not a 'consulting' detective, but i've read the first two 'niki heat' novels and just started the third, 'heat rises'. i liked the 2nd one better than the first and so far this one feels like the 2nd one more than it feels like the 1st one. these books are marketed as being written by richard castle, the main male character in the castle tv show. i've been unable to find who the ghost writer might be. my guess is 'steven cannell' for the first one and 'dennis lehane' for the 2nd and 3rd. that's a completely wild guess
