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    The Fire Child
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    The Fire Child
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    The Fire Child
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Fire Child

    Written by S. K. Tremayne

    Narrated by Imogen Church and Peter Noble

    3.5/5

    ()

    Unavailable in your country

    Unavailable in your country

    About this audiobook

    The chilling new psychological thriller by S. K. Tremayne, author of the Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller, THE ICE TWINS.

    IT TOOK ONLY SIX WORDS TO SHATTER HER DREAMS…

    When Rachel marries handsome David and moves to a beautiful house in Cornwall, she gains wealth, love, and an affectionate stepson, Jamie.

    But then Jamie’s behaviour changes, and her perfect life begins to unravel. He makes disturbing predictions, claiming to be haunted by the spectre of his late mother. As September slips away and December looms, Rachel grows increasingly suspicious of her husband – and begins to suspect there might be truth in Jamie’s words:

    ‘YOU WILL BE DEAD BY CHRISTMAS’

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJun 16, 2016
    ISBN9780008105877
    Unavailable
    The Fire Child
    Author

    S. K. Tremayne

    S. K. Tremayne is a bestselling novelist and award-winning travel writer, and a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines around the world. The author's previous novel The Ice Twins, was picked for the Richard and Judy Autumn 2015 Book Club and was a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller. Born in Devon, S. K. Tremayne now lives in London and has two daughters.

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    Reviews for The Fire Child

    3.5/5

    63 ratings12 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Rachel Daly marries David Kerthen after a whirlwind romance. She goes to live at his family home, Carnhallow in Cornwall where he lives with his young son Jamie. David's first wife Nina died tragically by falling in a mine shaft and her body has never been found.This is the first time I have read anything by this author. When I started reading the book I was drawn straight into the story. I was storming through the pages as I really wanted to see what was going to happen. The story is very creepy at times and does have a haunting feel to it. The descriptions very good and I had a very good sense of place. The book did remind me a lot of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. The similarities are the rambling old house, the new wife and the first dead wife who everybody loved, and who still haunts their lives. So what went wrong for me was the ending. I can't really say as it would give a lot away and the book is still a worthy read. I was thinking that end was expecting the reader to believe in a very big coincidence. Its a shame really because the ending could have gone a different way completely. Overall a lovely, creepy old house tale with family secrets but a big let down ending.Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the book.
    • 2/5
      Ein Psychothriller, der in Cornwall spielt – diese Beschreibung lässt mein Leserherz höherschlagen. Dann die ersten Kapitel: Rachel, eine junge Frau aus zerrütteten Verhältnissen (die sie verheimlicht), hat gerade einen älteren reichen Mann geheiratet. Die erste Ehefrau von David ist vor nicht allzu langer Zeit unter mysteriösen Umständen ums Leben gekommen, wobei ihre Leiche nie gefunden wurde, es gibt einen 8-jährigen Sohn Jamie und Davids Mutter wohnt auch in dem großen alten Anwesen Carnhallow House. Mehr als eine Anspielung auf DuMauriers "Rebecca" also, aber auch das hat meine Erwartungen eher noch gesteigert.Rachel zieht ins Carnhallow House und versucht, die Arbeit von Davids erster Frau Nina fortzuführen, nämlich das Haus historisch korrekt zu restaurieren. Bei ihren Nachforschungen zum Haus trifft sie auch auf Ungereimtheiten mit Ninas Tod. Dass Jamie davon überzeugt ist, dass seine Mutter noch lebt, vertieft Rachels Unbehagen. Gleichzeitig ist es David nicht recht, dass Rachel sich mit Ninas Tod befasst, so dass sie bei ihm keine Unterstützung findet.Nach den ersten vielversprechenden Kapiteln, als Rachel nach Cornwall zieht und sich einlebt, war es das dann auch schon für mich. Die eigentliche Handlung war konfus und konstruiert (vom Ende ganz zu schweigen), die Charaktere waren nicht nur durchweg unsympathisch, sondern auch hölzern und wandelnde Klischees. Dazu kamen endlose Beschreibungen der Landschaft und vor allem der Minen und ihrer Geschichte, wo ich irgendwann nur noch dachte "ja, ja, ich weiß es jetzt, danke, ich kann es mir vorstellen…!"Ich habe das Buch bis zum Ende gelesen, denn ich hoffe bei schlechten Büchern ja immer noch, dass vielleicht noch irgendetwas Interessantes kommt, aber dieses Buch war leider bis zur letzten Seite eine Enttäuschung.
    • 4/5
      With an isolated setting and increasingly unreliable characters, The Fire Child by S.K. Tremayne is an atmospheric, suspense-laden psychological thriller.

