Into the Fire is a well written, completely immersive page-turner with exemplary character development.

When Steve Minchin sees a house on fire, on the way home from a night out with his wife, Sarah, and their best friends, Phil and Emma, he doesn’t give it a second thought. He knows what he has to do. Hailed a hero, Steve struggles to balance the gratitude from the community with the enormity of the secret he has kept for years.

When the truth is revealed, there’s a huge moral dilemma at play, aside from the legal ramifications, everyone has an opinion and someone wants revenge.

As the story headed towards it’s conclusion, I was torn between desperation to know the truth and not wanting it to end. The big reveal towards the ending was so completely unexpected, it blew my mind. So many small details that hadn’t really registered throughout the book, suddenly became huge events that shaped the remainder of the story in so many ways.

Absolutely brilliant!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, G. D. Wright and Avon for an ARC of this book.

“Sometimes it was better to apologise afterwards, than to ask permission in the first place.”

Into The Fire follows Steve, who finds himself becoming an unexpected national hero when he rescues a baby from a burning house. But under public scrutiny, Steve finds himself being accused of being responsible for an unsolved murder in Beachbrook years prior. As his world unravels, public opinion is firmly divided. Steve pleads his innocence, but DS Sue Willmott is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened all those years ago. After all, even heroes hide secrets of their own…

Into The Fire is a suspenseful and emotional thriller set in the coastal town of Beachbrook. I loved the characters and their development in this book - the relentless pursuit for justice by Sue, the internal struggles faced by Steve, and the rage and grief encompassing Kevin were all particularly noteworthy. Their individual characters were compelling on their own, but it was their interactions that truly elevated the story. The tension, the conflict and the quiet moments of vulnerability made for a compelling read that had me read the majority of this book in one sitting.

The suspense in Into The Fire builds steadily, tightening its grip with each chapter, until it accelerates around part three when everything begins to ignite. I loved the structure of the book: divided into four parts, each named after a stage of fire. It’s a subtle yet clever touch that speaks volumes about the thought, care, and creativity woven into every detail of the story. And the ending? I won’t spoil it, but it packed a twist I definitely did not see coming that left me reeling.

Thank you so much to G.D. Wright and Avon for sending me this advanced copy of Into the Fire to read and review. My opinions are my own.

The second book I've read by this author and he really knows how to pull on the heartstrings.
A brilliant storyline. Full of characters that makes you want to get to know them more.
Can anyone ever atone for a past mistake that is so devastating some will never get over it.
Gripping and absorbing I could not wait to read the next chapter.
Throughly enjoyed reading this book

GD Wright has done it again, what a brilliant book, hooked in from the beginning and gripped all the way through.

This book is told from multiple POV and over different time periods.
It starts with Steve who runs into a burning house and reappears holding the baby he saved from said house. What a selfless act of heroism, but this new found fame puts him right into the spotlight and he is wanted for a previous crime that comes back to haunt him.
With a plot twist, this is a gripping read that kept a steady pace from start to finish, and what an ending it was, I was not expecting it.
I have read, and loved both of G.D Wrights books and he is now firmly on my radar and must buy list. Highly recommend.

3.5/5

Steve runs into the flames a hero after saving a baby from a burning house. He then emerges from the ashes as a suspect. But which one is he really?

I absolutely adored this authors first book After The Storm and I had high hopes for this!

The book starts off with an absolute bang, it is extremely action packed. However, I did find the pacing was quite slow at times after the initial excitement.

I think this book would make a great TV series as the story does not head into the direction you think it’s going to go.

The ending takes an extremely dark turn which really shocked me and I was taken a back! I did find it was a little rushed but I do understand why it wasn’t drawn out.

Steve rescues a baby from a burning building one day and quickly becomes a national hero. But soon this thrusts secrets from his past into light, those that he wanted to remain hidden.

I have heard so many good things about this author’s first book that I knew I needed to read this one when I saw it. Even though this is the second in the series featuring DS Sue Willmot, it can easily be read as a standalone and I had no issues in understanding the characters and storyline. This was such a thought provoking, emotional read, questioning can someone right a wrong, which has definitely left me thinking. Even though there are some dark, serious issues explored, it is done in a sensitive and authentic way.

The character development was strong and I enjoyed that the story was told in multiple voices. My only real issue with this story was that it was a quite a slow burn and by the midway point became overly slow. Even so, the writing style and character development keeps this story a solid read and I will certainly read the first book by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Steve thought he had left his troubled past behind. Living a quiet life with his wife and children, everything changes the night he rescues a baby from a burning house, becoming an unexpected national hero. But as the spotlight shines brighter, so does the scrutiny, and a shocking accusation is made - that Steve is the man responsible for an unsolved murder in Beachbrook years prior. As DS Willmot investigates the truth, Steve pleads his innocence. But as Steve's world unravels, he faces a terrifying truth: the past isn't done with him yet.

