Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Heat Wave
    Heat Wave
    Heat Wave
    Audiobook6 hours

    Heat Wave

    Written by Richard Castle

    Narrated by Johnny Heller

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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 introduces his newest character, NYPD homicide detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, and professional, Nikki 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. Pulitzer Prize winner Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. But his wisecracking and meddling aren't Nikki's 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.

    Castle, the hit ABC television series, premiered in March 2009. The main character, Richard Castle, is the bestselling mystery author of the critically acclaimed Derrick Storm novels. The hard-nosed but sexy Detective Kate Beckett, with whom Castle is paired up, provided the inspiration for Nikki Heat.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 29, 2009
    ISBN9781400184255
    Heat Wave
    Author

    Richard Castle

    Richard Castle is the author of numerous bestsellers, including the critically acclaimed Derrick Storm series. His first novel, In a Hail of Bullets, published while he was still in college, received the Nom DePlume Society's prestigious Tom Straw Award for Mystery Literature. Castle currently lives in Manhattan with his daughter and mother, both of whom infuse his life with humour and inspiration.

    Related to Heat Wave

    Titles in the series (1)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Mystery For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    Related categories

    Reviews for Heat Wave

    3.5/5

    1,042 ratings130 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      This is a tie in novel for the tv series Castle. The tv show, if you have not seen it, is about a popular mystery writer who shadows a NYPD detective to research a new book he is writing. When the second season starts, his book Heat Wave is released, and this is the same book. The book follows a journalist, Jameson Rook who is shadowing NYPD detective Nikki Heat for background on a story he is writing. Fans of the show will see many similarities between Rook and Heat, and Castle and Beckett. If you watch the show, you will recognize different bits of the novel's case as pulled from some of the tv show's cases, as you might expect. It also reads a bit like a self insertion piece, where Castle basically writes himself in as Rook, and lets him live out his (Castle's) fantasies a bit. Not that I'll fault him for it, since fans of the series who ship Beckett and Castle pretty much thought similar ideas. Its not a long book, and is an easy read. It has all the banter and some of the tension found in the tv series. It makes a nice way to fill the summer gap while waiting for the series to return. If you like the tv show, you should like this.
    • 4/5
      I have loved the TV show Castle and so when I discovered that there were actually books, I jumped straight into them.

      This was a great book. I loved that Nikki and Jameson are in some ways totally different to Castle and Beckett, but in others exactly the same. I love Roach and their interaction with each other. The storyline was completely in line with anything you would see on the show Castle. But you don't have to watch the show to get the books. It can be one or the other, or both. And that's great.
    • 3/5
      A nice, light read, more of interest to "Castle" series fans, I believe, than necessarily a stand-alone kind of book. It was, for me, more of an insight into the character of Richard Castle than anything. Not bad, but not a book I'll probably ever pick up again.
    • 3/5
      My expectations for this book were not high, given that it's purportedly written by a TV character, and so I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't all that bad. Like the television show, the plot felt formulaic. Here's the action scene, the heroine-in-dager scene, the sex scene, etc. But it was competently written. I was surprised to see double quotes using inside of double quotes, but hey, we're not living in the Grand Age of Editing.

      However, if I play along with the premise of the TV show and this book, nothing makes sense. We were shown the heroine of the TV series, taking to her bubble bath to read this book. The plot of the book largely turns on the sexual tension between the writer and the female detective. How could the TV-show detective -- or the mystery novelist -- pretend to be so clueless about their mutual attraction that has been laid out so carefully in the book he wrote about her? Logic takes a holiday on that one. Still it was a fun quick read.
    • 3/5
      I am not a fan of Castle TV show. I have to admit I haven't watch one single episode of it. Knowledge that this book is a tie-in of the TV show meant nothing to me. I decided to read it because it was recommended to me by Goodreads based on my other reads and because it seemed to be a popular read.

      My expectations were average, just like for most books by authors I have never read before. Still, I was disappointed with what I got. You know this books written after the movie or the TV show success? The ones that make you feel you are reading a movie script feebly composed into phrases? Well, reading Heat Wave was that kind of experience. Even though it was not written as an exact movie script, I felt the scenario in the background.

