Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Frozen Heat (Nikki Heat #4)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 3,649 ratings · 620 reviews

Hot on the heels of Richard Castle's #1 New York Times bestseller Heat Rises comes the fourth novel in the Nikki Heat series, Frozen Heat. Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook are together again, facing an unsolved murder mystery that has haunted Nikki for ten years.

NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat arrives at her latest crime scene to find an unidentified woman stabbed to death a...more

Hardcover, 309 pages

Published September 11th 2012 by Hyperion

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Most Anticipated reads for 2012

180th out of 470 books — 812 voters

Must-Read Books of 2012

215th out of 397 books — 434 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 29, 2012 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

When will we find out who really wrote these, so we can read their other books?

The mystery writer has not been solved yet. Which is too bad, because that was such a fun book! I'm sorely disappointed that the language and sex allusions were even worse in this book than the previous ones, especially since the show is a lot cleaner than most of prime time. Great mystery; terrific lead-ins to inevitable next bookS. Rook gets to show in ways that Castle never does.

7 likes · like · see review

May 30, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes I find myself embarrassed reading the Richard Castle books because most would not call it "great" literature but it's definitely entertaining literature and anything that can take your mind out of your life and into a fictional one is pretty great as well.

I admit I started to read the Castle books because of my love for the ABC television program but that isn't necessarily my continued draw. The characters, while easily mirroring of the television counterparts Castle and Beckett, are s...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 08, 2012 Cliff rated it 3 of 5 stars

The fourth novel in the Nikki Heat series goes along with the fourth season of Castle. Unfortunately, while the TV series has managed to come on very strong, the fictional tie-in does not.

In the course of reviewing Heat Rises, I was floored by all the clever references and careful thought put into that book which really enhanced my appreciation for the TV show. That is woefully lacking in Frozen Heat. If anything, this book is almost a throwback to Naked Heat. The Acknowledgements at the end of...more

1 like · like · see review

May 09, 2013 Jacques Goyette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

J'ai adoré ce livre de Rick Castle, le 3e publié en Français chez City. Comme le mentionne M. Connelley, « Richard Castle est un grand pro : de mieux en mieux avec chaque livre. Une grande réussite.» Pour ceux qui suivent la série télévisée, vous savez que Nikki et Rook sont maintenant amants et qu'ils ne veulent pas le dévoiler aux Gars, ce qui crée des situations cocasses. Je vous préviens tout de suite; l'histoire est loin d'être finie et vous devrez attendre le suivant pour connaitre la suit...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 14, 2013 Trak rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, crime, fiction, humour

This is the fourth instalment in the series of books and the blurring between characters on the television show and in the book is pretty bad. Half the time I was not sure if it was Jameson Rook or Richard Castle I was reading about. As the mannerisms and language of the two characters was fairly much identical. Was that an issue, no but with the first two books at least the distinction was reasonably clear.
This book commences with Nikki Heat trying to attending the murder of a Jane Doe and dis...more

like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Eleni rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'll be honest; I didn't like Nikki Heat very much in this one. I guess some of the stuff, like she could speak French, but went on a semester abroad her freshman year. That just seemed stupid to me. On the TV Show Castle, he's always talking about how deep, intelligent, and what a subtly complicated character Nikki Heat is when anybody comes in and tries to make their own description of her (like with the movie, reviews, etc). I think the ghost writer was trying so hard to live up to all the sp...more I'll be honest; I didn't like Nikki Heat very much in this one. I guess some of the stuff, like she could speak French, but went on a semester abroad her freshman year. That just seemed stupid to me. On the TV Show Castle, he's always talking about how deep, intelligent, and what a subtly complicated character Nikki Heat is when anybody comes in and tries to make their own description of her (like with the movie, reviews, etc). I think the ghost writer was trying so hard to live up to all the specifications, they fell show there. I especially scoffed when the omniscient narrator said that she had played Ophelia in Hamlet and a few other leads when she was a drama major at Northwester her freshman year when she was a drama major. I actually was a theatre major when I was in college, and freshman never got the leads in the plays the University's Theatre department put on. Maybe in some universities, but that actress would have to be the shiz-nit, like somebody on full scholarship that doesn't need it they're so awesome and had all this professional credit behind them. It wouldn't be somebody who'd walk out of the theatre department for anything, even a relative's death. I did like Nikki's response at the ending, though, when it was just her.

