are also further flashbacks to past events. Then we have the main body of the story which focuses on the series of crimes as they happen in the present day. This might sound a complicated way of telling the story but it really isn't. In fact I have probably made it sound more complicated than it is. This way of telling the story really does work, the different timelines interlink well and the story flows seamlessly as a result.
Reading this book felt like being on one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns to the story than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board. Just when you thought that the action had settled down, that you could reclaim your stomach, take a minute to catch your breath and gather your thoughts then off the action would go again. Some of the details in the book made me wince and almost dive for cover behind a cushion, because the details were so gruesome in nature.
In short, 'The Burning Men' was an amazing read and it has definitely hit my top ten reads of 2020 list. I was blown away by the story and by the characters. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Will's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This is a gripping and fast paced thriller. A fire crew are sent into a burning construction site to rescue a trapped man. Five years later, the crew have all left the service, are not in contact with one another until one of them is burnt to death. Newly widowed detective Finn investigates alongside his enigmatic new constable Mattie Paulsen. It is an exciting, often brutally graphic novel and the first of a new crime series.

This is the first in a new crime series and it is absolutely thrilling! The author has certainly made his mark with a fantastic plot which is easy to follow but filled with murders and creative story telling. I can't wait to see what comes next. one of the best debut novels I have read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This is an excellent thriller which gripped me from start to finish. The book moves in two time frames: the night of the fire at One Pacific Square five years ago and more recently when ghosts of that night continue to make themselves known.

Fire crews are called to a massive blaze at Pacific Square, a sprawling development site similar to The Shard in London. The group of first responders at the site spot a single figure at a third floor window and are keen to get inside to locate the person but are duty bound to wait for the commander's go-ahead before they can access the building. Decisions made that night will set in motion a chain of events which will cost some of the crew their lives.

Five years on, retired firefighter Adesh Kaul is marrying the love of his life Stephanie. The wedding is a no-expense-spared celebration of their union and everyone is having the best time until panic breaks out with a fire in the gents toilets. The scenes which greet the firefighters are unimaginable. From thereon the detective team signed up to solve what turns out to be a murder scene at the wedding are inundated with suggestions and myths but very little in the way of solid facts. The detective leading the team, DI Alex Finn, is mourning the very recent loss of his wife and is desperate for some sense of normality in his life, hoping that his return to work will give him the routine that he needs. With a new DC on his team that's not what he gets - but the complexities of the case give him little time to worry about things.

Finn sends new recruit Paulsen to discuss recent events with the team investigating a possible link between Pacific Square and a notorious bank heist around the time of the fire which is yet to be solved. She's not made overly welcome, with some of the team getting particularly jumpy in her presence. There are secrets being held close to chests wherever you look in this tale - but somebody seems to know all the secrets and is prepared to go to extreme lengths to make sure those involved pay the ultimate price.

Who is pulling the strings in this whole operation though? With a mythical criminal known as The Handyman seeming to get mentions wherever Finn turns he needs to work out who this person is - if he actually exists - and try to put a stop to any further loss of life.

This is a story of how guilt affects different people in different ways and just how far some people will go to make sure the truth comes out. With shocking scenes throughout, this is a book which had me mulling over the story long after I put it down. Will Shindler has impressed me with his writing and I am keen to read more of his work very soon.

On a personal note, being married to a former firefighter, the synopsis for ‘The Burning Men’ both intrigued and horrified me at the same time, and I know only too well the camaraderie that they share - that unbreakable bond that ensures that no matter how dangerous a situation is, they know without question that each one of them has the others’ backs.

However, for a team of London firefighters, called out to a fire in a partly constructed building, with the intention of rescuing a man seen on one of the upper floors, it’s the night that the camaraderie stops for five of the crew members, and the bond that they have shared will be a thing of the past. They never did rescue the man, didn’t manage to retrieve his body, which would have brought some sort of closure for his family. In the next few months all of them will have left the fire service, and vow never to speak of that night again - and there’s a very good reason for that decision.

Five years later, one of the men is set alight at his own wedding reception, and shortly after, another of them is discovered, having been burnt to death with the aid of accelerants. Someone is clearly out to get this team of former firefighters, but who and why? All I know is I didn’t guess who it was!

