Burning Desires

DCI Shapiro is removed from duty pending an investigation into the way he handled an old investigation. His trusty team of DI Liz Graham and DS Cal Donovan are deeply involved in a serial arson case where the arsonist is setting bigger and more dangerous fires. Yet, they are also secretly digging to find evidence to clear their boss. Who is ultimately responsible for all this trouble is revealed in an interesting twist, although the action is a bit over the top.

Third in the Castlemere series, A Taste for Burning opens with two unexplained fires. At first glance, there may be a connection between them, but then a third, totally unrelated fire breaks out, and someone is dead. Now rather than just an arsonist, the police are looking for a murderer. But DCI Frank Shapiro is suddenly taken off the case when his boss reveals that Shapiro and the department are now being looked at for imprisoning an innocent man eight years earlier. It seems that evidence has surfaced that clears the man, and that Shapiro was the arresting officer at the time. Meanwhile, Sgt. Donovan and Inspector Graham have their hands full trying to underhandedly clear their boss and prevent another arson.

Much better than the show more previous two ( A Bleeding of Innocents and Charisma) Taste for Burning is a fine police procedural. The characters are coming along a bit and in this one, the solution is left until the end of the story. The action is a bit overdone, but still, Taste for Burning makes for a good story.

Recommended for those who like British mysteries; if you haven't read the first two,you may wish to go back and start there. People who enjoy police procedurals will perhaps like this one as well.

Overall, not bad and it's onto the next one. show less