      Heat Wave felt like a book written for money and nothing more. What is even worse, badly written. The characters are one-dimensional and boring (except Rook who is just annoying and made me roll my eyes more than once), the dialogues fair to middling and the jokes mediocre. The best thing you can say about this book is that it is short, so you can read it fast and forget about it even faster. The cost is the plot and the characters serious deficiency.

      The only enjoyable thing in this book was the suspense plot. It wasn't really innovative or surprising but the investigation part was well-written. This is the only reason I am giving 3 stars to this book.
    • 4/5
      Nikki Heat leads one of New York City's homicide squads. The commisioner assigns novelist Jameson Rook to her as a rid along. She works on a case to solve the murder of a real estate tycoon.
    • 3/5
      The reason to read this book is because you like the TV series. It's very much a fluff book, kinda what you're led to expect from the character of Richard Castle. I have a hard time reviewing this one, since the author is fictional. I think I'd probably rate it 3.5, because it's supposed to be a mediocre book written by a popular author who would sell books no matter how poorly they were written. The writing isn't stellar, but it's not supposed to be. How do you rate that? I enjoyed the read, for what it was. And there was never a point while reading it where I considered putting the book down and leaving it unfinished. However, for me, one of these books is enough. I don't need to read any others in the series.
    • 4/5
      good first book. needs more voices to get better involved.
    • 3/5
      Predictable. Funny how the characters sounded just like the actors on the TV show Castle. ;-)Don't think I'll bother with the next unless i run out of reading material.
    • 3/5
      This is a pretty awesome idea, all things considered. Put out the book that the character writes, and do it all in character. Even the marketing, from what I've seen. Right down to the acknowledgements in the back. It's a moneyspinner: even people who don't know the show, Castle, might pick it up, and certainly loads of people that watch the show will pounce on it. And people who read it unknowing might end up sucked into the show.

      Also, tons of opportunities to reference it in the show, and to further characterise Richard Castle himself.

      The mystery itself is way secondary to all other concerns, reading it as a fan of Castle. It's pretty trashy, an easy read, quick: good to just kick back with, and not think too much about. The story on its own is so-so, I guess: I was there for the Castle references, not for anything unique and scintillating on its own. Pretty much standard fare.

      Not sure how I felt about the idea of Castle writing a sex scene about the characters so clearly based on himself and Beckett. I guess I'll have to see how it's played in the show, but I didn't think he'd go that far.

      Still, pretty fun, and an awesome idea.
    • 3/5
      I bought this because I like the Castle tv series and wanted to see the book that began it all. Let me say, I think the TV series far surpasses the voices in my head. The dialogue is flat and uneven.
    • 4/5
      Having watched the television series, Castle, I was very interested in reading the book, Heat Wave. What is unique about this book is that it is 'written' by the character of the series, Richard Castle. It does a good job of portraying the characters as they are in seen on the show, but I felt that the story was lacking somewhat in description, storyline, and plot. Heat Wave was interesting, but I wished it to be more developed, with more details of the characters, their feelings, and emotions, as well as more details about the investigation and the day to day police work.
    • 4/5
      Heat Wave (Hitzewelle) ist der Auftaktroman der Buchreihe Nikki Heat von Bestseller Autor Richard Castle. Der wahre Geek wird nun wissen, Richard Castle ist keine reale Person sondern eine Figur aus der TV-Serie Castle und Heat Wave stellt jenen Roman dar, für den Richard Castle in der Serie recherchiert, in dem er Detective Kate Beckett bei der Arbeit begleitet. Das Buch ist daher vor allem für Kenner der TV-Serie interessant, da man hier ganz klar die Figuren der Serie wieder antrifft, wenn auch unter anderen Namen. Die Charaktereigenschaften und ihre Rollen sind jedoch klar erkennbar, auch der Humor und die Wortgefechte erinnern stark an Beckett und Castle in Aktion.Der Roman selbst bietet solide Krimi-Unterhaltung die inhaltlich verschiedene Episoden aus der TV-Serie aufgreift und neu vermischt. Serienfans dürfen sich doppelt freuen, denn die Ermittlungen gehen durchaus ihre eigenen Wege und erzählen nicht einfach eine Episode von Castle nach, überraschende Wendungen sind also gegeben. Gleichzeitig gibt es so viele vertraute Eigenheiten, dass man das Gefühl hat mit Richard Castle unterwegs zu sein. Als Überbrückung der Staffelpause oder auch einfach nur aus Spaß an der Idee Castles Roman zu lesen, ist Heat Wave also bestens geeignet.Fazit:In die Geschichte wird dieser Roman vermutlich nicht eingehen, doch er bietet solide Unterhaltung mit dem gewissen Geek-Faktor und einer guten Priese knisternder Leidenschaften die in der Serie wohl aus Jugendschutzgründen nicht so deutlich zum Tragen kommen wie im Roman. ?Auch wer die Serie nicht kennt kann den Roman gut lesen und problemlos verstehen, aber ich glaube der ganze Charme und Witz dürfte eher den Serienkennern zugänglich sein, da viele Dialogfetzen übernommen wurden. Ich hatte eine Menge zu Schmunzeln und habe den zweiten Teil schon auf dem Nachttisch liegen!
    • 4/5
      Surprisingly good for a book based on a TV show, although it's better if you've seen the show.
    • 3/5
      I know what you're thinking, and yes, this book really exists. From the front cover to the back cover, the whole thing is "in character." Just a stunning amount of inside jokery.

