Heat 2

By: Michael Mann, Meg Gardiner

Narrated by: Peter Giles

NOW A NO.1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Michael Mann, Oscar-nominated filmmaker and writer-director of Heat and Miami Vice, teams up with Meg Gardiner to deliver Mann’s first crime novel, an explosive return to the world and characters of his classic film Heat – an all-new story that illuminates what happened before and after the film.

A Times Book of the Year 2022

‘Michael Mann’s HEAT is one of my all-time favourite movies. HEAT 2 is now one of my favourite suspense novels’ JAMES PATTERSON

Described by Michael Mann as both a prequel and sequel to the renowned, critically acclaimed film of the same name, HEAT 2 covers the formative years of homicide detective Vincent Hanna (Oscar winner Al Pacino) and elite criminals Neil McCauley (Oscar winner Robert De Niro), Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), and Nate (Oscar winner Jon Voight), and features the same extraordinary ambition, scope, rich characterizations, and attention to detail as the epic film.

This new story leads up to the events of the film and then moves beyond it, featuring new characters on both sides of the law, new high-line heists, and breathtakingly cinematic action sequences. Ranging from the streets of L.A. to the inner sancta of rival Taiwanese crime syndicates in Paraguay to a massive drug cartel money-laundering operation just over the border in Mexico, HEAT 2 illuminates the dangerous workings of international crime organizations and the agents who pursue them as it provides a full-blooded portrait of the men and women who inhabit both worlds.

Operatic in scope, HEAT 2 is engrossing, moving, and tragic – a masterpiece of crime fiction from one of the most innovative and influential filmmakers in American cinema.

PRAISE FOR HEAT 2:
‘Sweep, self-confidence and a cinematic sheen make this the most immersive of reads’
The Times

‘A brilliant and riveting novel with rich and real characters and powerhouse storytelling…’
Don Winslow

‘An exciting, emotionally rich thriller, with just as much style and panache as Michael Mann's original classic heist movie’
Adrian McKinty, #1 International bestselling author

‘Easily one of the finest novels of the year!’
Steve Cavanagh, #1 International bestselling author

Critic reviews

‘A quarter of a century after his classic heist film Heat, the director Michael Mann returns to the scene of the crime in this absolutely gripping thriller, written with Meg Gardiner. Twin timelines explore the before-and-after of that celluloid clash between the unstoppable bank robber Neil McCauley and the immovable Los Angeles cop Vincent Hanna, with the action ranging from home invasions in suburban Chicago to Chinese crime families in 1990s Paraguay. Sweep, self-confidence and a cinematic sheen make this the most immersive of reads’ The Times

‘Michael Mann’s HEAT is one of my all-time favorite movies. Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner’s HEAT 2 is now one of my favorite suspense novels.’
James Patterson

‘Heat 2 is a brilliant and riveting novel with rich and real characters and powerhouse storytelling…’
Don Winslow

“Heat 2 gives us an exciting, emotionally rich thriller, with just as much style and panache as Michael Mann's original classic heist movie. I loved it.”
Adrian McKinty, #1 International bestselling author

“Awesome! This novel is a stunning achievement in character study, narrative form and action. I am in awe. A stunning page-turner every bit as masterful as the original movie. Easily one of the finest novels of the year!”
Steve Cavanagh, #1 International bestselling author

‘This audacious, powerhouse of a novel brings to the page everything the classic crime film HEAT brought to the screen… The metaphors and descriptions conjure up vivid, original images worthy of Mann’s best big movies.’
Eric Rickstad, New York Times bestselling author

‘The best thing about this innovative tale is the way the fully fleshed human stories support and even transcend the often breathtaking action.’ Booklist

Hook, Line and Sinker

Heat is my favourite film of all time, so the prospect of a sequel was enticing. Did it really need a prequel or even a sequel though? And in a literary format no less? I actually didn't think so.

To my pleasant surprise, Heat 2 absolutely captivated me. It starts, lives and ends so far from the world of the original film, it could be almost be an unrelated property. It was a bit of a rocky start - the question of why does this book exist still holding me back for the first quarter or so, despite how well written and researched the crime thriller was.

If you are looking solely for a fulfilling and relevant sequel/prequel to Heat, I think you'll be disappointed. While it was great to experience more of the core heist team in action, the fledged-out backstory ultimately let many formally compelling characters down. And as a devoted fan of the original, I was especially annoyed at mistakes in references to events/timelines of the film!

But the interwoven stories and timelines caught in the expertly crafted web of international crime before I knew what was happening. I couldn't put the book down, the ending riveting as it intersected exactly how I knew it would while still turning out completely unexpectedly.

I'd recommend to anyone who loved the original film, loves crimes thrillers or is curious to see how a master visual filmmaker translates to the page because Manns’ narrative style was unique and had me hooked.

Phenomenal

If you loved the movie, YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK. If you haven’t seen the movie, YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK (also go watch the movie).