Tears of Fire by Gordon Bickerstaff is a well-crafted, tightly plotted terrorist thriller with a lot of potential to entertain readers. They are two orphans turned serial killers. They are rich and they have the means. And now, they are about to up their game — they’ll go after those who killed their parents. Gavin Shawlens, a skilled detective working with the Lambeth Group is getting close to nailing the killers when the two turn their attention to his family. Gavin needs his partner, Zoe Tampsin, to stop the orphans before one of the most painful murders is committed. But can the detectives get them before it is too late?

Gordon Bickerstaff’s gift for character is exceptional and readers will ponder over the idea of how the orphans became serial killers — is it out of revenge or a perverse nature? The plot is intricately done and the writing is tight and crisp, featuring strong psychological elements that allow readers to understand the minds of psychopaths. This is the kind of book that will sit comfortably on the shelf beside James Patterson’s Alex Cross series. This is crime thriller at its best. The author creates awesome characters in Jung and Seng and readers will enjoy the psychological depth of the story. The conflict is deftly handled and I enjoyed the role played by Gavin and Zoe in the narrative. Tears of Fire is a captivating read, balanced and quickly paced. It features intelligently written and focused scenes, and a lot of suspense. This author knows how to woo readers and keep them focused.

There’s no telling what will happen when a soldier finds themselves trapped between doing their duty and doing what they believe is right. For Zoe, that moment came when she discovered the horror that the Silsden family was engaged in. But to protect her own family she’s willing to take control of her own destiny, but nothing is ever that simple. There is much more involved in the case than even she could have imagined and it’s all going to tie into something strange and unexpected; euthanasia and insurance fraud. Tears of Fire by Gordon Bickerstaff is a story of more than you could imagine.

This book is full of adventure at every turn, because you just can’t imagine what’s going to happen next. There are several characters throughout, but you feel like you really know each of them and you know exactly what they all want. It draws you even further into the story and makes you want to turn the next page to see just how the battle will rage and who will succeed in the end. Between Zoe, Gavin and Joss, you never know what to expect, but even Traherne, Toby and the twins are characters that you can’t help but feel absorbed by and you find yourself wondering just who is going to win out in the end. And even if the good guys win, is it really going to save everyone? Or is there something a little dark even in the best of intentions in Tears of Fire.