      After a whirlwind courtship, thirty year old Rachel Daly marries forty year old lawyer David Kerthen who then whisks her and his eight year old son Jamie to the family estate in Cornwall. Initially blissfully happy, Rachel is struggling with her stepson's increasingly upsetting behavior that eventually brings her to ask a few probing questions about his mother Nina's somewhat tragic death. David is reluctant to divulge very many details and as Rachel becomes more concerned about Jaime's mental state, she makes a decision that has violent consequences and puts her in a very precarious situation with her husband. Will Rachel find out the truth about Nina's death? Can she protect herself and Jamie after events begin to escalate out of control?

      Rachel has come a long way from her humble beginnings but she is still somewhat uncomfortable as she tries to resume the elegant renovations of David's family estate. With David working long hours in London, Rachel is lonely but she keeps busy investigating her new surroundings. She is also busy with Jamie but she is becoming increasingly worried about his strange behavior and she becomes quite frightened after he makes a rather dire prediction. As Rachel begins piecing together the details of Nina's fatal accident, some of the information she uncovers does not make sense and David is reluctant to discuss the night his first wife died. What secrets are her husband keeping? Why is he so unwilling to do more to help Jamie handle his grief?

      At first glance, David is the perfect catch. He is a devoted father and he is a well-respected lawyer who works long hours. Through hard work and a lot of determination, he saved the estate after his father's gambling problem nearly bankrupted the family. He positively adored his first wife, but David is quite smitten with Rachel and he has a great deal of respect for her. However, he is most displeased when she begins asking questions he does not want to answer and he is infuriated after she takes steps to try to get Jamie help for his odd behavior. In the aftermath of violent altercation, David is cold-hearted and ruthless in his attempts to take complete charge of his fracturing family.

      In some ways, Jamie is a perfectly normal little boy. He loves his dad and he cares a great for Rachel. However, he is completely confused about some of the things that happened the night his mother died and with the anniversary of her death fast approaching, he is becoming quite desperate. Jamie's declarations are unsettling and he is quite adamant that she is alive despite evidence to the contrary. However, inexplicable and unexplained occurrences play into some of Rachel's doubts and fears and she becomes convinced that Jamie might have a legitimate reason for some of his beliefs.

