The Heat by Sean O'Leary - Rajiv's Reviews

The Heat by Sean O’Leary

Release: August 15th, 2019
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Busybird Publishing
Source: Damppebbles blog tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon AU, Busybird

Jake is a loner who works nights in a Darwin motel and lives at the YMCA. He’s in love with Angel, a Thai prostitute who works out of the low-rent Shark Motel.

But, a vicious murder turns Jake’s life into a nightmare. Nevertheless, he must fight for his life on Darwin and Bangkok’s heat-soaked streets in the wet season to get revenge and get his life back.

About the Author:

Sean O’Leary has published two short story collections, ‘My Town’ and ‘Walking.’ His novella ‘Drifting’ was the winner of the ‘Great Novella Search 2016’ and published in September 2017. Besides, He has published over thirty individual short stories. Moreover, he is a regular contributor of short fiction to Quadrant, FourW, Sudo, Close to the Bone (UK), and other literary and crime magazines. His crime novella ‘The Heat,’ set in Darwin and Bangkok, was published in August 2019. Drifting and The Heat are both available on Amazon. His interviews with crime writers appear online in Crime Time magazine.

Further, he has worked in various jobs, including motel receptionist, rubbish removalist/tree lopper, farmhand, short-order cook, and night manager in various hotels in Sydney’s notorious Kings Cross. He has lived in: Melbourne; Naracoorte; Sydney; Adelaide; Perth; Fremantle; Norseman; Geraldton; Carnarvon; Broome; Yulara; Alice Springs; Kakadu; Darwin and on Elcho Island-Galiwinku. He now lives in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, thinks that test cricket is the greatest game of all, and supports Melbourne Football Club (a life sentence). He writes every day, likes traveling, and tries to walk everywhere.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

The Heat Review:

The Heat is an impressive tale that takes you on a journey with Jake as he tries to find out who murdered Angel and searches for himself along the way.

I enjoyed Jake in the lead. Although the plot is relatively simple from the perspective of the murder mystery, the story is interesting because of Jake. The author dwells on his emotions very well that you know him personally by the end of the book. He is crass, immature, and impulsive, but you still find him appealing. Also, I liked his romance with Angel and Anna. In comparison, both of them bring out a side in Jake that we don’t often see. As Anna is more prominent in the latter half, I thought she also stood out for the way she helps Jake.

Moreover, I also enjoyed the way the author describes Bangkok. As someone who has visited the place, I feel he painted the lifestyle and the people very accurately and vividly.

However, I felt like there were quite a few open-ended questions. For instance, what was Susie’s connection to the murder? Why is Jake distant from his father after what he does for him? I would have loved the story if there were more details provided. Also, the murder mystery was relatively straight-forward, where you know from the get-go who is responsible.

Apart from that, the story is a quick and easy read and written compellingly. Overall, The Heat is a lovely book that I would recommend if you are in the mood for a realistic, contemporary novel with a mystery touch.