Member Reviews

I received an advanced copy of this book to read through NetGalley. I thought it had great potential but fell short for me in a few ways. It was slow moving and I felt that the plot was lacking. I kept waiting for more to happen, but it never really did. I also had a hard time understanding and emphasizing with the main character Alison.

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Alison is lucky to have survived a wildfire that claims way too many lives. She is stunned to see a car in her driveway when she is finally able to emerge from her bathroom shelter. It’s not the car that is the issue, but the dead person inside. A woman who Alison has never met, who has a piece of paper with this address. Why was she coming to see Alison and what might Alison have done differently that could’ve saved her.
Alison will soon discover that her past isn’t quite done with her yet. As she becomes more consumed with what this woman Simone was doing here, she learns how they were connected. Struggling to understand while fearing for her life, Alison must go back to her past, if she wants to have a future.
This is an atmospheric read with all the horrors of a wildfire. Only the changing direction of the wind saved her, but Simone, and many others were not so lucky. I liked how the story unfolded in the present and the past. The only thing that didn’t really work for me was how it ended.

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Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🇦🇺 have ever explored the Australian Outback
🕵🏻‍♀️ want to see the FMC play detective
🤐 hold onto your secrets
👀 enjoy a good mystery

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

When a catastrophic wildfire suddenly rips through a woman’s hometown, she thinks she is lucky to have survived . . . until she finds a dead woman in her driveway, clutching a piece of paper with her name on it. . . .

The blaze came out of nowhere one summer afternoon, a wall of fire fed by blustering wind. Yet, somehow, Alison is alive. She rode out the fire on the damp tiles of her bathroom, her entire body swaddled in a wet woolen blanket. As flames crackled around her, the bitter char of eucalyptus settled in the back of her throat, each breath more desperate than the last.

The wildfire that devastated the Victoria countryside Alison calls home sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to obliterate the carefully constructed life she is living. When Alison emerges from her sheltering place, she spots a soot-covered cherry red car in her driveway, and in it, a dead woman. Alison has never met Simone Arnold in her life . . . or so she thinks. So what is she doing here?

As Alison searches for answers across Australia’s scorched bushlands, she soon learns that the fire isn’t the only threat she’s facing. . . .

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

I was instantly intrigued by this story - Alison is in the middle of a huge brush fire, and only miraculously survives because of the wind?! My heart was already pounding and we are only a few pages in. I really loved her character - she was real in both her actions and her words. I loved how we only see the story through her eyes too - it made me feel like I was taking this journey alongside her, always looking over my shoulder for Gil like she was. I would have loved a bit more information about Simone though. The ending left me wanting just a little bit more. Overall though, a suspenseful thriller with a lot of tough but important topics!

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Alison is surprised when she realizes she survived a wildfire in her Australian home simply because the wind changed directions at the very last minute. Alison is even more surprised when she discovers a dead woman alone in a car in her driveway holding a piece of paper with Alison’s name and address on it. Who is this woman? How did she end up in Alison’s driveway? What is her cause of death?

I truly enjoyed the unique setting of Radiant Heat. I felt connected to the protagonist and wanted to learn more about her past. I also enjoyed the other characters in this book. It definitely held my attention and kept me reading.

My only issue was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I was still left with quite a few questions. Maybe this will be the beginning of a new series and these questions will be answered in a later book? I look forward to reading more from Sarah-Jane Collins.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

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While there are a number of twists to keep you guessing, it was a bit lackluster overall. The ending missed the mark. I did like the setting and the overall premise. Alison isn't a sympathetic character, and I found it difficult to connect with or root for her. Difficult topics are addressed, such as abuse.

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A Nicely Crafted Atmospheric Mystery Thriller that Grips The Reader From The First Page.

