Finder has crafted a timely and well-written thriller that engages the reader with an uncomfortable topic in unexpected ways. The author tackles the subject head-on, and by taking one of his best characters and giving him personal stakes, the intensity of the story shines. House on Fire will be remembered as one of Finder’s best.
Joseph Finder pulls out all the stops for this one, delivering another heart-stopping thriller that’s not to be missed. Heller, one of the genre’s best characters, has always thrived under pressure—but his ability to stay calm, cool, and one step ahead of the bad guys is suddenly tested like never before. That tension drives the story early, setting the table for a knockout final act that will certainly leave readers hoping Finder doesn’t take four more years to release the series’ fifth book.
Finder utilizes his extensive research abilities with current events to make House on Fire yet another winner in this series. There are subtle but significant parallels displayed between Heller and Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe, with enough differences incorporated into Finder’s creation to make him utterly unique. Fans of financial thrillers and private-eye fiction will find much to love here.
Finder is a master of the narrow escape. In his stand-alone thrillers, his protagonists are abruptly plunged from ordinary lives into mazes that other people have constructed; their survival depends on finding the way out ... The extended scenes of Heller breaking and entering into a mansion and, later, a corporation are exquisitely detailed. Finder’s characterization of Heller gets more layered with every installment. The way Heller moves through the mystery, using social skills, street smarts, and technology to get in and out of trouble, is breathtaking. Excruciating suspense.
This thriller is not only topical but beautifully driven by the intricacies of personal agendas, both obvious and hidden. Easily read as a stand-alone as well as part of the series, this is sure to captivate a new audience and bring them to the Joseph Finder backlist.
Though Finder's latest thriller is well timed and well intended, it lacks the punch of his best efforts. The plot, usually his strong suit, is wobbly (wouldn't Heller be more than mildly surprised by Maggie's presence?), leading one to believe that sticking to what Heller refers to as 'the Agatha Christie aspect' of the case might not have been a bad thing ... A drug thriller with too few thrills.
