Publishers Weekly
06/15/2020
Sylvie Durand, the unreliable narrator of this disturbing psychological thriller from Riordan (Fiercombe Manor), would prefer to forget the tragic events that broke up her marriage a decade earlier and prompted her to flee La Rêverie, the home where she grew up in the South of France, for a fresh start in London with her then four-year-old daughter, Emma. But the news of an arson fire at the now unoccupied property sends up a warning flare she dares not ignore. Sylvie’s return to finally prepare La Rêverie for sale threatens to rekindle traumatic memories, since it’s the last place she and Emma lived with Elodie, Sylvie’s bad seed firstborn, who died mysteriously at 14. And it swiftly appears there may also be a more immediate menace, beyond the peril of annual summer forest fires in the area. Riordan skillfully manipulates the reader through what initially feels like a ghost story and then, after a revelation that totally recasts the situation, the nail-biting if not entirely plausible page-turner that ensues. S.J. Watson fans will want to check this one out. Agent: Allison Hunter, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
"A sultry, gorgeously written and hugely atmospheric thriller with a dark, compelling mystery at its heart."—Lucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party
"An ambitious, challenging, and ultimately deeply rewarding novel."—Booklist
"S.J. Watson fans will want to check this one out."—Publishers Weekly
"Outstanding. An absolute page-turner."—Rosie Walsh, New York Times bestselling author of Ghosted
"Tense and deliciously atmospheric, it unravels a mother-daughter relationship with a growing sense of menace. A gripping and thoroughly enjoyable read."—Emma Rous, author of The Au Pair
"Sultry, atmospheric and unsettling — a book to lose yourself in this summer."
—Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said and The Poison Tree
"I couldn't stop reading this book. The writing is rich and multi-layered, but it's the subtlety of the characterizations that hook you and won't let you go. A taut and stunning novel!"—Gill Paul, bestselling author of The Secret Wife
"Kate Riordan takes the summer thriller to the next level with The Heatwave. Mesmeric writing, beguiling characters and a plot that will make your blood run cold."—Veronica Henry, author of How to Find Love in a Bookshop
"A story that draws you in instantly and really doesn't loosen its grip, right up until the last little twist on the final page."—Iona Grey, author The Glittering Hour
