Review of PLAYING WITH FIRE by Mary Burton

PLAYING WITH FIRE by Mary Burton will be published on July 7th 2022 by HQ Digital. The novel was originally published on March 1st 2006 under the title THE ARSONIST.

Journalist Darcy Sampson returns to her hometown of Preston Springs, VA, in search of a story. Nero, the arsonist who plaque Washington DC a year, was believed to have died in his last fire. Darcy has evidence that Nero is still alive, and she wants to speak with former arson investigator Michael Gannon. Conveniently, Gannon is not located in Preston Springs and runs a motorcycle shop that is across the street from the Sampson family diner. While in pursuit of the truth, Darcy gets caught up in family drama, a romance with Gannon, and the search for the person who is setting fires around Preston Springs. Has Nero returned? Or is the new arsonist a copycat?

I've read a number of Mary Burton's romantic suspense novels, and I have to say this PLAYING WITH FIRE was not one of my favorite. The story was interesting, but the plot was simplistic. The novel was heavy on the romance and light on the suspense. Overall, the novel is a quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.