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Buschfeuer
Bushfires are raging around Sydney. In the midst of the chaos a sadistic killer is on the loose.
When missing nurse Lisa Broderick is found brutally raped and murdered, panic spreads through the city like wildfire.
Rachel Addison, a police psychologist and the only woman on the homicide squad, is assigned to the case. Starting out as a hunter, Rachel gradually becomes convinced she is the prey. But this murder is forcing her to confront the mystery of her own painful past and she can no longer be sure what is real and what is imagined.
If Rachel is to survive, she must unlock her memory and face the fear that she has kept hidden in the darkest recesses of her mind.
When missing nurse Lisa Broderick is found brutally raped and murdered, panic spreads through the city like wildfire.
Rachel Addison, a police psychologist and the only woman on the homicide squad, is assigned to the case. Starting out as a hunter, Rachel gradually becomes convinced she is the prey. But this murder is forcing her to confront the mystery of her own painful past and she can no longer be sure what is real and what is imagined.
If Rachel is to survive, she must unlock her memory and face the fear that she has kept hidden in the darkest recesses of her mind.
287 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 17, 2012
Wildfire by Susan Geason is a psychological thriller set in Sydney in the 1990s. (In fact, although it is not stated, it seems to be loosely based on the murder of nurse Anita Cobby in the 1980s).
It is the middle of a hot, Sydney summer and bushfires are raging around the outskirts of the city. To add to the mix, a sadistic serial killer is on the loose. A young, popular nurse, Lisa Broderick is found brutally raped and murdered, causing panic in the community.
Rachel Addison is a police psychologist and the only woman on the homicide squad.You soon realise that she has her own psychological demons to conquer, as she does her utmost to get into the head of the crazed killer. Eventually she becomes convinced that he is stalking her.
Through various twists and turns, the story picks up pace as the police gain ground on the killer. It keeps you guessing pretty much to the end.
Written in the 1990s, it captures that era very well. The 'boys club' of the homicide squad rings true and you can feel the heat and almost smell the smoke of the bushfires.
I really enjoyed this book. It has a very Australian feel to it and you can almost feel the creeping footsteps of the killer as he starts stalking Rachel. (Although probably not a good one to read at night if you live alone in an isolated area!).
It is the middle of a hot, Sydney summer and bushfires are raging around the outskirts of the city. To add to the mix, a sadistic serial killer is on the loose. A young, popular nurse, Lisa Broderick is found brutally raped and murdered, causing panic in the community.
Rachel Addison is a police psychologist and the only woman on the homicide squad.You soon realise that she has her own psychological demons to conquer, as she does her utmost to get into the head of the crazed killer. Eventually she becomes convinced that he is stalking her.
Through various twists and turns, the story picks up pace as the police gain ground on the killer. It keeps you guessing pretty much to the end.
Written in the 1990s, it captures that era very well. The 'boys club' of the homicide squad rings true and you can feel the heat and almost smell the smoke of the bushfires.
I really enjoyed this book. It has a very Australian feel to it and you can almost feel the creeping footsteps of the killer as he starts stalking Rachel. (Although probably not a good one to read at night if you live alone in an isolated area!).
December 20, 2012
It is 1992 in Sydney and police psychologist Rachel Addison is the only woman on the homicide squad. Fear is at fever pitch following the brutal murder of popular young nurse Lisa Broderick (which is very similar to the real life case of murdered nurse Anita Cobby in the 1980s). Adding to this already tense atmosphere are the bushfires that are surrounding the city worsening, it seems, each day.
Right from the start you get a sense of Rachel and the baggage she is carrying from a troubled childhood. As she and the homicide squad make progress on the case, her own anxiety begins to increase as repressed feelings and memories begin to surface. The suspense really picks up when it becomes apparent that the killer is in fact stalking Rachel.
The use of the bushfires was a fabulous touch - the heat and smoke were perfect metaphors for what is happening to Rachel and really add to the suspense and mystery of the story.
I thought this was a great psychological thriller. Not only does it capture the time and place perfectly, it also shows the reality of the "boys club" in the homicide squad and the less than respectful way women were still treated in the police service a mere twenty years ago. As the story reaches it's stunning conclusion you can literally feel the tension building and are jumping at every shadow along with Rachel.
Although twenty years old, this book holds its own and will have you watching your back as you turn the pages.
Right from the start you get a sense of Rachel and the baggage she is carrying from a troubled childhood. As she and the homicide squad make progress on the case, her own anxiety begins to increase as repressed feelings and memories begin to surface. The suspense really picks up when it becomes apparent that the killer is in fact stalking Rachel.
The use of the bushfires was a fabulous touch - the heat and smoke were perfect metaphors for what is happening to Rachel and really add to the suspense and mystery of the story.
I thought this was a great psychological thriller. Not only does it capture the time and place perfectly, it also shows the reality of the "boys club" in the homicide squad and the less than respectful way women were still treated in the police service a mere twenty years ago. As the story reaches it's stunning conclusion you can literally feel the tension building and are jumping at every shadow along with Rachel.
Although twenty years old, this book holds its own and will have you watching your back as you turn the pages.
January 12, 2012
A scary, but compelling thriller. Loved the Sydney setting and the background of the bushfires. Well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews