Heat Rises (Nikki Heat)

I picked up the Nikki Heat series because I am a fan of the show Castle, and found the idea that they'd had a ghost writer impersonate the titular character and actually write a few novels. The whole idea amused me, and I decided to support the effort by the series folk by buying one of their books. What I found was that the series, while essentially detective crime pulp, is a truly entertaining read.I read to escape. It's like watching TV, but with better scenery, and this series delivers entertaining escapism at its best. I enjoyed every minute of the read. The text flowed nicely, the author was humorous without being silly, the characters were well developed and truly likeable, the story gripping, and like all really good books, it was hard to put down. On more than one night in the series, I read until I literally could no longer force my eyes to stay open and focused. My only real regret about starting the series (like my regret about the TV series) is that like all good things, it had to end (though, to their credit, the author(s) is/are still putting out a new volume every year or so (thank you, whomever you are!).I ended up reading the entire series, jumped over to the Derrick Storm series (actually, part of the same series) and greatly enjoyed the crossover, which sadly, seems like a swansong to both series.

This is another good Richard Castle book. It starts out a little slow, but it gets really good the more you read. It will get you hooked on Heat.

This will be an all-purpose review for the various Nikki Heat novels that have come my way from Amazon since Nikki appeared several years ago, a clever device of publishers and entrepreneurs and "idea guys" from TV and film surrounding the development of "Castle," now a premier serial and space filler for a TV station near you. Stana Katic, who has the role of Lt. Kate Beckett NYPD, the gutsy, sexy, clever homicide detective and heroine of the "Castle" series, pairs with the actor Nathan Fillion, who plays the brilliant, infuriating rich boy hero. It took several years of episodes to get their romance moving in the right direction as the cast and writers developed their own skiils and objectives. Enter the idea guys to tangle up everything! Somebody realized that the their now successful TV series has a hero who is an author. Ergo, why not "write" some of his novels and see who would buy them. And make their heroine Nikki Heat, a NYPD detective modeled on the fictitious Kate Beckett of the TV show. Suddenly these fake novels (crime and sex cliffhangers, easy-reading but with gripping plots and plenty of plot-shocks) became real-life best sellers, NYTimes-level best selllers! Now Nikki Heat, a fictional character, is "real" enough to sell novels based on the fictional Kate Beckett of the TV show, played by the real actress Stana Katic! I suspect there are "Nikki Heat fans" who are unaware of the layers of cleverness in the process of writing the novels. and take as Gospel that the Nikki Heat novels are "real" novels--the NYTimes says so, and Stana Katic and Kate Beckett smile their enigmatic smiles as Nikki Heat joins them in this delightful fictional charade. Here's to the trio of the ladies of "Castle"--long may they seduce us as Stana or Kate or Nikki!

For years I've poked gentle fun at friends and family who are addicted to any particular television program, Downton Abbey being exempt, of course. Much to my own embarrassment, I now find myself absolutely hooked on "Castle". So much so, that my husband and I DVR'd the reruns and the current season, then began watching it from the first episode on DVD through Netflix. Therefore, it was with genuine delight that I found the books referenced in the program actually exist!My sleuthing skills, being somewhat less keen than Kate Beckett's/Nikki Heat's, I have been unable to discover the ghost-writer behind this series of books. Having said that, I must now admit how much I LOVE the fact that the "Nikki Heat" books are treated as if Richard Castle is actually the author. I loved the 'author's' photo on the jacket(s) as well as the "about the author" blurb. In reading the acknowledgments, which is something I rarely, if ever do. I have been known to laugh out loud at the sly way in which the (real) author slips into his acknowledgments, the names of the actors who portray the characters in "Castle". Talk about blurring the lines between fiction and reality.......The actual writing and story lines of the "Nikki Heat" books are about what one would expect; that is to say, not in the same league with famous author procedurals. That's OK. They're just plain fun. Personally, I am thankful that intimate 'Nikki/Jameson' scenes in the books, which could have turned into gratuitously graphic sex scenes, gently 'fade to black'. That sort of bodice ripping would ruin the fun and become, in my opinion, an 'Ick' factor lowering "Nikki Heat" into the almost-porn category.Since the books roughly follow the formula of the television program, they provide a spark of recognition (and a frequent "ah-ha!" chuckle) when episodic elements and relationships, from the series, are used as plot devices in the novels. Sadly, I can't resist and will read them all. It's payback time for my friends and family. I am well and truly hooked!

Love it. Another page turner and amazing writing. A must read

spoiler)me ha encantado el final en el que recibe rook el disparo reflejando la escena en la que beckett lo recibe y castle se tira sobre ella, aqui en el libro ocurre lo que a castle le hubiese gustado que pasara eso me ha encantado.

Sehr unterhaltsam. Da ich ein Fan von Castle bin, find ich die Bücher eh Klasse.:). Und ich freue mich schon auf die nächsten!

I didn't know I was going to love the Nikki Heat books so much!I love Castle, it's my favorite show so I had to take a look at those books and wow!Everything is awesome! The storyline, the characters, the cases...Can't wait to read Raging Heat!

Patterson , writing under the name of Richard Castle is without doubt his usual master of mystery, humour intruigue and this the third castle novel (not counting the graphic version) is so good. The constant to/fro between Nikki and Rook( as he is known in the books) is great, Personal lives cross over into the world of criminal detection in all "cast" members, This one sees Nikk disgraced and cast out with no-one to help other than Rook - we all know it will work out all right in the end - - er, won't it? But this is the best Castle BOOK yet. I thoroughly enjoy the TV series, but it is a great read too. Do buy this one, its really better to read than watch (my personal opinion).  Heat Rises (Nikki Heat 3)Heat Rises (Nikki Heat 3)