It takes only seconds for a flurry of petrol bombs to ignite a large chalet style summerhouse in the back garden of Dave Gordon’s house. Surely the arsonist couldn’t have been aware that two fourteen-year-old children, Shannon and Adam, were inside? As their parents frantically search for them the next morning, their charred bodies are already on their way to the mortuary. DI Laura Henshall and DS Will Peters from the Serious Crimes Unit in South Sheffield have the grim task of informing the families and searching for justice for these two innocent souls. They look closely at the owner who is generally thought of locally as a nasty piece of work and a possible breakthrough comes when a car is spotted driving away from the scene of the crime. Within two days another summer house is targeted and but still the team are struggling for a motive. When a body is found in a petrol filled house it looks like they may finally have a lead but the arrival of a dark and sinister letter suddenly puts the whole city under threat as far more serious fires rage. Laura and Will have to consider the unthinkable as they battle in a race against time to catch these ruthless criminals and save countless lives.
Once again this author brings us incredibly likeable characters, folk who think and act like normal human beings that the reader can instantly warm to and identify with. Laura and Will are great detectives but also kind caring people who are a pleasure to read about, especially with their humorous dialogue which tempers a poignant and sometimes heart-breaking story of loss, love and courage. Thoroughly recommended for a book that will grip your heart and mind from start to finish. 5*

Today, I’m taking part in Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books blog tour for Anita Waller’s firestarter of a read One Hot Summer. I’m so happy that I took part on this blog tour as this thriller was a joy to read. This exhilarating, thrilling and cracking read held my interest and attention from the very first page to the last one. I simply couldn’t put this novel down once I started to read it. In fact, I stayed up well into the night reading it, as I wanted to find out what happened in the end. If there ever was a thriller worth a read it’s this one.
It tells a story of a gang of arsenists starting fires in summer houses, a supermarket and even a police station, as the death toll from these crimes increases so does the desperation from the police to catch the culprits. This novel keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. I loved the author’s writing style, I loved the character development and finding out more about the main characters as the story unfolded and I loved the thrill of the investigation and the chase. The police procedural parts of this novel were interesting, and I found myself fascinated by the investigation. This novel certainly was the edge of your seat and unputdownable kind and it was a thrill to read.
I’m so happy to have discovered a new author for me whose writing style I love, and I’m hoping to read more by Anita Waller in the future. I’m yet to read a thriller published by Boldwood Books that I don’t love, and always look forward to the publication of their new releases and sign up for their blog tours straight away. I’m giving One Hot Summer 5 stars as I really loved it and I know that other readers will love it too.

I finished this book a few days ago and still can't stop thinking about it! The storyline was amazing, characters brilliant, I'm hoping this isn't all we hear from them! I was totally gripped from page one, it was heartbreaking, exciting, had my pulse racing, all the emotions!
Now, that ending… I can't say too much without major spoilers but that ending broke me! I'm still shaking my head about it, the tears were flowing. It was bold and brave writing, we often expect everything to wrap up nicely, a happy ever after story…this broke my heart.
A new favourite author to add to my list!

One Hot Summer was a fast paced read that I couldn't put down until I'd rad it from cover to cover.

The plot was well written, very intriguing, dark and exciting, just who or what are Flashpoint and what's their motive?

It has a cast of well sketched, credible characters, Laura and Will worked so well together.

I'm off to check out more of Waller's works!

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating 🔥🔥🔥🔥

One Hot Summer by Anita Waller-psychological thriller 26th Aug- Rachel netgalley 5*
There’s something about Anitas book. Something that cleverly draws you in and steals time. Something magical, entrancing almost. This one is about some arsonists who are throwing petrol bombs and sheds and summerhouses. What they perhaps didn't realise was that in the first one they torched there were two youngsters inside who both lost their lives. DI Laura Henshall and DS Will Peters are doing their very best to try and find out who and why. It soon appears that the gang have either inside information as they are one step ahead or even someone? A note is received saying that there is a threat of a much larger fire with potential huge loss of life unless demands are met. Can the team find out who and why in time?

