Heat Wave by Richard Castle

A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest. Pulitzer Prize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat.

Isn't that last line just awesome? It made me laugh the first time I read it. And Heat Wave did the same. It was a fun, light read. If you're a fan of the ABC show Castle, then you'll recognize the author's name, Richard Castle. Along with NYPD detective Kate Beckett, he's the main character of the show. It's no secret that Jameson Rook in the book is actually based on Richard Castle himself, just as Nikki Heat is based on Detective Beckett. Knowing that made this a really fun book to read. I kept picturing Castle and Beckett as Rook and Heat, and it was entertaining to read about the situations Castle chose to put Rook and Heat into. I enjoyed this book, but I think fans of the show will enjoy it more than those who may not have seen it.

3.25/5