As I thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous book - After The Storm - I had no hesitation requesting this book without even reading the premise. The story goes from hero to zero by just making a stupid mistake. There is so much raw emotion throughout the chapters. This is a well-written story, with relatable and well-fleshed out characters. The story is told from multiple points of view, it's a tense and emotional read. I wasn't expecting that ending.

Published 5th June 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBookUK and the author #GDWright for my ARC of #IntoTheFire in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, Gary has written a flaming great book. The story is told in multiple points of view and over different time periods. We begin with Steve Minchin running into a burning house and comes out with a baby he saved in his arms! Everyone calls him a hero for this selfless act. However, Steve is not the hero you would expect. He is wanted for a crime, which comes back to haunt him. The plot was taut and tense with a few nail biting moments. All the sub plots come together to a fiery conclusion.

In some ways, this is a crime thriller. As a whole, it’s more about redemption. Can an act of heroism balance out something horrible from much earlier in your life?

The story started out strong and grabbed my attention. Toward the middle, it lost some steam and slowed down a bit. The tension seemed to be gone, and I couldn’t imagine what more I could learn. Finally, in the last few chapters, the narrative took off at a breakneck pace, culminating in a shocking scene that I absolutely did not see coming.

As an American, some of the British terminology and police acronyms and abbreviations slowed me down. How did we ever live without Google?

Overall, this is an enjoyable story, and I have enjoyed both of this author’s novels. This one was just a bit too uneven to warrant a higher rating.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wright is the master of pulling you in straight away with all of the emotions. This one starts with a tragic house fire, in which Steve runs into to save a sleeping baby. Now claimed a hero, his new fame forces him into the spotlight, but also under the scrutiny of the police.

It's such a gripping opening, and the turmoil that follows really gets your mind ticking. Does one action outweigh another? Can we ever be forgiven for our pasts? Does everybody deserve punishment?

There are many moral dilemmas to ponder over. The one that hit me the hardest was about how our pasts can define us. Can those who have been brought up in a broken home ever escape that cycle of abuse? Can we become better parents than the ones we experienced ourselves?

I wanted one final thing to click into place regarding this and the book's ending which is what would have made it five stars for me. Because as much of a shocker as it is, it wrapped up a little too quickly for it to really rip my heart out, which is what I wanted it to do.

But otherwise, it's a very powerful and character-driven read, and Steve is developed so brilliantly that you can't help but feel everything he is feeling, as you battle over whether he deserves forgiveness or not.

It was also great to see DS Willmott return! I really hope this series continues!

Stunning does not come close to describing this read!
Brilliantly written, all human emotion is here.
This is a long book at over 400 pages but it does not feel like it. The pacing is perfect flipping between different points of view.
From the first page, you are invested in the characters.
Acclaimed and applauded for his heroic saving of a baby from a house fire, Steve goes from hero to zero in a matter of chapters. You, the reader, know something is wrong, but you can't work it out or understand why Steve is so reticent to accept his hero status.
As the plot unfolds you are left as stunned as are the now divided members of the small knit community where the book is set.
The reasons are surprising, though understandable, but absolutely nothing prepared me for the twist at the end.
Nature over nurture? You decide.
I can't recommend this enough. A truly excellent read.

If you have come here expecting to read about a straightforward police procedural, then you will be leaving disappointed. There are elements of police investigation in this book, without question. What makes this book, and its predecessor, so special, is that they are about far more than just the investigative elements of the story, and although the series, if you want to call it that, has been linked by Detective Sergeant Sue Willmott, this is not really just her story. She is central to what comes to pass, and does lead the action from a police point of view. But this is, really and truthfully, an emotional story of two fathers, Steve and Kevin, whose fates are indelibly linked, although only one knows the truth about why, at least in the beginning.

I really like that emotional angle to this book. Steve is a hero, at least in the eyes of a nation, especially those in his home town of Beachbrook. After running into a house fire and saving the life of a young baby, how could he be anything else. But Steve has a secret, and his new found fame does not sit well with him. He has always shunned social media, preferring to keep a low profile, content with his family and his small business on the seafront. But fate has other ideas, and this is where we meet Kevin. Also a father, Kevin has suffered a devastating loss that is set to become national news once again. I really liked the way in which the author uses alternating points of view, largely from Steve, Kevin and Sue, to tell the story and to slowly establish the ways in which the three of them are linked. There are alternative points of view, from Steve's wife, Sarah, and TV Journalist, Fiona, who both have very key roles to play in what comes to pass, but the three main perspectives are where the heart of the story, and the lion's share of the emotion, lie.

GD Wright has played it perfectly with this book, taking a look into the reasons behind what certain events occur, not as a means to excuse what happens, but more to provoke some internal debate about how long a person should be judged on past mistakes, and whether certain actions can ever be forgiven. Certainly by having both Steve and Kevin's points of view you have two polar standpoints on the situation at hand, and I can't say that I could choose one to sympathise with more than the other. Exactly what occurred in Steve's past is not immediately revealed, which made me imagine possibly the worst, but the more I got to know him, the harder I found it to believe that what happened was due to malicious intent. But then, from Kevin's point of view, the heartwrenching impact of what happened, the way in which it has changed his whole life, is hard to ignore and the author really does pull at all the heartstrings with this story, showcasing brilliantly a father's eternal love for their child.