I got irritated with Rook's attempts at being Nathan Fillion in the prior books, but this book was so very superior when it came to Rook's handling. At the same time, let's remember nobody can replace Nathan Fillion's comic chops and his impeccable timing (don't you dare argue with me!!!!!!). I just wish we got to see a darker, deeper side to Rook asides from being Nikki's 'partner.'

I like the way that greater story arc was handled. It seems that the ghost writer was given an excellent path to follow in the run of the series and I really like picking up the subtle nods to story lines and plot points in the show. It's a lot of fun to watch the show and catch little things that come up that I enjoy. The F. Scott Fitzgerald quote was an "a-ha!" moment because I literally just watched the episode in which Detective Beckett says that.

(view spoiler)

Overall, I enjoy Richard Castle's books because, let's be honest people, there's only 22 episodes a year and that'll never be enough for this fangirl!(less)

like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book series and the TV show have completely melded in my mind. It felt like reading a more detailed version of the TV show. Which was entertaining enough, and I guess could be what they're going for. The only difference that stands out to me is that Rook does not have a daughter in the books. He's still a writer, has a theatrical mother (although she doesn't live with him), and Kate, er, Nikki, is a lead homicide detective who is haunted by the murder of her mother. Which is actually what t...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 09, 2012 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

I would add another half star to the rating if I could. I enjoyed this one a little more than the earlier books in the series. Maybe it was because it finally deals with the Heat's mother's murder more directly than the other books. We get more closure to the story. The characters have been introduced in the earlier books so that gives more time for a tighter story here. There are a lot of the typical mystery tropes to be found, but I enjoyed the ride because of the entertaining characters and h...more

like · see review

Dec 07, 2012 Jim Rada rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

While Frozen Heat, the fourth Nikki Heat mystery from Richard Castle, can be enjoyed as a mystery novel, you'll get so much more from it if you also was the ABC TV series Castle. The series premise is that a bestselling crime novelist helps a New York City police detective investigate murders while he shadows her as inspiration for his newest detective heroine, Nikki Heat.

The series is fun and exciting with a great cast of characters. Most of the characters in the novels are based on the TV seri...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 08, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Finally. Nikki's mother's murder is solved!!!! Although you need to read most of the book to find out. great story. Keeps you wanting more, and quite the ending..... Can't wait for the next one!

Hot on the heels of Richard Castle's #1 New York Times bestseller Heat Rises comes the fourth novel in the Nikki Heat series, Frozen Heat. Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook are together again, facing an unsolved murder mystery that has haunted Nikki for ten years.

NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat arrives at h...more

like · see review

Oct 23, 2012 Luanne Ollivier rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a latecomer to the world of 'Castle' - which is a hit television series built around author Richard Castle's time with the NYPD as a ride along observer with Detective Kate Beckett. Castle has turned those ride alongs into a series of successful books featuring Detective Nikki Heat and writer Jameson Rook. But.....Richard Castle isn't real either. He's portrayed by actor Nathan Fillion who does a fantastic job pitching 'his' writing. With me so far? It's a great fun premise! I enjoyed Heat R...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 Mason rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure what to expect listening to a book reportedly written by a T.V. character. I was, however, pleasantly surprised by the action and suspense that ended with me looking forward to the next installment.

Narrator Johnny Heller does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. He gives each their own distinct voice making it easy to keep up with the characters’ exchanges. His cadence will make you laugh at the humor and hold your breath when the suspense takes over.

