A Slow Fire Burning wasn’t too slow!

I meant to write this review Saturday after staying up until midnight reading but my personal life has been busy. Last Saturday at midnight I finished reading, “A Slow Fire Burning,” by Paula Hawkins. You might be familiar with Paula Hawkins because she is also the author of “The Girl on the Train,” (which was made into a movie that wasn’t the best) and “Into the Water.” The novel is about a man named Will, who was brutally stabbed on his house boat. The suspects are, Laura a one night stand who thought there was something more, Carla the grieving Aunt of the victim who is already grieving for her sister who is Will’s mother , and Miriam the nosy next door neighbor who is more than what she seems.

Pros

The murder mystery was great. I like that the setting is in North London. I also liked reading about the three women’s troubled pasts which shape them into these suspicious characters. I also liked how the book was poking fun at the current murder mystery thriller genre now a days with the great plot and unrealistic climax and ending. I also enjoyed how Miriam has it in for Carla’s ex-husband Theo, for stealing her real life story for his book.

Cons

There wasn’t much I disliked about the novel. I think the novel would have benefitted if it was written in the first person narrative instead of the third person. The first person narrative was what made “Girl on the Train,” great. While I didn’t like that it was predictable as to who murdered Will, what made up for it was the motive which I would have never of guessed. I also felt at times the book was slow but it wasn’t slow to where I wanted to scream, “Just get to the point already!”

Overall

Overall if you enjoy murder mystery plots and the author Paula Hawkins I recommend this. Is “A Slow Fire Burning,” on par with “The Girl on the Train?” Depending on your point of view maybe it is or maybe it’s not. I think “A Slow Fire Burning,” is meant to be its own unique story. It’s not better or worse than “The Girl on the Train,” in my opinion. But is it great? I think so.