      Now, for the story itself, the characters are related to those of the show, but are not copy-cats. There is enough of a difference that you don't feel ripped off, and enough of a similarity that you constantly feel you have some sort of insider knowledge. Being a mystery novel, there's also lots of twists. None are as big as the surprise that this book isn't half bad!

      It's a short book, quick read, and lots of fun. If you don't have a kindle, wait for the paperback. I don't think it's worth over $20.
    • 3/5
      I read Heat Wave by Richard Castle in a few hours, it's under 200 pages. Dectective Nikki Heat is with the NYPD and working a case that involves the death of a high profile NYC citizen who fell to his death from a six story balcony. The investigation will expand beyond the death when his very valuable art collection disappears from his walls a few days later.I like the character of Nikki Heat but I have a big problem with another one. Jameson Rook, a journalist who has won the Pulitzer, is riding with her so that he can gather information for an article on NYC police.His relationship with Heat is ridiculous as are the sex scene that ensues. One hundred ninety-eight pages was enough for me, I won't continue this series.
    • 3/5
      Very much like reading an episode of the show. It was fun. :-)
    • 5/5
      Fun, fast read.
    • 4/5
      Homicide Detective Nikki Heat has been saddled with Jameson Rook as a 'ride along' on her daily investigation. It's bad enough that it is a blistering summer and it seems that her case load isn't light, but to have a wise-cracking, meddleson, handsome guy following her along is just about too much.Rook is doing research on NYPD for an upcoming article. Being a Pulitzer Prize winner, he immerses himself in his research. The problem with that is he is not a cop and doesn't know beans about procedure. Real police work is not like you see on TV or read in a book.The murder of a high profile real estate tycoon is the focus of Heat's current assignment. Investigating turns up some surprises about the man's life, along with some names that could be seriously interested in seeing the man dead. His wife is one name high on the list.While trying to unravel the threads of this mystery, Heat has to deal with Rook's wise-cracks, name dropping (Hendrix, Jagger, and others), references to the famous he has connections to, and the attraction to him she seems to be sensing. Is he sensing it too?There is humour and action to be found in this book. Not just the two main characters, but also the supporting characters. It moves good and I am looking forward to reading more of this series.
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyable mystery read! Fun characters, sarcasm abounds. When I actually got time to read, I read through it pretty quick!
      I recommend this book!
    • 3/5
      This is fan fiction of a sort for the TV show Castle. I have only seen 1 episode of the show so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got into this book. Heat Wave is a fun, fast-paced murder mystery. Detective Nikki Heat is brought onto a case that involves the murder of Matthew Starr, a real estate baron of New York. Jameson Rook, a reporter, manages to get himself attached to the investigation.The action keeps the story moving along at a fast clip. There’s a little romance between Heat and Rook but it didn’t distract from the murder mystery. The plot itself was pretty straight forward, the mystery being fairly easy to unravel by the reader if not the main characters.There are several sidekicks in the story, like detectives Ochoa and Raley and the medical examiner Lauren Parry. Mostly, they fade into the background and go unnoticed. Lauren has a few moments where her personality shows through. The cast of characters attempts various quips and jokes but much of it comes off flat. I was much more into the serious scenes. The action scenes were usually well done.Over all, I liked Nikki Heat as a character. I will enjoy getting to know more about her in future books. While it was a quick, easy read, it had it’s charms. 3.5/5 starsThe Narration: Johnny Heller took some getting used to. His style is nearly monotone but he also tries to go for that hard-boiled detective story feel. Once I settled into his voice, I liked it well enough though I had to pay attention to which character was talking as Heller didn’t always make distinct voices. There were no recording issues. 3.5/5 stars
    • 3/5
      If you love the TV show "Castle" and the wise ass repartee between the writer and detective, you'll love this.