NYPD Homicide Detec...more I wasn’t sure what to expect listening to a book reportedly written by a T.V. character. I was, however, pleasantly surprised by the action and suspense that ended with me looking forward to the next installment.

Narrator Johnny Heller does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. He gives each their own distinct voice making it easy to keep up with the characters’ exchanges. His cadence will make you laugh at the humor and hold your breath when the suspense takes over.

NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat is being shadowed by reporter Jameson Rook, who she is also romantically involved with. When an unidentified woman is found stabbed and frozen in a deliver truck, Heat gets the case. But when she discovers the woman is stuffed into her own dead mother’s suitcase, Heat’s investigation takes a drastic turn.

With Rook’s help, Heat begins to reinvestigate her mother’s murder, as well as the frozen woman’s. Learning the frozen woman was best friends with her mother leads Heat and Rook on a journey to Paris and back. Battling an incompetent captain, missing key pieces of evidence, and several attempts on her life, Heat is determined to find the killer of both women no matter the cost to herself.

The action is fast-paced filled with tension, suspense, a bit of romance, a touch of humor, and some surprising turns. The twist at the end brings the story to a close, but opens a lead for Heat and Rook’s next adventure.

The story is a good take-off from Castle. Many of the characters could be based on the characters of the show. If you’re a fan of the T.V. show Castle, then FROZEN HEAT is a must read (or listen). This is the four installment in the Nikki Heat series, but is a stand alone story.

Whoever author Richard Castle is, he’s done a terrific job with FROZEN HEAT.

Author Richard Castle’s website is www.richardcastle.net

Frozen Heat by Richard Castle, A Nikki Heat Novel, Read by Johnny Heller, Hyperion Audio, @2012, ISBN: 978-1401326302, Unabridged, 9 Discs, Listening Time: 11 Hours

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. (less)

like · see review

Oct 16, 2012 Jessi Hafeman rated it 4 of 5 stars

My favorite of the four novels. Yes, I groaned (loudly) when it was discovered this plot would revolve around Nikki Heat's mother's death, just like with the TV series which drug things out WAY too long. But I have to admit that I enjoyed the book’s mystery and backstory of Nikki's mother's death much better than the series’ plot and discovery of Kate’s mother’s death. If you don’t get the episode nods, it’s no big deal because everything is tied together well. The book has a great flow (as the...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 12, 2012 Xenos rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ah, yes..."Frozen Heat" by Richard Castle (or possibly Andrew Marlow and Tom Straw?!). Finally got it from the library. And it was worth the wait. This installment in the "Nikki Heat" series focuses on the death of Nikki's mom, which initially made me groan out loud. As an avid "Castle" fan (Monday nights at 9pm central on ABC), I am SO past ready to put Beckett's mother's death behind me. (Last season was waaaaay too heavy and Johanna-centric!) That being said, "Frozen Heat" was so much fun (Ca...more

like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 D.B. Reynolds rated it 4 of 5 stars

This latest story in the Nikki Heat series continues where the last book left off -- with Rook falling to the ground shot. I would have like this book to take the story from there, but it actually jumps ahead to where Rook is pretty much recovered. I like the development of Nikki and Rook's relationship, including a couple of bumps on the road. I thought the story bogged down a little, and, frankly got a bit unbelievable, when it came to the story of Nikki's mom the spy. And where most of Castle...more

like · see review

Oct 08, 2012 Cindy Crawford rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Castle the tv show, and picked up the first Nikki Heat book, allegedly written by the character on the TV show, because I thought it would be fun. And it was fun, in a weird meta-fiction way. But it was also a well-written book with a solid mystery at its core.

