Wow what a fantastic read this was. Dark, engrossing and tense it kept me reading far too late at night!

The mention of fire always intrigues me as it’s so dangerous and unpredictable so the blurb instantly appealed to me. I was not disappointed as the Firewatcher was a truly despicable villan who I loved to hate. He’s obviously a highly intelligent individual and I found it hugely enjoyable trying to work out who he was. His main communication to the detectives was through blog posts which gave the story a modern feel which made it seem more realistic.

DS Tyler was a fantastic main character and one that I warmed to instantly. He’s the first gay police officer that I remember reading about and it was sad to see the homophobic behaviour of his colleagues that was casually wrapped up as so called ‘banter’. I thought he handled everything very well though and I found myself admiring him for his intelligent determination towards the case.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic read with a fascinating plot that held my attention throughout the book. I enjoyed reading all the different threads and watching them slowly come together. There were lots of twists and surprises which kept me guessing which I always enjoy. The final revel was brilliantly done and took me completely by surprise- very cleverly done by the author.

This is unbelievably the author’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more from him in the future. I’m hopeful that this is the start of a new crime series staring DS Tyler as I’d love to read more of him!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jess from Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.

Set in Sheffield, DS Adam Tyler is working on the Cold Case Review Unit, and when a body is found bricked up in a wall, and the house had later been set on fire…. And so the investigation begins.

The victim is George Cartwright who had gone missing years before.

Adam has a one night stand with a young man, Oscar, but he turns out to be the son of the dead man…..is this a coincidence?

There’s also an elderly couple who live next door to the burned house, Lily and Edna. Edna is suffering with cancer and Lily seems very distracted and has memory problems…..they are also Oscar’s ‘aunts’.

Someone is also setting fires, burning bus stops, scout huts and more, adding random posts about the fires on social media…

I love this book. It’s so involved, with a large cast of interlinked characters and so well plotted it keeps you completely engrossed from start to finish as more and more of the story unfolds. There’s murder, arson, missing wives, abuse and even a potential romance.

Adam is a great character, dealing with casual and not so casual homophobia in his own way…and dogged in his determination to find the perpetrators of crime. PC Rabbini is the same, she’s just starting out but she’s thorough and just as determined as Adam. I’d love to read more of this team….even Doggett. A truly scorching thriller.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.

I know this is a debut so I should cut him some slack but I thought this was quite poorly written and the type of book that Amazon would promote on their First Reads offer page. The story was pretty turgid, and with resounding echoes of Barbara Vine and Minette Walters, I didn't really feel there was any originality to it. Although the character of Tyler was interesting, he was a bit woolly and two dimensional unlike other LGBTQ characters I have read. who have a bit more about them. Disappointing.

Whoa-oh-oh. This book is on fire. Like what I did there? I’m still trying to catch my breath after finishing this heart-pounding debut. I love a good crime series, and Firewatching is the first in what I have no doubt will become one of my favourites. I’ll admit that I was enamoured by the fact it’s set in my hometown of Sheffield, but that isn’t why I loved it so much. The author had me hooked from the first page, his magnificent writing making me putty in the palm of his hand. I couldn’t put it down, read every spare minute possible as I tried in vain to predict what would happen next.

DS Adam Tyler is called to the discovery of a body that was buried alive by being bricked into the wall of a house. The house’s owner, Graham Cartwright, had vanished six years ago amid high-profile scandals. Solving this case could be Adam’s way to salvage his career so he’s determined to be on the case. But he doesn’t work well with others, so this also becomes his chance to prove to his boss that he can be a team player. As he works the case with old-school copper DI Jim Doggett, the original investigator in the disappearance, and Amina Rabbani, a young police officer who sees the case as her chance to finally make it into CID, it soon becomes clear that there are people who’ve been keeping secrets that they want to remain hidden and that this will be a more complex case than they initially imagined. As his professional and private life seep together, Adam finds himself in a fight not only for his career, but for his life.

Part of the genius of this book is that everyone is a suspect. I literally had all but about three characters on my suspect list at one point or another, including the protagonist. You don’t know what to think, who to trust and where it is going next, leaving you on the edge of your seat as your mind fizzes with questions and suspicion. The author has created a vast array of characters who all feel fleshed out and vivid, each illuminating the story in their own unique way. liked that Tyler wasn’t beloved by everyone or a team player. His battle to be treated like the other male officers because of his sexuality and the trauma of his father’s suicide gives him not only the spikiness that was fun to read, but also made me feel warmth towards him for those struggles . I enjoyed the banter between him and the other officers and how reluctantly they worked together to solve the case. Real life means having to work with people you can’t stand sometimes and the author certainly used it to his advantage in this book. The antagonist hides in the shadows until the tense finale and I loved being in the dark as much as the investigating officers. I honestly couldn’t pinpoint a clear suspect and was completely blindsided when they were revealed.