DI Alex Finn and his new partner DC Mattie Paulson are in charge of the investigation, but this isn’t going to be an easy working relationship - Finn has recently lost his wife Karin, and is still mired in the depths of his grief, and Paulson clearly has anger issues, from problems that she has yet to resolve. Nevertheless they’ll have to put their personal problems to one side to get to the bottom of this very complex case.

The first in the DI Alex Finn series, is a unique and cleverly written storyline which ratchets up the narrative tension to screaming point, as it explores firefighters’ innermost fears. Like the motif of observation, this novel is a truly visual and frightening story, and I can’t praise it enough. Excellent!

A gripping and thrilling read that kept me on the edge till the end.
I loved the solid mystery, the interesting cast of characters and the excellent storytelling.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
An entertaining and excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I first became aware of this book at last year's Harrogate Crime Festival, where, in a genius piece of marketing, Hodder & Stoughton bought an ACTUAL FIRE TRUCK along to give away copies of the proof to. Sadly, owing to the notoriously late nights that come with attending Harrogate, I was too late to grab one of the proofs, but as soon as it came up on NetGalley I knew I had to read this.

Police procedurals have always been my favourite genre of crime fiction, and I always enjoy trying a new series, but add in the use of fire as a weapon to the mix and I was immediately prepared for an explosive introduction for the characters of DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen. The book most certainly did not disappoint.

The story follows a group of firefighters, called to a blaze at the construction site of a new office development in South London, where they discover a stash of money and an unconscious man. With mere seconds to decide what to do, the group settle on stealing the money - it was only going to go up in flames anyway so what's the harm? - and, arguing that he was probably already dead from the smoke, leave the body to burn.

Five years later at a wedding in South London, the groom, one of the firefighters, is found aflame in a toilet cubicle. Everyone assumes it's a freak accident - a cheeky cigarette gone wrong - or an isolated incident, until another of the firefighters is next...

Enter DI Alex Finn, recovering from the very recent death of his wife, and new cop on the block, DC Mattie Paulsen, who is fleeing her former station and her own tragic past. Tasked with solving the murders, Finn and Paulsen quickly find themselves drawn into a web of secrets spanning dirty cops, long-unsolved heists, long-held grudges and the fringes of organised crime. Can they find the killer before all five of the firefighters go up in smoke?

I want to start by saying that I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it. I raced through it in just a couple of days, compulsively hurtling through the last quarter in a desperate need to find out the culprit. The pacing is brilliant, never letting up but with bursts of rapid developments scattered neatly throughout, and it's very well written - enough description to paint vivid pictures of the characters and scenes (almost too vivid when describing the smells of some of the victims!) whilst not detracting from the pace.

Shindler also makes an interesting choice by subverting one of the tropes of police procedurals. Often in books of this genre, the reader only knows as much as the detective, unveiling twists and turns in stereo with them. Here, Shindler throws this idea out of the window, with the majority of reveals and plot developments revealed to the reader before the protagonists, usually from the perspective of a villain or peripheral character. It adds a whole new level to the reading experience as the reader finds themselves in on the secret and desperately hoping that Finn and Paulsen will discover the truth before it's too late. It's like watching a horror film and shouting at the screen when something bad is approaching in the hopes that you can avert the character's fate, but alas, you're helpless. It's a fascinating angle to take and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

As a Northerner, I do sometimes find myself groaning at another book set in London, but in this case much of the action actually takes place very near to my own home in South London, and I enjoyed the local nods, though I would also say that it's subtle enough not to be off putting to those who don't know the area.

The characters are generally strong, though this is perhaps where I do have a few little nitpicks. Paulsen is a great character, but the reveal of her past isn't hugely effective. The actual incident that happened to her is an interesting development for the character, but the way it's revealed falls a little short of the mark, and doesn't deliver the emotional impact I might have hoped. That said, I very much look forward to exploring both her and Finn in more detail in future books.

