A Slow Fire Burning

A Novel

By: Paula Hawkins

Narrated by: Rosamund Pike

An instant number one New York Times best seller

The scorching new thriller from the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Girl on the Train.

“A Slow Fire Burning twists and turns like a great thriller should, but it's also deep, intelligent and intensely human.” (Lee Child)

“Only a clairvoyant could anticipate the book’s ending.” (New York Times)

With the same propulsion that captivated millions of listeners worldwide in The Girl on the Train and Into the Water, Paula Hawkins unfurls a gripping, twisting story of deceit, murder, and revenge.

When a young man is found gruesomely murdered in a London houseboat, it triggers questions about three women who knew him. Laura is the troubled one-night-stand last seen in the victim’s home. Carla is his grief-stricken aunt, already mourning the recent death of yet another family member. And Miriam is the nosy neighbor clearly keeping secrets from the police. Three women with separate connections to the victim. Three women who are – for different reasons – simmering with resentment. Who are, whether they know it or not, burning to right the wrongs done to them.

When it comes to revenge, even good people might be capable of terrible deeds. How far might any one of them go to find peace? How long can secrets smolder before they explode into flame?

Look what you started.

©2021 Paula Hawkins (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Sure to set the literary world on fire.”—Good Morning America

“A Slow Fire Burning is a classic whodunit that unfolds the mystery until the very last page.”—USA Today

“[It] Simmers…this one is indeed a page-turner….like a good curry, layered with spices, percolating for about 300 pages, leaving readers sated at the end.” —The Associated Press

Better than Girl on the Train!

Very well written and read. Characters were very real. Their thoughts and feelings so believable. The story was so much more than just a mystery.

Amazing

This author is always a caliber above. This book has depth and the characters do too. I have no idea why some folks are saying this isn’t as good as her other books. This book ended precisely the way it needed to and keeps the reader engaged until the very end.

Captivating

Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and getting to know them! A great book leaves you missing them and I will! The twists and turns were engaging! Bravo to Rosamund Pike, loved listening to you tell the story!

Outstanding story read by Rosamund Pike

Great suspense, truly interesting characters, deep perspective on the struggles those damaged from life. Really well done

A great book

We really enjoyed this book. Fantastic character depiction and so many twists and turns. It was brilliantly read by Rosamund Pike!

Slow fire burning

Couldn’t stop listening to this book! I finished it in record time. Suspenseful with lots of twists and turns. I didn’t know until the end who did it. I highly recommend this book. Rosamund pike was an excellent narrator.

Fantastic narration!

Once again, Rasamund Pike proves herself one of the very best narrators on Audible. It's a pleasure to listen to anything she reads... but happily this isn't the phone book. It's not as good as The Girl on the Train, but Paula Hawkins does again deliver a twisty, well-written mystery from multiple points of view. It's a very bleak book, and by its premise perhaps overly reliant on coincidence, but it's full of very memorable characters, all seriously flawed, but many still very likeable. All of them carry trauma of some sort, most of it very, very terrible. It's primarily a story about how we process trauma, and secondarily a murder mystery. But between Hawkins' engaging narrative and Pike's sublime performance, it will definitely keep you listening!

unavoidable engagement

Crime mysteries nothing I usually drift towards. But good reviews and all - so glad I did! This story so well crafted & language so concise & enveloping. No doubt a good read but hallelujah I listened & Pike as narrator was beyond superb. Her voices, cadence & character development were some of best I've ever heard.

Engaging, intertwining stories

i enjoyed the cast of characters who are flawed yet mostly likable and absolutely relatable. i found myself not really wondering whodunit but instead engaged in the revelations of backstories, connections and motivations. I really fell in love with the unlikely Irene...great, atypical character. The actress Rosamund Pike provided excellent narration.

Brilliant reading

The story is quite complicated with 5 main characters, but once you have the names straight it’s absolutely riveting. Rosamond Pike’s reading is inspired. Each character has their own voice without being cartoonish. Her reading of the 80 year old Irene was particularly evocative. Loved it!