Review – House on Fire by Joseph Finder

Posted May 12, 2020 by Carole in 2020 New Release Challenge, Book Reviews / 10 Comments

House on Fire by Joseph Finder
Series: Nick Heller #4
Publisher: Penguin Group Dutton
Publication Date: January 21, 2020
Date Read: May 9, 2020
Length:  384 pages
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
★★★★☆

In New York Times bestselling author Joseph Finder’s electrifying new thriller, private investigator Nick Heller infiltrates a powerful wealthy family hiding something sinister.

Nick Heller is at the top of his game when he receives some devastating news: his old army buddy Sean has died of an overdose. Sean, who once saved Nick’s life, got addicted to opioids after returning home wounded from war.

Then at Sean’s funeral, a stranger approaches Nick with a job, and maybe also a way for Nick to hold someone accountable.

The woman is the daughter of a pharmaceutical kingpin worth billions. Now she wants to become a whistleblower, exposing her father and his company for burying evidence that its biggest money-maker was dangerously addictive. It was a lie that killed hundreds of thousands of people, including Sean.

All Nick has to do is find the document that proves the family knew the drug’s dangers. But Nick soon realizes that the sins of the patriarch are just the beginning.

Beneath the surface are barely concealed cabals and conspiracies: a twisting story of family intrigue and lethal corporate machinations. In a deadly game of chess that pits Nick against a family dynasty, against brothers and sisters with schemes of their own, Nick learns how far his enemy is willing to go to protect its name and its wealth.

My Review

I really enjoyed this book.  I decided to read this book because it sounded like it would be an exciting mystery thriller.  I hadn’t read anything written by Joseph Finder before picking up this book but I didn’t let that deter me since I am always looking for new authors to try.  This is the fourth book in the Nick Heller series but I read it as a stand-alone and it worked well.  I thought that the book got off to a very good start and told a very entertaining and exciting story.  I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to read this book.

Nick Heller is a private investigator and he once served in the military.  When Nick learns of the death of a good friend who once saved his life while in action, he goes to help the family right away.  At the funeral, he meets a woman with ties to the company that produces the highly addictive drug which his friend was addicted to and this woman enlists Nick’s help in proving that the company knew just how dangerous these drugs really are.  Nick is not only dealing with this new client but is also juggling the needs of his nephew and providing support to the family of the friend he lost.  I found the mystery to be really well done and quite complex.  There were a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout the book and I couldn’t figure out how things would work out until it was revealed in the story.  I liked that there was not only a lot of action to keep things interesting but also a lot of more thoughtful investigative work that went into solving this case.
I liked Nick a lot from the start.  We learn early on that he is a man that has a strong moral code.  He works hard to do a good job and to always do the right thing even when it might cost him money in the end.  We get a few glimpses into his past and learn that he is a man that learns from his mistakes and tries to do better in the future.  I loved the way that he was able to slip into almost any situation and handle himself in such a way that he was rarely questioned.  He was almost always able to see things that others might miss and stayed focused on solving the mystery.
I would recommend this book to fans of mystery thrillers.  I thought that this was a really well done and exciting story that kept me guessing until the end.  I really enjoyed watching Nick in action and look forward to reading more of this series in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Penguin Group Dutton via NetGalley.
 

The Series
Book #1 – Vanished
Book #2 – Buried Secrets
Book #3 – Guilty Minds
Book #4 – House on Fire
About the Author

JOSEPH FINDER is the New York Times bestselling author of fifteen previous novels, including Judgment, The Switch, Guilty Minds, The Fixer, and Suspicion. Finder’s international bestseller Killer Instinct won the International Thriller Writers’ Thriller Award for Best Novel of 2006. Other bestselling titles include Paranoia and High Crimes, which both became major motion pictures. He lives in Boston.

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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10 responses to “Review – House on Fire by Joseph Finder”

  3. Ethan

    I've never read Finder, but I've always wanted to dive in. I'm glad to see that you can read these out of order. It makes reading a series a little easier!

  5. Northwoman

    This sounds great! I have heard of this author but have yet to try him. Excellent review!

    Anne – Books of My Heart

  7. RO

    Ever since I saw a book review from the Real Book Spy on this guy, I've been hooked! Glad you really enjoyed it too! Hugs, RO