I loved the inclusion of the blog posts by the arsonist. They were mysterious, bizarre, creepy and fascinating. You got a real sense of how twisted and traumatised this person was and they increased the foreboding atmosphere that hung in the air. In the beginning they read like stories but slowly the readers see that there is more to them and realise how sick and twisted the writer is. But their identity remains a mystery, known only by the name The Firewatcher.

Firewatching is an outstanding, atmospheric, claustrophobic and surprising debut. It has everything you want in a great thriller and leaves you wanting more, just as a good series should. It is a must-read for anyone who enjoys this genre. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Thank you for my copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

When this novel appeared in my inbox I was so excited and signed up immediately.  I wasn't disappointed.  I was hooked by the realisation it was set in Sheffield.  Refreshing to see that places further North are being used in novels.  

Firewatching is packed full of a intricate plot and character development and is not a novel you can easily read with 5 minutes here and there.  This is a complex and brilliant crime thriller for those who like their novels a little meatier than your average crime thriller. 

When fires begin appearing all over Sheffield, and a body from an old case is discovered bricked up in a wall, DS Tyler is selected to join the investigation team.  Is there a link to be discovered or are the cases completely unrelated? Throw in the fact that Tyler is compromised after an encounter with someone connected to the case and so begins an intricately woven tale, moving back and forward in time and messing with the reader's head until reaching an unexpected and unpredictable conclusion.   

DS Adam Tyler is the sole officer investigating cold crimes (because he's brilliant at his job and due to an incident in the past that nearly cost him his career).  He has an intriguing past and a lonely existence.  His cool exterior and the fact that he is gay means he is often isolated and unpopular amongst colleagues.  Adam is not a warm and fuzzy character but he's been written in a way that makes him likable and admirable.  Working on the case with fellow officers brings out a different side to him and what emerges throughout the novel is a small team whose personalities and strengths balance each other.  The characters on the investigation team and the ones being investigated have been written with precision and fantastic observations drawing on a vast array of quirks, observations and behaviours.       

This is a fantastic debut novel and I'm really hoping it becomes a series as I'm wanting more from the main characters and this writer.

DS Adam Tyler works for the Yorkshire police investigating cold cases. When he is called to the Old vicarage when a body is found in the walls of the building. It was put there when the person was still alive. It has been there for some time. They discover that it is the body of Gerald Cartwright who disappeared 6 years ago, and the house was left derelict and then burnt down. His son Oscar has the builders in to renovate the property, so he can sell it. Later, they discover another body of his wife Cynthia. Cynthia neglected her son Oscar and Edna and Lily looked after him. They were witnesses to their death but kept it a secret all these years until the bodies are found. Then in the village a series of buildings are burnt down and somehow linked to the murders.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a copy of Firewatching by Russ Thomas.
Fire watching is a good start to a new police series involving DS Tyler, with lots of twists and turns. But I found this very slow read. I really didn’t understand why the story went back for Edna and Lily to the time of the war which confused me a bit. 3 stars from me.

This excellent debut is set in and around the South Yorkshire ‘Steel City’ of Sheffield which is a good backdrop to the dramatic events of Firewatching. The central character is DS Adam Tyler currently assigned to cold cases. He’s scarred in more ways than one, doesn’t win many friends with his cool exterior, very intelligent and gay which makes him feel like he constantly has to prove himself to fellow police officers who often throw innuendo in his direction. Then there’s DI Jim Doggett, what a star! A terrible fidget, his constant jiggling makes you want to hold his limbs down but I love his wit, black humour, his intelligence and he proves to be a very unlikely supporter of Adam. I love the banter between these two! We also have PC Mina Rabbani with her fiery temper, broad South Yorkshire accent, her cleverness and initiative. On the other hand, there’s DS Gary Daley. Ummmm. I think every workplace probably has a Daley. Let’s move on but before we do, here’s a newly created fictional detective team that I think has tremendous potential.

What of the case? It appears to be two but transpires to be one. It starts with the discovery of a body hidden behind a relatively newly created wall in a cellar of The Old Vicarage in a Peak District village. This proves to be infamous George Cartwright, missing for six years. He was a financial wizard with a finger or two in many a dodgy pie and worse. His son Oscar befriends Adam which causes problems. When growing up Oscar is looked after by two elderly ladies, Edna and Lily who are very interesting characters. There’s also The Firewatcher who posts about arson attacks which grow increasingly dangerous. It all connects to The Vicarage, Cartwright and an LS Lowry painting which is very intriguing. The plotting is excellent, very clever and although dramatic it’s not implausible.

