Scan barcode
pnkern's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lauraajohnsonrn's review
3.0
This is indeed a book for Jodi Picoult fans. Kistler has a similar style and MO. A death, a juicy trial and plenty of bumps on the way.
I liked the main storyline but found the sub-plots of Devra and Jenny to be superfluous, and distracting. What they accomplished was the introduction of John Stoddard and a possible owner of the mysterious house behind 10 ft brick walls; both of which could have been executed in a better way.
I also found the character of Leigh to be irritating, as she peddles the story that her husband left her, when in actuality she couldn’t stand the sight of Kip, so he left with his son and removed him from a bad environment.
Overall, it was a good read.
I liked the main storyline but found the sub-plots of Devra and Jenny to be superfluous, and distracting. What they accomplished was the introduction of John Stoddard and a possible owner of the mysterious house behind 10 ft brick walls; both of which could have been executed in a better way.
I also found the character of Leigh to be irritating, as she peddles the story that her husband left her, when in actuality she couldn’t stand the sight of Kip, so he left with his son and removed him from a bad environment.
Overall, it was a good read.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
House on Fire is a fascinating domestic suspense debut by Bonnie Kistler.
Divorce lawyer Leigh Huyett and second husband Pete Conley are on their way home from their anniversary getaway when they find out their two youngest children have been involved in a minor accident. Pete's son, eighteen year old Kip and Leigh's fourteen year old daughter Chrissy crashed their vehicle after swerving to avoid hitting a dog. Kip is arrested for DUI and Leigh hires her best friend Shelby Randolph to defend him. What begins as a case that will most likely result in a suspended sentence turns serious when Chrissy dies from a brain aneurysm the next day. Kip is arrested for manslaughter but he blindsides Leigh and Pete when he changes his story about who was driving. Leigh is incensed that he would blame Chrissy for the accident while Pete immediately begins helping Kip locate the person whom his son claims can confirm his story. The once happy and well-blended family are torn apart as Kip's trial approaches. Will Kip and his defense team locate the mystery person who can back up his story? Can Leigh find a way to forgive Kip for what she considers a lie in order to save himself? Is Pete and Leigh's marriage destined to end in divorce? Or can they find a way to overcome the chasm between them?
Leigh never imagined her happy family and marriage could ever be torn apart. She and Pete have successfully managed to blend their five children into a cohesive unit in which everyone likes and respects one another. Her oldest sons are twins who are away at college and Pete has visitation with his youngest daughter leaving Kip and Chrissy living with the two of them full time. Chrissy is a happy young woman who is a bright light to the rest of the family. Kip is charming but he has managed to get himself into trouble before. With a history of lying to protect himself, Leigh is quick to assume he is being untruthful about a potential witness at the scene of the accident. Her relationship with Pete deteriorates quickly as she is overwhelmed with grief over Chrissy's death. She never imagined their marriage would fall apart so quickly, but she cannot see a way to overcome the divide between them.
Pete might occasionally harbor a few doubts about Kip's story, but for the most part, he believes his son. He is absolutely stunned by Leigh's reaction when he supports Kip, but he continues trying to keep the lines of communication open between him and his wife. However, as the weeks and months pass, he begins to realize they might not able to save their marriage. Pete has no intention of abandoning his son, but as the trial looms closer, he starts to panic. If Kip is found guilty, he is looking at spending time in prison but is there anything Pete can do to save his son?
As Leigh gradually returns to work, she finds herself embroiled in a few interesting cases. She is helping her neighbor's daughter navigate a complex divorce from her wealthy husband but the young woman is resistant to her advice. A diplomat's wife would like to divorce her husband, but the situation is extremely complicated. Her client's circumstances are soon becoming dire, but will Leigh find a way to help her? A highly decorated veteran is seeking assistance in gaining custody of his young son and Leigh is soon in awe at his ability to procure vital information to help move his case along. In a shocking twist, these cases collide in an unexpected manner that is dangerous yet provides Leigh with stunning clarity about her family's situation. But is Leigh's sudden epiphany too late to save Kip, her family and her marriage?
House on Fire is a character driven mystery that explores grief and the dynamics of blended families. Leigh is a sympathetic character who finds herself in the untenable situation of supporting her stepson at the expense of her daughter's memory. She finds help from an unexpected source but will she take his well meaning advice to heart? Pete is a dedicated father and husband whose loyalty to Kip will resonate with readers. Bonnie Kistler brings this compelling mystery to an action-packed yet unanticipated conclusion. I highly recommend this well-written, engrossing novel to fans of the genre.
Divorce lawyer Leigh Huyett and second husband Pete Conley are on their way home from their anniversary getaway when they find out their two youngest children have been involved in a minor accident. Pete's son, eighteen year old Kip and Leigh's fourteen year old daughter Chrissy crashed their vehicle after swerving to avoid hitting a dog. Kip is arrested for DUI and Leigh hires her best friend Shelby Randolph to defend him. What begins as a case that will most likely result in a suspended sentence turns serious when Chrissy dies from a brain aneurysm the next day. Kip is arrested for manslaughter but he blindsides Leigh and Pete when he changes his story about who was driving. Leigh is incensed that he would blame Chrissy for the accident while Pete immediately begins helping Kip locate the person whom his son claims can confirm his story. The once happy and well-blended family are torn apart as Kip's trial approaches. Will Kip and his defense team locate the mystery person who can back up his story? Can Leigh find a way to forgive Kip for what she considers a lie in order to save himself? Is Pete and Leigh's marriage destined to end in divorce? Or can they find a way to overcome the chasm between them?