Fans of the show will enjoy seeing the in jokes as the characters in the show are "fictionalized" into characters in the novel. "Castle" becomes "Rook" in the novels, and rather than a popular mystery writer he is a Pulitzer prize w...more

like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Jacqueline O. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery, tv-tie-in, e-book-sony

Rating: 3.5

Castle is an ABC television series about a mystery writer who gets bored with his best-selling creation PI turned spy, Derrick Storm, and kills him off. Looking for inspiration, he convinces the mayor to let him do a ride-along with a NYPD police detective. However, this ride-along proves life-changing as Richard Castle meets Detective Kate Beckett, first his inspiration for the "Nikki Heat" mysteries he's destined to write, and later the woman he truly falls in love with.

Frozen Heat...more

like · see review

Sep 19, 2012 Sahara Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

No false pretenses here - I'm a major fan of this television series. I have the t-shirt. I wear it proudly. Part of the appeal (besides Nathan Fillion) is the sharp and intelligent writing, which doesn't "dumb down" to its audience. That style has carried over to the books based on and around this series. Congratulations to the REAL Rick Castle, whoever you are.

Sure, these are not highly complex, technically magnificent tomes of suitable gravitas. The four Castle novels are good reads (pardon th...more No false pretenses here - I'm a major fan of this television series. I have the t-shirt. I wear it proudly. Part of the appeal (besides Nathan Fillion) is the sharp and intelligent writing, which doesn't "dumb down" to its audience. That style has carried over to the books based on and around this series. Congratulations to the REAL Rick Castle, whoever you are.

Sure, these are not highly complex, technically magnificent tomes of suitable gravitas. The four Castle novels are good reads (pardon the pun) with enough depth to last more than an afternoon, and an ability to translate into visual imagery for us fans. They are well-paced, entertaining and FUN. Do we really need more from a relaxing few hours with a book? I don't think so.

This one, the fourth, is every bit as sharp as the first. Once again we revisit Nikki Heat and her nemesis/lover Jameson Rook. And yes, we clearly see Kate Beckett and Rick Castle in every line of dialogue. I enjoy "episode spotting" - seeing brief references to some of the plot lines which featured during the previous season. The interrelationship is detailed and extraordinarily well-done. If you didn't know that statue of a fist was in one episode you'd simply think it was just another bit in the story. I enjoyed this particular novel, dealing as it does with the fictional matter of Heat's mother's murder. (Fictional accounting of a fictional character's tragedy. There's something Mobius-like in that concept!) Anyway, before my ears start to bleed trying to grasp the tortured symmetry, I will simply say that this is another MUST for fans of Rick Castle. Of which I am most definitely one. I also caught the charming reference to another series in the two detectives named Malcolm and Reynolds. Captain Tightpants lives!!!! But that's another series.

If you like Castle, read this book. If you've never seen Castle the series, you'll still enjoy this book, but you'll like it even more if you broaden your knowledge base and watch the latest season on Monday nights. And beyond anything, admire the promotional brilliance of whoever came up with the idea of having a fictional writer from a tv show write a REAL book! Extraordinarily smart. Wish to hell I'd thought of it. LOLLOL(less)

8 likes · like · see review

Oct 05, 2012 steph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012, contemporary-romance, enjoyable, fiction-contemporary, library-torrance, lots-of-characters, made-me-grin-like-a-lovesick-fool, made-me-laugh, mystery-fiction, suspense-fiction, romance

I really liked this one (as I did the prior Nikki Heat novels) but I think so far, this one is my favorite (though I'm pretty sure I said that about number three last year!). The reasoning behind that is, of course, the evolvement of the character of Nikki Heat. This book is all about her mother's murder (luckily however, it's a lot different then Beckett's mother's murder which I appreciated because why would I want to know about the same murder case twice?), and so you get a chance to see Nikk...more

like · see review

Sep 25, 2012 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 5 of 5 stars

As I suddenly realized the new season of "Castle" was beginning on television last evening, I quickly picked up my copy of the latest book revolving around the series. The stories are close but do take different perspectives.

Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook are once again put together to help solve a crime, and write a magazine article that will make the NYPD look good to the public. The case is more than a murder case, it is a murdered woman found within the luggage that had been stolen from Nikki...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 23, 2012 Cris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: tv-movies, mysteries, thriller

Frozen Heat works for two different types of readers, I think. The first is a thriller fan who is unfamiliar with the TV show "Castle". That fan can still enjoy the book series since the author has created a fast-paced storyline, developed the characters and added plenty of action.

But Frozen Heat really shines for readers who are familiar with the TV show "Castle". For them the book offers plenty of inside jokes and references and tempts the reader into playing guessing games. I think most "Cast...more

like · see review

Sep 26, 2012 Monnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 stars
Normally, I refuse to read a book after I've seen the movie; I want to create each character's image in my own mind before I see who someone else has chosen. With the Heat books by Richard Castle, though, I don't mind a bit.

I'm guessing that's for two reasons: First and foremost, each book in the series reads like an episode from the popular "Castle" TV series (which I never miss, BTW), so it's easy to envision Castle's hero, Jameson Rook (on the TV show, Richard Castle, played by the cap...more 4 stars
Normally, I refuse to read a book after I've seen the movie; I want to create each character's image in my own mind before I see who someone else has chosen. With the Heat books by Richard Castle, though, I don't mind a bit.

I'm guessing that's for two reasons: First and foremost, each book in the series reads like an episode from the popular "Castle" TV series (which I never miss, BTW), so it's easy to envision Castle's hero, Jameson Rook (on the TV show, Richard Castle, played by the capable and charming Nathan Filian) and his heroine, Nikki Heat (played as Detective Kate Beckett by Stana Katic on the show), banter back and forth with each other as they dance around the "L" word.

Second, I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that there is no real Richard Castle - despite what ABC would like us to believe. It's all in good sport (and most likely big bucks for whoever's really doing the writing and getting the book royalties). And since the books are fun to read as well, I'm perfectly willing to play along with the game.

The events in the books also mimic what's happening on the TV show; the cast of characters is virtually identical, and one of the major themes - Beckett's so-far-unsuccessful attempts to find who killed her mother a decade ago - plays out in the books as well. In fact, it's central to Frozen Heat; a recent homicide has obvious ties to Heat, and her mother's death and sets in motion renewed attempts to identify the killer (or killers). Heat's forced paid leave of absence from the office provides an opportunity for an unofficial visit to Paris. There, she and Rook can look into her mother's life there before Nikki was born, which they both expect will lead to insights into why she was murdered and who did the deed.

What they find, however, is that they have a lot of unraveling to do; as one thread leads to more clues, someone else dies, leaving more clues to follow. In the end, a major issue is resolved - but that in itself turns out to open the door to even more mystery (and a cliff-hanger ending that's a guarantee that another book is in the works).

I'll be watching for it!(less)

like · see review

Sep 24, 2012 William Lavell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-mystery

Frozen Heat is the fourth novel in "Richard Castle"'s Nikki Heat series. (For a fictional author, he certainly likes to keep busy.)
Basically, our hero cop comes upon a crime scene where the murder victim is stuffed into an old suitcase. If that isn't strange enough for you, a clue at the crime scene (I won't spoil it for you) suggests that the killing may be linked to her mother's unsolved murder from ten years ago. The chase is on through the streets of New York City and halfway around the worl...more

like · see review

Sep 17, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: digital, owned

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was not expecting a cliffhanger, especially in the last book of a four-book deal! I’m interested in seeing how the show deals with the book (if at all) and what connections we can make between Heat’s mom’s murder and Beckett’s mom’s murder (if any). I have heard that the premiere will end on an ambiguous note re: Johanna Beckett’s case, which is unlikely to be a cliffhanger. Maybe there will be nothing but I really like thinking about how the books and the show correspond, especially since the...more I was not expecting a cliffhanger, especially in the last book of a four-book deal! I’m interested in seeing how the show deals with the book (if at all) and what connections we can make between Heat’s mom’s murder and Beckett’s mom’s murder (if any). I have heard that the premiere will end on an ambiguous note re: Johanna Beckett’s case, which is unlikely to be a cliffhanger. Maybe there will be nothing but I really like thinking about how the books and the show correspond, especially since the books now seem to be getting into territory that reflects real life more closely than usual.