I feel as thought the pace and style of this book was perfect for the subject in hand, separating Steve's heroism from the mistakes of his past and his slow journey to hopeful redemption. It is not always an easy story to read, and there are some subject matters referenced which will be harder for some people to read, including child abuse and exploitation. It is never gratuitous or graphic in detail, but it still hits home, and leads to perhaps the only scene in the book where I was really left questioning if the end was justified. I understand it, and the emotion behind what happens is in keeping with the tension that had built up within the preceding pages, and the intensity of anger that the characters experience for very good reason. I'm just not sure that, whatever the circumstances, I could condone it.

If you have read and loved After The Storm you will definitely want to read this. It will have you asking all kinds of moral questions, about justice, redemption and even the eternal nature versus nurture debate. With brilliantly drawn characters, a deep emotional core, and wonderfully immersive writing, it's a book I would heartily recommend. I will be thinking about Steve and Kevin for some time to come.

Steve has a secret which he has lived with for years and still has nightmares. He has built up a life with his wife and two children and then he rushes into a burning house and saves a baby.
He is a hero and everyone wants to meet him and tell him but his secret is now going to be revealed and he will no longer be the hero. In fact he is a murderer.

Steve lives in Beachbrook with his wife and two young children. On a night out with their best friends, Phil and Emma, Steve becomes an unlikely hero.

Slowly, Steve’s world starts to crumble and he turns from hero to villain.

With DS Sue Wilmott determined to get to the bottom of a cold case, things take a shocking turn.

My goodness, this story does pack a punch. I felt ill at times & my heart felt as though it was going to pound out of my chest.

The author has written convincing characters for the story, I believed in them all.

The story is told from different points of view and I feel that this added to the overall story. I could feel the pain, worry and exhaustion from each character.

An outstanding second book from the author, I can’t wait to see what will come next.

This book deserves every one of the 5 stars that I've given it and more. It was an incredibly gripping and moving story.

Such strong emotions were displayed within the pages, first for the fire tragedy then for the other story that evolved. I was desperate to know the full story, the hidden tale.

I absolutely loved Wright's first book and was very excited to read his second. I'll definitely be recommending this to plenty of others just like I did with his first.

My second G.D. Wright novel and most definitely not my last. Initially a slow burn (no pun intended) the pace builds to such a crescendo, you will want to re-read the last few chapters more than once. The depth of characters and location is outstanding, with every person and place coming alive off the page.

The story is ingenious, complex, but entirely believable. Chapters switching and following parallel paths keeps you fully engaged as each viewpoint follows the story progression.

Absolutely loved it… now Mr Wright, get better soon and write some more!

My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

Just finished Into the Fire by G.D. Wright and I honestly can’t stop thinking about it. After the Storm was one of my favourite reads of 2024 so I was really looking forward to this one. Set again in Beachbrook, it starts with a house fire, a heroic rescue, and a man suddenly hailed as a national hero—but Steve has a past and his secrets are starting to unravel.

DS Sue Willmot is back and as sharp as ever, digging into the case with her usual quiet tenacity. The story peels back the layers slowly, making you question who you can trust and whether anyone is really telling the whole truth.

What I loved most was the way it asks the big, uncomfortable societal questions: What makes someone a hero? And how far back can you go to cancel that out?

The character work is brilliant—Wright has a way of making you trust someone and doubt them all at once. I flew through it, completely hooked, and that final twist? Brutal, and heartbreaking.

One of the most satisfying, tense reads I’ve picked up in a long time. A massive round of applause for
@gdwrightwrites - Into the Fire is out on 5th June! Go preorder!!

Thank you to @avonbooksuk and @netgalley for the ARC.

The second novel by G D Wright again featuring DS Sue Willm0tt . After a local man rescues a child from a house fire he becomes the centre of attention both locally and nationally and under scrutiny events from his past life return to haunt him. As more is revealed his life starts to fall apart and he is forced to confront his demons. . The narrative contains upsetting events without going into graphic detail but are credible when remembering media stories of recent years. One small niggle is the constant use of DS Wilmotts rank which made it slightly difficult to for me to relate to her as a person. Apart from that this is an enjoyable book Fromm an author who continues.to show promise.

Into the Fire by G.D Wright is a story about a men who becomes a hero after saving a baby. Still, the past hunts him and threatens to ruin everything he built. Loved the way the story was written and the pace was good too.

This is a very emotional read, filled with raw emotion and brilliant characterisation. I really felt for Steve, from hero to zero in a split time frame. The writing is very accomplished as the reader is sucked into the minds of the characters. This is a brilliant character driven novel, filled with suspense and tension and it was hard to put it down. Although the subject is a difficult one, it is handled with great sensitivity by the author. One of the best reads of 2025 so far and one which I highly recommend to lovers of thrillers. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.