SUMMARY
Alison's peaceful life in Victoria, Australia turns into a nightmare when a devastating wildfire surrounds her home. With no time to spare, she takes refuge in her bathroom, covered by a wet wool blanket. When the fire finally subsides and Alison is able to step out, she comes across a car at the bottom of her driveway, with a lifeless woman inside. Alison has never seen the woman before, or so she thinks. As she tries to unravel the mystery of the woman's presence, Alison uncovers a major threat that puts her life in danger.

REVIEW
Radiant Heat is a nicely crafted atmospheric mystery thriller that grips the reader from the very first page. The story is haunting and harrowing, leaving you feeling unsettled and on edge until the very end.

Alison, the protagonist, is a complex and troubled character whose search for answers drives the narrative forward. Her past unhealthy relationship casts a shadow over her decision-making, which may frustrate some readers, but also adds depth to her character. It's worth noting that the emotional abuse Alison suffered in her previous relationship may be triggering for some readers. Overall, Radiant Heat is a dark and intense read that will stay with you long after you finish it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Publisher Berkley Publishing Group
Published January 23, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

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I find myself looking for Australian fiction since reading Jane Harper's The Dry. Radiant Heat will join the list of new favorites! A powerful novel set in the aftermath of a devastating brush fire, with likeable characters and a steady pace. I can't find anything indicating whether this is the author's first novel or only the first to be released in the US, but I will certainly watch for her forthcoming works!

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I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

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This is a page turner! Well paced, with likable, well-developed characters. Set in Australia, the book opens with Allison, our main character, barely surviving a wild-fire that ripped through her hometown. Feeling lucky to be alive, she is horrified to find a strange car in her driveway and a woman inside, dead, but with Allison's address in her purse. As she works to sort through the pieces of her life and find the mystery woman's identity, she finds herself reliving elements of her past and finding herself in some real danger. Well written and very readable.

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After surviving an Australian wildfire by hiding in her bathtub in a quilt soaked in water, Alison wanders out to find her neighbors and help. What she finds first, is a car in her driveway and the woman inside (who looks strangely similar to Alison) is dead. Alison doesn’t know who this woman is or why she is in her driveway. Was she trying to outrun the fire and turned the wrong way? In shock and hardly thinking, Alison checks the woman’s purse for identification or any information and finds a slip of paper with Alison’s name and address on it. In the days that follow, Alison struggles with the pain of what she lost in the fire, survivor’s guilt, and the mystery of who the woman is and why she was at her house.
After a slow start, things really picked up and I was invested in Alison’s search. I enjoyed the suspense and at times couldn’t distinguish whether Alison was in real danger or if she was an unreliable narrator. I would have liked the book more, however, if Alison was more likeable. In her grief, she uses a long-time friend that she knows is in love with her and she doesn’t have any remorse. She seems to have alienated most or all of her friends so it seems unrealistic that they are helping her throughout the course of her investigations, especially when she is putting them in danger. Still, I was hooked and couldn’t wait to find out how it was going to end.
All in all, I really enjoyed Radiant Heat and think that it’s a great thriller!

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Alison barely survives a devastating Outback wildfire only to find a car in her driveway with a woman inside. As she checks her purse for I.D., Alison find a slip of paper with her full name and address on it. She’s never seen the woman before and although they appear to look similar to each other, Alison has a bad feeling and hides the paper from the local authorities. Her anxiety amps up as she continues to feel being watched and rumors of arson start. Just what is really going on?

A good action/adventure thriller with lots of red herrings to keep you guessing. The ending was a little soft for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for making an early copy of this book available in exchange for an honest review.

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Alison, the main character in Radiant Heat, will spark a lot of conversations. Readers will feel sorry for her as a victim of sexual abuse; be annoyed with her as she withholds information about an alleged murderer; or cheer her on as a woman who takes matters in her own hands. For some readers it will be all of the above.

After a wildfire sweeps through Alison's property in Australia, she discovers the body of a young dead woman sitting in a car. The plot builds as Alison realizes the connections she has with the dead woman. As Alison decides what information to provide to the police and the press, she forges on her own to solve the crime.