One of the highly commendable aspects of this book is it's unashamed tackling of sexism in the police. A lot of books have touched on this over the past few years, but this is the one I've met that most centrally incorporates this into the plot. As both the new officer in the unit and a woman, Paulsen finds herself doubly scrutinized when she first starts, but what really makes it stand out is the freshness and aloofness that her character approaches this with. Similarly, another of the detectives in the team, DS Jackie Ojo, has several discussions with DI Finn about the unique difficulties that women face coming into the force, and the ways that he should be more understanding of Paulsen's position. This plot thread is revisited regularly - sometimes as often as every other chapter - and, while it may feel a little like overkill at some points, it's commendable to see a crime novel tackle this so strongly without it needing to be the whole concept of the book. It's not a police procedural about sexism in the police, it's a cracking whodunnit thriller that makes a strong case in this area in the process.

Overall, I found this a highly enjoyable read from a very promising new author in the genre. It combines a brilliant hook, a rounded and surprisingly broad cast of characters, and a blazing energy (sorry, I couldn't resist) that powers it through to a satisfying conclusion. Very impressive stuff indeed!

I received an advanced review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for approving my request.

Another new author for me and a debut. OMG WHAT A READ. Hooked from the first page, I could not put this book down. A brutal and graphic police procedural. Fast Paced with plenty of heart in your mouth moments. Tense and so gripping. A new light in this genre and I can't wait to read more. So highly recommended.
Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow! what a debut this is from Will Shindler. The Burning Men is the story of what happens when 4 firefighters faced with a life changimg decision and the consequences of that decison.

This is a fast paced, and at times brutal police procedural. The main protagonists are both interesting and have trauma and past problems weighing on them heavily and they leave you with a sense of more to come.

Twists and turns aplenty in this brilliantly and tensely plotted thriller. Very Good and highly recommended. I very much look forward to more

The Burning Men is the first book by Will Schindler that I have read and the first in a new series featuring DI Alex Finn and his new colleague DC Paulsen.

The story is a very twisty police procedural novel that kept me guessing throughout as to whodunnit

The main characters are well sketched out but have plenty of room to grow and I look forward to catching up with them again in future books

For a debut novel, The Burning Men sure packs a punch. With central characters who are flawed and intriguing, and a storyline which kept me glued to my seat, I can see this being a very popular book. I know I'm already looking forward to seeing more of the two lead police officers, DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen.

The story starts at the scene of an extensive building fire. We meet the five firefighters who are set to become the main focus of the rest of the book - are they to become the potential victims of a killer who is as vicious as he is cunning and who uses the very monster they once fought against them. I'm not sure if there is anything much more distressing than the thought of burning to death, and Will Shindler has certainly done a great job of making that fear come to life without ever really needing to put the reader at the heart of the violence. There is one scene, near the end, in which we are there when the killer strikes, but it provides the chills without being gratuitous, the balance just perfect.

The police team who are investigating the murder are an interesting bunch. We meet both Finn and Paulsen when they are at a turning point in their lives. Finn is mourning the very recent loss of his wife, Paulsen is trying to start again after a case which had a profound effect on her mental state. They are as different as they can possibly be - Finn quite straight and contained while Paulsen is fiery and quick to react - and yet they work. Both are hard to get to know, Finn because he is so guarded and Paulsen as she is scared to be honest, but you can tell that behind both facades, there are two very intelligent and capable individuals. It takes some time for them to find their balance as a pair, that point of harmony where they can trust each other, but you see the gradual thawing of their relationship to a point where they make a brilliant team, and you the respect begins to grow on each side. The way in which the author has portrayed Finn's leadership style and his management of the angry Paulsen, is spot on and very believable, as is Finn's expression of grief and the way in which it impacts on his working life.

The story is full of twists and turns, the suspect pool limited but all very viable. This is not so much a how or why-dunnit as the potential reasons for the attacks are revealed throughout the course of the book. Finn may well have a clear suspicion of what has made the men potential targets, but proving it is an entirely different matter. And yet, despite the revelation and the underlying threat, there is far more at play in this book than you may think. There is a secondary investigation that is inextricably linked to Finn's case and which informs the story and adds more than a few surprises and twists and turns of its own.

There are moments of real tension throughout the book that kept me wanting to read onward, as well as a clear expression of the emotions that drive the central characters. This is a story of principals - both those upheld and those which are compromised for varying reasons. Sometimes I felt that I could understand why people behaved the way that they did, even if I didn't condone their actions. It is certainly an interesting moral dilemma and a look at how one decision, made in the of the moment, can have untold and devastating consequences for the future.

Tense, suspenseful and satisfying, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, really liked the central characters, and can't wait to catch up with the team again.

This is a great debut novel, with strong characters you want to learn more about. It has a believeable plot which allows the protagonists to develop. I love a book with a surprise at the end and this one didn't disappoint.

A definite 5 star read. With a great twist on the final page.
A well written, well plotted story that makes you wonder what would you have done? If you were the firemen, in that fire, and you had personal problems? And how would you have rationalised it?
We do take our firemen and first responders for granted and forget just how dangerous their work is and how little they are rewarded in the scheme of things.

Boom! What a book! After starting the year reading a couple of notsogood offerings, we're definitely back in the room with this fantastic series opener.
We start five years in the past at a fire where a team of firefighters are called to a blaze at a building under construction. After spotting a man at a window they suit up and go in. It's a traumatic time and, within a year or so, all members of the team have left the service.
Back in the present and the groom of a wedding party is fatally burned in a toilet cubicle. DI Alex Finn is called to investigate having only just returned to work after the sad passing of his wife to cancer. Whether he is fit to return has yet to be determined. He is partnered with newbie to the team, the enigmatic DC Mattie Paulson. Chalk and cheese would be an understatement although they do have the whole "wounded by something in their past" thing in common.
So, background on the deceased determines he was one of the firefighters involved in the above incident. Was being burned a coincidence? And then stakes get higher when another of the team is also murdered; again burned. What exactly happened in that fire all those years ago? Is someone out for revenge and, if so, why the wait? If they can work all that out then maybe they will be able to work out who and, more importantly, stop them before the body count rises further.
Ignoring for a moment that both the main characters in this new series are wounded - yawn, done to death - the rest of the book was extremely high quality. Hopefully with time and also certain disclosures as to what the trouble was, should mean that this wounded-ness will be less of an issue in future books, which can only be a good thing. Certain attitudes and feisty-ness notwithstanding!
The plot is intricate and well executed. There were clues along the way that I either ignored or missed but which I kicked myself over a few times along the way. Suffice to say that I didn't have it all worked out ahead of time which made for a nice change. Characterisation was also well done, especially regarding the main characters - warts and all. Pacing was darned near perfect and my attention was held nicely all the way through. The ending, when it came, delivered the punch the book promised and was wholly satisfying.
All in all, a cracking series opener which does exactly what it should which is leave me gagging for the next one. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

First of all, congratulations to Will Shindler for this impressive debut police procedural. He has created two characters in DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen that I would like to read about again and again. They are complex, carrying baggage and they feel very real. Finn is grieving after the recent death of his wife Karin and Mattie is a very able officer but can hostile, aggressive and clearly carrying a burden. In this novel we have two parallel enquiries. In 2015 a major fire breaks out at the newly constructed One Pacific Square in London. This building is meant to signify the expansion of the financial sector of the city. Red Watch of the LFB are the first fire fighters who enter the burning building with some urgency as someone is seen waving at a window, unfortunately they are unable to rescue him. The dead person turns out to be Eric Whitlock, a well known money launderer who works for an elusive underworld figure known as The Handyman who is thought to be responsible for a major robbery known as the Stansted Heist. This is being investigated with little success by a team led by DCI Warrender. What was Whitlock doing in the building? Five years on members of Red Watch who have all now left the fire service, are being brutally murdered. This is investigated by Finn and Paulsen. Do the enquiries connect? Who is killing the fire men? The Handyman? If so, why? What follows is very intriguing and at times very tense and thrilling crime story.

There is much to praise in this debut. All the characters are well portrayed and easy to picture. It is well written, it’s gritty and has intriguing twists, there’s plenty of tension and suspense, there are characters who are threatening and all this generates a feeling of danger and if you add in a bit of institutional sexism you have all the ingredients of a book that is hard to put down. There are murders, robbery, corruption, a major criminal network and a faceless mastermind. Some characters have guilt and some are seeking revenge. The plotting is solid, the storyline easy to follow and the end is good and leaves you wanting more.

Overall, this is an author I will be looking out for in the future and who has a very promising future. Highly recommended for fans of the genre.

