The Fire Child

S.K. Tremayne

Mar 2017 · Sold by Grand Central Publishing

About this ebook

THE PERFECT HUSBAND. THE PERFECT STEPSON. THE PERFECT LIE?

"Tremayne...does a terrific job of building suspense until events reach their climax in the midst of a violent storm." -- Library Journal

When Rachel marries dark, handsome David, everything seems to fall into place. Swept from single life in London to the beautiful Carnhallow House in Cornwall, she gains wealth, love, and an affectionate stepson, Jamie.

But then Jamie's behavior changes, and Rachel's perfect life begins to unravel. He makes disturbing predictions, claiming to be haunted by the specter of his late mother - David's previous wife. Is this Jamie's way of punishing Rachel, or is he far more traumatized than she thought?

As Rachel starts digging into the past, she begins to grow suspicious of her husband. Why is he so reluctant to discuss Jamie's outbursts? And what exactly happened to cause his ex-wife's untimely death, less than two years ago? As summer slips away and December looms, Rachel begins to fear there might be truth in Jamie's words:

"You will be dead by Christmas."

Ratings and reviews

4 1/2 stars Rachel seems to have it all – married to dashingly handsome David and a new step-mom to David’s adorable son, Jamie. With the marriage came money and an enormous house that Rachel has been tasked to bring back to its original glory. But this house has a long and chilling history made even more daunting by the death of David’s former wife, Nina. Because Nina’s body was never found, Jamie never had the closure he so desperately needed. He believes that his mom will come back for him - that she really didn’t die. As the days go by, Jamie’s behavior changes and he thinks he sees his mom which makes him grasp to the hope of a reunion even more. He also starts to predict horrible things will happen to Rachel, and when one prediction actually does come true, it comes as no surprise that when Jamie says she will die on Christmas Day, Rachel will take it seriously. Rachel is desperate to find out the truth on how Nina really died, and as she starts digging, questions arise, her mental state starts to decline, and her marriage to David starts to unravel. The reader witnesses a side to David that is outrageously cruel, and the once kind and charming husband becomes abusive, which has Rachel questioning whether or not Nina's death could have perhaps been murder. The Fire Child begins at a steady pace, but as Christmas Day fast approaches, the tension mounts – and a twist this reader did not see coming is revealed leaving me breathless. Looking back, I probably should have picked up on the very subtle hints, but somehow it just didn’t click until it was right there in my face. To say that this is an amazing read would be a major understatement. The author does a fantastic job of setting the stage and slowly introducing elements in the story that will not only chill you to the bone but leave you speechless. As the story progressed, I found myself hooked and could not put this one down until I found out how it would end. I am giving this one 4 1/2 stars and not 5 only because I thought the ending was a bit rushed, but regardless, this is a must read for any fan of psychological thrillers. Not only is it well-written, it is suspenseful and utterly captivating which will have the reader absorbed in the story throughout. Give this one a try.....I assure you that there will not be a bit of disappointment to be had.

I read the Ice Twins first liked it just the same

About the author

S. K. Tremayne is a bestselling novelist, award-winning travel writer, and regular contributor to newspapers and magazines around the world. The author has two daughters and lives in London.