Review: A Slow Fire Burning

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
This is an interesting book. I'm not really sure how I would classify it. The book is full of secrets, lies, unlikeable characters, mistakes, and tragedies.
If you are looking for a tense, suspenseful triller, this isn't it. If you are looking for a jaw-dropping psychological twisty tale, this isn't it, either. I would say it is exactly what the title describes--a slow-burning mystery. The pacing is a bit slow and hard to figure out, especially in the beginning, and once "The One Who Got Away" comes in, things get a bit more hazy. As the book moves to its conclusion, things begin to come into focus, and--while VERY shocking things are revealed, or at least insinuated--there is no huge twist, just a desire to find justice and to see the characters we've come to care about find satisfaction and maybe even the resolution they deserve.
I did enjoy this book, but my biggest issue was Daniel. His character was a big component of the story--his murder, his relationships, his personality--yet the reader doesn't really get to know him. That left me a bit unsatisfied.
I would recommend this book if you are looking for a mystery with lots of compelling yet unreliable and unlikable characters.

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