She Treads Softly: The Burning Man

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

The Burning Man

book cover for The Burning Man

The Burning Man by Trevor Negus
4/12/26; 400 pages, est
Inkubator Books
DCI Danny Flint Book #14

The Burning Man by Trevor Negus is a highly recommended, detailed investigative procedural and the fourteenth book in the series featuring DCI Danny Flint.

An accident on the outskirts of Nottingham results in a burned-out car. While the injured driver was pulled from the car just in time, a body is later discovered in the trunk (boot) of the car. What appears to be a murder case for DCI Danny Flint, quickly turns more complicated when the victim is identified as an undercover Customs and Excise officer working on stopping the smuggling of massive quantities of heroin into the UK. Suddenly Flint and his team find their murder investigation hampered by another teams undercover operation while simultaneously the body count is rising.

This is a police procedural made for fans of complicated, detailed, and realistic investigations. Each new piece of information or clue uncovered are logically followed up on during the investigation. There is a dual plot following the raw material for the drugs being picked up in Afghanistan and then the final product making its way to Nottingham. At the same time Flint's investigation into the initial murder is becoming increasingly complicated by more murder, the Customs and Excise operation, and corruption. All these complications also serve to increase the risk and danger to everyone involved.

The characters are all well-written and portrayed as realistic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Everyone already following this long running series will know the characters, especially DCI Flint, and their abilities. This can be enjoyed as a standalone novel too, although you won't have any history of previous cases.

The Burning Man is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy police procedurals following detailed investigations. Thanks to Inkubator Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.