I found it really interesting that Heat’s mom’s case actually seems to be partly about Castle working through the possibilities of his own father being in the CIA. That’s one of the ways this book even more clearly shows what Dana Delany’s character observed way back in season 2 -- that Nikki Heat is part Beckett, part Castle. I’ve always thought of Nikki Heat as a fantasy version of Beckett, but it’s more complicated than that.

I wish there were some way for us to know when Castle is writing his books in the context of the show. Was he already writing Frozen Heat by the time Heat Rises was published? Especially given the Storm e-books he released over the summer? I read the earlier books without knowing the earlier seasons very well, so this was the first time I was able to connect elements of the story more clearly to elements of the cases in season four. So obviously he was writing throughout the season and afterward, but I want more details or at least hints! When did he include that part about Rook and Heat having the “I love you” moment pass them by? Was he still writing and making revisions over late spring and summer when he and Beckett were together? Did he write the first chapter with Heat helping Rook with his rehab while Beckett kept Castle away while she was recuperating over the summer? Maybe it’s just because I know first hand how real life can show up (clearly or obscurely) in one’s fiction, and how writing fiction can be a way of working things out in your own life. And the show has never taken much of a chance to explore that -- maybe we’ll get to see it now that Castle and Beckett are together, but maybe we won’t.(less)

like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 MMOGC rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, tv, thriller-suspense

Hovered between giving this one 2 stars or 3 stars. I wanted to like it, but there were just too many things about this book that didn't sit right with me.

First of all, even though I'm not regular viewer of Castle, I'm aware this series is ghost written and attributed to the fictional protagonist of that show. Therefore I understand how in some ways these books have to read like a TV show to appeal to the fans of said show. Frozen Heat, however, takes that to a whole other level. It felt like ev...more Hovered between giving this one 2 stars or 3 stars. I wanted to like it, but there were just too many things about this book that didn't sit right with me.

First of all, even though I'm not regular viewer of Castle, I'm aware this series is ghost written and attributed to the fictional protagonist of that show. Therefore I understand how in some ways these books have to read like a TV show to appeal to the fans of said show. Frozen Heat, however, takes that to a whole other level. It felt like every single crime show trope, cliche and tension-building gimmick was unleashed for this novel, everything from one-in-a-million coincidences to prime-informant-dies-just-before-he-can-offer-up-his-case-breaking-lead.

I think part of the problem is that whoever wrote this was in way over their head. I mentioned in my review of the last book that the reason why I enjoyed it so much was because for the first time I felt that Nikki Heat was involved in something much bigger than herself. But as is often the case, moderation is key. Frozen Heat tried to be even better and bigger than book three, and while I give it A+ for effort, I felt the execution of those ideas could have used some work.

Don't get me wrong, I don't expect these kinds of books to be realistic to a T (since I consider them fun, fluff reads after all) but I do find I enjoy them much better when they're more plausible. Using book three as an example, it's one thing to present a mystery around corruption in the police force; the details are manageable and the resulting story is at least halfway convincing. This book on the other hand, attempting a realistic and believable story about international espionage, the CIA and secret spy networks? Let's just say that whoever wrote this, it seemed like all he or she knew about those topics came from James Bond and spy movies. At times, I also found it hard to take the story seriously or believe that a case so huge would have remained at the hands of an NYPD detective.