Radiant Heat is a good selection for discussion groups because Alison is a character to be talked about.

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I enjoyed this author’s writing style, which submerges the reader in the main character’s experience. One feels and sees what Alison feels and sees. The characters and the setting come alive. The story, however, felt slow and tedious. Alison is not particularly likable, which makes it difficult to sympathize with her predicament. She makes poor choices about sharing information with the police when confronted with a possible crime, and she endangers her friends with thoughtless behavior. Obviously traumatized by abuse, she pushes people away and her personal relationships become a source of frustration for the reader. The ending is anticlimactic. I enjoyed the vernacular of Australian life, but not the story.

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I wanted to like Sarah-Jane Collins’ debut novel, Radiant Heat, so much more than I did. The description of a woman who survives an Australian bush fire only to find that she’s still in danger sounded appealiing. However, I had a hard time liking Alison King, the protagonist.

Alison survived the fire that threatened her life by wrapping herself in a wet blanket, and sheltering in her bathtub. When she leaves the house to see the devastation, she discovers a red car in her driveway with the body of a woman in it. According to the ID, Simone Arnold is from Queensland, and resembled Alison. As Alison searches for information, she finds a paper in the woman’s purse. It has Alison’s name and address on it.

When a neighbor shows up, Alison flees with him. She shelters in a friend’s home, but her first instinct is not to seek out the police. When a childhood friend, Billy, who is now a cop, shows up, Alison tells him about the body in her driveway, but doesn’t tell him about the paper with her contact information. Instead, she uses Billy for sex, a proof of life after the danger she faced. But, there’s more danger out there.

When a police detective shows up, Detective Mitchell questions Alison, wanting to know if she knew the dead woman. They both lived in the same apartment building in Cairns at one time, and Mitchell is suspicious. It takes a while for Alison to realize the women both dated an abusive man, but knew him under different names. Now, Alison fears her ex is on her trail, and has tracked her to her home.

Radiant Heat is an atmospheric novel that capitalizes on the claustrophobic nature of wildfire. But, the focus is on an abused woman who doesn’t know how to move on with her life, or accept the fact that everything that happens isn’t her fault. She’s afraid to accept affection, and feels as if nothing is in her control. Alison King is a difficult character to like, which made it hard to like the story.

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Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Radiant Heat. Very well written and interesting, different story. The devastating fire and it's aftermath was described so well it seemed as if the reader was there. 4 stars

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The premise sounded so good; Alison survives the brushfire that kills 160 others only to find a dead woman in a car parked in her driveway. She doesn't know the woman but discovers her own name and address on a slip of paper in the woman's purse. The local police seem to think she knows more than she's telling, which at first isn't true, but circumstances change and Alison holds the shocking answers close to her heart. Exploring the theme of relationships,(abusive relationships, cheating ones that destroy families and those that are longed for but can never be) drive the characters in Radiant Heat. The character of Alison is not a sympathetic one who spends too much of the book wallowing in her own misery. I found it hard to connect with her and her actions. This was not the book I was expecting from the promotional blurb and I forced myself to finish it-hoping it would get better nearer to the end. The ending was quite a let down and could have used more work.

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I really liked this book. It was full of suspense. I wish she would have liked Billy the cop a little bit more! I would like to read more by this author.. Very good mystery!

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Alison is lucky to be alive when a bushfire nearly decimates her hometown in Australia. When she is finally able to leave the safety of her home she find taht there is a woman, dead in a car, in her driveway. She doesn't know her nor why she is there but she finds a slip of paper with her name and address. Thus starts a claustrophobic and tense tale as Alison works against the clock to find out why the woman was there. The small town police are suspicious and there seems to be someone watching her. Can she get past her trauma and save herself? I liked this book quite a lot - hard, rugged stories are just as scary as your gothic horror! I found the end less then satisfying but the ride along was great.
#Berkley #RadiantHeat #SarahJaneCollins

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