Playing with Fire

In the chilling early hours, two canal boats become a fiery inferno, claiming two lives and igniting a complex investigation for Chief Inspector Alan Banks. The discovery of accelerant confirms a deliberate act of arson, leaving behind smoldering wreckage and a double homicide. One victim, Tina, was a young woman battling drug addiction with a troubled past, living with her boyfriend Mark. The other, Tom, was an artist living in solitude. With scant evidence, Banks must navigate a labyrinth of potential suspects, including Tina's boyfriend, the enigmatic 'lock-keeper' who reported the blaze, and Tina's own estranged father. As Banks delves into the victims' hidden lives, he uncovers a web of secrets and motives, piecing together the events that led to this deadly inferno. This electrifying novel from a master of psychological suspense forces Banks to confront dark truths and unmask a killer driven by hidden desires.