This is a well written book with some really good descriptions, it keeps you guessing throughout especially the identity of The Firewatcher. The dialogue is realistic and often witty. I like the Firewatcher online posts as they not only contain cryptic information but also historical fires which I find very interesting. The characterisation is excellent and though Adam has a cool exterior as a defence at what life has chucked at him but I think he is very likeable. The story unfolds well with twists and turns, some shocking revelations, there’s tension and suspense and it has an almost Gothic/dystopian ‘Mad Max’ feel which adds an extra dimension. I like the diversity element in the story which makes it feel very current. The end is dramatic with the final few paragraphs being very tantalising and leaves me hoping there’s a sequel. PLEASE RUSS THOMAS DON’T LEAVE US HANGING!!! I want more of Tyler, Doggett and Rabbani and if we must, Daley!!

Overall, a fantastic, riveting, praiseworthy debut of high quality.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC.

What is it with impressive debuts at the moment? Russ Thomas has written a stonker of a book that is filled with so many twists and turns that is undeniable tense as we came to the conclusion of the story!
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The main character of DS Tyler is complex, what with being gay, a father who was a supposedly bent copper, trouble fitting in with his colleagues but is strong, determined, tends to disobey orders and doesn’t mix well with others. There are a lot of hints throughout the story about his past etc which I’m hoping means there is going to be a series!
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I did love that fact that it was PC Rabbani, the Asian policewoman who was determined to get her big break in this case and work with CID, that found out the main points in the background to this case. I really hope that her character is developed more in any upcoming novels.
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The story itself, without giving too much away, is multi-layered to the point where towards the end you are ‘huh?!’ and I’m mainly talking about the parentage point here. In my opinion this was just one layer that was unnecessary. However, the story was complex, chilling, compelling, nerve churning and a delight to read. Bring on more! This book will set the charts on fire - see what I did there 🤣!

What a great debut novel. A little slow to begin with but the the tension builds up, with twists and turns which make you second guess what is coming next, and with an ending you won’t see coming. A great start to what I hope will be a good series to follow.

DS Adam Tyler is 29 years old, and due to a previous incident he is in the doghouse, working on cold cases for Yorkshire police. He gets called to join the investigating team that have been called to The Old Vicarage a property in a quiet rural village, which had burnt in a fire and had been neglected since it’s owner, Gerald Cartwright had disappeared six years earlier, 4 years after his wife had left him, now his son Oscar has hired builders to start renovations in the basement, where they find Geralds body bricked behind a wall, where he had been buried alive, another body is also found later.

DS Tyler is a very observant person, he can also tell when someone is lying, he has been compromised, now he has to decide whether he should remove himself from the investigation, but he also wants to get back in the good books. Could he have put himself in danger?

I like DS Tyler he is a relatable, likeable character, he’s not perfect, but who is, he doesn’t always make the right choices either. The rest of his colleagues are also interesting and well rounded, I hope to see more of them, and watch how they develop, there is also some backstory to Adam which adds to the story.

Great plot, great characters, what more could you ask for especially in a debut novel, I look forward to reading more by this author, a great start.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Simon&Schuster for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I felt the book started off slowly, and i found the more I read the more I was drawn into the story and the characters in it. I really liked the main character, DS Tyler and his working relationships with his colleagues. There were quite a few twists in the story, some I’d guessed, and some were very unexpected. The book towards the end moved from past to present to tie up all loose ends. I found this a thrilling read and really enjoyed it. I hope there is a second book featuring DS Tyler, the ending was left hinting at more to come. 4 stars

I never repeat the blurb. Didn't enjoy this one at all. The plot was overly and unnecessarily disjointed, unrealistic, one dimensional characters and, while not the writer's issue, the formatting was out of kilter which made it worse. Won't be reading any more. Found myself just flicking through the last half of the book. Disappointing.

Russ Thomas's crime fiction debut is a cracking read, set in Sheffield, featuring a gay detective, DS Adam Tyler, who after an 'incident' that left his face scarred, is the sole member of the South Yorkshire Cold Case Unit, still in the force thanks to his godmother, DCI Diane Jordan. He is a smart, self contained guy, with a reputation for being cold and definitely not a team player. His father was a well known cop who committed suicide, Adam found his body, and he was thought to be corrupt. His successes in solving cases have made him a lot of enemies, he has to endure sly pointed comments about his father, and homophobia in the form of 'banter' and otherwise. After a one night stand with a young, good looking man, Adam pushes his way onto a case where a man's body has been discovered bricked in by a false wall in the cellar at the Old Vicarage in the village of Castledene.