I also get that this book was perhaps trying to show a different side to Nikki Heat, but I'm not sure it's a side I like. The last three books paint her as a driven, confident, compassionate cop, and it's these qualities that endear her character to me. For the first half of this novel, however, I barely recognized her. She is impulsive, mean-spirited, dismissive, and careless. For example, we know that her tendency to check every lead no matter how small is what makes her such a great detective, so her refusal of Rook's suggestion to dig deeper in her past for clues seemed way out of character. I've also liked how she empathized and connected to the families of murder victims in the past books, and so her frigid and guarded behavior towards her own father was very bewildering. Also, knowing someone could be watching and listening to her every move, but still she doesn't take every step to secure key suspects and evidence, plus blithely walking into traps? Given the personal nature of the case she was working on, I guess all these inconsistencies to her character would make sense, but then she would also have been pulled off the case a long time ago.

Sad to say, but Rook hardly fared better. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say they don't stick with the same ghost writer for these books, because personally I felt the writing style differed slightly from the last book, which I loved. In contrast, the prose in this book felt more awkward, and the dialogue more campy and forced. The result was that Rook also felt more clownish and juvenile, like whoever wrote him overdid it.

By now I've probably written more for this review than is warranted, but as usual I just wanted to get my thoughts out there, and explain why this latest installment disappointed me whereas I've greatly enjoyed all the previous books in the series so far.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Georgia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Being a huge fan of the television show Castle (and Nathan Fillion), I have been loving the Richard Castle books featuring Nikki Heat. The characters in the book are familiar and wonderful, the same why those are on the show - fuzzy slippers you love to put on your feet after a hard day of work. This time, the story took on Nikki Heat's past and the mysterious death of her mother.

This particular novel was the most detailed and developed of the Nikki Heat series and took on a rather epic element...more

like · see review

Dec 01, 2012 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, read-2012

I normally would save Frozen Heat for next summer when Castle is on hiatus, but the cliff hanger in Heat Rises was too compelling. Frozen Heat is the tale of Detective Heat's mother's murder and it's far more sensational than the story of Kate Beckett's mother's murder; it's very Richard Castle ~and I loved it.

I love the relationship between Rook and Heat, and I think it's affecting the way I view Castle's relationship with Beckett... Rook and Heat are so easy together and I find myself wishing...more

like · see review

May 31, 2013 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 Bruce Snell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Book number Four in the Nikki Heat series by Richard Castle - 3.5 stars. Nikki Heat is the lead investigator in a murder in which the female victim is found stuffed in a suitcase in a delivery truck. And to complicate matters even more, Nikki recognizes the suitcase as one stolen from her home at the time of her mother's murder. That connection causes the two murders to be investigated as a single case with Nikki and Rook leading the way. During the investigation, Nikki learns that the current v...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Castle Freaks: Frozen Heat	1	2	May 10, 2013 06:18pm
Castillions: Frozen Heat (Nikki Heat, #4)	4	28	Oct 04, 2012 07:28am

combine
Other Editions (16)

More editions...

Genres

Mystery

239 users

Mystery > Crime

50 users

Thriller

24 users

Mystery > Detective

17 users

Romance

16 users

Adult

16 users

Suspense

15 users

Thriller > Mystery Thriller

12 users

Contemporary

9 users

Media Tie In > Tv

8 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Richard Castle

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Richard Castle is the author of numerous bestsellers, including the critically acclaimed Derrick Storm series. His first novel, In a Hail of Bullets, published while he was still in college, received the Nom DePlume Society's prestigious Tom Straw Award for Mystery Literature. Castle currently lives in Manhattan...more

More about Richard Castle...

Books by Richard Castle

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Frozen Heat

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Frozen Heat

“Remember what one of our philosophers once said, 'In the human heart there is a perpetual generation of passions, such that the ruin of one is almost always the foundation of another.” — 4 people liked it

“You said yourself the guy looks like he pleasures himself to pictures of Rahm Emanuel.” — 3 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Frozen Heat
avg rating	preview: Frozen Heat Goodreads rating: 3.95 (3649 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13482355-frozen-heat?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333163463l/13482355.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13482355-frozen-heat?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Frozen Heat by Richard Castle[/url]

Frozen Heat (Nikki Heat #4)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website