Heat Wave by Richard Castle

#1 in the Nikki Heat Series
Published in 2009 by Hyperion
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest. PulitzerPrize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat.


Review:  Heat Wave is a fun add on that will certainly delight fans of the TV show Castle.  This book is a great tie in for the show and adds an interesting perspective.


I really enjoyed this light mystery.  Since I am a fan of the show it was great to read parts of the book that were also mentioned in the series.  I also loved the fact that it was written as if Richard Castle was a real person.  It includes a picture of Nathan Fillion as Castle as well as an author bio.  


As far as mysteries go Heat Wave isn't the best.  The story line is fairly predictable and lacks a lot of detail that a stand alone mystery would have.  However the charms of the TV show come across in the book.  There's a lot of the witty banter and sexual tension that the viewers of the TV show have come to love.  


Overall Heat Wave is a great book to add to the experience of the TV show Castle.  Fans of the show are sure to enjoy as well as any read who enjoys a light and humorous mystery.