With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is an extremely impressive debut novel from Will Shindler.
He has created some superb characters in this 1st in the series.
DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen are damaged and very complex personalities who are pushed to work together.
Finn is just returning to work after the death of his wife while Paulsen has just transferred to the unit because of...., well we don't really know.

Five years ago a major new development was engulfed in flames, one man was found dead in the building.
The first respondent Fire Fighters are now being targeted.
Finn and Paulsen are up against the clock as the team of five are picked off one by one.

Their are more than a few skeletons to come of closets before the end of this riveting and well paced thriller.
A great debut and I look forward to more from Will Shindler.

Will Shindler certainly makes his mark in his terrific debut crime fiction novel, it introduces the reader to an unusual pairing of police detectives operating out of London's Cedar House Police Station. DI Alex Finn is a bereaved widower, having just lost his wife, Karin, a lawyer to a cancerous tumour. He is not the most sociable of men, with a brusque exterior, preferring his close relationships to be with people of substance. He is a calm presence, methodical, intelligent but with a tendency to bottle things up. However, he just cannot bear being on his own with nothing but his overwhelming grief to keep him company at home, and despite really not being fit to work, returns to lead a complex case. He is to find that grief's grip is tenacious, tiring and merciless, it's hold on him unpredictable, crippling and ferocious.

Despite his objections, he is forced to take on new team member, DC Mattie Paulson, a remarkably effective and talented gay policewoman. Mattie is in a relationship with trainee social worker, Nancy Deen, and carries a mental and emotional trauma from a past case involving a paedophile which she has refused to deal with, leading to the kind of aggressive outbursts that are unprofessional, threatening the investigation and her career. She is forthright and outspoken, makes no effort to integrate and in fact is visibly hostile to others on the police team. The case begins with the burning of the groom on his wedding day. It turns out the victim was part of the Red Watch, a former fireman for the London Fire Brigade, one of five first responders to a devastating fire at a office development at 1 Pacific Square, 5 years ago, in which a notorious money launderer died. This team of 5 firemen quit the service soon after, but suddenly out of the blue they are being targeted by a killer in a manner that suggests pure hatred. Could it be that the infamous criminal underworld figure, The Handyman, suspected of masterminding the Stansted heist is behind the grisly murders?

Will Shindler's central protagonists, Alex Finn and Mattie Paulsen, both emotionally and mentally off kilter, each for different reasons, Alex struggling to handle his grief and Mattie blindly refusing to deal with her mental health issues that arise from a previous case, are the highlight of this riveting crime read for me. His complex plotting and intensely gripping storyline is what kept me compulsively turning the pages. This a dark and intense read easily drew me in and has me interested in how this intriguing police partnership of Alex and Mattie develops in the future. Great crime fiction that I recommend highly. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.

A must read ! Terrifying and graphic, human and thoughtful- brilliant piece of storytelling. Bringing together the police (Love Finn and Paulson ) the fire brigade and the darkest of underworld bag guys was a strong premise and one which works very well.

Complex and yet likeable characters- hopefully we will see them all again soon . If this is your genre- read this book, you will not be disappointed

Five years previously, a team of firemen, attending a massive fire in South London, spot someone trapped on the 3rd floor. Four of the team enter the building on a 'search and rescue' mission. They report that the man was trapped by debris and dead. Police identify the dead man as a well known criminal money launderer. Over the following months all five of the crew take early retirement. (Cases of PTSD are not uncommon following involvement in such a fire.) There has also been a major unsolved robbery from a bullion van in route to the bank. (The Stansted Heist.) The deceased money launderer may have been involved. So are the events linked and who/where is Mr Big?

Two of the firemen are separately killed in grim fire related assaults on them. Why and by whom? Are these deaths also related to the events and do the other firemen need protection? DI Finn, not yet firing on all cylinders following the death of his wife, finds he does not have a fully functional team to support him. Yet another problem to be dealt with whilst progressing his inquiries.

And so "The Burning Men" develops at a pace. There is a lot of ground to cover. Diligence is called for with lateral thinking as well as painstaking graft. This is a corker of a book which I found difficult to put down. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I'll be surprised if you don't enjoy it and want to encourage others to read it.

Will Shindler could well have a winner on his hands.