I loved this and was unable to put it down. I liked Laura and Will who came across very well and a little backstory which adds depth and even a little romance. A cleverly thought out plot and a stunning awesome read.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

(amazon done- misfits farm)

#blogtour

Gripping, Tense..
Distressing and disturbing events are plaguing a town. When two teenagers are horrifically killed by fire started by a fire bombing, an investigation begins in earnest. With a credible and well crafted cast of characters, a gripping and tense storyline and twists aplenty this is a tension fuelled, shocking suspense.

One Hot Summer is set in Sheffield. It starts with a dramatic opening as two teenagers are killed by arsonists targeting the summer house they were in. But this is just the beginning… A fire bombing spree is soon underway, and DI Laura Henshall & DS Will Peters, together with a tight-knit team, are up against an unknown group. They unearth various clues but the ruthless assailants appear one step ahead. Is is possible that the gang has insider information?

Complex characters, a believable dynamic within the police investigation team, and an intense and increasingly menacing ethos all make this an addictive police procedural style thriller. Told from the viewpoints of the investigators, bereaved relatives and the perpetrators, it makes immersive reading. I like the believable characters, many of whom draw the reader's empathy. The author captures the emotions and plight of the bereaved well.

An easy writing style pulls you in to the story through the main characters and the peripheral ones too. The plot moves on at pace with plenty of hints dropped along the way.

This book has suspense, intrigue, action, serial killers and great police work. What more do you need in a great Psychological Thriller!

One Hot Summer is addictive with a cleverly thought out plot and is a must read. If you like a gripping thriller/police procedural with plot twists then you’ll really enjoy this!

A really enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.

A next door cozy mystery thriller.......................


One Hot Summer by Anita Waller is a mystery thriller which keeps you on your toes throughout the whole plot. The plot cris- crosses through various events and finally reaches its climax. The plot is fast paced with some efficient characters. The climax was engaging and full of action. Better not skip it. A lovely neighborhood turning into a fireball seems a perfect getaway for a thriller fan. It was really an enjoyable read.

I would like to give the book 4 stars. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

Complex characters, a believable dynamic within the police investigation team, and an intense and increasingly menacing ethos make this an addictive police procedural style thriller. It begins dramatically, leaving the reader shocked. Told from the viewpoints of the investigators, bereaved relatives and the perpetrators, it's immersive reading. The plot's many twists engage, and the ending is action-packed and poignant.

I like the believable characters, many of whom draw the reader's empathy. The author captures the emotions and plight of the bereaved well, and the ending has a devastating twist.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The story begins with wo teenagers who are killed in a fire in a summer house, the owner initially outcasted by his neighbours. But soon other fires are popping up in other neighbours summer houses and DI Laura Henshall and DS Will Peters realise they have a huge problem on their hands.

The two detectives have just entered into a new romantic relationship and to be honest I did get sick a bit lovey dovey banter going back and forth between them but this could just be me as I am not a person that likes romance in my books, I can handle a little but this just got on my nerves - I do not mean to offend the author or other readers.

As the book progresses it becomes evident that there is a mole in the police station working against them, I do have to say I picked this person very early in the story but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book, just clarified that I was on the right track. Soon a ransom demand is requested or further fires will occur endangering more lives. This has the station in a frenzy until they are finally able to identify the suspects and take some control over the situation. The ending is also quite sad.

I would not say that this is my favourite Anita Waller book but as I said it was still an enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I think I’ve read all of this author’s books and this is another great example of her way of dragging you into her books from the very start. A bit of a genre switch from more recent books this is a psychological thriller/police procedural and starts with a really shocking opening chapter that set the scene for a story that has one of highest body counts I’ve seen for a while. As always the story is well written and well plotted with plenty of twists and turns and despite all the deaths this isn’t overly graphic.

Briefly, when arson results in the death of two 14 year olds DI Laura Henshall is on the case alongside her team which includes her partner, at home as well as at work, DS Will Peters. They soon realise that there must be a small team of arsonists and after a number more fires, with more deaths, they receive an ultimatum. Can they prevent a major tragedy?

