This is the first book for *years* where I’ve actually guessed the culprit correctly early on in the book, and the fact that i did so didn’t spoil the book at all. If anything it made the book more enjoyable for me because I could see all the twists and misdirections as they occured and I appreciated the cunningness of the plot more than I might have done if I’d have waited to have the mystery unvelied for me.

Another point in favour of this book is that I think it’s the first one in this series that I’ve read (I’ve read all the first six now, albeit not in the correct order) where the central trio of detectives come out more or less intact. There’s plenty of action without them all ending up badly hurt (though one of them has to end up in hospital of course, I don’t think it would be a real Castlemere mystery without the hospital featuring!).

Bannister’s characters are wonderful and though I still worry about their chances at longevity I’m going to be with them all the way in this series.

Just a quick note on the title: “Burning Desires” was switched to “A Taste for Burning” for the American market. Following hot on the heels of “Sins of the Heart” which was retitled to “Charisma” I have to wonder who was making up these titles? Someone who wanted mysteries to get confused with romances? The mind boggles.