Book Review No 35: Wildfire by Susan Geason

It is 1992 in Sydney and police psychologist Rachel Addison is the only woman on the homicide squad. Fear is at fever pitch following the brutal murder of popular young nurse Lisa Broderick (which is very similar to the real life case of murdered nurse Anita Cobby in the 1980s). Adding to this already tense atmosphere are the bushfires that are surrounding the city worsening, it seems, each day.

Right from the start you get a sense of Rachel and the baggage she is carrying from a troubled childhood. As she and the homicide squad make progress on the case, her own anxiety begins to increase as repressed feelings and memories begin to surface. The suspense really picks up when it becomes apparent that the killer is in fact stalking Rachel.

The use of the bushfires was a fabulous touch - the heat and smoke were perfect metaphors for what is happening to Rachel and really add to the suspense and mystery of the story.

I thought this was a great psychological thriller. Not only does it capture the time and place perfectly, it also shows the reality of the "boys club" in the homicide squad and the less than respectful way women were still treated in the police service a mere twenty years ago. As the story reaches it's stunning conclusion you can literally feel the tension building and are jumping at every shadow along with Rachel.

Although twenty years old, this book holds its own and will have you watching your back as you turn the pages.