A compelling read I finished this in a day, only stopping to eat! Some great characters and I particularly loved Laura and Will. Unusually with this author I did guess who the brains behind the attacks was but not the motive, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment as I was never one hundred percent certain. A very good read and one I enjoyed a lot.

An excellent read - especially in the middle of a heatwave! The story is fast paced and engaging throughout. I guessed the perpetrator quite early on but this didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story at all.

What a cracking read! The story starts off with a bang and never lets up throughout. A gang of arsonists who call themselves Flashpoint, have the city of Sheffield living in terror as a series of fires are started throughout the area leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. As the body count begins to rise, so does the anxiety of DI Laura Henshall and her team who work around the clock to bring the perpetrators to justice.
This is a compelling and brilliantly written read that had me gripped throughout. The attention to detail is superb, the characters so lifelike they all but jump off the page at you. Another fantastic story by Anita Waller, this book comes highly recommended. A full 5 stars from me!.
Thank you netgalley and much appreciation to the author

One hot summer is a gripping and page turner ,psychological book. Psychological books are my favourite and One hot summer did not let me down loved it and I even cried at the end. The beginning of the book was brilliant which helped me to be hooked the story line. I really liked Anita Wallet writing styler and will definitely read more . The story starts of with two teenages in a house summer shed that sets on fire. Laura and Will are sent to look into this tragic fire and then there becomes more fires and murder they have to investigate. It definitely kept me guessing me I got it right who it was. Thank you rararesource , NetGalley and Anita Waller for letting be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Anyone that likes Psychological thriller will love this 5 stars.

DI Laura Hensall and DS Will Peters, who are beginning a personal relationship, are called to the scene of a fire that has killed two local teenagers. Soon, there are other fires throughout the city as well as a ransom note. They and their team race to stop the arsonists before there is a major catastrophe.

This is a solid mystery/police procedural. The story is well written; it pulled me into it and I spent most of the day reading. Even though the “who done it” was evident a little more than halfway through the book, I still couldn’t put it down. The characters are well developed and inspire empathy in the reader.

I’d love to see this become a series.


Thanks to #netgalley and #boldwoodbooks for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author, for the free copy of this book, in exchange for my review. First, I love Anita Waller's books. I am guaranteed to be entertained, glued to the story and blown away by her storytelling style. This was no exception, but exceptional! The story started with a bang of a hook and kept me interested and biting my nails until the very end. I really, really like the 2 main characters, DI Laura Henshall and DS Will Peters. I loved their personal story and their professionalism. I really liked this book!

The book jumps straight in with the action and keeps it going well throughout. It read like a television crime drama and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. The pacing was great and there was always more happening to keep you hooked.

The characters were well written and likeable, you also got lots of subplot aspects which helped with building them and making you want more from them.

The premise was interesting and the police procedural aspects were really well written. It was a well thought out plot and it flowed well leaving no stones unturned. A lot of different emotions throughout but it was gripping and heartfelt in the right places.

I have to admit that I did guess a big plot point with the ‘whodunnit’ relatively early on. So although I didn’t get the shock factor from it, I did still enjoy how it played out - even if it felt a little obvious to me. I didn’t however guess the ending, so that was definitely a bit of a shocker!

If you enjoy a crime drama, police procedural book - this is one to add to your list. It was interesting & well written, with great characters and lots happening!

Once again a brilliant thrilling read from Anita Waller. The tragic deaths of two teenagers in a fire caused by petrol bombs is a shocking and terrifying start to One Hot Summer. DI Laura Henshall , her colleague, Will Peters and the investigation team desperately try to solve further fire bomb attacks . A gripping read from start to finish. So many believable true to life characters in this well written plot. As for the ending, I'm still reeling !

Loved this book. Great plot to get yourself lost in. This book has everything. A real fast paced thriller. Will get your heart racing on more than one occasion. Very well written. Highly recommend this book

I’ve been a fan of Anita Waller for a while now…more than 5 years in fact. And not one of her novels have failed to disappoint. When you have that high of an expectation you’re always hopeful picking up a new book.
This one lived up to those.
It delivered all you could want from an Anita novel. It starts off strong and is emotional from beginning to end. As with all her others, I’d highly recommend this one!
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my arc. Another 5 out of 5!