Leigh never imagined her happy family and marriage could ever be torn apart. She and Pete have successfully managed to blend their five children into a cohesive unit in which everyone likes and respects one another. Her oldest sons are twins who are away at college and Pete has visitation with his youngest daughter leaving Kip and Chrissy living with the two of them full time. Chrissy is a happy young woman who is a bright light to the rest of the family. Kip is charming but he has managed to get himself into trouble before. With a history of lying to protect himself, Leigh is quick to assume he is being untruthful about a potential witness at the scene of the accident. Her relationship with Pete deteriorates quickly as she is overwhelmed with grief over Chrissy's death. She never imagined their marriage would fall apart so quickly, but she cannot see a way to overcome the divide between them.
Pete might occasionally harbor a few doubts about Kip's story, but for the most part, he believes his son. He is absolutely stunned by Leigh's reaction when he supports Kip, but he continues trying to keep the lines of communication open between him and his wife. However, as the weeks and months pass, he begins to realize they might not able to save their marriage. Pete has no intention of abandoning his son, but as the trial looms closer, he starts to panic. If Kip is found guilty, he is looking at spending time in prison but is there anything Pete can do to save his son?
As Leigh gradually returns to work, she finds herself embroiled in a few interesting cases. She is helping her neighbor's daughter navigate a complex divorce from her wealthy husband but the young woman is resistant to her advice. A diplomat's wife would like to divorce her husband, but the situation is extremely complicated. Her client's circumstances are soon becoming dire, but will Leigh find a way to help her? A highly decorated veteran is seeking assistance in gaining custody of his young son and Leigh is soon in awe at his ability to procure vital information to help move his case along. In a shocking twist, these cases collide in an unexpected manner that is dangerous yet provides Leigh with stunning clarity about her family's situation. But is Leigh's sudden epiphany too late to save Kip, her family and her marriage?
House on Fire is a character driven mystery that explores grief and the dynamics of blended families. Leigh is a sympathetic character who finds herself in the untenable situation of supporting her stepson at the expense of her daughter's memory. She finds help from an unexpected source but will she take his well meaning advice to heart? Pete is a dedicated father and husband whose loyalty to Kip will resonate with readers. Bonnie Kistler brings this compelling mystery to an action-packed yet unanticipated conclusion. I highly recommend this well-written, engrossing novel to fans of the genre.
numbergirl7's review
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
booklover28's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
moonbell's review
3.0
Enjoyed it but did skim A LOT through the various (pointless) subplots, main reason why I was able to pick it up again after weeks and finish it on one day during classes
thisisadebut's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
greta_vai's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
pryngols's review
3.0
This novel started with so much potential. I was pulled in by the promise of an intense legal drama and a family tragedy. However at some point I felt that there were just too much going on. There were so many complex subplots that I’m thinking it would have been better if the author just did a series dedicated to the main character Leigh’s adventures with her clients. Perhaps I was expecting too much out of it because I truly loved Little Fires Everywhere and I was promised a Celeste Ng experience. I don’t know why I always fall for that.
I am still giving this a 3⭐️ rating because the novel did succeed in portraying the rewards and struggles of being a part of a blended family. It’s also effective in terms of discussing themes of loss and coping with grief. I seriously think this could have been a great book if there was more focus on just one or two topics. I felt the author just forced some of her advocacies into multiple subplots like gun control, women’s rights, etc. (all in good intention, I’m sure) but it just ruined the experience for me.
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am still giving this a 3⭐️ rating because the novel did succeed in portraying the rewards and struggles of being a part of a blended family. It’s also effective in terms of discussing themes of loss and coping with grief. I seriously think this could have been a great book if there was more focus on just one or two topics. I felt the author just forced some of her advocacies into multiple subplots like gun control, women’s rights, etc. (all in good intention, I’m sure) but it just ruined the experience for me.
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
taliatalksbooks's review
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
House on Fire by Bonnie Kistler was a fast-paced novel that didn’t hold back. While there were a few convenient moments, it was overall a really enjoyable read. The complications between the characters felt real and dynamic, though I do feel as though there were a few too many characters that felt hard to keep track of. The different cases didn’t seem to fit together and I found quite a number of grammatical mistakes in my copy of the book. Admittedly, I did pick this up at a used book store, so it’s possible it was an early print run, however, the mistakes in some instances were distracting and caused me to have to re-read sections to make sure I understood what was happening. The concept here was incredibly interesting, but it had a lot of (to me) unnecessary complications from characters who didn’t need to be a part of the narrative. If you’re looking for a new crime/courtroom suspense, you should add this to your TBR.