Deadly Heat by Richard Castle

Goodreads Summary:

Picking up where Frozen Heat left off, top NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat pursues the elusive former CIA station chief who ordered the execution of her mother over a decade ago. For the hunt, Nikki teams once again with her romantic partner, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Jameson Rook, and their quest for the old spy and the motive behind the past murder unearths an alarming terror plot-which is anything but ancient history. It is lethal. It is now. And it has already entered its countdown phase.

Complicating Heat's mission to bring the rogue spy to justice and thwart the looming terror event, a serial killer begins menacing the Twentieth Precinct and her homicide squad is under pressure to stop him, and soon. The frightening murderer, known for his chilling stealth, not only has singled out Nikki as the exclusive recipient of his taunting messages, he then boldly names his next victim: Detective Heat.

My thoughts:
As always this was an enjoyable read, just as we can always expect from Richard Castle. My only complaint is this book didn't have the same flow as the others. I was able to guess who and what was going on pretty early in the read. This didn't bother me, as I am not an avid mystery reader but I can imagine that may bug some readers. I am not someone who bothers trying to guess the bad guy so I was able to determine the who and the what without any effort on my part.

That being said, I think really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect escape from the daily grind. I enjoy the storytelling and the advancement of the Heat/ Rook relationship. There was more than one section in the book that made me laugh and there was more than one section that was full of intensity and I was genuinely concerned about Heat.

I recommend this book to fans of the other books or fans of the show, of course. But beyond that I would recommend this book to avid mystery readers, I think this series is strong enough to stand alone without the show as back up.

While writing this review I was listening to Charlie Rose on CBS This Morning.

Frozen Heat by Richard Castle

Goodreads Summary:

Hot on the heels of Richard Castle's #1 New York Times bestseller Heat Rises comes the fourth novel in the Nikki Heat series, Frozen Heat. Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook are together again, facing an unsolved murder mystery that has haunted Nikki for ten years.

NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat arrives at her latest crime scene to find an unidentified woman stabbed to death and stuffed inside a suitcase left on a Manhattan street. Nikki is in for a big shock when this new homicide connects to the unsolved murder of her own mother. Paired once again with her romantic and investigative partner, top journalist Jameson Rook, Heat works to solve the mystery of the body in the suitcase while she is forced to confront unexplored areas of her mother's background.

Facing relentless danger as someone targets her for the next kill, Nikki's search will unearth painful family truths, expose a startling hidden life, and cause Nikki to reexamine her own past. Heat's passionate quest takes her and Rook from the back alleys of Manhattan to the avenues of Paris, trying to catch a ruthless killer. The question is, now that her mother's cold case has unexpectedly thawed, will Nikki Heat finally be able to solve the dark mystery that has been her demon for ten years?

My Thoughts:
I started reading this the week before finals, which I really shouldn't have. It took me a while to get through this read, not because the book isn't good but because I was burned out from school. I held off on writing this review until my head was no longer fuzzy from the semester.

I really loved some of the inside jokes in this book, for being a fan of Nathan Fillion I caught some humor that not everyone else would catch. I liked the relationship development between Nikki and Rook. I wasn't a huge fan on where they took the story of Nikki's Mother's murder. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It felt a little melodramatic and kind of predictable, but not in a bad way. I guess I am lukewarm about where the story went but it was well written and entertaining.

I would recommend this book to fans of the show Castle and anyone who digs the cop books.

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of The West Wing.

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

Goodreads Summary:
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.

My thoughts:
This book is not my normal cup of tea. However, on the recommendation of a good friend I read it. I liked it. It didn't blow my mind or anything but it was a really good read. I enjoyed it and laughed more than once. I am a fan of the show Castle, so I likely have some pro-bias going on. I would say the characters were a little cliched and over the top but I think that worked for the story rather than against it.

I would recommend this book to fans of Castle or anyone who enjoys a little mystery light reading.

While writing this review I was listening to my heater kick on and coffee brew. Happy morning to everyone!