REVIEW: The Burning Men by Will Shindler
- Feb 5, 2020
- 4 min read
A blazing, fiery new entrant to the police procedural genre
THE BURNING MEN
by Will Shindler Published 6th February 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton
I first became aware of this book at last year's Harrogate Crime Festival, where, in a genius piece of marketing, Hodder & Stoughton bought an ACTUAL FIRE TRUCK along to give away copies of the proof to. Sadly, owing to the notoriously late nights that come with attending Harrogate, I was too late to grab one of the proofs, but as soon as it came up on NetGalley I knew I had to read this.
Police procedurals have always been my favourite genre of crime fiction, and I always enjoy trying a new series, but add in the use of fire as a weapon to the mix and I was immediately prepared for an explosive introduction for the characters of DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen. The book most certainly did not disappoint.
The story follows a group of firefighters, called to a blaze at the construction site of a new office development in South London, where they discover a stash of money and an unconscious man. With mere seconds to decide what to do, the group settle on stealing the money - it was only going to go up in flames anyway so what's the harm? - and, arguing that he was probably already dead from the smoke, leave the body to burn.
Five years later at a wedding in South London, the groom, one of the firefighters, is found aflame in a toilet cubicle. Everyone assumes it's a freak accident - a cheeky cigarette gone wrong - or an isolated incident, until another of the firefighters is next...
Enter DI Alex Finn, recovering from the very recent death of his wife, and new cop on the block, DC Mattie Paulsen, who is fleeing her former station and her own tragic past. Tasked with solving the murders, Finn and Paulsen quickly find themselves drawn into a web of secrets spanning dirty cops, long-unsolved heists, long-held grudges and the fringes of organised crime. Can they find the killer before all five of the firefighters go up in smoke?
I want to start by saying that I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it. I raced through it in just a couple of days, compulsively hurtling through the last quarter in a desperate need to find out the culprit. The pacing is brilliant, never letting up but with bursts of rapid developments scattered neatly throughout, and it's very well written - enough description to paint vivid pictures of the characters and scenes (almost too vivid when describing the smells of some of the victims!) whilst not detracting from the pace.
Shindler also makes an interesting choice by subverting one of the tropes of police procedurals. Often in books of this genre, the reader only knows as much as the detective, unveiling twists and turns in stereo with them. Here, Shindler throws this idea out of the window, with the majority of reveals and plot developments revealed to the reader before the protagonists, usually from the perspective of a villain or peripheral character. It adds a whole new level to the reading experience as the reader finds themselves in on the secret and desperately hoping that Finn and Paulsen will discover the truth before it's too late. It's like watching a horror film and shouting at the screen when something bad is approaching in the hopes that you can avert the character's fate, but alas, you're helpless. It's a fascinating angle to take and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
As a Northerner, I do sometimes find myself groaning at another book set in London, but in this case much of the action actually takes place very near to my own home in South London, and I enjoyed the local nods, though I would also say that it's subtle enough not to be off putting to those who don't know the area.
The characters are generally strong, though this is perhaps where I do have a few little nitpicks. Paulsen is a great character, but the reveal of her past isn't hugely effective. The actual incident that happened to her is an interesting development for the character, but the way it's revealed falls a little short of the mark, and doesn't deliver the emotional impact I might have hoped. That said, I very much look forward to exploring both her and Finn in more detail in future books.
One of the highly commendable aspects of this book is it's unashamed tackling of sexism in the police. A lot of books have touched on this over the past few years, but this is the one I've met that most centrally incorporates this into the plot. As both the new officer in the unit and a woman, Paulsen finds herself doubly scrutinized when she first starts, but what really makes it stand out is the freshness and aloofness that her character approaches this with. Similarly, another of the detectives in the team, DS Jackie Ojo, has several discussions with DI Finn about the unique difficulties that women face coming into the force, and the ways that he should be more understanding of Paulsen's position. This plot thread is revisited regularly - sometimes as often as every other chapter - and, while it may feel a little like overkill at some points, it's commendable to see a crime novel tackle this so strongly without it needing to be the whole concept of the book. It's not a police procedural about sexism in the police, it's a cracking whodunnit thriller that makes a strong case in this area in the process.
Overall, I found this a highly enjoyable read from a very promising new author in the genre. It combines a brilliant hook, a rounded and surprisingly broad cast of characters, and a blazing energy (sorry, I couldn't resist) that powers it through to a satisfying conclusion. Very impressive stuff indeed!
I received an advanced review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for approving my request.
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