      For the most part, The Fire Child is an incredibly riveting mystery that moves at a very brisk pace. S.K. Tremayne does an absolutely brilliant job building suspense as Rachel tries to uncover the truth that David is trying so hard to keep from her. With the tension reaching a fever pitch, this psychological thriller comes to a pulse-pounding adrenaline-filled conclusion that neatly wraps up all of the various threads of this spell-binding and somewhat eerie story.
    • 3/5
      Way back in the day, before the term ‘chick-fic’ was ever heard of, tales of beautiful but impoverished girls who fell in love with rich handsome men and were isolated in grand but remote Cornish mansions, flew off the school library shelves. S.K. Tremayne has followed in the grand tradition of the Gothic romances so beloved of women since the 18th century: The mysteries of Udolfo, Jane Eyre, The Turn of the Screw – an isolated woman, an iffy love interest, and the welfare of a child, has always made for compelling reading. In a whirl-wind romance, Rachel from the ‘Sarf’ of London marries rich, handsome widower David and moves to his historic family mansion in Cornwall, where she lives with her delightful stepson Jamie. David is home only for weekends though, and Jamie changes, becoming more remote and claiming his late mother Nina is going to return. Is Jamie hallucinating? Nina’s body was never found – and how did she die anyway? Rachel is convinced her husband is keeping secrets – but she has secrets herself… Eerie, scary, compulsive – a true ‘Grip-lit’ thriller.
    • 4/5
      This Gothic-style mystery is set in the old tin-mining areas of North Cornwall and the author’s evocative descriptions of this wild, coastal countryside, along with a series of highly atmospheric old photographs, showing images of the mines, mineworkers and landscape, all add suspense to this rather creepy and disturbing thriller. I thought that the build-up to what eventually became a dark, chilling story-line, tended to be a bit slow and rather repetitious and I did begin to wonder whether I would ever feel sufficiently concerned to care what happened to any of the characters! However, once I did feel engaged, I didn’t want to put the book down because I felt that the author had managed to achieve a remorseless, creeping sense of dread and horror which, at times felt very disturbing and chilling. I thought that the gradual revelations about the characters’ past experiences, and the effects of these on their personalities and their decision-making was, for the most part, psychologically credible. I did feel rather disappointed with what I felt was a rather implausible solution to the mystery of “sightings” of Nina. I also thought that, just as the start of the story had been rather too slow, the ending was too rushed and not entirely credible. When thinking about my rating I initially considered giving this book just three stars. However, the author’s writing style, his wonderfully evocative descriptions of Cornwall (a region I have known and loved for over fifty years), her inclusion of so much of the history of mining in Cornwall – the long hours, the truly dreadful and dangerous conditions for the workers, including very young children – his reflections on the disparity between the living conditions for the workers and those of the owners and the powerful use of contemporary, black and white photographs, made this a four star read for me. I had really enjoyed his debut novel The Ice Twins and, although I thought this second story wasn’t quite as good, I would certainly read a third offering from this author – but I am already wondering whether that too will have a disturbed child at its centre!
    • 4/5
      3.5 I enjoyed S.K. Tremayne's (a pseudonym) last suspense novel, The Ice Twins. Tremayne's newest release is The Fire Child.Rachel is excited to move to Carnhallow House with her new husband and stepson. It's a long way from where she started. Rachel's past is alluded to and the details are slowly revealed as the book progresses. But there would be no story without....A secluded old mansion in need of repair. A widowed, handsome, wealthy owner who has swept his new second wife off her feet. A young stepson who seems to be alright with his new family - until his behaviour takes a scary turn. The shadow of Nina, the dead first wife and mother hanging over everything. The circumstances surrounding her death. The dotty mother-in-law who may know more than she lets on....and more. All the hallmarks of a Gothic tale.The setting plays a large part in the book - in addition to the secluded house and ominous isolation, there are the mines. Tin has been mined in the Cornwall area for thousands of years. The author has included actual photos of the mines and miners to accompany this fictional tale. The history of these mines is fascinating - I ended up looking up more about them online.Tremayne does a good job of building the tension. Sightings of Nina, sounds in the house and Jamie's insistence that his mother is alive make Rachel question if she is going crazy. Her husband's behaviour has changed as well. The danger and tension builds and builds, culminating in a great scene in a snowstorm.But the story continues past that scene. There were a few plot twists at the end that ask the reader to suspend disbelief. I did, but wasn't entirely sold on the ending. The journey there was more enjoyable for this reader. An entertaining light read, good for a dark and stormy night.