The Heat of Lies

by Jonathan Stone

Book Overview

Young, beautiful, police detective Julian Palmer is growing up. Just a few years out of the New York Police Academy, she's earning her stripes fast. Julian has solved high profile murder cases, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312977867
• ISBN13: 9780312977863
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Great sequel to The Cold Truth

Most of Heat's negative reviews are focused on Heat as literature. OK, it's no Moby Dick. Then again, Moby was poorly reviewed too. Those who liked Heat said it was good for a plane or the beach. Right on. This isn't .... It's just a really good, fast paced, mystery. The author has envisioned the book as a movie and it shows: that could be why the ... of keeping up a quick pace, why the dialogue is more "contemporary" (sentence fragments) instead of labored. I couldn't put this down. .... Self-important, introspective, character analysis with no plot. Who cares? This book delivers on the promise of entertainment, pure and simple. Lastly, I have to add that it is less successful unless you've read Stone's first book, "The Cold Truth". As a sequel it works, but sequels rarely measure up to the original and that is true again here. Start with the "Cold Truth" Thanks Jonathan.

The best book I've read this year

I read Stone's first book, The Cold Truth, last year, and this new one is just as compelling. It kept me up very late one night, and I had to close my door and read more during my lunch break, that's how well it hooked me. Within a few pages, the Bear was back (quite plausible in the age of O.J.) and the headgames between he and Julian continued, this time with even higher stakes. Julian (now the boss - a great reversal) is so desperate to solve a murder for the sake of the victim's family, that she brings the Bear in to help. Smart? Crazy? Nothing's black & white in Stone's books. He just keeps you guessing, as he peels away layer upon layer of his characters' psyches. You just don't get psychological insight like this from most mysteries, or smart prose like this. And the plot just keeps twisting and turning right to the end. This is as good as it gets - no lie.

Barn Burner Page Turner

Without giving away the ending, I'll say only that this is a real barn-burner! I read Cold Truth, Mr. Stone's first book, and I noticed that this book is kind of the reverse of that: Julian's in charge here (sort of), the Bear is the "guest" detective. But of course, he manages to take things over anyway. Lots of twists - some more credible than others. This isn't great literature, but it's a great way to pass a long airplane flight or a train trip.

A cerebral puzzler wrapped up in a thriller

Lieutenant Julian Palmer works in the Troy, New York Police Department, a powerful position for a young beautiful female. Her life seems in perfect balance until Winston "Bear" Edwards enters her office. Bear was once her friend and mentor in a small town near the Canadian border, but he controlled their hamlet to the point of getting away with murder. Julian saw Bear kill one man, knew he killed another person, and barely fled town before he murdered her. The police arrested Bear but the most powerful evidence mysteriously vanished although the former cop served five years on lesser charges.For Bear to be in her office leaves Julian to suspect he has an agenda of his own. Meanwhile, Julian works on the murder investigation of a prominent Troy businessman. Even though she cannot explain why, Julian puts Bear on the case, hoping he will lead her to a clue. A strange relationship exists between Julian and Bear that her co-workers notice.For anyone who enjoys psychological suspense and cerebral puzzles, THE HEAT OF LIES is necessary reading. The relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist is unique, rarely seen in literature or movies, though a reader will wonder why the logical Julian brought Bear into the investigation. Bear remains in the centers of the mysteries, but is he a hero, a villain, or both?Harriet Klausner