      It's great fun that someone decided to actually write the books that the TV character is supposedly researching. With that said, these books aren't necessary if you've seen the show. The book series follows the TV show closely (except for the sex developing earlier in the books) -- the character development and plot basically parallel each other.

      Bottom line? Well-done fluff that won't tell you anything you didn't already know.
    • 3/5
      Cute. Fun because I was watching the 2nd season of Castle while reading this (that's when "the book" was "published" on the show). So it was fun. Absolutely a beach-read no-brainer, but good fun.
    • 5/5
      A fun read
    • 4/5
      The first time I saw Nikki Heat books on the shelf at the bookstore I'm sure I did a double/triple/quadruple take. "Wait, the series was based on actual books?" Then I saw the author photo was Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle and did the whole multiple take thing over again. "Wait, what the what?" Several times I almost bought one, mainly out of curiosity. But mystery/crime is not so much my genre, so I didn't. Then I finally ran into it at the library. And why not?

      This was a fun, diverting, fast read for a fan of the Castle series. It almost made me want to go back and watch the first season again, but I've got way too many things on that list already. I probably won't read any of the other books of this series, but it was a good summer read.
    • 4/5
      I love the ABC's series "Castle". The characters in the book are loosely based on the characters of the show. I say loosely because as much as I like the book, the characters pale in comparison to the characters of the show.When Det. Nikki Heat is called to the murder of Real Estate mogul Matthew Starr, her biggest problem is her tag along reporter. Does she give in to her attraction to Jamison Rook?Jamison Rook is annoying yet handsome, aggravating yet charming, and funny. Although sometimes his jokes are a little misplaced and bad timed. Detectives Raley and Ochoa are also funny and love having Jamison around.This whodunit story is pretty compelling and surprising. There are so many suspects but the story flows nicely so you aren't confused or lost by it all.
    • 3/5
      Pretty good, police thrillers are not my usual type, but I do like the show Castle, and this had that feel. While knowledge of the show is not necessary for the book, as it is a stand alone story, I think that being a fan of the show definitely makes you more open and affectionate towards it, since you're reading it and imagining Castle and Beckett instead of Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook.
    • 3/5
      I read this book after watching the TV series Castle. The book version definitely captures the show, but in a more ridiculously funny way. This had a feel of being the comic relief of the show. Rook (the Castle character) came across as a bumbling puppy following Nikki Heat around (Kate Beckett). He tried to prove his love for her by mostly getting in the way and almost getting himself killed. I spent more time laughing than I did biting my fingernails from the mystery. Having said that, it was a fun, light read. Not a super high-quality mystery, but I enjoyed the story from start to finish. I was entertained and will probably read more in the series if for no other reason than to enjoy the cheese factor.
    • 3/5
      Aptly captures the style of the TV show, with a bit more graphic sex but only in the "designated spaces" -- focuses on Nikki's inner turmoil as the protagonist. The mystery is as good as any on the shows, meaning it holds interest with red herrings and surprise reveals, but doesn't cheat (much; as with all the TV crime shows, many loose ends are left still dangling; makes one long for the old Perry Mason epilogues where he explained everything to Paul and Della).As far as the faux authorship goes, no way would Rick Castle have side-lined himself the way the actual authors (probably moonlighting scriptwriters) contrived to do, even if he was featuring "Nikki" (aka Kate Becket) as the lead.
    • 3/5
      The background of this series is a little unusual. But if you have watched the television show, then you know that Richard Castle is a fictional character, not an author. So you have a made-up character writing a story about fictional characters based on “real” people who aren’t really real. But someone had to write this story, and he or she did a pretty good job of it. The audio version is especially nice, because as Johnny Heller does his excellent narration, you can picture the actors you know in the roles they’ve created. An exciting detective story with just enough of the chemistry between the main characters to keep everything interesting.