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book quite a bit. This turned out to be quite the page turner and I ended up liking it even more than The Ice Twins. This was a book that I never knew quite what might happen next. I ended up reading this whole book in a little more than 24 hours because I had such a hard time putting it down. I am very glad that I decided to pick this book up.The story opens with Rachel and David as newlyweds at his family home, Carnhallow House. Rachel is now the step-mother to David's son, Jamie, whose mother has recently died. It is a huge adjustment for Rachel and the day to day task of caring for Jamie falls largely to her since David is away during most of the week for work. Jamie is still grieving the loss of his mother and it is showing in some of his actions. Rachel starts to wonder about what really happened to Jamie's mother and starts asking a lot of questions.I thought this book had a whole lot going for it. It went in directions that I would have never imagined and I love being taken by surprise with this kind of book. The pacing was perfectly done with enough action to really keep the pages turning. Jamie was one of the creepiest kids that I remember reading about in a book which was a big plus. Add in the old house and the mining tunnels running all over the place and there is a whole lot of creepy in this story. I never really knew if I should trust Rachel. I think that Rachel's character was written in such a way that it was hard to tell if she was actually psychotic or if these things were really happening.I would definitely recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers. This was one of those books that made me wonder if any of the characters should be trusted but I had to keep reading to figure out what was real. This is the second book by S.K. Tremayne that I have read and I can't wait to read more.I received an advance reader edition of this book from Grand Central Publishing.
    • 5/5
      Every now and then a book comes along that you just know you are going to love, even before you start it, well this is one such book. Rachel, from a rough part of London, marries David, a very handsome, rich widower who owns a beautiful house in Cornwall. Jamie, her new stepson, seems a little disturbed and says some strange things and what did happen to Nina, the first wife? I loved the build up, the suspense not to mention what life was like for the Cornish miners working in appalling conditions. There were vivid descriptions of the landscape, the bleak but beautiful moors, the stunning coastline. The photos were an added bonus too. This book literally grabbed me from the start and hasn't let go yet even though I've finished it! Highly recommend this novel.
    • 4/5
      I received this e-arc to give an honest review. Thank you!I love the cover, full of suspension and synopsis is interesting! This was my first book read by the author although I had noticed Ice Twins in bookstore.I have to say this is perfect psychological thriller, I was on edge while reading and I couldn't decide how I feel about main character. With every new information coming up I was scared to find out whats going to happen next. The author played the main characters, Rachel and David so well,the climax, that a times I wasn't sure whom to trust, and has the information given before could be reliable...The ending was smooth and truly unexpected.
    • 4/5
      Not having read any previous novels by S K Tremayne I can't compere, but this is a great stand alone book with strong characters.I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Harper Collins via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
    • 4/5
      I think it must have been quite hard to follow up the success of The Ice Twins, a book I loved. I'm not sure The Fire Child quite lives up to that one but I did enjoy it. It is the story of Rachel Kerthen, newly married to the older and widowed David Kerthen. For 1000 years his family have lived in Carnhallow House in Cornwall. He has an eight year old son, Jamie, who is still grieving for his mother. Jamie starts behaving strangely and Rachel starts to doubt what happened to his mother.The book has a sinister feel to it and reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. The house is a big part of the story and adds to the underlying sense of malice that plays throughout it all. Rachel is an unreliable narrator. I never knew whether I trusted her or not, similarly with David and Jamie. The author kept me guessing.As with many of these sorts of books, in order to create a story that has the requisite twists and turns, sometimes it doesn't quite ring true, but it didn't matter as it all came together to make a very good psychological thriller with an excellent sense of place.
    • 5/5
      This is a brooding and menacing psychological thriller set in Cornwall, revolving around a dead first wife, a paranoid second wife, a grieving son and a partially renovated mansion. There are hints of gothic and at first I was reminded of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. However, it does go on to become quite a dark tale.It's a slow burner where the suspense is gradually built up and the main character's paranoia grows and grows. The style of writing is descriptive and vivid, full of metaphors and very evocative of the Cornish landscape, which adds to the tension. I could virtually hear the waves crashing on the rocks! None of the characters are particularly likeable, apart from perhaps the son - they all seem rather unstable and have something to hide. I liked the photos which were included every now and then which related somewhat to the story. I found them interesting. A creepy, suspenseful and compelling read which I very much enjoyed. A great second novel from this author, although I personally think The Ice Twins is a hard act to follow!Many thanks to Lovereading.co.uk for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.