A Slow Fire Burning

4.5 stars. The long awaited new Paula Hawkins has arrived, and it really is what it says on the tin. A slow burn. If you expect twists and turns and jump scares on every page, you will be disappointed. This story takes its time to build characters, relationships and backstory - and if you have the patience, it all comes together in the end and I think it has a decent payoff.

I loved how one of the strongest characters was a usually disregarded woman in her 80's. Life for a woman doesn't begin and end in her twenties, and Hawkins included a range of female protagonists in all stages of life who had agency and motives.

Despite the lukewarm reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this audiobook. It helped that it was narrated by the sublime Rosamund Pike.