Deadly Heat [Mass Market Paperback]

Cynthia Eden is really, really good at writing crime. No matter what genre her book fits into - paranormal, or romantic suspense, as this one is - the thing that distinguishes her from other writers is that her crime plot is always so strong. She knows how to create believable characters and scenarios for the law enforcement types, and she always makes the cases complex enough that you're not sitting back and waiting for the FBI to get what you figured out by about page two.

Eden writes proper suspense, not `suspense-lite' as some authors in this genre do. It's so much better reading a story that should be dark and unpredictable, and discovering it is actually dark and unpredictable. This is the best kind of romantic suspense.

Of course as this has a romance in it - it's not straight crime - that means the book has to have strong characters who are more three-dimensional than simply being law enforcement officers (and in this case, firefighters too) just out to get the bad guy. So it's a good thing Eden also writes characters and relationships really well.

To be honest, I wasn't so sure about this one at the beginning. It was the heroine who threw me; she's an Amazonian firefighter who punches the hero the first time she sees him. I'm not into reading about tough, pushy, violent women, and I was worried. However I didn't need to be, because from that unconventional introduction Lora actually turned out to be a pretty great character. She's strong in a good way, and my first impression was very wrong.

Lora Spade is the one who calls in the special unit of the FBI to investigate an arsonist and serial killer. Nobody in higher positions believes she's onto something, but the FBI takes her seriously from the outset. Kenton Lake is the agent sent to take control of the case. He deliberately makes himself a target for the killer, but what he doesn't count on happening was Lora being in danger too.

We get to revisit Monica and Luke from the first (and excellent) book in the series - Deadly Fear. We also get to spend time with the heroine of the next instalment - Sam - who is returning to work after nearly being killed in the last book. All of the characters are in Kenton's team, but all are also strong individuals with distinctive personalities. I can't say I could pick a favourite.

Cynthia Eden showed a lot of potential with her paranormal crime series, and I think overall I'm enjoying her romantic suspense even more. Deadly Heat was darkly romantic and full of twists and turns. I'm jumping straight into the next book in the series.

Six months ago Lora Spade, a firefighter, buried her boyfriend and fellow firefighter. The fire that took his life seems to have been set by an arsonist that was terrorizing the area. Seeing a connection between the fire that took her boyfriend's life and several other fires being set around the area, Lora called in the FBI Special Services Division. Still reeling from her loss she sets her sights on seeking justice.

Special Agent, Kenton Lake, is assigned to the case. Kenton is there to work the case and find the culprit, yet he is faced with an unwilling attraction to the little firecracker, Lora. Although he needs her expertise to help find the perpetrator he also discovers that he needs something more from her. As they are both tenacious and direct they set the ground rules for this investigation, but who will break them first?

Deadly Heat was a thoroughly enjoyable read. The bits about the fires and accelerants is fascinating, the descriptions of the actual fires in the homes draws you in and makes you feel the heat and wonder if they will all survive intact physically as well as emotionally. Just reading about the trials and tribulations of Kenton and Lora as they work to solve the mystery was intriguing and had you cheering for their happily ever after.

Cynthia Eden draws you in and you don't want to escape until you have reached the last page of this scorching book. I loved the nickname that Lora called Kenton in the beginning. You could just picture him standing there in his suit looking all GQ! Ms. Eden wasn't afraid to actually have the fire touch some of the main characters and this just endeared them to you more.

Deadly Heat had you guessing who the serial arsonist was and hoping it wasn't anyone the characters or you knew. The arsonist was the accelerant the brought these two combustible characters together to sizzle the pages of Deadly Heat.

Deadly Heat was quite a change from the normal run of the mill hero of these stories. As Kenton was forced to sit out and wait while Lora entered the burning building to rescue whomever was in there. You could feel his anxiety as he watched her enter that burning building and not being able to help her out of the situation. I actually loved the fact that Lora took on the hero's role in a few scenes and Kenton was man enough to let her!! It just goes to show you that hero's aren't gender biased, or shouldn't be. Deadly Heat is joyfully recommended!

Miranda
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Kenton Lake is a very Special Agent with the FBI and he gave the orders and directed the crime scene. But when he collides with Firefighter Lora Spade the tables are turned and she is the one pulling him from the burning building with no respect for his authority or federal status. That was alright because she is the one that called the FBI in because she is the only one who believes they have a serial arsonist at work here in her town of Charlottesville. Lora doesn't let anyone mess with her people especially when one of the firefighters she loved had been a casualty of this crazy person. The more time Kenton spends with Lora the more he sees the depth of her passion for the job and that is something they share along with an overwhelming desire to kiss her. This started from the moment he laid eyes on her and she feels the same way regardless of her denials. He moves in quick knowing she is going to run and when he does lock lips with her Lora surrenders to fears from the past and moves on to the future. This is not an easy accomplishment since the arsonist known as the Phoenix keeps lighting up the night with fires that are designed to kill in a specific pattern but with no real consistency to his pattern which is unlike any other serial killer. This should be easy to solve but even when all the elite agents of the SSD Division of the FBI are called in no one can find the connection and there has to be a connection. They determine the profile but even after extensive interviews of potential suspects there is not one person that completely fits the description which allows this nightmare to go on. With time running out and the Phoenix escalating his desire for destruction Lora and Kenton utilize every item at their disposal to find him and stop this. Before long they figure out what this crazy person is about and who in fact all this is targeted at which is even worse than either of them could imagine. Drawing them into his web of madness was the idea but can Kenton and Lora win the game when they are the ones with the targets on their back? But whatever happens at the end of this ordeal Kenton is determined to drive away the ghosts of the past that haunt Lora and be the man in her life today and for all the days that follow. They have both been lost and wandering around with ghosts of what happened before it is time to shed those and move on. Lora and Kenton fight together from the beginning of this story and that is one of the many delights I discovered about this book. I don't mind the wait for a couple to get together but when the attraction is this strong from page one it is nice to have the story built around them as a couple and dealing with everything united but still trying to work out the details of the relationship. Ms. Eden knows how to write a book that keeps you guessing and not know until the end who is up to what and she is also very good at scaring you during the process. I am anxious for book that comes next.

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