If you spend any time in the online book community, then you may have noticed the rise of Summerween – a cultural (and retail) phenomenon where people extend the spooky season forwards into the summer. Jonathan Sims’s third novel is perfectly placed to ride that wave. The author is increasingly a presence on the horror scene as a voice actor as well as writer and host of The Magnus Archives – a supernatural horror podcast – with the tie-in novel From the Library of Jurgen Leitner to be published later this year.
The Burn Line is a standalone thriller with, as far as I know, no connection to any of the author’s other projects. It is set in London during the heatwave of late summer 2022, just after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The premise is simple enough: five strangers are brought together to fight a threat. Can they overcome their differences to work together to be effective? It’s a scenario familiar enough to be called a trope, common in (especially fantasy) fiction and the movies. The novel’s success will depend upon the author’s ability to inject something fresh in to the mix.
Firstly, Sims has chosen his environment well. Much of the story takes place underground, or should that be Underground? People are being murdered on the Tube, in plain sight, and for a reason that is initially obscure, nobody is doing anything about it. The Burn Line has monsters in it, ghouls to be more specific, and the hot, dark, claustrophobic tunnels of the Underground at night is an excellent setting for adding atmosphere and scares.
Sims begins by introducing his protagonists, a chapter at a time. Elise has just started a new job working for Transport for London on an IT project. She’s new to the civil service, and finding the change from the private sector a little disorienting. Senyo is a tube driver, but on this fateful night is riding the train home having hurt himself on the job. He’s middle-aged, a husband and father, solid and responsible. Tash (Natasha) is a trans woman working the night shift at a modest London hotel. She’s stuck flat-sharing, and there’s the worrying news that her landlord is thinking of selling up. Will works in finance, a career that provides a certain amount of financial security, but his career has stalled, something he is somewhat resentful over. Finally, Aaron is a young homeless man who rides the Tube begging so that he can afford a bed each night.
The early chapters fell flat with me, the characters seemed rather generic and uninspired, and I did wonder how much I would enjoy the book. However, once it became apparent that what connected these people was that they had all shared a carriage in which a murder had taken place, the story came to life. All of them have a recollection that something happened but none can remember exactly what.
Aaron is the first to recognise that there is a mystery which needs investigating. In order to do so, and to save himself since the murderer has begun to follow them outside of the Tube, he realises he’ll need the assistance of his fellow passengers from the carriage. Finding a group of strangers in one of the most populous cities in the world is quite a challenge but once one domino falls the others quickly follow.
Sims keeps the pace fast. Once the group accept the unacceptable – there is a killer on the Tube, it isn’t human, and that they have to stop it – the author avoids any unnecessary detours and concentrates on delivering a thrilling ride. The key to the novel’s success lies in the way Sims gets us to care about his companions. They have disparate backgrounds, differing views on life, and their own individual problems outside of what has brought them together. It makes for conflict, and conflict makes for a good story.
Furthermore, the author makes room for an examination of the economics of life in London, especially as how it affects younger generations. I would go so far as to argue that the author makes his ghouls a metaphor for the capital city. The Burn Line is an effective Summerween chiller, but also a surprisingly sly and sophisticated one.
We have always liked the darker side of crime at crimefictionlover. Take a look at our review of The Only Good Indians.
Poisoned Pen Press (US) / Gollancz (UK)
Print/Kindle/iBook
£14.99
CFL Rating: 4 Stars