It looks to be the body of Gerald Cartwright, a notoriously corrupt businessman, with a dubious reputation who disappeared 6 years ago. The case is led by DI Jim Doggett, who beneath his bluster is keen to have Adam on the team, and lets him bring on board the ambitious Constable Rabbani, providing he accepts responsibility for her. However, Adam finds himself in trouble almost immediately, the prime suspect is Gerald's son, Oscar, the man Adam had slept with the night before. Despite being compromised, Adam stays on the case which turns out to be a messy, tangled affair with numerous threads. There are the elderly neighbours, the cancer ridden ex-headteacher, Edna Burnside, living with the dementia suffering Lily Bainbridge, they looked after Oscar when he was a child. Lily is getting hand delivered notes from an anonymous sender stating that they know what she did, but the problem is that she cannot remember what that might be. In a tense narrative, another body is discovered and running amok in the background is a pyromaniac, the Fire Watcher, with a blog about historical fires, who knows precisely what happened all those years ago.

Thomas certainly makes his mark with his complex crime fiction debut, the central protagonist, Adam Tyler, is a strong, determined, tenacious, memorable, and flawed character, who fails to keep tabs on and manage Constable Rabbani, with his troubled background and personal life. The multiple threads eventually begin to connect, there is plenty of intrigue and it looks as if Adam might have been played, but by whom? There is plenty to get your teeth into in this dark, tense and suspenseful read, with its gripping central character, I just could not put the book down until I finished. I am not certain if this is a series, but I sincerely hope so. Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for an ARC.

As a police procedural crime fan, I've been looking forward to reading this for some time.
I loved the twists in the plot - sent me down a blind alley a couple of times. I particularly liked the interactions with the characters, and the building up of some interesting relationships for future novels. As the setting is local to myself, I particularly enjoyed the setting and atmosphere.
An exciting debut! When's book 2? 😄

A new type of police procedural with a gay detective as the lead character and after initial doubts it works brilliantly in this violent tale of old unsolved cases and new murders. A great cast of characters the tale veers from past to present seen through the eyes of one old lady and the main character,it all gels nicely together in an exciting violent,hot climax and the door is left open for more from this intriguing story.Recommended!

I loved this book! Lovely layered characters and a twist that I genuinely did not see coming! I'm very much looking forward to the next one...

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Simon and Schuster UK for the ARC.
I rather enjoyed this book. The start of a new detective series featuring Det. Sgt. Adam Tyler who is the sole caseworker on Yorkshire Constabulary's Cold Case Unit. He gets results but is presently in the dog house for a previous 'incident'.
He joins the investigation team called to The Old Vicarage in the quiet village of Castledene. Some while ago the property had suffered a fire and been neglected since its owner Gerald Cartwright disappeared 6 years ago, 4 years after his wife Cynthia walked out on him. His son, Oscar, has returned and employed builders to start renovations in the basement.
They discover the remains of Gerald - apparently walled-up whilst still alive. Another body is later revealed.
Cynthia neglected Oscar and two elderly neighbours, Lily Bainbridge and Edna Burnside looked after him - his 'aunts'. However, they have secrets, especially Lily, who receives menacing notes about 'what she did', only her memory is failing and she just can't remember what she is supposed to have done.
Meanwhile, in this rural idyll, an allotment shed burns to the ground, also the village bus shelter and local Scout hut- there's an arsonist on the loose. detailing historic conflagrations in a blog under the name of the Firewatcher, but what has this got to do with 2 murders?
Adam Tyler notices everything and knows when people are lying, but he's been inadvertently compromised and debates whether he should excuse himself from the case. There does seem a lot of coincidences surrounding Tyler and the investigation - but why?
Secrets and lies are gradually eroded for the truth to be revealed - I didn't see that ending coming!
I like Adam Tyler, there is a good back-story to his personal life and family which is intriguing and surprising.
A good criminal investigation with a complex plot.

Lots of twists and turns in this one. It was a well written book and the characters felt realistic. It had a good pace and storyline.

I must admit that I wasn't sure about this book to begin with as it felt like yet another police detective novel in an already crowded genre. However, D.S. Tyler and his colleagues won me over and the twisty plot kept me guessing until the satisfying ending. I'm looking forward to spending more time with them.
Thank you to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

I should have liked this more than I did. I feel a three is being generous.
I spent quite a bit of time being confused by the old ladies,what was wrong with each of them,and what their relationship was to one another.
I liked the main characters in the police,and I'd definitely read the next book they're in now I've established their history.
Possibly too many twists for my liking.